this thiefe made to CHRIST as some thinke Wee spake of this thiefe the last day now we haue to speake of the part of the other thiefe he is twitched with repentance in an instant hee becomes penitent and the inward conuersion of the heart to GOD hee vtters outwardly in sundrie effects First perceiuing the other thiefe his companion to blaspheme GOD the first action that he does he defends the honour of the LORD against the other thiefe and rebukes him and after that giues a free confession of his sinnes and last hee turnes to Iesus Christ hanging on the Crosse and sayes LORD remember mee when thou commest to thy Kingdome The LORD answeres immediatly to the thiefe Verily thou shalt be with mee this day in Paradise To come then first to the rebuke hee giues to the other thiefe Fearest thou not GOD The meaning is Thiefe fye on thee seeing thou hangs in a common miserie and torment with mee and this man fearest thou not GOD who wilt blaspheme and rayle on Him seeing thou art shortly to appeare before that Tribunall and giue an account of all thine euill deedes chiefly of the blaspheming of the innocent So hee takes vp the blaspheming from the fountaine and hee lets him see that his heart was voyde of the feare of GOD for if hee had any sponke of the feare of GOD he had not fallen out in rayling against the GOD of glorie We learne this lesson that when the hand of GOD is lying on any man and pressing him to the death then it is time to be humble and to feare the LORD and that terrible Iudgement wherein thou must stand immediatly after this life and if there appeare no feare of that Iudge in thee and if thou vtterest a plaine rebellion that testifies that his hande shall neuer leaue thee vntill it bruise thee in powder and thrust thee to the lowest Hells This is the thing that affliction should worke in vs Humiliation and the feare of GOD. Learne the lesson at the thiefe Proud soule and proud creature if thou wilt not learne at others But as this rebuke testifies that this should be so the rayling of the other testifies that it is not ay in men There are some men whome all the torments in the worlde will not moue ere they be the better they will bee in Hell hang them naile them to the Crosse teare them with pincers they shall neuer bee the better What is the cause of this It is a wonderfull thing that such trouble torment should not worke some feare of GOD in the creature But how can any affliction presse out of the creature that which was neuer in it The feare of GOD is not in the hearts of many and therefore howe can they vtter it a rotten and withered sticke was neuer more meete to be burnt than thou by nature So we beeing by nature like as many rotten stickes albeit wee were pressed with mountaines we shall neuer yeeld a sweete sappe or any repentance No before we yeelde any droppe of repentance we shall be bruised in powder fye on nature if thou werest a Prince thou shalt goe to Hell if thou haue no more but nature if thou gettest not one dâ—oppe of grace Yet yee see that the other thiefe when hee is pressed yeeldes one droppe of sappe hee becomes penitent and is zealous of the glorie of the Lord IESVS These are good effects The Crosse that wrought euill in the other thiefe workes good in this thiefe But who made the difference Who discerneth thee saith Paul Not nature They were alike in nature alike in misdeedes alike in a wicked life the one had liued as wickedly as the other alike in torment It was IESVS that made the separation it was a happie time for the one thiefe that euer he was crucified beside the LORD of glorie The Lord IESVS made the difference out of that fulnesse Hee powres out one droppe of His grace He giues none to the other Learne this that all troubles and afflictions crosses and all the torments in the worlde shall neuer make thee better All the torments in the world shall not worke one droppe of spirituall moysture out of thee the torments may vvell pâ—esse out sowre and bitter sappe as blasphemie rayling and despare but no good sappe as Faith or Repentance except thou get it of the fulnesse of IESVS CHRIST and therefore my counsell is When thou feelest the hand of the Lord on thee namely in the houre of death a dangerous houre turne thee to Iesus Christ and say thou mayest presse mee downe but long ere I yeelde one droppe of grace except thou giue it me Lord therefore giue me one drop of grace Another thing I marke in the rebuke of the other thiefe Common miserie should worke a mutual compassion thou should pitiâ— them who are in a like miserie with thee and if thou doest it not thou doâ—st as the euill thiefe did I say thou hast no feare of God if thou raylest on him who is in miserie with thee thine heart is full of the gall of bitternesse By nature we are all alike in miserie there is not a thing that becomes a sinner better than to haue compassion on others an heart without pitie shall neuer be pitied not neuer shall see life Now to goe forward when he hath said Thou art in like damnation lest that y e thiefe rebuked should haue thought y t Christ should haue deserued that paine as well as hee thinke not that they who are alike in miserie are alike guiltie No no ye are deceiued Well he meetes this we suffer nothing but that which we demerite I thou are iustly in this common condemnation but this man hath done nothing amisse This rayling and paine this man demerites not yet if ye will weigh the wordes narrowly wee shall see other two arguments whereby hee rebukes this blasphemous companion The first is from their merites The second from the innocencie of Christ The first thou meritest this torment and therefore should not thy merite worke a feare of God and a feare of an heauier judgement Lord saue vs from the merite of sinne When a man is in torment and chiefly in death the paine should worke a feare of God and then considering the merite there should strike a greater feare in the heart that there should ensue a greater damnation afterward The consideration of merite should worke a feare and the conscience should not so soone stand vp to accuse vs of sinne but wee should be striken with a feare of that terrible Iudge but euery man hath not this sense the thiefe hath not that sense of the merite of the present paine nor yet of the greater paine that was to insue What is the cause of this that euery man feeles not this The conscience of the merite of sinne is not giuen to euery man We are all sinners and merites all our paine we merite death and Hell But alas where
sees wherefore and for what end thou art come to that meeting whether it be to feede thine eares and to take delectation in hearing of new things or to take pastime to see and be seene or to eschew the shame of the world or whether thou commest to reape profite and to be edified of that thou hearest and to get life of that Crosse and death of Christ for therein stands thy life and this should be the end of thy meeting with Gods children Thâ—n seeing the eye of the Lord is set on euery soule therefore it becomes euery one of vs to striue to approue our heartes to the Lord so that euery one of vs may saye to the Lord for this ende am I come O Lord to be partaker of the fruit of the death of Iesus Christ Woe to them who come for another cause or sinistrous respect and come not to be edified for the Gospell shall neuer be a worde of life to them but a sauour of death vnto death If it worke not life in thee and if the Spirit worke not life by the preaching of the Crosse it shall be the power of death to thy soule Brethren we haue heare the first part Now we haue to speake of the second part The taking of His bodie downe from the Crosse before His buriall The taking downe of the body of the Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of lords comes of a râ—quest made to Pilate and made not by His friends but by His enemies I see this this miserable people of the Iewes were spoyled of all power as they had no power to hang any so they had no power to take any downe from the Crosse or from the gallowes without the leaue of the Magistrate they were spoyled of all power by the judgement of God therefore they behooued to haue recourse to Pilate they were slaues yet they would not acknowledge the true King of glorie who might haue made them free I see heere a commendable thing in the Romane policie As it was not lawfull to hang any without the command and licence of the Magistrate so they who were hanged might not be taken without the licence of the Iudge There sould nothing be done to a guiltie person but by the authoritie of the Iudge God in His judiciall Law gaue not only Lawes concerning the lifting of men vpon the crosse but also of y e taking down of them froÌ„ the crosse It is wel to be marked who it is that giues the aduise that the Lord with the other two should bee taken downe from the crosse to put an ende both to their paine and their ignominie It is not one of His disciples it is not Peter nor Iohn nor Matthew they are not so bold they durst not presume it No it was His enemies that crucified Him that interponed their request for Him Was this a benefite they did to Him Certainely this was a benefite they did to Him to take Him downe from the crosse yet they doe it not to benefite Him for any pitie they had on Him for they thought that Hee was liuing but the Lord had giuen vp the Ghost When thy friendes will not make a suite for thee the Lord will raise vp thine enemies to doe thee good He cannot only make thy friend doe thee good but thy foe also If thou bee the Lordes He can make them who would wish thee woe to doe thee good if thou be the Lords the fire the water and the sworde which otherwise would deuoure thee shall benefite thee the Lord against all mens expectation shall doe thee good if thou bee the Lords thou shalt not want reliefe Now what was the summe of their request They besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken downe That is that they might bee put out of paine and that they might make an end of them for they thought they were quicke Now whether this request was vpon a custome vsed amongst them or not the Text declares not but it seemes except the feast of the Passeouer had interueened that same time that they would not haue bene carefull of them but would haue suffered them to hang whilst they had yeelded vp y e Ghost The other two were quicke in paine when the Lord yeelded vp the spirit I note this When thy enemies doe thee a good turne they doe it neuer of loue These might haue dispatched the Lorde and the two Thieues with lesse paine than to haue broken their thies They had taken their liues sooner from them if they had beaten out their braines So when thy enemie benefites thee and does thee anie good turne bee sure he does it not of purpose to doe thee good as we coÌ„monly speake If he giue thee a bit he will giue thee a buffet with it Soure and bitter is the benefite of the enemie Indeede it is true that the Lord who makes all thinges to worke for the best to them that loues Him will dispose their doings otherwise and make them to worke thy good And therefore haue thine eye set vpon the Lord and He shall make the malice and bitternesse of thine enemie to turne to thy comfort There is another thing to bee marked The Lord had ordained that there should not bee one bone broken of CHRIST and so it was fore-tolde Nowe will yee see the force of the word and prouidence of God The force of the worde and prouidence of God appeares the more clearelie by this opposition which is made to His ordinance The Iewes requested to haue His bones broken and Pilate gaue commandement to breake them But is there any bone broken notwithstanding their sute and Pilates commandement No not one This lets vs see That if God haue ordained said any thing it lies not in the hands of any man to disanull it If God shall say There shall not be one bone of my anointed broken great Caesar and al the Kings of the earth the king of Spaine and the Pope and all their adherents shall not be able to doe the contrary So in the middest of all feare and danger let vs depende vpon the prouidence of God and saye Lord if thou hast saide otherwise than these mens intentions are I will not bee affraide for them I know they are not able to do any thing without thy prouidence and so Lord I leane onely on thy prouidence and am content with thy will So in these miserable dayes we are to leane to God and to depende on His prouidence and wee shall see the vaine enterprises of men vanish away like smoake and we shall see the wicked to bee made spectacles to all the worlde Let vs see what moued the IEVVES to make this request Was it pittie that mooued them No They had no pittie of Him Was it obedience to the commandement of God who commaÌ„ded that an hanged man should be cut down y t same day because he was accursed Deu. 21.22.23 No it was a vaine
Prophetes and Apostles vvhich containe exactly the doctrine of Christ necessarie to saluation Nowe let vs consider in order the promises vvhich the Lord joynes vvith this commission that He giues to His Apostles the first two are set downe in Marke the third in Matthew the first promise is of euerlasting life and saluation to all that beleeue by their Ministerie and are baptized by them Hee that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued This promise of life and saluation that Hee subjoynes to the preaching and baptizing of the Apostles was no doubt to mooue and allure men vpon the consideration of so faire and great benefiâ—es that they should receiue them the more willingly to beleeue in the Lord Iesus With this promise to them that beleeue He joynes a denunciation of judgement against all those who would not beleeue by their Ministerie He denounces eternall death and damnation against them Hee that will not beleeue sayes Hee shall be condemned So that as on the one part He promises a faire reward to mooue men to beleeue so on the other part Hee threatens a fearfull judgement against them that beleeue not but despises the Apostles doctrine to make men to abhorre and detest that abhominable sinne of infidelitie Vpon this promise of reward and threatning of judgement first we learne this lesson The Ministerie of the Gospell is euer effectuall and powerfull in men either one way or other for seeing this Ministerie of the Gospell which from the Apostles dayes continues and shall continue to the ende of the world is grounded vpon that incomprehensible power that filles both heauen and earth howe is it possible but it must bee mightie and powerfull It must be powerfull either to life and saluation or els to death and damnation to life to them that beleeue to death to them that beleeue not Therefore Paul sayes that alwayes they triumphed and were victorious in Christ and that they were a fauour to God both in them that are saued and in them who perish In them who are saued they vvere the sauour of life vnto life but in them who perish they were the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2.14 The Apostle in these wordes le ts vs see that the preaching of the Gospell is euer powerfull and effectuall in all sorts of men Alas men count too lightly yea despise contemne and scorne this preaching as if it were a matter of none effect and the worde of man and not of God but take heede how thou hearest the Gospell for thou shalt finde it to be the most powerfull thing that euer was and if it bee not powerfull to worke life and saluation it shall worke death and damnation in thee Next we learne out of these wordes that Faith Righteousnesse Saluation and all spirituall graces are so tied and bound to this Ministerie of the Gospell that whosoeuer submits himselfe to this Ministerie and conformes himselfe to the Gospell hee shall attaine to Faith Righteousnesse Life and Saluation and by the contrarie whosoeuer contemnes this Ministerie hee shall neuer get any spirituall grace no Faith no Righteousnesse no Life no Saluation but by this Gospell But yee will say We should not tie nor binde the grace of God to those externall things Wee should not restraine Gods working to the outward Ministerie Indeede I grant the grace of GOD is not so tied to these ordinarie meanes and outward helpes which are dayly vsed in the Church but that yee may worke without them and that ye may worke immediatly by His owne Spirit in whome and when He pleases but it is as true that whosoeuer contemnes those outwarde ordinarie meanes which the LORD hath ordained to bee vsed he shall be depriued of all spirituall grace of Faith of Righteousnesse of Saluation For Faith sayes Paul is by hearing and hearing by the worde of God preached Rom. Chapter 10. verse 17. Many foolish men with-draw themselues from the outwarde Ministerie from the meanes of grace and are exercised in pastime in drinking in harlotrie and yet they will say they will come to Heauen as soone as the best of them but they deceiue themselues for if thou contemnest these outwarde meanes which the LORD hath ordained thou shalt neuer get no grace the gates of Heauen shall be closed on thee thy portion shall bee with the Deuill and His Angels Thirdly we may marke out of this promise an excellent and worthie effect of Faith to wit Saluation and eternall life for Hee sayes Hee that beleeueth shall be saued But we may not thinke that this effect proceedes from the force power worthinesse and merites of Faith No but this effect of life and Saluation proceedes only from the vertue power and merite of Christ which the soule apprehendes for this Life and Saluation stayes and abides so plenteously and in such abundance in Christ that as soone as wee put out the hand of Faith and takes holde of Him so soone will we finde that life of CHRIST conueyed into our soules His life is made ours by Faith In Christ there dwelles such a marueilous and glorious light that when wee approach to Him by Faith by the beames of His brightnesse He shines in our hearts that we may get the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus 2. Cor. Chapter 4. verse 6. By Faith His light is made ours in Christ there is such a wonderfull and incomprehensible glorie that as soone as with open face with the eye of Faith we beholde Him in the mirrour of the Gospell as soone are we transformed in the same Image from glorie to glorie 2 Cor. 3.18 by Faith His glorie is made ours when wee shall see Him face to face wheÌ„ Faith shall be turned into sight He shall perfect our glorie Hee shall change our vile bodies that they may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things to himselfe Philip. chap. 3. vers 21. Seeing then so excellent and worthie are th'effectes of faith wee ought both carefullie to vse th' ordinarie meanes vvhereby faith is vvrought and also pray earnestlie that the Lord vvould giue a blessing to them and by them vvorke faith in our heartes that so vvee may enjoye all these graces and benefites Fourthlie vvee see in this promise of life and saluation that the Lord joynes Baptisme with faith in Christ For sayes Hee hee that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall bee saued Wee may not vnderstand this so as if Baptisme vvere eyther simplie a cause or an halfe cause of saluation No it has no respect of a cause in the saluation of man but it is joyned to Faith as a signe and an outwarde marke to testifie and beare vvitnesse of the cause to wit Faith in Iesus Christ and in such sorte it must followe vpon Faith and bee conjoyned vvith it that hee vvho beleeues vvould vvishe to bee baptized it is not possible that
LECTVRES VPON THE HISTORY OF THE PASSION RESVRRECTION AND ASCENSION OF OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST Beginning at the eighteenth Chapter of the Gospell according to S. IOHN and from the 16. verse of the 19. Chapter thereof containing a perfect Harmonie of all the foure Euangelists for the better vnderstanding of all the Circumstances of the LORDS death and Resurrection PREACHED BY THAT reuerend and faithfull seruant of God M r. ROBERT ROLLOCKE sometime Minister of the Euangell of IESVS CHRIST and Rector of the Colledge of EDINBVRGH EDINBVRGH Printed by ANDRO HART ANNO 1616. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THEIR MOST LOVING FREIND IN THE LORD MASTER WILLIAM SCOT OF ELI Grace in this life and Euerlasting Glorie in the life to come RIght worshipfull albeit that the true knowledge of Christ crucified of all other be the most worthie and excellent albeit that in him be the only and full matter of mans gloriation yet few there be who striue to know him as they should and to make him the matter of their reioycing For to speake nothing of the Gentiles who count the preaching of Christ crucified to be foolishnesse or of the Iewes who count it a stumbling blocke 1. Cor. 1 23. or of the Turkes who will not acknowledge him to be their Redeemer euen they who haue bene baptized in Christ professe outwardly his word true doctrine if they remaine in nature be not preuēted by the spirit of adoption whereby they may see their owne miserie their sinnes the terrours of the wrath of God for sinne in the meane time that they professe Christ they in heart scorne the Crosse of Christ his woundes and his blood they account the knowledge thereof of litle value yea they will preferre to it the knowledge of any thing here beneath and they will seeke the matter of their gloriatiō not in it but either in themselues or els into the creatures of God which in themselues are but transitorious shadowes The naturall man will neuer thinke that he can finde greater things in Christ crucified than he will finde if he obtaine the obiect which most he desires likes and longs for The ambitious man will not thinke that he can get greater honour than to be called the sonne of a King or Emperour he will not refuse with Moses to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter that he may be called the sonne of God Heb. 11.24 The sensuall man cannot thinke that he can find any greater pleasure than in his sinfull lust he will neuer chuse rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne The couetous man can neuer thinke that any greater happines can be than here on earth to haue gold siluer and treasures he will neuer with Moses esteeme the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Only that man whom God preuents by his Spirit and calles effectually frō the kingdome of darknes to the kingdome of light wil account duely of the Crosse of Christ will say with the Apostle God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 and I decreed not to know any thing saue Iesus Christ him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 that man will call it the supereminent knowledge of Iesus Christ Philip. 3.8 he only will make Christ crucified to be the matter of his gloriation for he will see that God in him as in a store-house hath placed all treasures that in him dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodely Col. 2.9 he will thirst to be woompled in the wounds of Iesus and washed in the blood of Iesus yea that man will see that God hath manifested in Christ our Sauiour and in his death and resurrection his glorious properties more clearly than in the worke of our creation or any other of his workes whatsouer for he is called the brightnesse of the glorie the engraued forme of the person of the Father the Image of the inuisible God Heb. 1.3 and that man will see that there is nothing which the soule of man inlakes stands in neede of or can desire but he will finde it in Christ. Wouldst thou see the glorious properties of God consider first his power albeit in the worke of creation his power appeared to be incomprehensible omnipotent when by his word he formed all things of nothing called these things that are not and made them to be yet in the worke of the Redemptiō he manifested greater power for notwithstanding Sathan the power of darknesse the sinnes of the Elect which Iesus bare death and the graue were against him yet powerfully he raised Iesus from death Eph. 1.19 there is a great power and whereas in the Creation he formed to Adam a spous out of his owne ribbe in the Redemption he formed the Church of God out of the blood of Christ there he gaue life in commanding that to be which was not here he giues life not by life but by death by the death euen of his owne Sonne Albeit in the worke of Creation great and more than wonderfull doth his wisdome appeare in making this glorious and beautifull fabricke in making all things euen contraries to agree in such an harmonie yet in the worke of Redemption God by finding out a way which no creature neither man nor Angell could inuent how that iustice and mercie could stand together hath shewed greater wisdome his wisdome is such that the Angels admires and desires to looke in it 1. Pet. 1.22 Albeit great anger wrath did the Lord vtter many times against sinners as in the olde world by the Flood and on Sodome Gomorrhe by raining from heauen brimstone and fire he destroyed man woman young olde rich and poore without exception yet more clearely was his anger against sinne seene when for the sinnes of the Elect he spared not his own wel beloued Son on whō they were laid but made his wrath so fearfully to pursue him that he cried My soule is very heauie euē vnto the death Marc. 14.34 and My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matt. 27.46 And albeit great loue did the Lord shew toward men gaue many testimonies therof in giuing them life breath all things Act. 17.25 in making his sun to shine on them his raine to fal on them giuing them fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food gladnesse Act. 14.17 yet neuer such loue shewed he as when he sent the Son of God to be the Sonne of man that the sonnes of mē might be made the sonnes of God againe and when he made him to die that men might liue Herein sayes Ioh. 4.10 is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes here only is an incontrollable testimonie of an undoubted loue and if ye will duly consider all the rest of Gods glorious properties ye shall
