over me Who foretold it by the Prophet long since Awake O sword against my Shepheard and against the man that is my Fellow smite the Shepheard c. Zach. 13. And if he did not hold my right hand and dispose of me at his pleasure I could break thee as a Potters vessel with the Rod only of my mouth or with one beck or twinkling of mine eye Therefore because I am delivered into thy hands from above for the Father hath delivered me and hath not spared his own Son Rom. 8 do not thou glory and boast so for t is not thy power but Gods permission Besides it is no true power which thou dost exercise over me but Tyranny and Robbery Power is given for the praise and protection of them that do well and for the punishment of evil doers Rom. 13. Thou hast received power yet t is not lawfull for thee to use it as thou listest For as the Law is given or made for the lawless and ungodly only 1 Tim. 1. So the Magistrate hath right to use the Sword only against the wicked Now if he destroy the guiltless with the Sword it is no lawfull power but Tyranny it is Theft not Magistracy Whereas thou art let alone to abuse thy power do not brag and make thy boast of that for the Lord will not suffer the Rod of the wicked to rest upon the Lot of the Righteous Psal 125. Shall the Ax boast it self against him that heweth therewith Isa 10. A Thief hath no power over a true man no Law against an honest man yet he may lay wait for him fall upon him and kill him So thou hast no more power over me but by permission of my Father Hereby 1. Christ doth quell Pilate who boasted so much of his power but abused the same 2. He doth shew him that he did not suffer unwillingly nor was he compel'd to the Cross by mans power but his Fathers pleasure 3. He warneth all Judges that they do not proudly vaunt of their power Also that they should consider and know themselves to be but Judges not Tyrants And that they do not bear the Sword against the godly but against the wicked doers 4. But especially he doth hereby comfort the godly and confirm their consciences letting them know that the Kingdom of the world can do nothing against them but what the Father of his good pleasure alloweth to give them experience of his presence and assistance and to strengthen their Faith Therefore he saith I will be a wall of fire Zach. 2. But Christ tells him further Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin q.d. Thou hast no power to crucifie me but thou hast much sin in so doing but yet Judas and the Jews have more sin then thou hast For it was he and they that laid hands on me and falsly accused me What they do is out of envy but what thou dost is for fear yet not without sin T is true thou art a friend to innocency but the baseness of the Iews carry thee captive another way They have the Law and do not ignorantly but wittingly abuse the permission of God but thou never hadst that Law and therefore t is not so much folly and malignity in thee to hate the Wisdom or be ignorant of the Sacraments of God Thou committest murther in shedding the blood of a man thou dost not know but they by delivering their King and Lord to death do add Sacriledge to their Murder Where we see that one sin is greater then another sins of knowledge are greater then sins of ignorance So he that sinneth maliciously doth offend more then he that sinneth out of infirmity And a wicked Counsellour doth sin more then an ignorant Prince or Judge A naughty Christian doth sin more then an Heathen and more grievously in the same kind of sin Pilate being troubled at these words of Christ doth labour yet more earnestly to set Christ at liberty For although he was a Heathen yet he was troubled at the denunciation against sin nor would he willingly sin against God although he knew him not no more then the Heathen could know him to wit by the things that are made Rom. 1. Now when the Jews perceived that Pilate was afraid lest he should offend God and polluet himself with sin they recur to the former cavil that he affected and desired a Kingdom that he would fain be King and supplant Caesar which they shew was not safe for him being Judge and Vice-roy to neglect and therefore they threaten him with Caesar that which doth most terrifie and compell wicked Judges If thou let this man go say they c. q.d. If it doth not concern thee that he hath sinned against God yet doubtless it is something to thee that he hath offended against Caesar Thou art a Royalist a Caesarian and dost reside here to the end thou mayest not diminish but defend and encrease the Name Honour Renown and Power of Caesar But this man doth directly set himself against Caesar For Caesars main drift is to be King of Syria especially over us Jews where thou O Pilate dost preside and command in the Name of Caesar Therefore if thou shouldest let this fellow escape and not punish this his affectation to be a King none could think otherwise but that thou thy self also wast Caesars back-friend in that thou dost not punish his open enemy For whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar All this they said not for any love to Caesar for they hated him to the death and had often made insurrections against him but out of hatred to Christ only colouring it over with the pretence of Caesars Name and Honour that they might satisfie their lusts upon Christ This is the Weapon that wounded Pilates Justice with this Exclamation his constancy doth flag and shatter in pieces his justice is turned into injustice and all the reason and gravity of this man falls to the ground So that here it is plain that civil Righteousness is not able to hold out a true and full Tryal and so is nothing worth unless it stood it out to the utmost Thus we are now come to an end of that long Dispute of Pilate both with Christ and with the Jews which did wholly tend to the freeing of the innocent It follows therefore When Pilate therefore heard that saying John 19.13 he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the Judgement seat in a place that is called the Pavement but in the Hebrew Gabbatha And it was the preparation of the Passover about the sixth hour and he saith unto the Jews behold your King But they cryed out Away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate saith unto them shall I crucifie your King The chief Priests answered We have no King but Caesar When he was set down on the Judgement seat Mat. 27.19 his Wife sent usto him saying Have thou nothing to do with that just man for
if he had now essentially some glory which he had not before but because it was now cleared up by the Passion and Resurrection of Christ of which Son God was the Father 2. As also because by the Passion and Resurrection God got him Glory among men whom the world knew not before but now by Christ they knew that he was their Father and Helper c. And lest any should question how Christ came to know so clearly and certainly beforehand that God would glorifie him He answereth If God saith he be glorified by him God also shall glorifie him in himself He cannot doubt of Glory hereafter who glorifieth God now in this life 1 Sam. 2. For that word stands stedfast He that glorifieth me him I will glorifie but they that despise me shall be dishonourable Christ did glorifie God by his Doctrine setting him forth by most worthy and magnificent Titles For Believers now call God Father by Christ whom before they lookt on as a Judge under the Law which condemned sin By Christ he is called our Saviour who before was a condemning Judge On the other hand God also glorifieth Christ bestowing great Titles on him as a Conqueror triumphing over the Law Curse Cross Sin Death Hell and Satan This is that Name above every name Phil. 2. which God the Father hath given to Christ at which every knee should bow c. In the close of this clause Christ saith And shall straightway glorifie him for presently even at the Passion he began to glorifie him with Miracles when the Sun was darkened c. whereby the Centurion and many others knew that he was the Son of God So while he yet hung upon the Cross God heard his prayer for us which is the greatest Glory of Christ See now all along how wisely the Wisdom of God did speak Before he would speak of his suffering and death he premiseth his glorifying 1. lest the Disciples should be too much sadned 2. And lest they should think him utterly lost in his Passion 3. That they also in times of adversity might learn to look at the glory to come and not so much on the present misery Hitherto he spake of his future glory Now consequently he begins to speak of his death but very sweetly for the comfort of his Disciples whom he knew would be exceeding sorrowfull at his death For as a good son doth not so much delight himself in the succession of a great Inheritance as not to mourn for his Fathers death So although the Disciples were sure that the death of Christ would be of great advantage and give a large Inheritance yet they could not but be much grieved for his death Therefore he speaks of his death with as sweet words as possibly he could 1. And first he calls them Children to shew his Fatherly grace of Love toward them 2. And withall to shew the fruit of his Passion By his Passion and Death we have right to be called 1 John 3. and to be the sons of God Therefore we never read before that he called them children but now when he was about to suffer and die Nor doth he simply call them children but little children which is a sign of greater affection because of the tenderness of love and because as yet they were but weak and tender Babes They were children when they were grown strong and armed with the Holy Spirit But now because they were fearfull and not able to follow their Father they are called little Children or Babes Gal. 4. So Paul calleth the Galatians little children because they were weak in the Faith and had yet need of milk But what is it then that Christ would say to these his so much beloved little ones Yet a little saith he and I am with you And 't was but a little while indeed but till he who went forth but just now was gone to the Jews and came again with a band of Souldiers and the Priests servants He was then presently apprehended condemned to die and executed from which time he might say now I shall be no longer with you unless I come to see you again and stay an hour with you This he thus said 1. That they might more enjoy him whilst they had him 2. And that what he spake at his going away might take the deeper impression in their hearts But it must not be so understood that Christ went away for good and all and is now no more in the world when elswhere he saith expresly Lo Matth. 