a greater and more inevitable cause of mans destruction to God irresistibly subjecting him thereunto then to the Devil who can but tempt and entice him to sin having no power at first to force him to commit it Again 45. Some of you suspect me to be an Arminian that I hold Free-will and a power in man to do good And this ye think is a departing from the Faith a denying of Principles a contradiction to what I wrote against Baker a forsaking my first Love which hath made you decline my Ministry I have waited now about two years to give you satisfaction and have solicited a private Discourse but could never yet obtain it Surely that opinion is much to be suspected that is unwilling to come to trial John 3.20 But I shall not now insist much on these things The Points in question have been and are in debate already between godly and learned men from whom you may expect further satisfaction All that I have to say if only this i. e. 46. Josh 22. When Joshua had sent the Reubenites the Gadites and the half Tribe of Manasseh unto their possession which Moses had appointed them in the promised Land their lot fell on the other side of Jordan and thither they go The rest of Israel stay on this side Jordan Shortly after the devout Reubenites c. build an Altar of which the Israelites have quick intelligence and grow jealous They conclude them Rebels without further examination they arm themselves against their brethren and resolves to deal with them as with Idolaters How easie is it for good men of the same Religion to mistake one anothers intention But when the Reubenites had given an account to the Ambassadors of Israel wherefore they erected that Altar and that tho reason and end thereof was not to divide from their brethren but to preserve a Vnion with them not to separate to other Gods but to preserve an interest with their brethren on this side the River in the worship of the true God unto posterity when their intention was cleared all thoughts of Hostility were laid aside and a brotherly league and amity joyfully confirmed So my friends I hope it shall be between us 47. I know ye are zealous for God and the glory of his Truth ye are jealous of the Blood of Christ and the Grace of the Gospel lest it should be undervalued ye suspect every notion that seems to detract from the Honour of it T is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing Concerning the things for which ye have me in suspition I was alwayes ready and often offered to give you a reason of my Faith according to the Scriptures 48. And whereas ye impute a contradiction in my present judgement to what I formerly declared in my book against Baker in reference to the state of man both before and after his fall I suppose ye will not find my faith or opinion in that point to be changed but improved For I still affirm it as my belief That Adam even in his innocency and much less any man since his Delinquency had no wisdom power righteousness ability holiness or any manner of good whatsoever of or from himself Iam. 1.17 but what he received originally from God and 1 Cor. 15. that he was of the earth earthy from the beginning Nor is there any now 2 Cor. 3.5 sufficient to think so much as a good thought as of himself but by that sufficiency which is of God 49. Yet I say not that the first Adam was at first made a corrupt or sinful earthy man but rather that he was of so pure a mould that although he was not constituted in or of an Heavenly Nature yet be was created in such a capacity that he might have improved that earthy state unto an Heavenly if he had taken of the Tree of Life which he might have done with free leave and licence and not tasted of the Tree of Knowledge of which he was strictly commanded not to eat Gen. 2.16,17 This Adam in his primitiue state was a pure clean unpolluted earth and the Law of God which is of an undefiled Nature circled it about like the incorruptible Heavens To this innocent state we hope to be reduced and confirmed in with an addition of Heavenly glory by Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 who will change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body of our Humility or our humble body Phil. 3.21 For in and by Christare all things renewed Isa 43.19 Rev. 21.5 God will give a new heart Eze. 36.26 there is the new earth I will put my Law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts Ier. 31.33 there is the new Heaven this was promised Isa 65.17 chap. 66.22 So that according to his promise we look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet 3.13 50. And therefore also do I not deny but that man even after his fall had sufficient succour and supply sent him from God in the incorporate inspoken or as I may so say the incarnate Word whereby he might and still may if he will convert and turn himself to God Gen. 3.15 Verse 8. Nor was God slack concerning the promise of the Seed but hastily pursued man with it and overtook him in the cool of the day not suffering the Sun to go down upon his wrath 51. T is true God first examined the matter of fact and shewed his justice displeasure and indignation against sin in sentencing Adam to death and casting him under the curse thus he was a God that forgave him yet he took vengeance of his inventions Psalm 99.8 And as Adam was to pass under the curse and death before he received the Promise and as our Fathers died according to the Faith Heb. 11.13 before they saw the personal appearance of Christ so must we first die unto sin and live unto Righteousness before we can see or enter into the Kingdom of God John 3. Rom. 6. If we live after the flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit of God do mortifie the flesh we shall live Rom. 8.13 Heb. 4.1 Let us therefare fear lest a promise being left of entering into his Rest any of us should seem to come short of it 52. In wrath he remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 Now I say when God had thus strictly and narrowly sifted out the business and had executed his Justice according to the mans demerit he presently runs after him with a Promise in his hand to comfort and recover his creature which he had cast down as if he thought it long before he shewed himself a God of mercy pardoning iniquity Exod. 34.6,7 His bowels seemed to be troubled ever since he spake against him Thus he that had torn did heal he that had smitten did bind up again Jer. 31.20 Hos 6.1,2 This is He that will revive us after we have lain one day dead in sin and another
is not made for it self but to strengthen them that eat it so Christ hath not these good things for himself alone but imparteth them to us also But after what manner How can we partake of the life and righteousness of Christ seeing we have no righteousness or life in us Answ By feeding upon him Then we find the vertue of bread when it is incorporated in us Then thou perceivest what vertue and good there is in Christ when thou receivest Christ into thy self 1. Now Christ is offered two manner of wayes unto us in the Word and in the Sacrament So also do we eat his body two wayes Spiritually and Sacramentally Of the spiritual eating he saith thus he that cometh to me shall not hunger and he that believeth in me shall not thirst From which words it is clear that to eat Christs body spiritually is to believe with the heart that Christ was made man and took our sins upon himself that he shed his blood for us and conquered hell and that he reconciled us unto God He that believeth this doth as is it were snatch Christ by faith and throw him into himself and is become one body with him whereby it cometh to pass that he doth not hunger in sin for he hath the righteousness of Christ he doth not hunger in death for he hath the life of Christ nor in malediction for he hath the benediction of Christ nor in afflictions because he seeth his deliverance by Christ This spiritual eating is necessary to all for none can be saved without it If we partake not of the Righteousness and Life of Christ what do we but abide in our sins and death Therefore Christ himself saith John 6. Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you He doth not speak here of the Sacrament for all are not damned that do not receive the Sacrament but he speaks of the spiritual eating by faith Heb 11. without which no man can please God After this manner the Fathers of the old Testament also did eat the body of Christ for Christ was offered to them too by Word and Promises Without this spiritual eating the Sacrament is nothing available nay it doth hurt and condemn because it is received unworthily 2. Here then you see that Christ is not offered unto us only in the Word but also in the Sacrament to this end even to put us in mind of the Promises by this outward sign and that we should be assured by this corporal eating that Christ with all that he hath was truly given to us For he that gave his very body what else will he deny We may now see that this exteâ—nal eating was not instituted in vain as some ungodly and unthankful men prate What need was there say they of an outward sign when it is faith that taketh all the good things of Christ to it self And who art thou wretched man that darest reprove God in his what he doth as if he had not ordained all things wisely I might also reason after that manner what need was there for Christ to take our flesh and suffer And what need is there of preaching the Gospel God could have restored man by his Word only as he did create him only by his Word Is therefore the Incarnation Passion and Gospel of Christ to no purpose See how unthankfull we are But God was willing to communicate his good things to us many wayes yea his own Son to wit by his Incarnation by the Word and Sacrament And who art thou unthankful man that durst question why he would do so and what need there was of it Thou shouldest rather exceedingly rejoyce that God would be pleased to impart his good things to thee which way soever he did bestow them This is one of Satans old tricks Gen. 3. whereby he cheated Eve Why saith he did God command that you should not eat of this tree Gen. 12. To what purpose what need was there for it And this way he seeks to deceive us Gen 22. Abraham did not reason so what need have I to leave my own Country Thou mayest do me good where I am Again To what end should I offer my Son He said no such thing but presently obeyed The Nature of faith is to shut the eyes of reason and to go blindfold after the naked Word of God So should we do in this case But hear what Christ saith further This saith he is my Body Here you have the other and more principal part of the Sacrament to wit the Word of God The visible Bread is one part the Word of Christ is the other Every Sacrament is made up of these two that is the outward Sign and the Word of God which must not be separated one from the other The Word was added to the Element and so became a Sacrament The bread is seen the Word of Christ is heard Which of these is of most credit the sight The Truth of Christs Body or hearing surely the hearing for he that speaks is God Therefore all the vertue of the Sacraments is from the Word of God When the Word cometh to the Bread it is no more what it was before but somewhat else far more excellent by reason of the Word of God added to it For the Word of God is of that efficacy that it can do all things which is most clearly manifest both from the first creation of all things as also from those Miracles which wrought by the Word of God For concerning both Psal 148.5 he spake the word and they were made yea the Word of God is God It is the Wisdom and Power of God Rom. 1. John 1. 1 Cor. 1. When God therefore by his Word joyneth his Vertue Power and Name to the outward thing who doubteth but that some new and great thing is thereby wrought How then durst any be so bold to say that there is nothing but bare bread in this Sacrament after the words of Consecration are uttered Is the Word of God which is so powerfull in every thing else of no force in this Sacrament 1. These words then This is my Body do prove the truth of Christs body in the Sacrament So that we are most highly to esteem the words of God Nor can there be any trope or figure in them For first nothing can more absolutely be spoken if all the tongues in the world should speak together 2. Besides there is not one of the Evangelists no nor Paul himself who was a most sincere Preacher of the Gospel that ever hinted the least letter of a trope in these words 3. Lastly There is no just reason can be alledged why these words should be otherwise understood We must therefore keep to these words as to the most undoubted and safe sayings of God himself which do not deceive nor suffer to be deceived He that addeth to these words
to strengthen him Luke saith That he was in an Agony that is he was as it were contending with death What man what tongue what understanding is able to comprehend fully this Agony I say not to express it We see with what great perplexity dying men struggle in whom their senses are almost dead already how much more anguish then was there in the heart of Christ whose senses were yet most lively who clearly perceived all the horrour of death and was perfectly sensible thereof O how hard sharp and bitter was it to the humanity in Christ What strugling what strife what horrour Lastly What and how full of Anguish was this perruption If thou doubt it consider the bloody sweat on every side flowing from his sacred body Where didst thou ever see the like When didst thou ever hear the like This greatest and most violent Agony squeezed out this sweat And if thou dost mind it well they were our sins that prest out this unusual sweat from the Lord Jesus All our sins were hanged about his neck and laid upon his shoulders Satan endeavoured with all his might utterly to overthrow both him and his kingdom Death would not die yet of necessity it must come to it One only Christ alone was to combate with all these evils and as another yea the true Hercules he was to shake off these most heinous and pestilent mischiefs from our necks Nor could any other do this but he Therefore by how much the greater these evils were so much the more pains was there required to overcome them Yea seeing they were the greatest evils there was need of the greatest labour This Luke signifieth when he saith He was in an Agony and did sweat blood Now that Agony of Christ signifieth nothing else Agon vel Agonia but the fear and dread of our Conscience before the face or presence of Gods Judgement For indeed when the time of Judgement is at hand the soul is toucht with the conscience of evil which being touched the whole soul begins to tremble the whole begins to perish when it is set single and alone before the eternal and wrathfull Tribunal of God Of which trembling Job speaketh Job 9. If he will contend who shall answer him This Trembling is also set forth and described in the Evengelical Banquet Job 9. Mat. 22. where he that had not the wedding Garment was struck speechless when the Lord ask'd him for it Sometimes the Saints are supprized with this Trembling as appears in Job Hence it is that David saith Psalm 6. Psalm 38.3 O Lord rebuke me not in thy anger c. for there is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger Thus Hezechiah I said In the cutting off of my dayes in dimidio dierum I shall go to the gates of the grave c. ad portas inferi vulg lat Therefore that we should not for ever be opprest with this Trembling Christ was cast into an Agony for us Therefore when this Temptation seizeth upon us let us pray with Hezechiah O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me Isa 38.14 Psalm 17.8 And with David Hide me under the shadow of thy wings But let us return to the bloody sweat We need not here shew any further how it could be that he should sweat blood Doubtless he was Supernatural But let us consider what Christ would shew unto us by this bloody sweat 1. First then that bloody sweat sheweth the great perplexity that Christ was in greater than which cannot be imagined Great pain will make men sweat For as we never read that any besides Christ did sweat blood though they were in never so great torment so there was never greater anguish than his And no wonder For although other men have certainly known that their death was at hand yet none could distinctly foreknow the sharpness of the pains of Death But Christ did distinctly in his inner sense taste beforehand the bitterness of Death as if it had been then present Consider this thou impudent sinner who art not afraid to renew thy sin daily for which thy Saviour was pleas'd to suffer this kind of punishment and consider the nature of the disease by the preciousness of the Remedy Consider I say the sharpness and bitterness of the Passion how great it was when it made him sweat blood but to think of it Consider how hard it was for Christ to make satisfaction for the sins of the heart which we lightly pass over without taking any notice of them Think what condition thou hadst been in for ever if Christ had not Redeemed thee Think upon what great anguish thou wouldst have been in at the hour of death therefore now while thou art in health arm thy self against it