of them than what God shall say of them in the last day Behold from hence we may draw both Divine and Moral Comforts in all Miseries that either Malice or Unkindness can bring upon us Divine for that no greater Reproach Shame or Infamy can befal us than did our Lord and Master for our Sakes Moral for that we may see how foolish and false the Opinions of Men are prone always to judge well of the wicked and hardly of the Good For behold here Vertue is counted Vice Truth Blasphemy and Wisdom Folly Behold the Peace maker of the World is judged a seditious Person the Fulfiller of the Law a Breaker of the Law our Saviour a Sinner our God a Devil Wherefore should we murmur or repine at any Trouble that doth befal us God handleth thee no otherwise than he did his only Son no nor so bad neither and it is not only a Comfort but a Glory to be a Partner and a Fellow-sufferer with Christ he delighteth to see in us some Representation of himself How can we be Members of Christ if we will not participate with him in his Suffering Hereby we are farther taught that the business of God's Glory and the Health of Men's Souls howsoever base or ignominious it may seem to the Judgment of the World must be resolutely undertaken and performed by us from the King upon the Throne to the Peasant upon the Dunghil Of our Saviour's being spitefully used and abused Matth. 26 67. Then did they spit in his Face and buffeted him and others smote him with the Palms of their Hands NOW when Jesus was brought again from Herod to Pilate the Jews refuse to enter into the Judgment Hall lest they should be defiled and thereby made unfit to eat the Passover so scrupulous were they in an outward Ceremony when their Consciences were guilty of many bloody Pollutions especially at this time in using their uttermost endeavours to destroy the Lord of Life They had not long besore hired Judas to betray Jesus suborn'd false Witnesses against him encouraged Officers in a most unsufferable manner to abuse him yet was all this covered with an outward shew of Religion And whereas it is nothing but Justice to bring the Accusers and Accused Face to Face they did not and although they charged him with Blasphemy against God and Treason against the Emperor yet they perswaded Pilate to so much Injustice as to enquire no farther into it but to condemn him upon their Words affirming That by their Law he was worthy to die and that if he had not deserved Death they would not have brought him O cursed piece of Injustice But O blessed Saviour what great Satisfaction did he make Pilate for remaining one Night in his House by sprinkling eveâ—…y part thereof where he came with his most precious Blood What can we say for our selves so wretched as we are How do our Sins defile our Souls seeing they have so defiled the pure Glass of the Majesty of the Father so troubled the clear Fountain of all Beauty and Delight O blessed be this Son of Justice and Light of his Father's Glory for his being willing to receive that great Punishment that was due to us for our Sins Isa. 63. 2. Wherefore is thy Apparâ—… red and thy Garment like him that treadeth in the Wine press Were it not more Justice that we the Offenders should suffer for our own Deserts than that our innocent Lord should thus be tormented for them Had it not been fitter that our filthiness should have remained upon us the proper Dunghil than â—…o be cast upon him the Purity of all Beauty and Glory O let us intercede with our precious Redeemer to give us Hearts that will yield him that Obedience and Praise that is due to him for this his unspeakable Love towards us Let us beseech him not to cast us off whom he hath created for himself and redeemed with his most precious Blood Let us heartily desire and fully resolve to be his and to bear Fruit to no other but to him who hath planted us and doth continually both water and purge us Let our Hearts be so much set upon him above all Let our Tongues continually praise him our Feet follow hard after him our Hands serve him our Understandings always contemplate upon him our Memories never let him go our Will always delight in him and our Souls enfolded in the Flames of his Love O Lord environ us with fiery Walls shut all the Gates thereof set the Cherubims to keep the way that nothing may enter but thy self Let us pray all the Creatures of this World and if they will not be entreated we will abjure them by virtue of that Obedience we owe to our Lord to come not near nor trample within this Garden for all is the Lord's we will observe all to serve him you shall be all meer Strangers unto us we will abandon all Creatures for the love of him who hath abandoned his Kingdom for Love towards us for this end were we created and we can make no better Recompence for all his Sufferings but to love him only and always to praise him Blessed be the Name of the most high God who is the Comfort of our Life the Light of our Eyes the End of our Desires All his Angels and Saints yea all Creatures for ever praise him for by the Merits of his unspeakable Charity and Humility he bowed his back to endure the Misery that was due to us for our Sins He hath not only freed us from all Evil but also hath given several degrees of his Graces to us and has taken upon him our Flesh and gave us of his good Spirit He took upon him our Sins and hath given us his Righteousness He took upon him the Punishment that we could not avoid and gave us that Glory which he did possess by making himself like unto us he hath in some degree made us like himself in the sight of his Father and by his suffering that which we deserved he hath procured that for us that we could not deserve So that all his Troubles have conduced to our Joy His Dishonour our Gloâ—…y his Misery our Merits his Sufferings our Satisfaction his Reproach hath made us without Blame his Bands hath freed us his Stripes healed us his Sorrows comfort us his Travels refresh us his Condemnation justieth us and by his Death hath brought us unto eternal Life Now when Pilate saw that Jesus looked so pitiful he thought the sight of him sufficient to break the blood Purposes of his Enemies he led him forth to the People and said Behold the Man what would you have more if it be for Malice that you are so violent against him behold how miserable he is If for fear behold how contemptible Faults he hath done none Certainly this shewing of Jesus doth plainly shew he was made a woful Spectacle so woful as Pilate did verily believe that the very sight of him would
the World Seeing therefore he hath been condemned for us in High Treason both against God and Man seeing he hath endured the Punishment for all our Rebellions What have we any further to answer His Obedience hath made Satisfaction for our riotous Rebellion By his Condemnation are we acquitted his Condemnation at a Tribunal on Earth has acquitted us before thy Tribunal in Heaven His Sufferings are a sufficient Discharge between us and thy Justice and his Love is a sufficient Discharge between his Sufferings and us because his Love â—…eh nothing for all hiâ—… Sufferings but only that we love him again O what an unspeakable Obligation is this not only to love our Sâ—…iour but to love him above and before all one would think it were impossible to do any otherwise thâ—…n to love him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory and Majesty to suffer so much â—…sery to save us from eâ—…l Damâ—…tion O good Jesus O Health of our Souls havâ—… Mercy upon â—…s we beseech thee and help us to strike this Fire within our Hearts let our Souls be satisfied with thy sacred Love Thou art O Lord our 〈◊〉 out last End the Mark â—…hether we aim the Poâ—…t whereto we saâ—… the Ferm the Râ—…t of all our Desires Wherefore then do we not love wherefore do we not desire thee with that ardency wherewith all Creatures do love and desire the place of their Rest The Fire and the Air do overthrow Mountains rend up Rocks shake the whole Earth to break forth to their Natural Places wherefore do not we break through all Impediments all Hinderances and leave all Creatures to come to thee who art the only place both of our Refuge and Rest O our Desires O our sweet solace our assured stâ—…ength