28. I am with you all the dayes even to the consummation of the Age. The meaning then is yet a little while I am with you in this visible and mortall body as hitherto I have been Henceforth indeed I shall be with you but not as formerly not visibly not mortal not as a stranger in this world but as a Prince and a Father of that which is to come And would ye know what shall become of you Ye shall seek me q.d. ye shall be sadly grieved for my departure and with great anguish and thought of heart ye shall earnestly desire my presence because both Jews and Gentiles will most furiously abuse you At that time ye shall seeke me and desire my assistance This he saith not to affright them but to prepare their minds for the trouble they should meet with As a cruel beast if he should suddenly rush upon a man would not only terrifie but tear him being unarmed and unprovided but if a man see him and be aware of his coming he will arm and fit himself so that he shall do him little or no hurt at all So when temptations and trials are foreshewn and foreseen they do less disturb and trouble us Hence saith David I made hast c. Psal 119.60 Paratus sum non sum turbatus saith the vulgar reading I was ready and not troubled By this we see that the whole life of a Believer in this world is nothing but sighings groanings and a longing desire after Christ The godly mourn like Doves in this world and say Cant. 5.6 My soul melted when my beloved spake I sought him and found him not c. And lest any should say if we shall speed no better why dost not take us along with thee It were better for us to go with thee than be left here behind all alone Whither I go saith he ye cannot yet come q.d. I am going to suffer and ye cannot follow me thither because of your infirmity You had need be first endowed with power from the High One. Again I go to the Father but as yet you cannot follow me thither for the door is shut I must first open it for you with the Key of my Death But what shall become of us the while how shall we bear or escape the present hatred and envy of the world and be able when the time doth come to follow thee
in the letter and in the Law the Scribes Pharisees and Lawyers who forsook the royal Law of Love and Obedience yet were literally zealous it was by these that Christ suffered and still doth suffer There are that are called Jews and yet are of the very Synagogue of Satan Thus the Law without the spirit of life is a dead and killing letter a Ministration of Condemnation If the spiritual Jacob be not with us at Dothan we shall plot and contrive our dearest brother Joseph's death 13. But here 2 Kin. 6. we have Elisha conversing in Dothan with the sons of the Prophets who being inflamed with his presence importune him for greater inlargement Doubtless there is a time when our true Elisha Christ Jesus walketh with his Children in low legal literal and fleshly Ministrations nurseth them up with milk like babes and alloweth them Tutors and Governors in their Non age Only let us beware that we do not with the Scribes and Pharises stick to the empty letter that we ramble not to Dothan when neither old Jacob our father nor Elisha our Prophet is there let us not run after the servant when he is cast out of doors nor hearken to Moses when Christ is come for then though we make our boast of the Law yet shall we dishonour God by breaking it Rom. 2. Now we shall know if Christ be yet with us under the Law if so our hearts will be inflamed and long for greater inlargement and complain of our present straitnings whereas a meer literal and formal Christian loves his ease is content to stand at a stay will not indure to hear of removing farther then he hath already attained cries out against all notions more spiritual then his own as Delusions Dreams Enthusiasms c. But the true sons of the spiritual Prophet are still groaning after the manifestation and glorious freedom of the sons of God Rom. 8. And therefore they are ever crying out My father my father O Christ O Lord Jesus thou everlasting father I am straitned inlarge my heart that I may run the ways of thy Commandments I am straitned where I now am make room give place that I may dwell in the everlasting habitations Isa 49.20 I am content to break thorow death to come to those Mansions I am weary of this Tabernacle remove my Tent uncloth me that I may be clothed and let mortality be swallowed up of life Go with me to Jordan baptize me in that river how am I straitned till it be accomplished Mortifie the sinfull lusts and affections of my flesh crucifie my old man day by day rend his vail of flesh that with open face I may behold thy glory be changed into the same image and come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to the Spirit of the Lord where is liberty and perfect freeedom 2 Cor 3.17,18 Heb. 12.23 14. This is the nature and property of them that are taught of God and have learned and obeyed the truth as it is in Jesus But then there are some even among these Children of the Prophets the true Professors of Godliness who go along for a while undiscerned like Cain Judas the man at the marriage-feast and this man here among the sons of the Prophets they make a great shew and bustle about Religion a great stir and noyse there is about Christ crucified and subduing of their lusts they hack and hew at the tree and talk much of mortification but before they can effect it the Axflies from the helve their gifts and parts fail them and the work is at a stand And why Surely their gifts were borrowed and did not flow from their obedience to Christ and experience of his Doctrine but they pickt a notion from one a sentence from another they laid a great many good words in the memory and these they made use of in the self-will and wisdom in the lust of the flesh the pride of life vain-glory and ostentation seeming to be wise but knowing nothing as they ought to know patching up a self-conceited Righteousness thereby deluding their own souls And then they will be made to acknowledge and say Alas Lord they were borrowed Now there is no remedy for such till these fall off from a mans self and fall into Jordan the river of Judgement and Condemnation till a man deny himself and sell or lose all that he hath then the true Elisha makes the Iron to swim that he may go and finish his work Thus he that loseth his life shall save it and he that parteth with House Land Goods Father Friends Gifts Parts Indowments c. shall receive them again in this life an hundred fold Happy are they whose loss is their gain But fourthly 15. There is no ascending to the highest injoyment except we first descend into the deepest abasement It is said of Christ that he humbled himself even to the death of the Cross and for that cause God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name Phil. 2,8,9 If we also would have a name better then that of sons and daughters if we would be called Hephtzi-bah and Beulah Isa 62.4 Ruth 3.7,9 let us do as Ruth did unto Boaz let us lie down at the feet of Christ and desire him to cast the skirt of his garment over us as one nigh of kin unto us Christ hath a two-fold garment the one of Glory and Majesty in which he walketh among the Angels and the spiritual Church He clotheth himself with Light as with a garment Psalm 104.2 His rayment is white as the Light Mat. 17.20 Rev. 1.13 His other garment is of shame and baseness With this he conversed among men upon earth He was found in fashion as a servant Phil. 2.8 In the likeness of sinfull flesh Rom. 8.3 He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 In this humane nature of ours was his Diety clothed and hid for a season The lowest state of this humanity the very border hem or skirt of which garment that toucheth the ground was the great humiliation of Christ humbling himself to the most ignominious and shamefull death of the Cross 16. If therefore we would have Christ do the office of a kinsman to us for he is our kins-man nigh unto us flesh of our flesh and bone of bone one that is not ashamed to call us brethren who hath right to redeem us if we would have him take away our reproach of barrenness and make us fruitfull in the knowledge of himself let us lie down at his feet humble our selves to walk as he walked desire him to spread his skirt over us to conform us to his death that we may be transformed into the likeness of his Resurrection If we would have our sinfull name our name of shame blotted out if we would have our bloody issue stopped let us do as the woman in the Gospel let us press through the press of all worldly and fleshly incumbrances and
on No man took it from him 1 Kings 20.11 John 10.18 21. Thus Christ when he was in the height of his perfection in perfect Glory filling all in all the fulness and end of the Law for Righteousness the Law-giver above the Law yet in the fulness of time was made of a woman made under the Law became a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 chap. 4.4 By this going back-ward of Christ unto the tenth degree of death we have hope of life to come His going back-ward was his progress to his journeyes end for his ways are not our ways but rather contrary to them Thus our true Joseph having been in prison and taken out from among men is afterward rightly called Zaphnath-paaneah i.e. a man to whom secrets are revealed or in the Egyptian tongue a Saviour of the world Gen. 41.14,45 Isa 53.8 John 3.17 chap. 12.47 Let us imitate our Lord for even hereunto are we called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 Let us resist unto blood striving against sin suffering in the flesh that we may cease from sin Heb. 12.4 1 Pet. 4 1. Ponder these things seriously 6. Sixthly 22. We cannot understand nor submit unto the Gospel unless we know and conform unto the death of Christ The sum of the Gospel is Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 There is a dolefull doom denounced against all those that obey not this Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1.7,8,9,10 It is not enough for us to make our boast of the Gospel except we obey it no advantage comes by it Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of the Father Mat. 