liked of by many that sundry hearing that they were in hands longed to see them come to light we haue takē some paines in reuising correcting them not only for the loue duty that we ought to that faithfull reuerend Author of them who was our master but also that with the greater liking profite they might be read by al them that desire to be edified And what our paines herein hath bene few can well iudge but those who haue bene acquainted with such cases we haue endeuoured to giue the true meaning of the Author clearly to make his methode plaine we haue omitted many superfluous repetitions we filled out vnperfect sentēces we cleared things obscure we rectified the sentēces which were inuerted we endeuoured so far as was possible to giue out his owne phrase stile and matter As for the matter this we may boldly affirme that it is fully set down and that it is as good at least if it be not better than his Latine Commentarie set foorth by himselfe yea we doubt nothing but the matter shall satisfie all men who craue edification but as for the phrase stile we dare not say that it will be found so absolute and exact in all thinges as if it had beene finished by himselfe before he ended his course neither as we would wish and other men woulde require And what maruell seeing neither did hee deliuer them of purpose to bee printed neither did hee euer see them thereafter neither were they receiued by his Schollers vpon that purpose but onely for the helping of their owne memorie yea and at the first time after that vpon your request Sir wee tooke paines vpon them we foūd such hardnes imperfections that his own phrase elegancy was not obserued that we feared to hazard the name and credite of the learned iudicious Author who deserued so well of vs yea of the whole Church of God had left off the worke as vnperfect if the earnest request of you of some other of the learned whose iudgmēts are to be reuerēced had not encouraged vs therto Yet we trust that the stile shal not be much blamed except by those who beeing delicate eared regardes language more thā matter for there is here an easy methode with a familiar stile condescēding to the capacity of the meanest answerable to the matter entreated to wit the crosse of Christ which refuses to be decored with humane eloquēce that y e matter be not obscured by the stile but may appeare aboue it as oft times M. Rollocke himselfe was wont to speake Yea albeit it may be that the stile in some few of the first Sermons be somewhat hard and vnpleasant which we might easily haue amended if we had not thought it vnmeete to haue set out his matter in our words yet if any will read forward especially from that part where the Harmony of all the Euangelists is taken in all the foure are in such sort conferred together that no circumstāce of the history of Christs death resurrection is omitted he shall euer find more more contētment in all things And as we haue taken paines for the profite edificatiō of many so we doubt not but the successe euent shal answere to our desire For to speake nothing of the history it selfe which is so plesāt sweet plaine easy forcible to moue all the affections of the soule here ye will find how euery clause sentēce of euery one of the Euāgelists are linked together depend one vpon another according to the order of nature here ye will see a plaine and an easy methode here ye will see how clearly the doctrine resultes off the doctrine laid down here ye will see fit applications to these times here ye wil see when occasion offers how the enemies of the trueth of God are pithily conuinced and confuted And now if we would presume to dedicate this worke our labours therein to any other than to you Sir whose deseruings haue bin so great both towards the Author himselfe vs also we might be iustly blamed and could haue no shew of reasonable excuse for first who knew M. Robert Rollocke but they also knew what entire affectiō you caried towards him how carefull you were in all things to please him euen frō the time that first your acquaintance began till the time that he finished his course none loued him more tēderly none vsed him more familiarly none delited more to conferre with him priuately to heare his preachings publikely none shewed greater gratitude towards him for it was knowne by many that it would haue bene your pleasure if from your hand he would haue receiued a testimony of your loue as a fruite of your faith wrought by his Ministerie yea he himselfe did acknowledge that none was to be cōpared with you for gratitude goodwill towards him but chiefly you declared your loue towards him whē in his last disease you would haue him to come to your house where you entertained him for his cause many that came to visite him liberally honourably to his last breath without any regarde of expēses euen as a louing sonne entertaineth his father Next seeing the wil of the Testator should be sacred inviolable in his testamēt he ordained that whatsoeuer of his works should see the light thereafter should be dedicate to you with these solemne words expresly dyted by himselfe GVLIELMO SCOTO in perpetuum testimoniū amicitiae nostrae dedico cōsecróque that where euer his works were read your kindnes affectiō towards him might be knowne your memoriall might endure to the posterity who can iustly be offended that this worke be dedicate vnto you who can enuie your praise herein thirdly if there were no more this one cause may be more than sufficiēt to make this worke to come out vnder your patronage protectiō that you haue bene the only instrumēt to make it to see the light for through your great care earnest endeuoure large expēses these Lectures were collected gathered from all the partes of the Countrey East West South North how far distant that euer they were from the hands of his schollers who wrote them from his mouth by your dealing procurement they were written ouer and ouer againe reuised corrected now made apt for the Printing so that by your means they now go abroad in the hands of mē we trust to the cōfort of many lastly we for our own parts offer our trauels in this worke vnto your patronage as a monument that we acknowledge our selues to be more obliged vnto you thā we can requite of minds desirous not to be foūd vnthākfull for the vndeserued fauour you shewed to vs particularly to speake nothing of the testimonies of your loue which you shewed many wayes towards them whō the Lord hath set in his seruice both far near which they thēselues doe
and Pastors heere in this vvorld shall bee effectuall either to thy life or to thy death and as certainelie the same vvorde shall haue effect to driue the vvicked men vpon their backes as Zacharie saieth Chap. 1. vers 4.5.6 When the men are dead that haue spoken that vvorde after it hath beene spoken it shall bee founde liuing and that same voyce shall haue effect vvhen vvee are dead It is true sayeth the LORD my Prophets died with your fathers but my voyce which I put into their mouthes died not with them and your fathers knewe that that worde which I did put into their mouthes was liuing and neuer left them vntill it brought on judgement vpon them The LORD graunt that euerie soule may reuerence the vvorde of IESVS CHRIST for it shall bee founde that either it vvas spoken to thy saluation or to thy damnation And Heauen and Earth shall vanishe awaye before one jote of that Worde passe awaye vvithout its owne effect But nowe let vs see vvhat they doe after they are fallen downe vpon the grounde Leaue they off No no they rise againe and the LORD IESVS standeth still and letteth them rise againe and vvhen they are risen they speake nothing but Hee speaketh first and Hee saieth Whome seeke yee and they saye IESVS of NAZARETH And Hee answereth I am hee Nowe this is a strange thing Who can thinke that these men vvho founde so great a power proceeding out of the mouth of the LORD IESVS CHRIST finding such force shoulde haue medled with Him againe But left they Him for all this No but they get vp againe and pursue Him and take Him and binde Him It is an hard matter to bee giuen ouer to a reprobate sense that is to want feeling when the Lord taketh out of the soule in His judgement all sight sense that person is miserable and if thou be once strucken with that senselesnesse of the soule albeit thou be throwne downe vpon thy backe thou shalt get vp againe like a drunken man and fight against the Lord and that man is worse than any beast horse or mule for once strike a Horse downe he hath a feeling therof and he will beware of the like perill againe But a man who should haue reason after that the Lord hath once strucken him with senselessenesse there is no beast so senselesse as he is and as hee is senselesse so he shall not leaue off from euill doing and hee shall compt no more of the power of God than of a flee for they feele not the hand of God they are so astonished and they will vp againe after they are casten downe and they will assaye His power againe and will not leaue off till His wrath destroy him Striue therefore euer to keepe the soule in a sense and feeling and let not that miserable scroofe to goe ouer thy soule but haue still a feeling of the power of God and mercy of God in thy soule and alwayes haue a wakened conscience for if thine heart come to that extreame senselessenesse thy soule shall ouer-grow with such a fatnesse that thou shalt haue no more sense than a dead stocke and thou shalt bee like an Oxe fedde to destruction thou shalt neither haue feeling of mercie nor of judgement To ende with this ye see that Iesus Christ albeit he was but himselfe alone a simple man to looke to and without armour yet Hee prouoketh them and speaketh to them first Hee dischargeth them to stirre Him vntill first they entered into a conditiō with Him That His disciples should passe free there is not such a thing that one of them could haue power to put out their hand to take Him And if there were no more but this that they had no power to stirre him they might see more in Iesus Christ than in a common man they might see power in Him to keepe Himselfe yet their senselessenesse is so great that they cannot see this The Lord keepe vs in sense and feeling of Him that when He hath adoe with vs wee may feele Him and see Him that our conscience may bee wakened and our hearts mollified through Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE SECOND LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 7 Then he asked them againe Whom seeke yee And they said IESVS of Nazareth verse 8 IESVS answered I saide vnto you that I am hee therefore if ye seeke me let these goe their way verse 9 This was that the word might bee fulfilled which hee spake Of them which thou gauest mee haue I lost none verse 10 Then Simon Peter hauing a sword drew it and smote the high Priestes seruant and cut off his right eare Now the seruants name was Malchus verse 11 Then saide IESVS vnto Peter Put vp thy sworde into the sheath shall I not drinke of the cuppe which my Father hath giuen mee verse 12 Then the band and the captaine and the officers of the Iewes tooke IESVS and bound him THE last day beloued in the LORD IESVS wee diuided the whole Historie of the Passion and suffering of Iesus Christ which is contained in these two CHAPTERS to wit the XVIII and XIX of this Gospell in these parts First wee haue his suffering in the Garden Then wee haue his suffering in the Hall of the high Priest Thirdly we haue his suffering before the Iudge Pontius Pilate Fourthly wee haue his suffering in the place of Execution in Caluaria otherwise GOLGOTHA And last we haue the last part of his suffering which is his Buriall The last day wee entered into the first part of his suffering which IOHN in this Chapter setteth downe to bee this The Lord Iesus beeing in the Garden is taken captiue and bounde John passeth by all that agonie and conflict that the Lord had before his taking in the Garden with the heauie wrath of his Father for our sinne which hee did beare As concerning his taking we haue first the part of Iesus who of purpose wittingly and willingly came to this Garden to be taken which Garden was knowne to Judas the Traitor Then wee haue the part of Iudas he knowing the Garden commeth forward because the Lord vsed with his Disciples to resort thither accompanied with a band of men of warre with the officers and seruants of the high Priest to take and apprehende the Lord. In the third place wee haue the communing that fell out betwixt Christ and them that came to take him he knowing all things that should come vnto him hee taketh not the flight nor seeketh not to goe his way as he might haue done because it was night but hee commeth out vnsought and beginneth the speach and saieth Whome seeke yee They not knowing him by face answered IESVS of Nazareth He answered againe not denying himselfe I am he as he would say in plaine wordes I am the man whom yee seeke why seeke yee
anie further to let vs see how wittingly and willingly how joyfullie and gladly and howe patiently hee offereth himselfe vnto death for our sinnes Now he hath no sooner spoken this one worde I am he which is a gentle worde but assoone they start backwardes and fall to the grounde whereby the Lord woulde testifie vnto them that they had no power to take his life from him as hee said before himselfe he had both his life and his death in his owne handes all the power in heauen and in earth was not able to cause him to die if he had pleased to haue liued But to come to this Text When hee hath strucken them to the ground they leaue not off but when they are risen they are as bent as they were before It is a marueilous thing for if it had beene his will hee might not onely haue strucken them to the grounde but hee might haue strucken them thorow the earth into hell yet he letteth them rise againe but they are all senselesse of that diuine power wherewith they are strucken The Lord beginneth the speach and he saith Whom seeke ye They answere not knowing him IESVS of Nazareth He replieth againe I said vnto you that I am hee hee denieth not himselfe but in a manner prouoketh them to dispatch that businesse which they were about yet he entereth into a condition with them Take not these that are with mee stirre not my Disciples he giueth them a charge that they stirre them not and indeed none of that whole companie had anie power to lift vp their hand against them The words are plaine ye may easily perceiue the note that riseth of this It is a marueilous thing that a naked and a simple man who was baser than the King of Glorie was in the earth a man naked without armour hee is standing before them who are like as many Tyrants or tygers and yet none of them had power to lay handes vpon him till hee giue them power and more hee will not let them stirre him till hee make a condition with them That they handle not his disciples He imponeth lawes vnto them and without this law that they meddle not with his Disciples he will not yeelde himselfe vnto them So Brethren this is to let you see first that diuine power which was in the Lord Iesus Beholde it for it is a comfortable thing for Christians to knowe that diuine power that is in Iesus Christ for although hee neuer touched one of them yet that diuine power did so binde fast their hands and so restrained that pride of their heartes that they had no power once to moue against him Next behold a miserable senselessenesse in them for it is a wonderfull thing that they cannot perceiue nor feele this power that was in him If they had had anie sight of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily would they not haue ceassed from such a wicked enterprise Brethren it is an hard matter for any man or woman once to bee giuen ouer vnto a reprobate sense and to be strucken with blindnesse and hardnesse of heart And if God in his just judgement giue thee to blindnesse and hardnesse of soule albeit hee woulde make judgement after judgement to ceasse vpon thee and albeit he would strike thee and beate thee vpon thy backe thou wilt not bee the better but thou wilt get vp againe like a drunken man and if thou bee once giuen ouer to thine owne selfe it is as sure a thing as is in the worlde that except the Lord let thee see with his power a sight of mercy thou shalt euer become worse and worse and except the face of Iesus shine into thy soule all afflictions shall harden thee like yron that is often strucken vpon and the greater the afflictions bee except that mercy shine into thine heart thou wilt bee the more indured Paul saieth When the heart is conuerted to the Lord the vaile is taken away 2. Corinth 3.16 Without conuersion of the heart to the face of IESVS that that mercifull face may shine into the heart all the thinges in the world will not be able to mollifie thine heart Therefore whensoeuer the Lord afflicteth thee pray for mercy that as the power striketh thee so the mercie may be powerfull to conuert thee Yea crie aye for the mercy or else the power shall worke a further induration in thee and make thee worse To goe forward Yee see how carefull He is of his disciples men would thinke that He being so hard straited so neare the death should haue forgotten his Disciples for this is our fashion but the Lord doeth not so And Brethren this is a true note and token of a true Shepheard hee will forget himselfe and his life and hee will remember his flocke and when he is adying hee will be carefull of his flocke and when the Wolfe is worrying him yet hee will doe what lyeth in him that his flocke and euery sheepe thereof may escape and he will giue his life for the safetie of his flocke This is a good pastor So wee see the viue image of a faithfull Pastor in the Lord Iesus he will giue his life for his sheepe as hee saith himselfe Hee is but an hyreling that will not for the loue of his sheepe laye downe his life And this is the thing that I note chiefely here When the Lord becommeth weake in himselfe thorow infirmitie yea voluntarie infirmitie hee needed not to bee infirme what need had the God of glorie to bee infirme hee suffereth himselfe to bee bound till he become infirme In the meane time he is strong and powerfull in his Disciples to their safetie for although these that were in the Garden would neuer so faine yet they could not gette their hands laide vpon his Disciples The Lord Iesus when he was hanging vpon the Crosse the Iewes scorned him and tauntinglie saide vnto him Thou who sauedst others come downe and saue thy selfe meaning he could not saue himself because he was crucified as if he had no power but they are deceiued for that same houre that the Lord was vpon the Crosse and that same verie time that thorowe infirmitie he died and when he was hanging dead vpon the Crosse that power went out from him that kept his Dâ—sciples and all the faithfull in the worlde For except that the Lord had kept them then when he was hanging dead they had beene a preye to the Deuill For this is our nature and infirmitie wee cannot stand a moment in this world except it be by the power of Iesus Christ Well then Brethren if Christ Iesus crucified and crucified as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 13.4 thorow infirmitie and so weake in himselfe in his humane nature had so great a power to saue his Church what shall wee say then What a power is that which proceedeth from Iesus Christ glorified and commeth downe nowe from the Heauen and who liueth nowe as the Apostle sayeth there by the
the injurie done by the authoritie the Lord will not allow it the Lord will not haue injurie repayed by an injurie Well then if the Lord will not haue a wrong defence against injuries Hee will not haue a wrong to meete a wrong What damnation lyes on these men who do an injurie doe delight to oppresse the innocent If Peter got such a reproofe for the defence of Christ against his enemies What damnation shall these murtherers get who oppresse the innocent man the damnation of these men shall bee great I denounce an heauie damnation against thee Let the King the Magistrates and all the world winke at thee the hand of the Lord shall light on thee this shall be thy recompense Thou who takest pleasure in oppression shalt be oppressed the Lord shall thrust downe thine head and bloodie hand shall presse thee downe for euer the Lord saue vs from this judgement woe to them that oppresse their neighbour either in word or deede Now to goe forward Shall I not drinke of the cuppe that my Father hath giuen me By the cuppe is vnderstood a measure of affliction that the Lord will lay on any man as a cuppe is a measure so the Lord hath a measure of affliction to lay on his owne as the Master of a familie hath a cuppe drinketh to his familie sayes Drinke thou this drinke thou that euen so the Lord is the Master of this world He will fill the cuppe of affliction He will say Drinke thou this drinke thou that if He propine thee a cup He will cause thee drinke it all the world cannot saue thee but if the Lord bid thee doe it thou must drinke it He hath commandement ouer his creatures good reason that we doe His will either to liue or die as He pleaseth if the Lord propine thee with a cup of affliction if thou drinke it not willingly heere is the danger thou shalt bee compelled to drinke the dregs thereof to thy destruction Woe is to the soule that will in no measure lay down his necke to that burthen but againe if thou take that cuppe gladly as the Lord Iesus did He dranke the dregs of the bitter cuppe of the wrath of the Father yea Hee receiued it gladly and thanked Him for it albeit thou hadst bitternesse in the beginning yet in the end thou shalt finde joy and sweetnesse What followed on that cuppe Glorie the more that thou sufferest if it be patiently the greater glorie shall be to thee Then seeing that we must also suffer in this world for it is nothing but a suffering life woe is to thee that wilt make thy heauen into this world thou needest not to looke for an heauen in the world to come What euer wee suffer let vs striue against our rebellious nature for it is full of rebellion and striue to get patience and say Lord I haue no patience in mine hand Lord giue me patience contentment let this be our prayer in distresse and they who will seeke this I will promise them the most glorious issue that euer was the bitternesse of the affliction shall not stay that glorie In this world we are all as it were on a Skaffold to trie our faith to trie our patience that afterward all our afflictions may be turned in joy glorie all the teares that will gush out of thine eyes the Lord with his hand shal wipe them away wilt thou awaite to see this end thou shalt neuer againe see dolour nor displeasure Now remaineth one thing of the taking of the Lord then sayeth he Then the band and the captaine and the officers of the Iewes tooke Jesus and bound him He gaue them good leaue or els they could neuer haue bound Him but will yee marke how particularly they are named that tooke Him there is the band of the men of warre and the captaine and the seruants to let you see that there was no man that was there and was partaker of that doing but the eye of God was on him the holy Spirit recounteth them Beware euer to be in euill companie if there were neuer so many in that companie yea if there were ten thousand with thee the Lord shall see thee and judge thee whether thou be a Captaine or a single souldier or a gudget beware to bee in euill companie Say not I am not a principall man but a seruant I must obey the authoritie and I must followe my Captaine No that shall bee no warrand to thee for if thou shalt be in euill companie the eye of the LORD shall bee vpon thee to judge thee let none of these worldly excuses moue thee but say Lord thou seest whither I go with whom I come what I come to do or els thy cōscience shal terrifie thee whether thou be highest or lowest in doing an ill fact the iudgement of the Lord shall fall on thee Now to come to his taking the Lord is taken willingly resistes not whē they boūd him he put out his hands to be boūd looke how he pointes out the suffering of Christ First he sayes he was taken then he was bound thinke ye this is for no purpose There is not a worde or a sillabe lost here the taking of the Lord and the laying handes on him was for our cause who lying vnder sinne the deuill and death and this taking recounters and meetes our taking by the deuill and death Euery thing in Him and His suffering behoued to meete vs and our suffering Hee that should redeeme vs as wee were taken so it behooued Him to be taken and as wee were bound so it behooued Him to be bound and if His taking and binding had not answered to our taking and binding Hee had not beene a meete redeemer for vs and if he had not beene bound as we were we had not beene deliuered from the bands of sinne albeit it is hard to Him yet to the sinner it is joyfull and if thou findest thine handes bound hard thus the Lord Iesus was a captiue bound for thee it would bee the joyfullest tithings to thee that euer was Who is he or shee that feele the bandes of death and damnation but this will bee joyfull tithings to them because we feele not this when we heare word of His taking we take litle thought of it and are so litle mooued therewith Therefore Brethren I recommend this lesson to you and my selfe seeing we are all sinners lying vnder sinne and death that we striue to bee found in Iesus that by faith in Him wee may finde his passion and all the partes thereof to be forcible and effectuall to freee and deliuer vs from the bandes of sinne and death and so may be made partakers of life and glorie through Him To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glorie AMEN THE THIRD LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP.
