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A11012 Lectures, vpon the history of the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord Iesus 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, Mr. Robert Rollocke, sometime minister of the Euangell of Iesus Christ, and rector of the Colledge of Edinburgh. Rollock, Robert, 1555?-1599.; Charteris, Henry, 1565-1628.; Arthur, William, fl. 1606-1619. 1616 (1616) STC 21283; ESTC S116153 527,260 592

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multitude of the wicked and persecuters of IESVS CHRIST in crucifying Him in taunting and scorning Him Doubtlesse there were in that companie some of the godlie who loued the LORD IESVS but seeing we haue heard nothing of them as yet therefore this daye wee shall speake somewhat in their behalfe Nowe what are they doing in the meane time They are standing afar off Some men many women who all that time had followed Him before standing to see that sadde spectacle yet with sadnesse they had joye no question And this is the first part of our TEXT which wee haue read out of MATTHEVV MARKE and LVKE After this wee enter into the Historie of Christs buriall But before we come to His buriall wee haue in the XIX CHAPTER of IOHN the Historie of the taking downe of His bodie from the Crosse So at this time by Gods grace wee shall speake of these two to wit Of the part of the godlie who loued Him and next Of the taking downe of that blessed bodie from the Crosse after it was dead Then to come shortly to the purpose It is saide And all his acquaintance stood afarre off There is the generall Then comes on the particular Manie women particular mention is made of them Manie women are standing afarre off looking on Wee heard of before in the XIX of IOHN vers 23. of three women chiefely Marie the Mother of Iesus and other two Maries together with His well-beloued Disciple IOHN and they were standing at that time when Hee hung quicke vpon the Crosse so neare hand Him that He speakes to them from the Crosse and they hearde Him So Brethren this standing afarre off at this time as I take it hath beene after the Lord had giuen vp the ghost when the women are returning home againe being loath to part companie with Him and as they were going home they turned about looked to Iesus hinging on the Crosse on Moūt Caluarie They stand first near thē turning home again they stand afar off No questiō it was y e loue they bare to the Lord that drue thē after him whē he went to be crucified y t same loue y t they bare to him was so tender entire y t it made them to stand look on him when he hung on the Crosse and y t loue they bare to y e Lord Iesus made thē to seuer frō the rest of the multitude and to gather themselues together and looke backe to Him where Hee was hanging For this is a sure thing Those that meete together in one faith and loue in the Lord Iesus of meere force they must meet together among themselues and be linked together by the band of loue in one bodie By the contrary those who meet not together in one faith in Iesus Christ their hearts will neuer be joyned in this world they will neuer meet to make one body they will neuer separate themselues from the multitude of this world No if it were all my kinred father and mother brother and sister if they loue not the Lord Iesus mine heart and his shall neuer bee linked together in this worlde nor in the worlde to come Hee that loueth not the Lord Iesus as Paul saies 1. Corin. Chap. 16. let him be Anathema maran-atha that is cursed for euermore But hee who loues the Lord Iesus and meetes with mee in Him let him bee what hee will let him bee in the vtmoste corner of the worlde mine heart and his is linked together and there is a conjunction which neuer shall bee separated neither in the Heauen nor in the Earth it shall last for euer Brethren when I consider this multitude heere standing looking vpon Him when Hee hung vpon the Crosse I thinke I see an image of the whole worlde for it is a worlde of people who are standing about Him there are Gentiles there are Jewes and the false adulterous kirke there are Priestes Pharises Elders blinde guides of the people a prophane multitude enemies of all sorts And as there are manie enemies to Christ So there is a sillie handfull of godlie men and women gathered together looking vpon that sadde spectacle who resembled the true Kirke militant heere vpon the face of the earth And as in all this multitude like drawes to like The vvicked and the vngodlie ranke themselues together The Priests ranke themselues together The souldiours ranke themselues together and also the godly ranke themselues together and looke vpon that sadde spectacle their Lord crucified Well this is common to all all are standing looking to CHRIST hanging on the Crosse vpon the toppe of the Mount Caluarie Jewe and Gentile wicked and godlie all are looking But in looking there is a great difference There are some delighting their eyes vvith the spectacle there are some feeding the malice of their heartes and drinking the blood of IESVS CHRIST the Priestes the Pharises and the Elders But the godlie are looking on vvith sadnesse of their heartes And I doubt not but as with sadnesse so also they are looking on Him vvith joy by faith in His glorious resurrection There are manie this same houre who haue their eyes fixed on Christ both Turkes and Paganes and the true Kirke and the false Kirke but