close with him whereby the heavenly virtue of Gods spirit cooperating they become saved from those destructive sins which from the Devils serpentine instigations they had incurred Another advantage of this kind of suffering was that by it the nature of that Kingdom which he did intend to erect was evidently signified that it was not such as the carnal people did expect an external earthly temporal kingdom consisting in domination over the bodies and estates of men dignified by outward wealth and splendour managed by worldly power and policy promoted by forcible compulsion and terrour of Arms affording the advantages of safety quiet and prosperity here But a kingdom purely spiritual celestial eternal consisting in the governance of mens hearts and minds adorned with endowments of wisdom and virtue administred by the conduct and grace of Gods Holy Spirit upheld and propagated by meek instruction by virtuous example by hearty devotion and humble patience rewarding its loyal subjects with spiritual joys and consolations now with heavenly rest and bliss hereafter No other kingdom could he presume to design who submitted to this dolorous and disgraceful way of suffering No other exploits could he pretend to atchieve by expiring on a cross No other way could he rule who gave himself to be managed by the will of his adversaries No other benefits would this forlorn case allow him to dispense so that well might he then assert My kingdom is not of this world when he was going in this signal way to demonstrate that important truth It was also a most convenient touch-stone to prove the genuine disposition and worth of men so as to discriminate those wise sober ingenuous sincere generous souls who could discern true goodness through so dark a cloud who could love it though so ill-favouredly disfigured who could embrace and avow it notwithstanding so terrible disadvantages it served I say to distinguish those blessed ones who would not be offended in him or by the scandal of the cross be discouraged from adhering to him from the crew of blind vain perverse haughty people who being scandalized at his adversity would contemn and reject him Another considerable advantage was this that by it Gods special providence was discovered and his glory illustrated in the propagation of the Gospel for how could it be that a person of so low parentage of so mean garb of so poor condition who underwent so lamentable and despicable a kind of death falling under the pride and spite of his enemies so easily should gain so general an opinion in the world even among the best the wisest the greatest persons of being the Lord of life and glory how I say could it happen that such a miracle could be effected without Gods aid and special concurrence That King Herod who from a long reign in flourishing state with prosperous success in his enterprises did attain the name of Great or that Vespasian who triumphantly did ascend the Imperial throne should either of them by a few admirers of worldly vanity seriously be held or in flattery be call'd the Messias is not so strange but that one who was trampled on so miserably and treated as a wretched caitiff should instantly conquer innumerable hearts and from such a depth of extreme adversity should be advanced to the sublimest pitch of glory that the stone which the builders with so much scorn did refuse should become the head stone of the corner this with good assurance we may say was the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Hereby indeed the excellency of divine power and wisdom was much glorified by so impotent so improbable so implausible means accomplishing so great effects subduing the world to obedience of God not by the active valour of an illustrious Hero but through the patient submission of a poor abused and oppressed person restoring mankind to life and happiness by the sorrowful death of a crucified Saviour V. Lastly The consideration of our Lords suffering in this manner is very useful in application to our practice No point is more fruitful of wholsome instruction none is more forcible to kindle devout affections none can afford more efficacious inducements and incentives to a pious life for what virtue will not a serious meditation on the cross be apt to breed and to cherish to what duty will it not engage and excite us 1. Are we not hence infinitely obliged with most humble affection and hearty gratitude to adore each person of the B. Trinity That God the Father should design such a redemption for us not sparing his own Son the Son of his love dear to him as himself but delivering him up for us to be thus dealt with for our sake That God would endure to see his son in so pittiful a condition to hear him groaning under so grievous pressures to let him be so horribly abused and that for us who deserved nothing from him who had demerited so much against him for us who were no friends to him for even when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son who were not any waies commendable for goodness or righteousness for Christ did suffer for sinners the just for the unjust and God commended his love to us that while we were sinful Christ died for us that God thus should love us sending his son to be a propitiation for our sins in so dismal a way of suffering how stupendious is that goodness how vast an obligation doth it lay upon us to reciprocal affection If we do owe all to God as our Maker from whose undeserved bounty we did receive all that we have how much farther do we stand indebted to him as the author of our Redemption from whose ill-deserved mercy we receive a new being and better state and that in a way far more obliging for God created us with a word without more cost or trouble but to redeem us stood him in huge expences and pains