striue to preach in publike that all the men and women of the worlde may heare euen to preach in the most publike places of the world and if it were for no other thing than this that thou mayest answere to the Lord if it fall out that the light come to bee challenged for darknesse theÌ„ thou maiest appeale say We haue teached nothing in holes and that the enemies of the trueth may be conuicted in their conscience and compelled to beare witnesse of the trueth I meane not that at no time it is lawfull to preach in secret places and as though the trueth of God had euer a free course and were publikly preached for experience hath teached that the trueth of God hath fled to the wildernesse in time of persecution and the Saints of God haue bene glad to goe to holes to get the comfort of the worde but I meane this that so farre as possibly can be is to bee preached openly and if that libertie of the trueth be restrained let vs bee content to suffer and deliuer in secret consolation by the word Then marke againe in Christes answere albeit the Lord suffereth willingly offereth Himselfe to be taken giueth his hands to bee bound yet yee may see that the Lord will not yeeld to the enemies that He is a false teacher or that He is a seducer or that that light is darknes or that the trueth is a lie It is true that if it please the Lord that we suffer for the trueths sake wee are bound to suffer patiently and willingly but looke to this againe let neuer the trueth of God be saide to be a lie neuer yeeld to the enemies that the trueth of God is false for all the torments of the world Peter sayeth Let vs suffer for a good cause and not as theeues and murtherers 1. Pet. 4. 15 16. It is a paine to suffer for an euill cause so long as the Lord giueth vs a mouth let vs protest that the trueth is trueth Paul sayes 2. Tim. 2.9 I am in bands and I am afflicted in bands as though I were an euill doer yet the word of God that He hath put in my mouth is not bound all the enemies in the world so long as I haue a mouth shall not restraine it The Martyres were neuer brought to this to coÌ„fesse that they suffered for an euill cause albeit thou yeeld hands and foot to any torture beware of this that thou neuer confesse that it is an euill cause wherefore thou diest let euer the veritie be free in all our suffering When the Lord makes this answere One of the officers which stood by smote Iesus with his rod and saide Answerest thou the high Priest so Meaning that the Lord had not answered him so reuerently as Hee should haue done The Lord answereth If I haue euil spoken beare witnes of the euil but if I haue well spoken why smitest thou me Alwayes whether He had well or euill spoken He findeth fault with him that he should haue smitten Him so rashâ—y so brethren this is another part of the suffering of Iesus Christ He suffers not onely of the high Priest but of his seruants also Hee suffers of all men all this was done without any order of law The high Priest speakes to Him against order of Law and the officer strikes Him against order of Law he failes in this because he strikes Him for well doing for He maintained the trueth of His father TheÌ„ againe why should he haue strucken Him till He had bene judged and then if He were judged yet it was no place to punish a man in judgement though he were neuer so euill So yee see in how many things these men faile What shall I say Ye shall commonly find the most innocent man who hath bene brought before euill men and corrupted judges of the worlde of all sort of men haue beene handeled most vnformally vnreasonably A thiefe or a murtherer hath not bene so euill handeled as the moste innocent for they will let a murtherer or the wickedest man in the world tell his tale in patience and they will delay striking of him till the place of execution but experience hath taught this that wheÌ„ an innocent man is judged all the proceeding is without order as we see in this example of Christ the most innocent man that euer was And such like in the Martyrs of God neuer thiefe nor robber was so vnreasonably handled as they What is the cause of this Euen this the malice of the heart of man was neuer so bent against an euill man as the wicked man is against the innoceÌ„t yea a just judge hates not so much vnrighteousnes as a wicked judge hates innoceÌ„cie And therfore it is a wonder that the judgemeÌ„t of the wicked proceedes vnorderly against the godly the Lord answeres If I haue spoken euill thou shouldst not strike mee without order if well why smitest thou me The Lord binds him that he hath done wrong howbeit Hee suffered most willingly patiently but Hee strikes not againe Yet marke in this patient suffering Hee will haue wrong appeare to be wrong that which is vnjust to be vnjust In all our patient suffering let ay right appeare to be right and wrong to be wrong Let not a man y t suffers be so dumbe that he say not that wrong is wrong No let them speake that the coÌ„science of the wicked man may be conuict and brought to some remorse The Lord no doubt pities this man that strook Him would haue had his conscience coÌ„uict y t he might repent So let the wicked see that wrong is wrong in the most patient suffering that the wicked may bee conuict and God glorified Nowe is subjoyned that Annas had sent Him bounde to Caiaphas Hee returnes to the grounde of His accusation and the grounde is this Annas sent Him bounde vnto Caiaphas howbeit in the house of Annas the Lord was not struckeÌ„ yet Annas was not blamelesse for these words are registrated to his euerlasting shame that he sent such an innocent man to such a burrio this makes him guiltie of the blood of the Lord Iesus Meddle nothing with the suffering of an innocent man for if once thou seemest to consent to his death thou art guiltie and if thou rejoycest in the wracke of the innocent for if thou shalt once consent vnto it thou art guiltie of all the innocent blood froÌ„ the blood of Abel that was shed vnto the end of the world for whosoeuer will consent to the blood of an innoceÌ„t man he may easily be brought on to consent to the shedding of the blood of all innocents y t euer was keepe therefore thine hands thine eyes thine heart cleane from any assent to the wracke of the innocent Now to come to the second part of our text which containes the two denialls of Peter All this time Peter is standing warming him with the officers of the High
Priest on this rises another temptation Some say Art thou not one of his disciples there he denies saying I am not First ye haue the occasion of the temptation Secondly the temptation it selfe Thirdly the second fall and deniall The occasion is he is standing warming him in such a companie the words import a great securitie in Peter he is so farre from a remorse that is carelesse thinke yee not that hauing denied his Master once that hee should haue gone aside mourned wept bitterly but ye see he did not so Sin when it is committed bringeth on commonly a carelesse security when a man hath fallen into a great sinne he will commonly ly still in a deadnesse senslesnesse as a man who falles downe from an high place for a certaine space lyes without sense is dammished with the fall euen so what is sinne but a fall from God after that once we are fallen froÌ„ God we are senlesse altogether we ly without sense or motion the greater alwayes that the sinne be whereinto we fall the greater is the senslesnesse but aboue all sinnes the deniall of the Lord Iesus of His trueth bringes on most fearfull deadly senslesnesse especially if that sinne proceede of a malitiousnesse of the heart as that sinne of Iudaâ— did he was senslesse he was so impudent in sinning that he kissed His Master to shew Him to his takers It is true the sin of Iudas was of the hatred of the heart but the sinne of Peter was not of malice but of infirmitie yet hee falles into a deadnesse and sleepe So Brethren euer beware to fall for after a fall comes a securitie The estate of securitie is the most dangerous estate that euer was better to be mourning day night than to be in this securitie so then falling he lyes still senslesse But looke what followes lying still in security another tempter coÌ„meth againe to wit One of the seruants of the high Priest his cousin whose caâ—e Peter smote off sayd Did not I see thee in the garden with him looke what the estate of securitie bringes on it neuer wantes temptation if thou shalt be put to that pinch that thou should denie thy Lord let a man ly still in securitie froÌ„ houre to houre he shall neuer want temptation when the deuill lulles thee asleepe in securitie then he thinkes that he gets his will Peter sayes I am not his disciple the temptatioÌ„ is but light yet for all the lightnes of it he denies his Lord for denying Him to be his disciple albeit he spake slenderly he denies Christ to be his Master in effect he denies the Messias then Brethren a man or a woman lying in securitie the least thing in the world will draw him away as a sleeping man with a small motion will fall so when thou art sleeping if the deuill commeth the least finger of the tempter will put thee ouer aboue all things in the world keepe thee from securitie for the smallest temptation will put thee away froÌ„ thy God so men in this life should euer be groaning vnder the burthen of sinne had Peter bene groaning after his first deniall hee had not beene so easily ouercome Now to take it vp in one worde sinne bringes on securitie when one lyes in securitie the deuill is busie to tempt him that person is easily put ouer so beware of sinne and striue to get a waking conscience that thou sleep not in securitie for the end of securitie is death euerlasting when hee is crying peace peace then commeth a sudden judgement like the paines of a woman in trauel Now come to the last deniall of Peter he hath denied the Lord twise after his second deniall he is no more touched than he was of before the second fall bringes on a greater senslesnesse than the first fall the oftener that a man or woman falles they are the more senslesse once falling falling againe thou contractest the greater securitie There is not a man or a woman that continues in sinne but after the second fall that person shall be more senslesse than after the first so growing in sinne bringes on a growing in deadly securitie continuance in a dead sleepe thou shalt finde thy selfe after the second sinne more senslesse than after the first Well then Peter contiâ—ues in a securitie as Luke noteth there interuâ—enes one houre betweene the second third deniall yet he is without remorse he is not moued so continuing in this dead sleepe of securitie commeth on the third temptation by a cousin of Malchus whose eare hee smote off if thou sleepest in securitie thou shalt not want new temptation when thou sleepest thy tempter is busily waking about thee the more thou sleepest and lyest in securitie the more busie is the deuil to tempt thee albeit thou feelest it not Now when Peter hath denied Him once and twise as the other Euangelists doe note hee putteth to a curse Marke as continuance in securitie bringeth on continuance in temptation so continuance in temptation bringeth on continuance in sinne Now I thinke if the Lord had not stayed him in the ende hee had denied Him a thousand times euen so oft as they had asked of him So there is neuer an ende of tumbling ouer and ouer till the creature tumble in hell where there shall be a blacke wakening for if thou deniest the Lord once thou shalt denie Him againe and againe it is noted when he denied the third time Then the cocke crew and Luke noteth euen as the cocke crew the Lord looked ouer his shoulder there goes two things together the crowing of the cocke the looking of the Lord. S. Marke notes the cocke crew the second time well then doth Peter waken at the crowing of the cocke beganne hee to get a remorse by it No all the crying crowing of the world wil not waken the soule out of sinne except the Lord looke in by the beames of his countenance and strike in to the heart if the gratious beames of the Lords face had not strucken on Peters heart he had neuer wakened This is to let you see how hard a thing it is to raise a dead body that lyes in sinne what crying in the world wil raise a dead body so there is no crying or remedie in heauen or in earth to thy dead soule except Iesus Christ looke fauorably vnto thee make his gratious countenance to shine in thy soule who would haue that remorse of sinne that Peter got and that waking conscience let that person striue to turne the heart to Iesus Christ wheÌ„ the heart is turned to the Lord theÌ„ the vaile shal be taken away all the light of knowledge is in the face of Iesus Christ no heat in the worlde is able to mollifie thine heart except that heat that commeth from the face of Iesus Christ so hold euer thine heart vp to the face of Iesus
Christ that thou mayest haue a continuall remorse for in the bitternesse of sinne is the sweetnesse of joy Nowe to make an ende and shortly to examine this fall of Peters Certainely there are many faults in this fall First he is caried away with a vaine confidence of flesh and blood he will take vp his crosse and follow the Lord albeit that the Lord aduertised him that hee was not able and then the doore was shut vpon him to aduertise him and put him in minde yet he would not stay then when he is let in alas he denies his Lord once he denies Him twise thrise till the LORD did staye him I dare not say but all this time Peter caried a good heart towards his Lord a spunke of faith a spunke of loue in the heart albeit his faith loue were choked it was suppressed with infirmities of the flesh namely with feare then when he is entered in and come vnto the fire side if that faith and loue was suppressed before with his nature then it was farre more suppressed this litle spunke of loue in the man was smoothered there falles such a weight of infirmitie on it that it was pressed downe vnder the burthen of corruption and vnder securitie if thou be sleeping in securitie albeit thou haue a spunke of loue it will be smoothered and this is most true that this spunke of loue was so smoothered yea I say more it was pressed that except the Lord had looked ouer his shoulder with the eye of his mercie and wakened that spunke of loue it had died out In Peter we haue a cleare example of the weaknesse of the godly men into this life albeit we haue faith and loue yet in the example of Peter we see that the spunke of grace will be choaked with corruption infirmitie and then will ye come to God Peter is one of the chiefe examples of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ Paul to Timothie countes that he was one of the greatest examples of mercie in the world but if yee looke to the sinne of Peter ye will finde that it was greater than the sinne of Paul for Paul did all of ignorance and so if Paul as hee sayes was made an example of the mercie of God to sinners surely this example of Peter ought much more to bee an example to all sinners let no sinner that lookes to him despaire of mercie how burthened so euer hee be with sinne for that same Iesus Christ who was mercifull to Peter hath store of mercie for all them that it pleaseth him mercifully to looke vpon To Him therefore with the Father and holy Spirit be all honour and glorie AMEN THE FIFT LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 28 Then led they IESVS from Caiaphas into the common Hall Now it was morning and they themselues went not into the common Hall lest they should bee defiled but that they might eate the Passeouer verse 29 Pilate then went out vnto them and said What accusation bring you against this man verse 30 They answered and said vnto him If he were not an euill doer we would not haue deliuered him vnto thee verse 31 Then saide Pilate vnto them Take yee him and judge him after your owne Lawe Then the Iewes saide vnto him It is not lawfull for vs to put anie man to death verse 32 It was that the word of IESVS might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die IN the eighteenth and nineteenth Chapters of this Gospell Brethren is contained the History of the Passion of the Lord Iesus Christ and it is diuided in these parts The first is the suffering of the Lord in the Garden The next is the suffering of the Lord vnder the High Priest Caiaphas the Ecclesiâ—sticall Iudge The third is the suffering of the Lord vnder Pontius Pilate the Ciuill and Romane Magistrate The fourth is the suffering of the Lord in the place of Execution The last in the sepulchre Wee haue spoken of y e first part of His suffering in the Garden besides the inward coÌ„flict He had with y e wrath of His Father for y e sins of y e elect which Hee did beare vpon Him The Lord is taken like a thiefe or vagabond and bound led to Hierusalem We heard also the suffering of the Lord in y e Hall of the High Priest whose name was Caiaphas When the High Priests Elders are set down in couÌ„cell He is brought in before them and being brought they haue not a word to say against Him howbeit they bound Him brought Him to judgemeÌ„t This was an vnformall dealing therfore the hie priest demands of Him His doctrine of His disciples to catch a word out of His mouth wherupoÌ„ he might make his accusatioÌ„ wheÌ„ they preuaile not this way the rest of the EuaÌ„gelists note that they begin to suborne false witnes but they get no vantage that way neither for they caÌ„not agree together TheÌ„ the hie priest begins in wrath to adjure Him to tell him whether he be that Christ or no The Lord denies it not but saies Thou hast said it He giues him a faire testimony of this after this Hee saies Yee shall see the sonne of man sitting at the right haÌ„d of the power of God come in the clouds of heaueÌ„ Then the high priest rent his clothes as though He had blasphemed said What haue we more need of witnes behold now ye heard His blasphemy what think ye Then he the rest of the councell coÌ„cluded y t the Lord was worthy of death so the couÌ„cel departed In the meane time the Lord is kept still in the Hall of the hie priest the officers are al about Him working all kind of injury against Him y e rebukes y t shuld haue befalleÌ„ to vs are laide on Him as the prophet said of Him Psal 69.10 Some spitted on Him some put a vaile on His face smote Him saying in scorn Prophesie Christ who it is that striketh thee nothing in the Lord but patieÌ„ce He spake nothing He made no more resistaÌ„ce than a silly laÌ„be before the shearer wheÌ„ it is begun to become light in the morning the Priests Elders begin to sit down in councell the hie priest asked of Him the same again whether he was that Christ or no He answereth If I should tell you ye will not belieue mee what auailes it to speak to an indured heart He testifies again Thou hast said it he giues an argumeÌ„t of this hereafter shall the son of man sit at the right haÌ„d of the power of God Then the hie priest and the Elders the second time concludes Him to be worthie of death adjudges Him to die theÌ„ the councell arises the first thing they doe they lead Him to Pontius Pilate the Romane deputie to the judgemeÌ„t Hall to him to execute y t sentence they had
hurt him not which are done by the hands of the Emperour Who executes them in the Inquisition The Kinges the Popes holy hāds are cleane of all Excuse as they will I pronounce and the Lord shall ratifie it in that Great day that they are greater murtherers than the secular power Away with their vaine excuses When they haue murthered the man they will put the fault in the Magistrate Wil God accept such excuses In the next vers Iohn subjoynes wherfore y e Iewes would not take vpon them to judge of y e life or death of Iesus Christ and saies that they answered so that that might be fulfilled that the Lord spake signifying what death he should die When He was conuersant with His Disciples He fore-told them that He should die vpon the Crosse Now the Iewes will not take vpon them the right of the judging Him that these words might be fulfilled If the Iewes had taken it vpon them they would not haue crucified him because it was not vsuall among the Iewes they vsed to stone a deceiuer or blasphemer to the death according to the lawe as they did Steuen afterwards This death of the Crosse was familiar and vsuall among the Romanes Then Brethrē we see here the God of Heauen is the disposer of the whole action of the persecution passion of Christ what euer be mans part There is not a word vttered nor an action done either by Pilate or any of the Iewes which the Lord did not dispose All that Pilate did all that the Iewes did as that spitting and buffeting of Christ were all disposed by the Lord And this is it that ye reade in that prayer in y e Acts of the Apostles cap. 4. vers 28. The princes of the earth are gathered against thine anointed Herode Pilate and the Gentiles Whereto That they should doe that thing that thine hand and thy councell hath ordained Neither Herode Pilate nor any of the Iewes or Gentiles did anie thing in this execution but that vvhich God appointed The vnderstanding herof serues to this that there was nothing done to our Redeamer but that which His father appointed they were but persecuters appointed by God euen as the hang-man the Iewes Pilate Herod were like as many hangmen to execute that decree of God This would seeme a very light word that the Iewes say We haue no power to sit ouer the life or death of men yet this is a meane whereby the Lord bringes to passe that forme of Cursed death Brethren we may speake as lightly of thinges as wee please and many times to little purpose but there is nothing that passes GODS decree Looke to that prouidence that GOD hath in His creatures The LORD disposes the lightest wordes that thou speakest He rules thine hand so that whatsoeuer thou doest He makes al to effectuate produce that which He hath decerned the thing that thou wilt speake or doe it will serue for some purpose to Him how beit little for thee In the meane time let no man thinke that when men speake or doe euill that they shall bee the more excusable for if there were no more but this it shall make thee vnexcusable because in speaking euill and in doing euill thou hast not the LORD before thine eyes Thou doest it not for obedience to His vvill Take this lesson Let euerie man and vvoman take good heede that they bee vvell exercised and if our GOD employe vs let vs take good heede that vvee bee in a good seruice in speaking good and doing good Lende not thine heart thine hande nor thy tongue to the Deuill in vnrighteousnesse And seeing thou canst not sleepe from morning to euening but must bee speaking and doing praye that the LORD maye employe thee to doe vvell and to speake vvell and saye LORD let mee bee an instrument to doe well And more in doing vvell bee not content of the outwarde face of the action but in doing vvhether it bee little or much goe euer to the heart and see the disposition thereof and looke thou doe it in sinceritie hauing regarde to GOD. Thinke it not enough and if the LORD vvorke a good vvorke by thee as an instrument but looke still that Hee vvorke in thee that thou mayest finde a good motion in thine heart For alas vvhat auaileth the outwarde action if the heart bee foule vvhich defileth all Indeed vvee maye not thinke that there is anie perfection in vs or in our actions in this life but this is the perfect ground that makes that action to smell sweetelie in the sight of GOD to vvit Faith in IESVS CHRIST If that thou findest that thou hast IESVS CHRIST in thine heart by Faith albeit vvith great vveakenesse in thy selfe yet in CHRIST all the imperfection and vveakenesse is hidden and vvhen the action commeth before the LORD it is pleasant and acceptable to Him All thinges are pleasant that come to the Father thorowe the Sonne there is the grounde of all grace and acceptation Sticke to the LORD IESVS and haue Him not in thy mouth onelie as the Hypocrites doe but let Him also bee inclosed in thine heart and dwell therein for then thou shalt bee acceptable to GOD through Him To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all Praise Honour and Glorie for euer and euer vvorlde vvithout ende AMEN THE SIXT LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 33 So Pilate entered into the common Hall againe and called IESVS and saide vnto him Art thou the King of the Iewes verse 34 IESVS answered him Sayest thou that of thy selfe or did other tell it thee of mee verse 35 Pilate answered Am I a Iew Thine owne nation and the high Priests haue deliuered thee vnto mee What hast thou done verse 36 IESVS answered My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world my seruants would surely fight that I should not bee deliuered to the Iewes but nowe is my Kingdome not from hence verse 37 Pilate then saide vnto him Art thou a King then IESVS answered Thou sayest that I am a King for this cause am I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the trueth euerie one that is of the trueth heareth my voyce THE last day Brethren we entered into the suffering of Christ vnder Pontius Pilate the Romane Gouernour Ciuill Iudge in Iudeae for the time Iesus is led into the Common Hall to the House of Iustice as ye heard where Pilate sate Now Pilate is not rash in judging but before he sit downe to judge hee will haue an inditement and will see what things the Iewes haue to lay to the charge of the Lord He saw the accusers of Him the Iewes in multitudes he saw no accusation therefore he goes out vnto them because they would not come to him and asketh what accusation haue they against Him hee receiueth little answere or at least little
