sacrifice into ashes which was a tipe of this fire which thus dryed and scorched our Sauiour Christ and melted his heart as waxe melteth at the sunne How came it to passe that Christs tongue claue to his Iawes My tongue cleaueth to my Iawes was it immoderate drought that caused it but then it should haue bene said to the palate but the prophet saith to the lawes according to the latine phrase vox faucibus haeret Christ was not able to speake but his words were halfe words words sounding a farre of faintly his tongue faultred as it were in speaking it may be that Christ was drie but that drought signified in the Gospell when they gaue him viniger mingled with gal should haue beene mentioned in the 16. verse in due place when he suffered vpon the crosse and not here where the effects of an other torture are repeated namely of that which imediately affected his soule as hath beene said surely in all likelihood of reason some extraordinary tortures are here implyed which produce so strang effects and make such deepe impressions in al the faculties of the soule animall vitall naturall reareasonable whereby the parts of the body seruiceable to the soule for the execution of her faculties are forsaken The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs carefully to auoid sinne which wrought such strange affectes in Christ satisfying for sinne beeing god also alas how shall wee vild wretches be able another day if it fall to our Lott for our sinnes to sustaine the least hellish torment it is no maruaile though the rich glutton in hel crie out of his tong though Baltashars knees knocke to gether though Iudas hanged himselfe and Cayn blasphemed and Saull fell vpon his sword seeing there are such intollerable effectes followe the warth of God euen in the sonne of God himselfe as are here mentioned Thou hast brought me into the dust of death Here the prophet turneth his speech vnto the Lord whereas before he had made a narration of the might mallice and mischeefe of his enemies how they had afflicted him by terour and temptation and how straungelie this affliction tortured him that it caused the faculties of the soule to intermit there functions in there proper parts of the bodie now he maketh an apostrophe as it were vnto the Lord and telleth him that it was he that had brought him to his death for though his estate nowe was in all likelihood of reason irrecouerable and remedilesse beeing spilt like water vpon the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe yet all this sorrowe did not kill him but he changeth his speech and saith thou hast brought me into the dust of death whēce two things may be obserued the one is that God had a stroak in the death of Christ not onely by permitting the Iewes to kill him which shall be handled afterward in the 16. and 17. verses but by pouring his wrath vpon him which hastened his death the sooner in so much as the historie in the gospell saith he was dead sooner then the theeues who died the same death with him as is likely which hastie death of Christs was caused no doubt by some inwarde cause which was Gods wrath that had wrought the former strange effectes in Christ that it may be properly said that God killed Christ rather then the Iewes though the Iewes also tortured his bodie so as that in time he should haue died The other thing that we note here is that all the might malice and mischeife of the deuills and the Iewes which was exprest in the torturing and tormenting of Christ could not haue killed Christ except God had killed him For Christ beeing God could if it had pleased him and if the decree of god had not beene otherwise haue retained his spirit cured his wound or destroyed his enemies that they should not haue beene able to wound him in regard whereof hee saith Ioh. 10.18 that he had power to lay downe his life and to take it vp againe and that his life was not wrested out of his hand but seeing God had decreed it otherwise therefore Christ must needes die and yet the principall crucifier of Christ that I may so speake generally was God himselfe who besides that he vsed the Iewes and the Deuills as his instruments to murder Christ yet he retayneth in his owne handes one soueraigne torture the most fearefull wrath of God to bee inflicted vpon Christ our surety in regard whereof the propet saith of Christ thou hast brought me into the dust of death Summarily to ende the torments which immediatly tortured Christs soule wee may here obserue that Christ was thus afflicted as is rehearsed alreadie both willingly and necessarily willingly in that he suffered the Deuills thus to assault him with terour and temptation necessarily in that God had a hand in killing him and bringing him to the graue which is deaths dust and indeed Christ did willingly and yet necessarily suffer all that hee suffered hence then two consequents followe immediately 1 Christ infinite loue that was content and willing to suffer such hardship for vs wretched caitifes and. 2 That no lesse then that which Christ suffered was sufficient for our redemption reconcilation to God seeing that he suffered all that he suffered necessarily for if it bee supposed that the least suffering of Christ had beene enough to haue appeased God towards vs then it is superfluous and vnnecessary that Christ should come into the