wrap our Souls in the Flames of thy Love that all careless coldness may be consumed thereby possess our Souls so intiâ—…ely with that Divine Fire that we may have no sense of any worldly things Most Sweet Loving Beautiful Noble Rich Wise Glorious and worthy to be both loved and adored O life of our Soul who didst die to give us Life who didst die to kill death mortifie us wholly even our Wills and all our evil Inclinations and whatsoever is ours within us Then revive us again in thy lively Love by uniting all the Faculties of our Souls unto thee and making them obedient to thy Will Seeing we have so rich a Treasure so liberal a Distributer of the same how is it possible we should not rise in Hope Justice hath sound out a way to strike the Innocent and cannot Mercy find a means to save the Guilty Assuredly yes for it is a greater Miracle that God should be condemned and crucified than that Man should be acquitted and live If therefore we have the greater we have no cause to sear the less for Justice has executed her Severity upon the Innocent and Mercy will shew her Favour upon Offenders Yea if it was Justice that the Innocent should be condemned and executed for to make Satisfaction for Sin it is Justice also that the Offenders for whom he suffered should be discharged from that Debt that the voluntary Surety hath fully paid Therefore although Grace is not due to a Sinner as a Sinner yet it is due to him as he is redeem'd It is Mercy that a Sinner should be saved in respect of the Sinner but it is Justice in respect of Christ the Just was handled as a Sinner that Sinners might be accepted of as just foâ—… it is not agreeable to Justice that one Offence should be twice punished Hâ—… hath joyned he hath united himself to us As he cannot be condemned again so cannot we likewise be condemned except we break Union and wilfully fall from him O let us admire love and adore this great Love of our Lord Jesus Christ and then we shall never break Union with him or fall from him but be inâ—…allibly saved by him The Sentence of Death being given forth against Jesus they laid that heavy Tree upon his Shoulders that had been unmercisully battered with Whips torâ—…enting him not only with the Sight but the Weight of that which was appointed to be the Instrument of his 〈◊〉 Which painful Burthen with â—…he sull Weight of all our Sins he refused 〈◊〉 to take upon him but went on his way with great Alaâ—…ity both in Love towards us and in Obedience to satisfie his Father's Justice as a true Isaac bearing the Wood for the Sacrificing of himself But whither doth our Lord go What has he to do upon this stinking Hill of Calvary which being a place of common Execution is tainted with puâ—…rified Bodies To be sure he will find there no sick Persons to cure no Devils to cast out no Temples wherein to teach but there he will find Dead to raise and Sinners to forgive there he will find many scattered Souls of executed Offenders which expect his coming which as the true Elizeus thy dead Body should restore them to Life What should all this mean that our Saviour has not only made choice of an infamous Death but of an infamous Place the Place was infamous but the Death was accursed for cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree It did not satisfie his Love to die for us but he must die the most accuâ—…sed death to assure us thereby that he had delivered us from the Malediction of the Law Certainly our Saviour's Death containeth many Mysteries It is not enough for us to say that he died for us but we are further to consider how ye would die which was by the ignominious death of the Cross with whom also even with Malefactors When in the principal strength and beauty of his Age In what Year in the great Year of Jubilee Upon what Day at the great Solemnity of the Passover even when they did celebrate the Figure of him In what place on the Mount of Calvary only made glorious by his Death He was neither privily made away nor tumultuously slain he dyed not in a Corner that dyed for all the World he was condemned in the publick place of Judgment and suffered upon the common place of Execution upon a Day and a Year of the greaâ—…est Solemnity that could be God set him upon the Stage of the Woâ—…ld to declare as well his Fury against Sin as his Love and Mercy towards Sinners O glorious Calvary where the Prince of Light did encounter and overcome the Prince of Darkness where at one instant our Life for a time ended and our Death did for ever dye Therefore let us not only seek our Saviour in the Temple but upon Mount Calvary for in the Temple he scourged Sinners but upon the Mount he died for them upon that he opened his Arms to embrace them It was objected against him that he was a Friend to Publicans and Sinners True he was a true Friend to them indeed but his Friendship did never more plainly appear than in this Action and upon this place
so much as one Drop unto thee unless it be in exchange of everlasting Life Of the Death of our Saviour and how they opened his Side with a Spear Matth. 27. 50. Jesus when he hath crye again with a loud Voice yâ—…lded up the Ghost AFter when Jesus knew that all things were performed he cried with a loud Voice and bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost and the Sun was darkened the Veil of the Temple rent through the midst John 19. 30. And the Earth did quake and the Stones were cloven and the Graves did open and many Bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graves after his Resurrection and appeared unto many Luke 23. Matth. 27. When the Centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the Earthquake and the things that were done they feared greatly and said Truly this Man was the Son of God What is this O gracious Lord God! who ever saw two such Contraries combined together Whoever saw such Misery joyn'd to such Might when was so great Glory accompanied at any time with so great Grief Who is he that is so humble and yet so high Who is so powerful and yet so poor He that is contemned on Earth is honoured in Heaven he that is fastned naked to the Cross maketh the Earth to quake he that died raised the Dead to Life O our sweet Saviour thou didst now manifestly declare who thou wast and wherefore thou camest into the World The Centurion and they that were with him did acknowledge thee to be the Son of God and the Dead whom thou raisedst to Life did testifie that thou camest to overcome Death We will make no account of the Jews scoffing at thee seeing the Heavens the Earth the Living and the Dead did witness for thee And thus likewise in all the other Passages of his Life our Saviour did so bear and behave himself that he never did so high a Miracle but therein his Humanity did appear nor did he ever so mean a Work but his Divinity did therein shine All his Actions participated of both his Natures in every thing that he did or suffered the Glory of the one was joined with the Humility of the other It was great Humility to be conceived but it was great Glory to be conceived by the Holy Ghost It was great Humility to be born but it was great Glory to be born of a pure Virgin It was great Humility to be born in a Stable but it was great Glory to be worshipped of the Wise Men. It was great Humility to lie among Beasts but it was great Glory to be honoured by the Angels It was great Humility to be circumcised but it was great Glory to be named Saviour It was great Humility to be baptized among Sinners but it was great Glory that the Heavens opened and that the Spirit visibly descended upon him Lastly it was great Humility to die upon the Cross but it was great Glory that both Heaven and Earth were disturbed thereat That all Creatures adored his Death except Man only for whom he died The Sun beholding his great Creator naked drew in his Light to cover him with Darkness for as our Saviour was betrayed apprehended scorned reviled spit upon and buffeted in the Night so it was not inconvenient that the residue of this Work of Darkness should in Darkness be accomplished even as he said to the Jews Luke 22. 