destroyed those that came to apprehend him as he drave them backwards and felled them to the ground John 18.6 to rid himselfe out of the hands of his enemies as he might have done Mat. 26.53 But besides when he came to his answer he doth not so much as plead for himselfe When he doth not so much as plead for himselfe either before the high Priest Mat. 26.63 or afterwards before Pilate Mat. 27 12 14. but as it was foretold of him by the Prophet Isaiah 53.7 stood as a sheepe before the shearer dumbe and opened not his mouth And lastly when he was nailed to the Crosse And breathes out his Soule into his Fathers bosome while his life was yet whole in him he voluntatarily breathed out his Soule into the bosome of his Father as it is evident both in that he was dead a good space before the two theeves that were crucified with him whereas by reason of the strength of the naturall constitution of his body he might have subsisted under those torments longer thē they And besides by yeelding up his life when it was yet whole in him as it evidently appeared by that lowd cry which he uttered at the very instant of his death as is testified Mark 15.37 39. Luk. 23.46 All which are undeniable evidences of our Saviours voluntary resigning up and laying down his life by the wil of his Father for his peoples sins The third and last circumstance in our Saviours Passion which the Evangelists lay down before us is that without which the rest had been of little worth that his sufferings were both reall and sufficient And for the former of these That Christs Sufferings were reall is cleared that they were reall and not feigned appeares evidently by the whole narration of our Saviours buffeting scourging and crucifying at last and by his death which followed thereupon By the souldiers who found him dead and therefore forbare to breake his legs By the wound which they gave him in his side By the Centurions Certificate to Pilate of his death By his buriall The truth whereof is sufficiently testified sundry wayes First the Souldiers forbare to breake our Saviours legs because they saw apparently that he was already dead Iohn 19.30.33 Secondly it appears by the wound which the Souldiers gave him in his side which pierced his very heart as appeared by the water which issued out of the wound Thirdly by the Certificate which was given in to Pilate by the Centurion that he had bin a good while dead Marke 15.44 45. Fourthly by the buriall of his body by Ioseph of Arimathea Mat. 27.60 together with the preparations which the women made to embalme it Luke 23.56 And Lastly by the watch which the chiefe Priests and Pharisees set about his grave to prevent the stealing away of his body by his Disciples Mat. 27.66 It is true That they were sufficient that those divers torments and death at last yea the most cruell painfull and accursed of all deaths the death of the Crosse which our blessed Saviour endured in his body were but a part of that debt Appeares not only by his death part of the punishment of sinne which we ought unto God for sinne and which as our surety he tooke upon him to satisfie for us For the death outward paines of the body were neitheral nor the greatest part of that curse which was brought upon man by sinne The heaviest weight of the wrath of God lay upon his soul So that it was needfull But besides by his suffering in Soule that the Soul of Christ also should beare the wrath of God and be made an offering for our sin as was foretold Isa 53.10 The Evangelists therefore are very carefull to set before us the pangs and anguish of our Saviours Soule So great that himselfe professeth his Soul was heavy to the death That it caused him to sweat great drops of blood the agonies whereof were such that himselfe professed that his Soul was heavy to the death Mat. 26.38 and the violence thereof so great that he did sweat great drops of blood which fell from him to the ground Luke 22.44 So that we cannot conceive that a person of so incomparable fortitude as our Saviour was could have so deep an impression made upon his Soule by any other thing then by the sense of his Fathers wrath wherewith he wrestled in that conflict God withholding from him at that time And to cry out upon the Crosse My God my God c. the comfort of his favour as himselfe implies when he cries out in the anguish of his Spirit upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 That such speeches and such effects could proceed from no other cause then the sense of his Fathers wrath So that he might truly say that work of our Redemption was finished and the debt fully paied cannot be denied In what manner or measure he felt it is too much vanity and curiosity to enquire It is enough unto us that it was so much as God accepted in full satisfaction for our debt which also our Saviour himselfe seems to imply in the words uttered immediately before his death It is finished Iohn 19.30 He meanes both his Sufferings and the price of our Redemption This work of mans Redemption discovers 1. Gods unconceiveable love to man This great and glorious work of God in Redeeming and Reconciling himselfe to the world by the blood of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ discovers unto us in the first place such a measure of Gods unspeakable and unconceivable love to man as passeth all knowledge to use the Apostles phrase Eph. 3.19 Secondly 2. His