dust of death should haue such straung effectes in his bodie before his death should be subiect to the terour and temptations of the deuil to the woundes and stripes of the Iewes but because it was necessary that Christ should suffer all these things and so enter into his glorie therefore the least suffering of Christ was not sufficient This also might call into question the lawe of God to his beloued sonne in that hee would bring him to the dust of death if it were not necessary and if it were necessarie that Christ should die that by Gods owne hand rather and more then by the Iewes woundes and the Deuills worke as is here noted I would knowe what that hand of God was if it was not the wrath of God working the former straung effectes in Christs bodie and if Christ must of necessity die why must he not of necessitie suffer Gods wrath properly shall we say Gods loue would not suffer that But Gods Iustice did require it and Gods loue would suffer him to die but necessitie vrged a despensation What necessity I pray you euen this perhaps that if Gods wrath had seazed vpon Christ hee would haue bene forsaken of God why he was forsaken of God Psal 22.1 all comfort was secluded from him and yet all grace was present with him but it was impossible that Christ should suffer gods wrath wherefore impossible because he was God therefore also it was impossible that he should die but possibility
desireth to be deliuered from the lyons mouth how can this be expounded but of the power of Gods wrath nowe vrged enforced by the deuill against him in regard whereof he desireth to be deliuered all these things compared togither carie me easily to think that here the affliction proper to Christs soule is expressed Therefore the might malice and mischeife of the deuils are here to be considered who in this place are called mightie Bulls and a raping roaring lyon there being one deuil the cheife and the rest consenting and conspiring with him The power of the deuils appeares in this that they are angels and although through their fall they haue lost grace and glory yet their other qualities which the Lord endowed them with in their creation remaine as namely their strength now the strength of an angell is wonderfull great though not infinite as may appeare in that the angel ouerthrewe in the hoast of the Assyrians in one night an hundreth foure score and fiue thousand Esay 37.36 Also in the time of Dauid seauentie thousand in three daies 2. Sam. 24.15 And in Egypt euill angels destroyed all the first borne of Egypt Psal 78.49.50.51 And as it may seeme in a peece of a night yea surely it is likely that if God should permit the deuils were able to destroy all the men and all the creatures in the world and mingle heauen and earth togither The malice of the deuill is as great if not greater then his power which may appeare in two particulars first in that he setteth himselfe against God and Christ whereas he knoweth he getteth nothing by it but vengeance Secondly in opposing against the Church of God and his seruants whereas he knoweth he cannot hurt them nay rather he doeth them good he afflicted Iob and yet he knewe Iob by Gods own commendation to be Gods seruant he tempted Christ whome hee knewe to be the Messias and Sauiour of mankind The mischeife of the deuill also is a great as it proceedeth from him and as it seazeth vpon some persons he brought Christ to death Iob to beggerie he worketh mischeiuously by the witch to destroy the goods and children of men both good and baddes he bringeth men into sinne and keepeth them in it and so worketh their destruction and damnation which is the greatest part of his mischeife howsoeuer it is not so easily obserued As the deuil is thus mightie malitious and mischeiuous so vndoubtedly he bestird himselfe with all his skil to afflict Christ and he euen to the vtmost he could doe no doubt wrecked himself vpon Christ to spoile him if it had bin possible so doth he and wil do to all gods children yea he carying an vniuersall hatred to maÌ„kind al Gods creatures will worke what villanie he can vpon them he carried the swine headlong into the sea he caused the man that was possessed to beat himself with stones c. Here therefore we see the goodnesse of God towards vs toward mankind in generall who represseth bridleth the deuill and chaineth him so as he cannot doe what he list for theÌ„ we should not keep our cattel from his hands nor money in our purses nor any of our goods for our vse nay our bodies should be sure to be tormeÌ„ted straÌ„gely and worse then that if god should lay the raines in his necke all men therefore good and bad are to consider Gods goodnesse towardes them thus farre forth that they are moderately preserued by him in their outward estates from the deuils tyrannie It may be demanded how farre forth the deuill could and nowe did preuaile against Christ in this place They compâ—â— inclose and gape vpon me or whether the deuils were the executioners of Gods wrath now vpon our Sauiour Christ whereto answer may be made thus First it seemeth that the inflicting of Gods wrath vpon the creature is Gods worke onely and there is no creature that can poure Gods wrath vpon another for the wrath of God beeing the curse of the lawe to be inflicted vpon the transgressors of the law for the breach of the lawe