occasioned by debates and quarrels which our Saviour so prevented that when Iudas asked Master is it I least his silence should have betrayd Iudas the answer was thou sayst it i. e thou hast said it not I thou condemns or betrays thy self not I. WHEN the band told him they were seeking Iesus being strengthned by an Angel Michael say some he being Captain of the Lords host Revel 12. Gabriel say others the messenger for his birth and his name importing the strength of God or the man of God fittest therefore to comfort God Man being I say strengthned by him both in a natural way by food as is thought and Ghostly Counsel he told them I am he they not knowing his voice discovered not his person untill he pointed out himself which voice made them affraid letting go forth so much divine vertue from his face mouth and eyes as to make them fall before him through fear though armed their knees as no creature is being not able to support them when conspiring against God unlesse even God whom they oppose let out of his clemency some emanations of beaming power to uphold them respiting them from that grave that death that hell which waits upon them in and after their sinful complyance with paultry lust to reclaim men when convinced by wonders or put to straits from the errour of their ways as here was done when they came as in the Psalms to eat up his flesh in their stumbling and falling yet the second time he suffâ—red himself to be taken checking them for their delay and ordering his Disciples freedom to goe away John 18. the set time of his departure being come his hour being come and all things near to be fulfilled touching his delivery to the Gentiles he hasted as the Sun unto his setting being judged and condemned in one night and that the first of his apprehension whereas ordinary judgement and sitting in judgement by law use and custome in other cases among the Jews was still in the morning Ier. 21. Eccle. 10. GIDEON trying the valour or cowardice of his Army was ordered to observe at the water who lapped and who bowed down such as bowed were in probability the stoutest not fearing the enemy and those that lapped the more fearful not dareing to stoup for drink if the lappers discovered Zeal shewing earnestnesse for fight or those who bowed down wearinesse inâ—flight or whether the lappers were the most cowardly and chosen therefore I disput not this is sure that our Lord ran and drank that is hasted to his sufferings and suffered with hast dying in the 33. year of his age resolving not to be old least the world should dy in sin and men go to the grave their bones full of the sin of their youth and let all the ages of the Universal world be reveiwed it will be found from the vexations in them that of all things next being born it 's best to dy betimes was a true saying of the Philosopher but the sins in them and temptations to sin encreasing a hundreth fold the dotage of the world being more encumbred and plagued with perillous times the end of life being also glory to be translated by death with Enoch to be taken up to God early is a blessing with Divines THE first that tasted of death was Abel he was accepted of God and was in heaven in the â—â—our of his youth not tasting not knowing of old age a center of diseases a very treasure continually emptying it self of Rheums Catarrhs defluctions gouts hydropsies gravels to the tormenting of men all which to evite as Ioseph stood before Pharaoh being thirty years old our Saviour beginning to be about the same age stood up preaching of plentiful times for spiritual food for the twelve hours of the day but â—ight shall come says he and then no man shall work in which time if the years of plenty be remembred it shall only make the hunger of the damned the more biting which he prophesied of and forwarned in such zeal that in or about three years he finished the work that was given him to do which was to take away the sins of the world sins both of soul and body defraying the one in being heavy to the death the other in bearing death and the instrument of his death for he carryed his CROSSE chusing that death before Iohn the Baptists sword or Isaias saw makeing it as the tree of life to stand in the midst of the Church communicating it's vertue fruit and shade for life and salvation to all the world about no deadly weapon being capable to sense the fruit of his death nor answer the typs thereof so well as that OVR Lords CROSSE being David's shepherds staff Noach's ark Samson's gates Isaac's wood Iacob's ladder Moses pol Esdras pulpit the Spouses palm tree Phineas spear slâ—ying the Zimri of thoughts pollution and Cosbi the inventer of lyes for such almost are their names by interpretation that the plague might be stayed from the people which had been brought among them by he counsel of the first Balaam that is destroyer of the people the Devil by a woman in place whereof the CROSSE affoordeth life and health by beholding it as the Iews the Serpent to be cured giving life in opening our eyes as the honey on Ionathans rod to see pursue and overtake our enemies all by his death the immensurable pains whereof with infinit patience he endured being the more bittering that it was lingering for the removing of that guilt which by mans dallying with and delightfulnesse