no less than the debasing his only son to our frailty the exposing him to more than our misery the withdrawing his face and restraining his bowels from his best beloved If a Jew then were commanded by law if a Gentile were obliged by nature to love God with all his heart and all his soul what affection doth a Christian under the law and duty of Grace owe unto him by what computation can we reckon that debt what faculties have we sufficient to discharge it what finite heart can hold an affection commensurate to such an obligation And how can it otherwise than inflame our heart with love toward the Blessed Son of God our Saviour to consider that merely out of charitable pity toward us he purposely came down from heaven and took our flesh upon him that he might therein undergo those extreme acerbities of pain and those most ugly indignities of shame for us Greater love said he hath no man than this that a man
this circumstance which crosseth the fleshly sense and worldly prejudices of men so as to have rendred the Gospel offensive to the superstitious Jews and despicable to conceited Gentiles for so Tryphon in Justin M. although from conviction by testimonies of Scripture he did admit the Messias was to suffer hardly yet that it should be in this accursed manner he could not digest so the great adversaries of Christianity Celsus Porphyrie Julian did with most contempt urge this exception against it So S. Paul did observe that Christ crucified was unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness wherefore to avoid those scandals and that we may better admire the Wisdom of God in this dispensation it may be fit to assign some reasons intimated in H. Scriptrue or bearing conformity to its Doctrine why it was thus ordered such are these 1. As our Saviour freely did undertake a life of greatest meanness and hardship so upon the like accompts he might be pleased to undergo a death most loathsom and uncomfortable There is nothing to mans nature especially to the best natures in which modesty and ingenuity do survive more abominable than such a death God for good purposes hath planted in our constitution a quick sense of disgrace and of all disgraces that which proceedeth from an imputation of crimes is most pungent and being conscious of our innocence doth heighten the smart and to reflect upon our selves dying under it leaving the World with an indelible stain upon our name and memory is yet more grievous even to languish by degrees enduring the torments of a long however sharp disease would to an honest mind seem more eligible than in this manner being reputed and handled as a villain to find a quick and easie dispatch Of which humane resentment may we not observe a touch in that expostulation Be ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves If as a man he did not like to be prosecuted as a thief yet willingly did he chuse it as he did other most distastful things pertaining to our nature the likeness of man and incident to that low condition the form of a servant into which he did put himself such as were to endure penury and to fare hardly to be slighted envied hated reproached through all his course of Life It is well said by a Pagan Philosopher that no man doth express such a respect and devotion to virtue as doth he who forfeiteth the repute of being a good man that he may not lose the conscience of being such this our Lord willingly made his case being content not only to expose his life but to prostitute his fame for the interests of goodness Had he died otherwise he might have seemed to purchase our welfare at a somewhat easie rate he had not been so complete a sufferer he had not tasted the worst that man is lyable to endure there had been a comfort in seeming innocent detracting from the perfection of his sufferance Whereas therefore he often was in hazard of death both from the clandestine machinations and the outragious violences of those who maligned him he did industriously shun a death so plausible and honourable if I may so speak it being not so disgraceful to fall by private malice or by sudden rage as by the solemn deliberate proceeding of men in publick authority and principal credit Accordingly this kind of death did not fall upon him by surprize or by chance but he did from the beginning fore-see it He plainly with satisfaction did aim at it He as it is related in the Gospels did shew his Disciples that it was incumbent on him by Gods appointment and his own choice that he ought 't is said to suffer many things to be rejected by the chief Priests Elders and Scribes to be vilified by them to be delivered up to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified as a flagitious slave Thus would our B. Saviour in conformity to the rest of his voluntary afflictions and for a consummation of them not only suffer in his body by sore wounds and bruises and in his soul by doleful agonies but in his name also and reputation by the foulest scandals undergoing as well all the infamy as the infirmity which did belong to us or might befall us thus meaning by all means thoroughly to express his charity and exercise his compassion toward us thus advancing his merit and discharging the utmost satisfaction in our behalf 2. Death passing on him as a malefactour by publick sentence did best sute to the nature of his undertaking was most congruous to his intent did most aptly represent what he was doing and imply the reason of his performance for We all are guilty in a most high degree and in a manner very notorious the foulest shame together with the sharpest pain is due to us for affronting our glorious Maker we deserve an open condemnation and exemplary punishment wherefore he undertaking in our stead to bear all and fully to satisfie for us was pleased to