shamefully exposed to Ignominy not with a paper on his backe but with a Title of dishonour over his head For it was written Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iews Had these words beene spoken by Pilate It had beene shame sufficient but to enlarge his reproach they are written yea and written in Hebrew Greek and Latine that so they might not be better known unto himselfe than to all the World O cursed Pilate that thus dishonourest the Lord of Glory the time will come that thou shalt wish the Rocks to fall upon thee and the Mountaines to cover thee from that face which thou didst so 〈…〉 disgracefully vilifie with a supposed Reproachfull Title O yee blood-thirsty Iewes yee were of old termed a Stiffe-necked people Hath GOD sent his Sonne in mercy and doe you hasten him to the Crosse in malice Have you honoured in your Sacrifice Christum venturum Christ which was to come And doe you now Sacrifice upon the Crosse Christum ventum Christ which is come Oh hearts of Adamant is this the entertainement you give to the Messiah The shame you doe unto him shall binde shame to you and your posterity for ever And it was written CHrist whose hands and heart were free from injury is content to bee counted a Seducer to bee judged a Traytor against Caesar to have an Ignominous Title over his head Christ Iesus I say the Lambe Immaculate refuses no shame that hee might purchase Glory to his faithfull ones Hee that was the God of Glory becomes the sonne of shame Hee that was the Righteous Redeemer is deemed an unjust Usurper Hee that was the Lord of Life is condemned to Death Hee that was honoured with the Acclamation of Angels is now dishonoured with the exclamation of the Iewes He that was dignified with the Title Holy Holy Holy is heere disgraced with a supposed Title of discredit Iesus of Nazaret King of the Iewes Pilate shewes him disgracefully to the people with an Ecce Homo as you may see verse 5 of this Chap. Behold the Man Behold the Man Pilate yea behold the Redeemer of Man in the shape of a Servant Behold the Man yea behold him who was both God and Man In comparison of whose holinesse In comparison of whose Innocency Both these in Angels are but streames from his Fountaine Beames from his Brightnesse parcels from his Lumpe Mutuations from his perfections Stand O my Soule and with admiration blesse the Author of all Blessednesse Christ who to prevent thy shame sustained shame before men before his Father Cum sceleratis numeratus est He was numbred among the wicked for thy sake Hee was accounted sinnefull for thy salvation Adam by eating of the forbidden Tree deprived thee of Life Christ by suffering on the cursed Tree restores thee to Life Set to thy mouth then O my soule and drinke heartily of this Life-giving Water For Invenisti in Cruce Gloriam Christs Crosse is thy comfort His dishonour is thy honour That which is Ludibrium Impijs is Misterium Pijs The Crosse of Chist is to the Iewes a stumbling-blocke To the Gentiles foolishnesse But to thee O my soule it is the power of God and the wisedome of God 1. Cor. 23.24 Here then O my Soule exhilerate thy selfe in contemplation of the infinite goodnesse of thy Redeemer Behold him invironed round about with vertue On his right hand Obedience on his left hand Patience below him Humility above him yea above all Charity behold al these and because thou canst not expresse admire with silence And because thou canst not merit this blesse with thankfulnesse the bounty of him whose Death is thy Life whose shame is thy glory even the Lord Jesus Christ But hath hee done this for thee Then walk forth O my soule with courage till thou meete the Crosse then take it up with patience beare it in despight of thy Saviours enemies Follow thy Redeemer with a Crosse at thy backe and say with St. Paul Gal. 9.14 God forbid that I should glory in anything but in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the World For Crux Christi is Lux Christiani The Crosse of Christ is the glory of a Christian which Crosse hath freed thee from the blindnesse of error restored thee to rest overcame Hell for thee brought thee neere unto God opened the gate of Heaven wrought thy peace and purchast everlasting happines unto thee Honour him then O my soule who for thee was dishonoured Suffer a little misery for him in this World who suffered and endured a World of Misery for thee Entitle him in thy heart who bare this Title over his head Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes And so from the manner I passe to the matter of this Inscription IESUS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE JEWES IN which words are contayned the causes as they would have it of our Saviours Condemnation In the writing whereof rather GODS Will than Pilates did appeare For in this Title are contayned three Divine reasons why Christ the onely begotten Sonne of GOD should yeeld up his life upon the Crosse First because hee was Iesus Secondly because he was Nazarenus Thirdly because hee was Rex Iudaeorum He was Iesus that is Salvator A Saviour Hee was Nazarenus that is Floridus A Flower or flourishing He was Rex Iudaeorum that is Rex Confitentium King of the Jewes not carnally but spiritually not by Circumcision but by Faith King of those who doe beleeve with the heart and confesse him with the mouth to bee the true Messiah Pilate was blinde and could not see this The Jewes were obstinate and would not know this But now it is revealed to Babes and sucklings by Regeneration for all that are borne of God know that by nature they were sinnes subjects yet here they finde Him Iesum a Saviour By nature they are stinking in the Nostrils of God yet heere they finde him Nazarenum A sweet smelling Flower By Nature they are Satans Bondslaves yet for their Redemption they finde him heere Regem Iudaeorum King of all those that confesse his name This Title of Christ was written as I said before in Hebrew Greeke and Latine The Hebrewes had the true Priest-hood The Grecians abounded in Wisedome And the Latines in Dominion and Government The first signifyed Christ to bee the true Priest the second to be the wisest Prophet the third to be the Potentst King Here then is Christs Sacerdotall Office in that hee is Iesus His Propheticall in that he is Nazarenus His Regal in that he is Rex Iudaeorum Of these in Order First he is Iesus Iesus THis Name includes the first reason Why our Saviour dyed upon the Crosse Our first Parents by eating the forbidden fruit offended chiefly in three things In Pride in disobedience and in Carnall delight Pride in aspiring to bee like their maker Disobedience in transgressing the Law of their maker Carnall delight in preferring the pleasantnesse of the fruit before the