in sin had been contracted WHAT he did typically here viz. drink and really afterwards did viz. dy must Mystically by all his members be followed the first condition of Christianity being self denyal and that unto death for to that must his steps be followed Pet. 1.2 we have in much pleasure drank of the goblets of Satans mixing to expiat which the black Cedron waters of mortification must be tasted going forwards with him to Gethsemane by interpretation a fat or plentiful valley as affoording especially when Christ is in it abundance of good things new and old new for pleasure old for health for though in the gardens of earthly paradise whence sin had it's rise there may be pleasant fruits they are but seemingly so and if not so they are only so that is pleasant whereas this garden hath store of all manner of all good things for all purposes times and seasons Christs bloudy sweat having watered it for excellent products the Universe being but a wildernesse when compared to those fragrancies wherewith the garden of the Church is planted replenished which to him who fals in a spiritual agony as Christ religious conflicts and in earnest sweats in the resistance of the old man that he may do all according to the will of God shall from heaven be strengthned as he by an Angel and know that Grace is sufficient for him and in that garden shall find from
Paschal lamb was on this day slain in the evening of the world before as another Moses he could deliver us from hels Pharoh and sins slavery Now the waters of Noah are falling and we are to enter into the wooden ark of his CROSSE the bloud of this our Abel slain by his brethren calling and inviting us to expect and enjoy better things from which though the Tribs run Let us run to seek him and know where he is laid to carry him into the more proper sepulâ—ure of hearts and consciences HE shall drink is prophetical and in the Gospel accomplishment it is that he gave up the Ghost that he was bruised in Genesis or that he washed his cloaths in the blood of the grap with Iacob is with the Evangelist his drops of blood Adams coat made him of the skin of those beasts killed for sacrifice is in the mystery robs of righteousnesse made by faith in the merits of his death for dy he must since Isaac was offered and upon a tree for Adam sayes if enquir'd he eat of the tree Abraham will testifie that he must bear his own CROSSE for Isaac bore the wood Iacob assures he must dy in the open field for there he saw the ladder and visions of God he must be nailed and then lifted up upon the CROSSE for Moses lifted up the Serpent upon a Pol he must be sold at a smal price for Zachary saw him vallued he must dy among thieves for he was numbred among transgressours he was also to ly in Iosephs tomb for he made his grave with the Rich Isa. 53. He shall shews futurity i. e. that it was to be done and let the mystery of the bloody Sacrifices be vewed this draught is foretold yea the rites of the heiser Numb 19. respects the sublime work of Christs death and if Mathew be enquir'd he saw all this done nay himself and Moses spake of what he should suffer at Ierusalem YET let none expound this shall as denoting compulsion or hinting coaction as though he did not consent for though by Fâ—ther let this cup passe from me he seem to savour himself and to plead from fear from infiâ—mity yet not my will but thine be done is from the spirit the first instructing what he was to suffer even terrible things in this red sea the other what we ought to do when encountering hazard even embrace them saying welcome be the will of God not repineing or starting back from the burthen so as with the Romans to have us goaded forward as unwilling of the CROSSE or pricked to march on as slaves were whence that phrase to kick against the pricks but chearfully to undergo what God thinks fit to lay upon us for though there was a necessity that Christ should dy in respect of the intended end for our redemption and of the Father in respect of Iustice against sin and as Christ before as man he could enter into glory yet still not my will but thine be done is a strong reserve against all objections proveing he was not dispirited in himself but teaching us his Disciples least raveings dispair in cups of adversity should cause a disrelishment of the sweetnesse kindnesse and good things of God THE Father sayes he shall the Son sayes I will for a mans consent was appended to his sin so must his Saviours assent be obtained for it's remission as it was not only in the garden but in the manger all the parts and changes of his life being but as so many little deaths or draughts before his large one upon the CROSSE a potion which he saw prepared and appointed in all it's ingredients and yet not withstanding drank of it giving his back to the smiter saying to the Traitor what thou doest die quickly the words not of a desperate but of a prepared man even so Father because it seemed good in thy sight THE Scripture speaks of his flying from place to place yet not fear of dying but care to dy at his hour is to be understood an unwillingnesse to work miracles at mans pleasure that is at mans lust and that precept arise take the young Child and his Mother and flee into Egypt to passe the application thereof unto that