of Judicature but were a concourse of Bloody Murderers He knew as he was God that whatsoever he should answer they would pervert to an accusation against him and that by his answer he should rather irritate than appease them and that the more he satisfied 'em the greater would be their Sin especially that it was written of him in the Evangelical Prophet z Isai 53.7 He was oppressed and Afflicted and yet he opened 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 Cajaphas the more enraged at his silence supposing it was done out of contempt to his Person and vext that neither the Witnesses nor his own Authority could draw an answer from him which might bear colour of Censure collects all his Malice and Rage together and darts it at him in one terrible Exorcism a Mat. 26.63 I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God agreeable to the last refuge of Satan in the distracted and furious man b Mark 5.7 I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not Our Saviour not mov'd by the Power of Exorcism for if there were no c Numb 23.23 Inchantment against Jacob much less cou'd there be against his God but least it might not consist with the honour which is due and ever to be paid to the Sacred Name or he might seem wanting to the saving Truth which he came down on Earth to reveal to the World or the Jews might take occasion thereby to defend their perfidiousness and propagate their error after his departure saying That Nazarene being askt by our High Priest and adjur'd by the Tremendous Name whether he were the true expected Messiah would not answer that he was otherwise we had believ'd him and receiv'd him as such For these Reasons he would not here be silent that he might leave them without Excuse but in two Sayings declares the Truth d Mat. 26.64 Thou hast said or it is true which thou hast said I need not answer thou thy self hast said it Or rather he directs it to his wicked Conscience Why seekest thou so deceitfully to draw from me that which thou knowest already so well I need not tell thee I am the Christ since e John 11.47 because I raised up Lazarus from the Dead thou would'st put me to death Thou hast not hitherto believed me for my Miracles and intendest never to believe me for my Words Nevertheless I will yet more clearly confess and I tell you plainly Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting at the Right hand of Power Å¿ Mat. 26 64. and coming in the Clouds of Heaven But none could thus ascend to equal Power with God none could again descend with the Clouds of Heaven which the Jews themselves expounded of the Glorious Attendance of the Angels unless the true Messiah and Son of God With these words he passionately endeavours to move 'em with the Terrors of the Lord at the consideration of that just Judgment they must at last undergo before his Tribunal how Vile and Abject soever he now appeared since he had tried in vain to reduce 'em by his Innocency and Benefits But now Hypocrisie and Ostentation as well as Obstinacy reign in Cajaphas q Mark 14.63.64 He 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 Why What have ye heard O ye blood-thirsty men but that great Truth of the coming of Christ's Kingdom which the Patriarchs Prophets and all good men long'd for with earnest expectation Where is your Anointing ye Priests and Sons of Aaron Where are the Prophecies ye Scribes and Teachers which long before mentioned these things of the Messiah Where will be your portion ye Sons of Israel who renounce an Interest in the Saviour of the World and condemn the Son of the Great King and think by killing him to seize upon his Inheritance r 1 Chron. 22 8. David was not suffer'd to build the Temple because his hands had shed Blood And how shall you build up the House of the Lord who imbrue your hands in the blood of God What Herod thô otherwise cruel will not dare and what Pilate tho' a Barbarian shall be afraid of you have wilfully pronounc'd against the Lord of Life Therefore shall the Samaritans and Heathen be your Judges yea out of your own mouth shall ye be Judged how much your impiety was greater than theirs and your Injustice crueller than that of Herod or Pilate It was the first time that Cajaphas had heard he call'd himself the Son of God and declar'd himself to be come from Heaven as appears by manifest Å¿ John 5.18 passages in the Holy Evangelists He might much more easily have believed that Truth knowing how he had raised Lazarus from the Dead then the poor blind Man for the cure of his sight or Nicodemus from the general report of his Miracles who t John 3.2.9 33. both confess that if he had not been of God or God had been with him he could have done nothing But here out of Vain Glory he rent his Clothes a sad Presage prophetically foreshewing that the Priesthood shou'd be rent from him and that Nation and crys as if he had heard some strange thing which personated Admiration became also the type of his own punishment and consign'd the Nation to utter destruction and the whole Assembly devoted to his will the Priests the Pharisees the Scribes and Elders â— Mark 14.64 all conspir'd in the same Guilt Whereby it is evident whatsoever he had said they were all ready to confirm it when immediately with one Voice without any Hesitation all condemn him to be guilty of Death There was no body here had a word to speak for the Innocent none desir'd a time for defence of the Prisoner neither Reason nor Justice nor Humanity are regarded but Cajaphas will have it so and Christ must die Thus was our Saviour suppposed guilty of Blasphemy who in all things sought his Father's Glory and proclamed worthy of Death who did no Sin neither was guile found in his Mouth and that holy Name abus'd and vilifi'd which is above every Name and to which every knee should bow Because we were really Blasphemous and Wicked and had transgrest all the commandments of our God from the guilt of which he came to deliver us by his Condemnation Prayer O Spotless Innocence who wert judged wrongfully but shall come to judge the World in Righteousness Grant Impartialtiy to all the Judges of the Earth that they Administer true Justice without Covetousness or Respect of Persons Sincerity to all Witnâ—sses that they may bear Testimony to the Truth Integrity to all the Professors of thy Holy Precepts that they may serve thee in purity
evil and pierce us through with many Sorrows till we are involv'd in a certain x Matt. 19.23 26. Impossibility of Salvation Why were ye reveal'd from your dark Repositories Why were you not suffer'd to lie buryed for ever that wanting the occasions of Injustice and Luxury we might Innocently have enjoy'd the necessaries of Life and have had our desires free to have waited on our God the only Adequate Object of our Immortal Souls But Mary has taught us the right use to convert 'em to the benefit of the Members of Christ and we cannot but think it the most excellent distribution which draws us to the nearest resemblance of our Maker whose Nature is to y Jam. 1. ◠Matt. 5. 〈…〉 Give and to do good which z 1 Pet. 〈…〉 covers Sins which is a Psal 〈…〉 everlasting Righteousness and Ascends for a b Acts 〈…〉 Memorial before God an c Phil. 〈…〉 odour of a great smell and an acceptable Sacrifice which shall d Rev. 〈…〉 follow us and be e Matt. 25. 〈…〉 own'd by the Great King in the last day and f Matt. 5. 