undergo the like Judgment and usage being termed being treated as we should have been in quality of an heinous malefactour as we in truth are What we had really acted in dishonouring and usurping upon God in disordering the world in perverting others that was imputed to him and the punishment due to that guilt was inflicted on him All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all he therefore did not only sustain an equivalent pain for us but in a sort did bear an equal blame with us before God and man 3. Seeing by the determinate counsel of God it was appointed that our Lord should die for us and that not in a natural but violent way so as perfectly to satisfie Gods justice to vindicate his honour to evidence both his indignation against sin and willingness to be appeased it was most fit that affair should be transacted in a way wherein Gods right is most nearly concerned and his providence most plainly discernible wherein it should be most apparent that God did exact and inflict the punishment that our Lord did freely yield to it and submissively undergo it upon those very accompts All judgment as Moses of old did say is Gods or is administred by authority derived from him in his name for his interest all Magistrates being his Officers and instruments whereby he governeth and ordereth the world his natural Kingdom whence that which is acted in way of formal judgement by persons in authority God himself may be deemed in a more special and immediate manner to execute it as being done by his commission in his stead on his behalf with his peculiar superintendance It was therefore in our Lord a signal act of deference to Gods authority and justice becoming the person sustained by him of our Mediatour and
to himself lying on his shoulders he should feel it heavy or seem to crouch and groan under it that in the mystical Psalm applied by the Apostle to him he should cry out Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head and my heart faileth me The sight of Gods indignation so dreadfully flaming out against sin might well astonish and terrifie him To stand as it were before the mouth of hell belching fire and brimstone in his face to lye down in the hottest furnace of divine vengeance to quench with his own heart-blood the wrath of heaven and the infernal fire as he did in regard to those who will not re-kindle them to themselves might well in the heart of a man beget unconceivable and unexpressible pressures of affliction When such a Father so infinitely good and kind to him whom he so dearly and perfectly loved did hide his face from him did frown on him how could he otherwise than be mightily troubled Is it strange that so hearty a love so tender a pity contemplating our sinfulness and experimenting our wretchedness should be deeply touched To see I say so plainly to feel so thoroughly the horrible blindness the folly the infidelity the imbecillity the ingratitude the incorrigibility the strange perverseness perfidiousness malice and cruelty of mankind in so many instances in the treason of Judas in the denial of Peter in the desertion of all the Apostles in the spite and rage of the persecutors in the falshood of the witnesses in the abuses of the people in the compliance of Pilate in a general conspiracy of friends and foes to sin all these surrounding him all invading him all discharging themselves upon him would it not astone a mind so pure would it not wound a heart so tender and full of charity Surely any of those persons who fondly do pretend unto or vainly do glory in a sullen apathy or a stubborn contempt of the evils incident to our nature and state would in such a case have been utterly dejected The most resolved Philosopher would have been dashed into confusion at the sight would have been crushed into desperation under the sense of those evils which did assault Him With the greatness of the causes the goodness of his constitution did conspire to encrease his sufferings for surely as his complexion was most pure and delicate his spirit most vivid and apprehensive his affections most pliant and tractable so accordingly would the impressions upon him be most sensible and consequently the pains which he felt in body or soul most afflictive That we in like cases are not alike moved that we do not tremble at the apprehensions of Gods displeasure that we are not affrighted with the sense of our sins that we do not with sad horrour resent our danger and our misery doth arise from that we have very glimmering and faint conceptions of those matters or that they do not in so clear and lively a manner strike our fancy not appearing in their true nature and proper shape so heinous and so hideous as they really are in themselves and in their consequences or because we have but weak perswasions about them or because we do but slightly consider them or from that our hearts are very hard and callous our affections very cold and dull so that nothing of this nature nothing beside gross material affairs can mollifie or melt them Or for that we have in us small love to God and a slender regard to our own welfare in fine for that in spiritual matters we are neither so wise so sober so serious nor so good or ingenuous in any reasonable measure as we should be But our Saviour in all those respects was otherwise disposed He most evidently discerned the wrath of God the grievousness of sin the wretchedness of man most truly most fully most strongly represented to his mind He most firmly believed yea most certainly knew whatever Gods law had declared about them He did exactly consider and weigh them His heart was most soft and sensible his affections were most quick and excitable by their due objects He was full of dutiful love to God and most ardently desirous of our good bearing a