the lost sheepe of Israel but every sheepe that hath strayed from his Fathers Fold Num Iudaeorum Deus solum non Gentium is the Apostles Question Rom. 3.29 Rom. 3.29 Yea of the Gentiles also For us hath hee called which were of the Gentiles who sometimes were a farre off are now made nigh by the blood of Christ Eph. 2.13 Secondly hee is like the Rose in colour Rubicundus Red with his owne blood His colour was fore-told by the Prophet Esay 63.2 Why is thy Apparrell red and thy Garments like him that treadeth the Wine-presse The Rednesse of this Rose presents to our sent the Charity of our Nazarenus Contendunt Passio Charitas illa ut plus ardeat ista ut plu◠rubeat St. Bern. saith Saint Bernard sweetly There was a holy contention betwixt his Passion and his Charity whether the one should excell in rednesse of blood or the other in fervency of affection His Charity enlarged his Passion for if hee had not loved he would not have suffered and the Rednesse of his Passion discovered the fervour of his Charity Wee read in the Scripture that our Saviour was sixe times dyed in blood that thereby he might excell the Rose in Rednesse First in his Circumcision then was this Rose at his first budding sprinkled with Blood whilst he was yet nourished with the milke of his Mothers paps Secondly in the Garden when in that great conflict between the infirme flesh and the prompt Spirit he sweat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clods of water and blood falling downe to the ground Thirdly when hee was fastened unto a Pillar and his sacred body made all red with scourgings Fourthly when the Soldiers harrowed his holy Head with a Crowne of Thornes Fiftly when they nayled his innocent Hands and Feete unto the Crosse Lastly when his precious side was pierced with a Speare there appeared a Fountaine out of which flowed Water and Blood Thus was our white Lilly changed into a red Rose red in Blood and red in Charity Thou O Saviour once didst affirme that no man had greater Charity than to lay downe his life for his friend Iohn 15. Verse 13. How is this true Hadst not thou greater Charity when thou didst lay downe thy Life for thine Enemies yea surely but thou in thy Nature wert more than Man and in thy Charity no lesse than God Never any Charity like that of thine which being God didst dye for man being just didst suffer for the unjust that thereby thou mightest make us of sinners righteous of Servants Brethren of Captives Co-heires of Exiles Kings Thy Charity was free unforced unmerited Thou lovedst not ours but us not our sins but our persons Thou didst informe us by thy Word reforme us by thy Example confirme us by thy Miracles and all this to expresse thy Charity O quam stupenda Dulcedo quam invicta Mansuetudo Regem gloria pro despicatissimo vernaculo imò vermiculo crucifigi What an unspeakeable Love and unparallel'd Charity was it for the King of glory to dye for a worme and that not for a loving one neither but for his enemies Thou O Iesus didst lay downe thy Life thou didst offer up thy selfe thou gavest thy body and blood for our food thy Soule for our Ransome thy Deity a refuge against Satan and all this to expresse thy Charity Here then is a Rose without paralell Charity beyond compare There are but three degrees of Charity The first is to love them that love us this did the Heathen and the Publicans The second is to love them that doe us neither good nor evill many there are that can reach to this degree too The third is to love them that hate and persecute us This last degree is the chiefest and may bee expressed foure wayes First when wee speake well of our Enemies this is the service of the tongue Secondly when we give almes to our enemies this is the service of our store Thirdly when wee endure paine for our Enemies this is the service of our body Fourthly and lastly when we dye for our Enemies and this is the service of our life Many there are who will both speake well and doe well for their Friends but who will dye for his Friend Many will speake well and doe well for their Friends but who will open his mouth for his Enemy What not a Tongue for an Enemy Then I am sure no man will willingly offer himselfe to Death for his Enemy Curtius and the Decij dyed for their Countrey and fellow-cittizens but they dyed honourably Christ dyed for his Adversaries and his persecutors and that ignobly Hic labor hoc opus est This was a worke indeed atchieved onely by him who was above all the sonnes of men even the Sonne of God But what moved him thus to doe It was Charity alone that constrained him shee was that happy gale of winde that drove him upon our Coasts she alone was guilty of his Death Haec de Coelo Deum deposuit haec in Cruce posuit It was Charity drew him downe from Heaven It was Charity that fastened him to the Crosse And therefore unto thee O Charity to thee I meane O God for God is Love To thee I say wee doe sacrifice our praises For thou hast procured the remission of our sinnes God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life It was thou that didst give that Vermilian Tincture to our Celestiall Rose and mad'st our Nazarenus so red in his Passion It was thou that gavest him to us that gavest him for us and in him hast given us all things Thus is Christ compared to the Rose in Rednesse and may justly be tearmed Nazarenus The Flower of Charity The last Flower whereunto our Nazarenus may be compared is the Marygold The Marygold a Flower for this remarkeable That it opens with the Sunne and shuts with the Sunne And as the Sunne moves from East to West so the Marygold seemes still to incline towards the Sunne and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Solem vertens Ever turning to the Sunne Our Nazarenus may be called a Marygold in respect of his Obedience Hee began his life in Obedience to the Ceremoniall Law in his Circumcision and ended his life in Obedience to the Morall Law in his Passion The Sunne you know is the eye of the World and that bright Light which illuminates all Regions To such a Light is Gods Law compared Thy Word is a Lanthorne to my feete and a light unto my pathes Psal 119.105 Psal 119.105 Here is the Sun Gods Law Behold now the Marygold Christ Iesus opening with this Sunne For the first words of Christ which the Scripture particularly sets downe that he spake were words of obedience to the Law Know yee not saith he that I must be about my Fathers businesse Luke 2.49 Setting with the Sunne For at his Death
