of Sceva Act. 19.14 found this to be true by their owne deare experience for they could not adjure the evill spirit though they used the name of Iesus whom Paul preached And as they ascribe too much to the Name so they ascribe too little to the Person of Iesus in that they make him but a Demi-Saviour joyning others with him as partners in the worke of our Redemption coupling our workes with his Merits our satisfaction with his satisfaction The intercession of Saints with his Intercession especially the Intercession of the Virgin Mary whom they call the Queenâ— of Heaven the Mother of Grace requesting her that by the authority of a Mother shee would command her sonne Oh take heede of sharing stakes betweene Christ and any creature in the act of our salvation He will not bee accounted joynt purchaser of our Redemption with any no not with his owne Mother the Virgin Mary for hee was her Saviour as well as ours My Spirit reioyceth in God my Saviour saith she Luke 1.47 Luk. 1.47 And Sanguinem quem de Matre accepit pro Matre obtulit saith one of the Fathers The Blood which hee receiued from his Mother hee shed for his Mother Let us acknowledge our selves lost by Nature but found onely by Christ He onely it was that came to seeke and to save that which was lost We were through Adams transgressions bound by the Divel wee are losed onely by Christs Passion Alligavit fortem vinculis Passionis It is hee that bound the strong man spoyled him of his weapons It was hee that set us at liberty when we were in bondage That found us when wee were lost That called us home when wee were banished That raised us when wee were dead that redeemed us when wee were miserable captives he restored our lives by losing his owne he unbound us by fastning himselfe he overcame by being overcome he redeemed us by enthraling himselfe he cured us by his owne wounds raised us to life by his owne Death made us rich by his owne poverty robbed himselfe of his dignity by becomming a creature of his Royalty by paying of tribute of his liberty by becomming a servant of his credit for he was blasphemed of his joy for hee was heavy to the Death of his wel-fare for hee was wounded scourged nayled crucified and all this for our Salvation What Saint or Angel did Nay what Saint or Angel could doe the like for us He onely and alone Carnem suam pro omnium Carne dependit animam suam pro omnium anima constituit saith Saint Cyril St. Cyril He I say payned his flesh for the flesh of us all his soule for all our soules Hee was Moses Serpent to heale us Gods Lambe to feed us with his flesh and cloath us with his fleece The true Pelican nourishing us with his blood O profunditas Divitiarum O the depth of the riches of the mercy of this our Jesus Let us draw waters of comfort out of this depth of Mercy Let us not rest contented with that generall name of Christians but labour for assurance of salvation that as Thomas called Christ his Lord and his God Ioh. 20 28. so we may by faith every one particularly call him Our Jesus We are all naturally like the wounded man betweene Jerusalem and Jericho Luke 10.30 Luke 10.30 Let us seeke out that good Samaritan who hath compassion on us will binde up our wounds powre Wine and Oyle into them and restore us to health Sinne is an unsupportable load with it we are all over-burthened yet our Jesus calls us Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 He invites gratiously let us hasten speedily Non pedibus sed affectibus Not with our feet but with our affections Whilst he standeth at the doore and knocks let us open unto him lest by too long delay wee lose him Then shall wee open the doore but hee hath withdrawne himselfe then shall we seeke him but not finde him call him but he will not answere wherefore while the time serves let us say unto our Iesus as David to the Lord Say unto my Soule I am thy Salvation If we aske in time we shall receive If wee seeke in time we shall find if we knocke in time hee will open unto us if wee beleeve we shall be saved Away then with all conceite of our owne merit or the Holinesse of any Saint Let Christ be the sole Lord of our salvation without any Copartner for hee alone hath possession of that three-fold Treasury which must make us rich unto salvation namely the Treasure of Glory the Treasure of Grace and the Treasure of Wisedome Man was exiled from Celestiall Glory Christ alone enjoyed the Treasury of Glory that hee might bring Mankind unto Glory Man was an enemy unto God therefore Christ had the Treasury of Grace to reconcile man unto God Man was blind and wrapped in darknesse therefore Christ had the Treasury of Wisedome to teach men the way to eternall Life Looke in Iohn 1.14 Joh. 1.14 and you shall finde all these three comprehended in one Verse Spectavimus glorian plenam gratia veritatis We saw the glory of Christ behold the first full of Grace behold the second and Truth behold the third Now therefore let us say Non nobis Domine non nobis sed Nomini tuo da