more than fraternal good will towards us whence 't is not so marvellous that as a man as a transcendently wise and good man he was so vehemently affected by those occurrences that his imagination was so troubled and his passions so stirred by them so that he thence did suffer in a manner and to a degree unconceivable according to that ejaculation in the Greek Liturgies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By thy unknown sufferings O Christ have mercy on us But farther IV. We may consider that this way of suffering had in it some particular advantages conducing to the accomplishment of our Lords principal designs It s being very notorious and lasting a competent time were good advantages for if he had been privately made away or suddenly dispatched no such great notice would have been taken of it nor would the matter of fact have been so fully proved to the confirmation of our faith and conviction of infidelity Nor had that his excellent deportment under such bitter affliction his most divine patience meekness and charity so illustriously shone forth Wherefore to prevent all exceptions and excuses of unbelief together with other collateral good purposes divine providence did so manage the business that as the course of his life so also the manner of his death should be most conspicuously remarkable I spake freely to the world and in secret have I done nothing said he of himself and These things said S. Paul to King Agrippa were not done in a corner such were the proceedings of his life not close or clancular but frank and open not presently hushed up but leisurely carried on in the face of the world that men might have the advantage to observe and examine them And as he lived so he dyed most publickly and visibly the world being witness of his death and so prepared to believe his resurrection and thence disposed to embrace his doctrine according to what he did foretell I being lifted up from the earth shall draw all men to me for he drew all men by so obvious a death to take notice of it he drew all well-disposed persons from the wondrous consequences of it to believe on him And as said he again Moses did exalt the serpent in the wilderness so must the son of man be exalted As the elevation of that mysterious serpent did render it visible and did attract the eyes of people toward it whereby Gods power invisibly accompanying that Sacramental performance they were cured of those mortiferous stings which they had received so our Lord being mounted on the Cross allured the eyes of men to behold him and their hearts to
he subjoyneth Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God c. 11. But farthermore What can be more operative than this point toward breeding a disregard of this world with all its deceitful vanities and mischievous delights toward reconciling our minds to the worst condition into which it can bring us toward supporting our hearts under the heaviest pressures of affliction which it can lay upon us for can we reasonably expect can we eagerly affect can we ardently desire great prosperity whenas the Son of God our Lord and Master did only taste such adversity How can we refuse in submission to Gods pleasure contentedly to bear a slight grievance whenas our Saviour gladly did bear a cross infinitely more distasteful to carnal will and sense than any that can befall us Who now can admire those splendid trifles which our Lord never did regard in his life and which at his death only did serve to mock and abuse him Who can relish those sordid pleasures of which he living did not vouchsafe to taste and the contraries whereof he dying chose to feel in all extremity Who can disdain or despise a state of sorrow and disgrace which he by voluntary susception of it hath so dignified and graced by which we so near resemble and become conformable to him by which we concur and partake with him yea by which in some cases we may promote and after a sort complete his designs filling up as St. Paul speaketh that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh Who now can hugely prefer being esteemed approved favoured commended by men before infamy reproach derision and persecution from them especially when these do follow conscientious adherence to righteousness Who can be very ambitious of worldly honour or repute covetous of wealth or greedy of pleasure who doth observe the Son of God chusing rather to hang upon a cross than to sit upon a throne inviting the clamours of scorn and spite rather than acclamations of blessing and praise devesting himself of all secular power pomp plenty conveniencies and solaces embracing the garb of a slave and the repute of a malefactour before the dignity and respect of a Prince which were his due which he most easily could have obtained Can we imagine it a very happy thing to be high and prosperous in this world to swim in affluence and pleasure Can we take it for a misery to be mean and low to conflict with some wants and streights here seeing the fountain of all happiness did himself purposely condescend to so forlorn a state and was pleased to become so deep a sufferer If with devout eyes of our mind we do behold our Lord hanging naked upon a gibbet besmeared all over with streams of his own bloud groaning under smart anguish of pain encompassed with all sorts of disgraceful abuses yielding as it was foretold of him his back to the smiters and his cheeks to them who plucked off the hair hiding not his face from shame and spitting will not the imagination of such a spectacle dim the lustre of all earthly grandeurs and beauties damp the sense of all carnal delights and satisfactions quash all that extravagant glee which we can find in any wild frolicks or riotous merriments will it not stain all our pride and check our wantonness