ΣΤΑΥΡΟΔΙΔΑΧΗ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΑΥΡΟÎΙΚΗ THE Doctrine Dominion OF THE CROSSE In an Historical Narration and Spiritual Application of the PASSION of IESUS Written first in Latin by John Ferus Publique Preacher in the City of Mentz Now turned into English for the good of this Nation By Henry Pinnell Together with a Preface of the Translator containing the Necessity of knowing and conforming unto the Cross of Christ Short considerations of Predestination Redemption Free-will and Original sin He that serveth in his Generation faithfully answereth the end of his Creation fully and shall never lose the hope of his salvation finally LONDON Printed by Robert White 1659. THE PREFACE Reader THE Transcription of the following Treatise is an Account of some vacant time when I was sequesterd from other imployment The subject matter of it did generally concur and sute with that state and measure of Faith I was then in and being perswaded that it may yet be usefull for them whose growth in the Mysterie of the Cross is not come to that perfection as not to need Counsell and Encouragement therein I have for their sake made it publique And though I cannot minister to the strong yet I would gladly be serviceable to the weak What I have here prefixt agreeable to the nature of the ensuing Discourse is done to satisfie the desire of many friends and in hope to profit others The sum of what I have to say is comprehended in this Proposition viz. That there is a Necessity of knowing and conforming unto the death of Christ 2. There doth not want full and pregnant proof of Scripture to confirm the Truth of this Proposition It is a faithfull saying For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer we shall also reign with him If we deny him he also will deny us 2 Tim. 2.11,12 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death c. If we be dead with Christ c. Rom. 6.5,8 Let none dream of Justification unto life or of the new birth which only entereth into the Kingdom of God without the likeness and image of Christ in his humiliation And therefore the Apostle doth not content himself with the knowledge only that Christ died but desires also a conformity to his death Phil. 3.10 A strong curb and smart scourge to all notional and licentious Gospellers The reasons also of this Proposition are weighty and considerable 1. As first 3. We can have no benefit of the life of Christ but by conformity to his death Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our body c. 2 Cor. 4.10,11 What need we carry the death dying and marks of the Lord Jesus in our body and mortal flesh if the life of Christ could otherwise or more easily appear The life of a Believer is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 There 's no coming at the full Glory of this life but by breaking thorow death unto it See Rom. 6.3 c. the place before cited The dead men of God are quickned by the dead body of Christ Isa 26.19 No future Resurrection unto life but by an antecedent death in the body Except the grain of Wheat die it abideth alone and is not quickened John 12.24 1 Cor. 15.36 The touch of a dead Prophet revived the body of another dead man 2 King 13.21 Who is this dead Prophet but the true and spiritual Elisha my Lord that saveth the Lord of my salvation my saving Lord Jesus Christ the great Prophet of the most high God who died for our sins and was raised again for our Justification This Elisha this Jesus let us follow not only from Galilee to Jerusalem but from Jerusalem also here below the outward and litteral Service and Worship unto Mount Calvery and from thence to the Sepulchre thither let us hasten with Mary Magdalen aad the two other Disciples and there let us wait we shall have some Angelical invitation to come near and see the place where the Lord lay The Lord is risen and hath left room enough in his grave to receive all that inquire into the Mysterie of his death Into this Sepulchre let us descend by a true operating saith working a conformity in us unto his death Let us touch not the flesh but the bones of this great Elisha Let us not lay bold on the weakness of the mortal nature but upon the Power of his endless life 2. Secondly 4. Without this conformity there is no freedom from sin We must resist unto Blood striving against sin for without blood there is no Remission And that our minds may not be weary nor faint Let us consider him that suffered such contradiction of sinners Heb. 12.3,4 1 John 1.7 Lev. 17.11 Heb. 9.22 The Prophet Ezekiel describeth the Sickness and Remedy of a sinner under the borrowed speech of a new-born Child Ezek. 16. Which place of the Prophet I think is much mistaken by many who understand it of the natural birth and accordingly from thence conclude all Children guilty of original sin in the common acceptation of it which to me seems most improbable For Children by natural as well as spiritual Propagation are an Heritage and Reward of the Lord Gen. 30.2 Psalm 127.3 Acts 17.28 Our very bodily Being Substance and Existence is the Workmanship of God Psalm 119.73 Psalm 139.5,13,16 Now if Children be guilty of sin as soon as they draw breath yea before they be born this would be some stain upon the Work-manship of God according to whose Will and not according to mans it is that Children are propagated Again One of Gods Laws would be broken by observing another Ordinance of his own which would bring confusion upon the orderly works and methodical ways of God For God hath made a Law That the son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father Ezek. 18.20 Now if Children should be guilty of Adams sia as soon as they be born it would make many religious and consciencious persons be at a stand concerning marriage which is the first and great Ordinance of God for fear lest they should be Instruments to fill the world with sinners rather than with Saints And indeed how can that state be honorable and the bed undefiled if it should produce nothing but such an unclean Off-spring Heb. 13.4 5. I shall only add this Quaere viz Is Marriage an Ordinance of God instituted among other ends for the propagation of Mankind I suppose it granted I ask then Did God ever make and intend such an Ordinance the observation whereof doth unavoidably increase sin in the world If so How is he acquited fram having a hand in mans sin The wicked heart of man hath shifts and evasions to extenuate and excuse his sin Why He is not so much to be blamed 't was his Fathers and Mothers fault rather then his Hominum quoque