gloriam Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory For thou O Iesus art made unto us of God by thy paines sustained Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wherefore seeing that thou my blessed Saviour hast borne my sorrows shed my teares suffered my disgrace sustained my punishment and payd my Debt let Iewes Turkes and Heathen revile thee I will honour thee let them blaspheme the Name of Iesus I will adore it let them persecute it I will make it my refuge for the Name of the Lord is a strong tower of Righteousnesse They that flye unto it are secured Let them disdaine it I shall esteeme it to bee a precious oyntment powred out let them vilifie it I will glory in it For with the Lord there is Iustice but with our Iesus there is plenteous Redemption O Lord what Pylate deemed to bee thy shame proves to bee thy glory Hee writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom hee would not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet this is thy Name this is thy function Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death is honoured What thou broughtest into the world by the Angels Direction thou carryedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes And so I passe from his Name Iesus unto his Title Nazarenus of Nazareth Nazareth NAzareth was the name of that Towne which Ioseph dwelt in when hee returned out of Egypt in the which Iesus
Judgement giving Praemium Paenam Punishment and Reward the recompense of Reward to a faithfull subject and the paine of Damnation to trayterous rebells For he is a just Judge whom neyther bribes can allure nor gifts entice nor threats can alter from doing right Oh then seeke this Iesus seeke this Nazarenus seeke this King of Iewes Seeke him for thy Lord and hee will finde thee for his inheritance install him for thy King and he will enfranchise thee for his subject admit him for thy Governour and hee will admit thee to glory and immortality For his Kingdome is not of this world below but of the world above as was typified by placing this Title above his Head not under his Feete Oh then deare Christian come out of the world and out of this dangerous and dreadfull security of the Flesh Whatsoever seemes glorious to the eye odoriferous to the smell harmonious to the eare delicate to the taste and soft to the touch O forsake them all to follow Christ Awake oh thou Soule that sleepest for the Lord is come Hee is come with Salvation he is come with Vertue hee is come with Glory For Iesus commeth not without Salvation nor Nazarenus without Vertue nor The King of the Iewes without Glory Bee of good comfort thou lost sheepe Iesus is come to seeke and to save that which was lost Bee of good comfort thou lamenting sinner Nazarenus is come to decke thee with ornaments of Grace Be of good comfort thou that aspirest to true Honour for The King of the Iewes will make thee partaker of his Kingdome If thou seeke this King of the Iewes thou must seeke him with Humility for hee was Humility it selfe Hee insteed of a Crowne of Gold was content for thy sake with a Crowne of Thornes for Regall attire with a Purple garment yea goary wounds for a Kingly Scepter a Reede in his hand for a Throne the Crosse for joyfull Acclamations blasphemous Exclamations for delicate dainties Vineger and Gall Oh seeke him then in Humility for pride ascendeth not with the King of Humility nor malice with the God of Mercy nor Lust with a Virgin-sonne of a Virgin-mother nor wickednesse with the Just one And if thou bee a subject of this Kingdome bee not like the Swine Qui Rosas projiciunt ut lutum quaerant Who reject the sweet Rose to accept the stinking mire Oh never conforme thy selfe to this world bee not of that durty generation but since thy King and Saviour is in Heaven let thy conversation be in Heaven also let the World and her brave vanities goe which way they will bee thou as Anselme sayes sweetly Corpore ambulans in Terra sed corde habitans in Coelo One that walkes on Earth with thy Body but dwellest in Heaven with thy Heart Get out from thine owne Countrey the World from thine owne Kinred the Flesh and from thy Fathers House the family of Satan unto the Land which the Lord hath shewen thee even that Kingdome which the King of the Iewes hath prepared for thee where thou shalt behold Pulchrum Senatum pulchrum Regnum Regem pulcherrimum A glorious Assembly of Saints a glorious Kingdome but a King most glorious where wee shall shine in Glory and Brightnesse with Albes of Innocency on our backes Palmes of Victory in our Hands Crownes of Glory on our Heads and Songs of Tryumph in our Mouthes then shall wee enter into Sanctum Sanctorum Into the Holy of Holies there shall wee celebrate Sabbatum Sabbatorum The Sabbath of Sabbaths Then shall wee sing Canticum Canticorum The Song of Songs which none can learne but those that are redeemed from the Earth Then shall we give eternall Honour Glory and Praise to him that was is and ever shall bee Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Laus