7.21 He that doth the Will shall know the Doctrine John 7.17 Now we must know that every man is brutish in his knowledge and born a wild Asses Colt Jer. 10.14 Job 11.12 Psalm 92.6 Wherefore it is necessary that every man take up his Cross dayly and crucifie this brutish man which is so ignorant of the Mysterie of God and altogether uncapable to understand it and put on the new man which is created after God in Righteousness Holiness and Knowledge 1 Cor. 2.14 Eph. 4.22,23,24 Col. 3.9,10 The old must be put off before the new can be put on Obedience is the best Vsher unto knowledge 7. Seventhly 23. The grand Mysterie of iniquity worketh in the contrary Doctrine When the Devil suspected what ruine and desolation was like to come upon his kingdom by the death of Christ he did what possibly he could to save his life by Pilates wife And so he is still stirring some to be enemies to his Cross Phil 3.18 The old subtile Serpent argueth with us as he did with our first Parents Yea saith he doth God require such strictness and circumspect walking doth he think ye delight to afflict his creature the work of his hands will he have thee die mortifie and crucifie thy self Far be it from thee These things shall not happen unto thee Mat. 16.22,23 Hath not Christ suffered for thy sins hath not he made full satisfaction and done all for thee Is there any thing left for thee to do Canst thou add to the vertue of his blood Wilt thou fall back again to the Law and be justified by the works thereof Is not this flat Popery Away away with these legal and pensive thoughts they make thee melancholy dull and indisposed to good things Wilt thou separate not only from the prophane Gentile but from the outward and formal Jew also Canst thou by taking thought add one Cubit to his stature Were not the works finished from the foundation of the world Mat. 6.27 Heb. 4 3. Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self over-wise Why shouldest thou destroy thy self Eccles 7.16 24. Look upon the high and mighty professors of the world Are not the preud among them happy and they that tempt God by Pride Ambition Covetousness Hypocrisie Perjury breach of Promises Covenants Vows Oaths and Protestations Rebellion Domineering are they not delivered delivered to do all abominations Doth not their Bull gender and faileth not have they not more then heart can wish so that pride compasseth them about as a chain and violence covereth them as a Garment Mal. 3.15 Jer. 7.9,10,11 c. Job 21.10 Psalm 73.4,5,6,7 Take thine ease eat drink and be merry to morrow shall be as this day Thus the crafty Serpent insinnateth his damnable Doctrine by his false Prophets into the minds of simple ignorant presumptuous Gospellers themselves Whereas the true Believer saith It is his meat and drink to do the Will of his Lord and Master John 4.34 To beat down his body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor 9.27 Nothing is more glory to him then such tribulation he takes pleasure in such necessity and distresses for Christs sake and is glad that he can die dayly that the world may be crucified unto him and he unto the world Rom. 5.3 2 Cor. 12.10 1 Cor. 15.31 Gal. 6.14 8. Eightly 25. Without this knowledge and conformity there can be no perseverance in Godliness The Hypocrite will not pray always he cannot many begin to run well but are driven back from obeying the Truth Gal. 5.7 They are clogd with the care of preserving the worldly life they are full yet with their youthfull lusts and the sins of their riper years These youths shall faint and such young men utterly fail because they do not eat and drink the flesh and blood of the Son of man that they might have life and strength to persevere they do not by eating and drinking incorporate the living bread and drink by a lively faith that they might grow thereby Isa 40.30 John 6.33.35,48,51 unto verse 59. 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Pet. 3.18 But the righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands that hath washt them in innocency in the innocent blood of the Lamb he shall wax stronger and stronger his light shall be as the shining light which increaseth to a perfect day Job 17.9 Prov. 10.29 and chap. 4.18 But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and mount up with wings as Eagles Psalm 103.5 Isa 40.31 The Eagle is sharp of sight swift and lofty in flight it can soar up and look upon the Sun So do all true Believers who have anointed their eyes with the spiritual eye-salve Rev. 3.18 which maketh them quick-sighted but then like Eagles they resort unto the Carkass Mat. 24.28 They have continual Recourse unto the crucified body of Christ refreshing themselves with that heavenly food turning it into the nourishment of their inward and new man and growing up therein unto a likeness and conformity unto that food These do not miscarry nor come short of their aim 9. Ninthly 26. There can be no due performance of any acceptable service
3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the Light The Pharisees could not endure that their righteousness should be condemned and they counted for sinners The Scribes could not bear it to be thought ignorant of the Law As Abel and Joseph were hated of their own brethren for no other cause but because one was righteous and accepted of God and the other better beloved of his Father than the rest so happened it also unto Christ No doubt but they made a fair pretence for this their hatred and malice even a zeal for Gods Law upon which ground Moses commanded that the false Prophets should be killed Deut. 13.5 This they often charged Christ with before but they neither did nor could they prove it yet as if he had been already convicted of that crime they resolve to put him to death because they would be taken for such as sought Gods glory more then others But O wicked Princes seed of Canaan and not of Juda What spirit taught ye to seek the glory of God by killing his only Son For your consultation is not against the Son of Ieseph but against the Son of the great God Your design was to take Jesus of Nazareth by craft and to slay him and it prospered But whom else have you taken and slain but your own Messias that true and great Prophet the Saviour of Israel the King of glory the Prince of life and the best Shepherd whom God of his infinite mercy sent to ye lost sheep Iacob foresaw this your counsel long ago and hated it Simeon saith he Gen. 49.5 and Levi have warlike weapons of wickedness O my soul enter not thou into their secret cursed be their anger for it was fierce Since that ye have had the like consultations more then once against the Apostles of Christ Acts 4.5,6 until the righteous God able to endure you no longer gave you to be destroyed by the Romans But you will say What moved those wretched men to such horrid counsels 1. It was the very Judgement of God by which as they well deserved they were long since given up to a reprobate sense to do those things against Christ which the hand and counsel of the Lord had determined For they were vessels of dishonour 2 Tim. 2.20 2. The Devil himself put them on who from their first taking the business in hand did so much the more rage by how much he saw the glory of God shine forth more brightly 3. There were besides these two other of the worst Counsellors of all Ambition and Covetousness They were afraid they should lose their glory and their gain There are no evils that these mischiefs will not hurry men into as may be seen in Chorah Dathan and Abiron in Absolon in Nebuehodonoser Cyrus Iudas the traytor and in all tyrants and wicked men Thus the sons of men naturally desire great things as glory and riches but herein they are mistaken in that they seek neither true glory nor the true riches nay they seek not those temporal things so as they ought For they that eagerly hunt after honour and wealth do not find them but they that despise them If thou cover true glory seek not the glory of men if thou covet the true riches distribute and spend the false riches upon the poor Mat. 26.5 But they said not on the feast day lest there be an uproar among the people By the feast day they meant that great Sabbath which fell out in the feast of the Passover of this they would have great regard not for the feast sake it self but lest there should be an uproar among the people They did not fear God but the rude rabble And they that durst not eat leavened bread although there was no cause why they should abstain from it yet were not afraid to pollute the feast day by committing murther on it As were the Priests such was the people But here is set down the nature of hypocrites who indeed do many good things but it is only that they may be seen of men and they forbear to do evil but no further then they are afraid to be punished by men They have no respect at all to God Psalm 14. there is no fear of God before their eyes saith the Psalmist Whence we may see Observat 1. That those wicked men were truly the vessels of Gods wrath For as when God will outwardly punish any Nation he giveth them wicked Princes and Magistrates for the peoples sins God setteth up an hypocrite to rule over them So when he will blind a Nation for their ingratitude he suffereth and sendeth evil Pastors such as these were who did spiritually and temporally yea eternally destroy the people Observat 2. Here we may also see that the counsel of God is not hindered but furthered rather by contrary designs For God had determined to glorifie Christ and to exalt him above-every creature Contrarily the Pharisees did endeavour to deprive Christ of his Kingdom and to root his Doctrine out of the hearts of Believers But by how much the more they strove against the counsel of God with their wicked endeavours by so much the more they promoted it for by death Christ entered into his Kingdom and Glory The same was heretofore in Iacobs sons toward their brother Ioseph Briefly 〈◊〉 37. â—…v 21.30 〈◊〉 14.27 there is no strength nor wisdom nor counsel against the Lord. What God hath decreed no man can disanull Hitherto we have heard what the wicked Jews thought on their part In the next place let us hear what good was done on the other part Mat. 26.6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper there came unto him a woman having an Alabaster box of very precious Oyntment and poured it on his head as he sat at meat How happy are we Christians who have the benefit of the whole passion of Christ For as that very bloody Council of the Pharisees fell out for our good so is it for our advantage that that precious Oyntment was poured on the head of Christ In the Council of the Jews there Christ had his enemies on the contrary here are his friends and those that minister unto him Those did dishonour and intend evil against him This woman doth honour and do him good Thus even thus doth the Divine Wisdom ever order it that where we have enemies there also shall we find some friends as Paul saith 2 Cor. 6. Now concerning this History there hath alway been a great dispute among the Antients whether this anoynting be the same with that which John speaketh of John 12. or with that whereof Luke writeth Luke 7. The general opinion is that it is but one woman of which Matthew in chap. 26. and Mark in chap. 14. and Luke chap. 7. and John in his twelfth chapter do write Origen is of another mind in Hom 35. upon Matthew where he alledgeth
