rolling away of the stone froÌ the doore of the graue they foresaw not this impedimeÌt ere they came froÌ home but being carried with an earnest desire to anoint the Lords dead body they were not mindfull of any impedimeÌts We know wheÌ a man or a womaÌ would faine haue a thing done they will not forecast for all perils but it is better to prouide foresee in time y e impedimeÌts ere thou begin the worke Yet a man or a womaÌ who hath the worke of the Lord should not cast for all perils for if he put not his hand to the work of the Lord except he see al impedimeÌts remoued he will neuer do any thing to the glory of God for in performing of y e Lords work we must not think y t He will remoue all impedimeÌts at y e first as these womeÌ fouÌd al impedimeÌts to be takeÌ away Now these women came forward as they came they perceiued the stone to be rolled from the graue Marie Magdalene seeing the stone away she ran back shewed the matter to Peter Iames in Jerusalem where they laye lurking she brings in her conceit euill tidings to them saies The body of the Lord is stolleÌ away out of the graue we know not where they haue layed him So Brethren in this Text y t we haue read we haue first a particular Historie of Marie Magdalene registrate by Iohn TheÌ we haue the History of the rest of the women As concerning Mary Magdalene wee note of her these foure thinges out of the Gospel of Iohn First her outcomming Next what she sees when she is come to wit the stone rolled away Thirdly what shee does when she sees the stone remoued she returnes to Peter fourthly what she saies she brings no good tidings to Peter and Iames but she saies They haue stollen away the body of the Lord and I know not where they haue layed him Touching the going out of Marie I stay not on it for she came out with the rest of the first coÌpany of womeÌ only this if any maÌ would aske wherfore the women got this honour aboue men ye euen the Apostles to be made first witnesses of this Resurrection of Christ I answere So it pleased the Lord y t directed theÌ this only one cause makes their witnessing also to be autentik y t no man should except against it Ye see in ciuil things womeÌ are not admitted to be witnesses but here ye see in this spiritual mâtter they are made witnesses before all the world their testimony is so auteÌtik y t if Iohn or Peter or any of th'apostles had refused this testimony they had hazarded their part portion in the resurrectioÌ of Iesus Christ if thou reject their witnessing this day thou shalt neuer haue part of His resurrection To come to the Text What sees she the rest when they come to the graue They see the stone rolled away so they are relieued of y t care y t troubled theÌ by the way Mary Magd. the rest came of a great zeale to the graue to anoint the Lords dead body yet I wil not coÌmend this purpose because they had no warrand of the word of the Lord for He told He would rise the third day therfore they shold not haue come out to anoint Him y e third day Yet wheÌ they go out the third day to anoint Him ere they came to the graue they find y e impedimeÌt to be takeÌ away the stone to be remoued Mark this well If they y e came to this action without any warrande got all impedimeÌts remoued How much more if any man or woman of zeale to God to His glory haue a good purpose haue an expresse warraÌd of His word shal they find al impedimeÌts to be takeÌ away God is the same to vs now y t He was to theÌ then Yet I see again it is not to be too wise in the work of the Lord but assoon as we know what is the Lords will we shuld addresse our selues to perform the same commit the successe to Him who can remoue al impedimeÌts for in so doing thou honourest God giuest Him the glory y t is due to Him when vnder hope against hope thou beleeuest as AbrahaÌ did Rom. 4.18 But ye will say Albeit Marie Magd. fouÌd the stone rolled away yet she fouÌd not the body of the Lord which she meant to anoint with odours I answere she fouÌd not the thing she sought but what lost she She found a better thing than shee sought she seekes the Lord among the dead and she findes Him among the liuing the faithfull who seeke the Lord shall neuer be disappointed if thou missest that thing that thou seekest thou shalt get a better thing if thou seekest this life if thou be in the Lord if thou loose it what loosest thou thou shalt finde a better life Marie seeing y e stone rolled away she goes not forward but returnes home again Now certainly I caÌnot deny but this came of zeal but I will not excuse her but she shuld haue stayed with y e rest haue looked into y e graue to heare the Angels informatioÌ but on a suddenty she returnes Brethren this falles out in y e best most godly they will oft times be miscaried for a while not y t there is any fault to be found with their zeale or w t their affection to y e Lord but y e hastie sudden doing comes more of a blindnes ignorance than of zeale therefore marke y e lessoÌ Who euer would be zealous in a good cause would vtter their affectioÌ toward y e Lord ere they begin they shuld beware know well what they are doing let knowledge goe before let it be borne as a torch to shew the way then let zeale follow for if zeale follow not I wil not giue a penny for thy knowledge zeale without knowledge is better thaÌ knowledge without zeale a great zeale w t a sober measure of knowledge is better thaÌ al y e knowledge in y e world without zeale knowledge without zeale serues for nothing but for damnatioÌ if y u vnderstood couldest tel ouer y e whole Bible without zeale that serues thee for nothing I had rather haue one y t can speake two words w t zeale than haue all thy knowledge litle knowledge w t zeale wil saue thee but if y u hadst all y e knowledge in y e world without zeale it wil not saue thee Now y e last thing concerning Marie wheÌ she hath returned back to Peter Iohn here she begins to make a sad narratioÌ coÌplaines sayes alas They haue stollen away the body of the Lord we know not where to seeke it speaking in the plurall nuÌber she makes a mone looke to y e affectioÌ of the woman toward y e Lord she could not be separate froÌ
they bee for by so doing they not onelie depriue themselues of happinesse but also they turne the blessinges of God into a curse to them When IOHN hath informed PETER that it was the Lord vvhat does PETER It is saide When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord hee girded his coat to him for hee was naked and cast himselfe into the Sea He shewes a great zeale and forwardnesse for in my judgement this doing of PETER proceeded not from foolish hardinesse and inconsiderate rashnesse but from a true zeale and feruent desire to meete with the Lord. Nowe will yee compare IOHN and PETER together ye will find great diuersitie of giftes IOHN knewe the Lord first and that by sight PETER knew the Lord next but by hearing for IOHN informed him IOHN was before PETER in faith knowledge but PETER who comes behinde passes IOHN who was his teacher had instructed him for he is more zealous than IOHN was IOHN exceeded in knowledge but PETER exceeded in zeale This lets vs see the trueth of that sentence of PAVL One and the selfe same Spirit worketh all gifts distributing to euery maÌ seuerally as he willeth 1. Corinth 12.11 Euen in the Apostles themselues for euen among them some excelled in one gift and some in another IOHN excelled in knowledge and had knowledge of the glorious person of Iesus Christ and namelie of His diuinitie as his Euangell declares for it is full of high mysteries sublime doctrine of Christ aboue the rest of the Apostles PETER excelled in zeale and forwardnesse and was more ardent in zeale than the rest as wee may reade in the Gospell PAVL excelled in labouring and painfulnesse in preaching of the Gospell for hee sayes himselfe I laboured more aboundantlie than all the Apostles 1. Corinth Chap. 15. vers 10. The LORD gaue not all graces to anie one of them but to euerie one such a measure of grace as Hee pleased neither had it beene expedient to themselues nor so profitable to others It had not beene expedient to themselues because it might haue beene that they would haue comtemned and despised others in respect of themselues It had not beene so profitable to others because others would haue enuied them for their great perfection of graces And so by this meanes the bodie of IESVS euen His Church which should bee compact and straitlie joyned together would haue beene miserablie rent asunder On the other part this inequalitie and diuersitie of giftes that the Lord giues to men is a speciall meane to joyne and knitte together the members of the misticall bodie of CHRIST for as in the bodie of man the inequalitie and diuersitie of functions giftes that are giuen to seueral members joynes and holds together y e meÌbers of y e body eueÌ so y t inequality diuersity of spiritual graces giuen to euery meÌber of y e body of Christ euery one hauing neede of the helpe of another joynes and holdes together the members to make vp one compact bodie Reaâe of this in the first Epistle of Sainct Paul to the Corinthians Chap. 12. vers 24.25 Nowe I shall onelie marke one thing and so I shall ende All the night preceeding when the Lord Iesus was absent Johns faith and Peters zeale were languishing and dwining but in the morning when Christ returnes both Johns faith and Peters zeale beginne to reuiue and to gette newe strength and vigour Whereof we may learne that this grace of faith knowledge and zeale is wakened and raised vp by Christ who is the onelie matter and object of them for our faith and knowledge proceedes of His gracious light which shines in our darke soules Our zeale proceedes from the Spirite of Christ who by His comming kindleth a burning fire in our heartes and makes vs to burne with zeale who before were colde in the seruice of God PAVL sayes God that commanded light to shine out of darknesse is Hee who hath shined in our heartes to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ. 2. Cor. Chap. 4. vers 6. The wordes import that all faith and knowledge of God that wee haue is by looking vnto the face of Iesus For when wee looke vnto His face the beames of that glorie which shines in it is conueyed into our soules and lighteneth them and so workes faith and knowledge in them And when wee shall gette a full sight and see Him as Hee is clearelie face to face then wee shall bee like to Him in glorie for His glorie shall transforme vs into this same image from glorie to glorie 2. Cor. cap. 3. vers 18. Then seeing that no grace can either bee wrought or entertained in the soule without the presence of the Lord Iesus and the beholding of His countenance wee should bee carefull constantlie to looke to His face and beholde His glorie in the mirrour of the worde so long as wee are in this pilgrimage that so hereafter wee may see Him face to face and so bee made partakers of His glorie which Hee hath purchased to all them that loue Him by the shedding of His owne blood To Him therefore with the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all praise and glorie AMEN THE XLIX LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IOHN CHAP. XXI verse 8 But the other Disciples came by shippe for they were not farre from land but about two hundreth cubites and they drâwe the nette with fishes verse 9 As soone then as they were come to land they sawe hote coales and fish layed thereon and bread verse 10 Iesus saide vnto them Bring of the fishes which yee haue nowe caught verse 11 Simon Peter stepped foorth and drewe the nette to lande full of great fishes an hundreth fiftie and three and albeit there were so manie yet was not the nette broken verse 12 Iesus saide vnto them Come and dine And none of the Disciples durst aske him Who art thou seeing they knewe that hee was the Lord. verse 13 Iesus then came and tooke bread and gaue them and fish likewise verse 14 This is now the third time that Iesus shewed himselfe to his Disciples after that hee was risen againe from the dead IN this seuenth appearing of Christ Beloued Brethren in the Lord wee haue spoken alreadie of the place of His appearing to vvit at the Sea of Tiberias and vve haue spoken of the persons to vvhome Hee appeared vvho vveâe seuen in number the Lord by His secret prouidence gathered them together and kept them together albeit some vvâuld haue suâdered from the râst to the ende the Lord might shew Himselfe vâto them being assembled together in one place Wâe hauâ spoken of their exercise how they vvere fishiâg but got little successe howbeit they had laboured all the night We told you also of the Lords appearing to them He shewes Himselfe to them in the morning and finding y t they had caught nothing Hee biddes them cast out the net on the
foolish the most proud man is the most foolish in talking Looke and consider the proud man when thou hearest him speake and thou wilt say Yonder man is a foolish man And this proceedes of the Lords just and wise dispensation the proud man in his heart dishonoures the Majestie of GOD. Thou who art proud hast adoe with God and not with thy fellowes Therefore the LORD in His just Iudgement will cause thy mouth to speake to thy shame to accuse thy selfe Hee will cause thee who art a proude King call thy selfe a murtherer to shame thy selfe and to be reuenged of thy proud heart Thus much for Pilates demand which containes a blasphemie against that Majestie and therefore IESVS will not let him goe away vnreprooued Hee sayes to him Well Thou wouldst haue no power ouer me except it were giuen thee from aboue as for them who haue put mee in thine hands woe is to them their sinne is the greater their damnation the more to wit the Priests the Iewes There are two partes of this answere The first concernes the Majestie of GOD the second concernes the High Priestes and the Iewes for the LORD hath adoe with two sorts of persons for there was two sortes of persons who put Him in the handes of Pilate The first was GOD The next was the Iewes who deliuered Him to be condemned As for GOD Looke what Hee speakes of him and howe reuerently Thou wouldest haue no power except it were giuen thee from aboue As for man Hee accuses him of sinne Nowe let vs examine euery part of these Thou wouldest haue no power ouer me except it were giuen thee from aboue Thou gloriest too much of thy power as though it were of thy selfe and not of GOD for if thou forgettest that heauenlie prouidence without the which nothing can come vnto mee But I tell thee Pilate if thou shouldest haue had power ouer me if it were not giuen thee this is spoken for two respects First because all superiour power is of God Next in this respect because when a man hath gotten power ouer others hee can doe nothing to them nor stirre an haire of their head but by the prouidence of God Pilate was ignorant of both these he beleeued he had his power of Cesar only but Christ lettes him know that there was one higher than Cesar from whome he had his power hee was ignorant of Gods prouidence hee vttered him to be a blasphemer of God therefore the Lord hearing this blasphemer albeit Hee held His tongue before now He speakes when He heares His Father dishonoured for all His suffering was for the honour of His Father therefore He will now reprooue Pilate how far are we from thus doing we are cleane contrarie to this the very silliest of vs all if wee heare any thing tending to our owne reproach then there is such anger in vs that we cannot be pacified but who is angrie to heare God dishonoured Where shall the Lord finde a zealous man in this Land few in Court or Councell hath that zeale they vvho are greatest blasphemers greatest enemies to God by conuoyes are most aduanced the zeale of God is out of the hearts of men for the most part so that by all appearance certainely a judgement shal light vpon this Nation for albeit we were created redeemed for Gods glorie yet we haue no care of it all that is away vvherefore serues our creation it had bene better we had neuer bene created if wee set not our selues to glorifie Him Yet to weigh the wordes better we see this plainely albeit a man be in the handes of a superiour power whether he be an innocent man or wicked yet he is in the hands of God there is not a King in the world that is able to open his mouth against a man but by the speciall dispensation of God so that the life or the death of the man hangeth not so much on the sentence of the King as it doth on the decree of God the life of man hanges more on that decree of His than all the decrees of Kings There is great blindnesse and beastlinesse in vs that we see not that prouidence therefore now and then the Lord will let men see and feele that the life and death of men hanges not so much on the sentence and decree of the Prince as on that eternall decree sentence of God 1. Sam. Chap. 14. When Saul had giuen out the sentence that Ionathan should die that for breaking of an vnlawfull law it lay not in his hands to slay him then in Chap. 15 when hee ordained that Agag should liue the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Samuel and hewed him with a sword The Lord will let vs see that the sentence of Kings makes not a man to die or liue but His eternall decree This is not to be passed by Iesus warneth Pilate of two things First that he hath his authoritie not of Cesar He sends him to the heauens aboue Cesars throne to Gods Throne Next vvhatsoeuer hee did in his office and authoritie hee did it by the dispensation of God So vvee haue first this lesson to wit it appertaineth vnto Princes to knowe that the authoritie vvhich they haue it is of GOD Monarches shoulde vnderstande that they haue that power of GOD and so shoulde inferiour Magistrates how beit they should acknowledge the superiour Knowe yee not howe Nabuchadonezer learned that all the power was of God he was sent foorth like a beast to liue seueÌ yeeres among the beasts to learne this lesson that all the power hee had was of God Dan. 4. Next learne howbeit Princes haue gotten that power of God yet God will not denude Himselfe of power ouer them but He so rules them by His providence that they caÌnot stirre without His will Then Princes should looke to God seeing they can doe nothing without His blessed prouidence Esaâ 10. When Assur boasted that he had done all things by his own hands his own wisedome y e Lord is more angrie at him for not acknowledging of his power to be from God in that persecution than Hee is for the persecution it selfe He pronounces the sentence against Him What art thou but an axe or a sawe in the hands of the sawer It is a vaine thing for a king to ascribe power to himself not to God woe is him it is a sore thing to match with God Then againe when Iesus was in the hands of Pilate denied He the power of Pilate No He acknowledges his power but He acknowledged it vvas of God and therefore He willingly submits Himself vnto it Wherefore all subjects should learne this lesson When they looke to their Princes or to their superiours not to looke so much to the man as to God who hath armed him with that power he is foolish that thinks not that the power y t the Magistrate or Prince hath gotteÌ is of God this should
it is joyfull sweet and comfortable to them who are in Iesus Christ but when it meetes with a sinfull heart and an euill conscience of all things it is most terrible if thou who art a sinfull man and who art not in the Lord Iesus if thou sawest Him shine in thine heart if thou gettest not a sight of thy sinne thou shalt finde such terrour and feare that all the world cannot comfort thee for that sight of all sights is most terrible to them who are not in Iesus Christ I grant indeede that the very children of God yea euen the best of them all so long as this remanent corruption abides in them they finde the Majestie and glorious presence of God makes them to be afraide We may see the example of this in these vvomen at the sight of the Angell they vvere afraid but after that once sinne be altogether abolished then His presence shall not be fearfull but comfortable Wee shall haue no feare but joy euerlasting As for the reprobate they cannot bee able to abide His glorious presence in that great day for if that glorie was so terrible that shined in one Angell how terrible shall it be to them that are out with Christ when not one Angell but millions of Angels in glorie yea the Lord Himselfe as Iudge of the world shall appeare in His incomprehensible glorie it shall be so terrible that it shall cause them to cry Hilles and mountaines fall on vs and saue vs from the presence of the Lambe The Lord grant that we may be found in the Lord Iesus Christ here and that we may haue our consciences sprinckled with His blood that we may finde the Lordes presence not onely comfortable to vs here but chiefly in that great day when we shall see Him face to face To this Lord Iesus with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise honour and glorie for euer AMEN THE XXIX LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 5 But the Angell answered and saide to the women Feare yee not for I knowe that yee seeke IESVS who was crucified MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 2 Therefore earlie in the morning the first day of the weeke they came vnto the sepulchre when the Sunne was now risen verse 3 And they saide one to another Who shall roll vs away the stone from the doore of the sepulchre verse 4 And when they looked they saw that the stone was rolled awaye for in was a verie great one verse 5 So they went into the sepulchre and sawe a young man sitting at the right side clothed in a long white robe and they were sore troubled IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 1 Nowe the first daye of the weeke came Marie Magdalene earlie when it was yet darke vnto the sepulchre and saw the stone taken away from the tombe verse 2 Then shee ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other Disciple whome IESVS loued and saide vnto them They haue taken awaye the LORDE out of the sepulchre and wee knowe not where they haue layed him THe Resurrection of Iesus Beloued Brethren was without any witnesses no man saw Him rise therfore the foure Euangelists recorde not that anie man or womaÌ saw the Lord rise out of the graue for so it pleased the Lord to arise from the dead that He would not haue neither man nor woman in this world seeing Him rise The Testimony of the foure Euangelists is That after He was risen without any witnesses then His ResurrectioÌ was known made manifest to y e world by many witnesses They set down two occasions of y e Resurrection of Iesus Christ The first occasion was thorow the womeÌ Mary Magd. Mary the mother of Iames who after they had seene Him buried returned home to buy odours to embalme the dead body of Iesus where He lay in the graue Now wheÌ the Sabbath had passed by the womeÌ buyes the sweet odours in the night time which proceeded the Lords day as we term it in the night time they confect them y t in the day they might enbalme the precious body of Iesus These womeÌ in the dawning of the day before the Sun rose weÌt out of set purpose to anoint the Lord. There is y e first occasioÌ how his resurrectioÌ came to light The other occasioÌ As these womeÌ came the Angel of the Lord came down his purpose is to testifie to these women y t came out of the Towne that the Lord was risen Now followes the manifestatioÌ of His Resurrection The Angell preuents the women and rolles the stone from the graue and abides still there to testifie to the women that the Lord Jesus was risen froÌ the dead After this the Lord Iesus Himselfe appeares to the womeÌ and confirmes the Testimony of the Angel The women hauing receiued these two manifestations of His rising they get this honour to be made the first preachers of the Resurrection before all men yea euen before th' Apostles themselues and this preaching of the women is the third manifestation Then after the women had testified to His Apostles that He was risen the Lord appeares Himself to the Apostles and confirmes their Testimony that verily He was risen from the dead Now Brethren it is to be knowne first of all coÌcerning these womeÌ who next after the Angels were made witnesses of the ResurrectioÌ of Iesus Christ y t they came not all to the graue in one coÌpany but as it appeares wel of the History there has bin two coÌpanies of theÌ one coÌpany y t came first to the graue weÌt out of IerusaleÌ before sun rising another company y t came out after this company came to the graue of the Lord before the other companie If wee marke not this difference wee will see well howe the foure Euangelists aggree in that Historie of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST As for the first company There were two women especially named Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of James not excluding the rest but they are named because among all the rest they were most notable and best knowne to the Apostles Marke notes three to bee in the first company these two and one Salome Luke notes none but calles them certaine women who followed Iesus out of Galile vnderstanding these same women Iohn names none but one Marie Magdalene not excluding the rest because she was best known for her loue for her zeale for her faith and for her affectioÌ to Christ her name is registrate BrethreÌ the last day we heard something of the first company the time wheÌ they came in the dawning of the day before the Lords day which we cal Sunday Now we heard as they came out of IerusaleÌ the Angell of the Lord desceÌded from HeaueÌ with a great earthquake No question the women were afraid at this but being streÌgthned with the Spirit they came forwarde as they were comming to the graue they fell in question about the