and some may thinke that this proceeded from stubburnenesse in Iesus No Brethren in this He was so farre from disobedience either to God or to the Magistrate that the Lord Iesus vttered a great obedience to God and the Magistrate and a wonderfull patience in that He will not repine in one word knowing well that it was the will of his Father in heauen the houre was come and therefore the houre comming He will not helpe Himselfe in one word so pleasantly and willingly Hee offereth Himselfe to the death This was prophecied of Him in the 53. of Esay Hee maketh no more repining than a sheepe or a lambe that stands before the shearer Hee opened not His mouth not for stubburnesse but Hee was patient Brethren some would maruell of the boldnesse of the Martyres when they suffered O the boldnesse that they had in answering eueÌ„ in the fire they suffered not one word to slâ—p but they answered for Gods glorie and well of them that stood by O! but the Lord kept silence Some would thinke that Iesus Christ in this point was inferiour to the Martyres but this is the mâ—tter Christ was silent that the Martyres might speake for except Hee had beene silent they in persecution should not haue opened their mouthes He was dumbe that wee might speake and was made nothing that wee might be some thing Now to returne to our text againe Pilate vses all meanes to get Iesus loose he vses the present occasion to that purpose knowing the vse of the Iewes hee would haue beene glad to haue had Iesus set at libertie aboue all the prisoners To speake somewhat of this custome they had this custome to get a prisoner set at libertie at festiuall times to the honour of their Feastes the Passeouer was a Feast in rememberance of that deliuerance out of Egypt now as they were deliuered so they would haue a prisoner deliuered but therewith they dishonoured God is that to honour God to breake His commandement this custome was not from the beginning but entred in when the Romane Emperour entred in and this manner of doing wanted not a faire pretence it had a pretence of clemencie mercie of the Gouernour we know this there is nothing wherein a Prince resembleth God more than in clemencie but it is a sin to let a wicked man escape or that the Emperour should let him goe for Gods Lawe sayes Deut 11.12.13 Thine eye shal not spare the murtherer neither looke vpoÌ„ him with a pittifull eye Will ye see what things these men haue for them who thinke that Princes may giue men that are conuict of Capital crimes their liues Some will say hath not a free Prince licence to giue him his life albeit the Law of God say The murtherer shall die the death well I say and it is the trueth that were as much as to giue him an absolute power but all the worlde shall not giue him such a power hee may well vsurpe it but not an Angell in Heauen hath absolute power ouer a begger to put him to death and to keepe him aliue at his pleasure much lesse a mortall man only the great Creator whose will is the rule of all righteousnesse hath this power ouer his creature It is true indeed a Prince should be loth to put out that life y t God hath put in should beware to judge rashly in Capitall crimes It is no small matter to make a crime Capitall but if the crime bee Capitall and deadly the Prince hath no power to holde his hand abacke from execution and to forgiue Indeede for weightie and great considerations a Prince may mitigate the punishment but to say he may let the man goe free hee hath no power but yet they will insist further and say Is not this one of the judiciall lawes that was giuen to the Jewes then what haue we to doe with it I answere these lawes seeing the Iewes and their Commonwealth and lawes politicke are abrogate in so far as they concerned that people wee haue nothing adoe with them they are abolished but for asmuch as they are grounded vpon nature and naturall law we haue adoe with them as for this law it is naturall Ye know that naturall men Ethnickes who had neuer the law of the Iewes they executed the murtherer but yet they insist they will bring in the example of good kings who forgaue Capitall crimes committed against the very vniuersall and naturall law and namely of Dauid forgaue he not Joab for slaying of Abner and Amasa and Amnon for committing incest and againe forgaue he not Absolom for slaying of Amnon his brother but I answere We are bound to liue by Gods lawes not by examples as for Dauid if hee had power to haue punished those men hee failed but it lay not in the handes of Dauid sayes hee not of Ioab the sonnes of Seruia are too strong for me 2. Sam. 3.39 Ye know what he left in his Testament to Salomon concerning Joab 1 Kings 1. Ioab was a great man if Dauid might haue punished he failed sinne cannot be excused albeit he punished it not Some will say further Should not and ought not each priuate man forgiue a priuate offence is not that Gods will and commandement Hereupon they would conclude and make it to follow A Prince may forgiue a wicked man for Capitall crimes but I say and affirme that there is a great difference betweene a priuate man and a King When a King forgiues a Capitall crime hee forgiues Gods right hee is free in another mans right indeede there is a difference betweene these crimes that are Capitall and the crimes that in their owne nature are not Capitall but by the lawes of Princes are made Capitall for vpon just considerations the Prince hath power to dispense with them as for ExaÌ„ple It was not deadly of y e own nature to Simei to go out of the Portes of Ierusalem but because Salomon forbade it it became deadly Like as it is in the handes of Princes to make to change such special lawes so it lyes in his hands to forgiue such a man traÌ„sgressing them vpon weightie and great considerations So to returne these crimes that are Capitall by naturall law a Prince hath no power to remit them albeit hee were ruler of all the world hee derogates to Gods glorie and secondly if there were no more to let vs see that God hath not giuen that power to forgiue Capitall crimes against Gods Lawe and nature the Iudgements of God which ceazed on such men and their posteritie were sufficient to shevv it for if thou forgiuest a thiefe he vvould hang thee on the same gallovves That sad example of the Iudgement of God vpon Saul who against Gods expresse commandement spared Agag king of Amaleck might terrifie other Princes to remit such persons Some will come forth and his remission to his abhominable murther and crimes in his bosome vpon whome the sunne is not worthie to
the word of God and by that Spirit as ye would see life and if yee put it out the Lord shall make you as senslesse as a beast They cried both but Pilate cries Judge ye him They crie crucifie him Pilate cries I find no fault in him worthy of death What euer be Pilates part who was a judge what euer was the part of the Iewes the accusers the Lord hath His part also in it and hee appointes it by His eternall decree the houre was come and Hee will haue His onely begotten Sonne to die for the sinnes of the world and He will be glorified in His death at this houre and He will not haue Him to die as one worthie of death in Himselfe but like an innocent in the sight of the world Now looke to this wisdome that his innocencie should appeare He will haue the Iudge protesting His innocencie oftentimes before He should die On the other part Hee will haue the conscience of the High Priests scraped out and He will haue them getting His blood if the High Priests conscience had beene wakned Iesus had not died at this time for the sinnes of the worlde and therefore to the ende that He should die He hardened the hearts of the accusers When any innocent man suffers and chiâ—fly for Christ the Lord hath disposed the worlde so that Hee hath made some to testifie of the innocencie of the Martyres and some hath Hee hardened to seeke the blood of the Martyres that He might be glorified Looke to Daniel Darius had a conscience of his innocencie but the Princes had hardened hearts Daniel 6.1 Looke when Paul was accused the Romane Gouernours Lysias Felix and Festus had a conscience of the innocencie of Paul but the High Priestes persecutes Him to the death When a malefactor sufferes the Lord will not vse this manner of doing He will not haue the Iudge to testifie the mans innocencie where there is none but he willl let him die and suffer like a murtherer an oppressour or a blasphemer as he is in very deed hee will haue Iudge accusers and all men conspire together to take awaye such pestes from the earth Therefore if there were no more but this if wee must die it should moue vs to die in a good cause and the best cause is the cause of Iesus Christ Take heede that thou suffer not like a nocent and guiltie person but like an innocent so thy death shall be glorious it is a paine to die and a greater paine to die for an euill cause Now the Priests answere Wee haue a lawe and according to our lawe Hee merites the death they challenge not a lawe to crucifie Him or any power to punish Him capitallie for all power of this was taken away from them by the Romanes yet for all this they forget not the right of their lawe That the blasphemer should die the death according to this lawe they affirme Him worthie of death So Brethren What euer Pilate can doe or say to mitigate and to asswage their malice speake what he can speake they continue in hardnes against Christ looke what blindes them The word of God that should make them to see it it blindes them and they vse it to their blinding All the things in the world yea the best thinges the very word of God serues to wicked men for nothing els but for their farder induration the more they seee the blinder they are they will read but the more they reade the blinder are they for why they abuse the word they will not make it a rule to direct their affections and actions but they abuse it to their fantasie makes a slaue of it Looke to the Papists this day they abuse the old and new Testaments they make them to serue their appetites they interpret expone and applie the word as they please they make the word of God the author of their lies I affirme that the word of God doth nothing to the Papists but blinde them it had bene good for them that they had neuer seene heard nor read the Scripture of God Write on say on this shall bee verified one day but let vs consider their reasoning The lawe ordaines that the blasphemer shall die the death but so it is that this man is a blasphemer for Hee hath made himselfe the Sonne of God therefore He should die y e death If ye looke the ground the general No maÌ„ can find fault with it for it is set downe in y e Law Leuit 24.14 but come to the applicatioÌ„ where they subsume Iesus is a blasphemer there they faile for Iesus was is and shall be that only begotteÌ„ Son of God therefore the conclusion is false that Hee ought to die the death So yee see the generall is true but the assumption and the conclusion is a lye In wicked men yee shall finde this that no man will laye downe fairer generalles out of the worde of God than they no man will doe that better but come on to the application there they goe astraye they applie not right but they applie either to this affection or that As for example The murtherer should die the death if there be an hatred in them against the man they will applie it vnto him but by the contrarie if hee bee a kinsman or a friende they will say this man is no murtherer howbeit hee bee as great a murtherer as Barabbas was and therfore he should not die Take heed to thine heart and thinke it not enough to knowe the generall to bee true but take heede to thine heart and to the affections thereof that they maye bee sanctified and chiefely thou who art a Iudge looke that thine heart bee free of hatred and of peruerse loue or else thy loue thine hatred and thy peruerse affections shall bee poyson to thee and shall blinde thee and shall make thee pronounce false judgement For what auailes knowledge what auailes it thee to haue a great light in thine head either thorowe nature or yet thorowe the worde of God if thou wantest reformation and sanctification to thine affections all is for nothing True Christianitie stands in the reformation of the heart and without this all the knowledge in the Scripture shall poyson thee to the death for except thou be reformed it had bene better for thee that thou hadst bene ignorant and neuer seene the Scripture Nowe to goe forwarde When they haue answered Pilate hee continues and it is said when he heard that that man was the Sonne of God if hee had a conscience before now he hath a greater conscience Euen as whatsoeuer Pilate can speake to the hie priests did no more but hardeÌ„ them on so all the wordes they vse to put out his conscience stirres it vp and wakens it the more Indeede they sought by all meanes to blotte out his conscience And all the doing of a consciencelesse man is to blinde thee and put out thy conscience like as his
conscience and getting litle blenckes immediately he goes in againe to the common Hall and takes in Iesus Christ and he sayes to Iesus Whence art thou Art thou the Sonne of God hee had no certaintie of this this is worthie of commendation that hee getting a blencke hee will follow it out who vvill say but this was worthie of commendation in an Ethnicke If it shall please GOD to giue vs a blencke any time let vs striue to follow it foorth and let that glimmering mooue thee to follow it out further for all the joy in the worlde is in the sight of GOD thou neuer knewest what joy is who hast not tasted of the pleasure of Heauen fye on thee who hast not tasted of this joy So if it shall please the Lord to giue vs a glance of Iesus Christ Pilate learnes vs to followe it albeit it goe out of thine eyes for a time rest neuer till thou gettest it againe although men would giue thee all the pleasures in the world Now Brethren we must not thinke that it was the loue of the trueth that mooued Pilate to aske this No it vvas rather the feare of danger that mooued him to aske it for hee feared some danger to come vnto himselfe when hee heard that hee vvas the Sonne of God therefore partly for this cause and partly because Christ knew that Pilate disdained Him and all spirituall graces in Him Hee gaue him none ansvvere But let vs follovv out the knowledge of CHRIST once begunne vpon the loue of the trueth then vvee may bee assured that according to His promise Hee vvill heare vs for Hee saies Verily verily whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name that shall hee giue you IOH. XVI 23. Thou vvho hast that sweet promise Knocke and it shall bee opened shouldest thou not bee instant to make inquirie of IESVS vvho offereth Himselfe so vvillingly and saies I am the Light of the worlde and Come to Mee to get the water of Life Alas that thou shouldest perishe for default of seeking of grace Yee vvoulde maruell that IESVS answered not a vvorde I spake of this somewhat before I shall saye onely this for the present The Lord Hee knewe His houre vvas comming that Hee shoulde die and Hee knewe it vvas His Fathers vvill therefore Hee vvould not vtter so much as a vvorde to staye and holde backe His death If Hee had giuen Pilate euident and sure information vvhat manner of person Hee vvas then happily Hee vvoulde haue stayed and vvoulde haue proceeded no further and vvoulde not haue slaine Him but hee knewe not vvith vvhome hee dealt vvhen hee gaue out the sentence of death against Him But it maye bee asked vvith reuerence vvee speake it Was not this an harde matter that Christ vvould not doe so much as to tell Pilate that this vvas Gods vvorke and that Hee Himselfe vvas the Sonne of God vvas it not an hard matter so to hinder this mans saluation But I saye What reckoning is to bee made of Pilate and all the creatures in the vvorlde Angels and men so that God bee glorified We are all made to glorifie Him and except He had a respect to His owne glorie in the creature He would neuer haue made man nor Angell If it please the Lord to be glorified in thy damnation holde thee content Hath not the Potter saies Paul power of the claye to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Roman 9.21 I saye more God in that his great sa nilie hath some vessels of honour and some of dishonour 2. Timâ—th 2.20 If that thou finde thy selfe to bee one of the vessels of honour thou hast no cause to complaine and to saye Wherefore was this man made to shame for thou hast enough if thou hast gotten mercie thanke GOD that of His free will He hath put a difference betwixt thee and him There are none who are ordained to be vessels of honour but they wil seeke the honour of God eueÌ„ suppose it were by their own destructioÌ„ as ye may read of Moses This is the nature of all them who haue gotten some assurance of GODS fauour in IESVS and if thou haue this assurance in thine heart certainly thou art an instrument of glorie Now to ende Yee see Brethren in this whole action the pittifull estate of Pilate he is tossed to and fro betwixt two parties his own conscience on the one part vrges and forces him to stand and pleade for Christ and on the other part the desire that he hath to pleasure the vnportunate Iewes and the feare that he hath to offend Cesar moues him to goe on in that processe against Christ till at last he pronounces sentence against Him Iudges by his example are to take good heed to their proceedinges in judgement and to keepe their hands from euill and that they sit not in a wicked judgemeÌ„t Be not Iudge against the innocent Pilate sate in judgement doing wickedly pronouÌ„cing sentence against the Lord of Glorie If thou sit in judgement pronounce not sentence against y e innocent either leaue that judgement or then absolue the innocent in despite of the worlde It is no small matter to pronounce sentence of damnation The Lord grant vs this conscience that whensoeuer wee shall be employed we may be employed in doing of good deedes and in glorifying God that wee may haue that assurance of grace in Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and Holy Spirit bee all Honour and Praise for euer Amen THE TENTH LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XIX verse 10 Then saide Pilate vnto him Speakest thou not vnto mee Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee verse 11 IESVS answered Thou couldest haue no power at all against mee except it were giuen thee from aboue therefore hee that deliuered mee vnto thee hath the greater sinne IN this whole Historie of the suffering of IESVS CHRIST vnder Pontius Pilate we see a continuall strife betwixt the Iudge Pilate and the accusers Pilate laboures by all meanes to get the innocent set free The Hie Priests be y e contrary endeuour themselues to get Iesus Christ crucified Pilate seekes if it had beene possible to followe his conscience they seeke by all meanes the contrarie to harden the heart of Pilate The last words as yee heard the Iewes rose and saide Wee haue a law by the which hee ought to die because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God These wordes of theirs are so farre from that that they take away the conscience of Pilate that by the contrarie by these words the conscience of Pilate is more wakened than before and he begins to feare IESVS CHRIST and humbles himselfe more than euer hee did yea in such sort that when as hee heares tell that IESVS was the Sonne of GOD hee demaundes of Him Whether Hee was the Sonne of GOD or no but hee receiues no answere for the LORD
Parentes standes not in ceremonies so much as in performing of necessarie dueties One word is greater in the houre of death or the meanest care than all that thou couldest doe being in health It is said Honour thy father and thy mother But our lordes and gentlemen thinke it enough to take off their hats and to bowe their knees to them Standes the honour of thy Parentes in a ceremonie Commendes God hypocrisie Learne at Iesus Christ the honour of thy Parentes standes in performing all essentiall partes of thy duetie to them Was thy Mother bounde to giue thee sucke and to bring thee vp in thy youth I saye thou art as straitly bounde to honour thy Mother and to nourishe her in her olde age Woe to them that procure their mothers curse and who are not tender to their mothers and will neither foster them nor haue a care of them This example of Iesus Christ which is registrate in the Gospell shall beare witnesse against thee when thy conscience shal rent and teare thee Men are come to such vnnaturalnesse that the Lyon was neuer so cruell as men in Scotland to them out of whose bellies they came Now what does Iohn He takes her home heartily John takes anoâ—her mans mother and entertaines her and he gets but this direction from the Crosse Fie on thee that gettest a direction from the throne of heaueÌ„ to honour thy own mother I say not saies Christ my mother but thy mother When men will not obeye Christ from that HeaueÌ„ly Throne what shall become of them in that great day Shame shall be heaped on them And Iohn who tooke not home his own mother but another mans mother shall stand vp condemne thee who would not entertaine thine own mother All the speaches of the worlde will not learne men in this wicked generation Further this is not to be pâ—ssed by that Iohn had an House and so had the rest of the Apostles say not y t they were beggers it is but folly to place religion in beggery I say it in a word These priuiledges in the world Houses wiues children c. are as well sanctified to a Minister as thy lordship is to thee Nowe I beseech thee as euer thou woldest y t the Lord shold blesse thee thy posseshoÌ„s in this world shold giue thee an hope of y t life to come let the Ministers of the Gospell haue a part of their own It is not yours as euer ye would giue an accompt to the Iudge to be answerable to Him in y t great Checker for all the blood of perishing soules shall bee required at them who with-draw these temporal things whereon those should bee sustained whom God hath sent to feede the soules of men and women to that Heauenly life To the Lord of that life be all Honour Praise and Glorie for euermore Amen THE XIX LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 45 Nowe from the sixt houre was there darknesse ouer all the lande vnto the ninth houre verse 46 And about the ninth houre Iesus cried with a loude voyce saying Eli Eli lamasabachthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 33 Now when the sixt houre was come darknesse arose ouer all the land vntill the ninth houre verse 34 And at the ninth houre Iesus cried with a loude voyce saying Eloi Eloi lamma-sabachthani which is by interpretation My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 44 And it was about the sixt houre and there was a darknesse ouer all the land vntill the ninth houre verse 45 And the Sunne was darkened and the vaile of the Temple rent through the middes BELOVED in the LORD IESVS CHRIST we haue heard the last day that the Lord when Hee is hanging on the Crosse Hee was not onely occupied in suffering at the will of His Heauenly Father but also Hee was occupied in doing First we heard Hee did like a king howbeit He hung on the Crosse like a vile slaue in the sight of the worlde Yea Hee did like God Hee appardoned the poore Thiefe that hung at His right hand and was penitent and sought grace and mercie at Him for his sinnes and Hee makes a promise to him that hee shoulde bee with Him shortly in Paradise Then next wee hearde that when as Hee hung quick on the Crosse He did like a louing kind Sonne to His Mother who bare Him He recommends her earnestly to be entertained with Iohn His well beloued disciple Nowe in this dayes exercise wee haue a rehearsall of other thinges that fell ouâ— when as Iesus hung on the Crosse there falles a wonder there falles a darkenesse at the noone-tide the Sunne is obscured the time is noted when at the sixt houre the space of three houres as we shall heare All the time that Hee hung on the Crosse the darknesse continued on the Earth The next thing wee haue namely out of Matthew and Marke an heauie complaint that the Lorde falles out into vvhen Hee had hung on the Crosse about three houres for Hee falles out in the beginning of the ninth houre into an heauie complaint to His Father saying My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken mee Then vve haue how the Iewes misconstrues the voyce of the Lord but first we shall speake of the wonder there falles a darknes in the whole land or as some interprete on the whole earth the cause is noted The Sunne which should haue giuen light is obscured a marueilous Ecclipse contrarie to the common course of Nature fell on the Sunne The time is noted When it was the sixt houre Now Brethren This place requires that I should speake something concerning the diuision of the night and the day for this is requisite for the vnderstanding of the Historie of the Passion of Iesus Christ the Iewes tooke vp the beginning of their night from the going downe of the Sunne and ended at the rising of the Sunne they diuided their night in twelue houres whether long or short they had a more compendious diuision and diuided it in foure partes which they called quatuor vigilias foure watches euery watch containing three houres as for their day they measured it from the rising of the Sunne in the morning to the going downe and as they diuided the night so did they the daye in twelue houres whether it were long or short and as they diuided the night so did they the daye in foure partes each part containing three houres they called the first part of the day the first morning prima diluculi and the first houre albeit it contained three houres taking the name from the houre vvhere it beganne the second part vvhich contained other three houres they called the thirde houre taking the name from the houre it beganne at speaking exclusivè as vve vse to say the third part taking the name from the part it beganne at they called the sixt houre the
the Crosse wee haue bene speaking Only nowe I shall point out the ground whereupon the sufferings of the LORD arises First they rise of that naturall infirmitie He was an infirme man without sinne He hungred as we doe He thirsted as we and through trauelling Hee rested neuer daye nor night and sojourned through the world Hee wearied as we doe Then another ground was that sadnesse and heauinesse of the soule Hee was in a continuall sadnesse there was neuer so sad a man as He was we read that He did weepe but we neuer read that Hee did laugh And thinke not that when the soule is in heauinesse that the bodie can bee well And last His suffering proceeded of a violent dealing against Him and nayling Him on the Crosse vvho vvas so violently handled as the LORD of glory was I leaue this and vve vvill speake of the dolours which Hee suffered in His soule First the LORD IESVS whilst as Hee trauelled vp and downe amongst His people Hee vvas in a continuall displeasure When Hee looked vpon that obstinate people Hee was sad vvhen Hee entred in Ierusalem Hee vvepes and sayes Ierusalem Ierusalem faine would J haue gathered you as a henne gathereth her birdes vnder her wings but thou wouldest not The moste speciall griefe that the LORD suffered in His soule was that vvhich Luke in his tvventieth tvvo Chapter names an agonie that is an anguish in the soule and an heauie paine proceeding from a battell that Hee had in His soule it proceeded from the wrestling with the wrath of GOD and infinite wrath vvith Hell and the povvers of it vvith death not temporall but euerlastingly Novve this agonie Hee vtters in the Garden when Hee sayes My soule is heauie on all sides euen to the death That vvorde was expressed out of that bitter anguish that Hee had in His soule whilst He spake so To speake of the time of it I am of that minde that it vvas not only when Hee vvas in the Garden but before in the twelfth Chapter of Iohn vvhen Hee vvas speaking to His disciples Hee sayes My soule is troubled And Hee turnes Him to His Father and Hee sayes Father saue mee from this houre yet the nearer He drew to death it grew greater and greater it was greater in the Garden than it was of before but now on the Crosse when Hee saide My God my God why hast thou forsaken Mee it was the greatest of all I will speake something of this I will certifie you the speciall vnderstanding of the suffering of Iesus Christ stands in the knowing of this inward agonie which IESVS CHRIST had in His soule and if yee knovve not this yee know nothing of His suffering it is true that no tongue is able to tell it No all the tongues of Angels the heart of man nor Angell is not able to conceiue the greatnesse of it The wordes of the Scriptures expresse not the greatnesse of the anguish but so far foorth as the LORD will giue mee the grace I will speake somewhat of it In the wordes that the Spirit vses in the Scripture yee shall finde this The LORD suffers a torment in His soule then yee shall see in the wordes an exceeding greatnesse of the anguish in the soule and lastly yee shall see in the wordes of the Spirit not only that He suffered anguish in the soule and the greatnesse of it but the very degrees and partes of it particularly First goe to the olde Testament in the fiftieth and third Chapter and fifth verse of the prophecie of Esay hath these wordes It pleased the LORD IEHOVAH to breake Him the wordes importes not only the breaking of the body but also of the soule Then in the hundreth and sixteene Psalme and at the fifth verse Dauid who was a type of CHRIST sayes The sorrowes of death haue compassed Mee and the anguish of Hell hath ouertaken Mee These wordes importe not onely a bodily suffering but they importe an anguish in the soule Come to the Newe Testament Matthew in his twentieth and sixt Chapter My soule is heauie and compassed to the death Wouldest thou haue the greatnesse of it Hee sayes On all sides And whereto Euen to the death not of the temporall death but euen to the death of the soule Then Luke in his twentieth and two Chapter sayes Hee was in an agonie Hee was in anguish Hee was wrestling With whome was this His disciples were away from Him There vvas no man vvith Him It vvas vvith the wrath of the Father from Heauen with a vvrath vnspeakable Peter 2. Actes sayes GOD raysed Him vp from death and raysed Him the doloures of death beeing loosed He could not bee retained vvith them The vvordes in their owne language is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies extreame dolour like as a woman hath in bearing her birth The Spirite of GOD vseth to expresse the paine of the Hell in the soule by a similitude of a vvoman vvho trauelleth in birth for of all paines in the bodie it is the greatest and sorest and yee that haue felt it yee knowe that yee could not liue if it continued with you 1. THESSALON CHAP. 5. VERS 3. Hee settes downe the paine of Hell by that similitude When they shall saye Peace then shall come the suddaine doloure vpon them like a woman trauelling then shall they not escape And MARKE CHAP. 14. VERS 33. comes on more particularlie and saies Not onelie hee had a paine in the soule but also hee settes downe the degrees of the paine The natiue Language is moste proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Hee beganne to bee astonished and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee beganne to bee in a grieuous and extreame anguishe When the vvrath beganne to presse downe the soule then the anguishe arose and the extreamitie of paine But I leaue the opening vp of all thess vvordes vntill the next occasion and so to ende As vvee speake of the suffering of CHRIST So I beseech GOD to open our soules and our heartes to feele it For there is no life but in His suffering And the LORDE giue vs grace that our heartes maye take fast holde of his sadnesse and dolour to our joye euerlasting To this LORDE bee Honour and Praise for euermore AMEN THE XX. LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 46 And about the ninth houre IESVS cryed with a loude voyce saying ELI ELI LAMASABACHTHANI that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee THE last daye welbeloued in Christ vpon occasion offered in this place wee began to rehearse ouer all the whole Passion of Christ and vvee brought the matter to that agonie and that inwarde anguish of the soule which the Lord suffered beside all the outward passions of His bodie especially during the time of three yeeres and an halfe to wit the time in the which Hee bare openly the office of a Mediator betwixt God and man Nowe as the Lord will giue vs grace by