whereby Gods iustice is violated and this curse or this wrath of God beeing the effects of his iustice it is not conuenient to assigne the execution thereof to the deuill For the deuil being himselfe subiect to and tormented with the sense and feeling thereof and there being no superiour power to torment the deuill but God he himselfe must needs be the executioner of the deuils and there beeing a kind of infinitnesse in Gods wrath so at the deuill thereby is ouerwhelmed howe shall it be said with reason that he that is very vnable to sustaine it should inflict it he that cannot beare it himselfe should lay it vpon others and as he that is hanged cannot be hangman no more can the deuill that is tormented with Gods wrath torment others therewithall Therefore the Lord with his owne hand doeth immediately inflict his wrath vpon the creature whether men or Angels and as God had the helpe of no creature in the creation redemption iustification sanctification and saluation of the Church no more hath he any helpe in the damnation of any creature Wherefore the deuils were not Gods instrumeÌ„ts of powring his wrath vpon Christ and yet Christ suffered immediately from the deuils as it is here recorded for they tempt him and terrifie him they compasse him about and inclose him with temptation they gape vpon him with their mouthes as readie to deuoure him and teare him in peeces that is they vrge and enforce the wrath of God with all possible argument and reason aggrauating it to the vtmost of their skill And it is euideÌ„t that they tempted Christ and no doubt Christ could not sustaine the vrging of the temptation without some sorrowe and griefe and vexation of heart as euery godly man hath experience when he resisteth a temptation for conclusion of this point the deuils did not execute Gods wrath vpon Christ but the deuils did teÌ„pt and terrifie Christ otherwise I am like water powred out my bones dissolued c. The effects that followed vpoÌ„ the torture which Christ sustained proueth the straÌ„genesse and extraordinarinesse thereof to omitte the effects which are set downe in the story of the gospel wheÌ„ce should the dissoluing of the facultie of sense and motion proceeded in so much as that the bones beeing vntied were seuered each from other surely euen as Baltashar when he saw the hand writing had his ioynts through the feeling of some diuine power that in iustice smote him for his sinnes loosed so as his knees beate together the animall facultie for a season beeing suspended euen so was it in Christ Againe whence came the melting of the heart like waxe the drying vp of the strength like a potsheard but from the intollerable heat of Gods firie wrath which nowe pearced our sauiour Christ and consumed him as the fire that came downe froÌ„ heauen consumed the
nation it seemeth that noble men haue some priuiledge that way that they die not as other sorts of persons die And lastly the death of the tree hath no curse in it selfe we reade of diuers men that were godly men that died vpon the tree as the penitentiarie that died with Christ Christ himselfe also and experience teacheth vs that eeuery yeare for many men betwixt their condemnation and execution haue beene deepely humbled for there sinnes and so haue died the true seruants of God where fore the death of the crosse which Christ suffered was not thus accursed how then was it accursed surely by the iudiciall and ceremoniall lawe of Moses and not otherwise that lawe which Moses gaue from God the lawgiuer of the Iewes Deut 21.23 conteyneth a prohibition with a reason annexed thereto The prohibition is in these words Thou shalt not suffer his bodie that is hanged vpon the tree to remaine all night vpon the tree and this prohibition is a meare Iudiciall law of Moses the which the people of the Iewes onely were bound to obserue which lawe if the people of the Iewes had violated they sinned so against God that the land was defiled with the sinne Deut. 21.23 The reason of that prohibition is in these words For the curse of God is on him that is hanged and this reason is a meere ceremoniall lawe for it hath bin prooued that neither by the lawe of nature by ciuill or positiue lawe or of it selfe to be hanged vpon a tree is accursed it is therefore a meere ceremonie but we know that Christ is the substance of euery ceremonie wherefore the Lord foreseeing that Christ should die vpon a tree vpō the tree suffer the curse of the lawe due vnto our sins as our suretie therefore he typically figured out this curse in the death of malefactours amōg the people of the Iews that were hāged vpō the tree so that euery malefactor that was hāged amōg the Iews was a type of Christ and therfore was accursed not really for it is want of charitie to think so but ceremonially and typically represēting vnto vs Christ who was truely and really accursed for vs in that he sustained gods wrath which is the curse of the lawe which we should haue sustained wherefore seeing Christ was really accursed as hath beene prooued by this discourse therfore he vndoubtedly suffered gods wrath which is the curse Yet they behold looke vpon me Whē they had nailed Christ to the crosse and wrackt his ioynts so as that his bones might bee numbered they heape vpon him all other indignities they can and therefore first they behold look