by the Passion and Prayer of Christ otherwise thou wilt not hold out in that distress For t is not for us to contend with death in our own strength It is too strong for us We must therefore flee to Christ that he may succour us in that streight which he tasted and conquered also for us The fear of Death is no other way to be vanquisht but by Faith in Christ and by long and strong prayer as Christ here did when he was in an Agony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he extended his prayer or he prayed more largely 2. By this bloody sweat Christ would shew his great Love to us which was so great in him that he made all the haste possible might be to pour out this medical blood even before his persecutors came to him that so he might the more speedily relieve lost man So ready was Christ to shed his blood for us 3. Lastly By this bloody sweat he did as it were foreshew that his Mystical body should sweat blood i. e. it should be exposed tosuch great afflictions that if it were possible it should sweat blood which we see fulfilled even at this day when wicked men live in all delights and pleasures but godly men are cast into a sweat of blood But this is their comfort that their time of suffering is but short and then they shall enter into glory Luke 22.45 Mat. 24.41,42 And when he rose up from prayer and was come to his Disciples he found them sleeping for sorrow And he saith 〈◊〉 them sleep on now and take your rest it is enough the hour is come Why sleep yee Luke 22.46 Behold the son of man is betrayrd into the hands of sinners Rise up let us go lo he that betrayeth me is at hand Christ returns again to his Disciples indeed how could he forget his own He was more thoughtfull for them than they were for themselves for he found them asleep again They might well be sad who lay under such failings They that sleep are ready to deny their life One evil is commonly a fore-runner of many more Spiritual sleep what it is and one sin is but the beginning of another Spiritual sleep is
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
unto God without it The Apostle exhorteth us Rom. 12.1 to offer up our bodies a living sacrifice acceptable to God For it is said of Cain That he offered unto the Lord of the fruit of the ground Gen. 4.3 He brought an earthly dead liveless offering and was not accepted But Abel brought of the fat of the flock verse 4. He offered the Firstling of his fold a pure clean lively sacrifice unto which God had respect it was more excellent then his Brothers Heb. 11.4 How came this to pass The Apostle tells us it was by faith The life of faith is in death and by death that liveth when we are dead I am crucified with Christ yet I live and I live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 He had a life in the flesh after he was dead to the flesh Faith indeed shall cease but 't is not till the end of the second life The principal act of faith is exercised in death the death of Christ and is a conforming vertue or power unto the likeness thereof by mortification and offering up of the flesh with the affections and lusts unto death Gal. 5.24 God accepteth nothing but what is done in this faith by this faith in the Son of God John 15.5 Heb. 11.5 27. We read in 1 Sam. 15.9 That Saul spared Agag the King and the best of the spoil but that which was vile and refuse and good for nothing that he and the people utterly dastroyed Saul was an hypocritical Tyrant ambitiously aspiring to a Kingdom and got it God gave a King in his anger He that aimeth at the Scepter is not the best Saint 28. Saul was a right Machiavilian he knew the high way to the Crown When Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself in Israel Hos 13.1 When he was mean and low in a poor condition and little in his own sight he could bow and cringe flatter fawn upon and comply with the vulgar bemoan and pitty the burdens of the poor people especially the good people of the land he could stand cap in hand to the meanest and like Absolom court them into a good conceit of his Clemency and care of their well-fare assuring them that if it were in his power to remedy it things should not be carried as they are but first he put himself into a souldiers posture 2. Sam. 15.1,2,3,4,5 Now he rode post in the right rode to be the head of the Tribes of Israel Commander in chief over the military Forces 1 Sam. 15.17 yea God himself might so far have his work to do under his proud design as to give him a Call to be King and fight his battles as is plain in the place cited which might confirm him in a good opinion of himself to undertake the Government especially if some musty Prophesies had been raked together and by a Court-Parasite particularly applyed to him 'T is as common for the highest as the meanest to be deluded and mistake or mis-use many passages of Gods Providence But now he is King he grows covetous and self-ended he falls upon the spoil and the prey of the enemy who seemed before to contemn all self-interest and advantage Sam. 15.19 His feigned and forged excuse of reserving it for Gods worship would not serve his turn How faulty then are those who do not so much as pretend any thing for Gods service but openly convert the common loss into their private gain This is that which will involve a Nation in broils and blood 29. But alas How many such Sauls hath the world seen since Sauls time who can part with that which is not worth the keeping but with-hold from God that which he requireth as his due If God call for the heart they bring him the lip and tongue only If God require spirit and Truth they offer in the mountain and at Jerusalem they put him off with complements out-side service formality and a State-Religion Dissembling Pharisees they exact and pay Tithe of Mint and Rue but neglect Judgement Mercy Faith the love of God and their Neighbour Mat. 23.23 When God commandeth the best and fattest to be given him they put him off with the leanest with the fruit of the ground If they pretend to dedicate the best unto God they intend to make their own advantage out of it They may refrain from Extortion Adultery c. but continue proud heady high-minaed covetous c. yet be very devout too fast twice in the week give a small Alms out of their superfluity and ill gotten goods pay Tithes give their Minister his due and applaud him censure all that be contrary-minded to them as prophane c. Isa 65.4,5 Luke 18.11,12 30. Those sacrifices are acceptable to God that are turned into ashes Psalm 20.3 This must be done by fire the heavenly fire of zeal and love which separateth and consumeth the gross body of flesh and turneth and reduceth all into a pure essential and spiritual body out of which ashet is made the savory salt of the heavenly nature which seasoneth all things And therefore the Lord is said to plead with all flesh by fire Isa 66.16 He hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Isa 31.9 with which refining fire he doth purifie the sons of Levi that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in Righteousness Mal. 3.3 Mat. 3.12 No oblation in Righteousness but by fire 't is the fire of the Spirit that consumeth the fuel of the flesh Rom. 8.13 We must pass through water and fire before we can come into the wealthly place Psalm 66.12 Without fire we cannot subsist in the natural life much less can we perform the Actions of the spiritual life without it 31. Under the Law the daily sacrifice was not to cease Num. 28.3,4 and this Oblation was to be made by fire He that causeth this to cease is the He-goat Dan. 9.29 Dan. 8.11,12,13 The vile person Dan. 11.21,31 the Beast the Whore the false Prophet that speaketh lyes in the name of the Lord It is Anti Christ that setteth up a Religion in the world without the Cross Whosoever is zealous toward God without Self-denial Mortification and conformity to the death of Christ his zeal is not according to knowledge which will make him seek to establish his own in stead of Gods Righteousness Rom. 10.2,3 Whosoever rejecteth the Cross can be no true Christian Wherefore think it not strange concerning this fiery tryal also which is to come upon you as though some strange thing happened unto you But rejoyce rather although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The righteous is not saved without great labour and pains hard strugling and striving sore Combats and Conflicts 1 Pet. 4.12,13,17,18 Make not that way too wide which God hath made strait All must go the narrow way who would enter into life For every one must be salted with fire and every sacrifice must be salted with salt Mar. 9.49 10. Tenthly 32.