Judgement giving Praemium Paenam Punishment and Reward the recompense of Reward to a faithfull subject and the paine of Damnation to trayterous rebells For he is a just Judge whom neyther bribes can allure nor gifts entice nor threats can alter from doing right Oh then seeke this Iesus seeke this Nazarenus seeke this King of Iewes Seeke him for thy Lord and hee will finde thee for his inheritance install him for thy King and he will enfranchise thee for his subject admit him for thy Governour and hee will admit thee to glory and immortality For his Kingdome is not of this world below but of the world above as was typified by placing this Title above his Head not under his Feete Oh then deare Christian come out of the world and out of this dangerous and dreadfull security of the Flesh Whatsoever seemes glorious to the eye odoriferous to the smell harmonious to the eare delicate to the taste and soft to the touch O forsake them all to follow Christ Awake oh thou Soule that sleepest for the Lord is come Hee is come with Salvation he is come with Vertue hee is come with Glory For Iesus commeth not without Salvation nor Nazarenus without Vertue nor The King of the Iewes without Glory Bee of good comfort thou lost sheepe Iesus is come to seeke and to save that which was lost Bee of good comfort thou lamenting sinner Nazarenus is come to decke thee with ornaments of Grace Be of good comfort thou that aspirest to true Honour for The King of the Iewes will make thee partaker of his Kingdome If thou seeke this King of the Iewes thou must seeke him with Humility for hee was Humility it selfe Hee insteed of a Crowne of Gold was content for thy sake with a Crowne of Thornes for Regall attire with a Purple garment yea goary wounds for a Kingly Scepter a Reede in his hand for a Throne the Crosse for joyfull Acclamations blasphemous Exclamations for delicate dainties Vineger and Gall Oh seeke him then in Humility for pride ascendeth not with the King of Humility nor malice with the God of Mercy nor Lust with a Virgin-sonne of a Virgin-mother nor wickednesse with the Just one And if thou bee a subject of this Kingdome bee not like the Swine Qui Rosas projiciunt ut lutum quaerant Who reject the sweet Rose to accept the stinking mire Oh never conforme thy selfe to this world bee not of that durty generation but since thy King and Saviour is in Heaven let thy conversation be in Heaven also let the World and her brave vanities goe which way they will bee thou as Anselme sayes sweetly Corpore ambulans in Terra sed corde habitans in Coelo One that walkes on Earth with thy Body but dwellest in Heaven with thy Heart Get out from thine owne Countrey the World from thine owne Kinred the Flesh and from thy Fathers House the family of Satan unto the Land which the Lord hath shewen thee even that Kingdome which the King of the Iewes hath prepared for thee where thou shalt behold Pulchrum Senatum pulchrum Regnum Regem pulcherrimum A glorious Assembly of Saints a glorious Kingdome but a King most glorious where wee shall shine in Glory and Brightnesse with Albes of Innocency on our backes Palmes of Victory in our Hands Crownes of Glory on our Heads and Songs of Tryumph in our Mouthes then shall wee enter into Sanctum Sanctorum Into the Holy of Holies there shall wee celebrate Sabbatum Sabbatorum The Sabbath of Sabbaths Then shall wee sing Canticum Canticorum The Song of Songs which none can learne but those that are redeemed from the Earth Then shall we give eternall Honour Glory and Praise to him that was is and ever shall bee Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Laus Deo The Authors Prayer to Iesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes collected out of the fore-going Discourse Jesus O Thou Sonne of God and sweete Saviour of the World Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus Thou art made unto us of God Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wisedome by thy Word preached Righteousnesse by our sinnes pardoned Sanctification by thy grace infused and Redemption by thy paines sustained Have mercy upon us miserable sinners Oh our blessed Saviour who hast borne our sorrows shed our teares suffered our disgrace sustained our punishment and payd our debt inspire us with thy Holy Spirit that though the Iewes Turkes and Infidels revile thee wee may still honour thee though they blaspheme thy Name Iesus we may adore it though they persecute it we may make it our refuge For thy Name ô Iesus is a strong Tower the righteous flye unto it and are secured Though Iewes Turkes and Heathen disdaine thy Name yet give us Grace that we may estimate it to be a precious Oyntment powred out though they vilifie it let us sweet Iesu still glory in it for with the Lord there is Justice but with thee Oh Saviour there is plenteous Redemption Oh Lord what Pilate deem'd to be thy shame prooves to be thy glory he writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom he could not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet will we ever acknowledge Iesus to be thy Name and Iesus is thy Nature Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this Name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death was honoured What thou brought'st into the world by the Angels Direction thou carriedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription To thee therefore I say once more and will never cease saying and praying Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus O good Iesu be thou to me a Saviour Nazarenus sanctified OH Holy Nazarenus who wast sanctified in the wombe and out of the wombe whose Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth full of Grace in thy Workes full of Truth in thy Words holy in thy Birth holy in thy Life and holy in thy Death vouchsafe to looke upon us miserable sinners who were conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity Sanctifie us with thy holy Spirit that from thee wee may derive such holinesse of life and conversation that all our thoughts words and workes being through thy Grace sanctified may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee who hast commanded us to be holy as thou art holy Nazarenus separated O Loving Nazarenus thou who wert that Scape-goate separated from thy fellows to make an attonement for the sins of the world thou that wast separated from thy Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon thee the forme of a Servant thou that wast separated from thine owne Nation when thou fleddest into Egypt for feare of Herod thou that wast separated from thy Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe thy Fathers Will thou that wast separated from thy Disciples when thou hungst upon the Crosse thou that wast separated from the living when thou dyedst for our Redemption thou that wast separated from the World when thou ascendedst into Heaven vouchsafe to