52. This is your very hour and power of Darkness But let us consider here are three Miracles before us First That this Eclipse of the Sun happen'd on the Fourteenth Day of the Moon that is in the full Opposition of the Sun and the Moon Whereas natural Eclipses happen in their Conjunction when the Moon is directly interposed between the Sun and our Sight It continued the space of three Hours whereas natural Eclipses continue not above the fourth part of an Hour and hardly that It was a total Eclipse which never happened by the Interposition of the Moon by reason it is so far inferiour to the Sun in magnitude What then shall we say but that the Sun drew in his Light because it should not display so sad a Spectacle That the Heavens hid their Beauty and suited themselves to their Makers State that they covered the Body of Jesus that was sacrilegiously used with Darkness as with a Veil One Star shewed the Glory of the Lord at his Nativity but the most glorious Star peâ—…formed this Service at the time of his Death neither was this Darkness ever better resembled than by the Darkness that was spread over the Land of Egypt but now over Goshen where the Jews did inhabit At this time the Land of the Jews only was darkned and all other Countries remained Light And that time the true Light was only among the Jews since this time they have been the greatest Strangers to it And at the end of this Darkness when Jesus cried with a loud Voice and yielded up the Ghost the Earth trembled also and the Rocks did rend whereof in the Land of Jewry in the Kingdom of Damascus and in the Mountains of Arabia Monuments and Accounts of it remain unto this Day Therefore do not think O ye Jews as his Life ended so did his Power He that laid down his Life retaineth his Power both in the Heavens and upon the whole Earth and was a less Matter to rise again than to suffer himself to die You cannot say that these things which were done at the very Hour of his Death were done by any ordinary means wherefore you must acknowledge in him Divine Majesty or Devilish Malice in your selves You were maliciously bent against him indeed but if all Men in the World oppose and be against him you see by what means he is able both to declare his Glory and his Power when no Man either durst or would open his Mouth in his Defence He did but utter his Voice and Five great and terrible Tongues did speak for him The Sun which is the lively Lamp of the World the Earth the Rocks the Veil of the Temple and the Dead when all Men were silent the Elements the Stones the Dead did speak they all preached his Mercies and thundered forth his Threatnings O good Jesu it was a great Voice indeed whereat the principal Powers of Heaven Earth and Hell diâ—… shâ—…ke which did astonish the Living and the Dead As the Cry of our Sins did reach to the Justice of thy Father so did thy Voice reach to his Mercy Thou didst cry with a great Voice to call the Living and summon the Dead that if any should lose himself if any would not be converted to thee it should not be because he was not called but because he would not come But woe be to every Soul which is not converted which will not come woe be to every Soul that is not moved at this Voice this mighty Voice O crucified Jesu have Mercy upon us poor
in this place he was most friendly to Sinners In Heaven he is giorious In Hell furious In the World marvellous but upon Mount Calvary he was merciful and gracious and without his Mercy upon Mount Calvary we could never enjoy his Glory in Heaven Well then let our Souls accompany our blessed Savâ—…our in this painful Passage towards this place of his Combat also bow our selves under his Cross not upon necessiâ—…y and constraint as did Simon Cyrenius for nothing is more grievous to serve or be served by Constraint but let us do it chearfully and freely which will be best accepted by him For although he can command us as Slaves yet will he have us entreated as Sons Let us not be ashamed to stoop under Christ's Cross for he hath now taken away both the Infamy and the Curse of the Cross he hath made the Cross a Tribunal a Throne of Judgment be not ashamed of that Name which was a Reproach among the Romans as Gibbet-bearer or Cross-carrier because Malefactors used to bear their own Crosses Our Saviour has made this Action not only unblameable but honourable and in some degree necessary to us and take this Advice howsoever his Body was enfeebled partly with watching and Injuries all the Night before and partly with Cruelties all that Morning howsoever we see him charged with a Massy Cross whereof Simon Cyrenius did bear up that end that dragged behind him We see him also charged with a more ponderous Load namely the full Râ—…ge and Fury of God's Wrath against Sin which no Creature could help him to bear had he not been suâ—…ained by his Almighty Dâ—…ty howsoever when we see him either burthened or â—…ied let us cast our Sins upon him for woe be unto us if when they nail him to the Cross they nail not our Offences with him Assuredly unless our Sins are crucified with him we shall never be raised to Life by him sear not that he will shrink from them or shake them off for he hath manifestly declared both his Courage and his Care His Courage appears in that he forbad the Women to weep for him he manifested his Care in shewing himself more sensible of their Calamities than his own But stay let us consider and run not so fast by so high a Mystery What new thing is this Our Saviour would not speak one Word to Herod nor make Pilate any Answer altho' he was urged to it but without Request he turned his Face and spake to them that wept after him Herod questioned upon Curiosity and Pilate by way of Authority but the Daughters of Sion wept out of pure pity and therefore the Words of the one reached no farther than his Ears but the Luke-warm Drops of the other pierced his Heart He takes pity upon those that take pity upon others he values the Tears of the Pitiful much more than the Words of the Mighty for which cause he did not only turn and speak to those weeping Women but did seem more sensible of their Tears than his own Torments By this we may see which is the best way to obtain Favour of our Lord Jesus Christ that it is better to sue to him with force of Tears than multitude of Words because Words are formed by the Tongue but Tears commonly proceed from the Heart possess'd either with Grief or Love Let us use few Word and weep more for this is the Language of Heaven this the most prevailing Voice to call upon God Tears overcome the Invincible appease the Omnipotent and torment the Devil more than Hell fire When Tears cry to God when he is importuned by true Tears he will not delay to come to comfort us but will grow presently familiar with us But O Redeemer of our Lives wherefore is it thy pleasure that we should not weep for thee Thou didst weep for Lazarus thou didst also weep for the Stones and Walls of Jerusalem and wilt thou not permit us to weep for thee Dost thou make so small an account of the loss of thy Life Shall we so little value the shedding of thy most precious Blood What Law of Equity or Justice is it to command us to love thee and yet to forbid us to weep for thee For how doth he love thee that weepeth not at thy most cruel Torment Or wherefore dost thou consent we should weep for our selves and not for thee Are we of greater value than thou And can any of us be less worthily or more shamefully punished What shall we say Shall we with Reverence leave this high and obscure Mystery among many others to thy Divine Judgment Or wouldst thou signifie to those weeping Women that they should not judge of thee as then they saw thee nor of thine Enemies nor of themselves according to that State wherein then they were Or dost thou give us to understand too that it sufficeth not that we weep for thee if we do not discern how we weep because right Weeping consists not in multitude but in well placing of our Tears Or is it thy pleasure we should not weep for thy Death but the Workers of thy Death According to which Rule we have more cause that commit than those that suffer outrage and wrong Or wouldest thou have us to understand that our Life should be a long Martyrdom a continual crucifying of our selves and that we may have more reason to shew Compassion