his death was a passing to the Father therefore so shall ours be also even as Christ himself said John 20. I ascend to my Father and to your Father Note 1. He doth not say that his time but his hour was come to teach us that there is a certain hour appointed to every man as it is said Job 14. The number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass Note 2. Secondly To shew that his suffering would not last long So he saith to the Jews Matth. 26. this is your hour q.d. I have but one hour to suffer and you but one to spend your rage Thus the Scripture calleth the whole time of this life but an hour If thou dost well know that thou hast but an hours time here that is but a very little while do not therefore begrudge thy labour And even thy effliction lasteth but an hour let it not then be tedious Psalm 37. So the prosperity of the wicked continueth but an hour Fret not thy self because of the evill doers for yet a little and he shall be no more But as the feast of the Passover was Christs hour when he would suffer and dye so forty years after at the same feast was his hour when he inflicted vengeance on the Jews For when they were assembled at the Passover the Romans besieged them and shortly after ransack'd their City We also have two hours one of Mercy another of Judgement as certainly as there is a time of mercy so certainly may we expect the hour of Judgement Briefly the Evangelist John calleth the death of Christ a going away 1. That he might shew his power and might For he could pass over all those things which yet hindred his approach to the Father Psal 107.16 as it is said of him He hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Before his death there was no clear passage out of this world unto Heaven And this therefore is the fruit of his death he opened thereby and prepared for us a passage to the Father It is significantly said not to God but to the Father that we should not be afraid to draw nigh unto God who by Christ is now become our Father 2. Again This going away may thus be understood viz. that John would hereby give an account of the Passover it self which signifieth a passing over as if he had said This feast hath hitherto been celebrated in remembrance of those things that were done in the passing or going out of Aegypt Now there is another passing out at hand even out of the world unto the Father In the former going out Moses was Leader in this second Christ Jesus is the Captain As they followed Moses so let us follow Christ The Jewish Passover is to go out of Aegypt the Christian Passover is to go out of the world to the Father But what did Christ when he knew that the hour of his going away was at hand surely he did not forget his friends He did not leave loving them for whose sake he was going to suffer such a bitter death And why should he withdraw his love from them who are so hated and contemned by and in the world What then doth Christ do When he had loved his he loved them unto the end He did truly love them and he continued this his love to them indeed unto the end In the first clause Christ sheweth the reason why he was made man and came into the world It was not our worthiness that was any motive thereof Psal 143.2 for we were not worthy to receive so much as corporall blessings from him much less were we worthy of eternall Nor had we any merit to move him for we were altogether born in sin Neither was it our righteousness that availed any thing for who shall be justified in the sight of God But it was his boundless love his infinite charity wherewith he embraced us that allured and invited him thereto For as the Father out of his great and abundant love sent his Son so the Son out of his abundant charity undertook and performed that Embassie of the Father So saith John herein his love 1 John 4. not that we loved him but that he loved us first Most significantly doth John say having loved his own which were in the world All creatures were his by creation John 1. It is said of the wicked He came unto his own and his own received him not But by his own is here meant those whom he chose to be his from Eternity of whom it is said Thine they were John 17. and thou gavest them me He saith further which were in the world lest any should think he spake here of the Angels who also are Christs But he took not the Nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. Phil. 2. He did not appear in the likeness of an Angell but was found in fashion as a man And it is said in generall having loved his own which were in the world lest any should think that he loved none but his Apostles How he loved his own may be seen by this one thing in that he came down from Heaven for their sake to say nothing of the great tokens of his love which he shewed to them when he was in earth But what meaneth that He loved them to the end It was to shew why Christ took the Cross in his way as he went back again to the Father when he might have returned without danger His love constrained him He saw that his coming down from Heaven was not sufficient unless also he made satisfaction for the sins of men So that he loved them to the end i. e. he persevered in his love 1. First in that he left not loving them even to the death the ungodliness of the Jews did not hinder him he was not disheartened when his own fled from him and denyed him leaving him all alone to suffer by himself 2. He continued his love to them in that death it self did not put an end to it Many waters could not quench it Cant 8. 3. His love to them lasted to the end that is he sheweth signs of it to them in the very last day 4. He loved them to the end that is with the highest and most perfect love than which none could be greater Greater love hath none than that a man lay down his life for his friends which Christ did do John 13. Or 5. He loved them to the end that is he gave not over till be had perfectly saved them sully overcome sin death and all the curses of the Law Now then John doth so singularly commend the love of Christ and set it forth in the beginning or entrance of his Passion and his last Supper 1. To shew that all things which followed after proceeded from nothing but the
recourse to God And not only so but he sheweth also the best way of praying For 1. first he with-drew from the Apostles He that will pray must go into his Chamber Mat. 6. 2. Secondly He kneeleth down yea falleth on his face Prayer ought to be made in humility So much the more humble so much the sooner it peirceth Heaven and is heard 3. Thirdly He doth not pray once only but often nor did he give over till the Angel comforted him Teaching us thereby to persevere in prayer 4. Fourthly He prayed in assurance therefore he did so sweetly repeat the name of Father He that believeth not let him not think to receive any thing James 1. 