will it not dispose our minds to be sober placing our happiness in things of another nature seeking our content in matters of higher importance preferring obedience to the will of God before complyance with the fancies and desires of men according to that precept of S Peter For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind so as no longer to live the remaining time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 12. This indeed will instruct and incline us cheerfully to submit unto Gods will and gladly to accept from his hand whatever he disposeth however grievous and afflictive to our natural will this point suggesting great commendation of afflictions and strong consolation under them For if such hardship was to our Lord himself a school of duty he as the Apostle saith learning obedience from what he suffered if it was to him a fit mean of perfection as the Apostle doth again imply when he saith that it became God to perfect the captain of our salvation by suffering If it was an attractive of the divine favour even to him as those words import Therefore the Father loveth me because I lay down my life If it was to him a step toward glory according to that saying Was not Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory Yea if it was a ground of conferring on him a sublime pitch of dignity above all creatures God for this obedience having exalted him and given him a name above all names We seeing Jesus for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour the heavenly society in the Revelations with one voice crying out Worthy is the Lamb that was slain who redeemed us to God by his bloud to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing If affliction did minister such advantages to him and if by our conformity to him in undergoing it with like equanimity humility and patience it may afford the like to us what reason is there that we should any wise be discomposed at it or disconsolate under it much greater reason surely there is that with S. Paul and all the Holy Apostles we should rejoyce boast and exult in our tribulations far more cause we have with them to esteem it a favour a priviledge an ornament a felicity to us than to be displeased and discontented therewith To do thus is a duty incumbent on us as Christians for He saith our Master that doth not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me He that doth not carry his cross and go after me cannot be my disciple He that doth not willingly take the cross when it is presented to him by Gods hand he that doth not contentedly bear it when it is by providence imposed on him is no wise worthy of the honour to wait on Christ he is not capable to be reckoned among the disciples of our heavenly Master He is not worthy of Christ as not having the courage the constancy the sincerity of a Christian or of one pretending to such great benefits such high priviledges such excellent rewards as Christ our Lord and Saviour doth propose He cannot be Christs disciple shewing such an incapacity to learn those needful lessons of humility and patience dictated by him declaring such an indisposition to transcribe those Copies of submission to the divine will self-denial and self-resignation so fairly set him by the instruction and example of Christ for Christ
saith S. Peter suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 13. The willing susception and the cheerful sustenance of the cross is indeed the express condition and the peculiar character of our Christianity in signification whereof it hath been from most ancient times a constant usage to mark those who enter into it with the figure of it The cross as the Instrument by which our peace with God was wrought as the stage whereon our Lord did act the last part of his marvellous obedience consummating our redemption as the field wherein the Captain of our Salvation did atchieve his noble victories and erect his glorious trophees over all the enemies thereof was well assumed to be the badge of our profession the ensign of our spiritual warfare the pledge of our constant adherence to our crucified Saviour in relation to whom our chief hope is grounded our great joy and sole glory doth consist for God forbid saith S. Paul that I should glory save in the cross of Christ. 14. Let it be to the Jews a scandal or offensive to their fancy prepossessed with expectations of a Messias flourishing in secular pomp and prosperity let it be folly to the Greeks or seem absurd to men puff'd up and corrupted in mind with fleshly notions and maximes of worldly craft disposing them to value nothing which is not grateful to present sense or fancy that God should put his own most beloved Son into so very sad and despicable a condition that salvation from death and misery should be procured by so miserable a death that eternal joy glory and happiness should issue from these fountains of sorrow and shame that a person in external semblance devoted to so opprobrious usage should be the Lord and Redeemer of mankind the King and Judge of all the world Let I say this doctrine be scandalous and distastful to some persons tainted with prejudice let it be strange and incredible to others blinded with self-conceit let all the inconsiderate all the proud all the profane part of mankind openly with their mouth or closely in heart slight and reject it yet to us it must appear grateful and joyous to us it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful and most credible proposition worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners in this way of suffering for them To us who discern by a clearer light and are endowed with a purer sense kindled by the divine spirit from whence we may with comfortable satisfaction of mind apprehend and taste that God could not in