wonderfull Wisdome it gives an evidence of his wonderfull and infinite wisdome in devising and finding out a meanes by which that holy God who will by no meanes pardon the guilty Exod. 34.7 might yet without any empeachment unto his Justice at all pardon sinnes yea more then that might admit men into an holy Communion fellowship with himself being before enemies and by sinne wholly separated from him by joyning God and man together in the person of his Sonne who assuming unto himself our nature 3. His mighty Power thereby came Emanuel God with us Mat. 1.23 Thirdly herein God manifests his wonderfull power not only in spoyling Principalities and Powers and triumphing over them Col. 2.15 but besides in conquering death by dying and leading captivity captive by becomming a Captive unto those whom he subdued wholly and triumphed over in his Crosse Fourthly 4. His infinite Justice God made known his Justice and Holinesse in the hatred of sinne when he spared not his owne Sonne when he became our surety and tooke our sinnes upon him but would bruise him and put him to griefe when he made his Soule an offering for sinne though himselfe had done no violence neither was any deceit found in his mouth
things all of them excellent and perfect in their kind so that the heavens and earth are full of his riches Psal 104.24 25. Fourthly Power we cannot but acknowledge his infinite power vvho by his vvord alone created the vast bodies of the heavens and the earth and the hoast of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.6.9 Fiftly Majesty vve cannot but admire his incomprehensible majesty manifested in that magnificent palace of Heaven vvhich he hath prepared and furnished for himselfe vvhence he sends forth that glorious creature the light and makes it his covering as he doth the clouds his chariots Ps 104.2 3. Perfection In the sixth place his infinite perfection is manifested in imparting to the creature all those severall perfections that vve find in them vvhich must needs therefore be in a far more eminent degree in him that gave them Lastly Wisdome his unconceiveable wisdome is fully evidenced in the infinite variety wonderfull order mutuall correspondence and usefull serviceableness of all those creatures that he hath made one to another Psal 104.24 Next to the Work of Creation are Gods acts of Government and Administration of all that he hath made All which appeare likewise in his works of administration or providence wherein we may again take notice of all those glorious Attributes that we have formerly mentioned especially of his wonderfull power and faithfulnesse in supporting by his own hand all that he created by his Word So that they continue to this day according to his Ordinance Psal 119.90 91. propagated in their kinds which we must esteeme no other then a continued Creation Psal 104.30 provided for by his care Psal 145.15 16. and Psal 147.8 9. directed by his wisdome and power to doe whatsoever he commands Iob 37.12 Psal 148.8 So that the creatures severall motions and operations even of those which are carryed according to the course of nature are to be looked upon as so many acts of God in and by them in whom they move and have their beeing Acts 17.28 ordered by him according to his Will and that even the smallest amongst them and in their most inconsiderable motions even to the Sparrowes lighting to the ground Mat. 10.29 These Acts of Gods Providence are most clearely and especially manifested in ordering and disposing of the affaires Especially in ordering the affaires of men and wayes of the sonnes of Men whose courses of life and works if we compare with Gods dispensations towards them we shall easily be able to discover his perfect Justice Discovering his Justice and Holinesse in rewarding men according to their deeds and Holinesse in rewarding every man according to his deeds his mercy and faithfulnesse towards his servants notwithstanding their manifold failings which either God graciously passeth by Ps 130.10 11. or corrects only in mercy His faithfulnes and mercy towards his own as Psal 89.32 22. and faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 turning even their chastisements and afflictions to their good Psal 119.771 His exact Justice upon the wicked whom he puts away like drosse Psal 119 119. His Patience towards the wicked His incredible patience and long suffering even towards the vessells of wrath fitted to destruction Rom. 9.22 continuing unto them the common blessings of this life Mat. 5.45 although fatting them thereby to the day of slaughter that when they have filled up the measure of their iniquities the wrath of God may come upon them to the uttermost 1 Thes 2.16 His faithfulnesse and truth in fulfilling his word not only in his promises of mercy to his owne servants as it is testified His Faithfulnes and Truth in fulfilling his Word Josh 21.45 but withall in executing his judgments threatned 2 Kings 9.36 of which there failes not one word as that wicked King testifies 2 Kings 10.10 His Power in raising and casting down whom he will His power in raising up and pulling downe at his pleasure Psal 113.7 Luk. 1.52 His wisdome in preventing and overthrowing the devices of the crafty Iob 5.12 13. His Wisdome in preventing wicked mens policies taken in their own snares causing their own tongues to fall upon themselves Ps 64.8 and bringing about all