〈…〉 obtain Mercy in the Time of Judgment Ye Candidates of Eternity whose business shall be Charity in the other World when Faith and Hope shall cease the Time is coming and we know not how suddenly that Death shall disarray us to the very Bones and leave us nothing but what we have given to God g Matt. 26.11 Deut. 15.11 and to the Poor in his Absence Let us therefore commence here our Heavenly Conversation and Bless the hour wherein we have opportunity to evidence our Love to God and Man and to part with something for the sake of our Dear Saviour to buy with the Superfluities of a trifling stock an h 1 Pet. 1.4 inheritance incorruptible and undefiled in Heaven where neither i Matt. 6.9 Moth nor Rust do corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal How comfortable will the reflections of our Charity be at the Hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment when Mercy shall rejoyce against Judgment Jam. 2.13 and Love shall constitute a part of Heaven and help to make up the enjoyment of that State Prayer Amiable Jesu since we cannot pour our Grateful Odours upon thy Head nor wash thy Sacred Feet with our Tears let us reach thy Divinity and Humanity with our Faith and let our Charity diffuse it self upon thy Mystical Body the Church That we may never esteem any thing too Precious to be bestow'd for thy sake never value any thing in competition with thy Service who art the true Riches of thine Elect. SECT VI. Of the Benignity of Christ supporting his Disciples in the absence of the Betrayer against the Time of their Trial. JUdas is gone and the Holy Jesus not more streightned with the thoughts of his Passion then with the Sorrows of his Disciples begins a most Heavenly and Salutary Discourse to enlighten their Understandings and alleviate their Minds l Joh. 13.31.32 Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himself and will straightway glorifie him Now he was Glorified as to his Mystical Body by the recession of the Son of Perdition from his Society Now he was Glorified by the Separation of Judas prefiguring his future Glorification when he shall separate the Just from the Unjust and his Power Truth and Justice shall appear Now he was Glorified by the beginning of his Passion upon which depended the whole Mystery of Redemption Now he was Glorified in Relation to that Glory of which he had said m John 12.32 When I am lift up I will draw all men to me He had before been glorified by his Miracles when the People were astonished and n Mark 7.37 said he had done all things well when upon his satisfying Five Thousand with five Loaves they would have taken him and made him a o John 6.14.15 King when upon his suppressing the Winds and Waves they began to adore him as the p Matt. 14.13 Son of God when upon his restoring Lazarus to Life they receiv'd him publickly into Jerusalem with Psalms and q John 12.13 Acclamations due to the Eternal God But the Consummation of his Glory was to be raised from his Passion the r Phil. 2.9 ground-work of his Exaltation and Adorable Name Let then the Wicked One do what he can Sell Betray and incense even the whole World The Glory of the Son of Man is his Cross He is ravisht by the object of his Death and transported by the Idea of his Sufferings He encourages himself to the Combat with the Prospect of Glory He looks upon the Cross as the Fountain of his Happiness and Plants his Elevation upon the lowest Abasement He teaches us that Treachery Calumny and Death how horrible soever they seem in this World yet to a just Man are desirable or at least easily to be born by him forasmuch as there is no other way to Glory Let us never think then to be worthy of him till we bear the Ensigns of his War as well as the Ornaments of his Peace Every thing is a Paradise to him that knows how to love the Cross and every thing is a Hell to them that fly from it tho' no body flys from it but shall find it It is the Gate of our Mortality through which we needs must pass before we can ſ Acts 14.22 enter into the Kingdom of God Behold when the Sovereign Love comforts what Rivers of Balm flow from his Tongue and spread themselves with admirable Sweetnesses and refreshments into the wounds of afflicted hearts He gives as it were a foretaste of the Glory to be reveal'd hereafter and to which all present Sufferings are not worthy to be compar'd that we should ever have respect unto the recompence of Reward and repose our whole confidence in him that has promis'd He speaks of his Death in so desirable a manner that he draws his Disciples into the highest Consolation at the same time that he humbles them in the depth of Sorrow t John 13.33 Little Children The very Appellation bespeaks a Paternal Favour and Providence and that now by his Death and Sufferings for them they should be call'd and be the Son of God Nor do we read in the Holy Gospel they were ever stil'd before by this Name Whereby he seems to show an extraordinary affection because of the Tenderness of his Love and the infirm Infancy of their Understanding and Faith t John 13.33 Yet a little while I am with you A very little while but while Judas can go to the Jews and return again and then I shall be no longer with you unless that for a short space I shall see you again Not that he was to leave them and be no more with his Church For as when he
O change the hard Fetters of Fear into the inestimable Chains of Love That dreading thy Justice we may avoid whatsoever may expose us to it and may dwell for ever in the Contemplation of those Good things which thou hast wrought and prepared for them that love thee SECT VIII Of the Agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane NOW there was a Valley between Jerusalem and Mount Olivet of the vast Profundity of 400 Cubits called Cedron from the Obscurity of the place where Foggs and Mists seem'd to dwell in the bottom to such as lookt down into it from the Temple and a h 18.1 Brook running there of the same Name Which Brook sometimes swell'd with impetuous Torrents descending from the hard and lofty tops of Mount Moria and Mount Acra sometimes it trickled with a gentle Murmur in its own Source without additional Waters inviting the wearied Traveller to rest an Emblem of the Vicissitude of Humane Condition and the wavering Image of capricious Fortune whereby a Man is sometimes over-born with Force according to that of David k Psal 69.1 2. Save me O God for the waters are come in even to my Soul I stick fast in the deep Mire where no ground is I am come into deep waters so that the Floods run over me sometimes there is a wonderful Tranquility and Smoothness over the Face of all his Affairs which burys the apprehension of the least Storm At this Water-course being the Sink of the holy City they us'd to cast in every accursed thing as the Powder of Maachah's l 2 Chron. 15.16 Idol which Asa stampt and burnt there the Idolatrous m 2 Chron. 30.14 Altars that were in Jerusalem and the n 2 King 236. Grove that was taken out of the House of the Lord and all the o 2 Chron. 29.16 uncleanness that was found therein Which is the reason of that Metaphorical way in Scripture of understanding Affliction and Troubles by Water and particularly of those Words concerning our Blessed Saviour who after passing this was to enter upon his Sufferings That he should p Psal 110.7 drink of the Brook in the way Nor may we hope to be exempt from it who have given up our Names to be his Followers since in the Torrent of Tribulation are found the living Waters of Comfort which spring up in the Soul unto eternal Life Here holy q 2 Sam. 15.23 David past in Grief when he fled out of his Palace from his Son Absolom and all the Country wept with a loud Voice And now this r Mark 12.35 Son of David passes over it sorrowing in his way to Mount Olivet where grew abundance of Olives to meet the Anger of his incensed Father due to the rebellious Children of Men. The f Gen. 8.11 Olive signifies Peace and t Psal 104.15 Oyl Gladness prefiguring it may be the Reconciliation to which his Sufferings there were preparatory and the Joy they should create to all Believers But to him it was to be the Theatre of unexpressible Dolours and to which the Disciples followed with a sad Heart fearing and trembling for the Words he had spoken u Zech. 13.7 Matt. 26.31 That in this night the Shepherd should be smitten and the Sheep of the Flock should be scatter'd abroad We read at other times they went * Luk. 10.1 before into every place whither he himself would come But the Evangelist has observ'd now they x Lide 22.39 follow'd him as unable to precede in the way of Sufferings for poor Nature abhors the Cross and clings to the Principles of Self-preservation though after he had sanctified it it became more agreeable and they embrac'd it with Alacrity as desirous