occasion of this voyce wherby the Lord vttered this heauie complaint to His Father before He yeelde vp the ghoste when He saies My God my God why hast thou forsaken me we shall speake this day of that inwarde agony and anguishe of the soule that the Lord was in when Hee vttered this voyce I perceiue three groundes whereby we maye bee able in some measure for who is able to attaine to the perfect knowledge of the greatnesse of that agony that the Lord suffered to come to the knowledge of that agony The first grounde I shall take out of the vvordes of Scripture vvhereby that agonie is expressed The second ground I take from these effectes that the Lord vttered partly in prayer and partly in heauie complaint in that agonie And the thirde ground I shall take from our owne feeling What auailes all the knowledge in the vvorlde without feeling of His Passion and of His Resurrection Then to goe forward in order and to open vp euerie one of these grounds The last day I began to bring to you the words of Scripture some out of the old TestameÌ„t some out of the New by the which this inward agony y t the Lord suffred in his soule is expressed most viuely I cited to you those words that are in the 53. chap. of Esay where there is a viue and liuely prophesie of Iesus to come into the world The Lord saies the Prophet tooke pleasure to breake him This breaking is not onely of the body on the Crosse but chiefely in breaking of the soule for the soule of Iesus was rent with sorrow Then I cited out of the 116. Psalme the words of Dauid being the type of Christ The dolours of death haue compassed me the sorrowes of Hell haue ouertaken me Then I came to the Gospel of Matthew and I cited these words out of the 26. CHAP. My soule is heauie on all sides to the death There is the heauinesse of the soule and an heauinesse without any joy and a heauinesse to death euen to euerlasting death Then I came to Luke who in his 22. CHAP. hath these words And he was in an agony there is a battell But where In the GardeÌ„ With whom None was fighting with Him no man was neare Him Whom with but with the heauie wrath of the Father that He felt in His soule In the 2. of the Acts I cited the wordes of Peter Whome God raised vp againe when He had loosed the dolours of death The word in its owne languague signifies that paine that women suffer in trauelling wherby the Scripture vses to expresse the paine of Hell And last of all I came to the words of Marke in his 14. Chap. where he not onely vtters this inward paine that the Lord had in His soule but also the greatnesse of it and the degrees and partes thereof The wordes are When the Lord was in the Garden he began to be afraid and astonished and then to bee in a wonderfull heauinesse The words in their owne language are more significatiue Nowe Brethren wee shall examine and weigh these wordes of Marke The first word that Marke vses signifies an astonishment a feare and an horrour whereby the Lord in the Garden was troubled suddenly from the Heauen so that all the members of His bodie shooke and trembled It is not a matter of jestes it arose vpon a sense of the wrath of God comming from HeaueÌ„ and a most vehement sense thereof that lighted on Him suddenly because Hee bare our sinnes and this terrible wrath ouer-tooke all the powers of His soule and occupied them Brethren I take this to be none other thing but that first stroke of euerlasting death whereby the reprobate shâ—ll bee stricken in the first entrie to Hell when they set in their head first to Hell the wrath shall so strike them that all the powers of the soule shall be dammished The suffering of Christ in His soule is the viue image of the suffering of the reprobate in Hell And â—t is it that Paul in the 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians sets downe When they shall crie peace all things are sure then sudden destruction approaches the wrath and vengeance from Heauen lightes on suddenly so that all the haires of their heads shall stand on end and it shall come vpon them suddenly euen as the showres and dolour comes on a woman who is trauelling in birth I can giue no better example of it than ye haue in the Prophecie of Daniel in Belshazzar the prophane man he is sitting with his Princes banketting and prophaning the holy vessels of the House of the Lord. What falles out hee sees come out of the wall suddenly an hand writting he sees it not so soone look the first stroke of Hel but he is stricken with a feare horrour his knees shiuer smite one another he becomes like a dead man a viue image of Hell This for the first worde that Marke vses and the first part of that agonie that IESVS CHRIST suffered for vs in His soule Now wee haue to weigh the second word Hee sayes Hee beganne to bee astonished and to be in a wonderfull heauinesse The word in its owne language signifies an extreame paine in the soule Who is able to tell it The Lord saue vs from the extreamitie thereof it rose vpon that horrible wrath that He was stricken with and was lying on Him and pressing downe His soule First Hee was stricken then the heauie wrath of GOD lyes still on the soule so that Hee hath dolour in His soule that all the powers of His soule is full of wrath Who can beare the wrath of the Omnipotent GOD No not CHRIST as He was man only no not all the Angels in Heauen The LORD saue vs from it When the wrath of the great GOD strikes on any in the Hell all the powers of the soule faile and all leaue off to doe their duties beeing full of displeasure It is a marâ—eilous thing for as carefull as the LORD was wount to bee of the redemption of man for that was His only care night and day it was His meate and drinke yet all that care was nowe away and He forgets it and Hee falles out in a Prayer and Hee sayes Take away this cuppe from Mee and that was the cuppe of His Passion for our Redemption yea Hee bids His Father take it away which if it had beene taken from Him neuer a soule should haue beene redeemed Consider then if Hee was in an agonie or not when Hee forgate the worke of our Redemption Now we must not thinke that this forgetfulnesse came of sinne our forgetfulnesse comes of sinne the Holy one had no sinne but it rose of an infirmitie of Nature wherewith Hee was cled for our sinne Yee see if a man be in a distresse in the soule the senses and all the powers of the soule are so occupied about that sorrowe that they forget their owne functions and operations
superstition that moued them they were to celebrate the Passâ—ouer and this was the day of their preparation they were preparing them by crucifying the innocent the Lorde of glorie Was this an holy preparation This was the Fryday and the morne was the Paâ—che Iohn sayes that was an high day or a great Sabbath because they kept two holy dayes together both their owne ordinarie Sabbath and the extraordinarie Passeouer and this they did contrarie to the ordinance of GOD for they should haue celebrated the Passeouer on Thurseday as the LORD did for He celebrated it that night that He was betrayed by Iudas and led away captiue by the Iewes So they did cast in the two Holy dayes together according to their custome for when y e Passeouer fell to bee on Thurseday they vsed to delay it vntill the Satterday which was their Sabbath day lest y t if these feasts which are so neare other had bene both kept the people should haue wearied and if Christ the other had not bene taken downe thaâ— y t Holy exercise wold haue bin defiled So they thought if they had bin taken down from the crosse and put away they had bene holy eneugh And vpon that same pretence when they were to accuse Christ they would not enter in the common Hall lest they should haue beene polluted They were Hypocrites they polluted the world and defiled the earth that they tread on A polluted body who hath no sanctification in Christ there is nothing that he touches meat or drinke yea the earth he walkes on but he defiles all yet these foule Hypocrites thought that if Iesus who sanctifies the Sabbath and sanctifies the heart had beene taken away they had beene holie eneugh An Hypocrite is a foule body defiles all that he handles All his religion is outward standing in bodily exercises and when he hath polluted all yea the very earth he treades on he will say Handle not touch not taste not that will pollute thee Coloss 2.21 There is his religion When the foule body defiles the aire the earth the Heauen hee bids thee touch it not lest it defile thee when he defiles all that he touches Nowe they get the request granted them and gets a commandement of Pilate and so The men of warre came forward and brake the legges of the one first and then they came to the other and brake his also They brake both their legges with great paine and torment Now will ye see these 2 thieues they are like in their death both are crucified in end both their thighes are brokeÌ„ yet for al this the one of them is a vessell of glorie and he had a promise of glorie and an assurance of it in his heart the other had none So Brethren take heede though the death of the wicked and the godlie bee alike yet they are not alike in condition Iudge not of mens estate by the outwarde miserie measure not Heauen and Hell by the outwarde death The Elect and the wicked will be oft times alike in death and oft times the Elect will die in the greatest torments Who suffered more painefull deathes than the Martyres did Beware that thou say as the Papistes who are enemies to Christ say They teach albeit that in Iesus Christ thy sinne be forgiuen yet the paine is not forgiuen and they say that the paine that the godly suffer in death is a satisfaction for sinne They say that the paine of the penitent thiefe was the punishment of his sinne but they lie and the Lord shall justifie it The Elect suffer no paine for sinne torment them as they will burne them scalde them all is but a mercifull chastisement and death to them is a faire port to Heauen He makes darknesse to be light to His owne Well this for the execution of the two thieues They come to the Lord to see whether He was dead or not they are not rash they finde Him dead they finde no sponke of life in Him therefore they offer not to breake His thighes See how the word and prouidence of God takes effect The Lord had said One bone of Him should not be broken and therefore to preueene the breaking the Lord miraculously tooke the Spirit from His Sonne His death was miraculous as ye heard before by the strength of nature He might haue liued longer as that great and mightie voyce which he vttered last testifies and so His sudden death was a meane to performe the Lordes ordinance Hee would vse this as the ordinarie meane to execute the eternall decree of the Father It is a follie to thee to say thou wilt depend on the prouidence of God and in the meane time to leaue off meanes for by so doing thou temptest God who as He hath ordained the ende so He hath also ordained the meanes to the end As for example If thou wouldest goe to Heauen thou must vse the meanes the hearing of the word c. Yet many will contemne the meanes and yet bragge they are assured to come to Heauen they will contemne the preaching which is the instrument that God vses But I say to thee thou deceiuest thy selfe for I denounce if thou werest an Emperour thou shalt neuer see Heauen nor life who contemnest that meane and instrument which the Lord hath ordained to bee vsed to bring thee to Heauen which is the preaching of His trueth Now Brethren ye see here the testimonie of the death of Christ giuen by the buâ—rioes they preach His death as though they had said Marke all people This Iesus whom we haue crucified is dead and therefore in token that this is true wee will not breake His bones after that comes another burrio a man of warre and giues the last witnesse Hee smites Him with a speare so that out of the wound gushed out blood and water As though the knaue had said I shall let you see that Hee is dead that there is no life in Him and so hee smites Him to the heart with a speare The Lord would haue the death of the Lord testified sundrie wayes for thy comfort for the most shamefull thing that euer was is death except it be sanctified it is the greatest miserie that can come to man if thou gettest no remedie against it for that death of the body is a port to that death euerlasting It is no childrens play to haue the soule dislodged No it was an ignominie to the Lord of glorie to be holden vnder the bands of death and to be tread vnder the feete of death yet the Father will haue His death testified sundrie wayes First Hee will haue it testified with a cry when He cried with a loude voyce Father into thine hands I commend my Spirit Next Hee will haue the burrioes to testifie His death and then He will haue a speare thrust to His heart to testifie His death besides the testimonie that all the creatures gaue of His death Is this for nothing No for suppose
well the blood from the water and the water from the blood I see heere something aboue nature and I am compelled to thinke and saye that there was something heere extraordinarie As all thinges that fell out in the death of the LORD IESVS was extraordinarie and shewed Him to bee more and greater than anie common man that euer died The giuing vp of the ghoste with a loude voyce shewed that Hee was more than a man For Brethren to leaue the speaking of this matter let vs see what this blood this water meanes and to what vse the gushing out of the blood the water serues for No question the gushing out of the blood and the water out of the wounde testifies that the Lord was verily dead What man will liue when his heart blood is shed The heart is the most vitall part of the bodie It is the seat of the life Perse it and there is no life for the man So this effusion of the blood water testifies that the Lord was dead and there was no life in Him Yet Brethren this blood this water meaned more than this they testified of the force of that death they testified not of a death only but of a powerfull death No mans death was euer so powerfull as the death of the Lord Iesus All the Emperoures in the world had no such power in their death as Christ had It testifies of a power to purge the sinnes of man What Emperoures bloode ransomed sinfull man or could purge him from his sins What water came there euer from an Emperours heart which washed away the corruptioÌ„ of thy nature Now to speak it in a word This blood and this water testified of a power that flowed from the death of Christ to the remission of sinnes and the washing of our foule nature with the bloode bracke out remission of sinnes and with the water burst out regeneration Yet to make this plainer By the bloode of Christ which is the bloode of God God and man in one wee are ransomed from death and Hell the guiltinesse of all our sinnes is taken awaye the punishment with the guilt is taken awaye Hell is taken awaye the justice of God that required our blood is satisfied by that bloode of Christ that wrath that would haue sucked vp thy bloode it woulde not haue left one droppe of thy bloode vnsucked and that vvrath which cannot be satiate vvithout bloode is satiate by the onelie bloode of CHRIST Marke vvell It vvas not bloode onelie that came out of His side but it was bloode and vvater it vvas a vvaterie bloode IOHN vvho stoode by left this in register That sensiblie in the bloode hee perceiued vvater to testifie That by that bloode of IESVS vvee obtaine not onelie remission of our sinnes but by this same bloode the foulenesse and vncleannesse of our nature is vvashen away for vvater serues to vvash away filthinesse This same IOHN in his first Epistle Chap. 5. vers 6. saies that Christ came into the world by water meaning the vvater vvhich gushed out of His side IOHN coulde neuer forget this sight Hee came by vvater to vvashe awaye this inherent corruption vvhich is in vs for if it bee not purged there is no entrie to HeaueÌ„ I fore-warne thee thou shalt neuer see Heauen if thy corruption be not purged away Then he saies He came by water and blood not by water onely but by water and blood meaning this blood was waterie and this water was bloodie Not only to wash away the inherent corruption but also to ransomâ— vs to obtaine to vs remission of our sinnes and to take away the guiltinesse of our sinne both originall and actuall and that punishment and wrath that was due to vs In that same Chapter Iohn poyntes out the three witnesses of Christ in the Heauens and three witnesses of Christ in the earth And for the witnessing in the earth hee counts these same two the blood and the water the third the Spirit who testifies thâ—t Iesus came died for thee where we may see that this blood and this water that came out of the side of the Lord neuer leaues the earth neuer ceases to crie The Redeemer of the worlde is come If thou be in Iesus that blood sprinkling thine heart conscience within thee shall testifie vnto thee that Iesus is come in the world for thy purgation So that Brethren I affirme this that all the words in the world and all the hearing shall not put that perswasion in thine heart that Iesus Christ is come for thy Redemption except that blood and that water cry within thee certainly we haue no better assurance that the Lord is come than when we feele that effectuall working of the remission of our sinnes and the purgation of them by the mortifying of sinne Now we haue dayly in our Sacraments of Baptisme the Lords Supper outward signes of this water and this blood whereby they are outwardly represented to our eyes In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we haue the signe of the blood in the Sacrament of Baptisme we haue the signe of the water and therefore the blood the water remaine euer in the earth as witnesses testifying that Christ is come and they are euer represented to vs in these outward signes and symboles in the Sacraments So in a word this blood gushing out of the Lords side and this water testifies First that the Lord was truely dead Next that His death is forceable to the remission of our sinnes and to our regeneration Vnto these two vses we may joyne the third this gushingouâ— of the blood and water out of the Lords side testified that the sacrifices purgations and washing of the Law were now abolished they were now no more to haue place because they were only certaine types and shadowes of the blood and water to come whicâ— gushed out both together out of the Lords side Now I come tâ— the testimonie of Iohn concerning the breaking of the thighes oâ— the Lord y e piercing of His side with y e speare Iohn seales vp this first he saies I testify this J beare witnes to this theÌ„ he aggreages hiâ— testimonie in sundry words First I as an eye-seeing witnesse stood by and I sawe with mine eyes that the thies of the Lorde were not broken and that a souldier pearced Hâ—m thoâ—ow â—he side vnto the heart and that bloode and water came out of His side Next As I saw these so I tell thee that my testimony is true Thirdly I know am perswaded my testimonie to bee true my conscience perswades me that it is true I belieue it my selfe to the end that yee may beleeue it So therefore as I beleeue beleeue thou This he saies to all to the end of the world yea who heares this beleeue it as well as I. Yee see heere IOHN is earnest to testifie the death of Christ that verily He died And he testifies it
with great weight and manie graue wordes Wee haue hearde before sundrie testimonies of His death The Lord in the last wordes Hee testifies of His owne death when Hee cryes Father into thine handes I commende my spirite All those wonders from the Heauen testified that the Lorde had giuen vp the ghoste His Heauenlie Father made the Burreoes and the men of warre to testifie that Hee was dead and to preach it to all the people about Now IOHN comes in last and with many words and wordes of great weight testifies that the Lorde gaue vp the ghoste What meanes all this Ye see there is not any thing in all the historie testified by so many testimonies The Spirit of God labours not to perswade vs of any thing in all His Passion so much as that He died and to certifie this that Hee was pearced with a speare To leaue the Heresies which fell in the worlde concerning the death of Christ for it was much to perswade the world of it they would not beleeue that IESVS died truelie All these testimonies lets vs see such a necessitie to bee in the death of IESVS that except the LORD had died as truelie as euer man died Hee coulde not haue beene our Redeemer And except Hee had died truelie wee coulde neuer haue beleeued to haue beene saued by Him Except I knowe as truelie as euer I knewe any thing in the worlde that my Redeemer died for mee I woulde neuer goe seeke life out of His death Indeed a wanton sinner who is ladeÌ„ with sin feeles not the weight thereof so loÌ„g as his coÌ„science is sleeping that he feeles not y e burreo sees not y t fearfull wrath that caÌ„not be quenched without bloode that terrible justice of God y t cannot be satisfied but by death will count little of the death of Christ It is alike to him whether He had died or no so loÌ„g as thou sleepest al is alike but after the coÌ„scieÌ„ce is wakened the Lord once let thee feele the weight of thy sinnes wherewith thou art ladned No if thou diddest but feele the weight of an euill thought thou wouldest groane as fast as if the mountaines and rockes were tumbled on thee and then thou wouldâ—st thinke no life nor saluation for thee but Hell and damnation if thou gottest not a Sauiour for thee and if thou feelest that Iustice of God and the terrours of Hell before thee the sight of the death of Iesus would be the most joyfull and comfortable sight that euer thou sawest and all thy joy glorie would be in that death of Christ Paul sayes Gal. 6.14 Far be it from me that I should reâ—oyce in any thing but in the death of Christ he fouÌ„d all his life to be in that death 1. Cor. 2.2 he sayes When I came amongst you to speake of the death of Christ to you who knew not what it meant a vaine companie they were who delited in vaine oratorie I would not begin to clawe your itching eares but I decreed to know nothing but Iesus Christ and Him crucified Nowe Brethren besides this In these wordes that IOHN sets downe and 〈◊〉 the which hee aggreadges his testimonie marke another lesson Will ye see from whence our Faith comes from whence comes our Faith from whence flowes it IOHN sayes And he that saw it bare record and his recorde is true and he knoweth that hee saith true that they should beleeue From whence then comes Faith in this death it comes by hearing Faith is of hearing of a testimonie and recorde and if thou hearest not a record thou shalt not beleeue and if thou beleeuest not thou shalt neuer see Heauen And if thou contemnest the recorde I giue thee this doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen with thine eyes if thou werest a King So Faith is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit by a recorde and witnesse bearing So ere thou gettest Faith some witnesse must stand vp and beare recorde The Lord must send out some witnesse to cry and preach but what witnesses must these be IOHN sayes He that saw these things hath testified of them The witnesses must be seeing witnesses it must be Iohn and such as saw Him and felt Him with their handes Then who must bee the witnesses They must be the Apostles that were conuersant in this world with Iesus Christ who heard Him preach and saw Him vvorke vvonders and savv Him dead and savv Him crucified and savve Him pierced thorovv the side They must be the first witnesses But more Brethren Is it enough that they savve Him with their bodily eye No Iohn addes more that hee vvas persvvaded that his testimonie was true The vvitnesses as they testifie that vvhich they savve so they must beleeue it vvith their heartes There were great multitudes hundreths thousands vvho heard Him touched Him and savv Him crucified and some of them crucified Him too yet none of these are made vvitnesses to preach to the vvorld but the Apostles vvho savv and beleeued these are set vp as witnâ—sses in y e world that all should beleeue TheÌ„ the first ground of thy Faith is the very eye of the Apostles their sight and sense The next ground is Faith in the heartes of the Apostles And if yee will say to me Why beleeue ye the Gospell of Iohn and the Gospell of Matthew and the Epistles of Paul c. I answere because these were men who heard and saw Christ and I will say more I beleeue them because they beleeued in their heartes that thing which they saw and goe before not onely by sight of the body but also by Faith in the heart When yee heare these recordes albeit the men be not liuing yet we haue that same thing that they wrote and that which they themselues beleeued I beseech you consider them and passe not ouer lightly when yee reade of Iohn or Paul or the rest I beseech you passe not lightly seeing the ground of thy Faith is not onely their sight but the sense of their heartes and Faith ye who would read with judgement trauell to goe into the heart to seeke that Faith into the heart and that joy and that sadnesse that they felt and pray LORD seeing these men vtter a feeling of these things that they saw and which they wrote touch mine heart and giue me thine Holy Spirit that I may attaine to the sense and feeling of these things If ye would haue a testimonie of this beholde what PAVL sayes in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth Chapter and fourteenth verse I beleeue that I my selfe shall gloriously rise and then he brings in Dauids wordes J beleeued and therefore I spake Alwayes looke that in reading we striue to haue a feeling and sense in our heart of that which we read otherwise we make no fruit of our reading we speake like parrats wee know not what we speake I say to thee if the word of grace rise not from the