world Who would not gladly be lowly with Christ that he might also raign with him Brethren let us not be proud the Devil's pride threw him down from his greatest honour But let us embrace humility which exalted Christ to his highest glory and thus much for this text which Luke inserted Let us now return to Iohn hear what Christ said after Iudas was gone forth Now is the Son of man glorified John 13.31 and God is glorified in him I God be glorified in him verse 32. God shall also glorifie him in himself and shall straightway glorifie him Little children verse 33. yet a little while I am with you Ye shall seek me and as I said unto the Jews whither I go ye cannot come so now I say to you A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another verse 34 as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples verse 35 if ye have love one to another When Iudas was gone Christ begins to preach a most joyfull Sermon full of admirable consolation wherein first he forewarneth his Disciples not to be offended at the Cross which now hung over his head and with them admonisheth all the godly not to deny him because of the Cross And he deferred this Sermon till Judas was gone forth because what he said afterward belonged to the Elect only As also to make good his own Doctrine Give not that which is holy unto dogs Matth. 7. The Ancient of Dayes and the Son of Righteousness from the season of the night which then was doth fitly make a comparison per contrarium by the contrary to shew that his glorification was at hand whereby all the world afterward should be enlightened when the Traytor and all wicked men should be left in a perpetual night of sin Hereby instructing us that the godly should never want Light however the wicked might be wrapt up in a night of Errours Exod. 10. as the Israelites heretofore had light in Aegypt when all else were covered with gross darkness Now we may understand this word four wayes 1. First of the Son of man as to his Mystical body so that the meaning may be Now is the Son of man glorified i. e. by the withdrawing of Judas that son of perdition from my society my Mystical Body is purged my small company and Church is cleansed from the mixture of that pestiferous member For the gracefull part and spotlesness of the Scholars is the Misters commendation when arrant rake-hels be cashier'd the Master is glorified Therefore 2. Again Now is the Son of man c. i. e. he is discovered to be true and Righteous by this that he removeth a vitious Disciple from his fellowship 3. Now is he glorified i. e. by this separation of Judas from the Elect Apostles was fore-shewn the glorification of Christ which he shall have at the day of Judgement when he shall separate the godly from the wicked whereby his truth and righteousness will appear 4. But lastly by glorifying is understood the brightness of Christs Passion glistering and flashing in among the damned the Glory of his Resurrection and Ascension and the gift of pouring out the Holy Ghost Now saith he is the son of man glorified John 12. to wit with that Glory which he spake of And I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all unto me if a grain of wheat die in the earth it bringeth forth much fruit But mark with what Majestie Christ speaks of his death Another man would have spoken of it after the worlds sence Now is the Son of man betrayed made an abject condemn'd and there 's an end of him c. But Christ saith Now is the son of man glorified whereby he sheweth 1. That he was exceeding glad to Redeem mankind by his death upon the Cross it was as much joy to him as for others to go to a Banquet or Feast 2. That his Cross was nothing but an entrance to his Crown so that Judas and the Iews did nothing but promote his glorifying q.d. Let Judas go whither he will let him betray me let him stir up all the world against me let him do his worst It shall be to my Glory and his utter disgrace If he had gone sooner I should have been sooner glorified I am troubled at nothing but his malice which only will wound me 3. Although treachery reproach the cross and death be such bug-bears to the world yet to a godly man they are most desirable because there is no other way to Glory 4. Lastly He sheweth that by his death and Passion he was about to turn all the curses of the Law into blessings The Law saith Deut. 21. Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree So likewise all outward evils as hunger thirst persecution c. which the Law saith are curses But Christ tels us that they are the Instruments and means of our glorification and blessing for so it is that by his death these things can no more hurt us at all By him all things are sanctified Now although Christ was glorified before by his Miracles for he that allayed the waves of the sea and the force of wind Matth. 14. was worshipped as the Son of God So when he fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread the people saw such glory in him that they would presently have made him King John 6. When he raised Lazarus to life his Glory was so great that they publiquely received him in Jerusalem with songs and shouts Matth. 21. He was truly glorified by the greatness of Myracles yet because the consummation of his Glory was in the Passion Resurrection and Ascension therefore he saith Now is he glorified c. Teaching us that we should chuse rather to be despised of men than be praised by them because by the one we become proud in the other there is no such danger He speaks it Emphatically Now is the Son glorified Clarificatus est by a verb of the preterperfect tense for though it was not yet perfected it was in agitation and to be perfected without all doubt So he speaks afterward I am non sum in mundo John 17. how I am no more in the world There is an Emphasis too when he saith the son of man is glorified For the Son of God ever was and still is glorious What therefore the Son of God had by Nature that the son of man had by Grace and Union with the Divine Nature But questionless this glorifying of the son of man is the glorifying of God Therefore he added And God is glorified by him as the Father and the Son have one nature so have they one glory Whence it is that Christ saith he sought not his own glory but the glory of the Father 1. And yet the Father is not so glorified as
so he might mollifie his mind and teach us to do the like The meaning is Friend wherefore art thou come q.d. I invite thee to be friends For as I foreknew what thou wouldst do so now I am ready to forgive thee and to receive thee into former favour and friendship again though thou hast thus sin'd against me Do not sleight my offer but consider what thou art attempting how wickedly thou dealest with me who have deserved no such thing at thy hands Friend wherefore art thou come Who did bring thee to me who forc'd thee hither Was it my fault Have any of mine offended thee But thou art come willingly of thy own accord The rest are commanded and compelled but thou comest and therefore thou hast the greater sin O Judas I pitty thee how doth thy destruction trouble me for whom I now suffer in vain Lo thou art the first on whom my blood hath no effect Why art thou come Surely not to my destruction but thine own because thou art come to destroy me by whom thou shouldest be saved For how can he be saved that would destroy the very Truth Righteousness and Salvation it self And these we may suppose were not spoken to Judas only but to all such as intend mischief to their Neighbours For truly he that wrongs his Neighbour doth first ruin himself Therefore Brethren let us look to it and give all diligence that we be not found false but reall friends of God and Christ As Abraham was called the friend of God James 2. and Lazarus the friend of Christ Joh. 11. And Christ doth not call his Apostles servants but Friends Joh. 15. But Judas was never the better for all Christs counsell It may be he thought that Christ spake this out of fear Therefore after he had kist him Christ cals him yet once more the last time and that with great expression of love and goodness Judas saith saith he dost thou betray the son of man with a kiss Now he doth lay open his sin and touch him to the quick he aggravateth the sin it self that so being terrified therewith he might forbear O Judas what a horrible sin dost thou commit What man durst ever do the like Dost thou only strive to out-strip all other men besides in malice and mischief Beware what thou dost Thou thinkest to cheat me with thy fawning flattery and to hide thy hatred from me But I knew long ago what thy purpose was and what bargain thou drovest with the Jews and what thou meanest by this thy treacherous kiss thou betrayest the Son of Man But consider what an hainous crime it is to destroy the innocent Consider also who and what he is whose life thou huntest after Grant it hitherto I have called my self only the son of Man but I will make thee see and know who this son of Man is Thou dost not destroy the son of man only but the Son of God too Thou betrayest them both at once Thou betrayest him that is thy Father by creation thy Lord by preservation thy Saviour by Redemption thy Brother by incarnation thy Master by instruction thy Friend by election and lastly him that will be thy Judge by a finall Retribution See how many sins thou committest at once and all by one kiss Thus thou woundest him by a shew of Love thou