〈…〉 Pilates Jest Turned to Earnest JOHN 〈…〉 And it was 〈…〉 IESUS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE JEWES WHen Satans malice had produced mischiefe in our first r◠〈…〉 â—am 〈…〉 Re◠〈…〉 â—ows en◠〈…〉 onely in the 〈◊〉 whom their soules desired in the substance At length when the fulnesse of Grace was come he that was velatus in Lege covered in the Law became Revelatus in Evangelio Discouered in the Gospell For when the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Son of a Woman made under the Law that wee might receiue the Adoption of Sonnes Gal. 4. vers 4.5 The sonne of man had sinned against God the Sonne of God satisfies for the sinne of man Let admiration produce amazement But seeing man had sinned for a season and must dye unto eternity unlesse the Sonne of eternity did suffer for a season therefore Christ the Messiah was slaine Dan. 9.26 but not for himselfe Traditus est in mortem propter offensas nostras Rom. 4.25 Rom. 4.25 Hee was deliuered to death for our offences Hee was delivered by his Father in mercy by himselfe in compassion by Iudas for covetousnesse and by the Iewes in malice And all this to the end that God might effect whâ—t the Iews could not conjecture the Redempâ—â—â—â— of his people Israel In the precedent Chapter you have Christ apprehended in this Crucified Hee that was typified by the Brazen Serpent is exalted on the Crosse betweene two Theeves with this Title superscribed Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes As the manner of Christs Death so the manner of this Superscription was according to the custome of the Romans who were wont either by written Titles or by the voyce of the Cryer to notifie to the people the cause of the suffering of such as were condemned According to which custome Pilate commanded this Title to be written and fastened to the Crosse of our Saviour manifesting hereby unto the people the cause of his Condemnation And as the Iewes were offended at Christ so were they likewise at this Title They sue therefore unto Pilate that it might be written He called himselfe the King of the Iewes But because they against Pilates wil had desired Iesus to be crucified he against their wills sets this Title on the Crosse and rather like Gods Officer than Caesars Friend dashes their petition returning that answer wherewith hee was inspired Quod scripsi scripsi What I have written I have written as though by divine infusion hee had prophesied unto the Iewes that he whom they out of malicious cruelty had caused to be Crucified was is and ever shall be Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Pilate herein seeks not so much our Saviours glory as his owne excuse For now when his conscience did accuse him of this impious fact and fearing a complaint might come against him unto Caesar for condemning such and so great a man with whom God was without a legall Tryall he fixes upon the Crosse this Title hoping to cleere himselfe that he crucified Christ not as the Sonne of God or a Prophet of the Iewes but for that he was a seditious person an enemy unto Caesar one that affected both his Crowne and Kingdome With this pretence hee thinkes to cloake his Injustice because he knew Caesars Throne would admit no Rivall Whatsoever was Pilates Intendment surely it was the drift of the Holy Ghost by this unjust Judge to vindicate the Just one and to give him a Name above all Names and a Title above all Titles which though Heaven and Earth passe away yet shall remaine for ever For though the sonnes of men are subject to mortality yet the Sonne of God shall endure unchangeably Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes In this Title wee are to consider two things The Manner and the Matter The manner how it was published It was written The matter Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes First of the manner The ensuing Verse tells us that it was written in Hebrew Greeke and Latine the three most generall and famous Tongues in the world The Reasons wherof and that not without reason are alleadged to be foure First that all men that understood any of these Languages might know and conceive the cause of Christs suffering Secondly that the Jewes perfidiousnesse might bee knowne to all Nations of what Language soever Thirdly to signifie that Christ dyed for all of what speech or Dialect soever they were Fourthly and lastly that every Tongue might confesse that Iesus of Nazareth is King of the Iewes And it was written VVHatsoever is written is written for our Instruction whatsoever is true in the generall is not false in the particular This Title of Christ affords us Instruction yea consolation Sampson found Honey in the dead Lyon Iudg. 14.8 Judg. 14.8 The Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda yeelding up his Ghost with a gracefull disgracefull Title over his Head affoords each Christian soule sweetnesse surpassing the honey or the Honey-combe Observe here how God disposes the malice of wicked men to the future benefit of his Church their cruelty is our advantage The Jewes out of malice against Christ Pilate out of malice against the Jewes deliver Christ with this Title Jesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes What have the Jewes gained what hath Pilate got hereby The Jewes desolation Pilate Damnation Onely the Church heereby reapes consolation Blesse wee with wonder the All-directing providence of God who of an enemy can make Pilate a benefit unto his people Hee that can bring light out of darkenes and good out of evill can imploy the malice of his Adversaries to the perpetuall consolation of his holy ones And it was written LIttle did the Jewes nay little did Pilate thinke that this act of his should parralell Eternity But now it is written It is his owne hand that hath delivered it to Time which shall preserve it so long as time shall bee Observe heere the just sentence that Christ shall pronounce against Pilate at the Day of Judgement who pronounced an unjust sentence against him in the day of his Humiliation For as Balshazzar beheld the Hand-writing against him upon the Walls of his Pallace Dan. 5.5 So shall Christ shew the hand-writing of Pilate against him fastned on his Crosse unto the Jewes he shall say as to the wicked servant Luke 19.22 Ex Ore tuo Out of your owne mouthes wil I condemne you yee wicked Jewes for yee cryed Crucifie him Crucifie him But unto Pilate he shall say Thine owne hand is against thee and shall condemne thee O thou unjust Judge for thou hast written Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Hae Tabulae te arguunt quas tu scripsist hae te vinciri jabent What needs any other Witnesse Thine owne hand is against thy selfe Iam pateris telis vulnera facta tuis And it was written SEe here The Son of God The Holy one of Israel The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace The wonderfull Councellor most