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 giâd 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 farâe 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
be obedient to the Father that is Hee died willingly at the good will and pleasure of the Father And if He had not bene obedient His sacrifice had neuer beene a satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde and then what good had the sacrifice of CHRIST done to mee or thee or to anie man and therefore hereupon is our faith grounded that we know the LORD IESVS not onely died but also that Hee died willingly and so willingly and with such a readinesse to pleasure his Father and to satisfie the wrath of the Father as no tongue of man nor Angell can expresse And when euer thou settlest thine heart on the death of CHRIST looke that thine heart settle it on a willing and obedient death for if thou thinke not that Hee died willinglie and chearefullie for thee thou canst haue no comfort Now to come to Iudas part Iudas knoweth the place where the LORD was hee knoweth the Garden well enough because IESVS oftentimes was wont to resort thither with his disciples and Judas was one of them for manie times hee was there with the rest of his disciples and hee knewe that commonly the LORD was wont to resort thither with his disciples and on this hee taketh occasion to betray Him and when hee hath gotten a band of men of warre and the seruants of the high Priestes and Pharises hee as a Captaine to them and they as a guarde with swordes and staues enter within the Garden to take the LORD IESVS Well Brethren it is the acquaintance and familiaritie that Judas had with CHRIST and with the place where He was vvont to resort that was the occasion of the betraying of the Lord. If Iudas had not bene acquainted with Christ Iudas had not come to this place to take Him It is familiaritie that makes traitours hee that will betray a man must be a domesticke a houshold man to him Will euerie man betray Christ No not euerie man hee that will betray Christ must be one that knoweth Him and His trueth in some measure Then thou that knowest Christ take good heede to thy knowledge and to thy familiaritie take good heede that knowledge of Christ be in sinceritie and that thou be not an Hypocrite but bee a friend indeede and not outwardly otherwise if thy knowledge be but in hypocrisie and if thy friendship bee coloured thou shalt bee a traitour and in the ende thou shalt make apostasie with Judas from Iesus Christ What is the cause that men become Apostates and traitours and after that they haue professed and subscribed they fall away from Iesus Christ what but because they were neuer true nor sincere friends to Iesus Christ All was but dissimulation and shall end in persecution of Iesus Christ and his members and they shall end in destruction as Iudas did for after that hee had once made apostasie from the Lord and betrayed his Master hee neuer tooke rest till he hanged himselfe If ye will marke well ye wil find in the companie of Iudas two rancks sorts of men The first is a band of men of warre of the Romane Deputies that was one part of the guarde The other was the officers and ministers of the high Priest they make out the other part Then the third guarde is partly of Gentiles partly of Iewes How came they They came with lanterns weapons lights on a naked man with feare of warre they needed not What needed all this companie the Lord Iesus beeing a naked man in the Garden not minded to fight What needed Iudas to bring such a guard with him The Spirit of God marketh in this Narratiue that Iudas in doing this had an euill conscience through his euill doing The man that taketh an euill or a wicked deede in hand will thinke that hee can neuer get men enew to doe it with him hee shall feare for no cause if yee should guarde him with all the worlde scarcely shall hee be in securitie for hee wantes that peace of GOD. Paul to the Philippians calles it that peace that passes all vnderstanding and that guardes the heart of man for peace is nothing but a good conscience and hee who wantes this good conscience which is the inward guarde that man can neuer bee saued with an outwarde guarde if all the worlde should stand about that man hee will euer bee in feare and albeit hee were in the mids of an armie he will tremble and quake but a good conscience will rest in peace as Dauid sayeth Although I were helmed about with ten thousand men yet would I not be afraid for I know assuredly that thou wilt bee with mee That heart is well guarded that hath a good conscience for it will haue peace inwardly and will not seeke that outward guarde The same thing is set out in the manner of his comming hee commeth with lanternes and hee commeth with lights and in the night This comming in the night manifesteth that he had an euill conscience for he that doeth euill hateth the light What needed all this company Was not the Lord Iesus dayly going in and out in Hierusalem And was He not daylie teaching in the Temple yet they layed not an hand vpon him The verie season and time of his out-coÌming testifieth that he had an euill conscience in doing of it and therefore he came not in the day light Hee that hath an euill conscience feareth the Sunne hee dreadeth the light and hee seeketh to execute his purpose in the night The night maketh an euill man impudent All these things manifest vnto vs that Iudas had an euill conscience but it was not well wakened but when it was wakened then he despaired and he had Hell in his soule and got no rest till he had hanged himselfe Nowe I goe forwarde to the communication betwixt the Lord and the Guarde Ihon saith The Lord knowing all things that should happen vnto him and that were to come vnto him he commeth forward he fleeth not away he hideth not himselfe he is not drawne out of an hole as men who haue done an euill fact but vnrequired hee commeth foorth vnto them and vpon his owne free motiue hee offereth himselfe vnto them then he tarrieth not till they beginne to talke but first the Lord speaketh saieth Whom seeke ye and they answere not knowing him by the face they say IESVS of Nazareth Hee answereth not denying himselfe I am hee hee confessed himselfe Will ye marke these thinges when hee saieth hee knewe all thinges that should come vnto him Iohn would let you see that the Lord Iesus willingly and wittingly offered Himselfe vnto the death This taking and laying hands vpon Him commeth not of hap-hazard No the Lord knew well enough all the things that should come to Him He is taken wittingly and as He is taken wittingly so is Hee taken willinglie and Hee is readier to offer Himselfe to bee taken than they are to take Him But to come to the wordes Hee
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 Dâsciples 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
XVIII verse 13 And led him away to Annas first for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas who was the high Priest that same yeere verse 14 And Caiaphas was he that gaue counsell to the Iewes that it was expedient that one man should die for the people verse 15 Nowe Simon Peter followed IESVS and another Disciple and that Disciple was knowne of the high Priest therefore he went in with IESVS into the Hall of the high Priest verse 16 But Peter stood at the doore without Then went out the other Disciple which was knowne vnto the high Priest and spake to her that kept the doore brought in Peter verse 17 Then said the maid that kept the doore vnto Peter Art not thou also one of this mans Disciples Hee saide I am not verse 18 And the seruants and officers stood there who had made a fire of coles for it was colde and they warmed themselues And Peter also stood among them and warmed himselfe WEE haue heard Brethren the first part of the suffering of Christ vvhich vvas in the Garden by the Brooke Cedron into the vvhich the Lord as he vvas accustomed entered vvith His Disciples In this Garden after that a coÌmuning passed betwixt Him and them that came to take Him the Lord Iesus is taken and bound This is that outward suffering in the Garden besides the inward agonie in the soule vvith the vvrath of the Father for our sinnes vvhich Hee did beare Nowe Brethren to passe by all thinges vvhich vvee haue alreadie spoken vvee enter into the second part of His suffering vvhich vvas in the Hall of the High Priest Caiaphas It is saide vvhen Hee is taken and bound they leade Him away first to the house of Annas who was father-in-law to Caiaphas who was high Priest for that yeere The rest of the Euangelistes before they come to his part they report some thinges done before and namely they make mention of a gentle reproofe which the Lord gaue to these that tooke Him handled Him so roughly being the justest man in the world He saies What needeth all this that ye should come out against me as a thiefe and an enemie Might yee not haue had me daylie whilest I was teaching in your Temple in Hierusalem for I auowed my doctrine before the world Then He aduiseth Himselfe and saies Whereto shoulde I speake this this is your houre and this is the time that the Father hath granted to you to worke the worke of darknesse for a time and as the Lord hath ordained so it must be But say what He would say the miserable creatures are so blinded that they goe on furiously against the Lord. Another thing likewise they report In the meane time that they were binding the Lord the disciples are scattered and fled Another thing also Marke 14.51.52 whilest they were leading Him to Hierusalem there followed a young man clothed with linnen vpon his bare bodie and certaine of the young men followed him and sought to haue caught him but hee left his linnen cloth and fledde from them naked This seemeth to haue bene one who in the night being in his bâd and hearing a noyse and a dinne commeth hastily to see what it was Ye see here the insolencie of these men who will run vpon the Lord they will take all the worlde if they might they spare none Now to come to our matter They leade the Lord Iesus to Hierusalem they bring Him first to the house of Annas because perchance it was the first house in the way that they came to that was an house of estimation and again because Annas was father-in-law to Caiaphas who was High Priest that yeere they woulde gratifie him to see this miserable spectacle for he was a wicked man Woe is them that delite to see the bands of Iesus Christ They led Him before y e world to an open spectacle after they had once caught Him In these words to speake this by the way ye may marke perceiue a great corruption at this time in the Church of y e Iewes for before the comming of Christ immediatly all the estates of Churches and commoÌ weales were confused troubled and the estate of y e High Priest being a most notable estate among them was corrupted By y e law of God it was appointed that only one High Priest should bee at once he all his dayes should brooke it yet such was y e corruptioÌ then that they chose moe high priests together euery one of these serued their course about in the office this was y t yere that Caiaphas serued but it had bene better for him he had neuer serued for in his time y e moste mischieuous fact was done that euer was in the world to wit y e crucifying of Iesus Christ y e God of glory So it was not for his good y e he serued I might tell you moe corruptions in the hie priesthood amoÌg theÌ the high priest was wont to be choseÌ by the people by the mouth of God this power was takeÌ froÌ them giueÌ to Ethnick princes presidents that ruled the people they chose theÌ And theÌ the high priests were wont to be choseÌ of the tribe of Leui posterity of Aaron only but then any man was takeÌ in by bribery it was bought sold wheÌ they would shoot in one they would shoot out another this was the coÌfusioÌ of the hie priests estate immediatly before Christ came There is nothing mentioned what vvas done vvith Iesus in the house of Annas they tooke Him in here to driue ouer a piece of time till Caiaphas should gather his couÌsell before vvhoÌ Iesus vvas to be accused it appeares here that there He vvas bound more straitly than before Annas sends Him to Caiaphas his son-in-law straiter bound than He vvas in the garden It is marked vvhat Caiaphas was not to his praise but to his shame This Caiaphas was he that gaue counsell that one should die for the people ye heard of this in the 11. Chap. and 49. vers This vvas both a prophesie and a counsell When the Scribes Pharises vvere in doubt vvhat to doe vvith Christ hee saies It is expedient that one should die for the people In giuing counsell the Lord guides the foule tongue of him as He did Balaams tongue for vvhen Balaam vvas purposed to curse Gods people the Lord made him to blesse them Euen so the Lord vsed the tongue of Caiaphas hee shall neuer haue commendation of that prophesie hee was seeking the blood of Iesus Christ yet the Lord ruled the tongue of him to prophesie of that which came to passe But whereto is this repeated here that Caiaphas gaue them counsell These words are not in vaine Iohn would let vs see by this description that they who tooke the Lord they brought Him to the greatest enemy He had to him that gaue couÌsell that He shuld die all meÌ would haue their counsels
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 Ecclesiâsticall 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 coÌflict 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 couÌcell 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 judgemeÌt 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 EuaÌgelists note that they begin to suborne false witnes but they get no vantage that way neither for they caÌnot 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 haÌd 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 coÌcluded y t the Lord was worthy of death so the couÌcel 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 patieÌce He spake nothing He made no more resistaÌce than a silly laÌbe 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 argumeÌt of this hereafter shall the son of man sit at the right haÌd 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 judgemeÌt Hall to him to execute y t sentence they had
might giue out the sentence Yet there is some accusation heere that he is an euill doer Is that sufficient vvhen a man is deliuered to the Iudge to say This man is an euill man No hee must qualifie it in particular wherein he is euill and hath failed if they had found anie they woulde not haue passed by it in their owne judgement seate they coulde get nothing to say against Him Nowe when they came to the judgement of Pilate and striuing to accuse Him they can saye nothing but in generall This is an euill man Then this I marke thorow this whole processe that the Lord will alwayes haue these two thinges to bee seene manifestly First the innocencie of Christ for looke the whole processe yea when He is slaine dead vpon the Crosse His very enemies themselues are constrained to testifie that He is an innocent man as the Centurion did The next is the wrongfull dealing of the Iewes against their consciences Now Brethren as it was in this matter of Iesus Christ so it hath beene since in all the Martyrs The Lord hath made both the innocencie of the Martyrs to appeare clearly and also He hath made the crueltie and tyrannie of their enemies to appeare Reade the bookes of the Martyrs and yee shall finde these two So Brethren it is well for them that will suffer for a good cause and chiefely for the cause of Iesus Christ yea although it were but in this That the Lord will haue their innocencie appearing What and if all the worlde condemne thee so the Lord Iesus justifie thee for albeit thou die yet thine innocencie dieth neuer And this is our comfort indeede that albeit this bodie shoulde bee burnt yet the daye shall come that our innocencie shall appeare for at the glorious comming of the Lord Iesus thou and thine innocencie shall stand vp to shame the Tyrants of the world Thus for their answere Pilate sayes againe Yee haue a lawe take and iudge Him after your lawe Albeit Pilate seeme to speake these thinges tauntingly to mocke the Iewes speaking one thing and thinking another to represse their pride yet the Text following testifies that he spake it in earnestnesse as he would say Before that I should condemne any man this way without an accusation for your pleasure I had rather renounce of my right and permit judgement to you condemne and doe as ye will Well then it is to be marked I see here that ere Pilate had judged the Lord wrangously he had rather haue giuen ouer his right and the judgement of Capitall crimes and well had it bene for Pilate if he had stood to this sentence and it had bene better that he had giuen ouer his right that the Romanes had albeit that hee should haue immediatly beene taken and hanged by the Emperour for it Alas the miserable man lost himselfe by the malitiousnesse of the Iewes yet albeit he be an Ethnicke hee is a man of better conscience than the Jewes were The light of a naturall conscience in this Pilate surpasses all the knowledge of the Iewes And the Lord at this time did set vp that light of Pilates on a Skaffolde as a lanterne and light to condemne these Iewes that had no coÌscience The very words of Pilate are a lanterne to let the Iewes see that they had no conscience God in his wisdome from time to time vses to doe so Hee will make the Paganes to stand vp like light to shame the professours of the Gospell whose conscience is as it were burnt vp with a hote irone Is it not a great shame to thee when the Lord will raise him vp to be a light vnto thee who should bee a light to him and as in this worlde Hee will make men without God to stand before the Professours in this world to shame them So in the world to come He will raise them vp to shame and to condemne them Sodome and Gomorrha shall rise vp to the judgement of many in this age who professe Christ Yee shall see howe Pilate although he was a very euill man yet hee pities the Lord Iesus wil not for their importunity coÌsent to his death They say It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death They require not that power to bee giuen them that the Romanes had for fourtie yeere before the destruction of the towne and Temple of Ierusalem they lost all authoritie to judge on Capitall crimes they spake truely And heere they would appeare to gratifie Pilate when they would acknowledge him to judge in capitall crimes but in effect they take the power of a judge from Pilate when vpon their sentence onely without accusation triall or verdict they will haue him to condemne Christ But better had it beene a thousand times for Pilate that they had taken that power to themselues for they inuolued the man in their guiltinesse by condemning Christ Iesus And I say more it had bene better for the Priestes that they had taken the whole judgement vnto themselues because that blood of Pilate lies vpon them This is a true thing the moc thou drawest to communicate with thy sinne thy damnation shall be the greater It were better for the Princes of this worlde who are like as many slaues to the Pope the Emperour the King of Spaine c. to renounce all the right they haue of judgement to the Pope when he and his crue haue condemned on innocent of Heresie to execute him rather than to be the Popes Burrio It had bene better for Sigismundus the Emperour that hee had resigned all authoritie to the Pope in burning Iohn Husse and Ierome of La Prage than breaking promise and oath to haue executed the Popes malice vpon them it had beene better he had neuer seene that councell and one daye the Princes of the earth shall curse the time that euer they were executers to the Pope And it were good for the Pope also that hee inuolued not these Princes in the same guiltinesse for their blood lies vpon him Would God their eyes could bee opened to see that deceiuer To returne againe It is not they that must condemne the Lord no but it must be Pilate hee must doe all that they may bee cleane and when the Lord is slaine are they cleane no Brethren let Pilate condemne Him and put Him to execution yet the Priestes and the Iewes are greater murtherers of Iesus Christ than Pilate was indeed Pilate hath his part in that woefull action woe vnto him that euer he medled with it and now hee findeth that hee hath his part therein But those High Priests those Iewes are the greatest murtherers of Iesus Christ Ye know the Papistes vse to say when a man is put to death It is not we y t slay the man it is the ciuill sword of the secular power Who burnt Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage but the Emperour The Pope is holy and his handes are cleane and these sinnes