one cause mooues not all Take heede therefore howe thou lookest either to His Crosse or to His glorie looke that thy soule bee set on Him and see that by looking vnto Him thou preasse to bee partaker of the fruite of His death and resurrection for if thou lookest to Him for the fashion or in malice as the Turkes doe and the Pagans and the Papistes enemies to His Crosse thou shalt perish better had it bene to thee neuer to haue heard of Iesus or neuer to haue seene Him Further this would be well considered We see if we haue a friend whō we loue well if he betaken out to a shamefull death there was neuer such a shamefull death as this we will thinke shame of him and he will thinke shame that his friendes shoulde see him in that estate Who would thinke but that the acquaintances of Iesus should haue thought shame of Him to haue conuoyed their friend to such an ignominious death and to haue seene Him so shamefully demained So that Brethren when I cōsider this matter well I perceiue that those His familiars and acquaintance haue seene further into Christ than men women doe commonly No doubt but the friends of Christ who came to see Him hanging in ignominie sawe life in that death they sawe glory in His ignominie otherwise they had neuer come to see Him hanging in ignominie And no doubt they felt a sweete perfume flowing from that Sacrifice It was the sweetest smelling Sacrifice that euer was offered All the perfume and incense that euer was offered passed not vp with such a sweete smell in the nosethrilles of the Father as that one blessed sacrifice did And as it smelled sweetly in the nosethrilles of the
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
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 chi●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 mā can find fault with it for it is set downe in y e Law Leuit 24.14 but come to the applicatiō where they subsume Iesus is a blasphemer there they faile for Iesus was is and shall be that only begottē 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 hardē 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
euen in respect of the place they shall be glorious That Heauenlie Hierusalem is the pleasandest place that euer was and those that shall come to Heauen beside all that glorie that they shall haue therein they shall haue glorie in the verie place for Christ suffered in a place foule vile and ignominious that they might dwell for euer most glorious in that glorious place that Heauenlie Paradise Nowe to come to the third vvhich is that drinke vvhich is propined vnto CHRIST when He comes to that place no question He was verie thirstie beside the paine He had an extreame thirst and beeing thirstie Hee desired to drinke Hee vvas a vvearied man for He vvas holden all the vvhole night ouer vvithout either meate drinke or sleepe yea and all the next daye also beside the feare of death and therefore it vvas no maruell that Hee desired to drinke And MATTHEVV saies that they gaue Him Vineger to drinke mixed with Gall Then both soure and bitter vvas His drinke Now it is true that Sainct MARKE saies that it vvas Wine mixed with Myrrhe All is alike for Myrrhe hath the bitternesse of the gall There are sundrie opinions about this drinke which they gaue Him Some thinkes that this was a delicious drinke and that it was caried there and offered by the women who followed Him weeping to the end He might feele the lesse paine so long as Hee vnderlay so longsome and cruell death There are others who thinke that this drinke serued to hasten the death because the death was painfull for they count Myrrhe to be of this force that it will cast out blood at any wound So when the LORD had drunke they thought that the blood should haue springed out at the wounds and should haue most hastely procured His death But I leaue these opinions and I thinke that this was no delicious drinke and I thinke againe that this drinke was not giuen to hasten His death I think that this sowre bitter drinke was offered in derision and scorne by the Iewes and souldiers who had no pitie nor compassion vpon Him and that of the bitter malice of their heartes they offered it to Him No mercie for Christ now but all extremitie and to thinke so I am partly moued by that Prophecie which is contained in the 62. Psalme and 22. verse wherein the LORD is brought in complaining and saying In my thirst they gaue mee vineger to drinke and partly by the Historie following wherein it is saide Then they brought Him in derision a sponge with vineger and put it to His mouth and this His drinke is to bee counted a part of His Passion Of this we haue this lesson alwayes keeping this ground That this Iudgement is a type of the latter Iudgement Amongst all the paines that they shall suffer who shall not bee found in IESVS CHRIST they shall thirst to death both of soule and bodie as the LORD thirsted who was counted as a reprobate so the reprobate shall thirst exceedingly And as the LORD got not so much as a drinke of water to quench His thirst no more shalt thou As the rich Glutton when hee was in Hell could not get one droppe of water to coole his tongue that was so sore burning in torment no more shalt thou bee quenched of that eternall wrath for sinne brings the most terrible drowght and hotnesse in the soule and body that euer was Thou shalt drinke the cuppe of the bitter wrath of God for euer euer Blessed are they who hunger