to the Wicked while they live than the Good when they die For it is better to die than to live amongst wicked Men because in Death there is but one bitter Morsel to swallow but the Society of the Wicked is a continual Torment Or Lastly Didst thou mean that we should not weep for thee in compassion to our selves because our Sins are so great that we have time little enough to lament for them And as thou art grieved at our Sins more than thy own Sufferings so thou takest greater pleasure that we let fall Tears for them than for thee for if we should not bewail our Sins thy suffering for us will little avail us First therefore we must weep in compassion to our selves and then for thy Passion We must acknowledge our Offences first and then be much agrieved for thy Wounds for if thou hadst suffered for thy self it should have been our Duty to weep only for thee but since thou didst suffer for our Sins it is most convenient that we should pour forth Tears principally for them However it is forbid us not O good Jesu Forbid us not we beseech thee to weep for thee for if thou dost with Tears we will entreat thee that we may weep We will entreat thee rather not to weep for the traiterous City Jerusalem than not to suffer us to weep for thee O Lord of all Life Do not only permit but enable us to weep and accept our Praises watered with our Tears With bended Knees and with all our Hearts swallowed up with a true Sense of our own Unworthiness and
THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE SON of GOD Shed without the Gates of Jerusalem For the Redemption of Lost and Undone SINNERS Whereby his great Love to Mankind is Undeniably Manifested In these following PARTICULARS His Agony in the Garden being betrayed by Judas being falsly accused before Annas Caiaphas Herod and Pilate his being Scourged Scorned and Spitefully Used his Condemnation and Going to Execution how he was Crucified of his being Reviled and Pardoning the Thief upon the Cross and of his giving up the Ghost All which is Practically Applyed and Improved for the bringing of Sinners out of the Way of Sin and Hell into Wisdom's Ways Whose Ways are Ways of Pleasantness and all her Path's are Peace By that Eminent Divine Mr. John Hayward The Tenth Edition London Printed for Robert Gifford in Old Bedlam without Bishopsgate 1699. Price bound â—â—s TO THE Christian READER Dear Hearts BY the reading of this small Treatise you may in some measure be made sensible of what Christ hath done for you in order to your everlasting Salvation Wherein his great Love is manifested unto all For greater Love hath no Man than this to lay down his Life for his Friends but he hath laid it down for his greatest Enemies to redeem them from everlasting Destruction By these sad and dolorous Sufferings of our Saviour we may see also what a dreadful and Soul-destroying thing Sin is that nothing but the precious Blood of the eternal Son of God could make Satisfaction for it Oh what Cause have we then to admire and adore the mighty God of Heaven for his infinite Mercy towards us in sending his Son his only begotten Son Christ Jesus to redeem us from Death and Hell Seeing such great things have been done for us let us make it our daily Practice and Business to walk in some measure answerable to them That we may so do is and shall be the hearty Prayer of your Soul 's Cordial Friend JOHN HAYWARD OF Our Saviour's Agony IN THE GARDEN Matth. Chap. 26. Ver. 38. Then saith he unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death tarry ye here and watch with me AND not designing to take notice of the Meanness of his Birth and that continual Course of Sorrow and Misery that attended the former part of his Life wherein he took upon him not only the Form of a Sinner but a Servant I shall consider the time only towards his Death wherein in a most especial manner his great love to Mankind is manifested For as every natural Motion groweth more ardent towards the end so the Love of Christ towards the true Church his Spouse Not that he loved us better in the latter part of his Life but it did then most appear As some sort of Fire the more Water is thrown upon it the hotter it burns so both the Apprehension and Presence of Death was so far from lessening his Love that it did rather encrease it Therefore as in all the Passages of his Life so more especially towards his Death all his Doctrine was Holy Just and Good Milk for the Weak Meat for the Strong Medicine for the Sick not too deep for the Simple nor too shallow for the Wise but as a Ford wherein the Lamb may wade and the Elephant swim all his Actions were the Works of Justice and Mercy Examples of all Vertues but most especially of Humility which is the Foundation of all other Vertues as Love Pity and Compassion whereof our Miseries stood most in need His Life was so Pure and Holy that by that Example he hath set us we may plainly see what is either wanting or amiss in our selves even the Book which the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of That he saw Ezek. 2. written within by Instruction without by Example of Life wherein we have what to contemplate what to imitate and what to admire So that whosoever doth not only study but like the Prophet seek he shall attain inestimable both Knowledge and Vertue When our Saviour begun his Passion in the Garden of Gethsemane he was accompanied with those three Disciples who not long before had seen his Glorious Transfiguration upon Mount Tabor to the end that seeing so great a Change they might be sensible of the greatness of God's Severity and of his Love O Treasure of Heaven O Light and Life of the World How was his Glory obscured his Strength abated his Courage appaled insomuch that he did acknowledge to his Disciples that his Soul was heavy unto death Our Saviour began his Conflict with Prayer giving Example to us in all our Troubles to do the like teaching us also in what manner we ought to pray first in that he did fall prostrate upon the Ground he did thereby instruct us that with the greatest Humility and Reverence we must present our selves before the Majesty of Almighty God Secondly by his earnest praying with what fervency of Spirit we ought to beat at Heaven Gates Thirdly by his often praying we have an Example of Perseverance until he that doth engage us to beg shall let us have his Favour so far as to obtain Lastly He hath taught us to renounce our own Wills and to resign our Desires to the pleasure of Almighty God These things if at all times we endeavour to perform but especially in the Agonies of Death the Angels will certainly come to comfort us for God will cerly send us strength to bear what he is not pleased to remove But wherefore did our Saviour pray That if it were possible this Cup might pass from him Did he not freely and voluntarily offer up himself for Sin to save Sinners yes desirously for no necessity could be cast upon him no complaint of Justice because he was innocent no necessity through weakness because he was Almighty for he had twelve Legions of Angels at his Command but it was to comfort and strengthen his weak-hearted Members that their Courage might not be cast down under any Tryal or Tribulation that God might call them to And also he did hereby declare That he did bear the natural Weaknesses of our Flesh For none can possibly imagine the greatness of those Sorrows and Miseries that he went through Lastly he would manifest to us That he did consist of two Natures and two Wills not so separate as to make two Persons nor so confounded as to make one Nature and Will but distinguish'd in their essential Properties and Operations In his Humane Will he did pray to avoid this Cup in his Divine Will he did desire it He did desire Death in regard of the end but in regard to it self he did pray to avoid it Yet his Humane Will was not contraâ—…y or repugnant to his Divine Will Yet being surprized with the fear of Death through the frailty of his Hamane Will he seemed not to think of that which he perfectly did know not as drawing or declining from his Father's Will but forthwith resuming his Resolution submitted himself to his Decree