law thou shalt not seeth a Kid in his Mothers milk Exod. 23.18 if he were not to be killed young the charge insinuats a pilgrimage rather then a flight for out of Egypt was GOD to call his Son and that his escape from other place was not principled from fear is deducible from this that afterward he chused to dy more shamefully publickly and more tormentingly then any death formerly his enemies had forecasted he resolving to dy not by necessity debility or weaknesse these having no hand in his death as his loud cry at his yeelding up of the Spirit cleareth discovering such a degree of divine vertue that the Centurion impungs all proffers enervats all accusations in this one truth truly this was the Son of God WE read of some who could sleep when they pleased and wake at the same time as Henry the 4 of France but Christ can dy when he will and untill he will he will not passing through the midst of his haters and escapeing he having only power to lay down his life and at his own appointed time laid it down HENCE it 's not to be inferred that he was not killed by the Jews for it is a truth he was though not as other men in whom things natural are not subject to the will as the conjunction or separation of the soul with the body for then is a man said to be killed or murthered when that is done or suffered which in it self and in nature did or naturally doth produce that which is called death Now Christ had a will in spite of his enemies to cede or not to yeeld to death as he pleased but because they put upon him such apt means of destruction and tendencies to dissolution it pleased him to yeeld unto death having really suffered so much as in nature might have procured death in them who were purely natural and meeâ— men therefore dyed he before the thieves becausâ— he would therefore also before the thieves because he had suffered by watching fasting it's possible bleeding since we read not of their removeing the thorny crown his scorning also and reproach adding to his langour and in Pilat's wonder Hastning his death before their's so that with Stephen it is to be attested that they viz. the Iews were of him the just one the betrayers and the murtherers THE pronown He is personally to be understood He that is the Lord the second person shall drink therefore He that is again himself God shall lift up his head He that is the man shall drink therefore He that is the Father shall lift up his head and in this Mystery of Godliness of the passion we are not to separate what the Father and Spirit hath joyned together viz. God and
Man confirmed by two witnesses not called but compelled he is the Son of God said the Centurion A just man said Pilats wife which under the pain of damnation is never to be really separat from our creed both being received and both to be believed PILATS wife his own disciples were against his drinking both of them haveing pitty of him but yet he would drink haveing compassion for them and not for them only but for the whole world for which he was sent to lay down his life and as at Lazarus death when observed to weep it was said behold how he loveth him see him drinking all may say behold how he loveth it mark how he loveth men of which the inscription over the CROSSE or tittle on which the Romans declaired the crime for which the party dyed doth amply discover being in it called Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iews in Hebrew Greek and Latine shewing the vehemency of his affâ—ction for as all nations had heard of his works Pilat resolved that each nation should know the cause of his death and these three languages answering to the three fam'd parts of the woâ—ld viz the Romans the most powerful because martial the Greek the wisest because most learned the Iews the holyest because of the Law and the Devil prompting to this Iesus of Nazareth for nourishing a grosse errour that Iesus was of Nazareth whence the Messiah was not to be but of Bethlehem that none in this respect should behold him as that Prophet which was to come and though sometimes that expression is used yet it 's ever unto the Iews whoso supposed and expressed him that way for all this contrivance of men Gods intendment was that all of all nations should on the CROSSE behold their Saviour and that Iesus was to be their peace-maker by his blood and this to be reported in the three quarters of the world then all the world that Jesus of Nazareth King of the Iews was crucified at Ierusalem according to the Scriptures THIS riddle to unfold veiw the sense of each word Iesus that is a Saviour for sin a Redeemer of captives the hopes of the exiled the Strength of the labourer Enlarger of a straiâ—ned soul the Cooler of a heated and Comforter of a galled conscience behold him Of Nazareth this name was given for fulfilling of that Scripture He shall be called a Nazaren Mat. 2. by interpretation it signifyeth a branch one of his names in the old Testament and who was to build the temple of the Lord by joyning as living stones the elect of all nations kinred and tongues â—s also crowned sanctified and seperat before for that holy use shewing the authority and commission he had to save to unite from the Father which was fit since he was King a word of old pronounced Conning expressing his wisdom and skill to