of nothing more than to bear about in their Bodies the Dying of the Lord Jesus and to be made conformable to his Death believing That in following him they should arrive at the same Glory And our y 2 Cor. 1.7 hope is stedfast that as we are Partakers of the Sufferings so shall we be also of the Consolation At last they arriv'd at a z Matt. Village called Gethsemane scituate at the foot of the Mount of Olives where were many pleasant Gardens into one of which he entred with his Disciples as chusing a place for his satisfactory Pains answerable to that of the first Scene of Humane Misery a Gen. 2.8 where Adam fell and ruin'd Mankind and wherein he might best attend the Offices of Devotion Prayer and Meditation before his Crucifixion Here the second Adam would begin his Passion in order to our Redemption from that contagious Guilt spread over his Posterity by the first Man here he would become obedient unto Bonds and mercifully take our Sentence upon himself that he might free us from all Bondage of Satan and vindicate us into the Liberty of the Sons of God Behold then on this Stage three marvellous Agonies of God and Death Joy and Sorrow the Soul and the Flesh beginning in the Sweat and Blood of our dearest Lord but ending with the loss of his precious Life God and Death were two things very incompatible since God is the first and the most universal of all Lives who banishes from him all Operations tending to Death And yet the Son of God having taken upon him our Nature would suffer in it all the Pains that could attend Death to rescue us for whom he died from the Pains of Death eternal The Joy of Beatitude was an absolute Fruition of Celestial Delights and Comforts without any mixture of what might interrupt it or be displeasing And yet the blessed Jesus would suffer his innocent Soul to be overwhelmed with inexpressible Griefs and to descend by our Steps to the Anguishes of Death to raise us to the greatest Joys of Life There was also a great Duel between the affectionate Love and the Virginal Flesh of Christ His Soul did naturally love a Body which was so b Heb. 10.7 Psal 40.70 obedient to the Will of his Father and his Body follow'd wholly the Inclinations of his Soul There was so perfect an Agreement between the two Parties that their Separation must needs be most dolorous Yet Jesus would have it so and for Witnesses of the Combat takes with him c Mark 14.33 Peter and James and John commanding the rest to d Mark 14.32 sit down and compose themselves till he should go and pray yonder that they might not be moved with any thing that should befall him but keep themselves steady against the Fears of Danger But these three Disciples who had seen his Sublimity in his e Mat. 17.1 2. 2 Pet. 1.18 Transfiguration upon the holy Mount he would have be present at his extream Dejection By that they had an undeniable Proof of his Divinity when they were so ravisht at the Glimpse of it that they desir'd to dwell there By this they were to know the Truth of his Humanity and be able
he withdrew a little way he y Luk. 22.41 kneel'd down he fell on his Face and z Mark 14.35.36 pray'd that if it were possible the dreadful hour might pass from him And he said Abba Father which name he ingeminates because it is of the greatest Consolation to believe him a Father in all our Afflictions and that our Troubles proceed from his Good Will by which he deals with us as with Sons All things are possible unto thee and the World might have been otherwise Redeemed than by my Death Take away this Cup from me This deadly Cup which being drunk will cast me into the Sleep of Death Nevertheless not what I will but what Thou wilt For this is the manner pre-determined from Eternity and thus it ought to be and to this end am I come He prays with an Intention great as his Sorrow and yet with a Submission so entire and a Conformity to the Divine Will so ready as if it had been the most indifferent thing in the World for him to be deliver'd to Death or from it For though his Nature did decline Death as that which has a natural Horrour and Contradiction to the present Interest of its Preservation yet when he lookt upon 't as what his Father had put into the Order of the Redemption of the World it was then the Baptism wherewith he was straitned till it were accomplisht and a thing preferrable to all the Pleasures of Life As he had truly taken the Nature of Man he had different Affections of Flesh and Spirit and different Prayers in respect of both The Flesh resolutely shunn'd the Cross as what was contradictory to its Preservation The Spirit corrected and overcame it being in Obedience to the Father of Spirits He did not deprecate Death out of Fear for how could the Son of God be afraid of Death but he pray'd according to the Affection of the Flesh that he might overcome the Prayer of the Flesh by the Prayer of the Spirit as he says in another place a John 12.27 Father save me from this Hour and presently subjoyns But for this Cause came I to this Hour He seems also to have pray'd in this manner lest by the occasion of his Passion the Condemnation of the Wicked might be the greater For he saw That by his Death Judas one of the Twelve would become the Son of Perdition and his Consanguinians the Jews cast off and the City and Temple laid wast On the other hand he knew That by his Sufferings he should overcome the Gates of Hell and break a Way for his Redeemed to pass And therefore as unwilling they should perish by his Passion he says Father if it may be let this Cup pass from me but for the Salvation of the rest of Mankind which was to be redeemed by his Death he b Luk. 22.42 says as it were correcting his former Prayer Not my Will but Thine be done I know O Father it is the Decree of thy Will that thus it should be and thus I must suffer My Heart is ready my Heart is ready In the Volume of the c Psal 40.10 Heb. 10.7 Book it is written of me that I should fulfill thy Will O my God I am content to do it yea thy Law is within my Heart O! what a great Secret is here reveal'd which teaches us to hate our Soul that we may preserve it to despise it for a time that we may Honour it for Eternity to punish it in this Life to give it thereby a perpetual Rest in the World to come to handle it roughly that it may be establisht in all Delights and we may love it without end This is the way the blessed Jesus has taught us to arrive at the chiefest Point of our Felicity Prayer Thy Will O God is the measure of Holiness Thy Providence the great Disposer of all things tying all Events together in order to thy Glory and the Good of thy Servants by a wonderful mysterious Chain of Wisdom O let it be also the Measâ—re of my Desires For I know That whatsoever thou sayst is true whatsoever thou commandest is just whatsoever thou dost is good So shall I be pleas'd with all the Accidents thou permittest patient of all the Punishment thou inflictest a Lover of all the Good thou enjoynest and a Hater of all the Evil which thou forbiddest till at last my Conformity to thy Divine Will shall arise up to the Degrees of Union with thee SECT X. Of Christ's Anxiety for the Security of his Disciples THE afflicted Jesus having in few Words exprest the innocent and harmless Desires of humane Nature is toucht at the same time with Compassion towards it and in the mid'st of his Agony returns to visit that little Flock which was so soon to be dispersed and at present liable to the Assaults of Satan But alas Grief had Surcharg'd their heavy Hearts and Sorrow had closed their weeping Eyes So far had the Tempter prevail'd upon 'em to avert 'em from Prayer the Meditation of the Passion and the Remembrance of their Frailty Finding 'em Sleeping he first Addresses himself to Peter who had always exprest most Zeal for his Interest d Maak 14.37 saying Simon Sleepest Thou Is this thy Constancy Courage and Promise and is it thus thou wilt go with me into Prison and to Death Great Promises require great cares and he that is deeply engaged must be very Vigilant or very Faithless to his Master How is it that after such