thirstes for righteousnesse they shall be filled sayes Christ They who shall bee saued in Iesus Christ shall neuer thirst for they shall haue in their bellies the fountaine of liuing water Iesus Christ when this drinke is propined Hee tastes it and would haue no more of it because as Iesus Christ bare the nature of man so Hee had this naturall taste and nature abhorred this drinke And albeit that patiently He suffered all injuries of others yet Hee would not vse violence against nature to His owne selfe let one suffer violence of others but doe no violence to thine owne selfe Yet we see that albeit He knew well eneugh both the bitternesse and sowrenesse of it yet Hee tasted it This learnes vs that there was no bitternesse nor sowrnesse but the LORD would taste it that thou shouldest not onely taste but also drinke yea quaffe all delicious and sweet drinke euermore yea not only of the water of life but euen the delicious drinke of this worlde for refreshment of our bodie Then when thou art drinking a sweet drinke remember that Iesus Christ dranke a bitter drinke that thou shouldest drinke a sweete drinke Otherwise I tell thee drinke on and pamper thy belly as thou wilt thy sweete drinke shall become a bitter curse vnto thee Now we come to the very action of crucifying Hee is thirstie He cannot get the thirst quenched He must suffer the death with an extreame thirst there is not a thiefe but hee will get a drinke The men of warre come to the execution and first they stripped the LORD of glorie They take His garments off Him So the LORD before Hee was mounted vpon the Crosse Hee was stripped naked and then beeing starke naked they mount and spread out that glorious bodie on the Crosse And nailes Him with nailes and this is complained of before They pierced through mine hands and my feete Psalme 22.17 And now beeing nailed on the Crosse it commeth to passe as Paul sayes in the Epistle to the Galathians Chap. 3. verse 13 14 Hee is become a curse for vs that wee should become the blessing of God in Him Not that Iesus beganne then to be accursed of the Father when He hang vpon the Crosse No from the time of His conception euen all the time that Hee was in the world As our sinnes were laide vpon Him so the curse of God was on Him pursuing our sinne All these three and thirtie yeeres that Hee liued in the worlde the curse of God goes neuer off Him for the curse of God neuer leaues sinne A wicked man will seeme to bee blessed and to prosper and who will sit at such ease as he will play him and blesse himselfe in his owne heart but vvhen hee comes to a miserable ende and dies a miserable death when the miserable death appeares then the world sees that that man was cursed It appeared not that Iesus Christ vvas cursed till He vvas dying and going to be nailed on the Crosse then all the vvorld sees that Hee is cursed beside all the things that sinne brings on a man to it shall bring thee to a shamefull death and if thou bee not found in Iesus Christ and bee not couered with His Crosse then thou shalt die in the ende a cursed death although thou be in thy bed and thy Wife thy friends and all thy children about thee the death that thou shalt die shall be accursed Blessed are they who die
the Lord is remembring His mercie and teaches them by wonders to looke yet if they will take a lesson to repent of all the indignitie that they had done Hee threatens them with the one hand and offers mercie with the other to see if they will repent This is the dealing of the Lord Hee warnes them and He sayes Yet I will not swallow thee vp with the earth and I will not let the rockes tumble downe on thee to deuoure thee yet repent for there is g●ace for thee if thou turnest Brethren no man shall goe to Hell without aduertisement to stand to the end that if thou wilt not repent when the Lord begins to put hand in thee and to rent thee thy mouth may be closed that thou canst not say Lord I got no warning all excuses shall be put away Alas will not men learne for all this shaking of the mountaines Lord shake these hearts of ours the Lord be merciful to all sinful soules to senslesse creatures lest whē they shall cry Peace all things are sure enough thē sudden iudgement approach the wrath come ouertake them Now come to y e last thing I shall end Are there none y t are moued at all at these wonders Amongst so many hundreths thousands is there not one moued yes there are some moued who are these are the high Priests moued No not a whit is there any of y e rest of y e order of y e Priests moued Not They continue blinde and dumbe Are the Pharises and the Scribes or the Elders mooued No They are not mooued but the more they heare their heartes are the more hardened Who are then mooued at these vvonders It is an Ethnicke bodie a Captaine of men of vvarre vnder PILATE and a Pagane vvho neuer once knewe GOD yet vvhen hee sees this and hearde the voyces hee saies Of a suretie this man was just And more hee saies Truely this was the Sonne of GOD. Is there anie moe Yes A bande of men of vvarre Not of the IEVVES but such as had liued on robberie vvithout the feare of GOD they feared greatly and saide also Truely this man was the Son of GOD. Who of the IEVVES is mooued Not the Scribes and the Pharises and the rest of the Order they are nothing moued but the sillie multitude vvho cryed before Crucifie him nowe they goe home smiting on their breastes and crying vvoe to them for that