up the ghost He bowed his head First as taking his leave of the world Secondly he would thereby comfort us by letting us know that he is not cross or froward towards us First it is very significantly expressed in that it is not said that he died but that he gave up the ghost for he had power to lay down his life John 10. Secondly he is said to give up the ghost to let us know that when our souls are loosed from the flesh they should be commended to the Divine Goodness as into the hands of a most dear Father Thus innocent Abel is slain by his brother Thus is Isaac offered Gen. 4. 22. Thus Joseph escapes naked to his fathers protection being spoiled of his garment of flesh by the Adulteress Synagogue Thus our High-Priest hath finished his evening Sacrifice Thus the Life of the world died the Fountain of true Light was ecclipsed thus the Spring of all Life in whom all things live waxed dry that he might deliver them that were subject to death Thus that celestial Wedlock between the holiest soul and the purest flesh was dissolved and divorced by the sword of Death that we who were condemned might be recovered to the indissoluble Union of his Beatitude Thus the Organ of Divinity the Harp of the true David the most melodious Voyce of Jesus sunk into the silence of cruel Death Thus those Heavenly Lights of his most gracious Eyes were darkened by Death Thus that most sacred Breast of Eternal Wisdom and the Store-House of the Treasures of Grace is deprived of his life Thus he Redeemed us from our sins with so great a price a greater then which is not to be found among all the creatures in the world thus did he satisfie the Father for our disobedience with such obedience as was even unto death O how great was that grief when that most holy Soul which was Wedded and United to that most holy Body with an indissoluble bond of Love must be separated now and torn asunder by a violent death and that most holy Life die Never was there death more bitter because never was there man so sensibly sensible of it 1. Wo be to thee therefore O thou ungodly Synagogue who art more fierce and cruel then any wild beast thou hast devoured the life of Jesus who out of the Paternal Piety was sent unto thee to be thy Father and thy Husband 2. O how grievous will thy Accusation be for rending and tearing the body of Christ And wo be to thee thou ingratefull heart thou hard heart harder then any stone who dost not break and melt at the remembrance of so great a Sacrifice for the expiating thy hainous sins how strictly will that innocent blood be required at thy hands Here then O man O generation of Adam here knock thy bosom and beat thy breast consider well and think of this death The chiefest and choisest good doth here hang upon the Cross Here the Eternal Wisdom offereth it self to be seen naked Here the tree carried the Treasure and Price of the whole world O sinners here dieth the Son of God I say here the Son of the most High the King of Heaven and Lord of Earth dieth Nay he dies on the Cross like a Malefactor in the midst of Thieves in greatest misery and anguish and shame It was we O ye sons of men that brought this just One to this unjust and unworthy suffering Our sins were the cause of this his great Passion Here the word of the Sacrament is made good This is my body which is given for you This is my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins Here now we understand what Christ meant by these sacred and holy words because all things are here seen with the eyes Here that Article of our most holy Faith hath its Foundation He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Think on this O man imprint these things in thy heart that thy very inward parts may be made sensible how that we men we sinners were guilty of this death We should have hung on the cross and died yea and have been eternally scorcht in Hell but that our most holy Lord stept in and said I will hang on the cross and die for all men Take me and smite me the Shepheard but let the sheep go free I will pay what I own not I will undertake other mens debt I will even all accounts I will make peace and bring all things to a good end and issue Think seriously on these things Believers Be pleased to accept this Ministry of Christ and highly prize it For this his death is your life For us thus to die is to live and escape death This weakness is our strength and fortitude These wounds and scars are our health and soundness This malediction is our benediction this cursing is our blessing This shame is our glory This cross is our celestial Court and Palace These Nayles are our Salvation Lift up your hearts O ye Faithfull lift up your hearts in consideration of these wonderfull things There was War between Christ and the Devil the field was pitched the battel set and Christ got the Victory Let us therefore give him thanks who was pleased through his infinite love with such hazard and hardship to Redeem us 1. In this expiation of Christ first we see that verified which he said before in John 10 I have power to lay down my life 2 Here we see that the works of God are against reason For who ever hearing that Christ was the son of God and seeing such great Miracles which he had done before could at all believe that God should so far wink at wicked men as to let them kill so great and so worthy a man Again who would believe that the true had then its beginning seeing him die so shamefull a death But this is the ancient and usual custom of God to promote and carry on his works by strange unlikely and contrary means It was indeed the pleasure of God to cause great and mighty boughs and limms to grow on this tree of Christ He intended to build up and quicken the Church This he did by a work disagreeable and repugnant to life and nothing of kin to it to wit the death of Christ by which he quickened and made the Church alive Hence is that of John 12. Except a grain of wheat die it bringeth forth no fruit but if it die it beareth much fruit The Edifice or building of the Church did not then indeed appear while Christ yet hanged on the cross for here you see nothing but his death and burial as at Seed-time there is no shew of Harvest But as in Summer the seed that was sown doth spring up so after the Resurrection the living Church sprouted out of the dead and dry body of Christ 3. From this Expiation of Christ we are diligently to confider what punishments we shall endure if we
lay down his life Joh. 10. Therefore he wondered that he should be so soon dead Nor do the Evangelists describe only the persons of these two men but also the care of them both and what either of them brought to the interring of Christ Ioseph brought linnen and Nicodemus brought a mixture of Myrrhe and Aloes about an hundred pound weight This Nicodemus is commended in the Gospel for other things for that he came to Christ by night and that he defended him before the Pharisees Therefore he doth happily finish what he had well begun Now Christ would have a glorious and sumptuous Funeral 1. Because he had made satisfaction for the sin of man and it was now time that his Glory should appear 2. That the Scripture might be sulfilled which saith And his sepulchre shall be glorious as the vulgar reading is or his Rest shall be Glory Isa 11.10 3. To let us know that our glory hath it rise or beginning from death For the glory of Worldly things is swallowed up in the grave 4. To give us to understand that there is a sure and certain Crown of Glory laid up for them that strive lawfully after their fight is finished as Paul saith I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give unto me 2 Tim. 4.7,8 It follows And they took the body of Iesus and wrapped it in clean linnen Mat. 27.59 Mar. 15.46 Luke 23.53 John 19.40 with the spices at the manner of the Jews is to