hurt him not which are done by the hands of the Emperour Who executes them in the Inquisition The Kinges the Popes holy haÌds 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 BrethreÌ 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
to the purpose for they answere presumptuously If he had not bene an euill doer we had not brought him vnto thee The thing they delate is very generall it is a sober inditement to say He is an euill man that must be qualified and Pilate thinkes this of no valour and castes it off at the last after many words he throwes another accusatioÌ out of the Iewes the accusation is this as may be gathered of the Text he calles Him a king and king of the Iewes and an enemie to Caesar who would reaue the kingdome from him and a traitor and guiltie against the Majesty of Caesar The rest of the Euangelists haue this accusation more plainelie and at greater length The Iewes say Luke 23.2 Wee haue founde this man peruerting the people and forbidding the people to paye tribute to Caesar saying he is Christ and king So howbeit in this Gospell of Iohn is not mentioned that the Jewes gaue vp this poinct of accusatioÌ but that Pilate inquires whether Hee was a king or no It is manifest that they were delators of Christ to Pilate and Pilate knewe not this of his own head as the Text following declares Let vs examine this more deepely The Iewes that persecuted Him they delate Him not before Pilate for blasphemie they had adjudged Him alreadie worthy of death in their owne councell for blasphemie but when it coÌmeth to the Romane judge Hee is deleated of treason against the Emperour This is a piece of craft and of the wisedome of the childreÌ of this world they knew the judge to be a profane man who couÌted of religion but as of a trisle and knew that hee was deputie to Caesar and that hee woulde bee loath to see Caesars hurt therfore they applie well their accusation to the honour of the man and delates Iesus as one who had committed treason against Caesar Yee shall then note heere a piece of craft in this their doing Yet consider it more deepely The thing that they deleate to Pilate of Iesus was a lie for Iesus was so farre from that to accept a kingdome in this world that when the people assembled to make Him a King Hee conuayed Himselfe secretlie awaye to the Wildernesse IOHN CHAP. VI. and vvhereas they saye that Hee forbade to paye tribute vnto Caesar that was false also for Hee payed tribute vnto Caesar for Him and Peter and gaue commaundement to giue vnto Caesar that which was Caesars So this poinct of accusation is nothing else but a calumnie and a false accusation Yet let vs looke something further heere The IEWES woulde seeme to bee carefull for CAESARS kingdome and take delite to haue CAESAR to reigne ouer them but indeed CAESAR was the only man in the world that they loued worst and hated most and the thing that mooued them to giue vp this accusation vvas an hatred they had against Christ They flatter the Iudge and as they are craftie in their accusation so they are flatterers and all to get the innocent blood shed they haue an euill action in hand yea the worst that euer man had and so they care not by what euill meanes craft calumnie or flatterie they bring their purpose to passe If thou once takest purpose to doe an euill turne thou wilt not care by what vnlawfull doing thou bringest it to passe to speake the truth if once a man take an euill action in hand then he will of necessity be compelled to follow out euil meanes for an euill turne cannot be done but by euill meanes If a man once set his minde to pursue innocent blood of force he must vse flattery calumnies and euill meanes Therefore as ye would eschewe euill doing eschewe euill purposes for thou wilt not care to get thy purpose by all vnlawfull things Now to come to Pilates part when hee hath gotten this inditemeÌt he enters into the CoÌmon Hall calles on Iesus saies Art thou the king of the Iewes no doubt they thought that they hauing accused Him so that Pilate should not haue looked on Him but incontinent should haue giuen out the doome for treason against great Caesar was no small matter yet Pilate was so farre from that that he speakes not a rough word to Him hee saies not What traitor art thou seeking the empire of Caesar but modestly Art thou the king of the Iewes A faire example of modesty and equity to be in such a man a profane Ethnick Christian Iudges may learne at Pilate vvhat modestie and equitie they should vse in judgement This telles vs plainly that the mind of Pilate vvas voyde of such affectioÌs as makes Iudges to peruert judgement hee shewes hee vvas voyde of hatred hee carried no hatred against Christ neither sought hee His blood the man is euill abused by the High Priestes and the Iewes he doeth all his endeauour to get Iesus absolued Looke this vvhole discourse So Pilates minde is voyde of these affections of hatred desire of reuenge and seeking of innocent blood for Brethren vve know it is these affections that peruerts judgement The judge vvho hates and enuies the person accused he vvill haue him slaine though he vvere as innocent as Iesus Christ Himselfe Therefore let Iudges learne this lesson To bee voyde of hatred in judgement I suppose the man be the vvickedest in the vvorld yet seeke not the destruction of the creature but hate his crime looke that thine affections slaye not the man but looke that justice slaye him for if thou seekest the blood of the man thou shalt bee guiltie of his blood in the latter day The Lord answereth and He answereth not at the first time to the point but first He sayes to Pilate Askest thou that of thy selfe Is that crime that thou layest to my charge of thine owne head Or hath any other tolde it thee There is the meaning So ye see before the Lord will answere Hee will vnderstand who is the inuenter of this accusation Well Brethren I see this through all this Historie that the Lord will haue euery mans part knowne in the action He will know who is the delator and who giues out the verdict He wil haue Herodes part Pilates part the Iewes part Caiaphas part all their parts distinctly knowne what each man doeth the Lord hath a great eye to this action as it were the greatest in the world and when all is tried ye shall see that the burthen is laide vpon the Iewes and especially vpon the Clergie to speake it so Pilate had his part Herode had his part and both were guilty of the blood of Iesus Christ but the sinne of Pilate is laid vpon the Jewes of his blood they are guiltie So Pilate this day may curse the Iewes that euer hee was gouernour of Iudea Let the Papistes say what they will and extenuate their martyring of the Saintes and say that it was the ciuile sworde that slew them I affirme in the presence of God that the whole blood of the
is trueth And when he had said that hee went out againe vnto the Iewes and said vnto them I finde in him no cause at all verse 39 But you haue a custome that I should deliuer you one loose at the Passeouer will yee then that I loose vnto you the King of the Iewes verse 40 Then cryed they all againe saying Not him but Barabbas nowe this Barabbas was a murtherer WEE heard these dayes past Brethren of the suffering of the Lord First in the Garden Next vnder Caiaphas the High Priest for the time and then vvee entered into the thirde part of His suffering vnder Pontius Pilate the Romane gouernour who abode in Hierusalem for the time We heard the accusatioÌ that the Hie Priests and the Iewes alledge to Pilate the judge vvhere hee sate in judgement against Iesus Christ the accusation was not blasphemous against God for when the Priests thought Him afore in their own judgement seat worthy of death but treason against the maiesty of Caesar he calles himself say they the king of the Iewes as though Christ had come into y e world to be an earthly king and to take the kingdom ouer Caesars head WheÌ Pilate had posed Christ about this after one or two answeres he findes this accusation vaine false fained And therefore Brethren first in this Text we haue read this day we haue the purgatioÌ of Iesus and y t out of Pilates own mouth Next howe hee seekes by all meanes to get Him out of the Iewes hands Thirdly we haue the part of the Iewes how they seeke maliciously the life of the innocent preferres Barabbas a murtherer vnto Him As to the first part it is said that Pilate went out again to the Iewes out of the Hall and professed before them all that hee found no fault in that man worthie of death Then Pilate after his inquisition finding Iesus Christ vvho vvas accused before him free of all affectation of Caesars kingdome yet finding that Hee denied not but that Hee vvas a king and that vvas that good vvitnessing that Christ gaue vnder Pontius Pilate as Paul 1. Tim. 6.13 saies but Hee vvas no king of this vvorld Then Pilate thinkes there vvas no crime in Christ Iesus as concerning the other kingdome Pilate thought it but an imagination fantasie therefore thinking that Iesus made Himselfe to be a fantasticke king and sought not Caesars kingdome from him he vvould not count Him vvorthie of death but he clenses Him Politicke and prophane hearted men in this vvorld vvho smell of nothing but of the earth and haue no sense of Heauenlie thinges if ye will but leaue them the thinges of this worlde as Caesars kingdome the glory the honour the riches and the pleasures of this worlde vnto them they care not what men speake of God or His kingdome or of Iesus Christ or of matters of religion howbeit that they would say that they would climbe vp to the Heauen and raue it from God they care not for it as Paul sayes The natural man countes heauenly things but foolishnes speake to them of heauenly things all is but imagination Heauen is as dreame to them Lysias the chiefe Captaine who was in Jerusalem after this man vnder the Gouernour Felix when Paul was persecuted in Ierusalem ye remember what he wrote to Felix They accuse him of trifles and of questions of their law but I finde no thing in the man worthie either of death or of bands Acts 23.29 Wordly men countes it not a crime or a thing worthie of punishment to derogate from Gods glorie Well let men spend their time one day they shall feele it to their griefe that religion is the most earnest excellent thing that euer was and they shall curse the time that euer they esteemed any thing excellent but religion Yet this is commendable in Pilate that he giues so faire a testimonie of Iesus a Ethnicke who had no knowledge of God nor sense of the life to come to stand vp in y e face of them who should haue knowne Iesus Christ to purge the innocent might haue made the High Priests the Iewes ashamed Yet will ye marke this more narrowly albeit his purgation bee faire yet hee faileth farre for in purgation he vttereth a prophane heart whilst he purges Him in words he scorneth Him in his heart condemneth that Kingdome of His that trueth whereof He spake as a fable Prophane men who haue no part of sanctification wheÌ they speake fairest and when they seeme to doe best they doe nothing but sinne Why because in the meane time when they speeke fairest their heart is full of vanitie in their heart they scorne God Albeit thou standest vp speakest much for the defence of Christ seemest to be angrie at the Iewes as Pilate did if in the meane time thine heart beleeue not in that Iesus thou art but a scorner all thy speach serueth for no purpose to thee if thou beleeuest not therefore in speaking of Heauen of religioÌ of Iesus Christ we should take heede to the heart y t it be sanctified remember y t while the mouth speakes God sees the heart wheÌ thou speakest of that Name of Iesus Christ let tihne heart grippe into Him so thy speach shal be edifying and gratious Now when he hath cleansed Him by word thereafter by deede he seekes to get him loose And it is subjoyned that Pilate sayes Ye haue a custome that I should deliuer you a prisoner loose at the Passeouer Will ye that I let loose the King of the Iewes The rest of the Euangelists Matthew 27.12 Marke 15.3 Luke 23. setteth downe another accusation that past in order before this immediatly which I shal touch shortly the High Priests seeing that they obtained nothing by the first accusation wherein they accuse Him of treason against Caesar yet they will not leaue off but delates to Pilate many things and heapes calumnie vpon calumnie and oppresses Him with accusations as for Iesus Hee made none answere Pilate seeing this he vrges Him once twise to speake He will not speake Pilate wondereth at his great silence the High Priests insist at last they accuse Him of false doctrine which He had vttered from Galile vnto Hierusalem When Pilate vnderstood that He was a Galilean he sendes Him to Herode who was Tetrarch of Galile thinking to gratifie Herode that beeing at variance friendship should haue beene made Herode rejoyced at his comming and hoped that hee should haue seene some wonders of Him for both Pilate and Herode thought to make a Iugler of Iesus but Herode gets not one word of Him much lesse a signe or a wonder then Herode beginnes to mocke Him puttes on a garment on Him in token of derision and sends Him to Pilate then Pilate the second time with his owne voyce cleanses Him Some will maruell what moued Iesus to keepe such a silence to them all
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 slâp 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 mâtter 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 ExaÌple 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 traÌsgressing 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
vpon Him as guiltie in vs and for our cause and let vs giue Him thankes and praise continuallie because Hee hath giuen His onelie Sonne for vs and Hee hath made Him sinne for vs and Hee hath made Him subject to all shame ignominie dolour and paine both of bodie and soule for our sakes To Him therefore with the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all Praise Honour Power and Glorie for euer and euer Amen THE EIGHT LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XIX verse 1 THEN Pilate tooke IESVS and scourged him verse 2 And the Souldiers platted a Crowne of Thornes and put it on his head and they put on him a purple garment verse 3 And said Haile King of the Iewes And they smote him with their roddes verse 4 Then Pilate went foorth againe and said vnto them Beholde I bring him foorth to you that yee may know that I find no fault in him at all verse 5 Then came IESVS foorth wearing a Crowne of Thornes and a purple garment And Pilate said vnto them Beholde the man verse 6 Then when the high Priestes and officers sawe him they cryed saying Crucifie him crucifie him Pilate saide vnto them Take yee him and crucifie him for I finde no fault in him NOwe Brethren wee insist further in the suffering of CHRIST vnder Pontius Pilate the Romane Gouernour who abode in Hierusalem Wee haue hearde of two accusations that were laid against the innocent Iesus Christ The first was that Hee called Himselfe The king of the Iewes so was guilty of treason against Caesar Yee hearde the effect of this accusation to bee nothing and therefore hee goes foorth and with his voyce before them all purgeth the innocent In the next accusation there were many things laide to His charge and this chiefely that He had corrupted the whole Countrey from Galilee to Hierusalem with false doctrine Nowe when this was tryed Pilate yet holdes Him innocent in testifying His innocencie and therefore hee seekes yet to gette Him set at libertie out of the handes of the Iewes and considering that the Iewes at the Passeouer were accustomed to seeke the liberty of a prisoner who was guiltie of a capitall crime hee vses this oportunitie and askes of them vvhether they vvould haue IESVS or Barabbas set at libertie Wee hearde the answere to this proposition to vvit they crie they vvill not haue Him deliuered but Barabbas Nowe the other Euangelistes doe insist more largelie in this purpose and vvrite more of it and they report that Pilate when hee hearde this worde hee asketh What shall I doe with Iesus They crie all with one voyce Crucifie him Pilate the third time hearing this hee cleanses the innocent Yet they report more that whilest Pilate vvas sitting in judgement there commeth a messenger from his vvife and saies Haue nothing adoe with this innocent man Why for I haue beene troubled for Him in my sleepe This is an aduertisement sharpe enough vnto him and the LORD vvanted not His owne vvorke therein for the LORD brought this to passe partlie in respect of IESVS CHRIST that His innocencie might clearelie appeare before the vvorlde and that Hee might receaue a testimonie of His innocencie from them vvho had little regarde vnto it for had not Iesus beene innocent vvee had beene little the better of Him for Hee coulde not haue justified vs for ere our faith rest on Him vvee must haue the full assurance of His innocencie partly in respect of Pilate that hee should be conuerted or made vnexcusable if hee would goe forward The working of the Lord is wonderfull in the reprobate for ere that decree of their reprobation bee put in execution the Lord assaies to bring them to repentance Rom. 9.22 He suffers with a long suffering the vessels of wrath Rom. 2.4 Hee inuites the reprobate to repentance Yea ere Hee put them in Hell Hee will inuite them to Heauen There is not a reprobate that perishes in the justice of God but ere Hee vtter His justice towards them Hee will vtter His mercie in warning them to repent We come Brethren to our Text He followes out the suffering in these words which we haue read He telles vs how earnestly Pilate seekes the libertie of Iesus and he lets vs see the meanes that Pilate vses to set Iesus at libertie first he takes Him out and scourges Him puts Him out to be mocked thinking that this would satisfie the Iewes and then the fourth time hee professes His innocencie Then he bringes Him out to them with a crowne of thornes and a purple garment thinking that he should haue contented and moued the Iewes to pittie but all was in vaine It is said Pilate tooke IESVS and scourged him and not content with this commanded His souldiers to put a crowne of thornes vpon His head and a purple garment on Him to scorne the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and then smiteth Him with roddes Ye see the Lord suffers mocking paine in bodie the Lord of glorie is put to ignominie consider well let it neuer goe out of thy minde that the Lord of Glorie suffered such shame for thy cause But to examine this fact of Pilates this is commendable that he speakes so to get the innocent Iesus set at libertie but in the meane that he vseth he failes very farre Yee shall marke this in prophane and vngodly men that one of these two things falles out if not both Either they shall not take in hand a good and godly purpose or els if any time it falles out that they enterprise any good deede that they shall chuse vngodly vnlawfull meanes to affectuate it they shall doe euill that good may come of it Cast your eyes vpon this Land ye shall see this to be true Yet let vs search vp the ground of this proceeding of Pilate It cannot bee denied but that he hath a good purpose and deed in hand but it is as true againe that as he hath a good deed in hand hee lookes not vpon it with an vpright eye hee hath not God nor his Glorie before his eyes for his conscience rather than any regard to Gods Glorie or His will mooued him to purpose to loose Him Thou must not propone only to doe good but also thou must propone it for Gods cause and for His glorie Pilate hauing no respect to God goes astray and out of the way This is certaine Brethren if the purpose were neuer so good and if thou haue not the Glorie of God before thine eyes thou shalt wauer but by the contrarie that man that hath respect vnto the Lord he shall not readily wauer but the Glorie of God shall glance before him as a lanterne into his way vntill hee prosecute that deede Blessed is he that hath the Glorie of God before him there is no light to bring vs thorow this thornie way but only the Glory of our God Next I see in this fact in following out the means that hee