was Force so unfortunately applied Never was Prey so impossible to be held and so dangerous to be let go for he soon got out of your Hands but you shall never avoid his Curse O People well beloved thy malicious Madness hath made thee miserable thou art ruinously cast down thou art finally cast out and that which was no People is planted in thy place You came with Torches and Lanthorns to apprehend the Son of Truth but you would not see his glorious Light therefore you remain the blindest People in the World insomuch that all the Prophecies that have been spoken of you have been performed by you against your selves But what Folly is this O ye Jews how far is it beyond all Folly to carry him with Bands of Men that went of his own Accord into whose Brain could it sink that he would break away that went voluntarily himself He that hath power to give Life unto the Dead could he not have kept himself in Life He that delivered others from Devils could he not have delivered himself from you Assure your selves such was his infinite Charity wherewith he goeth to the Cross to appease his Father's Wrath and redeem the Sins of the World that you should have more to do to keep him in Life than you have to carry him to his Death He hath far greater both care and haste to redeem you than you can possibly have to murder him for he had not redeemed us if his Death had been forced upon him if his Sacrifice had not been voluntary it had not been satisfactory we could not have been saved by his Obedience if he had not died of his own accord and theâ—…efore his Father having given and he accepted of the Sentence of Death he used no means to escape for he was not driven by Force but drawn to it by his Obedience to his Father and Love to us There is no Man that fears Death but he whom Death is able to kill But Death had no such Power over the Son of God for he did voluntarily lay down his Soul even when he would himself O senseless Jews He that is to bury so many Figures to fulfil so many Prophecies to accomplish so great a Business as the Redemption of the whole World to what end should he run from you By all this you may see what base abuse was offered to the Son of God Certainly if it had not been the Will of his Father and of himself it had been better that Mankind should have rotted in their own Corruption than that infinite Vertue perfect Felicity the true Glory the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father should be so basely and vilely abused by those Sons of Belial But since it was his Pleasure because by this way he would manifest his Love it is our part to accept it with thankful Hearts and with Reverence both to love honour and praise him for the same Therefore let us lift up our Voices at all times and in all places to the Praise of Almighty God for this his unspeakable loving kindness since he has so far pitied our Condition as to come into it himself to exalt us to his Glory O admirable Dispensation of Grace thou hast pour'd forth thy Treasures without measure upon us we can desire no more than we do enjoy in thee for thou hast exalted us above the Heavens Our Saviour was seated in Majesty and Glory invironed with Angels hearing the sweet Harmony of his own Praise doing wonderful things in Heaven and in the Earth and in all the deep places But we lay in the Miâ—…e of our Miseries just fallen into the bottomless Pit of everlasting Sorrow void of the poorest Comforts of Calamity either helpless pity or vain Hope But our Saviour bowed down the Heavens and came down not by changing place but by manifesting himself in a holy Humanity He was admirable in Heaven but he became miserable and contemptible upon Earth He changed the Name of Majesty into Mercy and did cover himself with the Sackcloth of Mortality and did enter as it were into Perdition wherein he did both willingly wallow and take delight But our Saviour received no Spot nor Soil but he did stretch forth his Hand to the Work of his Hands whereby he drew sorth he did cleanse he did cloath he did comfort and confirm us he did reach forth his Hand by his blessed Birth he did draw us by his Doctrine he did cleanse us by his Death he did cloath us by his Resurrection he did comfort us by his Ascension and he did confirm us by his sending of the Holy Ghost therefore let us praise and magnifie the Lord for his great Love towards us for in all his Works he was ours moâ—…e than his own he took the Burthen of our Miseries upon him and laid the Benefits of his Merits upon us he heard the Cries of the Poor and came down from the highest Heaven to the Dâ—…ngeen of this World to deliver them from their Distress and to restore them to that Innocency and Immortality from whence they were fallen He was sold to redeem us he was apprehended to discharge us and he was bound to unfetter us all which he did plainly signifie in what he said to those that came to take him John 18. 2 I say unto you that I am he therefore if you seek me let these go their ways Of our Saviour being had before Annas Caiaphas Herod and Pilaâ—…e Matth. 26. 57. And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the High Priest where the Scribes and Elders were assembled AFter that Judas had betrayed him with a Kiss and they had taken him they led him away before Annas the Father-in-law to Caiaphas the High-Priest Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas where the Scribes and Elders were assembled He was accused of Blasphemy but very â—…sly and wrongfully And there an Officer in the Court in the full Face of Justice give him a Blow on the Face coâ—…trary to the Rules of any Court of Judicature Yet all these Ind gnâ—… did our blessed Saviour with indâ—…gable Patience bear Which Patience if we observe together with all his Behaviours in the other Passages of hiâ—… Passion we shall find a perfect Cure for all our Impeâ—…fections and a straight Rule to direct us in all the Affairs of this Lise O Gracious Countenance which filleth the Heavens with Glory which the Angels with Joy and Ravishment do desire to behold O perfect Image of the Father how deeply was thy Beauty and thy Majesty over clouded with Disgrace O infinite Humility O fâ—…t Lord Is it possible that there should remain in the World any Footsteps of Pride after this admirable Example of Patience O Earth and Ashes thy God did with deep silence endure all these Indignities and thou stirrest thou starest and turmoilest thy self and tormentest others upon the least touch of thy Reputation God did pray for those that blaspheme him but we diâ—…d
â—…in or scorn to look upon a Man that hath given us the least affront imaginable God would be esteemeâ—… a Sinneâ—… when he was pure from any soil of Sin But we although deâ—…ble Sinnars think much of any that do not think us Righteous God was abased to the lowest degree but we would be advanced above all Men above the Angels yea above God himself Ah proud Flesh it cannot swell so high but Vengeance will sit above it it cannot lift up it self so lofty but God's Hand shall strike it down God and Pride could not dwell together in one Heaven much less in one Heart Our Saviour hath taught us to love our Enemies Matth. 5. 44. to do good to them that hate and hurt us that we may be the Children of our Father which is in Heaven What shall we further say we are desirous to be esteemed the Sons of God we are ready to assume that Name unto us although it may be we are Hypocrites and Lyars And how can this be when we think our selves dishonoured if we revenge not the least Indignity that is done unto us yea when no moderate either Satisfaction of Revenge will suffice to appease us If it be so with us let us be ashamed to call God our Father and let us tremble to say unto him Fâ—…rgive us our Offences as we forgive them that have offended us For this is as if we should say Forgive us not because we will nâ—…t forgive or in plâ—…iner Terms Damn us Lord because we will be damned Undoubtedly they who are the Sonâ—… of God and Christians in Deed and in Truth must not only aâ—…rive at this degree of Goodness not to return Evil for Evil but they must advance higher to return Good for Evil they must declare by their Actions that they have not only surmouned Evil but that they have attained to that which is good and in such a degree as to overcome Evil with Good Rom. 21. 