bury Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified and in the garden a new sepulchre which Joseph had hewen out of the Rock for himself in which was never man yet laid There laid they Iesus therefore because of the Jews preparation day and the Sabbath drew on And they rolled a great stone upon the mouth of the sepulchre and departed And there were Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Joses sitting over against the sepulchre and beholding where he was laid And they returned and prepared spices and oyntments and rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment The wicked get them gone and Jesus is now left to the godly but crucified These two therefore take the body of Jesus for a great Reward and Treasure nor are they ashamed to take him down from the cross or gallows when he was dead whom they loved so dearly when he was alive Nor do they regard what others say of them that such Noble men should undertake so mean a service but slighting all those things they take down Christs body from the cross with much weeping and many tears questionless Thus my Brethren if we would be Christians and true Gospellers indeed we must not be ashamed of such low and mean employments They wrap Christs body in clean linnen for so it became this purest body to be shrouded which was so clean that the very linnen was the cleaner for it They add also Oyntments and Spices which the Jews used to keep the bodies from rotting And this shewed that those two had yet but a weak and imperfect Faith For they had no higher thoughts of Christ but that he was an honest and innocent man and a Prophet But Christ was also God which they knew not and he was suddenly to rise again therefore had no need to be so embalmed Nevertheless he was pleased to have this done that his death might be more glorious and that we might learn from hence how we ought to receive Christ to wit with clean linnen and Spices that is with a pure heart and a sweet and savory conversation But if any Judas had been here present without doubt he would have exclaimed as the other Iudas said before Why was this waste Mar. 11.14 These Spices might have been sold for much and given to the poor What good will it do Christ to persume him with Spices when he was dead But a Christian ought not to say this cost is superfluous For the charges of those men is not so much to be considered as their Faith That only is lost which is not done in Faith But here was nothing less then loss It was rather truly a good work whereby those two declared their faith and openly shewed that they would hazard all they had for Christ For they must of necessity expect to be the hatred of the Pharisees and unavoidably look for the spoiling of all their goods for so doing It was a great work and not to be compared with any works of Hypocrites For Hypocrites indeed are at great expences but they do nothing out of Faith abnegation of their goods but all proceeds from impiety and ambition of gain But no work is to be rated or valued according to the costliness or outward shew of it but according to the faith of him that doth it Thus the Widow in the Gospel that cast in her two Mites is said to offer more then all the rest because she did it out of her faith and poverty Luke 21. So this work was not so great from the cost but from the Faith whereby they did now renounce and hazard all the rest of their goods for Christ Moreover it is manifest by their Preservatives what is was that they sought for in Christ For Preservatives keep the body from putrefaction It was life thereforre which they sought after in Christ But how under death in a dry body and this indeed is true Faith Every body will seek life in a living Christ this is easie but to look for any thing in a dead dry despised Christ hoc opus hic labor est is hard to be done Now the Evangelists do not describe the manner only of Christs burial but the place also There was saith he a garden hard by These things seem to fall out by chance but indeed all things were thus ordered by Divine Appointment For 1. Christ began his Passion in a Garden and in a Garden he finished the same because Adam sinned in a garden Christ was also buried in a garden to shew that by him there is a way open for us to return into Paradise not into an earthly but Heavenly Paradise 2. Whereas he was buried in another mans grave that shews his povery who neither in his life nor in his death had where to lay his head Mat. 8. Here also our curiosity is condemned who with such care and cost yea with so much pride do build Sepulchres for our selves But it is significantly said of Christs Sepulchre that it was a new one and that none was ever buried in it before to take away all suspition lest it should be thought that any other rose out of it 3. As Christ prepared a Virgin-womb for himself when he was to be born which never man knew so when he was to rise again he would be buried in a new
ineffectuall to us And wo and alas he hath prevailed on too many But I shall not now repeat those manifold Errours which Satan hath set on foot about this Sacrament It would require much time nor can any tongue easily utter them It were to be wished that no Christian would seek to know or think any more of them Would to God they were all buried and that we might all of us embrace the pure Text of the Evangelists and so be edified in the true Christian life O that the Lord God would give such an heart unto all Monarchs Princes c. as to suppress this upstart scandalous and most abominable discord about this Sacrament For things are come to that pass now that this Sacrament is become the greatest occasion of all secret grudges strifes and variance in Christianity O unfpeakable grief The Church is now rent and torn by that which should unite and soder it that which should serve ut chiefly for peace and Unity that we abuse and turn into war strife sects and factions The Lord look down from Heaven and visit his Vineyard which is now so miserably laid waste The good and most gracious God grant that the Church may so believe think and teach concerning the holy Eucharist even as the Evangelists and Paul and the Antient Orthodox men have taught and written of it Where this is not no peace can be expected although Councils should be called every day The Gospel and Orthodox Fathers agree well enough They think and teach alike are all one in their Judgement I wish our yong Divines and Sectarian Novelists could accord among themselves But there can never be any agreement hoped for till we lay aside our passions and confidence of our own Reason and stick to the words of the Evangelists and unanimous consent of the Fathers And why should we be so averse and backward to this Who art thou O man that doubtest the words of God nay that opposest the very words of God How wilt thou answer at the day of Judgement or what excuse wilt thou have then to escape the wrath of God To ye O Princes Bishops and Doctors do I speak these things The neglect will light heavy on ye Ye see know plainly perceive what course should be taken yet ye forbear Ye see I say how many abominable horrid and altogether insufferable errors are crept into the Church concerning this Sacrament