their counsels to concur to the execution of his will even in those wayes by those meanes by which they labour most to oppose it as it evidently appeared in the cursed practises of the Iewes and Pilate against our Saviour Christ Act. 4.27 28. For the discovering and observing of those glorious Attributes of God in those works of his Providence we must of necessity make a diligent enquiry into every kind of them particularly and distinctly All which that we may discover we must search into his workes particularly as indeed the workes of God are sought out of all that have pleasure therein Psal 111.2 as well that we may yeeld unto God his due honour as that we may from the consideration of those works gather grounds of comfort and instruction to our selves Above all the rest into that glorious work of our Redemption But above all the rest of these great works which God hath wrought we must be most carefull in searching throughly into that glorious and never sufficiently admired mysterie of mans Redemption by Jesus Christ which the very Angels themselves desire to search into 1 Pet. 1.12 In whose comming into the world by the will and appointment of his Father and taking unto himselfe the nature of Man his abasement in that Nature not only to the forme of a servant but besides to the very death of the Crosse his Triumphing therein over Satan death and hell manifested to the world by his glorious Resurrection from the dead Wherein his unsearchable wisdome unconceiveable love exact justice almighty power and faithfulnesse are more clearly discovered then in all the rest The unsearchable wisdome unspeakeable yea unconceiveable love and mercy exact Justice Almightie Power and stedfast Faithfulnesse and Truth of the holy Lord are more clearly discovered unto us then they are in all the rest of the works which he hath wrought And for that cause the History wherein these things are recorded is above all others most fully and exactly penned and the truth thereof most faithfully attested by foure severall witnesses and those without all exception and consequently it is to be most carefully studied and throughly searched into by us What the maine scope of the Evangelists is in penning that History of the Birth Life The maine scope aimed at in the penning that history is that we might beleeve that Jesus is the Sonne of God Death and Resurrection of our Blessed Saviour hath been intimated already namely to work our hearts to beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God that beleeving we might have eternall life Iohn 20.32 And to this purpose they in the first place beginne with the description of our Saviours person and therein they set out unto us his two distinct Natures
he kept an holy Communion with God not only in his fourty dayes fast befor he entred upon the execution of his Office in the Ministery publiquely but continually upon all occasions in frequent and fervent prayers wherein sometimes he spent whole nights Luk. 6.12 Thirdly the histories instance particularly in his dutifull respect and subjection to his parents Luke 2.51 and to all Authority Mat. 17.27 In his lowlinesse and meeknesse Mat. 11.29 Mercifull and kind disposition to all men amongst whom he went about doing good Acts 10.38 and divers the like Besides Justified against his adversaries unjust and false cavils against him our Saviours holy Life is justified and sufficiently cleared even by his professed adversaries who although they slandered and traduced him continually to the people observed and watched him narrowly in all his wayes Luk. 6.7 and chap. 14.1 and chap. 20.20 laid snares for him to entrap him in his words Mat. 22.15 notwithstanding could fasten nothing blame-worthy justly upon him Neither for any breach of the Sabbath wherein he justifies against all cavillers his actions of mercy and necessity Mat. 12.10 and Luk. 6.3 Nor in keeping company with sinners which he makes good Mat. 9.12 13. Nor in sleighting of the Law which he professeth he came not to destroy but to fulfill Mat. 5.17 Nor in advancing himselfe against authority in which point his owne Acts sufficiently cleare him who denied to be a Judge Luk. 12.14 much more to be a King Iohn 6.15 and payes his tribute quietly unto Caesar Mat. 17.27 though his adversaries charged him with the contrary Luke 23.2 and at the last submitted himselfe to the sentence of death pronounced against him by Pilate from which he had power enough in his hand to have freed himselfe if he had pleased to make use of it to that end as himselfe tells Peter Mat. 26.53 Beyond all this the testimonies of his Father from heaven By the Testimonies 1. Of God from heaven stiling him his welbeloved Son in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3.17 chap. 17.5 Yea of the Devil himself from hell who entitles him The holy one of God Mark 1.24 Of Judas who betrayed him 2. Judas who betrayed him and witnessed openly to the chief Priests and Elders that he had sinned in betraying the innocent bloud and being smitten in conscience with the horrour of so execrable a fact departed and hanged himself 3. Of the Judge that condemned him Of the Judge that condemned him who even then when he gave sentence of death upon him yet gave him this testimony that he was a just person and washed his hands from his innocent bloud Mat. 27.24 Yea of the very high Priests themselves who searching