one of them be gone astray doth he not leave the ninety and nine and goeth into the mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray 13 And if so be that he find it verily I say unto you he rejoyceth more of that sheep then of the ninety and nine which went not astray 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish Here our Saviour continues his Argument against giving Offence to his Children and Members he came into the World to redeem and save them therefore none ought to scandalize and offend them And to illustrate this he comparts himself to a good Shepherd who regards every one of his Sheep and if any wander or go astray he seeks to recover it with Desire and Joy Learn 1. That the natural Condition of Mankind is like that of wandring Sheep they err and go astray from God their chief Good and the Object of their compleat Happiness 2. That it was the Work and Business the Care and Concern of Jesus Christ to seek and recover lost Souls as the Shepherd doth his lost Sheep 3. That the Love and Care of Christ towards his â—heep in seeking to save and to preserve them is a forcible Argument unto all not to scandalize and offend much less to persecute and destroy them 15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother 16 But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the church but if he neglect to hear the church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican In these Words our Saviour gives us an excellent Rule for the Duty of Fraternal Correption or Brotherly Admonition Where Note 1. That Brotherly Reproof and Admonition is a Duty incumbent upon Church-Members 2. That it may be administred successfully it must be administred privately and prudently 3. When private Admonition prevails not Christ has appointed Church-Governours to execute Church-Censures on the obstinate and irreclaimable 4. Persons justly falling under the Censures of the Church and rightly excommunicate are to be look'd upon as Contumacious and Stubborn Offenders and the Members of the Church to shun Society and Conversation with them If he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican 18 Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven That is whomsoever the Officers of my Church shall justly excommunicate upon Earth shall without Repentance be shut out of Heaven and whosoever upon their true Repentance shall be absolved on Earth shall be absolved in Heaven Learn That Christ will ratifie in Heaven whatsoever the Church assembled doth in his Name upon Earth whether to the censuring of the Guilty or absolving of the Penitent this Power of binding and loosing is by Christ committed to his Church 19 Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Here we have a Gracious Promise made by Christ of his Presence with all his Members in general and with his Ministers in special Whenever they meet together in his Name that is by his Authority in Obedience to his Command and with an Eye at his Glory Whenever they celebrate any sacred Institution of his or execute any Church-Censures he will be iâ— the midst of them to quicken their Prayers to guide their Counsels to ratifie their Sentence to accept their Endeavours Learn 1. That Christ will be graciously present with and amongst his People whenever they assemble and meet together in his Name be it in never so small a number 2. That Christ will in a special manner be present with the Guides and Officers of his Church to direct their Censures and to confirm the Sentence paâ—â—ed in his Name and pronounced by his Authority upon obstinate Offenders 21 Then came Peter to him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times 22 Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee Until seven times but until seventy times seven Here St. Peter puts a Question to our Saviour how often Christians should forgive Offences to their Brethren professing Repentance Christ answers That there should be no end of our mutual forgiving one another but we are to multiply our Pardon as our Brother manifests his Repentance Not that we are hereby obliged to take the frequent Offender into our Bosom and to make him our Intimate but to lay aside all Malice and all Thoughts and Desires of Revenge and to stand ready to do him any Office of Love and Friendship Learn 1. That to fall often into the same Offence against our Brother is a great Aggravation of our Offence 2. That as the Multiplication of Sin is a great Aggravation of Sin so the Multiplication of Forgiveness is a great Demonstration of a Godlike Temper in us He that multiplies Sin doth like Satan Sin abundantly and he that multiplies Pardon doth like God pardon abundantly 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king which would take account of his servants 24 And when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him which ought him ten thousand talents 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay his lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and payment to be made 26 The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him saying Lord have patience with me and I will pay thee all 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt 28 But the same se vant we t out and found one of his fellow-servants which ought him an hundred pence and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat saying Pay me that thou owest 29 And his fellow servant fell down at his fâ—et and besought him saying Have patience with me and I will pay thee all 30 And he would not but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt 31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done they were very sorry and came and told unto their lord all that was done 32 Then his lord after that he had called him said to him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on