of Sceva Act. 19.14 found this to be true by their owne deare experience for they could not adjure the evill spirit though they used the name of Iesus whom Paul preached And as they ascribe too much to the Name so they ascribe too little to the Person of Iesus in that they make him but a Demi-Saviour joyning others with him as partners in the worke of our Redemption coupling our workes with his Merits our satisfaction with his satisfaction The intercession of Saints with his Intercession especially the Intercession of the Virgin Mary whom they call the Queenâ— of Heaven the Mother of Grace requesting her that by the authority of a Mother shee would command her sonne Oh take heede of sharing stakes betweene Christ and any creature in the act of our salvation He will not bee accounted joynt purchaser of our Redemption with any no not with his owne Mother the Virgin Mary for hee was her Saviour as well as ours My Spirit reioyceth in God my Saviour saith she Luke 1.47 Luk. 1.47 And Sanguinem quem de Matre accepit pro Matre obtulit saith one of the Fathers The Blood which hee receiued from his Mother hee shed for his Mother Let us acknowledge our selves lost by Nature but found onely by Christ He onely it was that came to seeke and to save that which was lost We were through Adams transgressions bound by the Divel wee are losed onely by Christs Passion Alligavit fortem vinculis Passionis It is hee that bound the strong man spoyled him of his weapons It was hee that set us at liberty when we were in bondage That found us when wee were lost That called us home when wee were banished That raised us when wee were dead that redeemed us when wee were miserable captives he restored our lives by losing his owne he unbound us by fastning himselfe he overcame by being overcome he redeemed us by enthraling himselfe he cured us by his owne wounds raised us to life by his owne Death made us rich by his owne poverty robbed himselfe of his dignity by becomming a creature of his Royalty by paying of tribute of his liberty by becomming a servant of his credit for he was blasphemed of his joy for hee was heavy to the Death of his wel-fare for hee was wounded scourged nayled crucified and all this for our Salvation What Saint or Angel did Nay what Saint or Angel could doe the like for us He onely and alone Carnem suam pro omnium Carne dependit animam suam pro omnium anima constituit saith Saint Cyril St. Cyril He I say payned his flesh for the flesh of us all his soule for all our soules Hee was Moses Serpent to heale us Gods Lambe to feed us with his flesh and cloath us with his fleece The true Pelican nourishing us with his blood O profunditas Divitiarum O the depth of the riches of the mercy of this our Jesus Let us draw waters of comfort out of this depth of Mercy Let us not rest contented with that generall name of Christians but labour for assurance of salvation that as Thomas called Christ his Lord and his God Ioh. 20 28. so we may by faith every one particularly call him Our Jesus We are all naturally like the wounded man betweene Jerusalem and Jericho Luke 10.30 Luke 10.30 Let us seeke out that good Samaritan who hath compassion on us will binde up our wounds powre Wine and Oyle into them and restore us to health Sinne is an unsupportable load with it we are all over-burthened yet our Jesus calls us Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 He invites gratiously let us hasten speedily Non pedibus sed affectibus Not with our feet but with our affections Whilst he standeth at the doore and knocks let us open unto him lest by too long delay wee lose him Then shall wee open the doore but hee hath withdrawne himselfe then shall we seeke him but not finde him call him but he will not answere wherefore while the time serves let us say unto our Iesus as David to the Lord Say unto my Soule I am thy Salvation If we aske in time we shall receive If wee seeke in time we shall find if we knocke in time hee will open unto us if wee beleeve we shall be saved Away then with all conceite of our owne merit or the Holinesse of any Saint Let Christ be the sole Lord of our salvation without any Copartner for hee alone hath possession of that three-fold Treasury which must make us rich unto salvation namely the Treasure of Glory the Treasure of Grace and the Treasure of Wisedome Man was exiled from Celestiall Glory Christ alone enjoyed the Treasury of Glory that hee might bring Mankind unto Glory Man was an enemy unto God therefore Christ had the Treasury of Grace to reconcile man unto God Man was blind and wrapped in darknesse therefore Christ had the Treasury of Wisedome to teach men the way to eternall Life Looke in Iohn 1.14 Joh. 1.14 and you shall finde all these three comprehended in one Verse Spectavimus glorian plenam gratia veritatis We saw the glory of Christ behold the first full of Grace behold the second and Truth behold the third Now therefore let us say Non nobis Domine non nobis sed Nomini tuo da gloriam Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory For thou O Iesus art made unto us of God by thy paines sustained Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wherefore seeing that thou my blessed Saviour hast borne my sorrows shed my teares suffered my disgrace sustained my punishment and payd my Debt let Iewes Turkes and Heathen revile thee I will honour thee let them blaspheme the Name of Iesus I will adore it let them persecute it I will make it my refuge for the Name of the Lord is a strong tower of Righteousnesse They that flye unto it are secured Let them disdaine it I shall esteeme it to bee a precious oyntment powred out let them vilifie it I will glory in it For with the Lord there is Iustice but with our Iesus there is plenteous Redemption O Lord what Pylate deemed to bee thy shame proves to bee thy glory Hee writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom hee would not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet this is thy Name this is thy function Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death is honoured What thou broughtest into the world by the Angels Direction thou carryedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes And so I passe from his Name Iesus unto his Title Nazarenus of Nazareth Nazareth NAzareth was the name of that Towne which Ioseph dwelt in when hee returned out of Egypt in the which Iesus