Asseverations of thy Fidelity I find thee at rest while I am Sweating Blood and that this Garden is the Bed of thy Repose which is the Theatre of my inimitable Anguish Ah Simon could'st thou not watch one hour Thou hast much to learn before thou canst follow me The Nights of a Resolv'd Martyr must be spent in the Studies of Patience not in security and ease he must exercise a Holy Cruelty upon his Flesh by Crucifying the Lusts and Affections thereof before he can overcome the inventions of his Tormentors in a holy and undaunted perseverance Hadst thou watch'd with me thou mightest have received further Encouragement in thy Resolution to die for me and learnt from the extremity of my pains willingly to embrace the present opportunity of Glorifying God by a constant Death Then turning to the rest he e Luke 22.46 says Why sleep ye For sloth is reprehensible in all Christians it is not a time to rest when danger is imminent and the grand Adversary as a roaring Lion walking about to see whom he may devour He is full of Wiles his darts are fiery his insinuations subtile and undiscernable f Mark 14.38 Watch therefore and be of good courage least ye be overcome and ensnared unawares Nor is this enough for none is of himself safe without the Almighty's assistance and therefore Pray also least ye enter into Temptation the Spirit truly is ready but the Flesh is weak I know you
he spake of his Disciples Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none and that he might give Demonstration of his infinite Charity while to save others he would be slain himself according to that of the c Isai 63.3 Prophet I have trodden the Winepress alone and of the People there was none with me The Truth would conceal nothing though he knew it would lead him to Bonds Irrision Scourgings and Death But O God! What Hypocrisies what Counterfeitings and Lyes are there in the Intentions and Practices of Sinners whose Hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know ' em Judas had sold him but is not contented unless he also signifie him by a Sign to the Multitude that he may be sure they may not mistake yet not a common token neither but full of Hypocrisie as well as Hostility d Mat. 26.48 Whomsoever I shall kiss that same is He hold him fast He draws near with a seeming Endearment and according to the Expression of Oriental Civility after Absence gives the treacherous Sign He breaks the Peace by the Symbol of Kindness He begins his Enmity with a Kiss He thought as yet his Malice was undiscover'd and he might deceive his Master by a feign'd Love that he might not endeavour to fly or hide himself Dreadful Impiety which stands in opposition to the Divine Virtue residing in the Bosom of God The design of God is to be known such as he is the design of the Hypocrite is to appear what he is not to erect a Sepulcre externally glorious with Marble Gildings Characters and Titles but within Bones Putrefaction and Ashes a Retreat of Serpents a Den of Dragons And thus it is he damns himself by the very means which should save him Professions which if true would doubtless be accepted But he mingles Virtue with execrable Vices good Actions cursed Intentions magnifies Sin by debauching Piety and might much more innocently profess wickedness It is not more remarkable that Christ throughout the Gospel has given such strict Caution we should beware of this e Mat. 16.6 Leaven and denounces the severest f Matt. 23.14 Punishment against it than that he does at this time so patiently bear with it in the known Betrayer of his Life For he treats him still with unparalell'd Kindness saying g Mat. 26.40 Friend wherefore art thou come I invite thee to Friendship tho' I know what thou hast been about I am ready to forgive thee and to restore thee to thy Station Consider what thou art doing and how little I have deserv'd it Who is it has brought thee or what has forct thee Others are instigated but thou comest of thy self and therefore thou hast the greatest Sin O Judas I pitty thee however and thy Perdition troubles me for whom I suffer in vain Alas for what art thou come for thy own Destruction and not for mine the first person in whom my Blood is depriv'd of its fruit and saving efficacy My poor Servant wherefore art thou come why in this manner and what means this Kiss Why dost thou add Hypocrisie to thy Guilt and endeavourest to out-do all in Malice Thou thinkest to deceive me and I long since knew it nor is it hid from me what thou hast been acting with the Jews and what now thou intendest to deliver me into their hands Let this convince thee how great a Crime it is to deliver the Innocent to Death At least consider whom thou betrayest and at what a price thou hast sold my Blood For tho' hitherto I have nam'd my self but the Son of Man know now thou deliverest the Son of God thy Father by Creation thy Lord by Preservation thy Saviour by Redemption thy Brother by Incarnation thy Master by Doctrine thy Friend by Election and thy Judge by final Retribution Behold how many Sins thou committest in one Act and all with a Kiss under the sign of Love This is the end for which thou art come to shed my Blood by the Office of Charity and to put me to Death by the Instrument of Peace Ah! Christian let us no longer say with our selves such a one has done us harm and no man can put up the wrong but think with our selves what our great Master said to him that betraid him with a Kiss to Death h Luk. 22.48 Judas betray'st thou the Son of Man with a Kiss who would not be softned with these words What Heart would not such a Voice bow and encline to it What Tyger what Addamant is there that it would not move Say not to me hereafter Such a one is a Deceiver such a one is a Murderer and the like and I cannot abide him I will prosecute him to Death I tell thee if he be ready to thrust his Dagger into thee and to baptize his Right hand in thy Throat kiss that Right hand and embrace that Dagger since Christ kist the mouth of his Betrayer and Murtherer Thou art the Servant I say of him that kist the Traitor for I will not cease to repeat it again and again of him that spake words to him softer than a Kiss and sweeter than the kindest Blandishments of Love For mark it he does not say O! thou Villain thou Traitor dost thou make me this Requital for all my Kindness But he only says Judas calling him by his proper Name Can'st thou find in thy heart to betray me on this fashion Yea I may observe that he calls him Friend which is a Word of great Sweetness to such an unworthy Person and after this he does not say Why dost thou betray thy Master thy Benefactor thy Lord the Messiah But Why betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kiss If he was not thy Master yet would'st thou betray any Man who deals so courteously with thee and vouchsafes to kiss thee even when thou betrayest him with that Kiss O! what an Example has the blessed Jesus given us in this Action of Humility and Forgiveness Prayer O Light eternal and Fountain of Purity who seest all things and art incapable of Mixture Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit or where shall I hide my self from thy Presence If I climb up into Heaven thou art there if I go down to Hell thou art there also If I take the Wings of the Morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there also shall thy Hand lead me and thy Right Hand shall hold me If I say peradventure the Darkness shall cover me then shall my Night be turned into Day for the Darkness is no Darkness with thee but the Darkness and the Light to thee are both alike and thou art he that hast covered me in my Mothers Womb. Grant me I beseech thee that Innocency of Intention that I may never go about to deceive others or to hide my self from thy Sight who seest in secret but wilt reward openly and hatest our Concealment even beyond our Sin i