vpon him alas it was a pitifull fight for one that had any manhood in him to see a man nayled hands and feete with great nailes as they must needes be seeing the hebrue word signifieth such a pearcing as was more like diggig or such a pearcing as a lyon maketh with his clawes to see the blood issue abounly out of the woundes to see his bodie strecht so as that one ioynt was seuered from an other which is an extreame torture for a bodily torment and yet they behold and look vpon him without any pitty at all nay they mock and derid him as appeareth plaine in the historie of the Gospell when he would haue had a litle drinke to asswage his thirst they gaue him viniger mingled with gaul to increase his thirst the more gaull beeing a thing biter of it selfe all these shamefull outragies they offered to Christ nowe in dying whence we may cōsider not only the barbarous crueltie of these persons but further the nature and property of him which is to grow one from degree to degree till it come to an heigth and a fearefull excesse these persons first contemned Christ a doctrine depraued his life cōsented to his death now most cruelly murder him and yet that doth not satisfie them but they mock at him in the middest of his misery will not affoard him any ease at al It is good to gainstand sinne at the first least if it get groūd of vs at length it conquer and subdue vs for the Lord sometime accustometh to punish one sinne with another and when men will not preuent small sinnes they shall bee plunged into a sea of fearefull impietie as the Gentiles because when they knewe God they did not glorifie him as God fell to Idolatrie and after that to sinne against nature and they in the seate of Antichrist because they receiued not the loue of the truth therefore are giuen ouer to strang delusions to beleeue lies that they might bee damned Rom. 3.2 Thes 2. when they had thus shamefully handled Christ They part my garments and cast lottes one my vesture they proceede to the deuiding of his garments for they stript him of his cloathes when they crucified him and here wee may obserue diuers points worth our noting for what should be the reason that the holy Ghost should thus carefully expresse this practise of the souldiers in deuiding his garments casting lottes for his vesture no doubt this is some speciall matter euen in this their practise especially seeing the Euāgelist also testify the same thing to be done by the soldiers some allegory the matter after this manner the garmēts of Christ say they are the scriptures the vesture of Christ is his Church the souldiers are heretiques For although the heretiques rend the scriptures with false exposition c. yet they cannot dissolue the vnitie of the Church with there errours This doctrine is true but it is not intended in this place It is a meere folly and dotage thus to abuse the scriptures though the allegorie be neuer so wittie But we are to knowe that one reason why the Euangelistes expresse these things is for the verifying of the prophecy that the euent might declare the truth of the prophecy other profitable considerations may hence be raised 1 The souldiers deale as theeues which haue gotten a bootie they make no conscience of robbing a man yet they make a scruple in deuiding the spoile the soldiers make no bones to kill Christ and rob him of his garments yet they are curious in the deuiding his apparrell amongst them for it is a right propertie of an hypocrite to swallow a carnell and to strayne at a gnatt to tith mint cummin and annise seed and to neglect Iudgement mercy and faith the soldiers neuer strayne curtesy to iniury Christ but they wil not iniury one another 2 Againe the Holy Ghost seemeth to laie another fault among the soldiers that they cast lottes for trifles as if men should card and dice for a coate we neuer read in all the scriptures that lottes were vsed but in waighty matters and it seemeth to be to take the name of God in vaine to sport our selues with his immediate prouidence as lots are 3 Furthermore if that bee not assented vnto yet here is another thing flatly
and in his graue and to doe this is al the difficultie And be satisfied Third property is ioy and peace and quietnes or conscience when a man is assured of the pardon of his sinnes through faith a man knoweth that God loueth him and doth accept of his person and watcheth ouer him to doe him good hee knoweth that he is freed from death and damnation through the redemption of Christ that life euerlasting appertaineth to him vnder hope whereof he reioyceth yea in the midst of affliction though somtime this peace bee disturbed thorough some sins wherin to the children of God fall through temptation this is termed here satisfying not for that a man that hath it neuer desireth grace more but because nothing in the world can satisfie him til he haue comfort in the assurāce of his sins pardoned when a man is once throughly humbled or because a man neuer is barren and drie and cleane void of grace and comfort after that once hath it Fourth propertie is desire of increase of grace Seeke after the Lord. which is obtained by seeking the Lord where and howe he is to be found that is in the word and the meanes of grace for he that wanteth grace can neuer desire it onely he that hath it and hath felt the sweetnes of it longeth