be the grouÌd of obedieÌce vvheÌ I see the image of God in him wheÌ I see him armed vvith y e power of God I ought to obey him for the conscience of God Then a game marke in Iesus Christ vvhen Pilate the earthly Iudge hath to doe vvith Him Hee lookes not so much to Pilate as to His Father Iesus Christ all this time when He is pulled here and there sets not His eye so much vpon men as vpon His Father and vpon His prouidence This teaches a lesson vnto all men but chiefely to them vvho fall into the handes of men of authoritie and power They ought not so much to set their eyes vppon this or that man as vpon God and acknowledge albeit it were in the middest of all torments it is not man that deales vvith me it is not so much any person deales with me as it is my God The King hath not an hand to moue or a word to speake against me if my God giue it not to him he who is in the handes of men and lookes not to this is worse than a beast This is a chiefe point whereby thou glorifiest God to acknowledge His prouidence in suffering or in torment none can haue consolation but hee who seeth this there is the matter of consolation and patience in torments to see that when hee is in the hands of a Tyrant hee is in the handes of a mercifulll Father and to say Albeit these torments bee sore and grieuous and albeit men deale with mee it is my Father that deales with mee in mercie Let thee bee torne and rent yet acknowledge this thou shalt finde joy that shall exceede all thy torments Looke to the Martyres So Brethren it is no small comfort to a man for to set his eyes alwayes vpon God and especially when hee is into the handes of a Iudge or Tyrant Nowe thus farre the Lord hath giuen an answere to Pilate and hath challenged the glorie of that Majestie Would to God we could learne that lesson to defend the glorie of God which is blasphemed in this world Come to the other part it is in respect of the High Priestes they were the instruments of God working by his prouidence to put Christ in his handes Pilate thou gloriest ouer me but woe is to them who haue put mee into thine hands Woe is to them who put an innocent man in the handes of a Tyrant Marke this There is nothing spoken of Pilate that hee sinned albeit hee sinned but Hee speakes of the sinnes of the Iewes and of the High Priestes this lets vs see that albeit Pilate sinned yet they sinned more and their damnation is greater than his hee that beginnes mischiefe the wrath of God shall especially ouertake him and if there were no more but the example of Iudas it may tell vs this that Iudas was the first that beganne this worke Iudas put Him first in the handes of the High Priest On whome strikes the wrath first What befell to Iudas Whilst the Lord Iesus is so handled the traitour Iudas is put to the torture and the Lord rents the soule of him in pieces the miserable Catiue to be free of that torture he hangs himselfe Did the wrath of God light first vpon Iudas who was the first traitour the wrath of God lightes first vpon the traitours yet the Jewes are sleeping they thought they were free of judgement but still the wrath prosecutes them to induration Thinke yee that these traitours are free of wrath No no the dolour and vengeance in its owne time shall ouertake them and they shall not haue a worde to speake The Papistes when they haue caught a Christian who confesseth Iesus Christ when they haue tryed Him they will put Him into the handes of the Emperour or King of Spaine they will washe their handes as cleane of the blood of the innocent and who tooke his life but the King of Spaine O! but the wrath of GOD persecutes them and all the blood of the innocent lies vpon them because they deliuered them into their handes to bee tormented by them The judgement of that Antichrist and of that accursed crue shall bee heauier than the judgement of the Kinges who execute their malice I denounce this IN THE NAME OF GOD and therefore let euery man and woman beware that they be not partakers in the murther of the innocent yea if the Hangman knowe that hee is innocent albeit hee thinkes howsoeuer the matter goes he is free let him not touch him Reade yee not in the Historie of the three Children Sidrach Mesach and Abednego who being taken and casten into the hote fierie fornace at the commaundement of Nebuchadnezar the King that the men that cast them into the fornace were slaine with the flame of the fire Yea if it were but in a thought take heede thou consent not to the death of the innocent Nowe to ende in a worde Yee see heere when Iesus speakes of His Father and of His doinges Hee blames Him not but Hee speakes in all submission of Him but when Hee speakes of the Iewes who were instruments of this worke of God Hee rebukes them shamefullie and imputes sinne vnto them This is a wonder and yet it is the worke of God and they are instrumentes ruled by God yet the Lord is Holy and they are vnholy and wicked Act. chap. 2. vers 23. They crucified Him with wicked haâdes now the Lord was cleane and the Iewes handes were vnholie Howe was this The cause was because in all this doing there was not such a thing as that anie of these wicked instrumentes looked vnto God they are satisfying the affection of their heartes and drinking vp the innocent blood maliciously Marke this Whatsoeuer thou doest in this worlde whether thou goest out or in eatest or drinkest set alwayes thine eyes vpon the Lord and doe it all to His pleasure and saye vvith thy selfe I doe this to pleasure and to glorifie thee O Lord And I aduertise thee that albeit thou doest anie thing agreeable in it selfe to the vvill of GOD yet if thine heart bee not set vpon GOD in the doing that vvorke is vnholie in thine hand There is nothing to sanctifie thy soule if thine eye be not set vpon GOD for vvhen the eye of the soule is set vpon the LORD there commeth light downe from Him that sanctifieth the heart And this is it in a vvorde that I vvoulde saye Bee neuer at the ende of an euill thing if thy conscience tell thee in thine eare that thou art at an euill turne doe it not I appeale you when yee doe anie thing in secret if your conscience vvill not saye O catiue that vvhich thou doest vvill bring thee to destruction Manie men in this Lande thinke themselues neuer vvell but vvhen they are at an euill turne But I forewarne thee as thou vvouldest bee safe and finde mercie at that Great day to holde thine handes cleane from all euill turnes and chiefelie from
the conscience So I cannot passe by this but in these wordes I must marke the striuing of the poore conscience albeit it be once dumbe yet it will come againe say O miserable man thou art gone too farre in this euill action repent As the naturall conscience is a continuall torture so it wil cleaue vnto him will not leaue him Brethren as the conscience is an admonisher so it cleaueth fast and no man will get it extinguished albeit the loune vvill striue to shake it off yet it vvill sticke to him and vvhisper again to him but after it be once changed from an admonisher to a tormentor vvhen thou hast tempted it if it stacke to thee before it shall sticke an hundreth times sorer and shall fasten it selfe in thy miserable soule so that if thou vvouldest hang thy selfe to escape yet the torment shall neuer die out Well shake on and contemne her shee shall come and bee the terriblest sight that euer vvas and if thou gâttest no mercie shee shall bee thine euerlasting tormentor in the Hell for euer and euer Thus farre for Pilates part Now vvee come to the Iewes They vvould haue nothing but the death of Iesus and that a most ignominious death they seeing Pilate yet striuing howbeit they had his head downe for nowe they had him at the downefall and sweruing from conscience they had him downe vvith mightier force than before and they double their temptation they speake no more modestly but for speaking they shout in his eare that he cannot heare one thing or other double the shoutings cryings Away with him away with him Crucifie him crucifie him Take heed to this if once the deuill haue gotteÌ thy head down that thou sweruest then he will come with a double force hee will cry deaffen thine head howbeit the conscience would cry to thee hee will make thee so dashed y t thou canst not heare the conscience Ye know 2. Chron. chap. 28 coÌcerning the idolaters who took their sons burnt theÌ quick in a valley neare IerusaâeÌ wheÌ the children wept they caused timbrels to sounde that they might not heare y t pitifull voyce So it is y t wheÌ the deuill hath gotteÌ thine head once down he shal make it so dumpish so dash thee with double forces that he will make thy conscience to haue no place therfore let euery man with al his maine fore resist let no teÌtation sunder thee from thy conscience for once down aye down when a man once stumbles on the head of a banke he will neuer stay til he goe ouer the mountaine close once the eare of the conscience and the deuill will deaffen thee shout so in thine eare that thou shalt not heare againe a word of thy conscience there is none of vs but wee may find this by experience Now come to Pilate wheÌ they shout cry he saies Shall I crucifie your king yet hee giues not ouer hee haâh a doubt in the heart and a strange fighting as hee would say Call ye it a well fauoured thing that I should crucifie your king this he spake somewhat scornefully halfe in jest and halfe in earnest This is a voyce of the conscience but of vveake and decaying conscience he speakes doubtfully now by an interrogation putting it in their option now the conscience is drawing its last breath after that speakes not a worde There are two voyces in the conscience one voyce that will say resolutely I will not doe euill I will not doe against my conscience for all the world that is a token of a strong conscience The other is which will saye doubtfully Shall I doe this or not that is a weake coÌscience when a man will say Shall I slay shal I strike I will say that man hath done with his conscieÌce The voyce of a strong conscience will say I will doe this if God will giue me grace and for the world I will not doe euill Come to their part againe We haue none other king but Caesar Alas woe woe to them that renounce such a King Hee and Caesar might both haue beene their king Caesar was but His lieuetennant and the wickedest men that nowe most repine against Him shall confesse Him once to bee their king Alas Caesar is casten in the poore mans teeth because he had none other God and all the care he had was to pleasure Caesar But marke the hypocrisie of the Jewes they saye they haue no king but Caesar but loued the Iewes Caesar No there was nothing y t they would fainer haue bene quite of than of him yet they pretende the authoritie of Caesar to slay the poore mans conscience to crucifie Iesus Christ This is hypocrisie they loued not y e king for they who loues not God loue not the King nor the Kirke Looke the forme of Hypocrites Papistrie is but Hypocrisie the Pope is an Hypocrite and all that rabble haters of God of Caesar and of the king they desire no king but the king of Spaine because hee is their Burrio and if hee woulde refuse to be their Hangman they would hate him as they doe others They pretend the authoritie of Caesar to slay Christ when they would haue the king slaine and they will pretend God and religion to murther the king of Fraunce Fie vpon these lownes let neuer king credite them woe shall be to him What doe our men pretend Religion Our Earles pretend Religion and Reformation What is this a pretence to destroy Religion and the King Shame and confusion shall light on all and first on them if they gette their intention The Lord giue euery man and vvoman grace to take heed that they haue no medling with such men who vnder the pretence of Religion seeke to spoyle Religion the king and the Countrey for Christs sake To whom with the Father and the Holie Spirit be all Praise Honour and Glorie both now and euermore AMEN THE TWELFTH LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTHEW CHAP. XXVII verse 24 When Pilate sawe that hee auailed nothing but that more tumult was made he tooke water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just man looke you to it verse 25 Then answered all the people and saide His blood bee on vs and on our children verse 26 Thus let he Barabbas loose vnto them and scourged IESVS and deliuered him to bee crucified IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 16 Then deliuered hee him vnto them to bee crucified And they tooke IESVS and led him away WEE haue hearde Brethren that Pilate the Romane Gouernour hath striuen verie long against the importunitie and obstinacie of the Iewes and High Priestes to get the Lord Iesus whom his coÌscience tolde him was innocent set loose and at libertie but all in vaine for they are as earnest to haue Him condemned as Pilate was to haue Him absolued At the last when they could preuaile nothing at the
hands then marke what hee sayes I am innocent of the blood of this iust man See yee to it Well is this out of his owne mouth both the speaking and doing of Pilate testifieth that Iesus was innocent he confesseth that he was going to condemne an innocent man so I see that the conscience of the innocencie of Christ neuer leaues Pilate I doubt not but hee would gladly haue wanted it It is a maruell that during all the time of the suffering of Iesus Christ the Lord will haue the innocencie of His deare Sonne to appeare in the beginning in the mids and in the ending thereof All the time of His accusation Pilate preaches His innocencie when it commeth to condemnation the Iudge both by word and deed testifies that He was innocent it is not a common person that protestes this but the Iudge himselfe then againe looke to the end of this worke when Iesus is lifted on the crosse then the Father froÌ the heauen testifies that He was innocent then the Centurion with the burrio the men of warre seeing the wonders are compelled to say this is the Sonne of God and the people seeing this goe home thumping on their breasts say alas so they had cause so the innocencie of Iesus Christ is declared all this whole time out of the mouth of the Iudge himselfe of many others What meanes all this No doubt but y e Father herein had respect to y e honour of His Son for indeede the most honourable death is to die as an innocent and if thou wouldest die honourably die not as a guiltie person but die innocently And this was to aggreadge Pilates damnation and the damnation of the Iewes But brethren there is another cause that pertaines more to vs and serues more to our comfort euen that we should haue faith in this Mediatour the Lord Iesus for except He had died as an innocent I would neuer lay my sinne on Him the thing that makes mee to beleeue that Hee hath made satisfaction is because He suffered innocently and had no sinne in Himselfe Heb. 7.26 and as Peter sayes Hee bare our sinnnes because I am perswaded He bare my sinnes vpon Him I beleeue in Him so this redounds to the comforte of the members of the Church of God Yet I see more here Pilate he hath not only the coÌscience of the innocencie of Iesus but this same very coÌscience it makes him to turne to the Iewes to summond them before that terrible tribunall See yee to it sayes he I tell you ye will giue an account of this dayes worke so this is a citation of the Jewes before that terrible tribunall and they haue found it and shall finde it No Brethren take heede thou shalt neuer want summonding let Kings and them who are in authoritie cease to summound thee let thine owne conscience neuer speake a worde to thee nor charge thee the Lord shall not let thee bee without a citation if thy conscience will not waken thee He will waken the conscience of a Turke or a Pagane and he shall charge thee to appeare before that terrible Tribunall Thou thinkest when thou sleepest and thy conscience accuses thee not that all is well no the Lord shall raise vp the conscience of a Pagane to summound thee and I say to thee albeit thou thinkest thou art at rest when thy coÌscience is sleeping wilt spend thy time thou wilt eat drinke be merrie take thy pastime yet it is one of the most heauiest judgements y t euer God laid on any then wheÌ He hath raised the conscience of another man to warne thee it is a sore warning that if thou sleepe on and repent not thou shalt be wakened that thou shalt not get leasure to say God be mercifull to mee This world knowes not what it is doing Yet marke further Notwithstanding all this conscience of y e innocencie of Iesus Alas I sâe not this that his owne conscience accuses him or sayes to him Woe to thee Pilate thou art going an euill way thou wilt make thy selfe guiltie of that innocent blood that will burthen thee euerlastingly his conscience is busier to accuse the Iewes as himselfe hee shoulde not bee so busie to accuse the Iewes as himselfe for if his conscience had accused himselfe sharply had he euer said Thus I am cleane of the blood of this just innocent one By the contrary it had vrged out another confession sentence There is nothing but damnation for me for the coÌdemning of the innocent What should haue bene the cause of this He vvas buâ a silly naturall man his conscieÌce was wrong informed concerning that thing hee thought himselfe well enough seeing he had striâeÌ so long yeelded thorow necessity All this sluggishnes of his conscieÌce came of a wrong information he knew no better The more thou knowest the better informed conscieÌce thou hast Striue ay to get knowledge Alas that blindnes that man lyes in by nature that makes thee think that sin is no sin that is deceit Striue ay to get a cleare mind a well informed conscience whereof thou should excuse thee and whereof to accuse thee Get this out of the word of God which is the only rule of our life of all our actioÌs from that light that comes from Heauen for the light of nature will beguile thee and it will say that thou art blessed when the malediction of God is vpon thee and it wil say Thou doest well when thou doest euill Therefore get that light that comes from Heauen to make thee to see This for Pilates part Now let vs come to the part of the Iewes Their part is far worse This is a great deformitie vvhen these vvho haue the Oracles of God are warned by Turkes and Paganes This is to turne the vp-side of the vvorlde downe Looke howe readie Pilate is to laye off the burthen from himselfe vpon the Iewes as readie are they to laye it both vpon their owne backes and vpon their posteritie If this exoneration of himselfe vvhen hee disburthens himselfe of the blood of Iesus testifies that hee had a conscience of His blood that vvas innocent It must followe if the Iewes vvere readie to take on this burthen then they had no sight of His innocencie neither vvere they touched therewith in conscience and therefore like blinded bodies seeing nothing vvith an imprecation they translate the burthen from Pilate and laye it vpon themselues Ignorance is euer temerarious the blinder the bodie is the more rashly vvill it endanger it selfe A blind bodie vvithout knowledge will run it selfe speedily without remorse into Hell and will take on such a burthen that it shall neuer bee able to laye it off againe What meanes all this running so speedilie in vvicked courses but that men vvant conscience and their owne corruption hath blindfolded them Is there anie man that hath light that will run on to their death to
who was the disposer of this whole worke There was nothing done but that which GOD the Father had decreed to bee done and vvhat Hee does concerning His Sonne Hee does it moste justlie for IESVS became suretie for the sinnes of the vvorlde and Hee bare the burthen not onelie of murther and theft but of all the sinnes of the Elect. And as He goes out with the two Thieues Hee bare the burthen of one of them and relieued him of his sinnes and the one of them that same night supped with Him in Paradise Therefore saye I vvhatsoeuer was the part of the Jewes or of the Souldioures yet the doing of the FATHER to the SONNE was moste just And when wee reade of this let vs blesse the FATHER of IESVS CHRIST for wee haue good cause so to doe For in this justice Hee shewes great mercie towardes vs and if Hee had not done this woefull and miserable had the estate of man beene Now I come to the place which in Hebrew is called GOLGOTHA that is a place of dead mens skulles or braine pannes This place was without the portes of the Towne of Hierusalem And no question Iesus like an vnworthie reprobate was carried out of the portes of Hierusalem to suffer and this was figured vnder the Lawe The beastes that were to be offered were carried out of the campes of the people and there vvere burnt and afterwardes their blood was carried into the Sanctuarie to bee a typicall propitiation for the sinnes of the people and the people were sprinkled therewith Euen so IESVS CHRIST that eternall Sacrifice was carried out like an out-cast out of the portes of the Towne to suffer that ignominious death that when Hee had suffered Hee might enter in with His precious blood into that Heauenlie Sanctuarie for the sinnes of the world by that eternall propitiation HEBR. CHAP. XIII VERS 11. and 12. Concerning the name of the place wherefore it is so called there is great controuersie and doubting Some thinke that it was so named because the skull or braine panne of ADAM was delued vp out of that same place where the Crosse was set and vvhere IESVS suffered But I count this but a vaine fable of the vain Papists for their LegeÌds are full of such like fables And again some thinke that it was so named because in this place were vsed to bee casten heapes of skulles and dead mens bones to bee kept which vse may bee seene in sundrie partes and this is more likely And last others thinke that it was so named in respect of the figure shape of the place It was a round knoll like a mans head rising vp and round at the height also it was high that these who were executed might be a spectacle to the people to be wondred at and therefore in respect of the shape it was called Caluarie that is the skull of a dead man and those who haue resorted to those parts they report this day that the same place is a round knolle like a dead mans skull where the Lord Iesus was crucified beside Ierusalem But how euer it be this is most certaine that this place was shamefull and ignominious and the innocent is conueyed to that place where the murtherers vsed to bee execute No doubt it was vile and stinked yet it hindred not that sweete sauour to ascend to the Father through His death and the more ignominious that the death was the glorie and triumph was the greater and the more stinking that the place was the more sweetly sauoured Hee to the Father His sacrifice had a most sweet smell in the nosthirles of the Father This is the thing that I marke I see that these Iewes who persecuted the Lord of glorie to the death cannot bee satisfied and the hatred against the innocent is endlesse They are not content that He die a shamefull death but they will haue Him to die a shamefull death in a shamefull place and they will haue Him conuoyed and led out like a thiefe No brethren the hatred of the worlde against the children of the light hath none ende they hated the Lord first The Lord Iesus is the light of the world and euer from that day the children of darknesse shall neuer cease to hate the children of light assoone so euer as a man shall professe that he appertaines to Iesus Christ at that same moment the worlde and the children of darknesse shall beginne to hate them and to persecute them As the rage of the Iewes was vnquencheable against Christ so it was after His passion and ascension against all Christians Brethren in this matter we must passe aboue the malice of the Iewes and behold the counsell of God and see that all this doing comes from Heauen for the Father doth it albeit He vse the ministerie of these Hangmen I see this He layes on shame vpon His owne Sonne and not only shame but He heapes shame vpon shame vpon Him He will first haue Him shamed in respect of the death of the Crosse then Hee will haue the world to gaze vpon Him and next in respect of the two thieues that were ledde out with Him and then in respect of the place Hee will haue Him to suffer shame in all things in presence of the world So that one would wonder that the Father would pursue the Sonne with such extremitie of wrath it is no small thing to take on the burthen of sinne O sinfull soule runne vnder sinne as thou wilt yet one day thou shalt find it the heauiest burthen that euer was If the suretie suffered such a paine and such a burthen what shall become of thee If thou by thy selfe shalt vndertake such an heauie burtheÌ of wrath for thy sins But Brethren the thing that appertaines to vs concerning the place of execution is this All this processe judgement is a type of that great terrible judgement of the world in that Great day ye shall see that visible judgement to bee like this judgement that was holden on Iesus He suffers like a reprobate and is judged and that same thing that Iesus suffered temporally when the great Iudge shall sit the reprobate shall suffer eternally Then take heede It is a terrible thing to fal into the hands of that liuing God who is a consuming fire Looke to it as yee will for whosoeuer hee be that shall not bee saued in Iesus in that day beside all the shame that they shall beare the verie place wherein they shall suffer shall adde something to their shame As their soule and bodie shall bee ignominious so the place shall be stinking the very place shall heape shame after shame let Hell bee where it will it is the most shamefull and ignominious place that euer was and thou shalt bee shamed and shent whosoeuer shall bee casten into it And by the contrarie in that Great daye of Iudgement they who shall bee saued in this IESVS as they shall be glorious manie wayes so