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth Nor needed he any Defence in respect of himself for a good Conscience needs no Apologie and fears neither the Rage of Men nor Devils The Gladness of the Just is of God and in God and their Joy is of the Truth alone He that seeketh no Witness for himself without does show he has wholly committed himself to God is of great Purity and inward Confidence And they who can so divest themselves from all outward Affection are blessed in their Imitation of the Son of God But this was a Virtue unusual to Pilate at whose Tribunal every Prisoner had ever been ready to make his best Defence and to elude the Accusations of his Adversaries which caus'd him to admire it more than all the Eloquence of the World And therefore he said to Jesus Speakest thou not unto me knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Where behold the Errour of Power and violent Fortune being advanc'd into the Seat of Authority The wicked Magistrate is puft up with his Commission and makes it the Security of his Injustice and begins to think his Power unlimited as his Will and resolves to do any thing because he may do something Hear therefore the Answer of the Holy Jesus you who hold the Ballance of Justice in your hands and with whom God has intrusted the most dreadful of all his Attributes For in teaching you whence you have it he teaches you how to administer it It is God's Power and must be justly executed Jesus o John 19.11 answered Thou couldst have no Power against me except it were given thee from above Mistaken Man from Dust thou art and to Dust shalt thou return I have said Ye all are Gods but ye shall p Psal 82.6 7. dye like Men. Sin and Infirmity are of Man but Righteousness and Power are of the Almighty Pilate thy Sufficiency is from Heaven and Heaven never intended to oppress the Innocent that must be the Product of thy great Imperfection And thy Sentencing me to Death whom thou hast so often declar'd Faultless will shew thy Weakness and Pusilanimity For if thou regardest the Power given thee of God to be executed among Men thou shouldst necessarily set me at Liberty because the Power from above is just Thou questionest me for being the Son of God And neither all this Band nor all these Jews could be able to take one hair of my head unless the Will of my Father had decreed me to suffer Thy Power over me is neither from Caesar nor from these who by their Clamour seem to strengthen thee but from the eternal Majesty who is over all It is he who has said I will q Zech. 13.7 Mat. 26.31 smite the Shepherd And unless he witheld my Right Hand and led me with his Counsel to this purpose with mine own Arm I should get my self the Victory and neither suffer for nor by the Creatures Since therefore I am deliver'd to thee for my Father has deliver'd me 't is by Divine Permission and not of thy Power Nor is it indeed true Power which thou wouldst exercise over the Innocent but Tyranny Oppression and Murder If therefore thou art permitted to abuse thy Power yet hast thou not whereof to boast but much to answer for before the Judge of all Men Nevertheless he that deliver'd me to thee has the r John 19.11 greater Sin Judas and the Jews have sinned more than thee For they have maliciously and falsly accused me but thou hast often declared me innocent What they have done they have done out of Envy to God's Gloâ—y thou only actest out of Fear of them They have despised the Law they have received and all the Prophecies which have testified of my coming but thou art ignorant of the Law and the Prophets Thou art misled by their Clamour and Importunity but they have hardned themselves in Sin A false Witness is of the Father of Lyes who is the Accuser of the Brethren and watches continually to betray and calumniate the Servants of God And by how much the more a Vice partakes of his Nature by so much the more it becomes a Vice In which sense the Sin of this People equals that from whence by singularity of Derivation the Devil has his Denomination of an Å¿ Rev. 12.10 Accuser A Judge may proceed wrongfully by Misinformation and his Ignorance become a Plea for his Injustice But a false Witness shall not be t Prov. 19.5 unpunished and he that speaketh Lyes shall not escape Prayer O Judge Eternal who art the very Truth and from whose Presence there is nothing hid Grant me I beseech thee both in Judgment and Testimony an awful Reverence of thy impartial Justice That if I judge it may be according to Right if I bear Witness I may do it sincerely in the Uprightness of my Heart For none but the u Pure in Heart shall behold thy Face in Glory which * consummates the Beatitude of thine Elect. SECT XXXII Of Pilate 's sixth Declaration of Christ 's Innocence his giving Sentence against him at the Importunity of the Jews and the Miseries which ensued thereupon to their Nation PIlate thô a Heathen had learn'd from the Creatures the Eternal Power and Godhead of the Deity and had a lively sense of Sin and would not willingly offend his Maker from whose Goodness he could not but own his Greatness and thenceforth x John 19.12 sought to release Jesus And therefore we may not wonder if our Saviour hath taught us that such a probity shall rise up in Judgment against the sinning Israelites and all prophane Christians for the clearer the means of Knowledge the the greater the guilt of Obstinacy and the more unavoidable and just the Condemnation But when the Jews saw that he feared God and that he would not pass Sentence of Death upon him for making himself his Son they immediately flew back to their former calumny crying out and y John 19.12 saying If thou let this man go thou art not Cesar's friend Whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Cesar So that if it concern thee not that he has Blasphemed our God the Infinite and Eternal Majesty of Heaven yet surely it will concern thee that he is a Rebel to thy Lord. Thou canst not preserve the Imperial Dignity under which thou presidest if thou releasest the affector of it and in favouring the Enemy thou wilt partak ein his crime What will not Jealousie of State do What will not Tyranny when Seconded by evil Ministers who blow the Coals to devour an Innocent What a horrible Monster is a pusillanimous Judge over-born with Interest Fear or Guilt Pilate was unable to sustain this charge foreseeing they would as Maliciously represent him to the Emperor as they had accused Christ to him and knowing himself guilty of many insolencies and Rapines for
the Flesh together into the Tree But the Sinews contracting to one anothers help and the Right hand not reaching the appointed place they proceed by cruel Acts encreasing Torment to strain it thither with their utmost Force till after many Trials with great Difficulty they nail it also to the transverse Beam Afterwards in like manner they pierce his Feet and draw and expand 'em till all his Joynts are loosed and the Nerves Veins Fibres and Bones of his whole Body are easily to be numbred according to that of the Psalmist They c Psal 22.77 pierced my hands and my feet I may tell all my Bones For the Nails being driven in the most sensible Parts of the Body where the Nerves and Bones meet in that manner that they cannot be separated without exquisite Torment they never left their torturing Activity till by their dolorous Impressions they had forced his Death Thus were those powerful hands extended in Misery which so lately had cur'd the d Luk. 7.21 Blind and e Mark 7.35 Deaf cleans'd the f Luke 17.14 Lepers rais'd them that were fall'n and loos'd them that were bound of g Mark 5.15 Satan Thus were those adorable Feet transfixt with Nails which had gone about doing continual Good and to which the h Mat. 14.26 Seas had given themselves for a Pavement and Peace preceeded whithersoever they went Thus was that Sacred Body hung upon the Wood naked and expos'd to all manner of Shame and Torment in which all the i Col. 2.3 Treasures of Wisdom and Power were hid Thus was that Face more beautiful than the Sons of Men which comforted the Afflicted and the Light of whose Countenance the Fathers and Prophets had so much desired chang'd into the Paleness and Horrour of Death What hast thou done O Beauty above all Beauties and how hast thou deserv'd this most amiable Love that thou art