for it still like vnto the man that finding the treasure hid in the field and the pearle neuer resteth till he get both by this also a man may knowe the trueth of grace in his soule for he that neuer regardeth the word neuer attēdeth vpon instruction nor watcheth to praier that man wanteth grace for the heauēly couetousnesse and dropsie of grace is insatiable and therefore the Church is sicke of loue vnto the Lord Iesus Christ in the Canticles A fifth propertie is the leading of a godly life according to gods commaundements Shall praise him with a constant profession confession of the trueth to the praise of God that others may see our good works and glorifie God also Also a thankefull heart whereby a man in himselfe blesseth God for all his goodnes saying with the Prophet All that is within me praise his holy name Euerlasting life is the last propertie Your 〈◊〉 shall liue for euer which is the reward of all the former and which is the complement of our happinesse and felicitie After the description of the subiects of Christs kingdome by their properties follow the seuerall sorts of them Gentiles as wel as Iews poore as well as rich malefactors condemned to die as well as guiltlesse persons the childrē as well as the parents Yea and the kingdome of Christ consisteth of all other sortes of persons that may be rehearsed as bond and free mā woman master and seruāt c. Generally hence may be noted two instructions First wherefore the church is called Catholike because it cōsisteth of al sorts of persons it is in al places it is at al times v. 27.29.30 31. V. 29. All that be fatt all that goe downe into the pitt Secondly that grace is vniuersall no sort or estate of men excluded form Christs kingdom ethe poore haue intrest to grace and Christ aswell as the rich the gentill aswell as the Iewe women aswell as men yet wee must knowe that the note of vniversality must not be stretcht to euery particular man but to euery estate and condition of man For it is more then grosse absurdity to say that all and euery particular rich mā and poore man shall bee a member of Christ shall eate and worship that is beleeue and serue God wherefore this doctrine serueth to admonish first the welthie and fatt men of the earth not to contemne and despise the poore and the leane needie soule and the poore not to enuie the rich and malice the wealthie but both to serue togither in their places and to preserue the communion of saints mutually remembering the Apostles rule Iam. 1.9.10 that the poore is exalted and the rich is made lowe in Iesus Christ that though the rich be the poore mans masters yet he is Christs seruant and though the poore man be the rich mans slaue yet he is the sonne of God and fellow heire with him and with Christ of the kingdome of grace and glory Besides these generall instructions certaine particular obseruations also are here to be noted which followe The Prophet saith Vers 27. The ends of the world The kindreds of the nations that the Gentiles shal become subiects to Christs kingdome which prophecie we see verified amongest vs at this day wherevpon we are to be stirred vp to glorifie the mercie truth of God who hath cast off his owne people and receiued vs that were wilde branches of the wilde oliue that were strangers and aliants from the common wealth of Israel without God in the world which must also teach vs not to be hie minded but to feare and looke to our selues that we stand fast Againe the conuersion of the Gentiles is here noted out vnto vs in the 3. parts thereof 1 They shall remember themselues Shall remember that is their sinfull and accursed estate they shall take notice of it by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell humiliation Turne to the Lord. 2 They shall turne to the lord forsaking their false way of Idolatry and other sinnes and turning their feet into the truth walking in obedience of Gods lawes obedience 3 They shall worship before God Worship before thee by partaking al the meanes of saluation as the word prayer sacraments c. publikely and priuately as good christians adoration Va◠Kingdome i◠the Lords Nowe because this may seeme a very staunge thing to the Iewes that the gentiles should be admitted into the fellowship of the Church the partition wall beeing broken downe one people beeing made of two the prophet rendreth a reason hereof designing out the principall worker of this conuersion of the gentiles and the meanes the workman is the Lord who is able to raise vp children vnto Abraham euen of the stones who is able to put life into the dead bones in the Church-yard and the meanes whereby God will effect and bring to passe this great worke is his rule and dominion which hee exerciseth among the nations He ruleth among the nation by his word and spirit which breatheth where it listeth whence that doctrine may be noted that was handled before v. 3. that conuersion is Gods worke Furthermore not only we that now liue Vers 10. Their seed shal serue him c. but euē our seed posterty that shal succeed vs in time to come shall serue the Lord for the Couenant of grace stretcheth not onely to vs but to our seede also euen to the thousand generation on of them that loue God doth the Lord promise mercie and the promise is made to vs and our children and to all that are afarre off euen to as many as