8. Therefore let us learn to be of an humble Spiâ—…it if we did but know the Vertue of true Humility we should abandon the chiefest things in the World to aâ—…in it If we desire to have Mercy Humility will help us to it as it did the Publican If we desire the Grace of the Gosâ—…el our Lord saith He was sent to preach it to the poor It was hid from the wise and revealed to the little ones Would we have our Prayers heard Ecclus. 35. 17. The Prayers of the Humble shall pierce the Clouds and will not depart till the Highest regard it If we desire Glory and long Life an humble Spirit will help us to it Prov. 22. 4. They are the Rewards of Humility if we desire to live under the Protection of God and to participate of his Grace as no doubt there is none in the World but what does so Psalm 34. 17. 1. Pet. 5. 5. The Lord preserveth the lowlâ—… and giveth Grace to the Humble For as Water runs to the low Grounds so do the Graces of God flow to the humble Hearts In a Word if we are desirous to pass the time of this Life in Peace Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me saith our Saviour for I am â—…eek and humble of Heart and so you shall find rest in your Soulâ—… If we desire to be everlastingly happy in the Kingdom of God we must then humble our selves as little Children Motth 18. 4. For Heaven is like a statâ—…ly Palace with a low Door wherein no Man can enter except he stoop Humility is not only a Vertue but a Vessel that contains all other Vertues This unquiet Night wherein they had our Saviour before Annas and Caiaphas being scarce ended they led him to Pilate the Roman President of the Province for the Jews at that time were under the Dominion of the Romans who although they allowed them the use of their Religion yet they barred them from all Civil Jurisdiction and all Cognizance of Capital Crimes as in other Provinces it was the custom so to do So although the Jews had condemned Jesus of Blasphemy and cryed out against him He is worthy to die yet they had no Authority to put him to death and therefore they led him to the Roman President for the Territory of Judâ—…a But when Pilate understood that Jesus was born in Galilee which belonged to the Jurisdiction of Herod the Tetrarch he sent him to Herod who at that time was at Jerusalem Now Herod had been desirous of a long Season to see Jesus because of that admirable Report that run of him whereupon he was then joyful of his coming hoping to have seen him wrought some Miracle He questioned him concerning many things but he enquired out of vain Curiosity and with no true Intention or End Christ answered him nothing according to that which St. James saith Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and do not receive because ye ask amiss Hereupon Herod with all his grave Counsellors and gallant Courtiers interpreting the Silence of Jesus for Simplicity did openly contemn him and for a plain Declaâ—…ation not of his Innocency but his Simplicity they arrayed him in White Rayment and sent him back again to Pilate that he who had been taken before for a Man of evil Behaviour and namely a Glutton a Drinker of Wine a Companion of Sinners a Sâ—…irrer of Sedition a Blasphemer a Sorcerer possess'd with a Devil should then pass for a very simple Man O true Comfort of all Afflictions whether by publick Injustice or private Injuries let us learn by these Exemplary Instructions of our Master to make no account of the Judgments and Estimations of this World let us leave off to be so ambitious as to affect the vain Breath of humane Praise which is like to an Eccho a meer empty Sound without Substance which feeds and flatters us with wrong Names pleasing our foolish and idle Fancies till we fall into the Pit of everlasting Destruction For we may easily see and find by daily experience how variable Men are in their Opinoins constant only in unconstancy and persisting in nothing more than in change They who cryed Hosanna in the Highest soon after cry Let him be crucified They who saluted him for their King do presently profess That they have no King but Caesar They who met him with Olive Branches do now present him with Swords and Staves They who did spread their Garments before him now take his own Garments from him They who did acknowledge and adore him for the Son of God they in few days prefer Barabbas a Thief and a Murtherer before him Therefore by this you may see what cause we have to give credit to the Judgment of the Men of this World Who will trust the Love of this World which is so uncertain Who will be so base as to fawn upon it for a few crumbs of such fading Credits Who then will be so foolish to take all pains to please it nay to be more careful of what the world will say
have moved the hardest Heart to relent and say This is enough we desire no more But their insatiate Cruelty importuned Pilate some with Perswasions others with confuse Clamours and Cries that he might be crucified They had the Devils mind Nothing satisfie but Death no Death but the Death of the Cross Although our Saviour was accused of Blasohemy of which he was guiltless yet the Death of the Cross is not that Punishment that is due for such a Câ—…ime by the Law of Moses the Blasphemer was to be brought forth and stoned by the Congregation Levit. 24. 14 17. Mâ—…ses saith Bring the Blasphemer out of the Host and let all the Congregation stone him But all this was done that the Scriptures might be fulfilled The Death of the Cross was appointed by the Father and accepted by the Son it had been prefigured and prophesied Jesus himself had foretold more than once That he should be delivered by the Jews to the Gentiles to be crucified What then shall we say but with the Church of Jerusalem acknowledge Acts 4. 27. That Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles and People of Israel assembled to do whatsoever the Hand and Counsel of God had determined Many times before when the Jews went about to apprehend our Saviour they wanted Power as John 7. 30. and 10. 30. when upon suspicion of Blasphemy they would have stoned him Joh. 8. 59. when they would have thrown him headlong from the edge of an Hill he easily escaped them Luke 4. 29. even in the day time in their popular Cities environed with the thickest Throngs because then his time was not come and also these were not the Death 's appointed for him But when the time came that the Jews should deliver him to the Gentiles to be condemned and crucified he voluntarily submitted himself into their Hands For when the time was come he would not escape nor the Jews could desire no other Death for him but the Death of the Cross. Among all that vast Multitude there was not any variety either in Voice or Opinion they all agreed to take away Life from the Son of God they all agreed he should be crucified they all agreed to prefer Barabbas who had slain the living before him who had brought the dead to life If we separate the Work of God from the Work of Man we shall find the greatest Mercy in saving Enemies and the greatest Cruelty and Malice in oppressing of a Friend This is usually two Properties of the Wicked first in Matters of Vertue to disagree so many Men so many Minds but in Wickedness and Mischief being quickned by one Spirit they all jump in one Judgment always concur in one Desire Seeing then that our Saviour â—…ound so little either Pity or Compassion amongst the Jews let us turn our Eyes upon this pitiful Object and say to our selves Behold the Man behold his Bâ—…unty Behold his Love and behold his Distress And if we find nor feel no Compassion of those Pains and Anguishes he endured we may assure our selves we want the true Love that we ought to have for him for they who love are always truly sorrowful for the Miseries and Calamities of those they affect If we find not in us this Testimony of Love let us abhor to join in Malice with the barbarous Jews in crying against him Let him be crucified for as often as we consent to any Sin so often we cry out Crucifie him crucifie him Therefore if any evil Temptation beset us that may happen to be too strong for us and overcome us let us present this Spectacle