a higher measure or fitter manner illustrate his glorious attributes of goodness and Justice his infinite grace and mercy toward his poor creatures his holy displeasure against wickedness his impartial severity in punishing iniquity and impiety or in vindicating his own sacred honour and authority than by thus ordering his onely Son cloathed with our nature to suffer for us that also true virtue and goodness could not otherwise be taught be exemplified be commended and impressed with greater advantage Since thereby indeed a charity and humanity so unparallel'd far transcending theirs who have been celebrated for devoting their lives out of love to their country or kindness to their friends a meekness so incomparable a resolution so invincible a patience so heroical were manifested for the instruction and direction of men Since never were the vices and the vanities of the world so prejudicial to the welfare of mankind so remarkably discountenanced Since never any suffering could pretend to so worthy and beneficial effects the expiation of the whole worlds sins and reconciliation of mankind to God the which no other performance no other sacrifice did ever aim to procure since in fine no virtue had ever so glorious rewards as sovereign dignity to him that exercised it and eternal happiness to those who imitate it Since I say there be such excellent uses and fruits of the Cross born by our Saviour we can have no reason to be offended at it or ashamed of it but with all reason heartily should approve and humbly adore the deep wisdom of God together with all other his glorious attributes displayed therein to whom therefore as is most due let us devoutly render all glory and praise And Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his bloud and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen FINIS Cyril c. Jul. 8. p. 278. 9. p. 303. Joh. 3.36 Col. 3.6 Iren. 3.33 34. â—s 26.13 Iren. 3.8 Gen. 4.7 Gen. 2.17 Iren. 5.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.19 Rom. 3.9 Ro. 5.16 18. Gal. 3.10 Rom. 11.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.22 Rom. 3.23 Rom. 5.22 Rom. 6.12 14.20 22. Rom. 7.18 5. Rom. 7.23 Rom. 6.6 Col. 3.9 Eph. 4.22 Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.18 Col. 1.21 Rom. 5.10 Eph. 2.5 Rom. 6.13 11. Ps. 143.2 Exod. 34.7 Ezik. 16.6 Eph. 1.4 9 11 3.11 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.20 Rev. 13.8 Rom. 16.25 Tit. 2.2 Athan. de Iâ—carn Gen. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9.12 Heb. 7.26 Psal. 49.7 Isa. 43 11.45.21 Hos. 13 4. Is. 59 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX Eph. 1.8 Luc. 1.78 Eph. 1.5 Tit. 3.4 Rom. 5. Gal. 4.4 Joh. 6.38 Heb. 10.7 Job 1.4 Heb. 5 2.4 15. Eph. 1.6 Conslit Apost 8.12 1 Tim. 2.6 Tit. 2.14 Heb. 9 15.2 9. Col. 1 22. 1 Tim. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is. 53.12 2 Cor. 5.21 Joh. 5 18 1â— 30.7 12. Mat. 26 61.27 40. Luc. 23.2 Mat. 27.63 Const. Apo. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 18.30 Cur si Deus fuit mori voluit non saltem honesto aliquo mortis genere affectus est c. Lact. 4.26 Just. M. Hal. p. 317. Orig. c. câ—ls 2. p. 83.7 p. 368. Aug. de Civ D. 10.28 Cyril c. Jul. 6. p. 194. * 1 Cor. 1.23 Luc. 22 52. Matt. 26.55 Nemo mihi videtur pluris aestimare virtutem nemo illi magis esse devotus quà m qui boni viri famam perdidit nè conscientiam perderet Sen. Ep. 81. Joh. 5.18.8.37 40 59.7.1 19 25.10.32 38. Joh. 6.64 Matt. 16.21 Luc. 9.22 Marc. 6.12 Isa. 53.6 Act. 2.23 Deut. 1.17 Joh. 19.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 18.37 1 Tim. 6.13 Magnum exemplum nisi mala fortuna non invenit Sen. de Prov. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. de Rep. 2. Cap. 594. Cicuta magnum Socratem fecit Sen. Ep. 13. Calix venenatus qni Socratem transtulit è carcere in coelum Sen. Ep. 67. Aequalis suit in tanta inaequalitate fortunae c. Sen. Ep. 104. Rutilii innocentia ac virtus lateret nisi accepisset injuriam dum violatur effulsit Sen. Ep. 79. Sen. de Provid 2
Davies Mayor Martis xxiiij die Aprilis 1677 Annoque Regis Caroli Secundi Angliae c. vicesimo nono THis Court doth earnestly desire Dr. Barrow to Print his Sermon Preached at the Guild-Hall Chappel on Good Friday last before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this City Wagstaffe A SERMON UPON THE PASSION OF OUR Blessed Saviour PREACHED At Guild-Hall Chappel on Good Friday the 13th day of April 1677. By ISAAC BARROW D.D. late Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty and Master of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge Sacramentum salutis humanae non licet tacere etiamsi nequeat explicari P. Leo I. Serm. de Pass 7. LONDON Printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the Sign of the three Pidgeons in Cornhill over against the Royal Exchange MDCLXXVII A SERMON UPON THE Passion of our Blessed Saviour Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross WHen in consequence of the original apostacy from God which did banish us from Paradise and by continued rebellions against him inevitable to our corrupt and impotent nature mankind had forfeited the amity of God the chief of all goods the fountain of all happiness and had incurred his displeasure the greatest of all evils the foundation of all misery When poor man having deserted his natural Lord and Protector other Lords had got dominion over him so that he was captivated by the foul malicious cruel Spirits and enslaved to his own vain mind to vile lusts to wild passions When according to an eternal rule of justice that sin deserveth punishment and by an express Law wherein death was enacted to the transgressors of Gods command the root of our stock and consequentially all its branches stood adjudged to utter destruction When according to