ye see how ridiculously how scornfully how wantonly yea how immodestly this Sacrament is observed But why speak I to them that have ears but will not hear and eyes but see not Their heart is blinded by the righteous Judgement We entreat thee O Christ have mercy upon thy Church if thou wilt thou only art able thou art most concerned in it It is thy Supper thy Example thy Command thy Church that is in distress And for its sake are we streightned seeing and beholding those great discords and destructive damages This sacrifice of praise is more trampled under foot than any thy Body is disown'd thy words are wrested thy Precept neglected New Doctrines are coyn'd a New custom of the Sacrament gets ground In short the loss is greater than any tongue can express And to whom shall we complain of these things but unto thee for none else will vouchsafe an ear to us We beseech thee by thy most holy and most bitter Passion of which we have begun here to treat stir up the hearts of our Bishops and so effectually touch their consciences that they may take better heed in observing and distributing thy Supper than heretofore they have done c. I have therefore made this complaint before that ye might the more attentively consider the Institution Let us examine the words Consider first who spake these words even Christ Whence t is plain this Sacrament was not invented by man but is of Divine Institution and therefore to contemn scoffe or under value it is â—o blaspheme the wisdom of God yea God himself Look to it then that ye esteem more highly and honourably of this Sacrament then ye have done 2. Again If it be Gods institution see thou pry not too curiously into every particular For these Mysteries are not to be found out by reason but by Faith Observe how Christ begineth it when he had ended the legall Supper he said that he would eat drink with them no more There was nothing more to be done but to give thanks and so rise from table Which when it was done â—…o then he taketh bread again he blesseth it again he breaks it by it self he sets it before them and divideth it among his Dsciples bidding them eat it none of which things he did in the legall Supper that we read of 3. Lastly To all this he addeth This is my Body Who would not wonder at such unaccustomed behaviour which he here used For what else did he intend by all this but that all men should diligently attend unto those things which follow even that we should know that this bread and this wine was not now common bread and wine such as they had in eating the Lamb but another thing far more singular and excellent even his body and blood Therefore when the Disciples saw these unusual gestures of Christ they did not gainsay or enquire about it but simply believed nothing doubting but that there was some great matter in hand Consider therefore what Christ saith Take and eat in which word he promiseth to bestow some great thing upon them And indeed what else should a man look for from a Saviour a Christ a God but some great excellent and most advantagious things Es 32.8 Luke 11. It becomes a great man to be magnificently bountifull If ye that are evill know how to give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the good Spirit to them that ask him Take then and make your selves to receive whatsoever such a Lord shall bestow upon you For it cannot be that a Saviour should offer any evil burtfull or vain thing But whereas he saith EAT he sheweth to what purpose the Sacrament was instituted to wit that it should be received Bread doth no good except being eaten it be incorporated So then by this word is signified that this is not simply to be taken as a gift but so as that it might be united to us nor simply but so as that it might become one body with us even as the bread which we eat is turned into our nature who are nourished by it But that this Metaphor of eating may be the better understood remember that there is nothing in us but sin death curse and hell there is no righteousness life salvation or Grace we are indeed destitute of all that is good But Christ hath all these good things in himself yet not for himself only but for us also and for that reason he calleth himself the bread of Life For as bread
is not made for it self but to strengthen them that eat it so Christ hath not these good things for himself alone but imparteth them to us also But after what manner How can we partake of the life and righteousness of Christ seeing we have no righteousness or life in us Answ By feeding upon him Then we find the vertue of bread when it is incorporated in us Then thou perceivest what vertue and good there is in Christ when thou receivest Christ into thy self 1. Now Christ is offered two manner of wayes unto us in the Word and in the Sacrament So also do we eat his body two wayes Spiritually and Sacramentally Of the spiritual eating he saith thus he that cometh to me shall not hunger and he that believeth in me shall not thirst From which words it is clear that to eat Christs body spiritually is to believe with the heart that Christ was made man and took our sins upon himself that he shed his blood for us and conquered hell and that he reconciled us unto God He that believeth this doth as is it were snatch Christ by faith and throw him into himself and is become one body with him whereby it cometh to pass that he doth not hunger in sin for he hath the righteousness of Christ he doth not hunger in death for he hath the life of Christ nor in malediction for he hath the benediction of Christ nor in afflictions because he seeth his deliverance by Christ This spiritual eating is necessary to all for none can be saved without it If we partake not of the Righteousness and Life of Christ what do we but abide in our sins and death Therefore Christ himself saith John 6. Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you He doth not speak here of the Sacrament for all are not damned that do not receive the Sacrament but he speaks of the spiritual eating by faith Heb 11. without which no man can please God After this manner the Fathers of the old Testament also did eat the body of Christ for Christ was offered to them too by Word and Promises Without this spiritual eating the Sacrament is nothing available nay it doth hurt and condemn because it is received unworthily 2. Here then you see that Christ is not offered unto us only in the Word but also in the Sacrament to this end even to put us in mind of the Promises by this outward sign and that we should be assured by this corporal eating that Christ with all that he hath was truly given to us For he that gave his very body what else will he deny We may now see that this exteâ—nal eating was not instituted in vain as some ungodly and unthankful men prate What need was there say they of an outward sign when it is faith that taketh all the good things of Christ to it self And who art thou wretched man that darest reprove God in his what he doth as if he had not ordained all things wisely I might also reason after that manner what need was there for Christ to take our flesh and suffer And what need is there of preaching the Gospel God could have restored man by his Word