5. Fifthly He committeth all to God We must not prescribe time or manner unto God 6. Lastly Peter James and John were not far from him by whom those three vertues are signified which are necessary for every one that prayeth to wit Faith by Peter Courage by James and the Grace of God by John As often then O Christian as Satan tempteth thee remember this Garden and this prayer of Christ in the Garden Avoid the tumults of men go a little aside kneel down fall on thy face for by these gestures the faithfull express the servency of their mind and that they have no hope counsell or help in the world but only in God open thy mouth and utter words from thy heart lay open thy anguish and pain before God with sighs and supplications against the violence and wrongs of Satan Here thy sorrow and anguish of heart will do thee no harm Yea though it afflict thy body a little it will do thy soul good But remember to temper thy prayer so even as Christ here did who in all humility threw himself upon the ground and as man he resigned and offered himself wholly to the Will of God that the Father should do with him as he pleased Thou also pray for what thou wilt cry intreat make known thy wants but conclude alway as here Not mine but thy will be done for thou knowest best what is good and profitable for me Believe me our prayer is well accepted if it be granted to us according to the will of God The Evangelists do not without cause so diligently set down this that Christ put the whole event of his Prayer in the will of God If Christ did thus whose will yet was not divided from the will of his Father nor could he will any thing but what the Father willed how much more ought we to do so whose will most commonly is against and resisteth the will of God To say nothing how pernitious and destructive for the most part it would be to us if God should alwayes grant us what we desire The will of our flesh is not good but that which the Spirit willeth in us cannot be evil because the Spirit is not evil Briefly Let the Prayer of Jesus be the Form and Pattern of our Prayer Let him teach us how to pray as he shew'd us how to suffer Let us now weigh the words First he saith in the Chalde Tongue Abba which in Latine is as much as Pater Father and this name he doubleth It is a great comfort in affliction to believe that God is our Father and that our troubles come upon us by his good pleasure 1 Cor. 11. So Paul when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with this world Heb. 12. Again Yee have not yet resisted unto blood and ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children Prov. 3. my son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord c. Secondly He saith If it be possible and all things are possible unto thee Here none doubteth but that God to speak absolutely could have restored man some other way than by the death of his Son but this was the way which from Eternity was resolved on and therefore it must be that Christ should dye And it was not without reason why God should be best pleased with that way For 1. Divine Justice must be satisfied We deserv'd to be punisht but God the Father set his Son in our stead who could owe nothing upon his own score and therefore might make the fuller satisfaction As the person of Christ was more pleasing to God than all other men so his Passion merited more than all ours can do 2. God therefore made choyce of this way to redeem mankind that he might make his power known For he did not defend Christ against his strong enemy yet he overcame him 3. That he might make his love so much the more manifest to us to provoke our love 1 John 4. In this was his love manifest that he sent his Son c. Wicked men prate that God took no pains to create them But here let them consider that they were not easily Redeemed Christ took a great deal of care and pains to make man a great debtor to him in much love and that he might become more thankfull by the difficulty of his Redemption who was grown so cold in his devotion because of the easiness of his creation God made all things and man among the rest in six dayes but he was full three and thirty years working out our Salvation in the midst of the earth See how justly we may be complained of who lightly esteem this greatest Token of Love whereby we exceedingly provoke his wrathfull indignation against us Whereas Christ prayeth that the Cup might pass from him by the Cup he meaneth his Passion 1. For as much drinking makes men drowsie so Christs Passion made him sleep in Death 2. Or as free drinking makes men jocund so the sufferings of Christ make us above all things most cheerfull in that it brought everlasting Salvation to us In this sense the Cup is taken elswhere I will take the Cup of salvation c. Again Psalm 116. Can yee drink of the Cup that I shall drink of Mat. 20. But thou wilt say was not Christ willing to suffer Or did he suffer against his will in that he prayes here against the Cup of his Passion Far be it from us so to think How could he be unwilling to suffer who at his last Supper said that the blood of his Body was to be shed for the Remission of sins Mat. 26. Who also said I lay down my life for my sheep John 10. And reply'd to Peter when he disswaded him from suffering Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things of God Matth. 16. We say that Christ did not suffer unwillingly but freely of his own voluntary consent as his Prayer concludes Thy will be done He prayed that if it were possible the Cup might pass from him 1. First to shew that he was a true man who by Nature is afraid of Death As there are divers affections in man to wit
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
gates are open only to the rich and such as bring presents with them Hence Isaiah saith They judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Isa 1. So chap. 59. Truth is fallen in the street and Equity cannot enter When Peter was shut out John makes way to bring him in but to his great loss It had been better for him he had never come in His Brother Andrew formerly gave him a much more happy entrance to Christ Iohn 1. For here he is in a sort led away from Christ In Caiaphas's house there was neither Truth nor Equity to be found But what Christ foretold must come to pass Thou shalt deny me thrice Now was fulfilled that which Christ shewed him long ago in a kind of Figure When the Disciples were all in danger together upon the Sea Mat. 14. Christ came to them walking on the water When Peter heard his voyce he offered of his own accord to go to him and he also walking on the Sea to go to Christ when he saw the wind was rough he was afraid and when he was almost drowned the Lord caught him by the hand In that Miracle was foreshewed what here came to pass For here the Lord did truly walk above the waters while his Disciples were toyling in the Sea because when his Apostles were offended he endured Tribulation quietly at his pleasure and suddenly rose up a Conquerer of Death So did Peter also walk upon the waters to go to Jesus for being yet mindfull of his former love he followed Christ in the confidence of that little Faith he had left although it was afar off But he saw a strong gust of wind coming against him and so was afraid for fear he denyed by denying he had been drowned if the Lord had not stretched out his hand to hold him Hear now who was that wind It is said when she that kept the door saw him If you consider the maid her self she was but a little cloud But if you look to that Council of those Malignants which Peter did so dread then you will find this maids word was crabbed it was indeed a very blustering wind Thus Satan that sifter of the Apostles layeth his plot so as to begin his crafty Temptations with a woman which sex did heretofore open the door of deceit to our first Parent in Paradise Gen. 3. But t is possible the maid might take pitty on Peter and speak to him to warn him that if he were one of Jesus his Disciples he should make haste and be gone out of sight And her words seem to imply as much For she did not accuse him nor speak positively Nor did she rail on Christ calling him a Deceiver but only a man Finally she did but ask Peter the question whether he were not one of that mans Disciples What doth Peter answer her Woman saith he I am not I know him not I do not know what thou sayst See how easily that strong Pillar was shaken with the blast of one breath Take notice what it was that Peter denyed and before whom He denyed that he belonged to Christ He