with the elders and had taken counsel they gave large money unto the soldiers 13 Saying say ye His disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept 14 And if this come to the governours ears we will perswade him and secure you 15 So they took the money and did as they were taught and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day Observe here 1. How the Priests and Elders endeavour by a notorious Lie to hinder the Belief of our Lord's Resurrection they suborn and bribe the Soldiers to say that his Corps were stoln out of the Grave Lies have been an old Refuge which the Enemies of Christ have all along had Recourse unto â—â—lying is an ancient Device of Satan But Observe 2. What an improbable and unlikely Lie this was which they put into the Soldiers Mouths to vouch Say his Disciples came and stole him away while we slept If the Soldiers were asleep how could they discover the Disciples stealing away the Body If awake why did they not prevent their stealing it Besides how improbable was it that Christ's few and fearful Disciples should attempt to open the Sepulchre guarded by Soldiers And as unlikely was it that the Soldiers should be all asleep together and so fast asleep too that the great Stone at the Mouth of the Sepulchre should be rolled away and not one of the Soldiers awaked with the Noise Yet Observe farther That this incredible Falshood finds a fast and firm rooting in the Belief of the Jews to this Day Note thence That it is a Righteous Thing with God to deliver up to those strong Delusions even to the believing of notorious Lies who will not yield their Assent to Divine Truths upon the clearest Evidence and most convincing Demonstration How strange is it that such a Falshood as this should find Belief amongst the Jews to this Day But where Truth is obstinately rejected a Lie tho' never so improbable is received 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them 17 And when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted This Meeting of our Saviour and his Apostles upon a Mountain in Galilee was an appointed and general Meeting The Mountain is supposed to be that near Capernaum where he made that famous Sermon called the Sermon on the Mount and the Meeting is supposed to be appointed as a general Rendezvous for confirming the Faith of all his Disciples in the Certainty of his Resurrection Possibly our Lord appointed this Place in Galilee so far from Jerusalem that his Disciples might without Danger come thither to see their Saviour alive again after his Crucifixion This is judged to be that famous Appearance of which St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 15.6 When he was seen of above Five Hundred Brethren at once And those that saw him worshipped him who before had doubted Learn hence That when Faith is once satisfied and sees Christ to be God it engages the Soul to worship him Divine Worship is due to Christ upon the Account of his Divine Nature No Creature can be the Object of Divine Worship therefore they that worship Christ by praying to him and yet deny him to be God are certainly Idolaters If Christ had had an Angelick Nature that had not made him capable of Divine Worship for Adoration is founded only in Divinity and what is but Humane or Angelical is not Adorable 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth 19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Amen Observe here 1. A Power asserted 2. An Authority delegated 3. A Command injoined 4. A Promise subjoined Observe 1. A Power and Authority asserted by our Saviour as belonging to himself All Power is given to me both in Heaven and in Earth 1. In Heaven which comprehends a Power of sending the Holy Ghost a Power over the Angels and all the Host of Heaven and a Power to dispose of Heaven to all that shall believe in him 2. In Earth which comprehends a Power to gather a Church out of all Nations and Authority to rule govern and defend the same against all its Enemies Learn hence That all Power and Authority concerning the Church of God was given unto Christ and conferr'd upon him upon the Account of his Meritorious Death and Triumphant Resurrection All Power is given to me That is as Mediator but this Power was inherent in him as God from all Eternity Observe 2. This Power delegated by Christ to his Apostles Go ye therefore and teach and baptize all Nations instructing them to observe all things whatsoever I command you Here is a threefold Power delegated by Christ to his Apostles 1. To congregate and gather a Church a Christian Church out of all the Heathen Nations throughout the World Before he had confined them only to Israel now they must travel from Country to Country and proselyte the Heathen Nations which before had been taught of the Devil and were led away by his Oracles and Delusions Go and disciple all Nations without any Distinction of Country Sex or Age whatsoever