sheddest his blood by a seeming work of charity thou seekest his death in a way of peace what can be more odious then this horrid fact We see here how unwilling God is that any man should perish and how grievously they sin who are the occasion of others ruin and destruction As on the other side how honourably they deserve who are the means of others Salvation Jam. 5.20 Here Christ instructeth by his Example and Word By this Example he teacheth us 1. Patiently to bear with wicked men yea to bear the guil and treachery of false Friends as Christ did patiently bear the falshood of Judas for we that are servants ought not to be greater than our Lord. 2. So to love our Neighbour that we wink not at their faults as Christ here calleth Judas Friend yet withall he rebuked him for his sin By those two words which Christ here spake be would warn every man not to be like Judas lest they suffer as he did It were to be wisht that there were but one Judas in the Church of Christ We all indeed cry out against his malice but mean while we do the same things which we blame him for Judas was a covetous man and for filthy lucre he sold Christ He rob'd the poor of their Alms and gifts of charity He did not make it his business to preach Christ He was not converted at the preaching of Christ He took the Body of Christ in his sins He betrayed Christ under a colour of peace He was an hypocrite He was obstinate and impenitent c. How oft do we see these and such like things in a Church Is not he a Traytor that confesseth Christ with his mouth but denyeth him in his works Also he that doth contrary to righteousness truth charity c. for money or any other temporal advantage Likewise he that makes a shew of Love to his Neighbour but hateth him in his heart O cursed generation of Judas how many and deep roots hast thou fastened in the earth But the time will come when all the followers of Judas shall perish together with their Jewish frowardness Mean while let the godly like Christ bear and have patience with wicked men Now when Judas had kissed him no doubt but the rest run upon Jesus to lay hands upon lest the traytors sign being observed they should let him escape Therefore it follows in the Text When they which were about him saw what would follow Luke 22.49 they said unto him Lord shall we smite with the sword Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it John 18.10 and smote the high Priests servant and cut off his right ear the servants name was Malchus And Jesus answered and said Suffer ye thus far Luke 22.51 John 18.11 Mat 26.52 Then said Jesus unto Peter Put up thy sword into the sheath for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more then twelve Legions of Angels The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it John 18.11 Mat. 26.54 Luke 22.51 But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be And he touched his ear and healed him The Apostles understood not what Christ said at supper when he spake of buying a sword Christ meant the sword of the Spirit but they thought that he had spoken of a material sword Therefore they presently brought him two swords and now when they saw their enemies they asked whether they should fight in his defence But Peter as one hotter then the rest and flusht
Merchandize which they bought and the money too all which was just and honest in their opinion Nevertheless their stomacks did a little rise against that money and they call it the price of blood whereby we may clearly see that the worm of their conscience did begin to sting them wherefore they would not put this money into the Treasury because it was ill gotten goods thus they did strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Mat. 23. Whereas if they thought that money to be prophane and unholy not fit to be imployed about any use for the Temple because it was the price of blood Why then did they shed that blood And why did not they themselves refrain the Altar and Temple as being defiled with blood but this they make light of and count it no sin they can swallow this Camel though they are at a stand what to do with the money this is the righteousness of the Pharisees Now Corban in the Chaldee Tongue signifieth a Gift offered whence the Chest Box or Coffer in which such Oblations or Offerings were laid up were called by that name the thing containing being put for the thing contained And that this money may be well bestowed and laid out again they buy part of a field with it of a certain Potter to bury strangers in Just like those who rob and cheat the poor and then throw away a drib of it to paint the Church or buy some trifling ornament for the Temple forsooth whereby they imagine to expunge and wash away their sin but all the while they will not abate one jot of their Covetousness and Cruelty But 1. 1. This came to pass by the providence of God that the price of our Saviour should not be lavisht on the State and pomp of Sinners but serve for the rest succour and refreshment of Strangers that Christ by shedding his blood might redeem the living and by the price of his passion might recover and raise up the dead 2. Nor doth it want a mysterie that the Potters field should be bought God is that Potter who of the dust of the earth did make and fashion the vessels of our bodies the field is the Lords Inheritance So then the field of this Potter is purchased by the blood of Christ and that for Strangers for true Rest and eternal life is obtained for those that are truly strangers in this world by the blood of Christ But although Hospitality be a good and pious Work and Christians ought especially to observe this that they entertain strangers and cherish them and to bury their dead decently yet it is left as a perpetual blot upon the Jews and it had been far better for them if that money had been laid up in the Treasury for so their reproach might one way or other have been concealed but now their shame lies open to all the world for God so ordering it that field is not called Xebergerim that is a place to bury Strangers in but Hakaldama which after the Chaldee is the field of blood this is continually cast in their teeth and they must hear on 't whether they will or no nor have they got them much honour by purchasing a Burying place for Strangers but thus it must be that the Scripture might be fulfilled in Zachary who prophesied long since in the person of Christ after this manner And saith he I the Messias said to the Jews If ye think good give me my price if not forbear so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver And the Lord said unto me Cast them to the Potter a goodly price that I was prized at of them Zach. 11. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and I cast them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord. In this prophesie we hear not only of the thirty pieces of silver but of throwing them in the Temple too as also of the Potter so that it is no less than a Miracle that the Scriptures of the Prophets and Evangelists should so agree together which is a great confirmation of our Faith Christ calls these thirty pieces of silver his price because he was bought and sold for just so much and no more and because this was so small contemptible and ridiculous a summ God the Father bade him cast it to the Potter and doth Ironically call it a goodly price which so eminent a person was valued at What the Lord there commanded to be done the Evangelist here saith as the Lord appointed me And whereas the Prophet saith that he did do so it is as much as to say he foretold that all things should so fall out And whereas the Evangelist saith further whom they of the children of Israel did value it seems to have respect to the History of Joseph who was sold Gen. 37. For so the froward and stubborn children of Abraham bought him of the children of Israel that is of Judas and his Associates the Ishmaelites bought him of the Israelites one wicked man of another as bad as himself Nor let it trouble any man that Matthew doth here put Jeremy for Zachary for either one name is put for another in the Greek copies or else this Zachary had two names as we know many others had But some are of opinion that Matthew hath respect here to the 22. or 33. ch of Ieremy Let these things pass for they profit not much we should rather study to be thankful unto Christ who bought an inheritance for us Strangers with his own blood of the Father who is our former and fashioner Isa 64. Rom. 9. Ier. 18. It follows Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the Hall of judgement Joh. 18.28 and they themselves went not into the judgement Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover Pilate then went out unto them and said What accusation bring you against this man They answered and said unto him If he were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him up unto thee Then said Pilate unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your Law The Jews therefore said unto him It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die Most dear Brethren we have now followed Christ to the very Judgement Hall of Pilate I wish we could follow him a little further without cross as we now follow him in heart thought Now that Pilate was a very potent man and a kinde of a petty Prince whom Tiberius Caesar had sent at that time to Jerusalem to be the chief Governour and Ruler of the Jews Country His sirname or rather his fore-name was Pontius perhaps it was from the Country which is called Pontus near Cappadocia and Bythinia The house in which he lived at Jerusalem was called Praetorium the Judgement Hall after the custom of the Romans or the house of the Praetor although indeed