he cryes Consummatum est It is finished Iohn 19.30 In his whole life his face inclined towards the Sunne For hee might truely say in the words of the Prophet David I have alwayes set thy Law before my face Psalm 119. And as the face of the Cherubine looked alwayes towards the Mercy-seate so the face of this Marygold was alwayes towards the Sun of Gods Law He was so addicted thereunto that it was his meate to doe the Will of him that sent him and to finish his Worke. Iohn 4.34 John 4.34 The Lord calls him His righteous Servant who shall justifie many by his Righteousnesse Esay 53.11 His righteous Servant There is the exactnesse of his Obedience Who shall justifie many by his Righteousnesse there 's the Superrogation of his Merits Thus is Christ compared to the Marygold and may bee justly tearmed Nazarenus The Flower of Obedience Here then have I let you see a Garden of fragrant Flowers to the sight beautifull to the smell odoriferous What remaines but that we enter into this Garden and gather of these Flowers from the Crosse of our Saviour and making Garlands thereof weare them upon our Heads and Poses to carry in the bosome of our Hearts O thou sweet Nazarenus draw us by thy odoriferous sent after thee yea unto thee Lead us into thy Garden and comfort us with the fragrancy of thy Celestiall Flowers Nay make us O blessed Nazarenus spirituall Gardens unto thy selfe Set in our Hearts some slippes of these Flowers purge us from the weeds of vice and insteed thereof make Humility to flourish in our cogitations Innocency in our conversations Temperance in our appetites Charity in our affections and Obedience in all our actions to the Salvation of our Soules the good example of our Brethren To the glory and praise of thee our blessed Saviour who wert art and ever shalt be Iesus of Nazareth And so I come to the last word of Pilates Inscription King of the Iewes King of the Iewes THese were the last words of Pilates Inscription fastened upon the Crosse whereon our Saviour Christ was crucified which is the third pretended Cause of his Crucifying Little thought Pilate that Christ was truely King of the Iewes when he set up this Title For he received this Name not by Pilates Inscription onely but by his Fathers Ordination For hee is our Great King who ruleth all things who hath subdued all our Enemies tryumphing on his Crosse over the World the Flesh and the Devill He is called The King of the Iewes not carnally but spiritually not of those that were of the seede onely but of such as are of the Faith of Abraham that is of such as beleeve with the heart and confesse with the mouth that he is their King and Governor This Title was not first given him upon the Crosse for the Prophets did prophesie of it before I have set my King upon my Holy Hill of Syon sayes David Psal 2.6 And so the Prophet Zachary Chap. 9. ver 9. Rejoyce greatly thou Daughter of Syon shout out thou Daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee Hee is just and having Salvation lowly riding upon an Asse His Dominion and Government was fore-told by Daniel Chap. 7. vers 14. There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all people Nations and languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdome which shall not be destroyed It is he that is Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 Rev. 19.16 With this Title did the Wise men seeke him Math. 2.2 Where is hee that is borne King of the Iewes With this Title did the Souldiers deride him Math. 27.29 Haile King of the Iewes And with this Title did Pilate thinke to dishonour him as it is in this Text Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes A King indeed hee was though Pilate knew it not whose Kingdome though it be in this World yet is it not of this World having nothing in it that is Temporall or Terrestriall but all Spirituall and Celestiall depending not upon Man but upon God consisting not in Riches Pompe Cities Castles Forts Armies But in Righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 He is universall Monarch in whose hands are the hearts of Kings whose Vicegerents onely they are heere upon Earth The Pope weares a Triple Crowne in token of his three-fold Kingdome In Heaven in Earth and in Hell or Purgatory What he assumes usurpingly Christ Iesus enjoyes properly For hee is a King Regens in Coelo per gloriam in Mundo per gratiam in Inferno per justitiam A King I say reigning in Heaven by his Glory in Earth by his Grace in Hell by his Iustice Unto this Kingdome Christ hath a Triple right The first as hee is God coequall with the Father by whom all things were made John 1.3 John 1.3 and this he is Iure Creationis By right of Creation Secondly he is King as hee is the Sonne of God whom the Father hath appointed Heire of all things Heb. 1.2 And this is Deno Patris By the donation of his Father All power is given me both in Heaven and Earth Math. 28.18 Thirdly he is King as he is Mediator betweene God and Man And this is Merito Redemptionis By the merit of Redemption and thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is here styled Rex Iudaeorum King of the Iewes As hee is then our Iesus so is hee our King The which Title King presupposes a Kingdome and a Kingdome presupposes Subjects and Subjects presupposed Lawes and Government In the handling therefore of this Kingly Office I am constrayned though but in a word to unfold unto you a whole Commonwealth Christs Office his Kingdome his Subjects and his Government And first of his Office he is Rex A King The word King imports a Soveraigne power over Subjects whereof the Scripture records foure sorts First there is Rex infernalis An infernall King which is the Devill called by Iob Chap. 41. the last Verse Rex super omnes filios superbiae A King over all the children of pride And also tearmed by our Saviour Iohn 12.31 Princeps mundi The Prince of this world And by St. Paul Eph. 2.2 Eph. 2.2 Princeps Aëris The Prince of the Ayre And by St. Iohn Rev. 9.11 King of Locusts Abaddon by name a destroyer by nature whose Kingdome is of this world whose subjects are the slaves of sin and children of Disobedience whose government is wickednesse and whose Law is the transgression of all Gods Commandements Secondly there is Rex temporalis A temporall King such as Saul David Solomon Ezechias and others were in Israel Such as are now Kings of the Nations This Kingdome is both in this world and of this world Their Subjects men ordered by Reason and governed by Lawes Civill and Ecclesiasticall Thirdly there is Rex