and make the Gospel Church as large as you can Thence Note That the Apostles and first Planters of the Gospel had a Commission from Christ to go amongst the Pagan-Gentiles without Limitation and were not to take up their settled Residence in any one Nation but to travel from Country to Country instructing them in the saving Mysteries of the Gospel The second Branch of their Power was to baptize in the Name of the whole Trinity Baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Where Observe That all adult and grown Persons are to be first taught and instructed before they be baptized But it follows not from hence that the Children of such Parents may not be baptized before they are taught for the Apostles were to baptize all Nations of which Children are a chief if not the chiefest part Besides those that were proselyted to the Jewish Religion tho' before they were circumcised themselves they were instructed in the Law of God yet when they were circumcised themselves their Children were not denied Circumcision at Eight Days old In like manner have we no Reason to deny the Children of baptized Parents who are in Covenant themselves the Sign and Seal of the Covenant which is Baptism God having assured his People that he will be the God of them and of their Seed If this Priviledge be denied the Children of Christian Parents are in a worse Condition than the Children of the Jews and consequently Infants are in a worse Condition since Christ's coming than they were before and the Priviledges
Visible Church may be guilty of such tremendous Acts of wickedness as the Conscience of an Infidel and Pagan may boggle at and protest against Pilate a Pagan Absolves Christ and seeks to release him whilst the Hypocritical Jews who heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles condemn him Observe 3. How wretchedly Pilate suffers himself to be overcome with the Jews importunity and contrary to the light of his own Reason and Conscience delivers the Holy and Innocent Jesus first to be Scourged and then Crucified Learn thence That it is a vain Apology for Sin when Persons pretend that it was not committed with their own consent but at the instigation and importunity of others for such is the frame and Constitution of Man's Soul that none can make him either wicked or miserable without his own Consent Then Pilate took Jesus and Scourged him 2 And the souldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it on his head and they put on him a purple robe 3 And said Hail King of the Jews and they smote him with their hands The next part of our Saviour's Sufferings consisted of cruel mockings Christ had owned himself to be the King of the Jews that is a Spiritual King in and over his Church But the Jews expecting that the Messiah should have appeared in the Pomp of an Earthly Prince and finding it to be quite otherwise in our Saviour they look upon him as a Deceiver and Impostour and accordingly Treat him as a Mock-King with all the marks of Derision and Scorn for first they put a Crown upon his Head but a very Ignominious and Painful one a Crown of Thorns They put a Scepter in his Hand but that of a Reed a Robe of Scarlet or Purple upon his Body and then bowed their Knees unto him as they were wont to do before their Princes crying Hail King Thus were all the marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our dear Redeemer yet what they did in Jest God permitted to be done in Earnest for all these things were ensigns and marks of Sovereignty and Almighty God caused the Royal Dignity of his Son to shine forth even in the midst of his greatest Abasement Whence was all this Jearing and Sport but to flout Majesty and why did the Son of God undergo all this Ignominy Disgrace and Shame but to shew what was due unto us for our Sins as also to give us an Example to bear all the Scorn Reproach and Shame imaginable for the sake of him who for the Joy that was set before him despised the Shame as well as indured the Cross 4 Pilate therefore went forth again and saith unto them Behold I bring him forth to you that ye may know that I find no fault in him 5 Then came Jesus forth wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe And Pilate saith unto them Behold the man 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him they cried out saying Crucifie him crucifie him Pilate saith unto them Take ye him and crucifie him for I find no fault in him Observe here 1. The great variety of our Saviour's Sufferings he is made the Foot-ball of Cruelty and Scorn his Sacred Body is stripped of his Garments and his Back disguised with Purple-Robes his tender Temples wounded with a Thorny Crown his Face spit upon his Cheeks buffetted his Head smitten his Hand Sceptred with a Reed By his wearing a Crown of Thorns he took away the bitterness of that Curse which our Sins brought upon the Earth Gen. 3.18 Thorns and Briars shall it bring forth Christ by his Bitter and Bloody Sufferings has turned all the Curses of his People into Crowns and Blessings Observe 2. The noble Testimony given of Christ's Innocency by the mouth of Pilate I find in him no fault at all he doth not say I find him not Guilty of what is laid to his Charge but gives an universal Testimony of our Lord's Innocency I find no fault at all in him In spight of all Malice Innocency shall find some Friends and Abettors Rather