dayes labour but there vvas neuer a motion in the Priestes or in anie of the Princes or Pharises or Scribes It is a vvonderfull thing to see that they vvho had judgement and vnderstanding and who had read all the prophecies of the MESSIAS to come gotte no sense yet a sillie multitude gettes some sight and sense Woulde yee knowe and poinct out a senselesse creature vvho vvill not bee mooued neither by vvorke nor vvorde It is such a man as hath this vvorldly wisedome Such a man as hath knowledge and yet does against his knowledge and conscience for all that these Priestes and Pharises did vvas both against knowledge and conscience They repined against the Holy Spirit and against their conscience they crucifie Iesus Whosoeuer thou art who opponest thee to the brightnes of the Gospell thou crucifiest the Lord of glory and as it shal be layed to the charge of the high Priests and Pharises and of Pilate and Herode in that Great daye that they crucified IESVS CHRIST So it shall bee layed to thy charge and thou shalt bee as guiltie of His blood as they Woe to that soule which vvill resist that word and the Holy Spirite Woe shall bee to the great men in this land vvho against conscience conspires against CHRIST Religion and their natiue Countrey for vvrath and vengeance remaineth for them if they leaue not off this vnhappie course The King of SPAINE and all their associates shall not bee able to holde vengeance off them that shall one daye bee heaped vpon their heads The LORD saue vs from induration and neuer suffer vs to repine against Light nor to scrape it out of our soule and conscience I see heere further The LORD gettes moe friendes in His death than in His life The Centurion and the men of vvarre they curse the time that euer they vvere employed in that seruice The multitude vvho bad crucifie Him thorowe blindnesse and ignorance nowe they repent the time that euer they did it and they returne homewardes knocking vpon their breastes That immaculate Lambe that precious Sacrifice hanging thus on the Crosse Hee cast such a sweete smell on the earth and on the people that they vvho vvere His enemies goe awaye mourning This falles out often times in the Martyres for some people goes out with them who woulde eate them and yet the LORD IESVS makes their death to cast such a sweete smell that it is effectuall to mooue manie thousandes to mourne and to bee conuerted So that it is founde to bee true that the bloode of the Martyres is the seede of the Kirke And they who woulde haue swallowed them before in their death pitties them and become their friendes thorowe the sweete smell which they felt comming from their death and would goe home mourning that euer they were enemies vnto them and were instrumentes of their death Therefore let the enemies of the trueth persecute the Sainctes of GOD and His Trueth with Fire and Sworde as they please They shall gette no vantage and they shall not gette this Light quenched for there shall such a sweete smell arise out of the ashes of the Sainctes which in despight of the enemies farre moe shall bee wonne to IESVS CHRIST by their death than euer was wonne to Him by their life To Him therefore vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXIII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 55 And many women were there beholding him afarre off who had followed Iesus from Galile ministring vnto him verse 56 Among whom was Marie Magdalene and Marie the Mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedeus sonnes MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 40 There were also women who behelde afarre off among whome was Marie Magdalene and Marie the Mother of James the lesse and of Ioses and Salome verse 41 Who also when Hee was in Galile followed Him and ministred vnto Him and manie other women who came vp with Him vnto Hierusalem LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 49 And all his acquaintance stoode afarre off and the women that followed him from Galile beholding these thinges IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 31 The Iewes then because it was the Preparation that the bodies shoulde not remaine vpon the Crosse on the Sabbath daye for that Sabbath was an high day● besought Pilate that their legges might bee broken and that they might bee taken downe WEE haue heard these dayes past beloued Brethren in Christ what was the part of the whole
asked here Seeing the Lord recommends vnto Peter only His chosen to bee fed instructed by him should th'Apostles haue care of any other to feed and instruct except of th'Elect onelie Let it bee that these Elect at the first hand bee like wolues and tygers yet the care of them onelie in this place is recommended vnto Peter and the rest by the Lorde I answere Albeit the Lorde recommende chiefelie the care of th'Elect yet He excludes not the reprobate for it is the Lordes vvill that foode should bee offered to them also for the Pastor cannot know who are Elect or Reprobate therfore it is his duety to compt all to be elected to feed all he must not be rash in judgemēt No man should be so bold as to presume to giue out sentence who are chosen or who are reprobate for the LORD knoweth who are His 2. Timoth. 