out matter of accusation against him and finding none at last were fain to condemn him upon the disagreeing testimony of two false witnesses Mat. 26.60 Mark 4. By the disagreeing testimony of the Witnesses produced against him 14.59 and that too for that which in truth contained though it had been true nothing worthy of blame All these testimonies laid together are more then sufficient evidences to clear his holiness and innocency to the whole world Thus the Evangelists having cleared the first point That his Sacrifice was voluntary is evidenced that Christ was an innocent holy person and therefore fit to be offered up as a pure and acceptable sacrifice unto God his Father In the second place they make it as evident that this sacrifice was every way free and voluntary Now this appears not only by our Saviours own profession that he did lay down his life for his sheep that none did take it from him but he laid it down himself and that he had power to lay it down and take it againe Iohn 10.18 that he was straightned and pained till his Baptisme he means his sufferings was ended an expression which manifests in him a restlesse desire as he speakes in expresse tearmes Luke 22.15 to accomplish that work of our Redemption by offering up himselfe upon the Crosse for the sinnes of his people 1. By his actions before his sufferings But besides is farther manifested more fully by his actions before his sufferings and by his behaviour in them Before his sufferings His often predictions of the time place and kind of death which he was to suffer take notice how often he speakes of his Passion and foretells and gives warning of it to his Disciples and that not only in generall termes as Mat. 16.21 but distinctly and particularly layes down before them the time place and kind of death that he was to suffer and by what meanes and by whose hand Pointing out the Traitor before the Treason plotted Yea when he comes up to Ierusalem before the Treason was plotted he both knows and points out the Traytor Mat. And discovering those that were to apprehend him before they were in view 26.21 25. And at the very instant when the officers came to apprehend him before ever they came within view he gave notice of their approach to his Disciples So that it cannot be questioned which also S. Iohn witnesseth that he knew before hand all that should come upon him Notwithstanding he goes up to Ierusalem Iohn 8.4 Notwithstanding all this he goes up voluntarily from Galilee to Ierusalem at that very feast when he knew the time of his suffering was come when he comes thither he hides not his head but enters into and teacheth openly in the Temple Luk. Teacheth openly in the Temple 21.37 And although he withdrew himselfe out of the City Luke 21.37 Retires to the place which the Traitor knew yet he never so much as changeth his accustomed place whither he was wonted to retire although it was well known to Iudas Iohn 18.2 nay beyond all this when the Officers that came to apprehend him knew him not no not so much as Iudas himselfe who was with them And discovers himselfe to such as apprehended him and puts himselfe into their hands for their guide he discovers himselfe unto them once and againe and though at his presence the Officers went backwards and fell to the ground astonished yet he puts himselfe into their hands Iohn 18.4 5 7 8. All these things are full and manifest evidences that howsoever he prayed earnestly for the passing away of that Cup from him yet he freely and willingly submitted to the good pleasure of his Father as himselfe speaks Mat. 26.42 to make his Soule an offering for the sinnes of his people and thereby to finish the work of our Redemption Much more evidently did this readinesse of our Saviour to lay down his life for his people Much more is Christs Sacrifice manifested to be voluntary by his actions in his sufferings appeare afterwards when he came to his sufferings when he not only refused to aske helpe of his Father or to make use of his own Power by which he might as easily have
represented to the Jews Christ to come as did their Passeover sacrifices scapegoat c. or they were outward shadows of inward sanctification such as were many of their washings separating and cleansing of leapers c. As for the former sort of these which under divers types point us out Christ to come we are more particularly to observe that they represent him as a sacrifice for sin a lamb slain from the beginning of the world the scape-goat sets out the fruit of his suffering the utter removing from us carrying away our sins into the wildernesse that they may never appear nor be remembred against us any more the like representations we have in many of the rest By which we learn that as from the beginning there was no other name by which men might be saved but only the name of Jesus Christ promised to our first Parents expected by the Patriarchs and both to them after they were formed into a state represented many ways although under figures and shadows so they were to expect salvation by him no other way but by his death nor any other salvation then by taking our sins upon him and thereby making our peace with God his Father This consideration is a great means to strengthen our faith when we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses testifying that truth which we believe in all ages from the beginning The second