thus expos'd vilified and tormented What is thy Crime and the Cause of all thy Grief What is it that has laid thee on the Altar of the Cross naked bleeding tortured and dying Is it not as the Holy k Isai 53. Prophet long since declar'd That thou should'st be smitten and numbred among the Transgressours That thou should'st pour out thy Soul to Death That thou should'st be cut off from the Land of the Living and all for the Transgressions of the People The Lord has laid on thee the Iniquities of us all Thou art wounded for our Transgressions Thou art bruised for our Sins The Chastisement of our Peace is upon thee and by thy Stripes we are healed We complain of the Jews Malice of Judas's Treason of Pilate's Injustice and the Romans Cruelty but we are among thy Crucifiers and ought to look nearer home Our Treachery was the Judas which betray'd thee our Covetousness sold thee to thy Enemies our malignant Envy accus'd thee our Perjury was the false Witness against thee our Injustice the Pilate that condemn'd thee our Pride scourg'd thee our Lusts crown'd thee with Thorns and pierc'd thy Sacred Hands and Feet with Nails We we then are the Cause of all thy Grief We are the sole Authors of these sad Calamities We have eaten the sowr Grapes and thy Teeth are set an edge And shall we now give up our selves to Mirth while thou weepest sufferest and thirstest Shall we court Pleasures and pursue them with greediness whilst thou art hanging and languishing on the Cross Shall we anoint our Heads and spend our precious time in the vain adorning of our Bodies whilst thou art horrible with Spittle and Blood Shall we commit Wickedness with both hands and our feet be swift to shed Blood while thine in the mean time are fastned to the Wood and bleed And shall we crown our Heads with Flowers and Garlands while thine is surrounded with the sharpest Thorns Or shall we by repeating all this Crucifie thee afresh and put thee to an open and continual Shame Prayer O Gracious Lord who cam'st to cleanse it by thy Blood put an end by thy Grace to the Contagion of Sin Heighten our Apprehension of the Guilt of our Transgressions by making us sensible of the Greatness of thy Sufferings For certainly they had deserved eternal Confusion for whom it was necessary thou should'st be exposed to shame that they might never be confounded And their Impurities were great indeed which could not be cleans'd but by thy immaculate Blood SECT XXXVII Of the Exaltation of the Cross IT cannot be thought but the Ministers of the Jewish Malice would use all the Circumstances of Rigour and Cruelty towards a person whose Death they had so earnestly desired Insomuch that having first most barbarously hung the Thieves who were to suffer with him on either side that the Apprehension of their Miseries might encrease his Torment they at last with great Shouts and much Officiousness erect his Cross also into the Air in order to put it into its proper Station Which being a hole cut deep in the Rock capable to receive the Foot of the Cross when they let it sink in with a sudden impetuosity the violent Concussion gave infinite Torture to the torn Body of our Lord resting now only upon four great Wounds so that all his Joynts are loos'd his Inwards tremble and the Wounds of his Hands and Feet are open'd according to that of the Prophet I am l Psal 22.14 poured out like Water all my bones are out of joynt My heart also in the midst of my body is even like melting wax Here it was that burst forth the River of our Paradise the Fountain of the Blood of our Blessed Redeemer from the place of Pleasure the Body of our Lord dividing it self into four parts from the several Wounds of his hands and feet and thence descending and watering the whole Earth and washing away the Sins of all true Believers the Fountain of the m Zec. 13.1 Prophet which was to be opened to the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Purification of their Uncleanness And may this precious Blood of the Lamb of God slain intentionally for this purpose before the n Rev. 13.18 Beginning of the World soften the hardness moisten the driness and make fertile the barrenness of our Hearts that they may be capable of those inestimable Benefits he has purchas'd for us by the Effusion of it In this also was fulfill'd his own Predictions which he had made concerning the manner of his Death That as Moses o Joh. 13.14 Numb 21 9. lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness by looking on which the People that were bitten of fiery Serpents were restored and liv'd so he the Son of Man should be up that whosoever believeth in him though wounded with the Infernal Serpent should not perish but have everlasting Life And again When I am p Joh. 12.32.33 lift up that is crucified it being an Elevation or Lifting up on the Cross I will draw all
Men unto me Gentiles as well as Jews to believe on me Prayer Be it so my Jesu O draw me to thy self and by the Eye of Faith let me ever behold thee as suffering for me that I may ever love thee But alas while I now seek thee I can represent to my Thoughts nothing but the Shadow and Appearance of a Body all crusted over with gore Blood I look for Limbs but find nothing but Wounds I look for the Ensigns of a glorious Redeemer I discern only a Skin all bloody fastned to a Cross between two Thieves and strugling under the Convulsions of Death But O Eternal Father that which has made thy Son thus vile and wretched in the Eyes of the World has made him most precious and acceptable in thy sight Look down we beseech thee from thy Sanctuary and thy Dwelling-place in Heaven and behold the Sacrifice which our great High-Priest and thy holy Child Jesus offers unto thee for the Sins of his Brethren and be favourable to the Multitude of our Iniquities Behold the Voice of our Brother's Blood crying unto thee for Mercy upon us Behold the Lamb who is without Blemish now bearing our Sins in his Body upon the Tree and look not upon us as we are in our selves but in the face of thine Anointed who becomes thus obedient unto Death to deliver us from the Guilt of Disobedience And let not the Scars of his Wounds ever depart from before thy Presence that thou may'st ever be mindful in all our Transgressions how great a Ransome he has paid for us and let his Blood be as the Rainbow in thy sight ever about thy Throne in Heaven that thou mayst no more destroy every living thing Behold O Creator the Humanity of thy Son and be ever merciful to the Debilities of our Nature Behold the torn Members of thy beloved and remember our Substance that we are but Dust Behold the Sufferings of the Redeemer and forgive the Sins of the Redeemed SECT XXXVIII Of the Scituation of Christ's Cross between two Thieves and the Title which Pilate affixed to it BUT it was not enough for the cruel Jews to murder the Messiah by the painfullest kind of Death unless they might stain his very Passion too by placing him in the q John 19.18 midst of two egregious Malefactours which for his greater Disgrace they had brought to suffer with him that by Strangers he might be thought to be a Partaker in their Crimes if not the worst of all by his Station between them and so it might be reported in the Neighbouring Regions That three notorious Villains were that day Crucified at Jerusalem of which the Impostor that went by the Name of Jesus was as being the chief placed in the middle whereby the Scripture was fulfilled which saith of him And he was reckoned among the r Isai 53.12 Transgressours Nevertheless there were some Reports went of the Purity of his Doctrine the Greatness of his Miracles the Sweetness of his Conversation and the Beauty of his Person above all the present view of his Sufferings and admirable Patience and Clemency towards his Crucifiers fill'd the Hearts of many with heavy Sighs and their Eyes with an Inundation of Tears And Pilate among the rest who best knew his Innocence and that for Å¿ Mat. 27.18 Envy he was deliver'd and condemn'd prick'd in his Conscience and fearing the Consequence lest he might be defam'd or accus'd to Caesar