2.19 Therefore let him stay vntill the Lord discerne who are elect let the Pastor count all to be Lambes and endeauoure to feede all yet his labours shall only be fruitfull in the Elect for there is neuer one that is not chosen that shall bee tamed by the word all the preachings in the world will not tame a reprobate but he shall euer be a Wolfe indeede a reprobate may for a season take on a sheepe skinne that is hee may play the hyprocrite and may seeme outwardly to some to be godly but truely and in effect he will neuer haue true Faith nor godlinesse Now last this would not be passed by that the Lord bids Peter feed His not another mans sheepe but His owne sheepe that is them whome He hath redeemed and ransomed with His owne blood This word containes an argument wherefore the sheepe should be fed to wit because they are the Lords ransomed with His owne blood And more than that this vvord admonishes the Pastor that hee count not the slocke to be his owne but the Lords and that hee feede it not to himselfe to vse the slocke for his owne gaine and aduantage Iohn Baptist sayes Hee that hath the bride is the bridegroome but the friend of the bridegroome reioyces greatly because of the bridegroomes voyce Ioh. 3.29 By these words Iohn signifies that he wooed not the Church to himselfe but to the Lord who is the bridegroome And Paul sayes to the Co●inthians I am iealous ouer you with godly iealousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgine to Christ 2. Cor. 11.2 For it is the most abhominable and detestable sacriledge that can bee to spoyle Christ the bridegroome of the Church His bride to take from Him His flocke which Hee hath redeemed with such a precious and glorious ransome euen the blood of God Acts 20.28 Seeing then that the Lord hath committed to Pastors the Church which is His owne Spouse and His Flocke which He hath redeemed with no lesse price than His own blood the LORD giue Pastours grace to be carefull in feeding of them with that food of life furnished vnto them by the LORD Ies●s To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee all praise and honour for euer AMEN THE LI. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IOHN CHAP. XXI verse 18 Verely verely I say vnto thee When thou wast yong thou girdedst thy selfe and walkest whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch out thine hands and another shall gird thee and leade thee whither thou wouldest not verse 19 And this spake Hee signifying by what death hee should glorifie God And when He had said thus He said to him Follow Me. THE last day beloued Brethren we heard how the Lord in this third appearing vnto His Disciples after His Resurrection when He dined with them fedde them and giuing them meat out of His owne hande hee entered in conference with Peter especially the ende of the conference Hee had with Peter was to restore Peter to that dignitie of the Apostleship from which h●e had fallen and whereof hee had made himselfe vnworthie through his apostasie and threefolde deniall of his Lord and Master Hee askes him one thing thrise Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou Me Peter answeres and giues a threefold confession Lord thou knowest that I loue thee The LORD answeres againe and giues a threefold absolution and pronounces the sentence of his restoring againe three times F●●de then sayes the Lord My Lambes feede My sheepe This Hee does to confirme him the better in his restoring for when a man hath made a foule defection frō God his heart is not easily perswaded of grace againe it will not be at one or two sentences it will not be a promise at one time that will giue him an assurance of the fauour of God againe therefore to giue Peter the greater assurance of grace Hee triples ouer the sentence and giues him three times that commission to feede His lambes and sheepe The last day Brethren as the Lord gaue the grace we opened the meaning of these words and last of these words My Lambes my sheepe now only thus farre I adde for your consolation ye see all this loue that Peter confesses toward the Lord Himselfe Hee turnes it ouer vpon His Lambes His Sheepe and flocke in a word vpon His Church Marke it The Pastor or Minister will no sooner professe loue to his Lord that placed him in that roome but as soone the Lord will send him to the flocke people if thou loue me the Lord will say loue my people the Lord will place His people in His own roome looke what loue any will beare to Him He will haue it declared and vttered to His Saints more He does it three times so oft as Peter professes loue so oft He sends him to y e people look how oft the Pastor professes loue to Christ as oft He will send him to y e people if he say I loue thee then He will answere feede my Lambes if He will say a thousand times He wil answere feede my flocke manifest it vpon them that carie mine Image This shewes the wonderfull loue that God beares to His Elect He will haue all that dutie that is due to Him to be translated vpon His Church so that whosoeuer doe not their dutie to y e Church I ●ffirme I say professe as they will they haue no loue to Christ thou mayest stand vp and bable vaunt of thy loue to Christ but I say there is no such loue in thine heart as thou professest with thy mouth If thou s●yest thou louest God doest not thy dutie to man thou art a lyar 1. Joh. 4.18 To goe forward to this Text When He hath restored him to the office of Apostleship which by his deniall justly he had lost Hee giues him the office with a knot as we speak He forewarnes him in the entrie that hee shall get no rest in it and when he hath done all what shall be his