than Christ shall want witnesses Pilate's mouth shall be opened for his Justification how fain would he have freed Jesus whom he found faultless Our Lord found more Compassion from Pilate an Heathen than he did from them of his own Nation Pilate would have saved him but they cry out for his Blood Hypocrites within the visible Church may be guilty of such monstrous Acts of wickedness as the Consciences of Heathens without the Church may boggle at and protest against Pilate a Pagan pronounces Christ Innocent whilst the Hypocritical Jews who had heard his Doctrine and seen his Miracles do Condemn him Observe 3. Who influenced the main Body of the Jews to desire Pilate to put Jesus to Death it was the Chief Priests and Elders they perswaded the Multitude Wo be to the Common People when their Guides and Leaders are corrupt and wo unto them much more if they follow their wicked and pernicious Counsels the Jews here followed their Guides the Chief Priests but it was to their own destruction as well as their Leaders when the Blind lead the Blind both fall into the Ditch 7 The Jews answered him we have a law and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God 8 ¶ When Pilate therefore heard that saying he was the more afraid 9 And went again into the judgment-hall and saith unto Jesus Whence art thou But Jesus gave him no answer Observe here 1. How Ambitious the Chief Priests were that Christ should Die under a colour of Law We have a Law and by that Law he ought to Die The Law which they allude to is the Law for putting false Prophets and Blasphemers to Death of which number they conclude Christ to be because he made himself the Son of God whereas he did not make himself so or only pretend to be so but really and indeed was so to wit the eternal Son of God Such as are indeed Blasphemers and do Arrogate to themselves what is proper to God only by the Law of God they ought to be put to Death but Christ was not Guilty of the Violation of that Law for he was indeed the Son of God and did not make himself so Observe 2. How full of fear the Conscience of Pilate was when the Jews told him that Jesus made himself the Son of God he was afraid to Condemn him not knowing but that he might be some Divine and extraordinary Person and consequently might draw down Divine Vengeance on his own head Learn hence That serious thoughts of a Deity will strike terror even into a natural Conscience especially when the Sinner is following a course which his own judgment cannot approve when Pilate heard of Christ's being the Son of God he was afraid knowing that what he had done to him was against his own Conscience Observe 3. The Question Pilate puts to Christ upon this occasion Whence art thou that is what is thy
farther Witness we have heard his Blasphemy Abominable Wickedness It is not in the Power of Innocency it self nay not in the Power of the greatest and unspotted Innocency to protect from Slander and false Accusation Observe farther The great Meekness of our Saviour under all these ill Suggestions and false Accusations as a Lamb before the Shearer so is he Dumb and opened not his Mouth Learn thence That to bear the Revilings Contradictions and false Accusations of Men with a Silent and Submissive Spirit is an excellent and Christ-like Temper Though a Tryal for his Innocent Life was now Managed most Maliciously and Illegally against him yet When he was Reviled Reviled not again when he Suffered he Threatned not Oh may the same Meek and Humble Mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus who instead of Reviling his Accusers Prayed for his Murtherers and Offered up his Blood to God on the Behalf of them that shed it Lord Jesus help us to set thy Instructive Example continually before us and to be daily Correcting and Reforming of our Lives by that Blessed Pattern Amen CHAP. XXIII 1 AND the whole Multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate 2 And they began to accuse him saying We found this Fellow perverting the Naâ—ion and forbidding to give Tribute to Cesar saying That he himself is Christ a King 3 And Pilate asked him saying Art thou the King of the Jews And he answered him and said Thou sayest it 4 Then said Pilate to the Chief Priests and to the People I find no fault in this Man 5 And they were the more fierce saying He stirreth up the People Teaching throughout all Jeury beginning from Galilee to this place 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee he asked whether the Man were a Galilean 7 And as soon as he heard that he belonged to Herod's Jurisdiction he sent him to Herod who himself was also at Jerusalem at that time 8 And when Herod saw Jesus he was exceeding glad for he was desirous to see him of a long Season because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some Miracle done by him 9 Then he questioned with him in many words but he answered him nothing 10 And the Chief Priests and Scribes stood and vehemently accused him 11 And Herod with his Men of War set him at naught and mocked him And arrayed him in a gorgeous Robe and sent him again to Pilate 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made Friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves In this Chapter we have a Relation of the Black and Saddest Tragedy that ever was Acted upon the Stage of the World Namely the Barbarous and Bloody Murther