that denies himself to be one of Christs must needs give up himself to the Devil Peter doth not deny before the Souldiers or the high Priest but before the Damosel What is now become of his former courage Is it not plain enough to be seen now that he took the Sword before for Christs Defence out of carnal affection and not out of a spiritual discerning If he were such a stout Champion in a just quarrel why doth he not now so much as with a word vindicate Christs innocency I say not fight for him with his Sword If he denyed before a maid the meanest of women what would he have done before Kings and Princes But we are all the same that Peter was Before the Lord comes to Judgement and while we are yet ignorant of our own weakness we are wont to be proud of our Power and as it were all on fire with zeal for God but in the Judgement of the Lord we are as wax before the fire and as the dust which the wind scattereth from the face of the earth so we melt and moulder away Psalm 1. Peter then is a Type of those who attempt to do any thing without the Grace of God it so falls out that they both accuse Christ of a lye and what they boast they will do they never perform They charge Christ with a lye for he saith Without me ye can do nothing John 15. And they are never as good as their word For Paul saith The good that I would that do I not but the evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7. Whence we may infer that the Evangelists did not so exactly set down this story of Peter out of any desire to inveigh against or aggravate the sins of other men but only for our instruction And it is most worthy of our observation For 1. We see here that not the least word of Christ was spoken in vain which is a great confirmation of our Faith For otherwise if but one word of Christ had failed we might have doubted all the rest 2. Here we see that there is as little as comes to nothing placed in mans power For as iron which of it self is hard yet will easily be blunted with stones unless it be hardened with liquors or something else so the mind of man although it boast that it can scorn all perils for the love of Truth yet will it be overcome with the sharp brunt of opposition if it be not strengthened by the Grace of the Holy Spirit If Peter a man of so great Faith and Love who lived so long with Christ and was so familiar with him that he gave him a taste of the Heavenly Joy in his Transfiguration did fall so fowly what may be expected of us There is no security any where so long as we are in this mortal body An Angel fell in Heaven Adam in Paradise Peter in the world Who then should not dread the incomprehensible height of Gods Judgements Well therefore doth Paul admonish Be not high minded but fear Rom. 11. Again Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. Thou art righteous in thy own conceit but thou canst not tell whether thou art so in the sight of God Nay thou knowest not what thou mayst be to morrow Look on holy Peter Who would have believed that either he or any man else should have fallen from so great confidence and love into such fickleness and impiety without mighty opposition On the other hand who would have thought that that Thief should have been saved A man can be in no safer condition than to continue with all carefulness in deep humility to hope in Gods Mercy not to boast himself in his own merits or foolishly to censure and judge others When thou seest any man sin be he never so bad
end should he multiply words to such cruel minded men who intended nothing but mischief to him A man shall get nothing of such men nor prevail any thing with them no though God himsâ—… were his Advocate to plead for him For thou wilt be compelled to be not what thou art but what they feign and fancy thee to be So that thou hast need of nothing but patience to deal with such men No good could have been expected from them although Christ had spoken never so excellently of the Incarnate Word surely nothing but scorn and blasphemy had come of it and consequently greater wrath and rage in these furious men And it had been to as little purpose if he had askt them about those Prophetical Scriptures none of them would or could have answered him What did they answer him when he askt them about Johns Baptism Matth. 21. And so concerning the son of David and of that verse in the Psalms The Lord said to my Lord c. Also when he asked them whether it was lawfull to heal on the Sabbath Day Mat. 22. Luke 14. Christ must answer either as one accused or ask as one contriving his defence The belief of his Judges was requisite to his answer but to his question their answer only was sufficient But in this Council Christ had neither credit given to his words nor an answer to his questions why they should he speak much especially seeing he knew that they were peremptorily and obstinately resolved to kill him and never more to let him scape alive out of their hands And indeed how should they believe the words of Jesus who would not believe his Divine Works which were more effectual to perswade Therefore this was a time to keep silence so that he answered nothing but Ye say so by which reply he doth send them again to their own consciences Besides he doth thereby again inculcate that they must come to judgement for what they did Hereafter saith he the son of Man shall sit c. q.d. I shall say no more but this the time will come when ye shall see me Judge you and all the world though now you most unjustly Judge me At this they made a fearfull and hideous out-cry again What need we any further witness we our selves have heard out of his own mouth And what was it O ye blind and wicked men which ye did hear from his own mouth I dare say you heard no blasphemy come out of his mouth for which he deserved death but an awfull reverence of Gods Name for which he was much to be honoured and will ye for all that pass sentence of death against him Are ye so forward to commit that grand sin even to murther the innocent Son of God O ye High Priests and sons of Aaron what 's become of your Unction now Where is your Clemency Have ye cast away all pity and compassion from you David could not go forward with the Temple because he had shed the blood of enemies and dare ye who offer Sacrifices daily ye that so swell and are puffed up with such a conceit of sanctity who glory in the sanctimony of your life and height of honour how dare you I say to pass sentence upon that most innocent and spotless one the very Fountain of life as one worthy of death Herod who was a stranger and otherwise a very bloody beast yet gave him more reverence then ye and would not pollute his hands with the blood of this harmless man Pilate also that barbarous bruit was terribly afraid and excused himself and washt his hands from his blood But you and shall like your holiness you holy high Priests affirm that he is guilty of death O the Religion O the Righteousness that shines in you Doubtless the very Heathen and the Samaritans will be your Judges Nay out of your own mouth shall ye be judged how much your ungodliness hath beed more cruell then the unrighteousness of Herod and Pilate But let us leave those vile men and proceed The conclusion of that bloody Counsell was Jesus of Nazareth doth deserve to die The reason is because he proved himself to be the Messias and the Son of the living God who is blessed for ever and that by the very Testimony of their own consciences besides the Signs and Wonders which he had wrought This was the Judgement which was given by those holy Pharisees at Jerusalem in that Counsell And now they have no need of any more evidence For they carryed their own cause but Jesus