q d. the evidence and clearness of the Fact committed needs no further accusation Do thou Justice there 's no need of any more examination Dost thou question our righteousness Dost thou think we will not do Justice Dost not see who and what we are who have brought this man bound before thee Is this all the respect thou givest to the Priests of the most High God Dost thou make no difference betwixt us and the common Rabble Do not think that we would bring one before thee that were not guilty of death Thou mayst see how strictly we keep the Law for we will not so much as come into thy house we dare not tred within thy doors Nor think thou that we have done any thing in this matter either out of envy or hatred or too precipitate without deliberation and good advice We have considered all things and finde that he doth deserve to die thou hast nothing to do but to pronounce Sentence For if he were not a malefactor c. O the hypocrisie O the lyes and malice of these men Should things be thus carryed Is this to execute Justice Is every prisoner a malefactor and guilty of death Who sees not that they distrust the goodness of their Cause Therefore 1. They go about to blind and delude the Judge with vain and empty words lest they should be put upon it to prove him a malefactor Consider well O Christian the malice of these men They would fain seem to be just and righteous even against the check of their own conscience as if they had never attempted any such thing and never went about to destroy any but a Malefactor when t is evident that they were the men that did most unjustly put all the Prophets to death 2. In this also they shew their malice in that they would have Christ cut off before he was examined or convicted nay they think him not worthy that the Judge should so much as give him audience or that he should be tryed according to any Rule of Law 3. They openly charge him as a Malefactor before the common Barr and in the face of the open Court who had healed all their sick Ask the Lepers whom he cleansed and the blind whose sight he restored c. whether he were a Malefactor c. But thus it is written They rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my love Psalm 35. Again For my love they are my Adversaries but I prayed for them Psalm 109 Christ did here truly pray even when he held his peace considering with himself our sins for which he suffered all this wrong But Pilate being now incensed and moved with some chollar at such proud and unrighteous expressions cryes out to them again Take ye him and judge him after your own Law as if he had said if he be a Malefactor as you say he is but do not prove it why then put your own Law in execution against him The Roman Laws prohibit me to condemn any man before he hath a full hearing Truly Pilate the Law of Moses did enjoyn the same too but so it is by the malice of these men that the Heathens Laws are now prefer'd before the Law of God The Jews very well know it from Exod. 23. and we also know the same from the words of Nicodemus that the Law of Moses judgeth no man untill he be first heard and convinced John 7. But see how they evade it It is not lawfull for us say they to put any man to death Well but who then I pray put Stephen to death Act. 7. What Authority put him to death Therefore they lye grosly Was not this to put Christ to death when they delivered him up to be sentenced to die and laboured with all importunity to have him put to death But they would have him put to death by the laws of Rome that so as well they as their laws might be acquitted from doing any such thing Their Law was to stone to death but the Roman Law was to crucifie This is that they would have They would not barely have Christ put to death but they would have it done with the greatest reproach shame that might be Nor did it so fall out by chance or by their consultation but that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled when he certainly foretold that he should be delivered to the Gentiles and be crucified by them Mat. 20. Christ also had said that the Son of man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent John 3.12 Again When I am lifted up I will draw all unto me Joh. 12. And again When the son of man shall be lifted up then shall ye know that I am he John 8. Now when the Jews perceived that they should miss their aym and that there was no good to be done with Pilate unless they brought some Accusation and certain proof of clear crimes against Christ They began to accuse him of many things Luke 23.2 Mar. 15.3 saying we found this fellow perverting our Nation and forbidding to give Tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a King Then Pilate entred into the Judgement Hall again and called Jesus and said unto him Art thou the King of the Jews John 18.33 Jesus answered standing before him Mat. 27.11 Sayest thou this thing of thy self or did others tell it thee of me Pilate answered am I a Jew thine own Nation and the chief Priests have delivered thee unto me what hast thou done Jesus answered my Kingdom is not of this World If my Kingdom were of this World then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Jesus answered thou sayest that I am a King To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I might bear witness unto the Truth every one that is of the Truth heareth my voyce Pilate saith unto him what is Truth And when he had said this he went out again unto the Jews and saith unto them I find in him no fault at all And they were the more fierce saying he stirreth up the people teaching throughout all Jury beginning from Galilee to this place Luke 23.5 This was Christs first examination in Pilates Court where the Jews Accusations are first laid down Lest thou shouldst think O Pilate say they that we have nothing to lay to this mans charge hear we pray thee what just cause we have to hate and abhor him He is a seducer of the Nation the Author of all mutinies he fâ—ribids men to pay Custom and Tribute he calls himself King of the Jews which is no less then high Treason against his Imperial Majesty And is not this crime and cause enough against him What wouldst thou have more Every one of these Accusations is sufficient to condemn him Here thou seest O Christian how truly David said The
scattered Jer. 10. Because the Flock that is the people were not only not brought to the Knowledge of Christ but withall were stirred up to seek his death therefore they fell into the pit and perished But all the fault was in their Leaders and Governours Pilate took nothing more hainously at their hands then this obstinate envy of the Jews Therefore when he saw there was no hope to do any good by fair means he doth try to restrain their fury with big words and sharp threatnings Take ye him saith he and do you crucifie him q.d. Shall I O ye bloody men who are more cruel then any bruit beasts and because ye envy the Roman Laws shall I kill and cut off the innocent Do you think to affright me with your clamorous out-cryes and make me act the part of a Murtherer I am a Minister of Law and Justice I am not to maintain or vindicate the spleen and envy of others but to punish Offenders by my Authority I am no Executioner to torment the innocent I have hitherto yielded to your hatred I will no longer be perswaded by you to exercise any more cruelty against the innocent Amongst all our Lawyers I can find no such Law that doth command to put any man to death who hath not deserved it And therefore if it be so capital a crime and such an high offence with you to be innocent and if you have any such Law among you that punisheth the guiltless with death do you execute them your selves I cannot nor will I consent to this fool-hardiness and gross indiscretion I don't intend to defile my Hall which is the Roman Court and Empire in this place with innocent blood Take ye him at your own perill and lead him away and do you crucifie him if ye think it best I do not use to crucifie any but Malefactors and naughty fellows But as for this man I can find in him no crime worthy of the Cross This Sentence of Pilate were much to be commended indeed if he had persevered and continued in his resolution But we shall quickly see the wind turned and hear other things of him For all this the Jews never so much as blush at the Justice of this Heathen man Nay when they heard the Judge favour and defend Jesus with such diligence and industry they verily thought that one way or other Jesus would slip from them and get out of their hands and therefore they forge another new crime against him which to a Judge that was not versed in their Laws might seem to be a most notorious offence We have a Law say they c. True you have a Law but none of you keepeth the Law as Christ did most truly and justly upbraid you John 7.19 Thus the greatest Transgressours of the Law do most cry up and make their boast of the Law But what is it that ye alledge against Christ out of your Law By the Law say they he ought to dye And wherefore I pray for what cause Because he made himself the Son of God But what 's become of your former Accusation that he should say he was King of the Jews They were found lyers in the first therefore now they invent a new charge against him And what great crime had it been if Jesus of Nazareth did say that he was the Son of God If he did the works why might he not profess the Name of God It was extream hatred in them to accuse him with such a clamour and noyse of words because he only said that he was the Son of God They speak not a word all this while of those Divine Works which he did and whereby he proved himself to be the Son of God And they tell a lye too in saying that he made himself the Son of God For he did not glorifie himself that he might be made High Priest Nor did he think it any Robbery for him to be equal with God but the Father glorified him The Lord saith David said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand untill c. Psalm 110.1 Mat. 22.44 See here also how malice and envy doth disagree with it self They had said before It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death But now they say we have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye So forgetfull and ignorant is envy that it can neither tell what it did say or what it should say the Law which they alledge must either be that of putting a blasphemer to death Levit. 24. or that concerning a false Prophet seducing the people by lying signs and wonders from the worship of the one and true God Dent. 18. But neither of these Laws take hold of Christ For he was neither a blasphemer nor a false Prophet Therefore it was not sufficient to alledge that Law which was for the putting of a blasphemer or a false Prophet to death but they were to prove that Christ was such a one for otherwise he would truly and fully clear and quit himself from both Imputations The Jews thought that Pilate would presently pronounce Sentence of death assoon as ever he heard but this one crime charged upon Christ but it fell out far otherwise For when he heard this saying he was the more afraid For he thought thus with himself Who knows who or what this man is For certainly none can make himself the Son of God unless first he were so And if he be the Son of God surely t is not lawfull for me to pass sentence of death upon him Therefore of necessity I must sift out this matter more narrowly yet Wherefore he brought the Lord of Majesty into the Judgement Hall again to enquire further of this thing Here then we see 1. That even a Heathen Judge gave more honour to the Name of God then the Jews who made their boast of God as doth here plainly appear by Pilate who if not really and in Truth yet was at least civilly just and honest and if not religiously yet did he morally fear and reverence his Gods as many honest and harmless men do who are of opinion that there is a God but have no true and right faith in him 2. But observe that Pilate was afraid indeed yet did he not repent Whence t is plain that his fear was servile not filiall and proceeding from Faith he was afraid lest he had done too much in scourging the Son of God For he believed as the Gentiles do that the Gods descended from heaven and ascended thither again as the Poets fain of Jupiter Mercury c. And therefore that he might not seem to be so wicked against his Gods as to condemn the son of Jupiter or Vulcan he doth narrowly pry into the truth of the business and asketh Whence art thou He beats about the bush and questions him afar off to fish out the truth But Christ makes him no answer For 1. It was nothing either to Caesar or to Pilate whether he