of the Holy and Innocent Jesus by the Jews his own Country-Men the Best of Kings put to Death by his own Subjects And the first step towards it is his Arraignment before Pilate and Herod they Post him from one to another Pilate sends him to Herod and Herod having made sufficient Sport with him Remands him to Pilate Neither of them find any Fault in him worthy of Death yet neither of them would Release him Here Observe That our Saviour being before Pilate Answers him Readily and Cautiously Art thou the King of the Jews says Pilate Thou sayest it says our Saviour Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed He Replied I am Hence says the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 That Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession Teaching us That though we may and sometimes ought to hold our Peace when our Reputation is Concerned yet must we never be Silent when the Honour of God and his Truth may be effectually promoted by a Free and a Full Confession yet is it farther Observable That our Saviour being before Herod would neither Answer him to any Question nor Work any Miracle before him This was an Instance and Evidence of our Lord 's great Humility in refusing to Work Miracles before Herod who desired it only to gratify his Curiosity Thus do vile Men abuse the Holy Power of God desiring to see it exerted for Admiration and Pastime not to be Convinced or Converted by it And as Admirable was the Patience as the Humility of Christ and his present Silence who neither at Herod's Request nor at the Jews Importunity and false Accusations could be moved to Answer any thing Observe Lastly That though Herod had Murthered Christ's Fore-runner John the Baptist and our Saviour's own Life was in danger by Herod heretofore yet now he had him in his Hands he lets him go only he first abuses him and mocks him and Arrays him in a Gorgeous Robe like a Mock King Thus were all the Marks of Scorn imaginable put upon our Dear Redeemer yet all this Jearing and sportful Shame did our Lord undergo to shew what was due unto us for our Sins and also to give us an Example to bear all the Shame and Reproach imaginable for his sake Who for the Joy that was set before him despised the Shame Hebr. 12.2 13 And Pilate when he had called together the Chief Priests and the Rulers and the People 14 Said unto them Ye have brought this Man unto me as one that perverteth the People And behold I have examined him before you and find no fault in this Man touching those things whereof ye accuse him 15 No nor yet Herod For I sent you to him and lo nothing worthy of Death is done unto him 16 I will therefore chastize him and Release him 17 For of necessity he must Release one unto them at the Feast 18 And they cryed out all at once saying Away with this Man and Release unto us Barabbas 19 Who for a certain Sedition made in the City and for Murder was cast into Prison 20 Pilate therefore willing to Release Jesus spake again to them 21 But they cryed saying Crucify him Crucify him 22 And he said unto them the third time Why What Evil hath he done I have found no Cause of Death in him I will therefore Chastise him and let him go 23 And they were instant with loud Voices Requiring that he might be Crucified And the voices of them and of the Chief Priests prevailed 24 And Pilate gave Sentence that it should be as they Required 25 And he Released unto them him that for Sedition and Murder was cast into Prison whom they had desired But he delivered Jesus to their Will Observe here 1. How unwilling how very unwilling Pilate was to be the Instrument of our Saviour's Death One while he Expostulates with the Chief Priests Saying What Evil hath he done Nay St. Luke here declares that Pilate came forth Three several Times professing that he found no Fault in him Where Note How much more Justice and Equitâ— Christ met with from Pilate an Heathen then from the Chief Priests and People of the Jews professing the true Religion Oh how desperate is the Hatred that grows upon the Root of
Religion Learn hence That Hypocrites within the Church may be guilty of such Tremendous Acts of Wickedness as the Consciences of Infidels and Pagans without the Church may Boggle at and Protest against Pilate a Pagan Absolves Christ whilst the Hypocritical Jews that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles do condemn him Observe 2. How Pilate at last suffers himself to be over-come with the Importunity of the Jews and delivers the Holy and Innocent Jesus contrary to his Judgment and Conscience to the Will of his Murtherers It is a vain Apology for Sin when Persons pretend that they are not committed with their own Consent but at the Instigation and Importunity of others For such is the Frame and Constitution of Man's Soul that none can make a Person wicked without his own Consent It was no Extenuation of Pilate's Sin no Alleviation of his Punishment that to please the People he delivered up our Saviour contrary to the Direction of his own Conscience to be Crucified Observe 3. The Person whose Life the wicked Jews preferred before the Life of the Holy Jesus Barabbas We will that thou Release Barabbas and destroy Jesus Mark these Hypocritical High Priests who pretended such Zeal for God and Religion they prefer the Life of a Person Guilty of the highest Immoralities and Debaucheries even Murder and Sedition