deepe perswasion of thine heart thou speakest like a Parrat thou prophanest that Holy word and knowest not what thou speakest Now all the Apostles are away yet their testimonie remaines this is that blessed Gospell that wee haue this day yet the Lord leaues not the world destitute of witnesses who haue liuelie voyces who will preach like the Apostles indeede their record should bee beleeued if thou beleeuedst neuer a preaching I say thou hast no Faith thou shalt neuer see Heauen Indeede we are not Apostles but sinfull men yet if thou beleeuest vs not thou shalt die as well as they who would not beleeue the Apostles I bid no man nor woman beleeue vs simply but only so farre as our record agrees vvith the recorde of the Apostles We may not compare with the Apostles we haue not seene Him we haue not heard Him as they did they had a greater measure of perswasion of Faith and of feeling than any Preacher hath nowe yet the Lord hath giuen His measure to euery one therefore we desire not that yee should beleeue vs simply to beleeue euery thing that we say as the Pope and that soule crue will bid you beleeue all that they affirme No if he were the best Minister that euer preached beleeue his recorde if it agree not with the writting of the Apostles They haue set downe the ground and they who teach any other thing but that which is written by the Apostles or els that follow on their writes by a necessarie consequence I pronounce a vengeance and a curse shall be on them Woe to deceiuers who poyson soules dayly by their vengeance and poyson Now to come to the last heade Iohn layes downe the ende wherefore His thighes were not broken and by piercing of His side These thinges were set downe that the Scripture might bee fulfilled and he cites two testimonies The first is out of the twelfth Chapter of Exodus Not one bone of Him shall be broken The next is out of the twelfth Chapter of Zacharie They shall see Him whome they haue pierced Some will maruell that it is said oft times in the Gospell this was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled Some would thinke that this had bene but a light cause that the thighes of Christ and the bones were not broken Wherefore That the Scripture might be fulfilled the side was pierced that the Scripture might be fulfilled Men would count this but light but wilt thou count that light that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled Thinkest thou it a light thing that that thing that the Lord spake long time before should come to passe and the LORD should be glorified in His Trueth Thinkest thou it a light thing that the Lord should bee found a lyer No ere He be a lyer and ere a jote or title that Hee hath spoken should passe away vnfâ—lfilled it is better that Heauen and Earth men and Angels and all the creatures should vanish to nothing The Lord speakes none idle talke as man will doe but what thing so euer that Hee speakes Hee speakes it of set purpose to the glorie of God and to the well of His Church and therefore it is very requisite both for His owne glorie and for the well of His Church that His word be accomplished Would to God we could consider how highly we sould regarde the glory of God in beleeuing of His promises of mercie and His threatnings of Iustice Well the end of these thinges was that GOD should be glorified in the trueth of His word There is nothing the Lord seekes more than to be knowne in the trueth of His worde and therefore looke what He will doe to bee knowne to be true in His promise rather than His promise be not performed Hee will inuert the course of nature the thing that the Lord hath once spoken it shall be performed albeit all the world should say the contrarie It is said Numb 23.19 God is not as man that He should lie neither as the sonne of man that Hee should repent hath Hee said it and shall Hee not doe it and hath Hee spoken and shall Hee not accomplish it Men may lie but God cannot lie ere Hee bring not about the thing that Hee hath spoken Hee will mixe the Heauen and the Earth together He will bring things about against all the meanes in the worlde not onely by and aboue nature but also contrarie and against nature As Hee brought the promise made to Abraham to passe Nature can be no impediment to the LORD albeit a creature can doe nothing against Nature Looke then what a Faith wee should haue Wee should beleeue His promise albeit it were neuer so vnpossible to Nature Thou must not only glorifie God when thou seest His promise come to passe but also thou must also glorifie Him by depending and hanging on His worde ere euer thou see it accomplished It is an easie thing when thou seest the Lordes promise come to passe to say Glorified bee GOD in the trueth of His promise but except thou glorifie Him by Faith in His worde ere euer thou see the promise effectuate thou doest nothing worthie of praise beleeâ—e His word let neuer death nor life nor power in Heauen or iâ— Earth or the Deuils separate thee from that Faith in His worde No I say further thou must so glorifie God by Faith in His word that albeit thou savvest all things threaten the contrarie yet notwâ—thstanding thou feelest in thine heart that God is true this was a fined and purified Faith Such was the Faith of Abraham who aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that hee should haue a seede not considering the deadnesse of his owne bodie nor the deadnesse of Saraes vvombe hee beleeued in despite of nature and all ordinarie meanes and therefore worthilie hee is called The Father of the Faithfull Then wouldest thou haue such a faith as the Lord commendes beleeue in His promise though all the thinges in the worlde shoulde threaten the contrarie Hath Hee promised to thee Heauen and Life and albeit thou sawe nothing but Hell and Death yet beleeue Him for there is nothing more contrarie to Life than Death And yet albeit thine owne heart woulde make opposition and saye vnto thee It cannot bee that euer thou canst get Life and Heauen for what seest thou but Death and Hell Yet thou wouldest glorifie God by beleeuing His promise in despight of Hell and Death Notwithstanding thou seest the Deuill man Death and Hell threatning that thou shalt not get life yet beleeue the Lordes promise And if in this case thou beleeuest thou hast a fined faith fined and made more precious than Golde in the fornace And except thou bee tried by such temptations thou knowest not what faith meanes Faith must bee tried by temptations by troubles and afflictions Our Christians woulde passe thorowe the worlde with ease and rest they will beleeue but howe In peace and rest they cannot abide to
Christ I goe to the second testimonie Zacharie 12.10 prophecies that the Iewes that pierced thorovv Christ should see Him and vvhen they see Him they should vveepe for Him as for their only begotten sonne It is a prophecie of the repentance of the Jewes vvho had crucified Christ pierced Him thorovv a promise of their repentance for that vvofull deede they did This same thing came to passe in the 2. of the Acts vvhen Peter in his preaching laide to their charge that wicked deede that they had crucified the Lord of glorie had put hand into the Lord of life at his preaching their hearts were pricked pierced thorow with bitternesse they demand of Peter the rest What shall they doe to be safe it is said three thousand of them repented beleeued at that one preaching The words wold be marked How is this that They pierced Iesus They pierced Him first with their sins it was the Jewes sins chiefly that procured the death of Christ Next they pierced Him when they persecuted Him when they crucified Him blasphemed Him and rayled on Him hanging on the crosse last they pierced Him when by the speare in the handes of a souldier they thrust Him thorow and pierced His side And who is this that pierced Him It was not so much the Ethnicke man that did this as the Iewes for whose sinnes Hee came to die for they were the occasion of all this wickednes If we will marke narrowly and will weigh narrowly this matter aright we will see great wickednesse malice and vnthankfulnesse to haue bene in this people The Lord came to die for them And who are these that slay Him Euen these for whome He came to die Was not this a mischieuous deede Who will not abhorre and detest such a villanie and malice Alas should I who am a sinner when an innocent man comes to die for my sinnes slay that man and be a burrio to Him Lord saue mee from such wickednesse and let neuer mine hands be a slayer of that man and yet this was the malice of the vngratefull Iewes Againe will ye consider the wonderfull loue that Christ caried to this people when they deserued nothing at His hands but death He dies for them when they were His enemies He shed His blood sor them thereafter when they executed Him and crucified Him beholde His wonderfull loue Hee brings them to repentance His mercie ouercomes their malice so that in them ye see that which is said to be verified Where sinne aboundes grace and mercie superabounds ROM 5.20 There is no comparison betweene the loue of Iesus and the sinnes of men Albeit thy sinnes were neuer so great and hainous yet the loue mercie of Christ will compasse them and goe round about them all so that no sinner hath occasion to despare of mercie and of grace I doubt not there is none of vs all but we will condemne the Jewes and will finde fault with the malice of this people but looke to thy selfe whilst as thou condemnest them that thou disfigure thine owne face and condemne thine owne selfe Are there none in this land that haue put hand in Iesus that died for them as surely as euer the Iewes did Who dare cleanse themselues Thou darest not say but thou hast pierced the Lord either one way or other There is not a sinne that thou committest but therewith thou hast pierced the Lord. Hast thou opponed thy selfe to the Trueth and persecuted the Gospell then thou hast pierced Christ Hast thou persecuted the Church of Christ and troubled His members on the earth thou hast pierced the Lord for Hee cries out Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 〈◊〉 Hast thou beene giuen ouer to thy lustes and led a wicked life I say if thou bee in any of these rankes if thou gaine standest His Trueth persecutest Him in His members or by thy euill life Protest as thou wilt thou hast pierced Him as well as the Iewes and thou shalt bee as guiltie of His death as they were and as Pilate Herode Iudas and Caiaphas were challenged for His death so shalt thou except the Lord of His mercie grant thee grace to repent The Lord giue euery one of vs grace in time to repent IOH. REVEL 1.7 drawes this Scripture to the second comming of Christ in the cloudes for hee sayes They shall see Him whom they haue pierced and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourne before Him Of the which wee may gather that in the latter daye the very Elect when they shall rise and see the Lord when they shall see these handes and these seete and that side which by their sinnes they haue pierced thorow their first meeting shall bee with bitter mourning they shall mourne as a man will doe for His onely begotten sonne but immediatly that weeping shall be turned into joy and the Lord shall wipe away all teares from their eyes so that they shall neuer mourne nor sorrow any more but they shall be with the Lord and rejoyce with a solide joy for euer more Now I come to the buriall of that blessed body As the downe taking from the crosse came by a request so this buriall also comes by request But who requests for His buriall Not the Iewes that requested for His downe taking but good Ioseph of Arâ—mathea requests for the buriall The Iewes requested not for any loue they bare to Him but Joseph that worthy disciple of Christ requests vpon loue Then the thinges that we shall speake of the buriall this day are these First by the conference of the foure Euangelists wee haue a faire description of this man Ioseph Next we haue especially in the Gospell of Luke how boldly he comes to Pilate thirdly we haue the suite it selfe then the good and humane answere that he receiues out of the mouth of Pilate Then looke how this man is pointed out First he is described by his name his name is Ioseph Next hee is described by his countrey he vvas of Arimathea a tovvne in Iudea Thirdly he vvas described from his substance Hee was a rich and wealthie man and vvhat more What matter of all outvvard things of our birth of the place of it or all the riches and substance in the vvorld if there be no more Fourthly he is described from his office He was a wise and graue Senator and apparantly hee was in that Councell of the IEVVES which was called SANEDRIM yea apparantly he was on PILATES couÌ„sell because he was a wise and potent man But all these are outwarde thinges therefore the Spirit afterward paints him out by his inward qualities for if thou haue no good properties I will not giue a pennie for all thy calling thy substance and all outwarde thinges Hee is painted out in these qualities which concerne this life his behauior toward meÌ„ he is called a good vpright maÌ„ in his life But what helpe all these ciuill and morall vertues
the pointes of his Iustice it behoued Him to suffer all the points of Iustice vnder the earthly judge Pontius Pilate in His condemnation in His taking from the crosse in His burial this was all to the intent that thou mightest be fully freed from all the points of the Iustice of GOD for whatsoeuer thing He either did or suffered it was for thy cause There is another thing here that would not be passed by There is no question but it comes of the Prouidence of God that this body is neither reaued away by violence nor stollen away by slight but the taking away comes of a speciall request◠no question this matter was so dispensed that the death of Iesus should bee made notable and come to the eares of Pilate and all other men the death was to be made notable to the world likewise the buriall was to be made notable to the end that His glorious resurrection might be made knowne to the world These are the two pillars of our Faith the death of Christ and His resurrection these are the two points that the deuill and the Heretiques haue from time to time striuen to hew and cut downe that they should not appeare to the world because they are the chiefe pillars of our Faith but honour glory be to the Lord who of His grace hath kept these pillars constantly in His Church in despite of the deuill all his instrumēts Now the God of Heauen grant vs grace to take holde on His death and glorious resurrection that through His death and resurrection we may bee raised from death to newnesse of life here that hereafter wee may reigne in glory with Him To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all honour praise and glorie world without end AMEN THE XXVI LECTVRE OF THE BVRIALL OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 44 And Pilate marueiled if hee were alreadie dead and called vnto him the Centurion and asked of him whether hee had beene any while dead verse 45 And when hee know the trueth of the Centurion hee gaue the bodie to Ioseph verse 46 Who bought a linnen cloth and tooke him downe and wrapped him in the linnen cloth c. IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 38 And after these things Ioseph of Arimathea who was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that hee might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue him licence Hee came then and tooke Iesus bodie verse 39 And there came also Nicodemus who first came to Iesus by night and brought of myrrhe and aloes mingled together about an hundreth pound verse 40 Then tooke they the bodie of Iesus and wrapped it in linnen clothes with the odours as the manner of the Iewes is to burie THE last day welbeloued in Iesus Christ wee entered into the History of the Buriall of the Lord Iesus and wee hearde that the Buriall came by a request made to Pilate the Romane Deputie for the time The request maker was one IOSEPH Hee is set down and described by all the foure EVANGELISTES in all his properties Hee was a man of ARIMATHEA a Towne in IVRIE Hee vvas a rich man and also an honourable and graue Counseller Then as concerning the qualities of his person Hee was a good and an vpright man who liued vprightlie in the worlde and yet hee had a further respect than vnto this life for he waited constantlie for the Kingdome of God And therefore when Christ came into the worlde and tooke vpon Him that great office of the Mediator betwixt GOD and man hee enters into His schoole and became His Disciple howbeit for feare of the IEVVES hee durst not manifest himselfe but lurked secretlie for a time euen to this time that it came to the Buriall of the bodie of Iesus and then hee shewes himselfe to bee a Disciple of Christ In that Councell which was against the Lorde hee vvas a Counseller but hee vvoulde neither giue counsell nor consent to the condemning and slaying of CHRIST Thus much yee hearde before concerning this man and his properties Then wee hearde howe hee goes forwarde boldlie to Pilate to seeke the Lordes bodie Hee lurked before so long as Iesus was in the worlde working such wonders as neuer man wrought speaking with such a grace as neuer man spake with But nowe when Hee is dead hee comes out boldlie and goes to Pilate and hee manifestes himselfe To let vs see that IESVS in His death had greater force to drawe the soules of men vnto Him than Hee had in His life for from that death there came so sweete and sensible a smell to the soules of sinners that it drewe the soules of sinners vnto Him Namelie the heart of this man IOSEPH So that hee comes out boldlie as saide is and hee goes to PILATE and requestes him to giue him the bodie of IESVS to bee buried Thus farre vvee hearde the last daye Nowe this daye wee haue PILATES answere to IOSEPHS request PILATE wonders that He was dead so soone and for the more certaintie hee calles a Centurion and askes him if Hee was dead alreadie The Centurion affirmes that Hee was dead alreadie PILATE grantes the request After this we come to the maner of His Buriall Wee shall goe forward as time shall suffer God shall giue vs grace Pilate wonders that hee was so soone dead This wondering of Pilate no question imports that the death of Iesus was extraordinary It was not after the common fashion of men y t were crucified for men who were crucified they vsed to hing long on the Crosse before they yeelded the spirit dayes nights and in end ere they yeelded the spirite the life was taken from them by violence They were broken on the Crosse So Pilate hearing that the Lorde was so soone dead hee wondered as at an extraordinarie thing There are sundrie thinges that testifie that death of Iesus to haue beene extraordinary as first That mighty and loude voyce crying which the Lord vttered on the Crosse immediately before He yeelded the spirit for who will giue a loud crie at the yeelding of his spirit for at the poinct of death when nature failes it is a rare thing to finde a man to haue a voyce or a word Next The yeelding of His spirit so suddenly whē by the power of nature He might haue liued longer Last This wondering of Pilate testifies That His death was extraordinarie that there was a power in Iesus which controlled nature When nature would haue kept life the diuine power puts it out In a word This wondering testifies That the death of Iesus was the death of God the death of a man but God in the man glorious and blessed for euermore Now it is said Pilate vnderstood of the Centurion that Iesus was dead when hee granted the request of Ioseph and gaue the bodie to him to bee buried First I see Pilate is a good Iustitier the Romane Iustice was
and if God were not with the man that speakes the heart of the man would neuer be dejected No all the Kings vnder the Heauen could not deject the heart of the poorest begger So to end this in a worde The Lord will know well whome He sends to speake these glorious tithings that Christ hath suffered and is risen and this is sure these that He sends He will giue them power to pull downe if it were the heart of a King to the ground yet the stile hee giues to Christ would not be past by marke it well hee saies not I knowe yee seeke IESVS the Sonne of GOD he saies not so but he saies I knowe yee seeke Jesus of Nazareth a man who was latelie crucified So the Angell in styling of Him giues Him the basest and vylest names that hee can hee names Him from a sillie Towne in IVRIE IESVS OF NAZARETH Then from that vile death of the Crosse That man that was crucified I doubt not but in this name he had a respect to the women who knew these stiles which Hee had in the dayes of His flesh when Hee was conuersant here they knewe these stiles better than the stiles of His Godhead which were from all eternitie Yet he hath a further respect to these stiles to let vs and these women see that hee was not ashamed of His infirmitie nor at the shamefull death of the Crosse Noe the Angels to whom this death appertaines not so much as to vs saies PETER in his first EPISTLE the first CHAPTER and the eleuenth VERSE delight to looke in to CHRIST to looke in to that infirmitie and to that death of the Crosse Alas proude sinner wilt thou bee offended to looke in to it when Peter saies it is the delight of the holie Angels to looke in to it Because these Angels in the infirmitie of CHRIST they sawe the power of GOD shining in that foolishnesse of the Crosse of CHRIST they sawe that wisedome of GOD and in that justice of GOD they founde a passing me 〈…〉 and therefore nowe and euerlastinglie their delight is to looke 〈◊〉 CHRIST and His suffering And as they delight to looke in to CHRIST and His suffering so they shall giue praise to Him and more for that than for the making of the worlde in His great wisedome and power Yet if wee will weigh and consider well wee shall finde another respect which the Angels haue in naming Him after such base stiles which is That the glorie of His Resurrection might appeare the greater It is euen as hee shoulde haue saide IESVS of that sober Village NAZARETH who was counted vile in the worlde and was crucified yet for that infirmitie Hee is risen againe and is in the glorie of the Heauens So hee names Him after these base stiles to enlarge the glorie of His Resurrection for the humbler that Hee was the Resurrection was the more glorious It vvas indeed a great matter and a vvonder to see a man a vvorme treade on by the Deuill treade on by death it vvas a vvonder to see Him howe Hee vvas humbled that Hee should haue risen againe to such a wonderous glorie So that at the Name of Iesus all knees shall bowe Philipp Chap. 2. vers 10. But I leaue this and I goe forwarde Next comes on the tidinges The wordes of MATTHEVV are these First Hee is not heere Then the next wordes Hee is risen The first worde was an heauie worde to these holie women for apparâ—ntlie they conceiued with Marie Magdalene that His bodie was stollen awaye out of the sepulchre and thought not that He was risen againe The next worde they heare comfortes them The first worde makes them exceeding heauie but the seconde worde makes them to rejoyce when hee saies Hee is risen He is not stollen away craftilie but by His owne power He is risen In this anunciation as in a picture yee maye obserue the forme which is vsed in proponing the EVANGEL and gladde tidinges of Saluation The beginning is alwayes in dolour and in sadnesse but the ende is in joye and gladnesse The first vvorde that vvee heare is That the LORDE is come into the worlde and suffered shame reproaches and ignominie and at last the shamefull death of the Crosse vnder PONTIVS PILATE These are heauie tidinges to vs to heare that our LORDE was so hardlie and so euill entrâ—◠〈◊〉 the vvorlde and that in ende Hee died the vile death of â—â—â—osse for vs and was buried And yet immediatelie it followes That the same LORDE is risen and ascended vp in glorie to the Heauens and there sittes at the right hande of GOD and that thorowe His Passion death and Resurrection our sinnes are forgiuen vs wee shall rise againe and get life euerlasting And these are joyfull tidinges Nowe to insist further The first tidinges which is tolde to the Kirke in this earth are sadde and heauie Thou must suffer And whosoeuer will striue to liue godlie in CHRIST of necessitie he must suffer affliction There are sadde tidinges But it followes if thou suffer with Him thou shalt reigne with Him These are gladde tidinges Nowe I shall giue you the wordes of the Scripture for my warrande Christ Matth. 16.21 saies the same to His Disciples I am to goe vp to Hierusalem and to suffer and to bee slaine And Peter tooke euill with it These are sadde tidinges But Hee saies I will rise againe the thirde daye And this is joyfull And in the XVI CHAPTER and XXXII VERS of IOHN Hee saies to them The time will come when yee shall bee scattered and leaue mee alone Sadde tidinges But I am not alone for the Father is with mee Ioyfull tidinges Then Hee saies to them Yee shall bee hated of all men for my Names sake That is sadde tidinges to them But they who continue to the ende shall bee saued Gladde tithinges And againe in the 16. Chapter of IOHN and 33. vers He saies Jn the worlde ye shall haue affliction A sad word But J haue ouer-come the worlde gladde tidinges So yee see these tidinges alwayes beginne with sadnesse but they ende with joye And as it is of the worde so it is of the disposition of the hearers The sinner will first bee sadde and then finde such a joye as is vnspeakeable and this shall bee thy disposition so long as thou art an hearer But when thou shalt be a beholder no heauines of heart but joye for euer and all teares shall be wiped away from thine eyes While thou art hearing thy teares shall bee mingled with joye but when thou art seeing there shall bee perfect joy without teares Thus farre for the tidings He is not content to tell them onely the Lord is risen no one word will not suffice them but He confirmes it by Christes prediction He said it before the Lord was to suffer and to rise the third day Looke the XVI Chap. of Matth. So he confirmes them by the Lords owne Testimonie These prophesies