only as he did create him only by his Word Is therefore the Incarnation Passion and Gospel of Christ to no purpose See how unthankfull we are But God was willing to communicate his good things to us many wayes yea his own Son to wit by his Incarnation by the Word and Sacrament And who art thou unthankful man that durst question why he would do so and what need there was of it Thou shouldest rather exceedingly rejoyce that God would be pleased to impart his good things to thee which way soever he did bestow them This is one of Satans old tricks Gen. 3. whereby he cheated Eve Why saith he did God command that you should not eat of this tree Gen. 12. To what purpose what need was there for it And this way he seeks to deceive us Gen 22. Abraham did not reason so what need have I to leave my own Country Thou mayest do me good where I am Again To what end should I offer my Son He said no such thing but presently obeyed The Nature of faith is to shut the eyes of reason and to go blindfold after the naked Word of God So should we do in this case But hear what Christ saith further This saith he is my Body Here you have the other and more principal part of the Sacrament to wit the Word of God The visible Bread is one part the Word of Christ is the other Every Sacrament is made up of these two that is the outward Sign and the Word of God which must not be separated one from the other The Word was added to the Element and so became a Sacrament The bread is seen the Word of Christ is heard Which of these is of most credit the sight The Truth of Christs Body or hearing surely the hearing for he that speaks is God Therefore all the vertue of the Sacraments is from the Word of God When the Word cometh to the Bread it is no more what it was before but somewhat else far more excellent by reason of the Word of God added to it For the Word of God is of that efficacy that it can do all things which is most clearly manifest both from the first creation of all things as also from those Miracles which wrought by the Word of God For concerning both Psal 148.5 he spake the word and they were made yea the Word of God is God It is the Wisdom and Power of God Rom. 1. John 1. 1 Cor. 1. When God therefore by his Word joyneth his Vertue Power and Name to the outward thing who doubteth but that some new and great thing is thereby wrought How then durst any be so bold to say that there is nothing but bare bread in this Sacrament after the words of Consecration are uttered Is the Word of God which is so powerfull in every thing else of no force in this Sacrament 1. These words then This is my Body do prove the truth of Christs body in the Sacrament So that we are most highly to esteem the words of God Nor can there be any trope or figure in them For first nothing can more absolutely be spoken if all the tongues in the world should speak together 2. Besides there is not one of the Evangelists no nor Paul himself who was a most sincere Preacher of the Gospel that ever hinted the least letter of a trope in these words 3. Lastly There is no just reason can be alledged why these words should be otherwise understood We must therefore keep to these words as to the most undoubted and safe sayings of God himself which do not deceive nor suffer to be deceived He that addeth to these words
God shall add to him the plagues c. Apoc. 21. The Benefit So then if as hath been proved the Body of Christ be truly according to the tenor of the words in the Sacrament it is certain that the Sacrament it self cannot be an unprofitable thing For it is evident that the flesh of Christ was filled with the God-head If therefore God be nothing worth then also is the flesh of Christ of no value When that flesh of Christ walked on the earth it did good to all that it did but touch never so little by reason of the Godhead that dwelt in it How can it be then that it should do no good in the Sacrament since it is the same flesh of Christ in Union with the same Divinity it is also the same word of God of the same Nature and force now as ever it was But take notice that Christ in this Sacrament gave us not his Body alone but his Blood too As in the Law of Moses there was a sacrifice to be slain and moreover a cleansing by blood so the Body of Christ was the sacrifice and his Blood the cleansing away of sins the sacrifice of his body maketh satisfaction his blood purifieth the offering is made to God for Reconciliation the blood is poured out to make us clean Now in the distribution of his blood he observeth the same gestures as he did in the distribution of his body He took it he gave thanks he gave it to them c. In the words he added at least altered something For he doth not say simply Hic est sanguis meus This is my blood as he said Hoc est corpus meum This is my body But he addeth This is the blood of the New Testament Or as Paul hath it This cup is the New Testament in my blood by which word he plainly alludeth to the confirmation of the old Testament as when Moses had read all the Law he took the blood of the Calf and therewith sprinkled the people saying Exod. 24. Behold the blood of the Covenant which God hath made with you c. In like manner Christ here speaketh By how much the blood of Christ is more excellent than the blood of a Bull so much the new Testament is more worthy than the old What a Testament 〈◊〉 A Testament is the disposing and bequeathing of goods whether it be by writing or word of mouth And it is confirmed by the death of the Testator God made a Will to the Israelites Ex. ibid. that he would give them the promised Land but because God could not die he commanded a Bullock to be slain and ratified this his Testament with the blood thereof So now Christ hath bequeathed to us his goods even the forgiveness of sins and so all other his good things come along therewith That the Testament may be sure Christ himself the Testator died and that we might remember his death he did affix as it were two seals unto it the Sacrament of his Body and Blood The sense of the words Therefore when he saith Take eat Take drink c. his meaning is this Lo I promise you all my goods and do freely bestow them on you and to make this firm and sure to you I am about to die and in witness whereof I set to my Seal I leave you my body blood He maketh mention of a Testament when he speaketh not of his body but of his blood The shedding of blood is a sign of death by which death the Testament is ratified Whereas he addeth at last speaking of his body Which shall be given for you but concerning his blood saith he Which shall be shed for you he plainly sheweth that the same body which was crucified and slain and the same blood which was shed upon the Cross is received in the Sacrament These words also shew the fruit of the Eucharist which is to partake of the merit of Christs Passion Whereunto Faith is requisite not only to believe that the body and blood of Christ is here present but withall to believe that it is the same body which was offered for us and the same blood which was shed for us and that it is given to us which Christ merited by his death Take notice also of what is said concerning his blood which is shed not for all but for