Deo The Authors Prayer to Iesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes collected out of the fore-going Discourse Jesus O Thou Sonne of God and sweete Saviour of the World Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus Thou art made unto us of God Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wisedome by thy Word preached Righteousnesse by our sinnes pardoned Sanctification by thy grace infused and Redemption by thy paines sustained Have mercy upon us miserable sinners Oh our blessed Saviour who hast borne our sorrows shed our teares suffered our disgrace sustained our punishment and payd our debt inspire us with thy Holy Spirit that though the Iewes Turkes and Infidels revile thee wee may still honour thee though they blaspheme thy Name Iesus we may adore it though they persecute it we may make it our refuge For thy Name ô Iesus is a strong Tower the righteous flye unto it and are secured Though Iewes Turkes and Heathen disdaine thy Name yet give us Grace that we may estimate it to be a precious Oyntment powred out though they vilifie it let us sweet Iesu still glory in it for with the Lord there is Justice but with thee Oh Saviour there is plenteous Redemption Oh Lord what Pilate deem'd to be thy shame prooves to be thy glory he writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom he could not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet will we ever acknowledge Iesus to be thy Name and Iesus is thy Nature Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this Name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death was honoured What thou brought'st into the world by the Angels Direction thou carriedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription To thee therefore I say once more and will never cease saying and praying Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus O good Iesu be thou to me a Saviour Nazarenus sanctified OH Holy Nazarenus who wast sanctified in the wombe and out of the wombe whose Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth full of Grace in thy Workes full of Truth in thy Words holy in thy Birth holy in thy Life and holy in thy Death vouchsafe to looke upon us miserable sinners who were conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity Sanctifie us with thy holy Spirit that from thee wee may derive such holinesse of life and conversation that all our thoughts words and workes being through thy Grace sanctified may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee who hast commanded us to be holy as thou art holy Nazarenus separated O Loving Nazarenus thou who wert that Scape-goate separated from thy fellows to make an attonement for the sins of the world thou that wast separated from thy Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon thee the forme of a Servant thou that wast separated from thine owne Nation when thou fleddest into Egypt for feare of Herod thou that wast separated from thy Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe thy Fathers Will thou that wast separated from thy Disciples when thou hungst upon the Crosse thou that wast separated from the living when thou dyedst for our Redemption thou that wast separated from the World when thou ascendedst into Heaven vouchsafe to
shamefully exposed to Ignominy not with a paper on his backe but with a Title of dishonour over his head For it was written Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iews Had these words beene spoken by Pilate It had beene shame sufficient but to enlarge his reproach they are written yea and written in Hebrew Greek and Latine that so they might not be better known unto himselfe than to all the World O cursed Pilate that thus dishonourest the Lord of Glory the time will come that thou shalt wish the Rocks to fall upon thee and the Mountaines to cover thee from that face which thou didst so 〈…〉 disgracefully vilifie with a supposed Reproachfull Title O yee blood-thirsty Iewes yee were of old termed a Stiffe-necked people Hath GOD sent his Sonne in mercy and doe you hasten him to the Crosse in malice Have you honoured in your Sacrifice Christum venturum Christ which was to come And doe you now Sacrifice upon the Crosse Christum ventum Christ which is come Oh hearts of Adamant is this the entertainement you give to the Messiah The shame you doe unto him shall binde shame to you and your posterity for ever And it was written CHrist whose hands and heart were free from injury is content to bee counted a Seducer to bee judged a Traytor against Caesar to have an Ignominous Title over his head Christ Iesus I say the Lambe Immaculate refuses no shame that hee might purchase Glory to his faithfull ones Hee that was the God of Glory becomes the sonne of shame Hee that was the Righteous Redeemer is deemed an unjust Usurper Hee that was the Lord of Life is condemned to Death Hee that was honoured with the Acclamation of Angels is now dishonoured with the exclamation of the Iewes He that was dignified