the Redeemer and forgive the sin of the Redeemed And thou also O thou wretched sinner see the Sacrifice with which thou wast Redeemed the blood wherewith thou art washed the punishment by which thy sins were satisfied for the bonds by which thou art set at liberty See those hands which dissolved the wicked works which thy hands had wrought See the feet which carryed away what thy feet left behind and offended in by neglect sloth or overmuch haste and swiftness Look upon and into Christ crucified in this fashion for never was he any where seen more lovely His hands are open to give unto thee his feet are fast to tarry with thee his arms spread abroad to receive and embrace thee his head bowed down to kiss thee Take thou heed therefore left that be cast in thy teeth I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious c. Isa 65. Rom. 10. Again I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded Prov. 1. See O man saith Christ crying from the cross what I do endure for thee I that do dye for thee I call and cry unto thee to see what punishment I suffer Behold do but see with what Nails I am pierced c. But the Jews were not content to put Christ to a most shamefull death in a most ignominious place but to aggravate his reproach they must crucifie two Thieves with him not as if they were enemies to the Thieves for they were partakers of their wickedness For when Pilate said Whom will ye that I release the Thieves cryed out and asked for a Thief Now 1. They crucified Thieves with the Lord to stain and blemish his Passion that so he might be taken for an offender at least from the wicked companions with which he suffered 2. That their crime might seem all one who suffered all alike and that the report might be blazed abroad that there were three Thieves crucified at Jerusalem in one day This is that which those wicked Jews would have And the more to defame Christ they so set the crosses that Jesus was placed in the middle hedged on either hand with Thieves that all men might take him for the Ring-leader of Thieves the very Captain of Cutters and Highway-men True the Law doth not only allow but command that Thieves should be put to death Gen. 9. Numb 35.31 Well but what hath the Fountain of life done worthy of death what good hath he omitted that he ought to have done O Jerusalem and thou Judaea is this all he shall have from you who hath done all good to you Isa 5. Is this all the thanks he shall have at thy hands who ever since Abrahams time hath so wonderfully guided saved exalted and honoured thee above all the people in the world Who did ever bid thee crucifie thine own Messias King Bishop Doctor or Teacher Shepheard Father Wo be to thee Jerusalem for this thy murder for this thy malice But thus thou must though unwittingly fulfill that Prophesie And he was numbred with the wicked Isa 53. Christ must thus be humbled that we might be reckoned among the just But all the drift of these wicked Iews was to disgrace Christ utterly although it fell out far otherwise For the Fountain of all purity cannot be defiled with humane impurities for even the villanous and filthy acts of men serve to set off and illustrate the clearness of the Spring of Glory The Cross which formerly was a reproach is now made a Badge of Triumph by him the head to which the world boweth which the Angels worship and at which the Devils tremble Christ when he was condemned among Thieves found one whom of a Thief he could make a Citizen of Paradise so far was he from being polluted by suffering with Malefactors But 1. Christ would suffer among Thieves and not among his Disciples lest his death alone should be thought not to be sufficient for our salvation unless his Disciples had dyed with him 2. He was crucified with Thieves because he dyed for thieves A thief is one that steals that which belongeth to God All we are thieves therefore is Christ crucified in the midst of us And we also are crucified for there is none without his cross But as here one of the thieves is damned so all are not saved that bear the cross Look to it therefore that thy cross become thy crown which it will not be except thou believe in Christ The two thieves then whereof the one was saved and the other damned do signifie First either men or devils Secondly either Gentiles or Jews Thirdly either good or bad men both which bear their cross but in a different manner Finally Let us here learn to be raised from the earth and with Christ to be crucified in the midst of thieves For as then there were three crucified two thieves and Jesus in the middle so there are in us three things morally to be crucified in us to wit the flesh and the world signified by the two thieves and the Spirit which is signified by Jesus The flesh is to be crucified as the right-hand thief For they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 We must crucifie the world as the left-hand thief The world saith Paul is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 When those thieves are crucified in us then is our spirit crucified with Christ in the midst so that we may say with the Apostle I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 As therefore the thief on the left hand was crucified indeed but not saved for he continued in his unbelief so the world although it be crucified to me doth still remain in its filthiness But when the flesh is crucified it is saved with the spirit for it shall be glorified in its Resurrection from the dead Therefore it is compared to the right-hand thief to whom it was said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23. Now the cross of the flesh is the severity of Discipline which hath four branches Watchfulness Abstinence course cloaths or meanness of apparel and well-ordered words or savoury Discourse The cross by which the world is crucified is poverty of spirit which also hath four parts that is contempt of glory gain countrey and of Parentage The cross of the Spirit is fervency of Devotion which hath four Arms Love Hope Fear and Grief Hope above Fear beneath Love on the right hand Grief on the left Mat. 27.37 Mar. 15.26 Luke 23.38 John 19.19 And Pilate wrote a Title and put it on the cross or the superscription of his Accusation and they put it on the Cross at the head of Jesus And the writing was Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews This Title then read many of the Jews for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the City And it was written in Letters
of Hebrew Greek and Latine Then said the chief Priests of the Jews to Pilate Write not the King of the Jews but that he said I am King of the Jews Pilate answered what I have written I have written The Cross was now raised and lifted on high it stood strait upright Christ hung on it many wept to see it wickedness and injustice abound and yet Pilate would fain carry the business without suspition of injustice or wrong And therefore being a subtile and crafty man in the worldly Wisdom he invents some new device and writeth a Title or scroul wherein he signifieth in four words the whole Tragedy with the crime annexed for which he was thus judged and Executed For now his conscience began to twinge him for what he had done he was afraid that he should be complained upon to Caesar for delivering such and so great a man with whom God appeared to be to the covetous greedy and malicious desire of the Jews without shewing any cause or reason of so doing And therefore that he might clear himself that what he had done besides the course and order of Law he did it justly and upon weighty reasons he feigneth this because he could not think upon or invent a more hainous Title for his excuse and defence relying upon it to be saved harmless with Caesar as if he had not put Christ to death as he was the Son of God or a Prophet of the Jews but as a seditious person and an enemy to Caesar and as one that had a mind and intended to be King This he thought would secure him inasmuch as no power can bear a Competitor This was Pilates intention when he wrote this Title For he was banished and killed himself but what stead it stood him in he very well knew and had sufficient experience shortly after But God or the holy Spirit of God intended something else that is to give unto Christ a Name above every name as the Apostle saith Phil. 2. and the Title of a Kingdom which shall last when Heaven and earth are past away because Jesus of Nazareth that is the Saviour and the truly Holy One is made King of the Jews by his suffering upon the Cross not of those who say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2. But of those who confess and acknowledge God in Truth In these four words JESVS of NAZARETH KING of the JEWS the whole effect of the cross is expressed First he is called Jesus 1. because having made satisfaction and paid the price of our Redemption he is become the Author of our salvation Secondly he is Jesus of Nazareth 2. that is flourishing or full of Flowers because the Blossoms of his Godliness are the Example and Pattern of an honest conversation unto us He is also the Heavenly Odour of that sweet Sacrifice which the Father did smell and accept for us He is the Hope of Eternal fruit by which we shall enjoy the sweetness of his God-head Thirdly he is called a King 3. because of his Government and Guidance For he doth Rule us in the Life of Grace and direct us to life of Glory Christ is King in Life and Death which cannot be said of any other Fourthly 4 he is King of the Jews to inform us to whom these Benefits do belong to wit to those that do confess and believe them Behold such great Mysteries as these hath God opened unto us by so vile an Instrument as Pilate was which very thing doth set forth the wonderful Counsell of God For he can tell how to turn the counsels of wicked men to his own praise and glory This Triumphant Title doth not a little confirm and comfort us that are Christians who glory in the cross of Christ and count it our highest honour which Title was not set at the feet but at the head of Christ to shew that his Kingdom is not base and earthy but high and Heavenly For it is and ever will be most true that this Jesus which was born in Bethlem and brought up at Nazareth is King of the Jews their own Prophets being witnesses Psalm 2. 