of His owne goods Howsoeuer they esteemed of Him yet Hee vvas innocent Next they doe Him shame in stripping Him and setting Him naked vpon the Crosse in the sight of all the worlde And last of all they despite Him and contemne Him in taking His garmentes and parting them in His owne presence vvhere He Himselfe might behold it So they did Him vvrong shame and despite But Brethren as in all other circumstances conjoyned with the Passion I looke not so much to men as to the Lord So heere I looke not so much to these executioners in parting of these garments as to that HeaueÌly Iudge His Father to His justice in this matter for whatsoeuer bee their part and howe vnjust soeuer they bee that Heauenly Father is just and that burthen of our sinne vvhich Iesus Christ tooke vpon Him deserued all this as suretie for vs Hee demerited all this Nowe to examine more narrowly euerie one of these to wit the wrong shame and despite wee shall see howe justly all is done if yee will looke to His Father and first consider the wrong done vnto Him in taking His cloathes Hee was wearied of His garments because Hee was cledde with our sinne Nowe woulde to GOD that wee could feele in mercy this weight of sinne which our Mediator did beare vpon His backe for vs for then wee woulde not runne on so wantonly as wee doe And it telles vs this That a sinner that is not in Iesus Christ vvho hath not put off sinne but yet beares the burthen of sinne hath no right to weare so much as a moste vile garment yea though it were but a bratte of a sacke to hide his shame from the sight of the worlde let bee Golde Siluer or precious rayment and if it shall fall out at any time that hee be reaued and spoyled of his cloathes let him take it to bee of the just judgement of GOD whatsoeuer bee mans part therein And though the Thieues bereaue him yet the GOD of Heauen is just in punishing of him whatsoeuer part man hath in the action Yet it telles vs more for I tell you still that this judgement of Iesus Christ is the image and figure of the latter judgement for such processe as is vsed heere shall bee vsed in the latter judgement Then I saye it telles vs that in that latter daye a reprobate and sinner vvho shall not bee founde in Iesus Christ shall bee depriued and spoyled of all the creatures made for the vse and ornament of man and there shall neuer a one of them bee left him neither shall hee haue so much a foot-breadth of earth or the meanest commoditie in the worlde yea albeit hee were a king let him haue possessions kingdomes and the whole earth now but then there shall not bee any thing in this worlde that hee shall possesse at that daye but shame in the Hell for euermore Where by the contrary they who shall bee founde in Iesus Christ shall not onelie bee cladde with incorruption and glory in Christ but also shall be put in possession of a newe Heauen and newe Earth to reigne with their Head and Lord Iesus Christ for euermore Yee see then what happinesse it is to bee founde in Iesus Christ at that Great daye O the misery of him vvho shall bee founde out of Him Nowe to come to that shame which Hee suffers on the Crosse The Father thorowe His nakednesse heerein also is just Hee vvas cledde on the Crosse with our sinnes It telles vs this that among all the punishmentes of sinne this is one to wit nakednesse to set the body naked in the sight of the worlde Yee reade in Esay 3.17 where the sinfull women are threatned for their pride that the Lord IEHOVAH shall make naked and discouer their secret parts to the world But to speake of the latter day beside all the rest of the punishments of the reprobate the nakednesse of their carcases shal be a punishment they shall rise with foule bodies whereas the Elect shall rise with glorified bodies and the reprobate shall stand vp in the sight of all men Angels with naked bodies that their shame may be seene they shall crie to hide their shame on the mountaines to couer them and on the hilles to fall on them Now last to speake of that despite that Hee suffered They parte His garmentes before Him in despite of Him They goe not to a backside to deale them Looke to Gods dealing heere this is a just thing with God that hee who is a sinner and who in contempt and despite of God hath sinned that he be contemned againe and suffer despite openlie And Christ among all other punishmeÌts bare this punishment of contempt vpon the Crosse Then if contempt be done vnto thee who art a sinner not in Iesus Christ not cledde with His justice in respect of God it is due justice if thy goods be taken and pulled from thee before thine eyes if thy sonnes bee slaine in despite of thee or thy virgins destored thy selfe looking on take it for the just judgement of God In the latter daye beside all the punishmentes that shall fall vpon a reprobate despite shall be done to them If it were but this that the persons whome they disdained contemned and spitted vpon shall bee glorified in despite of them So to ende this This teaches vs howe good a thing it is to bee in Iesus Christ and howe blessed that bodie shall bee vvho is founde in Him And as for thee who art out of Iesus Christ woe shall be to thee suppose thou were an Emperour Nowe to goe forwarde After the Hang-man and after their despite followes the part of the people vvho gazed on Him they beginne and wagge their heads Dauid foretelles of that in the 22. Psalme vers 7. They had mee in derision and made a mowe and nodde their heads and they said Is this the man who saide hee would destroy the glorious Temple of Hierusalem and builde it after in three dayes Come downe from the Crosse and saue thy selfe They mistooke the LORD for the LORD vnderstood of the Temple of His bodie which after three dayes by His glorious resurrection hee should reedifie and builde vp againe so the opprobrie that they cast vp to Him is this He was wount to say He would cast downe the Temple and builde it vp againe in three dayes But this is a thing impossible and their ground they take from His present infirme estate that inhabilitie He was in on the Crosse So they gather of that Seeing He could not free Himselfe that the other was impossible Before I marke or obserue any thing on this place I shall followe out the scoffing rayling and mocking of others After the people came in the Princes of the people as High Priestes Scribes Pharises Elders and Rulers and they raile on Him saying This man tooke on Him the Name of CHRIST let vs see if He can saue Himselfe As
it is impossible that that body can attaine to glory They thinke him as an out-cast and will scorne his profession They will saye Are these your Christians of all men they are the moste miserable if that be the waye to Heauen I will renounce to goe that way this is rather the waye to goe to Hell This is the voyce of the worlde And the cause is because miserable catiues know not what sinne is which at that time behooued to bee purged by the Crosse for the justice and Majestie of GOD beeing offended required that it shoulde bee so and nowe in vs sinne thorowe manifolde crosses and afflictions must bee mortified Let the vvorlde thinke and speake as it pleases the onely waye whereby thou shalt come to life is suffering and affliction and thou must thinke this that wee must bee racked thorowe Hell ere wee come to Heauen Our redemption is wrought by the Crosse thou shalt not come to Heauen but by the Crosse The ground of all is sinne But alas the world sees it not The word will teach thee that there is no other vvay to come to Heauen but by affliction and it will thee that if thou bee not purged and changed by trouble and affliction thou shalt neuer see Heauen Alas that wee coulde once grone vnder sinne And blessed is the soule that hath a sight of the weight of sinne and vvoe to that soule that hath no sight of sinne To goe forwarde I see in this Thiefe vvho rayles on Christ some speciall thing hee hath a particular of his owne hee is in torment and therefore hee saies Jf thou bee that CHRIST saue thy selfe and vs. Brethren a torment vvhatsoeuer it bee if it bee not the better sanctified it vvill mooue the creature to fall out in blasphemie thou vvilt blaspheme both in heart and mouth and thou vvilt saye that there is no power in GOD to saue thee And the Thiefe in effect saide this There is no power in thee to saue mee I renounce thee as a Sauiour and if thou confesse His power thou wilt denie His mercie and vvilt saye GOD is but a Tyrant And if thou vvilt saye Hee is mercifull bee mercifull to vvhome Hee vvill Hee cannot bee mercifull vnto mee This last distrusting of mercie to thy selfe is a great sinne And that to saye altogether that there is no mercie in GOD it is a plaine blasphemie And last to saye there is no power in GOD it is to denie GOD to bee GOD For howe can Hee bee GOD if Hee vvant power So I thinke that this catiue hath beene a great blasphemer of that Majestie and vvhen I looke on it I see in him the image of the death of the reprobate vvhen they are dying and changing this life The Lord giue vs grace to die well The reprobate shall thinke that in their doing God hath no power to saue them for of all men in the worlde the reprobate is the most Ioath to die for either they shall thinke that God is not mercifull at all or else at least that there is no mercie in Him for them and so the miserable creature will turne his backe on GOD and immediately shall cast himselfe into Hell and damnation Wee reade of Sidrach Mesach and Abednego that they were so farre from this blasphemie that when the Tyrant falles out in blasphemie they meete him and saye Our GOD is Almightie and Hee hath power to deliuer vs if Hee please Neuer come thou to despaire though thou shouldest die tenne thousande deathes but sleepe in His bosome hang on Him and saue His honour and thinke not that which maye derogate His honour and saye Though thou shouldest slaye mee LORD yet will I trust in thee and so die sweetlie resting in His armes Well I see this hath beene a miserable bodie and hath died miserablie blaspheming the God of Glorie and this is euen as the reprobate shall doe at the latter Iudgement And yet when I compare him with the Pharises and Priests I find their blasphemie greater than his Well shall it bee to the Thiefe in respect of them for they had knowledge and hee wanted Who shoulde haue had knowledge but they They had no torment hee had sore torment What neede had they to blaspheme Therefore their condemnation shall bee greater than his And vvhen I compare this blasphemie of the Thiefe with the blasphemie of some men in these dayes vvho when anie crosse falles vpon them without their expectation vvill saye What can GOD doe more vnto mee so in effect denying power to bee in GOD and in IESVS CHRIST I count the blasphemie of these men to bee greater than his vvas For nowe IESVS is in Glorie and the Thiefe saw Him on the Crosse in miserie vvith himselfe If thou now blasphemest Him so it were well done that thy mouth were sowed vp that thou neuer spakest a vvorde Nowe to ende vvith this The LORD giue vs grace that neither in thought nor in vvorde vvee dishonour that MAIESTIE but maye acknowledge His mercie and power towardes vs in IESVS CHRIST To vvhome bee all Honour Glorie Praise Power and Dominion both nowe and euermore Worlde vvithout ende AMEN THE XVII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 40 But the other answered and rebuked him saying Fearest thou not GOD seeing thou art in the same condemnation verse 41 We are indeede righteously heere for wee receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse verse 42 And hee saide vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome WEE heard the last day Brethren of all these railings and blasphemies that the Lord Iesus suffered of all rankes and estates of persons whilest Hee hang on the Crosse naked liuing in torment Pilate began fixed on the Crosse an ignominious inscription That Iesus was a Traitor against Caesar and that He suffered death for His treason Then the Hang-men foure in number in despite and in His sight tooke his garmentes and diuided them in foure partes and because his coate had no seame but was wouen thorowout therefore they cast lottes for it who shoulde haue it whole Then comes on the people with their part and raile vpon Him and blaspheme Him saying Nowe if thou bee that Christ come downe and saue thy selfe Then followe the high Priestes the Scribes and the Elders who raile on Him and saye Is this hee who will saue others let see if hee can bee able to saue himselfe Then the men of warre and Gentiles beginne to raile if thou bee the King of the Iewes saue thy selfe and come downe from the Crosse And then one of the Thieues railes out on Him If thou be that Christ saue thy selfe and vs both but nowe so like as thou art the Christ thou art adying as vvell as vvee and art neither able to sâue thy selfe nor vs and therefore thou art not a King Nowe Brethren yee maye perceiue that it was no prayer that
fourth part they called the ninth houre This much for the diuision of the daye and night after the fashion of the Iewes To apply this to our purpose In this Historie of the Passion of Iesus Christ yee shall finde mention of all these foure partes of the first the third sixt and ninth In the first houre or in the morning the LORD IESVS was led into the Common-Hall to Pilate to bee accused His accusation continued the first three houres and much of the third houre or second quarter as wee counted it His accusation continued about the space of fiue houres Then alitle after the sixt houre in the ende of the thirde houre as IOHN in his nineteene Chapter sayes The doome and sentence of damnation was giuen out against the Lord In the same third houre as MARKE in his fourteenth Chapter sayes The Lord Iesus was crucified so that He was both condemned crucified in the end of the third houre So betweene eleuen and twelue a short space passed betweene the sentence of damnation and the execution In the sixt houre which was the thirde part of their day yee see there falles out a fearfull and terrible darknesse on the face of the earth and according to our account the darknesse remaines from twelue houres to three in the afternoone the space of three houres for so long hang the Lord vpon the Crosse Then yee haue mention here of the ninth houre the fourth part of their day The Lord then vttered His complaint to His Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee This is according to our account when it was three after noone and hastily after this Hee yeeldes His blessed Spirit in the hands of His Father So the Lord Iesus died and yeelded the Spirit betweene three and foure houres afternoone Now this shortly for the better vnderstanding of the Historie Nowe to speake of this wonder and darknesse His heauenly Father would testifie by this darknesse that whilst His glorious Son was humbled on that vile ignominious Crosse as Paul to the Philippians 2. sayes Whilst as He was weakned and made of no reputation at this time His Father would testifie not onely of His innocencie as Hee was man but also of His glorie as He was God In humbling of Him the Father would glorifie Him But will yee looke to the Sunne and the senslesse creatures of Heauen and Earth the very Sunne and senslesse creatures would testifie that they were addebted vnto that glorious Creator they would testifie that sorrowe that they had that the Lord of glorie should suffer such an ignominious death The senslesse creatures were moued the Sunne gloomes hides his face at that wicked action the earth shiuers and quakes readie to swallow vp and deuoure those miserable persons and the Sunne and the senslesse creatures beginne to teach that senslesse and hardened people with whom they had to doe Not with a man but with the Lord of glorie but teach what they would teach heere is a miserable example of induration this miserable people for all this darknesse was not moued they would not turne So Brethren see what it is once to be giuen to a reprobate sense if the LORD giue thee vp to a reprobate sense the earth shall not be so senslesse as thou and though the earth should stand vp and teach thee thou shalt not heare nor see what it sayes Of all judgements that falles on the soule this reprobate sense is the heauiest and most dangerous and if thou continuest in it it were a thousand times better for thee when thou werest made a man or a woman to haue bene made a stocke or a stone for if there be not a wakning in time out of so dead a sleepe ere euer thou beware the wrath of God from Heâuen shall ouertake thee when thou criest peace then shall the wrath come thou shalt not get leasure to thinke of mercie The Lord waken this senslesse generation for there was neuer a generation more senslesse than this generation is notwithstanding of so many voyces sounding not only voyces of men but of the heauen the earth and senslesse creatures I will speake sparingly of this darkning and as the Philosopher calles it the ecclipse of the Sunne for it serues not much to edification Onely thus far that yee may see the greatnesse of the wonder and that ye may wonder at the Lord Iesus hanging on the Crosse This Ecclipse was not naturall for the naturall Ecclipse of the Sunne falles out when the Moone is in the changing at the which time there is a concurse and conjunction betweene the two Planets the Sunne and the Moone The Moone goes vnder the Sunne and takes away a great part of the light of the Sunne from the Earth But this Ecclipse falles out in the full moone The Law commanded the Passeouer to be celebrate in the moneth of March the fourteenth day of their moneth in the which time the Sunne and the Moone are as far asunder as they can be the one beeing in the one side of the Heauen the other on the other side so that betweene them the whole Globe of the Earth is cast in But in this Ecclipse against Nature the Moone which was now opposite to the Sunne turnes her suddenly about and comes vnder the Sunne and hides the sight thereof and brings on a terrible darknesse on the world So that as yee will read in prophane writings during that darknesse the starres were seene at the Noonetide as at Midnight And to be short it is written that the Philosophers in Athens marking this Ecclipse endeuoured to search the cause of it could not finde out the naturall cause and one Dionisius Areopagita saide It behooued to be that either the God of Nature suffered or els the worlde should suddenly be dissolued and be lied not The Lord Iesus the GOD of Nature suffered and they raised vp an Altar then and wrote on it To the vnknowne God whereof ye read in the Actes 17. This for the wonder Nowe let vs come to that that fell out in the ninth houre that is our three houres afternoone Marke This serues for our edification ye heard the Lord Iesus was in extreame agonie and anguishe in His soule and also Hee suffered great paine in His bodie yet all was nothing to that extreame bitternesse that Hee felt in His soule when as Hee hung on the Crosse Nowe in this agonie Hee vtters this voyce with a crie Eli Eli lamasabachthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee These are the first wordes of the XXII PSALME for Dauid beeing the Type of Christ and feeling that vexation of spirit in some measure which Christ felt out of measure hee cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This place these words minister occasion vnto vs to speake of the inward conflict passion that Iesus had in His soule And that yee maye vnderstande this matter the better I