many Indeed the blood of Christ was sufficient for all but all do not believe It is fitly said not for all but for many which is a word of terrour to the slothfull and those that are too secure who flatter themselves that they cannot be damned Christ addeth in the close Do this in remembrance of me Where we see that the Evangelists do not only describe the thing as it was once done but they set it down so as a thing ever hereafter to be observed and continued Whence Christ commanded his Apostles that they should do as he had done thereby signifying that he would alwayes be present at his Sacrament and that what he by himself did at the Supper the same should be done by the Apostles and their Successors So that they are much mistaken who say I believe that Christ the Apostles did consecrate it but I do not believe that every Priest can do it I believe that the Saints do receive the body of Christ but I do not think sinners do Hear me Brother the Sacraments of the Church are not founded on our worthiness or unworthiness but upon the Word of God whatever the Minister or the Communicant be Gods Ordinance is the same As neither Angel nor man could of themselves turn bread into the body of Christ so neither of them can hinder it Therefore he doth not say if thou receive it worthily thou shalt take my body but This is my Body so the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Commandments of God c. remain good and valid though thou never believest if thou dost not pray work c. as Gods outward works alwayes continue though we abuse them But it is most to be observed that Christ here commandeth and speaks imperatively and chargeth us to take and eat and to do as he did whereby t is plain that we are not left at our liberty to observe or neglect this Sacrament If thou art a Christian thou must sometimes obey this Command Christ hath commanded it though he appointed no set time It is not in our choice wholly to omit it When he saith in remembrance of me his will is that this Sacrament should be 1. A Monument of his Charity towards us whereby he gave himself to us in every respect as a companion a brother a sacrifice meat c. Who is so hard as not to melt into a mutual love by all these signs of love 2. A remembrance of that sacrifice which Christ offered up for us at his death upon the Cross as Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye eat
He girded himself with a white Towel i. e. with an immaculate body and uncorrupt humane nature which like a white Towel was not only clean in it self but also wiped away our spots and made us clean also Or thus he girded himself with a Towel i. e. with the anguish of his Passion and Death and so as he had begun magnificently to shew his charity he did more magnificently finish it 4. Then he poureth water into a Bason i.e. he poured out the Holy Spirit upon the Believers Ezek. 36. which by his Passion he merited for them which Spirit in Ezekiel is called clean water I will pour clean water upon you saith he c. Or He poured water into a Bason i. e. he opened our wits to understand the Scriptures That water was in a pot before the Scripture was shut up the Book was sealed the Mysteries of God were hidden the face of Moses was vailed But now Christ hath poured forth the water into a Bason i. e. he hath revealed the hid things of the Scriptures for the Salvation of believers From that time Christ began to wash us I say he began for he hath not made an end yet but doth daily wash and wipe us with his Towel i. e. the merit of his Passion So that from hence we may understand not only the love of Christ but our own misery also For it must be great filthiness which none but the Son of God could wipe away and that not without his death and blood By this t is plain that man had deeply fallen because we see the Son of God descend and humble himself so low Pastors of the Church should follow this Example of Christ Let them watch and arise and make ready to Minister Throw all away that hindereth the work whatever it be Let them expound the dark Mysteries of the Scriptures to others Let them wash others but so as they themseves be girt with a Towel lest while they make others clean themselves be defiled John 13.6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him Lord doest thou wash my feet Jesus answered and said unto him verse 7. What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter Perer 〈◊〉 unâ—… him verse 8. thou shalt never wash my feet Jesu answered him if I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Simon Peter saith unto him verse 9. Lord not my seet only but also my hands and my head Jesus saith unto him verse 10. He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit and ye are clean but not all For he knew who should betray him verse 11. therefore said he ye are not all clean There are some that think Christ began with Judas and so went upward till at last he came to Peter But others reject this opinion upon this ground that although Judas had patience and with a brazen face held out till Christ had done this to him yet the other Disciples could not hold their peace It is most probable that he began at Peter who was first among the Apostles not by Vocation for Andrew followed Christ before him but by Election unto the Apostleship for there Peter is put in the first place Matth. 10. And t was very proper in this washing to begin with the chiefest For where the Pastor or Prelate is unclean in Doctrine or life those that are under their charge will quickly be defiled and how shall such a man make others clean who is so filthy himself If the salt hath lost its saltness how shall it season other things Nor is it without a Mysterie that the Evangelist doth not call Peter only by that name which Christ gave but by that also which he had before He cometh saith he to Simon Peter seting down his old name first Peter as we shall see anon did express in himself the nature both of flesh and faith and therefore he is called by divers names In the discourse of Christ Peter speaketh three times but all differently First out of ignorance Secondly out of obstinacy Thirdly in Faith And Christ doth thrice answer him First he instructeth his ignorance Secondly he reproveth and repelleth his stubbornness Thirdly he commendeth his Faith And so we speak to God and he to us c. But whereas Peter first saith by way of question First word Lord doest thou wash my feet T is plain that he stood amazed at so great a condescention of his Lord. And no marvel for the rest would have done so too if he had begun with them Yea who could but admire to see the Lord of Majesty became so humble a servant unto men Exod. 3. It s a sign of a godly soul to admire and wonder at the works of God Thus Moses although he prest to see why the bush was not burnt yet when he heard God speak out of the bush he durst not approach Gen. 28 So Jacob when he had seen a Ladder in his dream c. he awaked as one in a trance and so great a vouchsafement of God How terrible saith he is this place If we consider this word of Peter we shall see that he had several respects partly good partly imperfect 1. First He had respect to that excellent dignity of his