for consenting to the Death of such a wonderful Person without declaring the Cause of his Condemnation according to the Custom of the Romans towards Malefactors order'd his Accusation thus to be written and to be fastned to the top of the Cross t John 19.19 Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews that a Rumour at least might pass he was not put to death as a Prophet of the Jewish Nation or as the Son of some immortal God but as a Spreader of Sedition among the People and one who affected a Kingdom in Jewry For so they had accus'd him u Luk. 23.2 we found this Fellow perverting the Nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a King And when Pilate sought to release him they cried out saying * John 19.12 If thou let this man go thou art not Caesar's friend Whosoever makes himself a King speaks against Caesar This was the meaning of Pilate by the Title whereby he Thought to signifie the Cause of his Condemnation But as in the Prediction of Caiaphas concerning his Death the Spirit of God had another Intention different from the Design of the High-Priest so likewise in this besides what Pilate thought as well as in the Mock-Purple the counterfeit Scepter and the bloody Diadem of Thorns which were mystical Representations of a real Kingdom there was intended him a Name and a Kingdom without end and he was signified to be the true Messiah the King both of Jews and Gentiles whose x Zech. 9.10 Psal 72.8.11 Dominion should extend from one Sea to the other and to whose Scepter the Kings of the Earth should submit their Majesty That this might be more manifest to the whole World it was directed by Providence in the y Joh. 19.20 three chief Languages in Hebrew because of the Jews who gloried in the Law in Greek because of the Wise-men and Philosophers of the Gentiles in Latine because of the Romans who then govern'd the Jews That it might be known throughout the whole World that almighty God had anointed this Jesus to be a King over all Nations and the z Dan. 7.14 Prophesie of Daniel might be fulfill'd which saith There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed The Jews therefore envy'd him this Title lest every Tongue should confess afterwards that he was the Lord to the Glory of God the Father and desir'd Pilate that it might be a John 19.21 alter'd or abolish'd For they were now ashamed because it might be thought by Strangers this was their King who was so ignominiously put to Death But neither did b John 19.22 Pilate endeavour to alter it nor would the Divine Providence suffer it this Title being given him by the Will of God Prayer O King eternal who for the Humiliation of thy Beloved and his Obedience unto Death even the Death of the Cross has highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of JESUS every Knee should c Phil. 2.9 10 11. bow of things in Heaven in Earth and under the Earth and that every Tongue should confess That Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Grant we beseech thee Conversion to Infidels to all Jews Turks and Hereticks that thy way may be known upon Earth thy
afflicted Spirits transfixt and wounded each others Soul even to the agonies of Death he to teach us the tender respect and faithful care due to our temporal Parents having nothing now left free but his Tongue directs it to her to support and comfort her with the most proper Appellation and Provision which the time and circumstances of his passion would permit saying g John 19.26 Woman behold thy Son For thô he had usually call'd her by this h John 2.4 Name to show he was truly born of her and thereby had fulfil'd the i Gen. 22.18 Heb. 2.16 promise to Abraham taking on him his Seed and being made of a k Gal. 4.4 Woman yet more especially in this juncture he seems to do it in compassion to her Person overwhelm'd with Grief and surrounded with Enemies Lest by any kinder sort of expression he might add to her excessive sorrows or by his owning her for his Mother by calling her so the Barbarous multitude might be enraged against her but this general term secured her from that danger whilst at the same time it raised her attention to what he spake for her consolation with respect to his beloved Disciple who stood near As if he had said I know O Woman the inexpressible anxiety of thy tortur'd mind the tender Love Compassion and Sorrow thou must needs have for an only beloved Son dying the most ignominious and painful Death I know also thou standest here wishing by thy presence to revive me to die with me or to die for me and all these things I kindly accept But alas they do not more ease me then they wound me unless I might be restor'd whole to thy breast which is so sorrowfully afflicted for me without that all remedies are vain all comfort is to no purpose Nevertheless seeing in the bitterness of thy Soul pierced through with so many sorrows thou expressest to me the tenderness of the most compassionate Mother thou art not to be left without consolation and the last kindnesses my circumstances will permit Thou seest in what Torments I hang here with what difficulties I am straitned in what agonies I decay at what a price and loss I redeem Sinners with what Love and Charity I embrace Mankind It remains only now I should likewise support thee who hast done to me the best offices of an earthy Parent and from whose Love none of these Ignominies have separated me Fear not therefore to be deserted after my Death or to want a representative of my Filial care There is John thy Kinsman and otherwise most dear to us he shall become thy Son in my stead to observe and honour thee all the days of thy life To whom I will now speak in thy presence and deliver him in my place thy Servant and Guardian Then turning to that Disciple he said l John 19.27 Behold thy Mother John thou hast hitherto abundantly answer'd thy calling by Faith Love and Constancy to the End And I will now reward thee in a more excellent manner then ever thy desires could wish or hope Thou hast m Mark 1.20 left thy Calling thy Parents thy self ventured with me into the n John 18.15 Judgment Hall follow'd me to this Golgotha this place of Death and here attendest me while all the rest of my Disciples being ashamed and afraid have forsaken me and fled and I will now recompence thy Faith in me with the greatest pledge and assurance of my Love Thou hast seen my Glory in my o John 17.1 2. Transfiguration Thou sawest me yesterday sweating in the p Mâ—rk 14.33 Garden Thou seest me now bleeding on the Cross I have hitherto carried thee q John 13.23 leaning on my Breast nor have I witheld any Mystery from thee and now having but one thing dear to me in the World besides the Souls for which I die I recommend and commit it to thy charge Behold the Mother of Christ becomes thy Mother Thou seest me now near Death Thou seest mine acquaintance are hid out of my sight Thou seest there are many Adversaries on every side I assign commend and make her thine And do thou as a Son Obey and Minister to her Defend and Honour her all thy days being assur'd as thou acknowledgest her for thy Mother I shall acknowledge thee in Glory for my Brother At the sense of this the Holy Virgin Mother disolving in Tears and into the Love of God answered in thought wanting Language sufficient to express the Transport of her tender Affection and the obedient Disciple with a profound and joyful Humility took her from that time into his r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 19.27 care and Administred to her as a Son Prayer O Love Incarnate the most sensible of all Loves who having been begotten by Eternal Generation knowest the Love of an Eternal Father and born in time has experienced the kindness of an earthy Parent to a beloved Son and hast taught us by thy Example Obedience to both in the worst of Afflictions and Death it self Implant in our Hearts an intire resignation to the Will of our Heavenly Father and a true Honour for our Earthy Parents that so we may be partakers of that happy Condition which is Å¿ Exod. 20.12 promised to the one in this life and of those