45. Cant. 1. Hos 3. Zach. 9. And because they cast off their King we Gentiles do joyfully receive him Act. 14. as King of all that do acknowledge and confess him Pilate hit the Nail on the head when he wrote this Title and reached the very Truth it self whatever his meaning and intention was And this he would have all people to read understand and therefore he wrote it in the three principall and most general Languages which were then and still are the chiefest Languages over all the world to excuse himself in all Countries and Nations of the death of so eminent a man He wrote it in the Hebrew Tongue because of the Jews who made their boast of the Law In the Greek because of the wise Philosophers of the Gentiles And in the Latine for the Romans to read it Every Kingdom in the World all the wisdom of the World all the Mysteries of Gods Law do witness in spite of the Jews whether they will or no that this Jesus is King of the Jews that is he is the chief Ruler and guide of all that confess and believe in God All these things came to pass not so much by Pilates contrivance as by Gods Providence 1. For first God did hereby provide for all mankind that all men might know that this was he whom God had anointed King over all Nations as it is said Dan. 7. All people Nations and Languages shall serve him So saith Paul At the Name of Iesus every knee shall bow Phil. 2. 2. Secondly that all Nations might know and understand how treacherous and perfideous the Iews were who crucified their own Messias 3. Thirdly that even thus it might be known that Christ dyed for all men whether they be Iews Greeks or Romans 4. Fourthly to shew that the Gospel and the Grace of Christ do equally and alike belong to all men to one as well as another 5. And lastly that all Languages and every Tongue should glorifie Christ which was then fulfilled and is so now For in these three Tongues the Church alwayes hath had read and sung the Scriptures For every Tongue must confess that Iesus is the Christ to the Glory of God the Father Phil. 2. But this Title the chief Priests of the Iews did begrudge Christ and could yet wish that it were changed or abolished but God forbid that Pilate should alter the least jot or title of what was written He had leave enough given him already against Christ This Title must never be blotted out The Iews were ashamed that Strangers and Forraigners should read and understand this Title They were afraid lest one time or other it should be cast in their teeth that they had crucified Christ their own proper and lawfull King and therefore they
from Galile stood and diligently beheld these things for they lookt for no such Spectacle but their mind now presaged that after so sad a Tragedie they should see better dayes They stood afar off for fear that the Scripture might be fulfilled Thou hast put away mine Acquaintance far from me lover and friend from my misery Psalm 88. Again He hath put my brethren far from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me Job 19. They stood aloof yet they saw and considered what was done It was a sight worth the seeing to the beholding whereof all the world should have run together But who can express the sorrow and grief of those Holy Women especially of the Virgin-mother when they saw him hang so shamfully on the cross for whom they had done so much and to whom they had ministred not only in Galile but also in Iudaea But they are much to be commended that the fear neither of the Jews nor of the Romans could hinder them from following after Christ and that they would no more forsake him when he was dead then when he was living This is to take good and bad together with ones Friend The Disciples fled but the Womenkind stood it out as being willing to repair and make amends for the wrong done to all mankind in Paradise And because those holy Women did so stoutly stand it out and tarryed to see the end of the holy Passion they were likewise counted worthy to have the first sight of Christ after his Resurrection They were last with Christ when he dyed and first with him when he lived A godly man will learn many good things from those Women c. The Jews therefore John 19.31 because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the Cross on the Sabbath-day for that Sabbath-day was an High day besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away Then came the Souldiers and brake the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his legs But one of the Souldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came thereout blood and water And he that saw it bare Record and his Record is true and he knoweth that he saith true that ye might believe For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled A bone of him shall not be broken And again another Scripture saith They shall look on him whom they pierced We have heard of the death of the Lord Jesus and how it was bewailed by the Women of Galile his burial is yet behind which the Iews indeed attempted but God reserved the solemnity thereof to be performed by holy and good men The day when these things were done was the preparation that is a preparatory day to the following Sabbath which was called the Sabbath of the Passover because it fell out in the Paschal week Whence it was celebrated more honourably then the other Sabbaths And this the Evangelist shews when he saith For that Sabbath day was an High day This was a double Festival both in respect of the Sabbath and also of the Paschal Week which was wholly Festival When this Sabbath drew nigh those bloody men thought it a dishonour if the bodies of the slain should hang before their gates in the view of all men Therefore lest the Devotion and Religious observation of the Feast-day should be clouded with so sad and dolefull a Spectacle they desired by any means that they should be taken down and removed before the Feast began A perverse and preposterous religion indeed it was to intend to celebrate the Feast so holily the entrance whereof they had polluted with so great impiety They would keep the Law and yet had just now killed the Lord of the Law The Law by which they tye themselves to this observation was this The Lord commanding that they that were crucified should be buried the same night Deut. 21. This Law was chiefly given in reference to Christ For the Law written by the Finger of God in respect of him only who was then to be crucified did take care that all that were crucified should be buryed the same night whereas there was no such Law or command concerning others that should suffer a violent death God indeed could have preserved the body of Christ also unburied from shame and violence But so it was expedient for the bodies of the Saints that this body of this dead man should be united to them in the graves that by it they might obtain a Resurrection For as it was meet that the soul of Christ should go down into Hell to deliver the souls of the Fathers so it behooved that his body should reach their bodies that so he might raise them up again and thereby a perfect Resurrection might be hoped for To this Law do these wicked men now pretend And now they begin to think of the religious observation of the Feast as if they had now omitted nothing but had done every thing as it ought to be done Thus Hypocrites look only at the Ceremonies mean while leaving the greater and weightier works of Righteousness undone and think that all will go well with them let them sin never so much so long as they leave out nothing of the Ceremonies So here they are very carefull to observe that Law which was only for civility and humanity but in the mean while swerving from and prevaricating the whole Law Yet who would have said but that those were very holy men Who could have suspected that they would have killed Christ contrary to all Law who were such zealous and devout observers of the Law But thus doth Hypocrisie use to palliate and hide its iniquity But under pretence of this Law and reverence of the Feast they address themselves to Pilate they entreat him that the bodies of those that were put to death might be taken down before the evening that nothing might hinder it and that the Governour would give command to have their bones broken that they might die the sooner This they pretended to Pilate But there was somewhat else did bite them They were afraid lest the people should repent of what they had done and believe in Christ because of the signes that were shewed at his death for then they heard the various judgements and opinions of men concerning Christ by reason of his Miracles Therefore they make Post haste to get him down and bury him out of the way for they were in hopes that he would quickly and totally be forgotten if he were but once removed out of sight and that never any hereafter would upbraid them with the death of so great a man But all in vain their project is to no purpose for they can hide neither Christs Glory nor their own shame But wicked men easily obtain what they desire of a wicked Judge The