lost his Wherefore they hale him out of hand before the secular Court and set him before the Roman Governour bound with cords chained spit on and therefore irrevocably determined to be worthy of death the scullions and rafscallions with a great concourse and clamour of the people egging on against him that it might be fulfilled which Christ said Mat. 20. The son of man shall be delivered to the chief Priests and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles This they now fulfill The whole multitude saith he arose c. viz. to set the fairer gloss upon the proceedings that their cause might seem to be the more just and honest Then they present him bound to the Governour thereby to shew that they had condemned him already They carry all things with much pomp and state that so they might the better cloak their hatred and malice Lo here he that came to loose all mens bonds is now the third time bound himself He is often bound and manicled because we had many fetters and chains which he was to break with his bonds Here then let us a little remember and consider our selves For as Christ is here brought to his Judgement and Trial for life and death by one consent and with great rejoycing of his Adversaries without any mercy or pity without all hope of acquitment or release no man owning him or opposing the sentence against him so should we have been brought before Gods dreadfull Tribunal if Christ had not put himself in our place and stood in our stead Wherefore if thou wouldst stand with boldness in Gods Judgement cast thy self on Christ by Faith For without him none can stand before God in the day of Judgement For no man living is justified or found righteous before God Psalm 143.2 Let us therefore follow our Lord Christ also as he was tossed too and fro from Caiaphas to Pilate from the spiritual Court to the civil Magistrate from the Jews to the Gentiles from the wicked to the ungodly from the superstitious to the Idolaters Nor is there any cause why we should be afraid All things shall work for our good in the end But first let us hear what end Judas came to who was the Ring-leader and incendi ary of all this mischief It follows in Matthew Then Judas which betrayed him Mat. 27.3 when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and brought again
factious people for such do truly live among Lions and Scorpions But a man had need of great patience to stand it out against such Scoffers and Scorners in as much as a scoff and a jeer will many times trouble a wise man more than a cuff on the ear or a blow with a Cudgel 2. They did not only mock Christ with words but withall they put him on a gay and gaudy suit to make a laughing-stock of him This cloaths was trim'd after such a fashion that all that saw him might flock about him and that wheresoever they led Christ they might ask What fool is that 'T is a sign of infinite contempt and scorn to make such a mocking stock of any man Here then O Christian consider who it is that was so shamefully contemned and so basely scorned and all this for thy sake See what a fools coat they put upon him behold what unworthy affronts and affronting indignity is offered to the Son of God The very Elements themselves would never have put up this wrong of their Creator nor let it pass without revenge if God for our salvation had not otherwise so ordained and with-held them But neither Herod nor his Officers shall ever do any such thing to the person of Christ any more For death and hell it self hath long since forbad them so to do Christ indeed wore that white Garment of our eternal salvation though it was a sport and a jesting matter to the Jews and Herods companions For this white Rayment was a Token of his unspotted Passion and that Jesus was that Lamb of God without blemish which should gloriously take away the sins of the world John 1. Mean while let us learn so to live here even as Christ lived who had rather be despised by wicked men then to be commended by fawning Flatterers Do thou so likewise Nothing doth so corrupt the minds of men as Flattery A Parasites tongue doth more mischief than a Persecutors sword When Herod had thus mocked and abused Christ he sends him back again to Pilate He was truly the most miserable of all men who when Christ was offered to him he thrust him and shut him out of doors he had been most happy if he had kept Christ when he was freely tendred to him But the world esteems nothing more vile than Christ though there is nothing more excellent then he For in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. In him dwels the God-head bodily in him is eternal life which that wretched man banisht from him when he returned Christ back again unto Pilate Thus Christ is again brought back a prisoner not only a prisoner but basely abused with which abuse they having made themselves somewhat merry they spue up their rage miserably tormented him as they haled him along What heart can imagine how our meekest Saviour was tyred out with these torturing and injurious delaies and draggings We read once That he was weary of his journey John 4. How much more may we suppose was he now tyred when he could not go at liberty but was drawn along in fetters and chains by wicked men and that all the night and day without any rest allowed him He was baled and pul'd out of the Garden to Annas from him to Caiaphas And after he was vext and disquieted there all night with boxings and buffetings and spittings and other abuses assoon as it was light he was carried before the Council from the Council to Pilate from him to Herod and again in a hurly burly he was sent back from Herod to Pilate And he was hurried and posted away in all haste for they were insatiably thirsty after his blood and one pulling another thrusting him 't is to be supposed that our Lord had many a sore fall because his hands being bound he was not able to save himself See then how much he endured for his own innocency and our guilt For if we had not sinned he had not suffered and if he had not been guiltless those guilty men had not been so inraged against him He was altogether unlike them and therefore grievous to them to behold Wis 2. And by how much the more they feared he might be set at liberty by so much were they more vehemently incensed against him They were obstinately resolved to put him to a most shame full death which resolution could no way be more strengthened than by delay and doubting and nothing but affection could any way abate it And as the Lord Jesus by how much the nearer he drew to his death and greater sufferings from the beginning of his Passion and the more his Passion was prolonged so much the more meekness and patience he discovered For when he was first laid hands on he was more rigid when he hurl'd them on the ground by the Word of Truth he was less severe before Annas more mild before Pilate and upon the Cross he prayed for his Persecutors with many a tear So on the contrary by how much the greater punishments the Jews tormented him by so much the more they were imbitter'd against him The pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually Psalm 74. ult But all this while Christ never thought of revenge but of our misery For he saw that he did not suffer these things for his own necessity but for love of us He considered our sins and out of his greatest charity willingly underwent whatsoever they imposed upon him only that he might redeem us And therefore he is more thoughtfull to destroy our sins then he is to escape his own suffering These things are well to be considered for truly it is a worthy just equal and comfortable thing for us always and in all places to give him