St. Paul's expressions all the World was become guilty before God or subjected to Gods Judgment all men Jews and Gentiles were under sin under condemnation under the curse all men were concluded into disobedience and shut up together as close Prisoners under sin all men had sinned and come short of the glory of God Death had passed over all because all had sinned When for us being plunged into so wretched a condition no visible remedy did appear no possible redress could be obtained here below for what means could we have of recovering Gods favour who were apt perpetually to contract new debts and guilts but not able to discharge any old scores what capacity of mind or will had we to entertain mercy who were no less stubbornly perverse and obdurate in our crimes than ignorant or infirm How could we be reconciled unto Heaven who had an innate antipathy to God and goodness sin according to our natural state and secluding evangelical grace reigning in our mortal bodies no good thing dwelling in us there being a predominant law in our members warring against the law of our mind and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin a main ingredient of our old man being a carnal mind which is enmity to God and cannot submit to his law we being alienated from the life of God by the blindness of our hearts and enemies in our minds by wicked works How could we revive to any good hope who were dead in trespasses and sins God having withdrawn his quickning Spirit How at least could we for one moment stand upright in Gods sight upon the natural terms excluding all sin and exacting perfect obedience When this I say was our forlorn and desperate case then almighty God out of his infinite goodness was pleased to look upon us as he sometime did upon Jerusalem lying polluted in her blood with an eye of pity and mercy so as graciously to design a redemption for us out of all that woful distress And no sooner by his incomprehensible wisdom did he fore-see we should lose our selves than by his immense grace he did conclude to restore us But how could this happy design well be compassed how in consistence with the glory with the justice with the truth of God could such enemies be reconciled such offenders be pardoned such wretches be saved Would the omnipotent Majesty so affronted design to treat with his rebels immediately without an intercessour or advocate Would the sovereign governour of the world suffer thus notoriously his right to be violated his authority to be slighted his honour to be trampled on without some notable vindication or satisfaction Would the great Patron of justice relax the terms of it or ever permit a gross breach thereof to pass with impunity Would the immutable God of truth expose his veracity or his constancy to suspicion by so reversing that peremptory sentence of death upon sinners that it should not in a sort eminently be accomplished Would the most righteous and most holy God let slip an opportunity so advantageous for demonstrating his perfect love of innocence and abhorrence of iniquity Could we therefore well be cleared from our guilt without an expiation or re-instated in freedom without a ransome or exempted from condemnation without some punishment No God was so pleased to prosecute his designs of goodness and mercy as thereby no wise to impair or obscure but rather to advance and illustrate the glories of his sovereign dignity of his severe justice of his immaculate holiness of his unchangeable steddiness in word and purpose He accordingly would be sued to for peace and mercy nor would he grant them absolutely without due compensations for the wrongs he had sustained yet so that his goodness did find us a mediatour and furnish us with means to satisfie him He would not condescend to a simple remission of our debts yet so that saving his right and honour he did stoop lower for an effectual abolition of them He would make good his word not to let our trespasses go unpunished yet so that by our punishment we might receive advantage He would manifest his detestation of wickedness in a way more illustrious than if he had persecuted it down to Hell and irreversibly doomed it to endless torment But how might these things be effected where was there a mediatour proper and worthy to intercede for us Who could presume to sollicit and plead in our behalf Who should dare to put himself between God and us or offer to skreen mankind from the Divine wrath and vengeance Who had so great an interest in the Court of Heaven as to ingratiate such a brood of apostate enemies thereto Who could assume the confidence to propose terms of reconciliation or to agitate a new covenant wherewith God might be satisfied and whereby we might be saved Where in heaven or earth could there be found a Priest sit to atone for sins so vastly numerous so extremely hoinous And whence should a sacrifice be taken of value sufficient to expiate for so manifold enormities committed against the infinite Majesty of Heaven