everlasting Joys which thy Coheirs through thy intercession hope for in the other SECT XLIII Of Christ's complaining of his being forsaken of God THere is a secret pleasure in doing Acts of Grace tho' we our selves are in the greatest straits for being a Ray of Divine Goodness communicated to us for the Glory of God it carries along with it a pleasing satisfaction a reward surpassing all carnal enjoyments By which there may seem to have been hitherto some allay of Joy scatter'd among the sorrows of this Crucified Love while he was doing things agreeable to his nature pitiful towards his Enemies gracious to the Thief careful of his Mother bountiful to his Disciple But now whatsoever might support him begins to fail and the wrath of God due to the sins of all mankind pours down upon him in a full storm insomuch that nature her self becomes confounded at the sufferings of her t Heb. 1.1 Creator and draws over her Face an unusual veil of weeping Clouds and thick Darkness to express her Grief conceal the Tragedy and hide her self from the wrath of the Almighty For it was now full Moon at which time the Sun cannot suffer Ecclipse the Passover being always v Exod. 12.18 Lev. 23.5 Numb 28.16 then celebrated and yet there was * Matt. 27.45 Origen contra Cels l. 2. Tertul. Apolog. Aug. Ep. 80 ad Hesychium Suidas in vita Dionysii Darkness over the whole land from the sixth hour until the ninth that is from x Vid. Sect. 33. twelve to three in the Afternoon Which as it declar'd the Divinity of our Saviour to whom the Creatures pay'd such an
for you from the beginning of the world For I was thirsty and ye gave me Drink But instead of it they prepared a Vessel of c John 19.29 Vinegar such as might mock his intolerable Thirst and by retaining his Spirits only prolong his Torments wherewith they filled a Spunge and put it upon Hysop and put it to his Mouth They had before afflicted him in all other Parts his Head with Thorns his Face with Buffets his Back with Scourges his Hands and Feet with Nails his Body with shame and in all other Senses his Feeling with Pain his Hearing with phemies his Sight with Abominations his Smelling with the Ordure of their Infernal Mouths And now as if they intended the last Sense he should suffer in should be the same in which d Gen. 3.6 Eve first offended and Providence would make use of them to fulfil the e Psal 69.21 Scripture they gave him Vinegar to drink This was all the Kindness the Son of God received at their hands for whom he died This was all the Refreshment the Beloved of the Father was allowed while he thirsted for the Redemption of Sinners And he who feeds the Earth with the Dew of Heaven and fills all things living with Plentifulness wanted himself that we might enjoy Rivers of Pleasures in the coelestial and eternal Paradise Thus he suffer'd for our Ebriety and Intemperance in all Senses for all our Sins and dried up himself who says in the Gospel f John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Prayer O my dear Jesu Life of my Life and unexhausted Fountain of Mercy which can never be drawn dry to what sort of Sufferings has not thy Love Subjected thee for my sake that thou might'st purifie my Soul and present me unblamable to thy Heavenly Father To what sort of Gratitude should this induce me who know thy Blood to have been drain'd for me but a thankful Remembrance of thy Death and after thy Example an universal Charity to all that stand in need of it Yea I will receive the Cup of Salvation and I will call upon the Name of the Lord. I will magnifie his Mercy in shewing forth his Death and with confident Expectation of his coming again to Crown me with the Purchase of his precious Blood And though I am unworthy through my manifold Sins to offer unto him any Sacrifice at all yet will I present my Soul and Body to be a reasonable holy and lively Oblation not doubting but in Mercy he will accept my Service and with the same Affection wherewith he thirsted for me SECT XLV Of those Words of Christ It is finished and the Resignation of his Spirit to the Father WHen Jesus therefore had received the Vinegar all Prophecies being then fulfill'd as far as belong'd to the Life of the Messiah he said g John 19.30 It is finished or now is compleated whatsoever was predicted in the Scriptures of my Person to the end that Men might believe that I am he who was ordain'd by the eternal Wisdom and Mercy to be the Saviour of the World and so believing escape Hell and Death and be adopted into the Inheritance of the Son A dreadful Speech to the Powers of Darkness and to the Enemy of our Salvation and God's Glory the Devil all whose Desires tend to Damnation and whose Prey are the Souls of Men As if he had said Satan Thou hast hitherto tried all thy Wits to destroy me and my Gospel and frustrate the Happiness of all that should embrace it Thou hast sow'd thy Tares and the Seeds of Ingratitude in the Hearts of this People to whom I was h Matt. 15.24 first sent as the chosen of God exalted their Fury blinded their Judges animated their false Witnesses extorted my Death By thy Instinct one of my Disciples betray'd me another deny'd me the rest have forsaken me and all my Friends stand afar off or dare not own me in this ignominious place By thy Stratagems the Jews have rejected me my Followers despised and these Infidel Soldiers to consummate thy Malice nail'd me to this Tree But now the Quiver of thy Rage is empty and all thy Mischiefs shall return upon thee Nor shalt thou only have nothing in me but shalt lose many Millions of Souls by me Thy Force shall be abated Thy Kingdom wasted thy Wickedness restrained thy Acts ridicul'd For behold by me is finished what the Father hath appointed by me is finished what the Law required by me is finished what the Prophets have foretold as necessary and circumstantial to the Work of Redemption The Types are compleated The Shadows are abolished The Malice and Violence of the Enemy endured And the Sacrifice offer'd which God has requir'd Sin has an end Righteousness begins The Law is fulfill'd and the Gospel Succeeds God is reconciled and Man redeemed Thus did he terrifie the Infernal Powers with the same Word which supports the Faithful with the highest Consolation that Heaven can give or Earth is capable to receive For if all be finished there is no room for Fear A Shield is given us against all Evils The Lust of Sin the Sting of Death the Power of the Grave and the Fiery Darts of the Devil all are vanquished and we are more than Conquerors through him that has loved us and not we alone but his precious Blood is sprinkled backwards to our first Parents and forwards to the last Man that shall be upon Earth though not fully in Possession yet in hope and there is now no i Rom. 8.1 Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus After this there remain'd only the Recommendation of himself and of all those whose Reconciliation he had wrought to the Divine Majesty to be accepted protected govern'd and preserv'd till they might be glorified in his Heavenly Kingdom Which made him seal up his dying Lips with a loud Cry uttering these Words k Luk. 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit My God my God my eternal Father behold me on this Pile Sacrificed to thy Justice according to thy Will pre-determin'd of me and my Desire from the first Moment of my Conception thy Pleasure having ever been engraven in my Heart with a Chizzel of Fire and an eternal Character so that I have wisht it I ever would it and I will protest it with my last Breath while my Soul shall be upon my Lips To have but one only Desire in the World to accomplish what thou hast pre-ordained to be done by my Obedience for the Salvation of Men. And now O Father I have endur'd with Patience all the Storms of thy just Indignation I come to thee who art the desirable Haven of all that obey thee and seek for Rest I have manifested thy Name I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work thou gavest me to do I now return offering up my self upon this Altar of the Cross a full perfect and sufficient