before us and say to our selves Behold the Man which Words although they are but few and seem to contain small Matter yet if we examine them well they will put a holy Restraint upon us that will keep us from committing any Evil against our Saviour and fill us with Praises and Thanksgiving to him for all those Mercies and Favours that he hath purchased for us by his suffâ—…ring the Death of the Cross. Let us behold the Greatness of our Sins by the Greatness of those Sorrows our Saviour did sustain Behold how necessary it was to satisfie for Sin Behold how grievous the Satisfaction was By this we may see how abominable Sin is and the Severity of God's Justice against it and we may partly imagine what Revenge God will take upon those Sinners themselves who will neither acknowledge nor accept of the Benefit of Redemption seeing he so severely punished his most dear and innocent Son for their Sin O sweet Jesus engrave these thy Miseries and Torments thou didst endure upon our Hearts that continuing in Contemplation upon them we may not be so unthankful and luke warm in our Affâ—…ctions towards thee or so careless of our own Welfaâ—…es as to commit that which is so painful to thee and so hurtful and dangerous to our selves Remember O Lord what we are to thee and thou to us and do not leave us or fly from us but let us find thee and lay hold on thee We make a long Journey unto thee we proceed slowly we often stay by the way often go back but do thou O Lord strengthen us do thou guide our stumbling Steps and draw us with the Line of thy Love And because our Weaknesses are so great that we do often fail either in Purpose or Power to resist Sin cease not we beseech thee to present thy fresh bleeding Wounds to the merciful Majesty of thy Father sor us and with that Love wherewith thou didst not only suffer but offer thy Body to be dishonoured for our sakes vouchsafe always to interpose the same between his Justice and us 〈◊〉 although the sight theâ—…eof was not 〈◊〉 â—…o appease the Hatâ—…ed of thy Eâ—…ies yet will it pacifie the Wrath of thy Father because whatsoever thou didst suffer it was in obedience to his Will to restore his Honour and to satisfie his Justice O Almighty God behold here the Man whom thou hast appointed to be a Mediator between thee and us Sinners even the Man in whom thou art well pleased Matth. 3. 27. Behold the Man whose Righteousness will answer thy Justice whose Punishmâ—…nts are sufficient to satisfie for all the Penalties of our Sins Behold his Humility behold his Obedience â—…hold his Satisfaction O that his Suffâ—…rings were balanced against our Sins Certainly they would so far exceed both in weight and worth tâ—…at thou shouâ—… in Justice rather pouâ—… forth thy Mercies upon us for the one than to hold them from us by thy â—…pleasure 〈◊〉 the other O most just and merciâ—… God let this bruised Body be always in thy heavenly fight Fix thy Eâ—… upon his Merits and have Mercy 〈◊〉 on us for his sake graciously grant us not only pardon for all our Sins but participation of his Righteousness that in the Purity thereof we may be justified in the last Day How our Saviour was condemned and led to the place of Execution Matth. 27.
the God of your Fathers and have said you would have no King but Caesar since you have said His Blood be upon us and upon our Children since you have maliciously taken away his Life and reproach'd his Death your Walls have been thrown down your Temple burnt your Kingdom ruined your selves either slain or captivated or chased into strange Countries where you have been hâ—…ted and oppressed and never suffer to knit into one Body again which Curse shall be upon you to the end of the World As you have quitted him and delivered him to the Gentiles so hath he ever since discharged you and planted his Church especially amongst them As you have renounced your King who was so plainly prophesied and so long expected and betaken your selves only to Caesar so he hath delivered you into Caesar's Hands he hath given you your Choice but it cost you dear it cost you the Lives of eleven hundred thousand Persons in one Siege besides ninety thousand who were made Captives And because you did not only say Let this Blood be upon us but also added and upon our Children you have your Desires for your Posterity have been dispersed and despised in all Countries and in most Piaces evil-entreated So it often falleth out that the Wicked have no greater Punishment in this World than the Accomplishment of their own Desires It is the common Reward of Evil Doers to be the Instruments of their own final Ruin But with respect to our Saviour what can be sufficiently said To be so afflicted as never was any for he was despised and evil-entreated in the midst of all his Afflictions in all Calamities it is some Comfort to find some Compassion we desiâ—…e generally if we cannot be delivered or eased to be pittied to see some that condole our Misery who wish us well who want not the Will but the Power to relieve us But these Bandogs of Satan these Hell-hounds had utterly put away all sense of Humanity from them They were so far from Pity that they were mightily pleased and satisfied in seeing the unheard of Cruelty of themselves and Calamity of our Saviour Again a generous Heart is more touched with Grief to see his Enemies take pleasure in his Death than to endure it yea oftentimes a free and noble Spirit taketh not his Death from his Enemies so unkindly as one spiteful and abuâ—…ve Word Again these Injuries and Despites wâ—…re so much more sensibâ—…e to the Son of God by how much more than others he deserved the contrary For in all our Calamities it doth much ease the pain we endure when we compare it with the Fault we have committed But because our Saviour could compare these Contempts that were put upon him not only with his Faults nor his Innocency only but with his innumerable and inestimable Deserts he did the more grieve at them or rather at the Malice from whence they did proceed And further his Love was so great for the Salvation of Mens Souls that his Torments were not so grievous to him as to see that they did his Tormentors no good It was worse than Death to him to see his Executioners would make no profit of his Death even as a loving Friend esteemeth less his Labour for another than to find it unprofitable and not accepted or as a good Mother grieveth more at the ungâ—…ateful and ungracious Behaviour of her Child than at the Travails she endured at its Birth But O impudent and audacious Jews wherefore did you misreport what Jesus had said A thing well spoken may easily be corrupted by Report Jesus did never say I will destroy but destroy you this Temple He said not I will build it but I will raise it in three days not meaning your material Temple but his own Body John 2. 9. which was indeed the true Temple of God not in a Figure but really and personally Because in him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head bodily Col. 2. 