of Life the which the Lord hath promised to them that love him This was likewise promised by Christ to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna Rev 2.10 Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithfull unto Death and I will give thee the Crowne of Life The second is promised to Christs faithfull Ministers For St. Peter encourages them saying When the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare yee shall receive a Crowne of Glory which fadeth not away 1. Pet. 5.4 Of the third St. Paul assures himselfe I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is layd up for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse Thus as there is none crowned except they strive so there are none that strive aright and fight lawfully in Christs warefare but shal be crowned none shall be his Subjects but shall bee rewarded Iob shall not serve God for naught but if hee serve him he shall be recompensed Wherefore we cannot but truely confesse that he who is King of the Iewes is Rex liberalis A bountifull King Thirdly Christ is not onely a wise and a liberall but also a powerfull and a mighty King whose power is seene in two things especially confounding his enemies and in defending his Subjects The confusion of his Enemies is an essentiall part of his government for he could never have beene a sufficient Saviour if he had not and did not confound the enemies of his Kingdome But that he should so doe was prophesied by David Psal 2.9 Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of Iron and breake them in pieces like a Potters vessell And Psal 72.9 which was purposely penned for Solomon but typically describeth Christ He saith ver 4. He shall breake in pieces the oppressor and vers 9. And his enemies shall lick the dust whereby the Prophet would insinuate Christs power in the destruction of his Adversaries and in the confusion of his foes What greater Enemy than the Devill yet the God of peace shall shortly tread Satan under our feet sayes the Apostle Rom. 16.20 How strong an enemy is the World to Christs Kingdome yet be of good cheere I have overcome the World saith Christ to his Disciples Ioh. 16. ver the last How potent an enemy is Sinne against Christs Kingdome yet Christ came in the flesh that he might condemne sin in the flesh sayes the Apostle Rom. 8.3 And so likewise Rom. 6.6 Our old man which is sinne is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might bee destroyed and therefore sinne hath no more dominion over us What is become of that Adversary which cut off all Christs Subjects namely Death St. Paul tels us plainely That Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 And Christ rides tryumphantly saying O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 How hath Christ Iesus brought to confusion the Iewes and their Adherents which would not have him reigne over them Behold the power of this King of the Iewes in the subversion of Ierusalem the destruction of Herod the confusion of Iulian the Apostate the ruine of many Hereticks and their Heresies which were the Divels souldiers and foes unto Christs Kingdome Onely there remaines the fall of Babylon that Scarlet-coloured Whore and the destruction of Antichrist that sonne of perdition whom our Iesus shall destroy with the breath of his mouth so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. Secondly Christs power is manifested in the protection of his Subjects He is not onely Rex titularis but also Rex tutelaris Not onely a Titular but also a Tutelar King And as Iosua not onely destroyed the Canaanites but protected Israel all his dayes So Christ a Type of whom Iosua was doth not onely confound his foes but also confirme his friends destroying his enemies but protecting his Subjects For he is our Judge he is our Law-giver he is our King and he will save us It is hee that hath saved the children of the needy it is he that hath and will for ever deliver the poore that hath no helper It is hee that hath promised to bee with his Church unto the end of the World As to direct it by his Spirit so to protect it by his power It is hee that keepeth Israel and neither slumbreth nor sleepeth Hayle then O hayle thou victorious King both of Heaven and Earth that hast overcome the flesh within mee the world without me Death for me and the Devill against me That doest correct me in thy mercy direct me in thy truth and protect me by thy power from all my Adversaries Thou art the Lord the Lord strong and mighty thy Name is a strong Tower to which I flye and am secure therefore I will confesse thy power and acknowledge that the King of the Iewes is Rex potens A powerfull King Fourthly a good King must be an indifferent an impartiall King to judge the cause of the poore as well as of the rich of the weake as well as of the mighty respecting not the Condition of the person but the Equity of the cause not countenancing the rich man for his Wealth nor contemning the poore man for his poverty for it is an honour to a Prince to bee a poore mans King Such a one is our King of the Iewes who is not partiall in his temporall punishments nor will be partiall in his eternall Judgements Therefore is hee styled by Saint Paul The just Iudge that shall render unto every one according to his workes 2. Tim. 4.8 For of a truth God is no respecter of persons sayes the Apostle St. Peter Acts 10.34 For where sin is committed there is punishment inflicted bee it King or Beggar rich or poore Iew or Gentile Wherefore all the World may truely say that our King of the Iewes is Rex justus A righteous King Againe fiftly a good King must bee severe against such as are incorrigible and will not amend It is observed by Cicero That it is the ruine of a Common-wealth when Iudgement given is revoked and the execution of the Law stopped against Malefactors And the saying of Solomon is Because Sentence against evill doers is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the sonnes of men are fully set to doe evill Eccles 8.11 Eccles 8.11 But Christ like a severe King will at the length judge and punish the wicked If Ierusalem will not bee gathered together under his wings she shall be at the last left desolate Luke 13. vers the last And if the Church of Ephesus wil not remember from whence she is falne and repent and doe her first workes hee will come against her shortly and remove away her Candlesticke Rev. 2.5 And at the last day what a just Sentence shall hee pronounce both to the godly and against the wicked seperating the Sheepe on the right hand and the Goats on the left when he shall say unto thâ— one Come yee blessed of the Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you from