shall rehearse vnto you the vvhole Passion of IESVS CHRIST in as fewe vvordes as I can Then the whole life of Iesus Christ whilest Hee was in this vvorlde vvas a continuall suffering of the burthen of our sinnes that Hee bare and that obedience to His Father required that not onely in His life-time shoulde Hee doe for our saluation but chiefely it required that the Mediator shoulde die All that Hee did had beene nothing worth to vs and if Hee had not died for as the Apostle sayeth HEBR. CHAP. IX VERS XXII No remission of sinnes without blood Thinke not that euer thy sinnes shall bee forgiuen thee without the shedding of the blood of Iesus Christ And either thou must die or haue part in the death of the Mediator The ende of His suffering was the perfect abolishing and vndoing of the sinnes of the Elect as yee may reade in the ninth CHAPTER to the HEBREVVES Now marke againe This perfect abolishing and vndoing of our sinnes required a perfect passion and suffering of the Mediator Whether ye looke to the time it required a perfect time or will yee looke to the greatnesse of it it required an infinite quantitie of greatnesse for if it had not bene perfect in time and quantitie thou hadst neuer beene redeamed Brethren that yee maye the better vnderstande the vvhole Passion of IESVS CHRIST I shall point out vnto you the vvhole manner of His sufferinges For why shoulde vvee not knowe this Our life standes in His death Hee suffered all for vs. And I see thorowe out the Scripture the vvhole sufferinges of Christ maye bee drawne to these three sortes The first is The Lord Iesus suffered temptations Secondlie The Lord Iesus suffered shame and ignominie the GOD of glorie suffered shame Howe agree these two together Shame and Glorie The thirde the LORD IESVS suffered paine and that verie grieuous paine in soule and bodie I shall goe thorowe all these three kinds of suffering shortlie and so I shall make an ende And first to speake of these temptations shortlie I call the temptations that the LORD suffered those tryalles of Him by the Deuill His enemie for hee let Him neuer rest and woefull was that battell that Hee had with him on the Crosse and His temptations by the ministers of the Deuill in the worlde who solicitated Him to leaue His GOD euen such temptations as wee are subject to in this worlde onelie except sinne for Hee knewe no sinne there vvas not one spotte of sinne in that holie One and so Hee was not subject to these foule motions inwarde temptations as we are who dare not face the Sunne nor the Moone And wherefore suffered Hee all these temptations Euen for thy cause the ende of all His suffering was that Hee might succour all them who were tempted either in bodie or soule HEBR. Chap. 2. vers 18. Art thou tempted if thou canst haue recourse to Him who was tempted for thy sake Hee will pittie thee As Hee suffered and was tempted so by His suffering Hee hath learned to pittie thee Hee who neuer hath tasted of miserie hee cannot pittie the miserable bodie And therefore when thou art tempted goe to CHRIST and saye LORD thou wast tempted as I am therefore now helpe and succour mee Thus farre for the first sort of Christes sufferinges The seconde sort was His shame and ignominie that open ignominie that He suffered especiallie on the Crosse Whether ye looke to His accusation they accused that most innocent One as a vile sinner or whether ye looke to all these false Testimonies that were brought against Him or yet whether yee looke to the tauntes and mockinges that Hee suffered and to that spitting on His face and blasphemies vpon the Crosse In all these yee shall sâe that shame He suffered for our sinnes The Apostle ROMAN Chap. 15. vers 3. saies Iesus Christ when hee was in the worlde hee spared not nor hee pleased not himselfe as wee doe but as it is written The rebukes of them which rebuke thee fell on me All these despites thou shouldest haue suffered but the LORDE Hee translated them vpon Himselfe O the shame that the sinner shoulde haue suffered and if the LORD IESVS had not taken it off the backe of the sinner and laid it on His owne backe Come to the last sort Thou who wouldest bee freed of paine either in bodie or soule Marke the paine of the Lord lay holde on it and apply it to thy soule for otherwise Nothing shall remaine for thee but paine euerlastingly all the kingdomes of the worlde shall not saue thee Then the last sort was paine and dolour in body and paine and dolour in soule but in the soule chiefly Looke to the time of it from His first conception to His last breath scarcely was the Lord well borne when thorow the persecution of Herode the Tyranne His mother was compelled to flee with Him to Egypt from that time He was vnder continuall affliction whilst as Hee entered into the thirtie yeere of His age when Hee takes vpon Him the part of a Mediator for mankinde from this foorth for Hee liued after this space three yeeres and an halfe His paine grew and increased in body and soule and ay nearer the last houre His displeasure and paine grew the more Now Brethren we shall speake shortly of these paines and dolours that the Lord suffered in the time of these three yeeres and an halfe for the Gospell makes mention of that suffering during this space the Lord Iesus is in continuall paine both of body and soule not in body onely but chiefly in the soule His paine during this time is chiefly that inwarde anguish all His paine was for our sinnes if yee compare the soule and the body together the soule is ten times worse and more sinfull than the bodie the soule is nothing but a sinke of sinne all sinne proceedes out of that stinking puddle of the soule The body hath no life in it but that which it hath of the soule and therefore seeing the Lord offered Him to suffer for our sinnes Hee behooued to suffer chiefly in the soule What shall I say of the impudent Papists who maintaine this doctrine that the Lord suffered not that inward paine of the soule O! that they dare be so bolde as to auouch such doctrine against the manifest wordes of the Holy Spirit They knowe not what sinne is They knowe not what is the greatnesse of the euill of sinne or the Iustice of GOD and lastly they know not what is the mercie of IESVS CHRIST In a worde I proclaime both before GOD and His Angels the Pope and his shauelings are open enemies to the Crosse of CHRIST if it were but in this that they take away the chiefe part of His suffering Bee thou a Papist if thou continuest in that fantasie thou shalt neuer haue no part nor portion of His suffering Concerning the suffering of His bodie and of that ignominious death of
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 TestameÌt 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 shâll 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 ât 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 marâeilous 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
to worke this worke of redemption and saluation by base and naughty meanes that the world respects no more of than the dirt which they treade on Looke what is the difference betwixt the wisedome of GOD and the wisedome of man Will yee looke to the cause of our redemption to IESVS CHRIST or to the Professors and to Ministers they are the foolishest in the vvorlde sillie bodies and compare them vvith potent men they are but contemptible and of no valour and compare them with wise men they are but fooles So looke to the Crosse and to the Ministerie thereof whereby wee are saued all is weake base and contemptible and all to this ende that the LORD onelie maye gette the glorie and as the APOSTLE saies He that glorieth may onlie glory in the LORD And let euerie one of vs giue glorie to that LORD of Glorie To whome with the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour and Praise for euermore AMEN THE XXI LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 47 And some of them that stood there when they heard it saide This man calleth Elias verse 48 And straightway one of them ranne and tooke a spunge and filled it with vineger and put it on a reede and gaue him to driâke verse 49 Other said Let be let vs see if Elias will come and saue him verse 50 Then Iesus cryed againe with a loude voyce yeelded vp the ghost MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 35 And some of them that stood by when they heard it said Beholde hee calleth Elias verse 36 And one ranne and filled a spunge full of vineger and put it on a reede and gaue him to drinke saying Let him alone let vs see if Elias will come and take him downe verse 37 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and gaue vp the ghost LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 46 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and saide Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And when hee had thus said hee gaue vp the ghost IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 28 After when Iesus knewe that all thinges were performed that the Scripture might bee fulfilled hee saide I thirst verse 29 And there was set a vessell full of vineger and they filled a spunge with vineger and put it about an hyssope stalke and put it to his mouth verse 30 Now when Iesus had receiued of the vineger hee said It is finished and bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost DVRING the time that the LORD IESVS hung quicke on the Crosse which was three houres and large more yee may reade well-beloued in Christ sundrie voyces that He vttered When I looke thorowe the foure Euangelistes I finde in number sixe sundrie voyces and euery one of them is well to be marked for at that time Hee vttered nothing in vaine The first voyce wee reade of was a voyce of diuine power together vvith mercy when one of the Thieues who hung at His right hand said to Him Lord remember me when thou commest to thy Kingdome The Lord answered him like a King and like a powerfull and mercifull God Verily J say vnto thee this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise The next voyce was a voyce of humane pittie and naturall affection toward His Mother she being by the Crosse with Iohn and other women He recommendes her to the custodie of His wâll beloued Disciple The thirde voyce wee reade of was a voyce of sadnesse proceeding from an heart that was sadde on euery side to the death and from that agonie on the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The fourth voyce in like manner was a voyce of sadnesse proceeding from a wonderfull heate in the soule and body I thirst The fifth voyce by all appearance was a voyce of joye seeing the worke of Redemption to bee wrought and the wrath of His Father to be asswaged He saies after He had drunken the vineger Jt is finished The sixt and last voyce in like manner was a voyce of joye for finding Hee was to giue vp the ghoste immediately and finding His Father sweetly to loose His soule from His bodie He saies Father into thine hands I commend my spirit Now Brethren all thâse foresaid voyces the Lord vttered during the time that He hung quick on y e Crosse Of these we haue heard the first the second the third which was that heauie complaint that Hee made to His Father My God my God c. This daye as God shall giue vs grace wee shall speake of the three other voyces one of them of sadnesse and the other two of joye But before wee come to these voyces which are the three lâst voyces wee haue to speake something of the misconstruing of the complaint of the Lord vttered to His God Nowe the Iewes that stood by Him and heard Him crie Eli Eli for Hee cryed aloude of maliciousnesse not of mistaking Him they begin to calumniate and to misconstrue His wordes because the worde Eli which is My God sounded like Elias Therefore they said Hee cryed for Elias when Hee cryed on His God Let vs see if Elias will come and take Him downe In the which wordes wee may see clearely that they sought not onelie to destroy His bodie but the Deuill in them sought to sunder and seuer Him both in soule and bodie from His God they woulde not heare Him crye vpon His God but they sought to destroy His bodie and His soule such was the insatiable malice of the hearts of these Iewes against Iesus Christ This is the common dealing of the Deuill and his instruments with the godly and chiefely in that last houre when the separation of the soule from the body is to follow Not only to get the body dead but the soule God separated if thou beginnest to pray call on God they will scorne thy prayer seeke to cut thee froÌ God all hope of life But to leaue them their bitter maliciousnes As in all the poinctes of the suffering of Christ I looke more to the disposition of His Father than to the Iewes to the deuil or his instrumeÌts So I doe in this No question as His Father exercises Him inwardly with a bitter wrath eueÌ so wheÌ as the Lord by making an heauy mone seekes an outgaet cries My God my God c Hee will haue Him met outwardly with bitternes Aime where He wil He meetes Him with nothing but bitternes wrath inwardly outwardly hell inward outward no refuge nor escaping till y t ransome be payed to the least farthing Wel BrethreÌ if ye would see an image of hell see it here The Lord Iesus was for a time fealt nothing but extreame bitternes But the reprobate after they be once casten into hell there is nothing for them but bitternes let theÌ aime here there to escape houle cry they shal be met wiâh bitternes What if it were but for a time The Lord escaped His suffering
was but for a time but no escaping for thee if thou be thrust into hell thou shalt neuer get out and shalt find nothing but bitternes aime here or there all shal be in vaine euerlasting bitternes shal be casten in thy teeth and compasse thee on all sides that is a sore word An euerlasting bitternes neuer to haue an ende So blessed is that soule for euer who in that Day shal be found in Christ to get a part of that passioÌ y t He suffred the Lord giue euery one of vs grace now while we haue time to know Him to seek to be fouÌd in Him for wo to y t soule y t shal be fouÌd out of Him in y e great day Now I come âo y e voyces first to that fourth voyce y t the Lord vttered wheÌ He said I thirst When vttered He it When He knew that all âhinges were ended To the ende that the prophesie might bee fulfiâled that was spoken of Him before Hee saide I thirst A voyce of sadnessâ comming from an extreame drought of bodie The Lord Iesus as He tooâe our nature vpon Him so He tooke on all our infirmities sinne exâepted Many times was Hee hungry and thirsty but chiefely whân He hanges on the Crosse in that extreame heat of His soule and His body The soule was burnt vp with wrath and all the moysture of the bodie likewise dryed vp with wrath at this time the Lord had such a thirst that the tongue of man cannot expresse it thou sufferedst neuer such a thirst in any Feuer or disease as the Lord Iesus suffered for thee on the Crosse And no doubt beside other paines this exceeding thirst was a part of His paine and a part of that ransome that He payed to the Father for our redemption Yee see when a man is in a Feuer the thirst will bee a speciall part of the paine that hee hath Therefore albeit the thirst that the Lord sâffered on the Crosse was an exceeding great paine yet He will not vtter His voyce I thirst till the ransome was payed Hee would not seeke to quench that thirst till that wrath of the Father was satisfied The drought was insatiable for the infinite wrath of God thirsted after the blood of the Mediator bearing our sins and was not quenched till the blood of the Mediator was drunken vp No quenching of sin but by the blood of the Mediator if thou bee not in Him the wrath of God will thirst for thy blood After this followes that bodily thirst The soule is dried vp the moysture of the body is clung vp the wrath suckes all vp On this rises the thirst of the body for except the Lorde had had a spirituall thirst and a pleasure to obey His Father to the death to saue thy soule from Hell it had beene vnpossible for Him to haue suffered that bodily thirst so long Learne this lesson at the Lorde Iesus and followe His example wee should suffer patiently all paine that it pleases the Lord to lay on body and soule knowing that it is according to His will and that by thy suffering thy obedience to Him is tryed And as we should suffer patiently all paineâ so wee learne at Christ to abide patiently this bodily thirst in sicknes or Feuers knowing well that the Lord layes it on vs to trie our obedience patience But wilt thou know how thou shouldest abide it patieÌtly The Lord Iesus had a spirituall thirst to obey His HeaueÌly Father for thy saluation that swallowed vp that bodily thirst Gette thee an earnest thirst to obey thy God it will bee a wondrous thing how patientlie thou wilt suffer whatsoeuer God wil lay on thee Therfore BrethreÌ in all things we should set our hearts to obey God and winke and close thy eyes at all dangers yea if thou be in extreame thirst and going to die say Lord I wil obey thee if thou get thy heart thus resolued and humbled vnder the hand of thy God howbeit thou be in pain for a time thou shalt see a faire end The Lord Iesus after this thirst and after death saw a glorious end So no question wilt thou leane on thy God as He did abide His will patiently thou shalt see the joyfullest most glorious end that euer was The Lord giue vs grace to obey God and to say Cast me here or there lay on me what thou wilt I shall obey thee though thou shouldest slay mee I will trust in thee This is an happy râsolution We shall speake of the end wherefore the Lord vttered this voyce To the ende saies Iohn that the Scripture might be fulfilled In the 5. of Matt. the Lord saies J come not to dissolue the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill the Lawe and to fulfill euerie jote of that Lawe Heauen and Earth shall perish ere one jote of that Lawe shall passe away Now among all the prophesies that Christ fulfilled there is one here made mention of in the 69. Psalme Jn my meat they gaue mee bitternesse and in my drinke they gaue mee gâll to drinke Nowe this prophesie is accomplished Dauid spake this in his owne person typically but the veriây thereof was fulfilled in Christ Dauid got no vineger to drinke but Iesus Christ drunke vineger When the Lord came into the world wrought the worke of our redemption there was not so much as a title that was foretold of Him but He fulfilled it there was not a circumstance of His death but it was fore-tolde That nayling was fore-tolde where it is said They pearced mine hands and my feete The hanging of Him betwixt two Thieues was fore-tolde They reckon me saies the Prophet amoâg the vnjust The diuiding of His garmentes was fore-spoken They diuidâd my garmentes among them and cast lottes for my coat Looke the XXII and IXVI. PSALMES and the LIII CHAPTER of ESAY So this drinking of vineger was foretolde Nowe what learnes this vnto vs Was there euer any man whose death was pointed out this waye No neuer any one All the Kinges nor all the Emperoures had neuer such a particular pointing out of their death This lets vs see that the Father had a more speciall care of the death of IESVS than of the death of anie man that euer vvas and consequentlie it lets vs see that there vvas neuer such a vvorthie personage in the vvorlde as IESVS and that there was neuer such excellencie in the death of any as in the death of Iesus in it stood the life of the world Let men make pompes of the death of Emperours the Lord had neuer such an eye to the death of any as to the death of His onely well beloued Sonne and all the predictions of His death are to this end that wee comparing the issue of His death with the predictions wee might beleeue that Iesus was sent to bee the onely Sauiour of the world When I thinke on this I wonder at the
blindnesse of y e Iewes y t cannot know Him to be the Mediator but after that once a man be giuen to a reprobate sense he will say the Sun in y e noone-tide is but darknes The Gospel is hid sayes Paul 2. Cor. 4.4 to them who perish if thou see not beleeue not y e Gospell thou hast an earnest pennie in thy bosome y t thy damnatioÌ is sealed vp Thus farre for His thirst they gaue Him a drinke There is a vessell full of vineger This was a custome that they vsed they had a drinke beside them who were crucified Some thinke it was for this end that the paine might be stanched There is a drinke of vineger standing beside the Lord but I knowe not if they gaue such a sowre drinke to the thieues So this vessell standing beside one of them steps to it in scorne and takes a water sponge and puts it on a reede and puts it to His head he got litle thanke for his worke I take this giuing of this drinke to the Lord at this time to haue proceeded from bitter malice The wrath of His Father was begun to be asswaged yet the wrath of the Iewes could not be asswaged There is none end of the malice of the Iewes so long as breath is in Him they neuer cease to rage against Him WheÌ He was dead they persecute Him wheÌ He was in glorie they thought to shame Him WheÌ y e Lord looses y e raines of y e deuill of wicked men to chastise his own they run headlongs to wracke His Church y e Lord seekes but chastisemeÌt they seek wrack of body soule he y t knowes not this he knowes nothing if these persecuters got their will they would not only seeke y e wracke of y e body but also of y e soule What doth y e Lord for this when y e Lord hath pulled in their raines Hee takes y e scourge casts it in y e fire because they run far beyond their coÌmission This shal be y e end of their miserable soules O y t damnation y t shal ouertake them when y e Lord hath chastened vs by them they shal be cast in y e fire for euer Refuses y e Lord y e drinke indeede before He was raised vp on y e Crosse He tasted of this but would not drinke but He beeing on the Crosse it is said He dranke it It may by that after such a troublesome labour that His drought was so great that Hee was glad to drinke any liquour Alwayes this I know except the Lord had had a thirst of thy saluation Hee had not drunken it The thirst of thy saluation made Him as Hee dranke out the cuppe of the wrath of His Father So to drinke out this bitter cuppe that was propined to Him out of the bitternesse of their heartes Hee dranke out the wrath of God and the wrath of man that thou shouldest drinke the water of Life I say remember vpon that drinke that Iesus dranke when thou drinkest delicious drinkes it is not thy money that buyes the wine except it be bought with the precious blood of Iesus not a piece of bread or any thing pertaines to thee if it bee not bought with the blood of Iesus to them who are sanctified all thing is sanctified if thou be not in Him thou shalt bee accused as a violent possessour of all things in y t great day Now I goe to the next voyce when He hath drunkeÌ He saies Jt is sinished that is y t wearisome worke is now put to an end now the ransom is payed now the work of RedemptioÌ is ended Brethren that yee may vnderstand this The Lord when He was in the Garden had two workes The first was to buy Heauen to conquere life to vs The second to put vs in possession of it The first worke He beganne it in the first moment of His conception and continues still from that time to that moment He gaue vp the Spirit to the Father Now that worke beeing ended He proclaimes on the Crosse cries out in the audience of them all Consummatum est it is finished Now that wearisome worke is ended the deare worke is ended Heauen and life and righteousnesse is conquered to the worlde for euer This is the summe of the Gospel the worke of our Redemption is ended this is all our preaching Heauen life glorie is conquered againe to the lost world Thou needest not to giue one pennie out of thy purse for Heauen Cursed are they from the High Heauen to the low Hell that open their mouth to say Thou must pay some of that ransom out of thy purse Woe to the Papistes who will stand vp say Thou must pay some part of that ransome wo to that foule mouth that dare be so bold to open it and say pay thou a part of that ransome with thy money seeing that Iesus Christ hath proclaimed that all is finished bought by His blood woe vengeance and euerlasting damnation shall light on the Pope and all the Papistes that dare open their mouthes to speake such presumptuous wordes Yet there is another worke remaining which is to put vs in possession of Heauen and He began this at His resurrection and He holdes it on yât and shall continue it vnto His comming againe And at that day of His comming yee shall heare Him crying All is ended not on His Crosse but in glory and all the Angels and all the Sainctes shall crie All is ended Glorie to him who hath ended all no more shall bee Looke downe to His heart and to the sense from whence this voyce arose wheÌ He saies this ye shall find that Iesus felt the wrath of His Father asswaged Before Hee was in an agony now Hee feeles the agony to cease where before He fouÌd no joy now joy returnes On the sense of all these thinges falles out this voyce All is ended WheÌ I looke to this I thinke I see y e image of a godly Sainct dying for the godly are like to him in death and life Before the last moment they are in a battell and suddenly they will say I haue gotten the victorie in Iesus and theÌ last they will yeeld vp the spirit Come to the last voyce It is a voyce of joy I am of that opinion that before the Lord yeelded vp the ghost the agony left him and that joy that had left him returned againe and made him to vtter joyfull words The Euangelists say He cryed with a loud voyce What voyce this is Luke expresses Father into thine hands I recommend my spirit All that were standing about might haue heard him vttering this powerfull voyce Now ye would wonder that a man immediatly yeelding vp his spirit should haue such a strong voyce Ye see men and women in death their voyce will faile them some will not haue any voyce and some not any signe some if they get that grace to speake