9. And was it not sufficient for you to blaspheme Jesus but must you stâ—…etch out your Throats into high and horrid Blasphemy against the most High He trusted in God let him delivâ—…r him if he favoureth him What! do you think God was not able to deliver him out of your Hands Or must he deliver whom you please or when you please or after what manner you will prescribe Did ever any trust in God and was not delivered Or did God ever finally forsake those whom he favours Or is delirance from temporal Calamities an assured Sign of God's Favour No. Certainly God delivereth the wicked out of desperate Distress many times he suffereth the Godly to sink under bo dily Oppressions but this is no concluding Argument that he favoureth the one or forsaketh the other O ye great Doctors of the Law that by Prosperity and Adversity judge of the Favour or Hatred of God tell us then whether God loved best Abel or Cain Jacob or Esau Tell us wherefore were not the Prophets delivered from Death who were murthered by your Fathers and whose Sepulchers you did build If such Deliverances be an infallible Argument both of favour from God and trust in him verily the Judgments of God are not only secret and unsearchable but for the most part counterpoint to that which the natural sense of Man would prescribe Temporal Occurrences may go and come we may flourish or we may wither in this World as God in Mercy or Judgment may see best for us But nothing makes a Man miserable or happy but that which is eternal O crucified Jesus on the Cross we love thee on the Cross we adore thee on the Cross we believe in thee who upon the Cross didst give thy self to Death for us what hath a Man more than Riches Honour and Life all which thou didst bestow upon the Cross to redeem us For thou who diâ—…st create all things didst hang naked upon the Cross thou who thought'st it not Robbeâ—…y to be equal with God wast numbered with Malefactors thou who at the Lord of Life didst suffer a most shameful Death and that we may not fall short of this great Benefit that thy precious Blood be not unprofitably shed for us we prostrate our unworthy Souls and cry unto thee not as the Jews did to come down from the Cross but which is more to raise us up and fasten us unto thee for they whom thou lovest are known by nothing more than by taking paâ—…t with thee in thy Passion not to save thee but to save our selves Save us Lord from our Sins save us from the Power of all our Spiâ—…itual Enemies from the Decei's of this wicked World save us from the flattering force of our own Appetiâ—…es which is the mightiest and basest Tyrant we have to deal with defend the Dignity and Glory of our Souls from being Slaves-to our sensual Lusts that we be not captivated to the false Pleasures of this Life Deliver us from variety of worldly Desires from vain Hope from
Shadow of Solâ—…mon by the Title of a King whose Dominion has no end 2 Sam. 7. 13. 1 Chron. 22. 10. Since which time the Glory of this King hath been excellently extolled as well in many Psalms as by the Prophets in all Ages This King was manifested by the Angel to the Virgin Mary Luke 1. 32 33. The wise Men in the East were not ignorant of him yea many Histories do testifie That about the time that Christ was born a common Brute did run throughout the Empire of Rome and did declare That a great Pursuivant King should be born among the Jews this held Herod in great Jealousie and Fear Matth. 2. 3. The Apostles also did apprehend it albeit according to the vulgar Error until they were otherwise instructed Thou art a Lilly O blessed Saviour and Redeemer amongst many Thorns thou lovest neither Idleness nor sloathful ease We must endure not only Labour but Smart if we will enjoy thee If we will have thy Head it is crowned with Thorns if thy Heart it is pierced with a Spear if thy Hands and Feet they are struck through with Nails Thou art a Lilly amongst Thorns After the Troubles and Turmoils of many Years when Christ drew nearer towards his Deâ—…th the heavier was his Father's Hand the weightier was his Wrath the more Stripes did he double upon him in the Garden of Gethsemane he cried to his Father Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me But now feeling that which then he feared the Storm now breaking upon him which did then begin to appear he cried out again My God my God why hast thou forsaken me At both these times what were either his Feeling or his Fears what the Torments of his Body what the Anguish of his Soul whether he did despair or how far his Despair did reach it iâ—… dangerous to define we know them not we may be too adventurous to determine concerning them The Suffering of Christ are known only to the Heaâ—… that felt them but to be altogethâ—… abandoned in these Extremities to havâ—… no Comfort afforded no Care taken 〈◊〉 be bereaved not only of the Help but 〈◊〉 the Pity of all which in some degree 〈◊〉 very Man doth find seemeth to be thâ—… accomplishment of Miseries First He was deprived of all Earthly Comforts for his Disciples some betrayed and sold him others forsware him all fell away and fled from him And as for the People among whom he lived working many Miracles and doing good they preferred Barabbas before him It was they who in the midst of his miserable State most insolently insulted over him It was they who when he cried out Eloi Eloi did in a base manner de I de him saying He calls for Elias It was they who when with extream Faintness and Pains and by reason of the great loss of his Blood he did thirst not only denied him a drop of Water as Abraham denied to the rich Glutton in Hell but gave him Vinegar and Gall to redouble his Torments Secondly He was deprived of all heavenly Comforts which is the true Restorative in all dolorous Distress And this was the cause of his heavy Cry not that his Friends but his Father did then forsake him not that Earth but that Heaven did not yield him any Comfort All the Punishments which the damned do endure are commonly brought under two Heads viz. Pain of Sense and Pain of Loss Now the Pains of Sense were very sharp both upon the Body of our Saviour and upon his Soul upon his Body not only in regard of the greatness and baseness and variety of his Torments but also in regard of the Body it self for as it was miraculously made so was it of a more perfect Constitution of a more apprehensive Sense to feel Torments than Bodies brought forth by an ordinary Course of Nature The Pains of his Soul were unspeakable even unanswerable too Christ remained always during this Combat personally united to the Person of the Son of God who could not be severed from the Father and the Holy Ghost But it received no Comfort or Assistance for a time to relieve it from the full Sense of God's severe Indignation against Sin For as a Soul is noâ—… essentially separated from a Body thaâ—… sleepeth and yet it worketh not aâ—… when the Body is awake otherwisâ—… than to keep it in Life so in this extream Agony of our Saviour the Deity was not severed from the Humane Nature only it did not exercise the Actions to administer Comfort and Strength otherwise than to support it from being overthrown The Heavenly Father did then forsake his innocent and only Son and yet was not the Union between them dissolved he dissolved not the Union but withdrew his Vision and restrained those Beams which might any way refresh the passionate Powers of his Soul Many Martyrs have suffered violent and terrible Torments which they did not only quietly but chearfully endure Will you know the Reason They were delivered indeed but therewith also they were not forsaken for the Grace of God did administer such sweet and secret Supplies of Comfort that they tired their Tormeâ—…tor in bearing patiently all those Torments which merciless Tyranny could execute or invent but in Christ in regard of his infinite Dignity for that it is that seâ—…teth the Sacrifice at so high a Price the least Torment although only in Body might have sufficed for redeeming many Worlds yet would he suffer greater Torments than can be conceived First to manifest thereby his exceeding Love in making our Redemption the more valuable For the less he had suffered the less had his Love been esteemed And also to awake us and to leave us inexcusable if we love him not again Lastly to stir us up to settle our Assurance in our Tribulations but most especially our Hopes upon him when we suffer for his sake O God of our Salvation grant unto us thy unworthy Servants we beseech thee That at the Separation of our Souls from our Bodies we may spend our last Breath in these Words of our Saviour Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Comfort us then with the Virtue of his Passion which is Life to the Dead Pardon to the Wicked and Gloâ—…y to the Saints that ending the last Minute of our Lives in the midst of his Wounds in the very depth of his Death and Blood we may confidently commit our Souls that thou mayest receive them readily into thy Hands Receive thy precious Son for a Ransom and with him receive the Souls of thy Servants whom he redeem ed for as he died in Obedience to thee so died he also for our Redemption We have nothing to offer unto thee but his Death nothing but his Blood the Love where with he gave us his Blood His Soul he hath commâ—… unto thee but unto us he hath given his Blood this is all our Treasure this is all our assured Trust Of this Blood we will not return