with the Title Holy Holy Holy is heere disgraced with a supposed Title of discredit Iesus of Nazaret King of the Iewes Pilate shewes him disgracefully to the people with an Ecce Homo as you may see verse 5 of this Chap. Behold the Man Behold the Man Pilate yea behold the Redeemer of Man in the shape of a Servant Behold the Man yea behold him who was both God and Man In comparison of whose holinesse In comparison of whose Innocency Both these in Angels are but streames from his Fountaine Beames from his Brightnesse parcels from his Lumpe Mutuations from his perfections Stand O my Soule and with admiration blesse the Author of all Blessednesse Christ who to prevent thy shame sustained shame before men before his Father Cum sceleratis numeratus est He was numbred among the wicked for thy sake Hee was accounted sinnefull for thy salvation Adam by eating of the forbidden Tree deprived thee of Life Christ by suffering on the cursed Tree restores thee to Life Set to thy mouth then O my soule and drinke heartily of this Life-giving Water For Invenisti in Cruce Gloriam Christs Crosse is thy comfort His dishonour is thy honour That which is Ludibrium Impijs is Misterium Pijs The Crosse of Chist is to the Iewes a stumbling-blocke To the Gentiles foolishnesse But to thee O my soule it is the power of God and the wisedome of God 1. Cor. 23.24 Here then O my Soule exhilerate thy selfe in contemplation of the infinite goodnesse of thy Redeemer Behold him invironed round about with vertue On his right hand Obedience on his left hand Patience below him Humility above him yea above all Charity behold al these and because thou canst not expresse admire with silence And because thou canst not merit this blesse with thankfulnesse the bounty of him whose Death is thy Life whose shame is thy glory even the Lord Jesus Christ But hath hee done this for thee Then walk forth O my soule with courage till thou meete the Crosse then take it up with patience beare it in despight of thy Saviours enemies Follow thy Redeemer with a Crosse at thy backe and say with St. Paul Gal. 9.14 God forbid that I should glory in anything but in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the World For Crux Christi is Lux Christiani The Crosse of Christ is the glory of a Christian which Crosse hath freed thee from the blindnesse of error restored thee to rest overcame Hell for thee brought thee neere unto God opened the gate of Heaven wrought thy peace and purchast everlasting happines unto thee Honour him then O my soule who for thee was dishonoured Suffer a little misery for him in this World who suffered and endured a World of Misery for thee Entitle him in thy heart who bare this Title over his head Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes And so from the manner I passe to the matter of this Inscription IESUS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE JEWES IN which words are contayned the causes as they would have it of our Saviours Condemnation In the writing whereof rather GODS Will than Pilates did appeare For in this Title are contayned three Divine reasons why Christ the onely begotten Sonne of GOD should yeeld up his life upon the Crosse First because hee was Iesus Secondly because he was Nazarenus Thirdly because hee was Rex Iudaeorum He was Iesus that is Salvator A Saviour Hee was Nazarenus that is Floridus A Flower or flourishing He was Rex Iudaeorum that is Rex Confitentium King of the Jewes not carnally but spiritually not by Circumcision but by Faith King of those who doe beleeve with the heart and confesse him with the mouth to bee the true Messiah Pilate was blinde and could not see this The Jewes were obstinate and would not know this But now it is revealed to Babes and sucklings by Regeneration for all that are borne of God know that by nature they were sinnes subjects yet here they finde Him Iesum a Saviour By nature they are stinking in the Nostrils of God yet heere they finde him Nazarenum A sweet smelling Flower By Nature they are Satans Bondslaves yet for their Redemption they finde him heere Regem Iudaeorum King of all those that confesse his name This Title of Christ was written as I said before in Hebrew Greeke and Latine The Hebrewes had the true Priest-hood The Grecians abounded in Wisedome And the Latines in Dominion and Government The first signifyed Christ to bee the true Priest the second to be the wisest Prophet the third to be the Potentst King Here then is Christs Sacerdotall Office in that hee is Iesus His Propheticall in that he is Nazarenus His Regal in that he is Rex Iudaeorum Of these in Order First he is Iesus Iesus THis Name includes the first reason Why our Saviour dyed upon the Crosse Our first Parents by eating the forbidden fruit offended chiefly in three things In Pride in disobedience and in Carnall delight Pride in aspiring to bee like their maker Disobedience in transgressing the Law of their maker Carnall delight in preferring the pleasantnesse of the fruit before the