yet it will be a weake voyce because the strength of nature failes Yet Iesus all the day before vttered not so shrill a voyce So it must follow that naturall strength was not failed in Iesus Christ and that by the strength of nature hee might haue liued long for the other two liued long and were not dead till they came and brake their legges Iesus died against nature neither was hee broken as they were What followes of this Iesus Christ in that same moment that he yeelded the spirit hee had a power aboue nature and a diuine power against nature which puts out the life and if he had power against nature to put out his life hee vttered before the Iewes that they had no power to put out his life and that hee had a power to keepe his life if it had pleased him And that is it which he saies None takes my life from mee but I laye it downe and I take it vp againe Yee will heare that when worde came to Pilate that IESVS was dead hee wondered and all the world wondered at this yeelding vp of the spirit And by this the Lord would shewe that hee was not a common man hee would shewe that he was God either to keepe his life or to put it out at his pleasure Hee saies Father into thine handes I commende my spirite These wordes are farre from this My God my God why hast c. for those words proceeded of great sadnesse mixed with confidence but of no joye but these wordes Father into thine handes c. as they proceeded of confidence so they proceeded of a wonderfull joye No doubt at this time hee feeles that sweete hande of the Father dealing with him moste sweetelie not as the reprobate Alas the hande of the Lorde in justice striking the soule of the reprobate looses it from the bodie with the sense of extreame wrath But the Lord feeles the hande of the Father loosing his soule from the bodie with sweetnesse And all they who die in CHRIST will feele the Father loosing the soule with sweetnesse as these last wordes vtter Looke to the Martyres they neuer vtter the first voyce My God my God c. No but the second Father into thine handes I commende my spirite because they find joye in torment Steuen the first Martyr vttered the second voyce ACTS CHAP. VII VERS 59. And the rest of the Martyres followed him which testifies plainelie that this was a voyce of joye that IESVS vttered But marke the wordes of CHRIST yee see that euerie man and vvoman beside the bodie they haue a spirite and more beautifull and farre more precious of substance than the bodie and yet it lodges in an house of claye and in an earthlie Tabernacle Next there will bee a separation of the soule and the bodie Thou thinkest euer to liue but whether thou wilt or thou wilt not thy soule shall bee separate from the bodie and then the bodie shall die Shall thy soule die No if thou bee in CHRIST the Father shall take thy soule Nowe againe Brethren see how carefull the Lord is of his soule at the poinct of death If Iesus who had no sinne is so carefull of his soule I pray thee who art a sinfull bodie how carefull shouldest thou bee thereof It must liue either in Heauen or in Hell if the Lord cryed so loude that the earth quaked again till the Temple rent asunder wilt not thou a sinfull creature bee carefull of thy soule A man should haue care of the soule at all times but chiefly at the houre of the separation for at that time the Deuill is busie to deuour thee and the golfe of Hell to swallowe thee vp Then looke how carefull thou shouldest be in following the example of Iesus to recommend the soule into the handes of the Father and looke how carefull thou art to render the soule into the handes of the Father the Father shall be as carefull to loose the soule if thou bee in Iesus Christ to conuoy it with Him to rest for euermore in His blessed bosome The LORD giue vs grace to commende our soules into the hands of that faithfull keeper in the houre of death and that wee maye finde Him readie to receiue and conuoye them with Him to that euerlasting rest purchased to vs through Christ To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be praise for euermore AMEN THE XXII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 50 Then Jesus cryed againe with a loud voyce and yeelded vp the ghost verse 51 And beholde the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen verse 52 And the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saincts which slept arose verse 53 And came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holie Citie and appeared vnto manie verse 54 When the Centurion and they that were with him watching Iesus saw the earthquake and the things that were done they feared greatly saying Truely this was the Sonne of God MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 37 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and gaue vp the ghost verse 38 And the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome verse 39 Now when the Centurion who stood ouer against him saw that he thus crying gaue vp the ghost he said Truely this man was the Son of God LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 46 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and saide Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And when hee had thus said hee gaue vp the ghost verse 47 Now when the Centurion sawe what was done hee glorified God saying Of a suretie this man was just verse 48 And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things that were done smote their breasts and returned IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 30 Now when Iesus had receiued of the vineger hee said It is finished and bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost WEE heard the last daye vvelbeloued Brethren the sundrie voyces and speaches vvhich Iesus Christ vvhilest Hee hung quicke on the Crosse and vvas nayled thorow handes and feete vttered in the audience of the vvhole people The first two voyces vvere the voyces of pittie and mercie The one of mercie to one of the Thieues that vvas crucified vvith Him Verily saies the Lord this day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise The other of pittie to His owne Mother vvho stood by looking on Him when as Hee hung vpon the Crosse in extreame paine recommending her to IOHN His welbeloued Disciple Other two voyces were voyces of sadnesse and heauinesse of heart The one an heauie complaint to His Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The other proceeding from an extreame drought that came of that sense of wrath and paine which Hee felt during the time that Hee hung vpon the Crosse I thirst The last two
voyces vvere of joye for it appeares well that before the Lord gaue vp the ghost comfort and joye returned to Him againe And I am of this mind that there are none who are Gods owne but before their departure out of this life sooner or later they will get a sense of that joye which they are to passe vnto immediatelie The first voyce of joye was All is ended As though Hee vvoulde saye This wââke is done and ended and nowe the ransome of the redemption of man is payed to the least farthing Nowe the last voyce vvas vvhen Hee vvas immediatelie readie to render vp His spirite into the handes of the Father sayes with a feeling of joy in the heart Into thine hands Father J commend my Spirit Now this day we haue to speake by His grace First of His death and the yeelding vp of His Spirit Next of those wonders that fell out immediatly after the Lord had rendered the Spirit and thirdly we haue to speake how the multitude were mooued when they sawe these wonders Novve as concerning His death the words are but few Iohn sayes When Hee had spoken and cried with a loude voyce Hee bowed downe His head and He rendered His Spirit The wordes are to be marked Hee renders His Spirit first as it were Hee tooke His soule in His owne Hande and deliuered it in the handes of the Father desiring Him to keepe it well to the day of His glorious resurrection for Brethren this is the difference betweene the godly vngodly in their death as they differ and are vnlike to other in their life so especially in their death The vngodly cast away the soule and life and cares not where it goes but woe is to them that doe so they will neuer take vp such a life againe when they haue cast it awaye not regarding where it goes to but thinking lightly of it No let no man nor woman cast away this life or dislodge this soule lightly if the soule goe from thee lightly and thou carest not for it better it were for thee neuer to haue had a life a soule or a body But againe Brethren The Lord Iesus as all His lifetime Hee is carefull for the soule that is lodged in an earthly tabernacle so chiefly in the moment when it is to fllit The godly they will not let the soule flit out of the body vntill they know that the hand of the Lord is sweetly loosing the soule to keepe it vntill the day of their glorious resurrection Brethren it would be well marked There is not one of the foure Euangelists Matthew Marke Luke or Iohn but they note very precisely the death of the Lord and the yeelding vp of His Spirit As for the circumstances that fell out in His Passion some will note one thing and leaue another As for example These voyces that He vtters on the Crosse not one of the Euangelists hath them all some hath one and some another But when it comes to the yeelding of the Spirit they all in one harmonie note The Lord gaue vp the Spirit This is a thing not to be passed by nor to be lightly looked on and it lets vs see the death of our Sauiour the separation of His soule from His body is so substantiall and so needfull a thing both to Him to haue suffered and vs to knowe that except the Lord had suffered the death all the crucifying of Him inwardly outwardly all the rest of His suffering had auailed vs nothing the ransome of our sinnes had not bene payed for that was the curse that was laide vpon vs to pull our soule from our bodie and as it was needfull that He should suffer the death for vs so it is needfull to euery one of vs to knowe this that my Sauiour died and His soule was really separated from His body it is needfull that thou haue euermore the Lord Iesus crucified before thee and know that the soule was separated from His blessed body for grace and remission of sinnes is conquered thorow the death of the Mediatour if thou hast not Faith of the death of the Mediatour it is vnpossible that thou canst beleeue that thy soule shall come to Heauen The Apost Heb. 9. hath a notable comparison hee sayes When a man hath made a Testament and his legacie wherein hee leaues such inheritance to any man his Testament can neuer bee sure nor ratified before the man be dead and if he ratifie not the Testament with his death it cannot bee sure for the man in this life may alter the Testament But after that once he die there it stands it cannot be reuoked Euen so sayes the Apostle The Heire of the world Iesus Christ hath made a Testament and such one as neuer man made leauing such goods and heritage to His Saints as neuer man left euen that heauenly Heritage that exceeding Glorie Now sayes the Apostle If the Heire of the World Iesus Christ had not sealed vp His Testament by His blood it had neuer beene sure but His death interueening and closing it then the Testament is sure all the world is not able to alter one jote of it to adde or diminish it Woe be to him that will adde any thing to the Testament of Iesus Christ he is counted a villaine who will adde to a mans Testament Wilt thou adde or diminish any thing at thy pleasure from the Testament of Iesus Christ This Newe Testament is the best Testament that euer was Let Worldlings bee content with the Testaments of their forefathers yet count thou nothing at all except thou get a part of the legacie left in His Testament Woe bee to thee albeit thou get Eaâledomes and Kingdomes and great possessions left to thee by the Testament of thy forefathers if thou gettest not this Testament Well Brethren this Testament can not be ratified but by the blood of the Testator How can I beleeue it except I know that He died and that the soule was as verily separated from the body as euer the soule of man was so when I consider the death of my Sauiour who hath made such a Testament I am so farre from that to bee offended at that shamefull death that the death is the ground of my saluation and that in His death is all my glorie the assurance of my life is in the assurance of His death and His ignominie and shame is my glorie Now thus farre for the death of the Lord Iesus Now come to the consideration of these wonders that fell out immediately as He gaue vp the Ghost The Vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the toppe to the bottome The earth quaked Such things neuer fell out in all the deathes of men in the world No not in the deathes of all the Kings in the world The stones were clouen the graues of the dead did open These are the foure wonders that are noted to haue fallen out immediatly when the Lord gaue vp the Ghost Brethren
the Lord in His death Hee was euen in the extreamitie of His humiliation Hee was weakned made of no reputation the Lord of glorie was tread vpon by the feete of death death stamping on Him He could not be further humbled there is nothing so ignominious as death except it be sanctified it is terrible and ignominious so that if it be not sanctified in the death of the Lord Iesus it is but a curse to thee a vengeance from Heauen yet for all this casting downe of Him His heauenly Father leaues Him not but in His greatest humiliation the Father giues the greatest tokens of His glory and He testifies that He was not only innocent but that He was the Lord of glory y t Godhead neuer left Him in that ignominious death nor neuer shall leaue Him albeit it kept the selfe close y â He might suffer that ignominious death because it was not expedient that Hee should vtter His power yet y t Godhead in His death wrought such wonders that He testifies before the Iewes that y t same man which hung there was the Lord of glorie and the Lord of life Will yee come further that albeit that miserable people had not a tongue to speake and would not giue a testimonie of the glory of CHRIST the dumbe and senslesse creatures who had not mouth nor tongue nor life will not bee silent but will doe their homage to the Lord. Fye on thee and woe is thee that euer thou got y e mouth or tongue the dumbe creatures in their kinds do homage to their God glorifies Him shames all the world they shame all y e disciples for al were offeÌded at Him now So now y e earth and the rockes shame them all fye on them The Lord as Hee came riding to Ierusalem like a glorious King to giue them a shew of His glorie Luke 19. When the disciples cryes Hosanna Blessed be he that comes in the Name of the Lord the Pharises were angrie at it they were offended to see the Lord glorified Then Iesus answered if these would holde their tongue the stones would cry These stones senslesse creatures shall cry and glorifie Me there should not be a wall in Ierusalem but they should haue cried if the disciples and the multitude had holden their tongue and if men had their tongue and glorifie not God the stones shall rise vp and shame them and glorifie Him Now the mouth of the people is close and not one of the disciples cried Hosanna yet the earth forgets Him not shee cries in her owne manner Hosanna the rockes cry the vaile of the Temple cries Hosanna whilst it rent asunder Well Brethren blessed is the soule y e hath a mouth to glorifie God woe to thee that hath gotten a tongue to glorifie the Lord does it not if the Lord in humiliation was glorified by the dumbe creatures can Hee want His glory now in Heauen if thou glorifiest not God another shal glorifie Him if no man shall glorifie Him the sea the earth the sunne the moone shall glorifie Him thou albeit thou were a King shalt be thrust in Hell to thine euerlasting shame Now Brethren there is not one of these foure wonders but particularly they would be coÌsidered first The renting of the vaile of the Temple The vaile of y e Temple was a faire wall ouergilt w t fine gold there was neuer a thing so glorious outward in this world as y t Temple vpoÌ y e which hang a glorious Tapestrie wrought curiously it diuided y e most holy place called the Sanctuarie wherein the Lord gaue His presence it was y e type of that heauenly Sanctuary wherein Iesus Christ entred by His blood it got the name from the office vse it was called a vaile a couering because it hid the Sanctuarie from the sight of the people of the Priests only the High Priests excepted who entred in it once in the yeere and that not without blood No for his life hee durst not enter in it without blood Nowe when the LORD giues vp the Ghost this Vaile cleaues in twaine and in a manner he makes an answere to the voyce of the Lord. Wilt thou who hast life reason mouâh and tongue answere Him He will make the vaile to answere Him The Lord saide a litle before He gaue vp the Ghost Consummatum est All is ended the ceremonies of the Law of Moyses are ended the shâddowes are away there is no more vse of that vaile When the vaile heares this The vaile sayes Amen it is true my Lord here for my part I giue ouer my office and I giue the sight of the Sanctuarie to the people and shall not hide it any moâe for Iesus Christ hath openeâ vp the Vaile and pulled it downe and madâ an entrie to the Sanctuarie by His blood Well this is the preaching of the Vaile to the Iewes But heard they this Take the High Priâstes any hâed to this langâage of the Vaile No they were neuer busier in the Ceremonies than after they heard this speech They saw the Vaile rent but they tooke no lesson by it there is a wonderfull induration Paul 2. Cor. 3. tells the cause There was another vaile laide on their heartes so that they could neither see not heare It was harder to rent that vaile than an hundreth vailes of stone Lord keepe vs from that reprobate sense alas that wee should not take heede to this The earthly vaile rent asunder at the voyce of the Lord but the vaile of their heart could not bâe rent neither for the voyce of the Lord nor yet for the wonders This is the lesson Euery one of vs should take heede to our heart after that once a man bee giuen vp to a reprobate sense as this people was after that once thou beginnest to doe against thy knowledge either in manners or in religion after that once thou beginnest to doe against conscience thou wilt do the contrarie of all that it biddes thee thy conscience telling thee when thou art going to murther to harlotrie to oppression to anger thy God all is wrong doe it not yet thou wilt trampe on the belly of thy conscience In the first Chapter to the Romanes yee may read the end of this As thou wilt not heare thy conscience and the voyce of God the Lord catches thy conscience from thee and casts thee ouer to a reprobate sense so that thou art past feeling that it were better to speake to a stone than to thine heart and when I speake to that piller it shâll rather rent than thine heart Wouldest thou see a wonder The Papists would bring in wonders but bring in a man who is regenerate that is a wonder yea it is a great wonder to alter thine hard and stonie heart than to cleaue the hardest rocke that euer was Let mee see an regenerate man from whom that scroofe is taken away it is a
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 gâace 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 wheÌ they shall cry Peace all things are sure enough theÌ 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 dayâ 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
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 MouÌt Caluarie They stand first near theÌ turning home again they stand afar off No questioÌ it was y e loue they bare to the Lord that drue theÌ after him wheÌ 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 theÌ to seuer froÌ 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 whoÌ 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 coÌsider 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
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 Thân 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 râquest 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 coÌmonly 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 commaÌded 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