for this was but the third day after He vvas crucified Yee see Brethren for all this leauing of the LORD and desparing euer to see Him yet heere is a piece of godlinesse in their heartes and a sponke of Hope that keepes them that they drowned not into despare for if they had not preuented they would haue perished with the rest of the Iewes and as they are thus wrestling betwixt Hope and Despare the Lord takes them by the hande to helpe them It is a good thing to haue if it vvere but one sponke of grace yea if it were but to speake of Him For none can call Iesus the Lord as the Apostle sayes except he haue gotteen the Spirit of Christ So holde on and speake of Him if thou canst doe no more Yet to goe forward When they are talking He comes in and goes with them Marke it This is an argument that the Lord heard what they were speaking and as He heares them Hee joynes with them side for side Well take heede to thine heart to thy words The Lorde is nearer to thee than thou thinkest walke as if thou werest speaking to Him and as if He heard thee or saw thee and when thou speakest abhorre not the presence of the Lord Thou that wilt runne to an hole wilt abhorre His presence but ay say this Lord be present at my speaking what meanes all this baudrie talke and blasphemie Euen this Thou seekest not to haue thine heart sanctified by the presence of thy God so if thou wilt speake say Lord be into mine heart and Lord rule my tongue and open my mouth then when He openeth thy mouth gracious words will come out So in a word seeke that presence to sanctifie your speech and actions It is said when He joynes with them Their eyes are so bound vp that they could not know Him They know not His face nor His voyce Marke sayes That he appeared to them in another forme Luke sets downe in plaine wordes how this was to wit not that He was of a diuerse forme indeed but because their eyes were holden closed that they could not know Him so the change was in them not in Him Hee remained in one forme and was euer like Himselfe in all His appearance He neuer altered His presence but He altered their eyes that behelde looked vpō Him I thinke some of you would aske In what forme appeared Hee Was Hee naked The souldiours got His clothes Whether was He naked or not No I thinke not that Hee was naked but Hee appeared with His Ioynes girded as a man addressed to a journey as He appeared to Marie cled like a Gardener yet ye will aske had He indeede cloathes on Him or not I haue no warrant of that alwayes He appeared to them to be clothed indeede they thoght He had cloths on Him these men thought He had clothes on for their eyes vvere bound vp It is a wonder that they could not know Him nor His voyce He altered not His voyce and yet they could not know Him albeit it be naturall by the sight of the eye to know one with whō wee are acquainted it is naturall by the eare to know the voyce yet this place lets vs see that the Lord hath a commandement of these gifts when Hee sayes looke that thou see not thou shalt not see and if He say to thee looke that thou know not thy father thou shalt not know him and more if He say know not the voyce of thy wife thou shalt not knowe her voyce All this tends to this We should beg our eyes our eares and all at the hands of God ay for that gift that thou hast thanke God hartily and say Lord I thanke thee for this that I can know the voyce of one creature frō another so all our lifetime should be a begging of His gifts if we moue we should thanke our God Now if we should beg this naturall sight that we haue much more are we bound to beg the thing we haue not to beg a spirituall eye to see heauenly things then when thou gettest it thou shouldest render thanks to Him Now of graces this is the best that the Lord giues an eye to see that life for if thou gettest one blencke certainly thou shalt see Heauen that joy and glorie at the which one day thou shalt wonder Now glory bee giuen to Him for all His giftes and euen for this that Hee hath giuen vs these bodily eyes I beseech Him to giue euery one of vs spirituall eyes that we may get a blencke of Him here and in the Heauens enjoy His presence for euermore through Christ our Lord. To whome with the Father and Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XXXVII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 17 And hee saide vnto them What manner of communications are these that yee haue one to another as yee walke and are sadde verse 18 And the one named Cleopas answered and saide vnto him Art thou onelie a stranger in Hierusalem and hast not knowne the thinges which are come to passe therein in these dayes verse 19 And hee saide vnto them What thinges And they saide vnto him Of Jesus of Nazareth who was a Prophet mightie in deede and in worde before God and all the people verse 20 And howe the high Priestes and our Rulers deliuered him to bee condemned to death and haue crucified him IN this Historie of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST welbeloued in Him wee haue heard hitherto of sundrie witnesses testifying His Resurrection from the death The Angels began and they testified His Resurrection to the women The women testified it to the Disciples who were conuened at Hierusalem and namelie to Peter and Iohn Then MARIE came foorth the seconde time and shee meetes with the LORD Then there are other women who came foorth and meetes vvith the LORDE And after these women there comes other witnesses to vvit enemies who were sent to watch the graue by PILATE and the High Priestes and they witnessed That Hee was risen But they solde their tongues to the high Priestes and the IEVVES to make a lie and to affirme that the LORDES DISCIPLES had come in the night and stollen awaye His bodie vvhile they slept And after these vvitnesses yee hearde the last daye wee returned to other two vvitnesses vvho both vvere the Disciples of the LORDE the one is named CLEOPAS but the name of the other is not expressed These two euen in a manner despairing that euer they shoulde see the LORDE they depart out of Hierusalem where they were with the rest of the Disciples to a Village not farre off called EMMAVS and they were talking by the waye of the thinges which immediatlie had fallen out before The Lorde who sawe them and hearde them addresses Himselfe shortlie to them and goes with them as a passenger going out the waye
that had litle knowledge indeede in this stile hee would let vs see that there was neuer such an one in worde nor worke neuer one wrought such miracles as Hee did and neuer man spake as Hee did as His owne very enemies testified of Him Iohn Chapter 7. yet will yee measure it with the knowledge of the man there is a defect here also he thoght He had bene like the rest of the Prophets who prophecied not by their owne spirit but by the Spirit of IESVS yet was hee ignorant that IESVS spake and wrought all by His owne Spirit Why should vvee not knovve these thinges This is the difference betweene CHRIST and all the Prophets all these Prophets and Moyses himselfe were but seruants they spake neuer a vvord by their spirit but by the Spirit of CHRIST as Peter speakes in the first Epistle Spake Moses Esay or Ezechiell in their owne name Dare any Minister speake in his owne name No not vnder paine of his life but IESVS is called the LORD of the house In the Epistle to the Hebrewes the third Chapter Hee spake by His owne Spirit and these preachings were preached by His owne Spirit and He spake by His owne authoritie as yee may reade in the seuenth Chapter of Matthew An Herauld if Hee speakes in his name should be hanged but the King himselfe will speake in his owne name the LORD spake in His owne Name but the Prophets spake not in their owne name reade these Prophecies They say there Thus saith the LORD but ye shall finde thus when Christ comes Hee sayes Amen amen dico vobis Verilie verilie J say vnto you in mine owne Name and authoritie and not in my Fathers only This Cleopas knew not but counted Him a Prophet like others albeit more excellent than others Cleopas thought Hee was potent by the Spirit of GOD and so by another but hee knew not that He spake in His owne Name and by His owne authoritie beeing equall with the Father Nowe to be short hee sayes Hee was mightie before GOD and the whole people That is to say He had the approbation of the LORD from the Heauen and what euer He spake the LORD approoued it what euer Hee did His Father approoued it Then againe He did neuer an action but with the approbation of the people But it would be asked How approoued they Him seeing they persecuted Him scorned Him and crucified Him I answere Albeit that neither by word nor deede the Iewes nor the High Priestes had approoued Him yet the conscience of the same High Priests and Iewes approoued Him and bare witnesse to them that Hee was GOD so that sometimes they were compelled to say Neuer man spake as Hee did Iohn Chapter 6. verse 46. and sometimes againe since the world beganne was it not heard that anie man opened the eyes of one that was borne blinde Iohn Chapter 9. verse 32. So that all that they did to Him was against conscience I regarde not what thou doest to mee if thou be bound in conscience to testifie that that is true which I speake and that is good which I do for in that day thou who speakest against thy conscience shalt not haue one worde to speake thy conscience shall bind vp thy mouth so this is well said that Hee had the approbation both of GOD and man but hee thought Hee had this approbation as one of the Prophets suppose in a greater measure But looke the first Chapter to the Hebrewes and the fifth verse For vnto which of the Angels saide hee at anie time let bee Prophets Thou art my Sonne this daye haue I begotten thee Then hee knew not that he had that approbation of that God who dwelt in him God in him approoued him Roman Chap. 1. vers 4. it is saide Hee was declared mightilie to bee the Sonne of GOD. And 1. Timothie Chap. 3. vers 16. Hee was justified by the Spirite And againe it is saide Actes Chap. 2. vers 22. Jesus of Nazareth a man approoued of God among you with great workes and wonders and signes which God did by him in the middest of you Cleopas knewe little of this Nowe Brethren wee haue examined his wordes and yee see heere a great ignorance In the first wordes an vntrueth and yee see in all the wordes following there is some want And to whome is it that hee preaches Hee preaches Christ to Christ and hee describes the Lorde to the Lorde and yet the Lorde heares him patientlie Yee will not beleeue how Hee vvill heare thy babbling if in thine heart thou haue a loue to GOD suppose thou babble Hee will heare thee and if thou speake vvith loue suppose thou canst not praye as other men and women can Babble on to Him and speake on with a good heart Hee vvill no more reject thee than Hee did Cleopas Hee is aye like to Himselfe For what is all our language to Him but a babbling yea all our knowledge is but babbling So suppose wee haue not knowledge nor a tongue to speake yet let vs not leaue off to speake in loue with our hearts and Hee shall heare vs and giue vs a comfortable answere Nowe I counted neuer so much of knowledge as of an heart which loueth God Keepe an heart to thy God come with faith and loue to thy God and thou wilt not thinke how Hee vvill delight in thee if vvee come vvith loue to the Lord then vvee come boldlie to the Throne of grace And vvhy Because vvee come not in our owne righteousnesse or in our owne perfection vvee appeare onelie in the merites of IESVS CHRIST And suppose thou babble and be ignorant yet if thou appeare in Him thou art full of knowledge for His knowledge the Lorde countes to bee thine O vvhat is it to bee in Christ Hee vvho hath Christ hath all though hee vvere neuer so vveake hee is strong in Him My power sayes the Lord is perfect in infirmitie And therefore sayes Paul I will glorie in my infirmitie that the power of God may be seene in mee 2. Cor. 12. Now a word and so I ende Cleopas beginnes to tell vvhat vvas befallen to such a personage vvho vvas mightie in vvord and deede yet for all this they handled Him most vnworthily of any man Our Priestes and rulers as PILATE first they condemned Him to the death without a cause and next they haue crucified Him if ye consider well the words yee vvill finde that Hee speakes to them with a vvonderfull indignation as if He had said albeit He was such a man and so great a man in all respects yet they condemned Him without a cause and then they crucified Him And vvhat indignitie vvas this for as the Apostle sayes Albeit He vvas the LORD of glorie yet most shamefully they crucified Him 1. Cor. Chapter second and the eight verse Well take vp this in His wordes What euer is done against Christ it is an indignitie if vve knew that Majestie wee offend
determinate prouidence of God in a manner of necessitie so that in respect of this prouidence they coulde not otherwise haue bene We haue heard before that there was a necessitie of Christes death resurrection that there was a necessitie of preaching now here we see that there is a necessitie of sending of Ministers to preach the Gospel for there is no faithfull Minister but he must haue his commission of Him God must make choose of him separate him frō the common sort of men as Paul sayes of himselfe He was called to be an Apostle put apart to preach the Gospel of God Rom. 1.1 So must it be with all faithfull Pastors It is true indeede some wil preach whō y e Lord hath not sent some wil run vnsent some wil preach to get honor vantage or preferment to themselues but these are not faithfull Pastours but all faithfull Pastours must of necessitie be sent of y e Lord receiue their cōmission frō Him Now if this be true y t nothing concerning Christ or His Gospel or the Ministers y t preach it falles out without y e determinate prouidence counsel of God it is as true that none heares y e Gospel preached without y e same prouidence The speciall prouidence of God is no lesse extended to the hearer than to y e Preacher of y e Gospel so that the hearer as well as the Preacher is bound to glorifie God in His gracious prouidence in y e riches of His grace Many oftentimes thinke that it is by conjecture y t men come to y e Church heares the word preached but y e faithfull man that hath felt the power of this word in quickening His soule raising it frō death to life is assured y t the Lord had a special prouidence care in making Him to heare y t word at such a time to his great comfort But it would be marked that albeit all y e Preachers of the Gospel be sent by God yet all are not sent after one manner there is a great difference amongst them for some are sent immediatly of the Lord Himselfe without the ministerie of men as were the Prophets of olde and here the Apostles None of these were sent by mens ministerie but it was only the Lorde Himselfe who sent them according to the good pleasure of His will some are sent mediately by the ministerie of men as are the ordinarie Pastours and Ministers in the Church this daye who albeit they bee sent by God yet the Lord vses the ministerie of men in sending of them Nowe these men whom the Lord employes in this piece of seruice to call and send others should not bee rash nor lay handes suddenly on any man but they ought to be verie carefull to take good heede vnto the Lords will and consider and trie narrowly whether it be the Lords will to call such and such persons to the Ministerie that so they may haue a good conscience that they haue sought to conforme themselues to Gods will When Christ sent His Apostles He sent them according to the will of GOD the Father 1 Cor. 1.1 So whomsoeuer men call and send they must call and send them according to the will of God the Father and the Sonne But yee will say Howe shall men knowe these men whome the Lorde thinkes meete to be sent How shall they know whether it be the Lordes will to choose such and such men to His Ministerie I answere The LORD hath set downe sufficient markes and tokens in the Scripture whereby wee may know them whome the Lord would haue vs to send He hath stamped them with gifts beyond the common sort of men If yee would know what these gifts and graces are wherewith the Lord endues them read 1. Timoth. 3 c. Tit. 1.6 In the which places ye will see what properties the Spirit of God requires to be in a faithfull Pastor Indeed I grant there are some of the properties rekoned out there by the Apostle that are common to other true Christians with the Pastour As to be temperate wise holy righteous and such other but there are some other that properly belong to a Pastour As that hee bee apt to teach that he be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and conuince the gainesayers that hee haue skill to guide and rule the Church of God Let them who haue power to call Ministers take heed vnto these properties that they call not men to this High calling vpon a priuate affection which vice and corruption hath beene too common in all ages but that they call them whom the Lord hath stamped with these graces and pointed out as meete to vndertake this charge that they may haue the better conscience in their proceeding Yet before we leaue this it would be considered who these were whom the Lord sendes were they wise men were they such who constantly auouched Him professed His Name Were they such men as deserued much at His hand Were they such as were meete and sufficient for such a glorious calling No certainely For who is sufficient for these things sayes the Apostle 2. Cor. 2 16. Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3.5 What manner of men are they then Euen these who before His death and suffering were offended in Him who were ashamed of Him and fled away euen these who after His Resurrection were so hard to beleeue that He was risen againe from the dead for all the paines that the Lord tooke vpon them men altogether vnmeete and vnsufficient for such an high and glorious calling men who by nature were fraughted with such stuffe as was directly repugnant to such a worthie calling and yet for all this the Lord castes them not off but sends them to preach saluation to the world He made them of darknesse to be light to shine to the rest of the world for sayes Paul God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse is He that hath shined in our heartes 2. Cor 4 6. Our hearts are darke by nature yet the Lord by shining in them brings light out of darknesse for as the Lord in the first creation commanded light to come out of darknesse so dayly in the new creation and regeneration and namely when Hee sets a man in His Ministerie He makes light to shine out of darknesse We haue a notable example of this in the Apostle Paul he had bene before a blasphemer and a persecuter an oppressour yet such was the mercy fauour of God toward Him that for all this He not only beautifies him with that common grace to be a Christian and to get an assurance of the Remission of his owne sinnes but also countes him faithfull to place him in His Ministerie to preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes to others The world thinkes it an easie thing to make a man a Minister but if wee consider what stuffe is in man
the time of thy life but chiefly in the houre of death as Paul sayes of himselfe Philip. 1.21 Now Brethren take heede all these earthly things as liberties riches nobilitie kinred glory honour of the worlde and fauour of men these thinges can stand thee in stead only so long as thou leauest thy riches thy nobilitie albeit thou wert come of Kings can be steadable no longer but if thou bee laide on thy backe on thy death bed at the houre of thy death what will they helpe thee then Nothing but thou wilt disdain them al No they shal not hold thy life one houre thē all these aduantages in earth cānot be aduātage in y e houre of death in heauē or earth no aduātage to any in y e hour of death but Iesus who has ouercome death if y u haue Iesus ô y t joy y u shalt find in death by the contrarie How terrible a departure will they find that haue not Christ Iesus This miserable generatiō will not know this vntill they feele it by sad experience There were two thieues hanged with Christ but both got Him not to bee aduantage in death therefore let men whē they are liuing wholest haue Christ before their eyes seeke to be acquainted w t Him in their life that they may haue Him to be aduantage in their death Yet one thing further ere I leaue these things I thinke all yōg men y t haue health habilitie strength of body to run ride rash here there that haue libertie to passe repasse at their pleasure may learne a lessō at Peter Peter when hee was young hee might haue done what hee pleased he thought hee was a happie man for the word importes when hee makes mention of his former condition which hee had before he knew Christ for when he was young and had libertie he was free from Christ for he knew not Christ before Christ knew him so Peter in his youth a free man a young strong man he was also free from Christ foolish vaine young men esteeme themselues to be happie if they haue health strength habilitie freedome to liue as they please albeit they bee without God and free of Iesus Christ alas that is a miserable freedome when thou art free heere in earth if thou be free from Christ also that is miserable for if thou be not a bond-seruant to Christ albeit thou wert a King a Cesar thou art but a seruant to sinne a slaue to the deuill Paul Rom. 6.20 sayes When ye were the seruants of sinne ye were freed from righteousnesse if thou be not the seruant of Christ thou art a slaue to the Deuill and sinne for of need force thou shalt either be the seruant of Christ or els thou shalt be a greater slaue than a horserubber Let neuer a man glorie in a libertie that he may runne or ride doe this or that except that with that freedome he find himselfe bound as a seruant to Christ except he can say in his heart albeit I be free yet Lord Iesus I am thy bond-seruant for Peters condition when hee was in the chaines and bands led out to die the death for Christ was better than when he was a yong man following his owne lust pleasure there is no happinesse but in Iesus Christ all these earthly liberties will not make thee happy if thou be not boūd to Christ in his seruice they only are truely free whō the Sonne makes free Ioh. 8.36 And the Apostle sayes Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3.17 But I goe forwarde Hee sayes Thou shalt bee ledde whither thou wouldest not This is a marueilous thing These wordes would import that hee died not willingly for the Lord but he vvas drawne contrary his will to the tormēt How can this be The vvords may import a comparison to vvit That one shall leade thee not so much where thou wilt as where he will for thy will shal be subject to the will of the persecuter tormēter I answere Indeed it is true when Peter suffered for his Lords sake he suffered not so vvilingly but in the meane time for there was a battell vvithin him he found somthing that made resistance to y t obediēce first there vvas nature vvhich naturally abhors death there is nothing more terrible to nature than this dissolution parting seuering of the soule body therfore Christ Himself who set Himselfe in all respects to be obedient to y e Father hauing our nature abhorred death prayed saying Take this cup frō me So I say it was no maruel y t nature in Peter abhorred frō death vvold haue declined y t death in some measure There vvas another cause more in Peter than was in Christ Christ had nature but it was holy Peter beside this common nature had some remaining corruption And whosoeuer has it as all men sauing Christ Iesus has it they will find that whē they are bent to giue obedience to God in any thing it vvill rebell and make some resistance when thou fainest vvould obey Him lay downe thy necke to die for Christ it will draw thee aback Againe the best y t liues vvill vtter the vvords of th'Apostle I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that I doe Rom. 7.19 Therefore Brethren learne this lesson at Peter All the godly from the beginning all the Holy Martyres what euer they haue bene that haue died for the Name of the Lord Iesus their obedience has not beene altogether perfect No it is a vanitie to thinke that the Martyres died vvithout all feare I say The best of them in their death found some horrour and infirmitie And I saye The victorie that they got vvas by an inwarde battell in their soule and as they vvere victorious by yeelding themselues outwardly to the death so they vvere victorious in their soules This is comfortable When thou seest that the Saincts feared abhorred death if thou findest the like feare in thee yet bee not ouer much casten downe Thou wilt say Shall I suffer death in the fire shall I bee burnt quicke and bee dammed as the Martyres haue beene vvith sundry sortes of tortures Alas I am not able to abide it And no question there will be an horrour in thine heart when thou thinkest of this but especially when thou commest to the act of suffering then all such infirmitie such feare dread shall rise and get vp in thy soule But let this be thy comfort in the Lord vvhē thou findest this that this feare shall not hinder thine obedience and say There is nothing that befalles to me but that which befalles to the best seruants of God I am not alone such infirmitie such dread and feare as I haue Peter had and the best Saincts of God had and howbeit they had them yet their obedience was not hindered thereby And so as
Peter and the rest got the victory notwithstanding of feare and dread thou wilt giue mee the victory vvith Peter This aduertises vs thus farre Neuer man suffered martyrdome by his owne strength And if Peter had beene giuen ouer to his owne strength hee vvoulde not haue suffered more than Judas And if Steuen had not bene sustained with the sight of Heauen to haue holden vp his heart hee vvoulde not haue suffered the death Paul teaches vs Philip. chap. 1. vers 29. As faith is the gift of God so it is the gift of God to suffer affliction It is giuen to you saies he to suffer And therfore he saies to Timothie 2. Epist chap. 1. vers 8. Be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel But howe By your owne strength No but by the power of God And therfore whosoeuer would haue this strength let him beg it of the Lord. Whensoeuer it shall please God to say Goe to the stake then euer say Lord giue me strength I shall suffer Therefore as night day we should be vpon this resolution to suffer for Christ so should we night day be earnest in prayer and if thou findest the power of God by prayer to bee conueyed to thine heart thou needest not to feare for that power will prop it vp vphold it in th' extremity of death martyrdome So euer be in prayer saying Lord giue me strenth and if thou get once a piece of this power thou shalt wonder at it Now Iohn in the next verse he joynes y e meaning of these words of the Lords to Peter lest any mā reading or hearing should doubt of the meaning This spake hee sayes Iohn signifying by what death hee should glorifie God Hee meanes that hee shoulde die a violent death hee should not get leaue to die his owne naturall death in peace but that hee should die violently vpon the scaffolde The Papistes vpon these wordes gather That Peter was crucified that y e Lord meant y t he should be hanged but the words beare no such thing Thou shalt stretch out thine hands What necessity is there here to import crucifying or hanging more than heading or any one death more than another What death it was it is not certaine it is farre better not to meddle with it than to beleeue mens fables Only the words of y e Lord import y t he died violently But what death soeuer it was it is not much to edification Yet this is not to bee passed by but wel to be marked That whē He is speaking of his death He sayes not after this māner He signified what death he should die no but by what death he should glorify God a thing more worthy of marking He stiles defines y e death martyrdome of Peter to be a glorifying of his God Brethren the death of all the godlie and Saincts whatsoeuer kinde of death it bee whether it bee in peace their owne naturall death or a violent death whatsoeuer kind of death it bee it may bee defined after this manner to bee a glorifying of God And blessed are they that die in the LORD Blessed are they that die in faith in the LORD IESVS that is as PAVL sayes sleepes in Him 1. Thessal chap. 4. vers 14. So I saye The death of euerie godlie man and woman glorifies their God Yet we must vnderstand That the death of these who suffer martyrdome and seales vp the trueth of Christ with their blood that death especiallie gettes this praise and this stile That it glorifies GOD after a speciall manner Marke it well Martyrdome properly is called The glorifying of God because in it especially is the matter of the glorie of God Aboue all other deathes of men in the worlde in the death of the Sonne of God Iesus Christ was greatest matter of the glorifying of His Father and therefore aboue all other deathes the death and crosse of Christ gettes this stile of the glorifying of GOD Joh. Chap. 12. vers 28. When the LORDE has striuen vvith the feare of death looke howe Hee considers vvith Himselfe Lord glorifie thine owne Name that is Bee thou glorified in my death Next after Christs death the death of the Martyres serues most for the glorie of God and therefore next after Christes death the death of the Martyres brookes this stile Therefore ye see in this place Iohn speaking of the martyrdome of Peter calles it The glorifying of GOD. And Paul to the Philippians speaking of his death sayes that the Lord should be magnified in his death Philip. chap. 1. vers 20. And all to this end To encourage vs chearefullie to go to death for Christs sake What knowes anie of vs but wee may bee charged with martyrdome whether it be Minister or anie of the flocke And I affirme to you that if the Lord call any of you to die for the Gospell if ye denie Him Hee will denie you These are His owne wordes Matth. 10.33 Therefore seeing euerie one of vs if wee bee Christians are bound to suffer No not a Minister onelie but the soberest of you all lad and lasse Wee haue this encouragement to suffer Martyrdome that our death shall glorifie God after a singular manner It is no matter vvhat become of thee if thou gettest that honour to glorifie God for bee assured if thou doe so thou shalt be partaker of His glorie When the conference is done the Lord appearantly rises vp for the time of this conference they were sitting together And the Lord sayes to Peter Followe thou mee The meaning is this as though He would say Well Peter I haue forewarned and enarmed thee against this death in tokē of this follow thou me for he giues him this as an vndoubted signe of his crosse death y t was to come No Brethrē they that will follow the Lord must take vp his crosse and followe Him And therefore bids Hee Peter follow Him Well these wordes are hard to flesh and blood But here is the great comfort We haue Christ to follow He goes before vs When we goe to the crosse to martyrdome Hee goes before vs. To goe to death vvithout Christ going before vs of all thinges it is most terrible and fearefull But to goe to death following Christ there is great matter of consolation for vvhen Hee is before vs and if vvee followe vvith His crosse vpon our backes vvee shall finde that the death of Christ has taken away the bitternesse of death Whosoeuer shall followe Christ shall neuer taste the bitternesse of death But if thou bearest thine owne crosse thou diest for thine owne sinne as a Malefactor a Thiefe a Murtherer c. Woe is thee for the ende of that death is th'extremitie of Hell It stands not onely in a shamefull ignominious and comfortlesse departure and in the sundring of the soule from the bodie it ends not there but thereafter y e soule must be thrust into Hel to be tormēted for euer But whē we