Lord when he said dost thou Lord I say he considered what a base employment it was to wash feet because the feet are the lowest and so the meanest members not named without saving your presence He thought it a great disparagement that those hands which had wrought so many Miracles among the people should now wash his feet and this was good in him 2. On the other hand he considered his own unworthiness when he said for Me or my feet and that also was commendable From both which he infer'd that 't was more fit for him to serve Christ than for Christ to serve him which also is praise-worthy We must needs acknowledge that God is nothing indebted to us but we much to him Lord dost thou wash my feet thou Lord of Majestie for me the vilest of creatures a wretched sinner But Peter was mistaken to think it a dishonourable thing for Christ to serve us as some now adayes think it a dishonour and disgrace to Christ to give us his body to eat whereas it is his greatest glory For hereby his infinite love and mercy doth perfectly shine upon us But the nature of our flesh is such that it hath no fear of God at all when it sinneth but when it should pray for pardon it would seem to have such reverence that it confesseth it self to be so unworthy that it dare not come nigh him So Peter seems here to have great reverence of Christ but by and by denies him in a fearless manner and so do we Again herein also Peter erred that under pretence of reverence to Christ he puts off and refuseth his Ministry as
not seen his sorrows before his Death and that by plain and manifest Tokens Yet did he not shew this his sorrow to all the Disciples lest his weakness should offend them more then they could bear Therefore he lets these three only see it who had before beheld his Divinity These could not be so much troubled at it at least they ought not but should rather remember the glory they had seen before Concerning this extraordinary sorrow of the Lord Christ so exactly set down many men have written many things and have variously contended about it but for our part we shall give credit only to the bare words of the Evangelists For no man can affirm that it was more than a humane and natural sorrow which may also befall us in greatest streights and misery For the Humanity which Christ assumed could neither be without such affections nor be believed by the world He had not been a true man if his nature had not trembled at death This sorrow of Christ is by Matthew and Mark exprest by three words The first is sorrow which the Greek cals Lipe whereby the sadness and trouble of the mind is exprest The second is Fear which in the Greek is Thambos The third is most sore Amazement which in Greek is Ademonia To these Luke adds a fourth viz. Agony of which anon Thus those three Disciples saw here a far other thing than what they saw on Mount Tabor For here the Father is not heard to speak Matth. 17. The Light doth not shine from Heaven His Face doth not glitter like the Sun His Rayment is not whiter than snow Moses and Elias talk not with him But as a man altogether destitute of any help he begins to fear to be weary of his life and to be sore troubled greatly bemoaning himself as they who are but meer men use to do when such a dismall storm of trouble hangs over them And this is that which Christ himself foretold Luke 12. I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I streightened till it be accomplished Therefore now he saith My soul is sorrowfull even unto death A most Heavenly word worthy of all observation For here we see what it is that Paul saith Who being in the form Phil. 2. that is in the Wisdom Power Majesty glory of God he made himself of no reputation How could he more deeply a base and humble himself than to be made like unto us in all things Gal. 3. yea to be made a curse for us The fear of death is the fruit of infidelity and sin and a part of the first malediction For although Christ was altogether without sin yet he transfer'd the wages of sin upon him not that we should never have a sense thereof but that he might overcome and triumph over the same and that he might teach us how to be able in him to overcome all evil by Faith He was tempted like us yet without sin Heb. 4. that he might be able to have compassion on us So that as often as we are beset with the fear of Death or any other affliction we may safely say Behold God is our salvation we will trust Isa 12.3 and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is our strength and song he is our salvation In that he saith my soul is sorrowfull unto death this may be understood two wayes 1. First extensively in that this sorrow and anxiety continued even till the separation of the soul from the body 2. Secondly Intensively because it was as great as was possible to be in a living man or than which never any man had greater in this life And no wonder that his sorrow was so great seeing there were more than one and they very great causes of this his sorrow For 1. He was sorrowfull and sore troubled yet according to humane nature or rather sensibility because he saw his near approaching Passion as it were before his eyes with all the shame and bitterness thereof 2. He was sore troubled and sorrowfull for the sins of all men past present and to come all which he took upon himself The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all Isa 53. 3. He was sad for the sins and unthankfulness of Judas and the Jews whose life glory and salvation was in danger 4. He was troubled for the fall and scattering of his Disciples and other friends and most for the desolate state of his holy Mother 5. Lastly He was sorrowfull for the ingratitude that would be found in Christians in time to come He saw that his Passion would be unprofitable to many men He saw also that many Christians would forget him as one dead in their hearts and quite out of mind and that very few would be thankfull to him for so great a benefit Psalm 109. but rather with a base requitall would render him evil for his good See what great cause he had to be sorrowfull Well then might he say My soul is sorrowfull unto death This is that which he foretold by David long since My bones are vexed Psalm 6. Psalm 55. my soul also is sore vexed Again Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me and horrour hath overwhelmed me my heart is sore pained within me and the terrours of death are fallen upon me See what fit Plaisters Christ doth apply to our wounds Sin is born in the heart lust bringeth forth sin and brought up in act James 1. and so finished So Christ was first inwardly sorrowfull and then outwardly that he might totally take away all sin and make full satisfaction for us What then doth Christ do in this his streight Why just like those that are suddenly surpriz'd with some great amazement he desireth those three Disciples to tarry with him and watch and pray in which words he doth variously express our infirmities Those that are in misery think it no small comfort to have a friend to whom they may be bold to complain of their misery Again It is a comfort to those that are astonished and afflicted if others will but stay and stand by them It is the greatest trouble to be left alone in trouble This affection Christ here expresseth Heb. 2. See into what a low condition the Son of God humbled himself and how he would be like unto us his brethren in all things Nevertheless although he chargeth them to watch and stand by him yet he doth not neglect to pray for aid also from Heaven to shew that vain is the wisdom of the flesh and that all carnal assistance is nothing worth if God be absent Therefore he went from them to pray and commanded them to pray also who doubtless could not but hear the dolefull and affectionate cry of his Prayers though they were at some distance from him So that here he taught us both by his Word and Example what to do in times of Temptation even to have