thanks who would be so led up and down for us that he might lead us into the way and make satisfaction for our sins But see what follows Herod and Pilate were reconciled c. The ground of their quarrel was about their Power which of them should be greatest or rather because Pilate slew some Galileans which were under Herods Power and Jurisdiction Luk. 13.1 This grudge continued till Christ removed it by being sent a Prisoner up and down between them It was a most acceptable thing to Herod that Pilate should send Christ prisoner to him Now all anger was laid aside and forgotten So easily do these wicked men agree and become friends in the killing of Christ whom otherwise no Vertue no Justice could strike a League between or reconcile them Wicked men are sometimes at strife and variance among themselves But in this they all agree to persecute Christ As concerning Christ Herod and Pilate yea Jews Gentiles Turks Hereticks they are all unanimous however they differ never so much otherwise among themselves Here then that of David is fulfilled Why do the Heathenrage saith he and the people imagine a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Princes take
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
day was divided into the Morning Third Sixth Ninth and Evening hour Whatever was done between the third and sixth hour is said to be done at the third hour because the sixth was not yet come John therefore doth not say that Christ was adjudged to die at the sixth hour but about the sixth hour signifying that yet it was the third hour as Mark saith it was But the third was almost out and the sixth hour now was at hand Now the Hebrews had a far other Computation of their hours than we English or Germans have For then the sixth hour was about noon Their day had twelve hours and the night as many John 11. But enough of this Let us return to the Court of Judgement When Pilate sate on the Judgement seat the place day and hour aforesaid before he would pronounce sentence he speaks again to the Jews For he was very unwilling to pass sentence of death And therefore he delayed and put it off so long contrary to those who make nothing to shed mans blood Behold your King saith he whom ye have delivered Prisoner to me under that inditement Why are ye so implacably bent against him Look upon him he is whipt buffeted mockt spit on here he stands before you full of derision and reproach Behold your King What hurt hath he done you What harm can he do to you He could not help himself in vain therefore do you fear him If he did say he was a King see now he is brought low enough If he was indeed your King loe he is subjected to Judgement If he fain would be a King Behold what a worthy King he is just such a one as Boyes use to make Nay In this respect he is so much worse in that he hath indured more punishment and reproaches Behold therefore your King What do you see in him What are you resolved to do with him Are ye satisfied with what he hath suffered Will ye desist from your wicked intention lest you unjustly destroy him and consequently incur your own utter ruine See here with what unwillingness Pilate yielded to the rage of the Jews For although they threatened him with Caesars displeasure yet he doth try all means if possibly he might to rescue and deliver the innocent Certainly he was more righteous and just than many in our times who rave against and fall foul on the innocent before they have any command or commission from Caesar so to do But 't is to be observed that Christ had three names and those very eminent and famous too even from unbelievers For First Pilate said before Behold the man Now Secondly he saith Behold your King The Jews Thirdly add Behold be made himself the Son of God These three a Man King God or the Son of God are the most true names of the one only Christ whom his enemies indeed did scoffingly confess but his friends who reverence and truly adore him do seriously acknowledge And in these three names all our faith hope and comfort do consist As it is the costome of envious men to interrupt ones speech when any thing is spoken which they would not hear of willingly as it happened to Paul Acts 22. When he made his defence and gave an account of himself at Jerusalem So the Jews here interrupt Pilates speech crying out Away with him away with him Crucifie him Thus he that did so mercifully visit the children of men he that dealt so gently and sweetly with the weak among them is grievous to them to behold They rest not at once crying Away with him but they cry out twice to shew their greater disdain and indignation against Christ Although this their bawling rebounded on their own bosom For their Saviour was taken from them both in this world and that which is to come When those wretched Caytiffs cryed out to have Christ taken out of their sight they brought this misery upon themselves even to be deprived of their King Prince and Priest Then was fulfilled that of Hosea The Children of Israel shall be many days without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice Hos 3. Again They shall go with their flocks and with their heards to seek the Lord but they shall not find him he hath withdrawn himself from them Hos 5. And that justly too because they cryed Away with the Saviour Crucifie the Propitiator so that they have lost their salvation and have no defence left them Pilate When he heard these unclean dogs bark and these cruel Lions roar a fresh he doth again make mention of their Kingdom Shall I crucifie your King as if he had said What strange men are ye who will needs crucifie your own King It will be a perpetual blot and stain to you He speaks this more in jest than in earnest how be it be doth still endeavour to break their fury with such kind of Ironies or Riddles He did yet tremble to shed innocent blood But the Jews were not in jest this was no matter of mirth to them We have no King say they but Caesar q.d. Why dost thou talk so much of our King to us as if we Jews would have a King of our own We will not be tainted with this suspition We will not have this man either for a King or for Ceasar We are well enough contented with Tiberius Caesar We acknowledge him for our Soveraign and do pay toll and tribute to him as thou Pilate dost very well know Thus ye miserable Jews have denyed your Messias and rejected him and have chosen Caesar in his stead whom yet ye ever hated and have traduced him for a very Edomite or Idumaean Him therefore ye shall have to be your King whether ye will or no and him indeed ye have This our Jesus would never have tyrannized over you with such cruelty as Vespasian and Titus have since done But if ye are so addicted to the Roman Caesar why have ye so often rebelled Why have ye made so many mut nies against him But such was their hatred against Christ Zach. 9. Mat. 21. that out of envy to him they would applaud and commend Caesar whom they did mortally and most of all hate See what malice will do If they might but destroy Christ they would perpetually enslave themselves as if they had said We had rather be vassals to Ceasar than Free-men under this King Well then ye shall be his slaves that you may learn the difference between the service of God and the service of men By these words they cast off both Christ and God both of which are called their King in the Scriptures They say of God The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King Isa 33.22 And of the Messias the Scripture saith plainly that he should be King Behold thy King cometh to thee meek c. Zach. 9. And again I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall raign and prosper c. Jer. 23. But here they