sort of ceremonies are such as are under the figures of washings 2. As under legall washing sanctification is shadowed we are taught to cleanse our selves in drawing neer unto God legall separations and purifications and the like represented to the Iews that inward purity and cleansing of the heart which God requires in all his people especially those that draw neer unto him in the performance of such duties of his worship as he hath commanded unto this the Psalmist alludes in that expression of his Psal 26.6 as likewise doth the Prophet Isa 1.16 Now although we are freed from those outward ceremonies the observation thereof notwithstanding seeing we are every way as much bound as the Iews ever were to labour after inward holinesse and the cleansing of our selves from all filthinesse both of the flesh and of the spirit and the keeping of our hearts and consciences pure and undefiled we may and ought by the reading of these laws to be stirred up to the practice of that inward duty of sanctification which those outward ceremonies represented especially when we draw neer unto God in those holy exercises of prayer that we may lift up holy hands as we are exhorted 1 Tim. 2.8 and in hearing purging out of all naught inesse and superfluity of malitiousnesse as we are warned Jam. 1.2 that we may receive the word with meeknesse into honest and good hearts Luk. 8.15 in which only it is fruitfull and so in other like duties In generall all those ceremonies of what kind soever 3. The burthensomnesse of those ceremonies may encourage us to more cheerfulnesse in our more easie services whether types of Christ or shadows of inward holinesse being every way so burthensome as Saint Peter affirms Act. 15.10 both in respect of toilsome labour and of the great charges and expence about them And when all was done being so dark and obscure that the Children of Israel could not look unto the end of that which is abolished as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 3.13 that whole frame of service and worship wherein the Iews were exercised being compared with those ordinances which Christ hath left unto us so easie so cheap so few in number and yet so plain that now we behold as with open face the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.13 14. the reading of that law of ceremonies and the comparing of their manner of worship in them with ours may teach us two things Acknowledging thankfully the liberty purchased to us by Christ First to raise up our hearts to a thankfull acknowledgement of Gods great mercy to us who hath been pleased by Iesus Christ to take off that heavy yoke from our shoulders and to set us at liberty in comparison of them Galat. 5.1 which should be a great inducement unto us not only to bear but to take up that easie yoke as he himself calls it Matth. 11.29 and to be constant in the cheerfull use of those holy and quickening ordinances which Christ hath left unto his Church and that without any wearinesse at all or any murmuring at our condition Secondly seeing those laws had no more but shadows of good things to come And bewailing our blindnesse in this cleer sunshine of the Gospel but had not the things themselves as the Apostle speaks Heb. 10.1 and even those shadows too but in carnall ordinances as they are called Heb. 9.10 whereas we now have the things themselves and those also represented unto us in a more spirituall way Let it be in the reading of those ordinances and comparing them with the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles wherein both Christs himself and the things freely given us by God in him are so fully and cleerly set before us that he that runs may read them be an effectuall means to move us to reflect upon our selves that bewailing our blindnesse in so clear a light shining out unto us like the Sun in his strength and our deadnesse of heart in the use of these spirituall and quickning means which the Lord hath so gratiously afforded unto us May be stirred up to labour for more knowledge as having more effectuall means to obtain them we may with all earnestnesse and constancy labour to attain to a greater measure of knowledge faith and of every other grace and unto more fruitfulnesse in every good work especially unto more life and fervency of affection in the duties of Gods worship One thing more it may be fit for us to take into consideration in the reading of the ceremoniall law which is this 5. Though we use not the ceremonies themselves yet we may draw rules from them for our direction Howsoever those ceremonies be abolished yet wheresoever they are directed to an end which is common to us with them there though we observe not the ceremony it self yet we from them draw a rule which may be of use unto us in the duties of our worship As for example our Ordinances and the Jewish agree in this that as they are holy so they ought to be kept holy and free from pollution by excluding unclean persons from the use of them The care of this under the law was committed to the Priests who had the charge of the holy things and are therefore justly taxed for neglect of their duty in not keeping strangers and uncircumcised persons from the sanctuary from those holy things that were offered therein Ezek. 44.7 8. Now seeing our ordinances are in all respects as holy as those of the Iews were the charge of keeping their holy things undefiled