govern his subject by known and established Laws and therefore not a tyrant deserving not so much as a censure of that people who were Iews Gods people glorious in David and to be blessed with the whole Earth in the posterity of Abraham they remaining faithful as Abraham who believed in God who now had accomplished his promise in sending that people a Prophet like unto Moses and caused them to behold Davids Son by which they are the more culpable in importuning his death from a Gentile AT last that cursed Nation for their cursing shall come under the Scepter of this despised King and worship at his holy foot-stool mourning for his wounds for which though himself did not yet the sun laid aside his robes of day cloathing himself in mourning night like darknesse rocks broke and rent assunder because no Iew did rent his garment at crucifying their King Mary weep'd not he what the Son of my womb the Son of my desires while he boasted and would not come down from the CROSS but suffered from the Gentile by means of the Iew what both could inflict for the salvation of both Iew and Gentile then and at aftertimes the voice of their Brothers blood crying still what he did at first Father forgive them i. e. for my sake for I am thy Son for thy own compassion sake they being my Brethren for according to the flesh he was the Son of Abraham the Hebrew as flowing from the loyns of Heber the Son of elected Sem he was also the Son of David the King and so a Iew who was the grandson of Ruth a gentile a Moabitess and so in fraternity to both by Father and Mother to Gentile and Jew was he a Brother PRY into his holy zeal which for Gods house did eat him up and how was he straitned and with desire desired to eat his passover his viaticum his last-food unlesse the Angel even that way strengthned him sweating untill every thing that stood in the way of mans happinesse was removed he not laying down but drinking of the brook in the way swallowing up hels kingdom hasting runing to destroy the works of the Devil his redoubts and entrenchments yea all that both his hands in drawing to sin and halling to punishment could effâ—ctuat weakning the one destroying the other that he should no more lead captive at his pleasure into labour and dolour which Iesus here not only beheld but made entrance into because of the first he cryed in David I am poor and needy and because of the second in Ieremiah he sighed Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by behold and see if there be any sorrow like â—nto my sorrow which is done unto me YET as the Ichneumon an Indian Rat enemy to the Crocodile will watch untill he sleep and leaping into his throat descends inâ—o his entrails and eats out it's way through and side of that his terrible and great foe and so destroys him our Iesus did enter into the jaws and through the bowels of this Devourer liberateth himself and all believers allowing perfect freedome in the rest peace and continual feast of a good conscience in joy unspeakable that they triumph with S. Paul over Hell over Death over the grave with an O Death I will be thy Death O Grave I will be thy Destruction A work of great and excellent contrivance of laborious difficulties if the number strength fury policy of adversaries be respected and the torrent which flow'd from heaven more imbittering the cup be considered the impetuousnesse of all these together towards Christ in the word brook shewing how plentifull his sufferings were and what store there is yet behind for others that come after THERE is a cup of red wine which the ungodly must drink up Iesus drank much but not all the Son of God drank deep of but not the brook dry yet largly of it for it was a brook which some will have to be a rivulet flowing more or lesse with water as the clouds more or lesse shal empty themselves therein which though not granted yet it may be pertinently inferred that
Godhead had been so many gracious mistakes in her of the Angels Anunciation so it may be some are now offended and those even good at this memorial of our Lords passion accounting it Idolatry to speak so particularly of his death at this time and indeed as Mary so the Church of Christ which is his Mother is yet wounded by slanders and misreports and made to drink of the brook and taste of those black waters some of her Children offer to her But know that as Christ was innocenâ— for all his dâ—inking and harmlesse though crucifiâ—d to death as Iudas will proclaim him though not yet judged by Pilat who found no fault in him and his wife who accounted him a Just man as he was Ceremonialy being circumcis'd Moraly being subject to his parents politically paying tribute religiously for he gave eyes to the blind knowledge to the ignorant IN summe the reid heifer was to be without spot and he was found without sin though put to death as seditious and with seditious persons executed as most guilty whence that word King is affixed on the Cross in scorn to the Iews for except for one crime two dyed not in one day among them therefore the three dyed as troublers of the peace thou art said the other thief in the same condemnation viz. with our Saviour as dying for the same cause with them and they suffering all for one thing viz. Sedition Luk. 23. yet as Christ If I have done evill