from Galile stood and diligently beheld these things for they lookt for no such Spectacle but their mind now presaged that after so sad a Tragedie they should see better dayes They stood afar off for fear that the Scripture might be fulfilled Thou hast put away mine Acquaintance far from me lover and friend from my misery Psalm 88. Again He hath put my brethren far from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me Job 19. They stood aloof yet they saw and considered what was done It was a sight worth the seeing to the beholding whereof all the world should have run together But who can express the sorrow and grief of those Holy Women especially of the Virgin-mother when they saw him hang so shamfully on the cross for whom they had done so much and to whom they had ministred not only in Galile but also in Iudaea But they are much to be commended that the fear neither of the Jews nor of the Romans could hinder them from following after Christ and that they would no more forsake him when he was dead then when he was living This is to take good and bad together with ones Friend The Disciples fled but the Womenkind stood it out as being willing to repair and make amends for the wrong done to all mankind in Paradise And because those holy Women did so stoutly stand it out and tarryed to see the end of the holy Passion they were likewise counted worthy to have the first sight of Christ after his Resurrection They were last with Christ when he dyed and first with him when he lived A godly man will learn many good things from those Women c. The Jews therefore John 19.31 because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the Cross on the Sabbath-day for that Sabbath-day was an High day besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away Then came the Souldiers and brake the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his legs But one of the Souldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came thereout blood and water And he that saw it bare Record and his Record is true and he knoweth that he saith true that ye might believe For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled A bone of him shall not be broken And again another Scripture saith They shall look on him whom they pierced We have heard of the death of the Lord Jesus and how it was bewailed by the Women of Galile his burial is yet behind which the Iews indeed attempted but God reserved the solemnity thereof to be performed by holy and good men The day when these things were done was the preparation that is a preparatory day to the following Sabbath which was called the Sabbath of the Passover because it fell out in the Paschal week Whence it was celebrated more honourably then the other Sabbaths And this the Evangelist shews when he saith For that Sabbath day was an High day This was a double Festival both in respect of the Sabbath and also of the Paschal Week which was wholly Festival When this Sabbath drew nigh those bloody men thought it a dishonour if the bodies of the slain should hang before their gates in the view of all men Therefore lest the Devotion and Religious observation of the Feast-day should be clouded with so sad and dolefull a Spectacle they desired by any means that they should be taken down and removed before the Feast began A perverse and preposterous religion indeed it was to intend to celebrate the Feast so holily the entrance whereof they had polluted with so great impiety They would keep the Law and yet had just now killed the Lord of the Law The Law by which they tye themselves to this observation was this The Lord commanding that they that were crucified should be buried the same night Deut. 21. This Law was chiefly given in reference to Christ For the Law written by the Finger of God in respect of him only who was then to be crucified did take care that all that were crucified should be buryed the same night whereas there was no such Law or command concerning others that should suffer a violent death God indeed could have preserved the body of Christ also unburied from shame and violence But so it was expedient for the bodies of the Saints that this body of this dead man should be united to them in the graves that by it they might obtain a Resurrection For as it was meet that the soul of Christ should go down into Hell to deliver the souls of the Fathers so it behooved that his body should reach their bodies that so he might raise them up again and thereby a perfect Resurrection might be hoped for To this Law do these wicked men now pretend And now they begin to think of the religious observation of the Feast as if they had now omitted nothing but had done every thing as it ought to be done Thus Hypocrites look only at the Ceremonies mean while leaving the greater and weightier works of Righteousness undone and think that all will go well with them let them sin never so much so long as they leave out nothing of the Ceremonies So here they are very carefull to observe that Law which was only for civility and humanity but in the mean while swerving from and prevaricating the whole Law Yet who would have said but that those were very holy men Who could have suspected that they would have killed Christ contrary to all Law who were such zealous and devout observers of the Law But thus doth Hypocrisie use to palliate and hide its iniquity But under pretence of this Law and reverence of the Feast they address themselves to Pilate they entreat him that the bodies of those that were put to death might be taken down before the evening that nothing might hinder it and that the Governour would give command to have their bones broken that they might die the sooner This they pretended to Pilate But there was somewhat else did bite them They were afraid lest the people should repent of what they had done and believe in Christ because of the signes that were shewed at his death for then they heard the various judgements and opinions of men concerning Christ by reason of his Miracles Therefore they make Post haste to get him down and bury him out of the way for they were in hopes that he would quickly and totally be forgotten if he were but once removed out of sight and that never any hereafter would upbraid them with the death of so great a man But all in vain their project is to no purpose for they can hide neither Christs Glory nor their own shame But wicked men easily obtain what they desire of a wicked Judge The