haue Christ going before vs bearing our crosse suffering for our sins theÌ„ we following Him bearing His crosse Hee dying first takes away the bitternesse of death and makes our death an entrie to life euerlasting There is a comfort that Peter gettes in death so that death is made sweet to him and a port to life euerlasting Brethren ye must vnderstand That Christ goes before vs not onelie in His death but in His Resurrection and life for at this time Hee vvas risen So PETER followes Him in His Resurrection There is a double comfort Wee followe IESVS CHRIST not onelie in His death but also in His Resurrection to raise vs to life againe for it is by vertue of that life of IESVS CHRIST that vvee rise to life after our death Whereto intendes all this Euen to encourage vs to suffer Martyredome and seale the Gospell with our blood if it shall please the Lord to call vs and happie art thou if the Lord shall honour thee so that Hee will haue thee to beare His Crosse to suffer as an innocent who for a thousand of thine own sinnes art worthy of an ignominious death desperate departure for if He goe before thee if He beare thy Crosse the bitternesse of death is taken from thee because the guiltinesse of thy sinne is forgiuen Now the Lord furnish vs strength courage that we shame not His cause if it shall please Him to call vs to suffer for the Name of Iesus To whome with the Father and Holie Spirit be all praise and glorie for euer AMEN THE LII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XXI verse 20 Then Peter turned about and saw the Disciple whom Iesus loued following which had also leaned on His brest at supper and had saide Lord which is he that betrayeth thee verse 21 When Peter therefore saw him he said to Iesus Lord what shall this man doe verse 22 Iesus said vnto Him If I will that he tarie till J come what is it to thee follow thou Me. verse 23 Then went this word abroad among the brethren that this disciple should not die Yet Iesus saide to him he shall not die but if I will that he tarie till J come what is it to thee verse 24 This is that disciple which testifieth of these things and wrote those things and we know that his testimonie is true verse 25 Now there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written euery one I suppose the world could not containe the bookes that should be written Amen WEE haue heard Brethren that after the Lord had restored Peter to the dignitie of the Apostle shippe from the which hee had fallen by his threefold deniall of his Master in the Hall of the High Priest he addes to his absolution restitution a premonition and forewarning forewarning him that in the end of his Apostleship when he should become an old man he should close vp and seale his Apostleship with his blood When thou wast young sayes the Lord to Peter thou girdedst thy selfe thou knittedst thy clothes when thou wast wont to goe any way and wentedst whither thou pleasedst but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt not get credence to gird thy selfe to put thy girdle about thee but thou shalt stretch out thine hands and another shall giâ—d thee with cordes and chaines and shall lead thee away not where it shall please thee but where it shall please him he shall lead thee to the death We heard Iohn opened vp the meaning of these words and told vs that Christ thereby signified that Peter should glorifie God by a violent death and thereafter to encourage him the Lord goes before him bids Peter follow Him signifying thereby that His death had taken away the bitternesse of death and that by vertue of His Resurrection he should liue againe Now in the wordes that we haue read in the first place we haue set downe a new conference betweene the Lord and Peter for while they are in the waye the Lorde going before and Peter following there they fall againe in a new conference and Peter as he was ay too rash albeit very zealous so here rashly he demandes a curious question and it is about Iohn the writter of this Gospell the question is What should Iohn doe What shall this man doe Shall he not follow the Lord The Lord had not bidden him follow Him it might haue contented Peter well enough that the Lord had kept silence of Iohn and he to haue done the thing that the Lord bade him Nowe Brethren ere I come to the question yee must marke the occasions of this curiositie of Peter I perceiue the first occasion that brings Peter to this question is this When they are going together Peter lookes ouer his shoulder and turnes him about and turnes his eye from the Lord and looked to Iohn that apparantly followed a farâ—e off vpon which followes this curiositie and this learnes vs this lesson If the Lord bid thee followe Him in any calling what euer it be as Hee bade Peter followe Him to the death that was his calling for a man followes God in his calling all lawfull callings are but a following of the LORD learne here to be wiser than Peter hold thine eye constantly vpon Him thine heart vpon Him in thy calling followe Him foot for foot tread thou in the same footsteps so farre as He shall giue the grace decline not neither to the right hand nor to the left as to thine eye looke that it be neuer drawne froÌ„ Him looke not ouer thy shoulder to see what is behind thee but look constantly on the Lord for if thou doe this thou loses y e sight of Him that of need force shall make thee to settle backe in thy calling Peter but once turning goes one foot backward falles back froÌ„ y t course wherin he should haue walked Paul Philip. 3.14 considered this well in that race he ranne to be partaker of ResurrectioÌ„ life euerlasting he sayes I neuer looke behind me I neuer looke ouer my shoulder to see what is behind but mine eye is euer vpon the marke to get the price of the high calling of God Seeing then we haue taken vp a course to walke in to that life Iesus Christ beeing the forerunner and breaking vp the Heauen holde thine eye continually vpon the forerunner follow Him in thine own calling and see that thine eye goe neuer off Him It is the felicitie of the creature to follow Him and thou must follow the Lord in thine owne calling there is the first occasioÌ„ VpoÌ„ this followes another for piece piece he comes to his curiosity turning himselfe about looking to John Whom the Lord loued who was very familiar with the Lord apparantly hath vsed the Lord more homely than any of the rest for he was the man which leaned on Iesus brest at supper for wheÌ„ y e Lord
saieth Whome seeke yee heere and when they saye IESVS of Nazareth then Hee answereth I am hee These wordes doe testifie that wittinglie and willinglie Hee offereth Himselfe to bee taken And if yee marke yee shall see in His answere such mildnesse as is vnspeakeable Hee beginneth not to speake in wrath and when they saye IESVS of Nazareth Hee giueth not an answere scornefullie So that as Hee offereth Himselfe willingly so yee see also such a mildnesse in Him when Hee is taken euen as the Scripture spake as Hee had beene a Lambe So that ye see that neither in word nor deede he vttereth anie thing to hinder his obedience to his Father this then is the thing that IOHN recommendeth vnto vs and letteth vs see euen that Iesus Christ was willing to die And this lesson we should all learne if it shall please GOD to call anie of vs to suffer for Iesus Christes sake that we suffer with such willingnesse and pleasure that we run to death and embrace it with our armes let this mildnesse vtter it selfe in all thy doings away with that scorning if thou would be like Iesus Christ die in peace willingly looke not to the instrument nor the Hang-man who putteth handes in thee but lift thine heart to the God of heauen and say O LORD seeing that it is thy will that I die mine eye is on thee and as IESVS CHRIST offered himselfe willingly to bee a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world euen so am I willing to obey thy will It is noted that Iudas was amongst the rest and no question the eye of the Lord is on him but neuer a worde he speaketh to him Now I thinke that this standing of Judas is mentioned to let vs see two things the first is that patient suffering of Iesus Christ he beginneth not to vpbraide him and to speake angrie wordes to him or to looke to him angrylie Some would haue thought that the LORD seeing Iudas might haue saide to him Well Traitour art thou there who hast betrayed mee No hee giueth him not an angrie looke hee is euen a verie Lambe as the Prophet speaketh of him a Lambe without anger either in looke or in worde but in suffering he vseth such a mildnesse and patience as is wonderfull Next to let vs see that impudencie of the traitour Iudas how durst he face the Lord IESVS whome hee betrayed a traitour is ay impudent and shamelesse hee hath ay an hard heart and then a brasen face to the man whome he hath betrayed Ye see how dangerous a thing it is once to harden the heart against Christ and once to beginne to doe euill against conscience if thine heart beginne once to be indured thou shalt not come backe whilst thou commest to extreame induration and at last to perdition Iudas could neuer come backe after that once his heart was hardened against the Lord but past forward till he came to that finall induration and hardnesse of heart Therefore farre be it from vs once to beginne to harden our heartes against the LORD If thou beginnest once thou shalt grow in hardnesse till thou commest to that finall induration Lord saue vs from that sinne the hardnesse of heart against the trueth and against Iesus Christ It is to bee feared that these men vvho vvith the betrayers of Iesus Christ haue set their faces against Christ His true religion against their natiue countrey and goe forwarde in such induration and obstinacie of heart that they shall come to that part of Iudas And it is a rare thing to see a man who hath gone so farre forwarde in induration come euer backe againe to grace Now wee haue the effect that followes on this word that Hee speakes I am hee for these wordes are no sooner spoken albeit they be few and gentle but they are all amazed tremble and fall downe backward to the ground It is an admirable thing that one word and that so mildly spoken should haue wrought such an effect for it is such a worde as they woulde haue wished for It is verie wonderous that such a gentle word shoulde as a whirle-winde or as a flashe of fire so haue strucken them No question this is to let them see that the Lord needed not to haue beene taken with them except it had beene His owne will No it was not possible for them to touch one haire of His head for Hee saith Himselfe in the 10. Chap. and 18. vers of this Gospell No man taketh my life from me I haue power to lay it downe and to take it vp againe So the Lord by this wonderfull effect of that word I am hee will let them knowe that they had no power to lay hands on Him if it had not bene His owne will And no doubt He hath had a respect vnto them howbeit they were enemies to Him yet Hee wished thē well And by the striking of them to the grounde Hee woulde let them see that if they encountred with Him they would die and He will let them see His power that He might cause them to repent or else to make them vnexcusable and to let them see that Hee was the Lord of Glorie and that they put hands to the Lord of Glory and slew the Lord of Life Wee may gather of the effect of this worde that if such a sober and gentle worde comming out of the mouth of Iesus Christ did driue them vpon their backes and cast them to the ground what if Iesus Christ had spoken an angrie word what force woulde that haue had If the bleating of a Lambe had such a force what force shall the roaring of a Lion haue Where shall the wicked stand And if the voyce of the Lord Iesus humbly and like a Lambe standing before them Himselfe alone and speaking with such gentlenesse had such effect as to throwe them downe vpon the grounde what effect shall that roaring full of wrath and indignation at that Great day not out of the mouth of a Lambe nor of an humble man Iesus of Nazareth but out of y e mouth of a lion out of y e mouth of Iesus Christ the Iudge sitting in His Glorie Majestie saying to y e wicked Away yee cursed to that fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his angels Mat. 25.41 What effect then shall that voyce haue Whither shall that voyce driue them And further marke If that voyce had such an effect beeing no threatning nor boasting but gentle and milde nowe what effect shall this voyce haue whereby Hee threatneth the worlde by His seruantes with His judgementes If the milde speaking had such a force what effect shall these terrible threatninges haue against the wicked for it is another thing vvhen Christ threatneth in wrath and vvhen Hee speaketh meekelie Nowe as certainlie as this vvorde that Christ Himselfe spake vvrought such an effect As certainelie also the vvorde of Iesus Christ vvhich Hee putteth into the mouth of His faithfull Teachers
I thinke no man nor woman should doubt why these women preached this Resurrection The LORD giues them a spâ—ciall direction first from GOD then from His Angell and this commission might satisfie so that the Apostles were bound to receiue this commission that vvas ordained by the LORD of Heauen I marke this lesson There is neither man nor woman can speake in the Name of the Lord except they be sent So sayes Paul to the Romanes tenth Chapter and fifteenth verse None can preach except he be sent How can one preach CHRIST and if hee be not sent by CHRIST daâ—e a knaue stand vp in the middest of a cittie or towne and make a proclamation in the name of the Prince and not haue a warrand and darest thou stand vp and speake in the Name of the great GOD of Heauen and haue no warrand Indeede it is the LORD who knowes who is sent if thou werest neuer so admitted and warranded by the Church the Lord in that great day shall neuer count of thy preaching except thou haue a vvarrand in thy conscience Will Hee put His worde in the mouth of euery knaue No that is a grace to call IESVS the LORD No thou canst not call IESVS the Lord except thou haue the Spirit of Iesus as the Apostle sayes in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth Chapter and third verse So whether wee bee Ministers or others who speake of IESVS we should looke that that Spirit be in the heart to direct vs when we speake I marke next it was not enough to haue seene this resurrection and neuer to haue spoken one worde of it No Hee commands them to testifie to the Apostles and the Apostles got this commandement to preach it againe for the Gospell is not a candle to put vnder a bushell but to holde it vp and shewe it to the worlde for it is the life and the light of the worlde PAVL sayes to Timothie in his second Epistle the second Chapter first verse That that thou hast heard of mee before many witnesses the same deliuer thou to faithfull men which shall be able to teach others also No it is not to be concredite to euery knaue it is too precious a jewell to deliuer to knaues let them deliuer it to them that are able to teach others let the first deliuer to the second and the second to the third and the third to the fourth and the fourth to the fifth and so let it euer sound in the world Woe to that soule that impedes the course of the glorious Gospell for what can there be vvhere it is not teached but death No this Gospell is a stumbling blocke to the world Tell them sayes the Angell Hee vvill meete them in Galile for Iurie denied mee No would CHRIST say I will not appoint to meete with them in Ierusalem for Ierusalem is not worthie of mee but I will meete them in Galile and so they met with Him as ye shall see hereafter by Gods grace Then I see that all these tithings that tell vs of things that are not seene hath euery one of them a promise joyned with them y t we shall see them come to passe Beleeue thou that He hath suffered and thou shalt see that He hath suffered and beleeue that He is in glorie thou shalt see Him in glorie We savv Him not vvith our bodily eyes but we haue that blessing which the LORD pronounced to Thomas Iohn Chapter 20. verse 29. Blessed are they which neuer saw mee and yet doe beleeue in mee Now blessed for euer shall that soule be that neuer savv the LORD and yet beleeues in Him and I speake to thee a sore vvorde if thou beleeuest not vntill thou see Him thou shalt neuer see Him if thou beleeuest not that He died vntill thou see that Hee died thou shalt nâ—uer see Him but to thy damnation Hope vnder hope and against Hope Brethren many are the impediments that will stay vs so that wee will say I vvill neuer see Him I heare much speaking of Heauen but alas I feare I shall neuer see it I heare much spoken of life but alas I feare I shall neuer see life And these are the tentations of the most godly men and women of this vvorld yet against all these tentations beleeue Gods promises and hope for life for PAVL sayes in the Epistle to the Romanes the fifth Chapter and the fifth verse Faith brings foorth experience and Hope makes not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts aboundantly by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. No let none of these tentations hinder vs that thing that holdes backe the infidels shall worke for the best to thee that fearest the Lord if thou fearest the Lord I promise thee in y e name of GOD all these tentations shall further thee and thou shalt bee partaker of Life Now a word and I shall ende He signets seales vp that which he hath told I haue tolde you it saies he as he would say It is true that I haue tolde you and I vvill seale it to be true and ye shâ—ll find it to be true therefore doubt not So our lesson is this WheÌ„soeuer thou commest to testifie to the people of God in paine of thy life looke thou speake nothing but that which God biddes thee speake and that thou mayest saye in conclusion This is true that I haue saide and that this is true I vvill byde by it and seale it vp vvith my blood The Angell had no blood but if thou be not of that minde to shedde thy blood thou art but a deceiuer This is a great boldnesse to seale to seale it vp with thy blood but if thou haue it not sealed vp in thine heart thou shalt neuer seale it vp with thy blood and vvhen it comes to the sealing thou shalt steale away No it is a great vvord to say vvith the Prophet Dauid I beleeued and therefore I spake Looke thou speake nothing to the people of God but that which thou striuest to beleeue Howe is this assurance gotten And vvill euerie vvanton man get this assurance to stande and seale it vp vvith his blood No except thou striue night and day to get the Lorde in thy presence and not to haue anie joye but in His presence thou shalt neuer haue this assurance Then howe is it kept The Lord hath appointed reading Take heede to thy reading saies Paul to Timothie in his first Epistle the fourth CHAPTER and 13. vers and giue thy selfe to meditation and shâ—we thy knowledge in that that thou hast read and get not a knowledge onelie but a sense to speake to others Reading bringes knowledge and meditation bringes feeling and last is prayer And if it bee the duetie of all men to praye then especiallie the Minister is bounde to praye both for himselfe and for them also to vvhome hee is sent So in a vvorde Reade meditate and
praye night and daye so farre as is possible to thee to doe And if thou doe these thinges thou shalt seale it vp vvith the effusion of thy bloode and thou shalt haue more joye in thy death than euer thou hadst in thy life So that thy death shall bee the beginning of thy life and of that fullnesse of joye which thou shalt possâ—sse vvith Him in the Heauens for euer To Him therefore vvith the Father and His blessed Spirit be all Praise and Honour for euer AMEN THE XXXI LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 8 So they departed quicklie from the sepulchre with feare and great joye and did runne to bring his disciples word MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 8 And they went out quicklie and fledde from the sepulchre for they trembled and were amazed neither saide they anie thing to anie man for they were afraide LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 1 NOw the first day of the weeke earlie in the morning they came vnto the sepulchre and brought the odours which they had prepared and certaine women with them verse 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre verse 3 And went in but found not the bodie of the Lord Jesus verse 4 And it came to passe that as they were amazed thereat beholde two men suddenlie stoode by them in shining vestures verse 5 And as they were afraide and bowed downe their faces to the earth they saide to them Why seeke yee him that liueth among the dead verse 6 Hee is not heere but is risen remember howe hee spake vnto you when hee was yet in Galile verse 7 Saying that the Sonne of man must bee deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and bee crucified and the third day rise againe verse 8 And they remembred his wordes verse 9 And returned from the sepulchre and tolde all these thinges vnto the eleuen and to all the remnant verse 10 Nowe it was Marie Magdalene and Ioanna and Marie the mother of Iames and other women with them who tolde these thinges vnto the Apostles verse 11 But their wordes seemed vnto them as a fained thing neither beleeued they them I Shewed you from the beginning vvelbeloued in the Lord Iesus that there vvere two compainies of vvomen that came out of Hierusalem to the graue of the Lord First one company in the vvhich vvas Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James Solome with some others TheÌ„ soone after that there came out another company of vvomen vvhose names vve finde not registrated Wee haue hearde alreadie of the Historie of the first vvomen vvee hearde of their outcomming vvee hearde vvhat they saw and vvhat they hearde vvhen they came to the graue of the Lord. Now this daye vvee haue the returning of the first companie home to Hierusalem set downe in few vvords Then we shall goe to the Historie of the second company of vvomen vvherein first vve haue their outcomming Secondlie vvhat they heare and see and thirdly their tidinges to the Apostles vvhat they had hearde and seene And this Historie concerning the seconde companie is written by Luke Chap. 24. vers 2. Matthew writes concerning the first companie and Marke also Iohn speakes onelie of Marie Magdalene Luke sets downe the whole seconde companie But nowe to returne to the home-comming of the first companie of women It is written by MATTHEVV and MARKE that when they had receiued direction of the Angell They returned home with feare and great joye to tell the eleuen Apostles for IVDAS was fallen awaye what they had heard and seene I note shortlie these three thinges in these women First I see that there was a feare in them Next I see that they had an exceeding joye And last of all I see in them obedience to the voyce of the Angell with all expedition The feare was because of the presence of that glorious Angell The joye because of the joyfull newes to wit That the LORDE was risen The obedience was because of the commaundement of the Angell to runne home and tell the APOSTLES All these three thinges are to bee commended in them And they teach vs this lesson howe wee shoulde depart from the presence of our GOD when wee meete to heare these glorious tidinges without the which there is no life and without the hearing whereof thou shalt neuer see Heauen Let no man deceiue himselfe they teach vs howe wee should depart from the worde Depart with feare and reuerence that is the first Then depart with joye that is the seconde And thirdly depart with a minde to obeye that which thou hast heard and this is the last Wee shoulde feare in respect of the presence of the Lord whereat all the Angels were afraid and where two or three are gathered together in His Name there is His presence And if thou seest not His presence in the Congregation it were better for thee that thou presentedst not thy selfe in the Congregation The joye shoulde bee of the hearing of these tidinges Thou delitest to heare tidinges but all the tidinges of the worlde is nothing to these to wit That Iesus is come into the world and hath died for thee And last of all Depart with obedience for thou gettest this commandement When thou goest home communicate these tidinges to others that thy joye may bee encreased The light of the Gospell requires holinesse and a godlie conuersation that thou liue soberlie in thine owne person justlie with thy neighbour and godly with thy God When the daye breakes out and when the Sunne rises the light of the daye is not for nothing it cryes vpon thee to thy labours to fall to an honest conuersation Then much more the Sunne of righteousnesse that light of lightes that LORDE vvhen Hee shines and cryes Shake off the vvorkes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light Shake off thy murther thy adulterie and oppression in paine of thy life Thou wilt come out and sticke and slaye a man in sight of the Sunne No that murther shall not so much bee layed to thy charge as the contemning of GOD vvho shined before thee vvhen as thou slewest that man Wee are fallen nowe to such a shamefull murther as vvas neuer heard of among the TVRKES What will become of this Kingdome Suppose there vvere none other sinne but this sinne of blood O it cryes for a vengeance Marke this sie vpon thee that in such a light and in the sight of that great GOD thou shouldest commit such villanie But I goe forwarde and I enter to the Historie of the seconde companie of women who went out to the graue of the Lord. The first company sawe but one Angell but this sawe two Angels and therefore they are diuerse The Historie is very plaine and there can be no other thing almost marked than that which is already touched and therefore I shall goe thorow it shortly as God shall giue the grace This second companie came out shortly after the first companie they draw neare