bear witnesse of the evill if not why smytest thou me so me thinks this day speaks to our Opinionators I say this day in which he was lifted up and though innocent accounting it superstition to behold him on it or it to mind us of him his white robâ—s this day worn darkly shews his non-guiltinesse and the voice of our Brothers bloud calling to heaven it is strange if the sound may not be observed we find Pilat to have been a Bastard and in sober sadnesse there is none will condemn Christ nor Christs Disciples that are legitimatly begotten of the Church whether ancient or modern in this holy service of attending to behold the man for know THE Church reformed keepeth this day and others relating to the mysteries of our redemption expressed in sacred Writ as Germany Helvetia Hungaria Transylvania Suitzerland France Holland haveing printed Sermons in and upon those days preached and were the least of these three memorable things said to be in the death of Christ observed we should not account them Children of the Church who would condemn these there brethren one is Patience be not therefore offended that the Church primitive observed such days holily though they could not as they did not attempt to make them holy or that the Church Reformed estimats them worthy of celebration being anual catechisms for edification the other is Humility and none here ought to be so unsober in their talk or so haughty in their own conceit as to account the Church of God for so many ages not so wise nor the present Church not pure nor so holy as themselves the last is Charity and therefore let none condemn them in this their practice noâ— us their brethren in our conformity to which if they assent not they may withdraw but not judge for the Lord cometh the judge is even at the door IF this will not stop some mens mouths but will still call crucifie it crucifie it I shall â—ay more then Father forgive them for they know not what they do for as the brazen serpent was lifted up when the Isralites were stinged with serpents though as Naturalists observe looking upon brasse is hurtful to those so affected who knoweth but as the Centuâ—ion such who may come to crucifie this service or with the rabble to behold Christ dy in a discourse may go with Augustine somewhat affected and smitting their breasts and though nothing of this be yet to the patient Humble and Charitable Soul it is a lifting of him up for imitation and let no man trouble these for in those they bear about the marks of the Lord Iesus FOR fear of disturbing the good-man of the house or troubling his family wherein our Lord eat the passeover and wherein it was made ready for him among other mysteries he retired into a garden there to be taken by the Iews it being a matter of greater moment to scandalize to trouble the soul to disturb the peace of the Church even in this particular in repeating the story of the passion then some of our pretended Zelots do imagine the Church in all it's vicissituds having accounted this a good-day indeed bearing about and holding up the instruments and fruits of her Lords death as trophies of that victory which he had and she expects to have over all her enemies IN it dehorting from sin particularly from reproaching or tempting to reproach the observers of it least either the curse of the serpent or the reprobation of the thief be their portions for as there were three about the tree of life one condemned for ever and two pardoned so about the CROSSE an Embleme of life and Hierogliphick of eternity among the Egyptians and figured upon the breast of their filthy Idol Sâ—rapis though not figured as the Crux Immissa thus ✚ whereon it is thought our Saviour dyed but of that Commissa after the form of a Roman T. whereon also it 's given Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent I say about the CROSSE there were also three two carried to paradise and one left in his sin from whose punishment reasons against taunts upon known sobriety might be multiplied and drawn unto that leangth as to cause the diâ—cerner glory in the CROSSE professing their belief in him who was crucified and slain burying him boldly in the new sepulcher of a new because broken heart this day AND if any yet say the bloud that is the guilt of the contempt of this service be on us and our Children I say again fear â—he issue for the affixing of a Iewish taunt upon a Christian exercise may have a Iewish that is a cursed end the CROSSE it self teaching better things the height thereof typifying our aspiring to things above the breadth of it to the works of charity below the length of it perseverance in that good untill the end the depth of it that good will of God in his own bosome yet now revealed for our beholding of his Son finishing the work of our redemption ACCORDING therefore to the custome of the Jews let one be released from death by judgement it was done as some say in remembrance of their delivery from Egypt at the passeover of Isaac's with others from being sacrificed of Ionathans from Saul however let it be our duty in those days of judgement to let the Church Reformed escape and then we trust to stand not fall in judgement And as Annas and Caiphas Herod and Pilat at Christs death were ruleing together pointing at the division and contention