whom God hath called to the inheritance of his Saints in loue stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free not suffering our soules to be entangled againe with the yoake of bondage Gal. 5.1 Their service is nothing but misery and wretchednesse For Mundus decipit Caro inficit Diabolus destruit The World will deceive us the Flesh will infect us and the Devill will destroy us from such Kings Good Lord deliver us Onely O blessed King of the Iewes bee thou our spirituall Soveraigne thou art wise and wilt instruct us thou art liberall and wilt reward us thou art mighty and wilt defend us thou art just and wilt not forget us thou art severe and wilt not suffer the wicked to tryumph over us thou art peaceable yea our peace for thou hast wrought Reconciliation with God the Father who with thee bee glorified for ever-more Fly then thou sinner from bondage to liberty from death to life from misery to glory Behold The King of the Iewes calls thee Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 Here is a Proclamation of pardon for thy revolt if thou wilt seeke it if thou wilt embrace it He that is King of the Jewes waites when thou wilt become his Subject Behold saith hee I stand at the doore and knocke if any man open unto me I will come in and suppe with him and he with me Rev. 3.20 Set open the gate of thy heart and the King of glory will come in Psal 24.7 He will come tibi si credis contra te si non credis If thou receive him with faith and repentance hee will come to comfort thee if neither with faith nor repentance hee will come to confound thee If thou become a Subject hee will defend thee if thou continue an enemy hee will destroy thee Now is Christ comming into thy Soule as once hee came to Ierusalem Oh beleeve that he is thy King entertaine him joyfully cut downe the Branches of old Adams corruption put off the ragges of sinne spread them in the way and let thy Saviour trample on them Receive him with hearty acclamations and say Hosanna to the Sonne of David Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Thus much touching the Office of our Jesus He is a King Now for that a King does necessarily presuppose a Kingdome for they are Relatives the next thing wee are to treate of is his Kingdome There was never any earthly Empire but had his limits and was bounded with some parts of the habitable World The Assyrian Grecian Roman and Turkish Emperors though they spread themselves farre and wide yet was there alwayes some Lands Nations and Kingdomes exempt from their Dominion There was never any earthly Monarchy that was perpetuall but as it had a time of increase so hath it a time of decrease being either by sedition or forraigne invasion or some vice or other brought to ruine herein resembling the naturall body of man which hath a time to bee conceived a time to bee nourished and a time to bee brought unto perfection But when it hath attained his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His full growth it declines againe as the Sunne when hee is come to the Meridian and in tract of time either by its owne imbecility or it may be sooner by diseases or soonest of all by sudden Death droppes into the Grave As it is with this Little world Man so is it with that Great Man the world subject it is to change and alteration Now herein Christs Kingdome exceeds all Kingdomes which as it is boundlesse for place so is it endlesse for time infinite in extent and eternall for continuance Hee shall reigne over the House of Iacob for ever there is his perpetuity and of his Kingdome there shall bee no end there is his infinitenesse The Kingdome of Christ is twofold Superius and Inferius His Kingdome which is above and his Kingdome which is below Or rather they are one Kingdome differenced by two degrees though usually we call one The Kingdome of Grace and the other The Kingdome of Glory The Kingdome of Grace is that which our Saviour sayes is within us Regnum Dei intra vos est The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 Luke 17.21 wherein CHRIST solely reignes without substituting any Viceroyes or Depuâ—â—â—s For the greatest Monarch aâ—â— the most righteous Christian in the World is in this case but a fellow subject and therefore hath no rule over the Soule or command over the Conscience in matters divine tending to Gods worship though otherwise in matters Civill and Polâ—â—icall For as I have distinguished Christ from a temporall King so may his Kingdome bee distinguished from the other the one being wholly spirituall the other Per se directè wholly temporall This Kingdome or Grace is nothing else but our spiritual incorporation into the mysticall body of Christ being made lively branches of him who is the true Vine being established through faith in Christ This Kingdome consists not in worldly dignities terrestriall Tryumphs Citties Souldiers Councellours but in Righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 All are not Subjects of this Kingdome that are visibly in this Kingdome For some there are that are dead Members rotten Branches having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Some againe there are which bee but Forraigners and Aliens though suffered to trade and traffique in it yet many of these have gotten the outward habite and have learned the Language of this Kingdome and doe so cunningly counterfeit that they cannot bee discerned from true subjects by any but by the King himselfe This Kingdome is but an initiation of the other Here have wee the first fruits there wee shall have the whole lampe this is but an earnest penny that other the full payment in this wee labour in that we receive the reward This is Christs Viâ—eyard that his place of payment this is his Worke-house that his Treasury this is the Field of War-fare that the place of Tryumph yet here we must reigne over our selves before we can be crowned there For Regnum Coelorum sperare non potest qui propria membra regere non potest Hee can never hope to reigne in Heaven who doth not first reigne over his owne members here on Earth This Kingdome is not so secure as the other heere many fall away others are cut off some intrude without their Wedding-garments and are therefore imprisoned as Spyes This Kingdome is often disturbed by sedition of Heresies and Schisme oft shaken by the gusts of persecution often shrewdly undermyned by privy temptations but never overwhelmed For he who is King thereof is the Rocke whereon this Kingdome is immoveably founded Unto this Kingdome all strangers are invited the gates or Ports are shut to none For Gremium Ecclesiae nulli clauditur But some are