cryed out Crucifige Crucify him crucify him with clamours more loud and more importunate than did all the Jewish rabble it was they which by the borrowed throats of that base people did so outragiously persecute him He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities it was they which by the hands of the fierce souldiers and of the rude populacy as by senseless engines did buffet and scourge him they by the nails and thorns did pierce his flesh and rend his Sacred body upon them therefore it is most just and fit that we should turn our hatred that we should discharge our indignation 7. And what in reason can be more powerful toward working penitential sorrow and remorse than reflection upon such horrible effects proceeding from our sins how can we forbear earnestly to grieve considering our selves by them to have been the perfidious betrayers the unjust slanderers the cruel persecutors and barbarous murtherers of a person so innocent and lovely so good and benign so great and glorious of Gods own dear Son of our best Friend of our most gracious Redeemer 8. If ingenuity will not operate so far and hereby melt us into contrition yet surely this consideration must needs affect us with a religious fear for can we otherwise than tremble to think upon the heinous guilt of our sins upon the dreadful fierceness of Gods wrath against them upon the impartial severity of divine judgment for them all so manifestly discovered all so livelily set forth in this dismal spectacle If the view of an ordinary execution is apt to beget in us some terrour some dread of the law some reverence toward authority what awful impressions should this singular example of divine justice work upon us How greatly we should be moved thereby what affections it should raise in us we may even learn from the most inanimate creatures for the whole world did seem affected thereat vvith horrour and confusion the frame of things vvas discomposed and disturbed all nature did feel a kind of compassion and compunction for it The Sun as from aversion and shame did hide his face leaving the vvorld covered for three hours vvith mournful blackness the bowels of the earth did yern and quake the rocks did split the veil of the Temple was rent the graves did open themselves and the dead bodies were roused up And can we then who are the most concerned in the event be more stupid than the earth more obdurate than rocks more drowsie than interr'd carcases the most insensible and immoveable things in nature But farther 9. How can the meditation on this event do otherwise than hugely deterr us from all wilful disobedience and commission of sin for how thereby can we violate such engagements and thwart such an example of obedience how thereby can we abuse so wonderful goodness and disoblige so transcendent charity how thereby can we reject that gentle dominion over us which our Redeemer did so dearly purchase or renounce the Lord that bought us at so high a rate with what heart can we bring up on the stage and act over that direful tragedy renewing all that pain and all that disgrace to our Saviour as the Apostle teacheth that we do by Apostacy crucifying to our selves the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame Can we without horrour tread under foot the son of God and count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing as the same divine Apostle saith all wilful transgressors do vilifying that most sacred and pretious bloud so freely shed for the demonstration of Gods mercy and ratification of his gracious intentions toward us as a thing of no speci_al worth or consideration despising all his so kind and painful endeavours for our salvation defeating his most charitable purposes and earnest desires for our welfare rendring all his so bitter and loathsome sufferings in regard to us utterly vain and fruitless yea indeed very hurtful and pernicious for if the cross doe not save us from our sins it will much aggravate their guilt and augment their punishment bringing a severer condemnation and a sadder ruine on us Again 10. This consideration affordeth very strong engagements to the practice of charity towards our neighbour For what heart can be so hard that the bloud of the cross cannot mollisie into a charitable and compassionate sense can we forbear to love those toward whom our Saviour did bear so tender affection for whom he was pleased to sustain so woful tortures and indignities Shall we not in obedience to his most urgent commands in conformity to his most notable example in grateful return to him for his benefits who thus did gladly suffer for us discharge this most sweet and easie duty towards his beloved friends Shall we not be willing by parting with a little superfluous stuff for the relief of our poor brother to requite and gratifie him who to succour us in our distress most bountifully did part with his wealth with his glory with his pleasure with his life it self Shall we not meekly comport with an infirmity not bear a petty neglect not forgive a small injury to our brother whenas our Lord did for us and from us bear a cross to procure remission for our innumerable most heinous affronts and offences against Almighty God Can a heart void of mercy and pity with any reason or modesty pretend to the mercies and compassions of the cross Can we hope that God for Christs sake will pardon us if we for Christs sake will not forgive our neighbour Can we hear our Lord saying to us This is my command that ye love one another as I have loved you and Hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another Can we hear S. Paul exhorting Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour and We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak for even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me Can we attend to S. John's arguing Beloved if God so loved us then ought we also to love one another Hereby we perceive the love of God because he laid down his life for us wherefore we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren Can we I say consider such precepts and such discourses without effectually being disposed to comply with them for the sake of our crucified Saviour all whose life was nothing else but one continual recommendation and enforcement of this duty but his death especially was a pattern most obliging most incentive thereto This use of the point is the more to be regarded because the Apostle doth apply it hereto our text coming in upon that occasion for having pathetically exhorted the Philippians to all kinds of charity and humble condescension