before the best Man that ever lived in the World But whence sprang the Malice and Hatred of the High Priests and People of the Jews against our Saviour Why plainly from hence Christ Interpreted the Law of God more strictly than their Lusts could bear and he lived a more Holy Useful and Excellent Life than they could endure Now nothing enrages the Men of the World more against the Professors but especially the Preachers of the Gospel then Holiness of Doctrine and Strictness of Life and Conversation Such as Preach and Live well let them expect such Enmity and Opposition such Malice and Persecution such Sufferings and Tryals as will shock an ordinary Patience and Constancy of Mind Our Master met with it let his Zealous Ministers prepare for it 26 And as they led him away they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian coming out of the Country and on him they laid the Cross that he might bear it after Jesus The Sentence of Death being past by Pilate who can with dry Eyes behold the sad Pomp of our Saviour's Execution Forth comes the Blessed Jesus out of Pilate's Gates bearing that Cross which soon after was to bear him with his Cross on his Shoulder he Marches towards Golgotha and when they see he can go no faster they Compel Symon of Cyrenea not out of Compassion but Indignation to bear his Cross This Cyrenian being a Gentile who bare Christ's Cross some think thereby was signified that the Gentiles should have a part in Christ as well as the Jews and be Sharers with them in the Benefits of the Cross 27 And there followed him a great Company of People and of Women who also Bewailed and Lamented him 28 But Jesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and your Children 29 For Behold the Days are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the Barren and the Wombs that never Bare and the Paps which never gave Suck 30 Then shall they begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us 31 For if they do these things in the green Tree what shall be done in the dry There were Four sorts of Persons which Attended our Saviour at his Crucifixion The Executioners that Tormented him the Jews that mock'd him the Spectators and Lookers on that Mark'd him and Sympathizing Friends which Lamented him These last Christ thus bespoke Weep not for me but for your selves That is Weep rather upon your own Account then mine Reserve your Sorrows for the Calamities coming upon your Selves and your Children It is very probable That the Tears and Lamentations of many of these Mourners were but the fruits of tender Nature not the Effects of Faith and flowing from a Principle of Grace Learn thence That melting Affections and Sorrows even from the Sense of Christ's Sufferings are no infallible Marks of Grace The History of Christ's Sufferings is very Tragical and Pathetical and may melt ingenuous Nature where there is no Renewed Principle of Grace 32 And there were also two other Malefactors led with him to be put to Death 33 And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they Crucifyed him and the Malefactors with him one on the Right Hand and the other on the Left Here we see the Infamous Company that our holy Lord Suffered with Two Thieves It had been a sufficient Disparagement to our Blessed Saviour to be Sorted with the best of Men But to be numbered with the Scum of Mankind is such an Indignity as Confounds our Thoughts This was designed by the Jews to dishonour and disgrace our Saviour the more and to perswade the World that he was the greatest of Offenders But God over ruled this for Fulfilling an Ancient Prophecy concerning the Messiah Isa 53. last and he was Numbered with the Transgressors 34 Then said Jesus Father Forgive them for they know not what they do Christ had often Preach'd the Doctrine of Forgiving Enemies and Praying for them he Practises it here himself in a most Exemplary manner Where Note 1. The Mercy desired and Prayed for and that is Forgiveness 2. The Person desiring that Mercy Christ the Dying Jesus 3. The Persons for whom it is Desired his Bloody Murtherers Father Forgive them 4. The Argument used or Motive urged to procure the Mercy Forgive them For they know not what they do Learn hence 1. That Ignorance is the usual Cause of Enmity against Christ 2. That there is Forgiveness with God for such as oppose yea Persecute Christ out of Ignorance 3. That to Forgive Enemies and to beg Forgiveness for them is an Evidence of a Christ-like Frame of Spirit Father Forgive them 35 And the People stood beholding and the Rulers also with them derided him saying He saved others let him save himself if he be Christ the chosen of God 36 And the Soldiers also mocked him coming to him and offering him Vinegar 37 And saying If thou be the King of the Jews save thy self 38 And a Superscription was written over him in Hebrew in Greek and Latin This is the King of the Jews Observe here 1. A mighty Aggravation of our Lord's Sufferings upon the Cross Namely The mocking Derision which he met with in his Dying Moments As he endured the Pain so he despised the Shame Cruel Mockings was our Lord Tryed with both from the Common People and from the Chief Priests yet the Common People's Reviling him and wagging their Heads at him was not so much to be taken Notice of as the Chief Priests who were Men of Age and Gravity and the Ministers of Religion For