the Lord Iesus had bene crucified taunted and scorned and suffered all the ignominie that euer could haue bene and yet had bene taken downe quicke and the nailes loosed gotten His wounds healed thou hadst not beene sâuâd thy saluation had not beene wrought Our sinnes had neuer bene forgiuen vs for without shedding of blood and death there had bene no remission of sinnes except I know beside all the paine the Lord suffered that He suffered the death also I would neuer beleeue to get life to be saued Now to end in a word Looke to the witnesses the burrioes they were euill witnesses for themselues but good witnesses for vs for their witnessing testifies to our wâll that the Lord was dead and so these burrioes haue done a notable good worke to vs but not to themselues because they were His enemies It is as tâue this day as it was that day there is and shall be witnesses preaching the death of CHRIST crying That CHRIST died for the redemption of the vvorlde and teaching saluation by CHRIST to others and others shall gette good by them yet they shall gette no good themselues Why Because they are enemies to the Crosse of CHRIST An enemie to His death can preach His death vvell enough All Preachers of the death of IESVS CHRIST ought to take heede to this That vvhen they preach to others as the Apostle saieth they be not reprobate themselues Woe to the man who preaches saluation to others if in the meane time hee bee a reprobate himselfe I must bee as carefull for mine owne saluation as for the saluation of others And therefore if thou speakest of the death of CHRIST to thy Neighbour striue to bee assured that thou thy selfe art partaker of that saluation through IESVS To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euermore Amen THE XXIV LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 34 But one of the Souldiours with a Speare pearced his side and foorthwith came there out blood and water verse 35 And hee that sawe it bare recorde and his recorde is true and hee knoweth that hee saieth true that yee might beleeue it verse 36 For these thinges were done that the Scripture should bee fulfilled Not a bone of him shall bee broken verse 37 And againe another Scripture saieth They shall see him whome they haue thrust thorow THE last day beloued Brethren in Christ we entered into the History of the taking of the Lord from the Crosse before Hee was buried The taking of Him from the Crosse it came by a request The Iewes His enemies made request to Pilate the Romane deputy and Iudge for the time The summe of the request was that the thies of the crucified men might bee broken and so they might bee taken from the Crosse Pilate the Iudge yeelded to the request gaue commandement to the souldiers to the burreo to execute slay them that afterward they might be buried The souldiers came first to the one thief broke his thies theÌ they came to the other thief broke his thies also and last they came to Iesus and finding Him already dead and to haue giuen vp âhe spirit they would not breake His legges Yet to put the matter out of doubt one of the souldiers came with a speare and pearced the Lords side thorow y e heart out of the wound there gushâd blood and water Nowe Brethren this day as the Lord shall giue vs grace we shal follow out this History and we shall speake of three things First of the effusion gushing out of the blood the water out of the side of the Lord. Then we shâll speake of that graue testimonie that Iohn the writer of this Gospel gaue to the History narration that the bones of the Lord were not broken and that His side was pearced and that thereafter the bloode and the water gushed out Last we shall speake of the end wherfore these things came to passe There was not one bone of Him brokeÌ His side was pearced to the end that the word of the Lord long time spoken of before might be accoÌplished And he brings in two Scriptures the one coÌcerning that His bones shuld not be brokeÌ the other coÌcerning the pearcing of His side with the speare Now come to y e first of these heads I leaue the vaine dreame of the papistes for all their religion is but dreames fantasies I passe their dreame coÌcerning this souldier y t pierced the side of the Lord with a speare how they say y t the Griek worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies a speare was the name of the man that pearced Christes side and how they saye that this man was a Centurion an olde Captaine who was blind after he had pearced the Lords side hee washed his eyes with the blood that issued out got his sight theâeafter in an instant was conuerted became a Christian man and a Martyre and this is he whom they worship and whose bones are kept as a relict and he is called Sainct Longimus I leaue the spirit of vanities fie on them they fill the hearts of the people of God with such vanities and therefore shame and confusion shall come vpoÌ them in the end Now Brethren to speake of that which is more profitable Of the gushing out of the blood and water out of the side of the Lord. IOHN saies that one of the souldiours with a speare pearced his side and foorthwith came there out blood and water No doubt this effusion of the blood and water in a part was naturall and ordinarie for they who haue skill in the things which concerne the bodie of man and knowe the Anatomie they knowe that the heart of man is a receptacle of bloode and in the heart is the cleannest and finest blood The vitall blood is fined in the heart of man and the bloode there is finer than in the rest of the bodie Yee heare commonlie that the heart blood is the finest blood and moste precious Ye know likewise that there is a fliece which compasseth and goes about the heart which is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and in it there is some liquor and water wherewith the heat in the heart is cooled and refreshed Then to come to the purpose The Lord being pearced thorow the sidâ and in thorow the heart it was no wonder that that bloode in the heart and that water in the fliece should haue gushed out especiallie seeing that Hee had but newlie giuen vp the ghoste and Hee was yet warme so that this blood and this water coulde not bee yet much altered by reason of the shortnesse of time But Brethren when I weigh this matter more deepelie and consider that this bloode and this vvater gushes out in such aboundance and so distinctlie that the one is so seuered from the other that they who stoode beside might discerne verie
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 thât 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 Hâm thoâow âhe 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
bee charged with fire and sworde but woulde slippe ouer in wealth and quietnesse But true faith must abide the triall of the fire of manifolde temptations and afflictions Well the daye shall come when it will bee seene who among vs hath this fined faith They haue the fined faith who will seeke to Iesus Christ and to His promise in the fire I woulde haue spoken of these two Testimonies but I leaue them vntill the next occasion and so I ende heere beseeching the Lorde to haue a care of euerie one of vs and to furnishe vs vvith grace and strength that wee maye sticke fast vnto Him and His promises Not onelie nowe in peace but euen in the middest of the fire and in death it selfe That after this life bee ended vvee maye bee glorified in the Heauens thorowe Christ To whome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour and Glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXV LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 57 And when the euen was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Ioseph who had also himselfe beene Iesus disciple MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 42 And now when the night was come because it was the day of the preparation that is before the Sabbath verse 43 Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable Counsellour who also looked for the Kingdome of God came and went in boldlie vnto Pilate and asked the bodie of Jesus LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 50 And beholde there was a man named Ioseph who was a Counseller a good man and a just 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 bâsought Pilate that hee might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue him licence Hee came then and tooke Iesus bodie THese dayes past beloued Brethren in Christ we haue spoken of the taking downe of y e Lord from the Crosse after He was dead which came as yee heard by a request made to Pilate these who made the request were the Iewes his enemies they requested that he should be taken from the crosse not for any loue they bare to him but because it was the time of the preparation to the Passeouer they beleeued that Iesus the other two crucified meÌ who hung on y e Crosse should haue polluted their holy feast holy actioÌ request Pilate that y e thies of the crucified men might be brokeÌ that therafter they might be takeÌ down from from the Crosse The souldiers came first to the one thiefe broke his thie theÌ they came to the other broke his thie also last they came to Iesus finding Him to be dead they would not break His thie but one of the souldiers came with a speare in his hand and to put the matter out of doubt he thrust Him thorow y e heart so that out of the wound ran blood water in abundance WheÌ Iohn hath made a rehearsal of these things he joynes to a weighty testimony He who saw these things hath testified of them his testimony is true he knowes that they are true that ye might beleeue Last he sets down the end of these things first wherfore the thies of Iesus were not brokeÌ theÌ wherfore His side was pearced These things were done sais Iohn that y e Scripture might be fulfilled for this he alledges first y e which is spokeÌ of the type Exod. 12 Not one bone of the Pascal lambe might be brokeÌ and Zachar. 12. They shall see him whom they haue pearced thorow The last day Brethren we left off at these testimonies of Scripture therfore this day as God shal giue vs grace we shal speak first of these 2 testimonies therafter we shal enter to the next History y t is to the burial of Iesus Then to speak of the first testimony Not one bone of him shal be brokeÌ Moses speakes these words Exod. 12 of the pascall lamb he giues a commandement that in the eating of the pascall lamb not one bone of it should bee broken That which Moses speakes of the pascall lambe Ioh. drawes it vnto Iesus Christ because the Lord Iesus was the true pascall lambe and that lambe that the Iewes ate was but a figure shadow of that true lambe the Lord Iesus who tooke away the sinnes of the world therfore seing the type shadow had ceased by the death of Iesus Christ there was not a pascall lambe any more and all the celebration of the Passeouer that the Iewes vsed after the death of Iesus Christ was but vanitie it was good reason that Iohn shoulde draw that which was spoken of the figure to the thing signified by the figure for these wordes that Moses spake of the pascall lambe were accomplished in Christ there was not one jot of it but it was perfected and accomplished in Him Paul 1. Cor. 5 drawes to Christ the very words which Moses vsed in prescribing of the eating of the pascall lambe Put away the olde leauen that wee may bee a newe lumpe as wee are vnleauened for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Marke this lesson for our instruction When thou readest of the Types and Figures in the olde Testament cast away the Types and keepe the veritie and applâe it to CHRIST who is figured by the Types We are euer reading y t olde Scripture y t speakes of the types vsed in the old Church of the Iewes as that Scripture of the Paschal lambe and all the other ceremonies of the Iewes but take heede how yee read them read them not as the Iewes read them read not these Scriptures as though they were to bee vnderstood of as many types yet to bee kept in the earth bevvare of that Heare them not as though they vvere any figures and shadowes vnfulfilled for that were to exclude the Lord Iesus vvho only is the body But in reading cast avvay the types because they haue alll ceased at the comming and after the death of Christ Cast not away the Scripture but dravv it vnto Iesus and that vvhole Scripture which the Iewes vnderstood of the type vnderstand thou of Christ As for Example In reading of this Scripture Exod. 12.41 Cast aside the type the Paschall Lambe but cast not away the Scripture Ye shall not breake one bone of Him Take this Scripture and vnderstand it of Iesus Christ that Lambe of God and His bones And vve must not thinke Brethren that this is any vvrying and vvresting of the old Scripture by the ovvne sense because the same Scripture vvhich spake of the Type spake of Iesus but mediatly by the Types and the Fathers of olde by reading of the Types got a sight of the body looking in thorovv the shaddovv to the body This is no vvresting of the Scripture But novv seeing all Types are avvay it is good reason that those Scriptures novv immediatly be vnderstood of Christ vvhich before mediatly vvere applied to
a good Iustice the Romane Iustitiers were good he shewed him selfe to bee a good Iustitier in this a man condemned to die hee would not giue Him out of His hands till hee knew perfectly that He was dead The Iudge should not giue a man out of his haÌds to any till he know he be dead Iustice requires that If they did so to the greene tree the Lord Himselfe saies what shall they doe to the withered If so precise justice was kept on y e innocent what shall become of the reprobate who must suffer euery point of justice Lord saue vs from that justice of the reprobate I put it out of doubt This justice kept on Iesus is a liuely image of that justice that shal be kept on the reprobate Thou shalt not escape one point of that justice but thou shalt suffer in thy carcage y e extremity if thou be not participate of His blood Another thing is to bee marked in Pilate I see a part of humanity in him hee grants the dead body humanely And surely this was by the fashion for the bodies of crucified meÌ were not giueÌ yeelded at the request of meÌ as their death was ignominious so was their buriall I put no doubt the coÌscience of the innocencie of Iesus neuer left him the conscieÌce of His innoceÌcie made him to be so easie to grant the body of Iesus at the request of Ioseph Brethren if this matter had bene in the hands of Caiaphas the Priests and the Scribes the Elders they would not haue bene so ready to haue giueÌ the body to be buried for as they sought to shame Him in His death so would they in His buriall they had buried Him like an Asse casteÌ Him out like a beast So who is this that dishonours the Saints of God in their buriall It is not Pilate or an Ethnicke or Turke or Pagan it is hypocrit professors hypocrits Caiaphas it is false priests knaues with a coloured religion it is the counterfet hie priests those shauelings those monks friers who murther the innoceÌts there was neuer bitternes nor gal of heart like their bitternes who wil cal theÌselues the kirke they are a false a deceiuing kirke they haue not bene content to martyre the deare Saincts of God that bloody massacre shall neuer goe out of memory it shal be recent to their perpetual shame they shal pay for it one day but they haue raised vp y e bones of the dead to burne theÌ The vessels of dishonour seeke the dishonour of the vessels of honour but shame and confusion shall light vpon them wheÌ the Saints of God shall get honour The Lord saue vs from them and that judgement which they shall receiue We goe now to the maÌner of the Buriall Looke the louing affection of this holy man Ioseph would to God we could learne at him who loued the dead Iesus so well to loue Him now liuing and glorified in the HeaueÌs When he hath gotteÌ the body of the Lord he takes it puts it not in a foule cloth he takes not an old sheet but he buyes the cleanest linneÌ finest that culd be gotteÌ the Spirit of God notes that it was a fine linnen cloth which had neuer touched any mans body before then he wraps the body of Iesus in that winding sheet I suppone it was with his owne hands for wee reade of none other that touched Him for hee thought his owne hands ouer vnworthie to winde such a precious and glorious bodie Nowe Brethren as the Buriall of the Lord was honoured by an honourable man who was the Burier of Him so it was honoured with a cleane winding-sheet which is a piece of the honour of the Buriall But looke to this mans doinges better When hee procures leaue to bury Him he departs not leaues another to bury Him he sais not I haue done enough I haue gotteÌ his body he has other frieÌds thaÌ I here he has his mother his disciples other womeÌ who came with him out of Galile and others let them bury him doe y e rest to him No he saies not so So this is a coÌmendable thing in him who hauing gotteÌ leaue to bury him he perfects the worke he will bury him himselfe with his owne hands Let vs learne at Ioseph If we put to our haÌds to the work of Iesus to honour him wo to him that honours him not if thou begin to do him any seruice leaue not off whilst thou haue ended it Count not that which thou hast done as men doe who will say I haue professed I haue suffered for religion more than the best of them But when thou art running that race neuer looke ouer thy shoulder vntill thou commest to thy races ende and say thou art an vnprofitable seruant suppose thou hadst done neuer so much goe forward the crowne is not in the middest of the race but at the end and hee who persistes to the end of the race he shall get the crowne not he who goes backe againe Yet the affection of the man would bee considered and weighed after that once that sweete smell the sweetest smell that euer was felt comes from the body of Iesus that sweet smell of loue for the sauour of that body is the sauour of loue such loue as man neuer bare to man such loue as made the Lord to die for sinners after that the smell comes to Iosephs soule it wakened vp in his heart loue towards the Lord for Hee must loue vs before wee loue Him and whilst Hee begins to loue Him he makes request for Him euer the nearer that he drawes to that precious body the sweete smell that came from that precious body was alwayes the greater and the heart of Ioseph warmed ay the more with Him so that he could neuer get rest vntill he got that body in his armes and wrapped it in linnen clothes So when we begin to taste that fragrant odour that sweet smell our hearts will be allured to draw neare to Him and as we draw the nearer to Him wee will ay finde the sweeter sauour proceeding from Him Thou shalt feele alwaies the more that sweet odour the more neare thou meete with Him and who euer thou bee that seekest Him once thou vvilt neuer rest vvhilst thou see Him and be vvith Him Paul speakes this of himselfe 2. Cor. 4.8 I approoue rather to be with the Lord than to dwell in this bodie And to the Phillipians 1.23 I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ For as vvell as vve loue this body vve vvill be content to slit out of it to let the body fall dovvne like a broken pitcher that vve may be conjoyned vvith Christ vve vvill be content to slit and to obtaine Iesus Christ euen vvith the dissolution of the body This for the part of Ioseph in the burying of Christ novve follovves the part of one Nicodemus Whilst as Ioseph is
vvrapping the body of Iesus in the vvinding-sheete one Nicodemus vvho had come to Iesus by night to be instructed secretly by Him he comes to Him and hee comes not emptie handed come not emptie handed to Christ bring w t thee some gift he comes with a mixture of Myrrhe and aloes a precious odour and with a great weight an hundreth pound weight a great weight and a great price for this gift hath bene a costly gift But to speake of this Nicodemus to compare him with Joseph as Ioseph was an honourable man a Prince amongst the people so was Nicodemus an honourable man a Prince amongst the people read the 3. of Iohn As Joseph was a rich man so Nicodemus was a rich and mightie man as Ioseph was a secret disciple of Christ so Nicodemus was a quiet disciple of Christ who lurked before and now comes to light I read of one propertie in Nicodemus which was not in Ioseph This Nicodemus is called by Christ a Doctour and Master in Israel He was a Pharise learned in the law of the Iewes we read not this of Ioseph Yet to goe forward in the comparison As Ioseph brought his honour and riches and laid them downe at the feete of Iesus Christ who lay dead in ignominie in the sight of the worlde so this Nicodemus brings his honour and his riches his learning and his wisedome and layes them downe at the feete of Iesus lying dead there he humbles his head as it were at the feete of Iesus So that this was the greatest honour that Iesus got in His death and buriall the wisdome the honour and the learning of the world and the riches in the persons of these men was all cast vnder His feete and no doubt these two men before they met with Iesus and knew Him they stood much on their reputation they thought their riches and their honour was something and they counted much of their prerogatiues in the worlde but after they got a sight of Iesus all these as Paul speakes of himselfe seemed but losse vnto them they seemed but dung and dirt in respect of Iesus Christ whome they counted to be their only vantage If thou hadst wisdome to compasse the world it is nothing but folly in respect of that eminencie of the wisdome of Iesus Christ all would stincke and be dung to thee thou wouldest not endure to looke vpon them if thou hadst a sight of that eminencie of the wisdome of Iesus Christ Wise men will spitte at the Crosse of Christ these wise men if ye speake to them of the Crosse of Christ they will spit at it yet albeit they bee wise the foolishnesse of the Crosse of Christ will shame them all the foolishnesse of it shames all the wise in the world the pouertie shames all the riches of the world the ignominie of it shames all the honour all the crownes and scepters in the worlde and therefore PAVL 1. Cor. in Esayes vvordes he glories Where is the wisemen now where are the Scribes where is the disputer of the world Hath not this foolish Crosse of Christ made all but follie the very foolishnes of y e Crosse of Christ hath made all y e prerogatiues of y e world but foolishnes the world would not know God in His wisdome when He had set out such a faire Fabricke of y e world He determined to saue so many as should beleeue But how by Philosophie No by wisdom No but by the foolishnesse of preaching thou shalt neuer see Heauen I giue thee this doome if thou be not saued by this foolish preaching This for the persoÌ of Nicodemus now let vs see his gift it is a rich gift a mixture of Myrrhe Aloes of an hundreth pound weight what mooued y e man to doe this now certainly there are few folks y t will cast away their goods giue them for nothing it behooued y t some great mater should haue moued this man if he had not seene some thing in y t body to haue moued him to haue brought this gift he had neuer brought such a precious gift if he had not seene a wonderfull preciousnes in y e body euen that dead body was y e most precious thing in y e world he had neuer bin so liberal as to haue bought so much precious oyntment what causes men be so loth to bestow any thing on Christ His Gospel y e world sees not how precious He is in His Gospel when thou seest not y e preciousnes of y e Gospel of Christ O! what maruell is this y t thou bestowest nothing on Iesus His Gospell I doubt not if thou couldest see y e power of y e light y e preciousnes of that Gospel thou wouldest bestow gifts presents yea all y t thou hast to y e glory of Iesus and to y e maintenance of it ye had need to look on this mater at this time The Lord open the eyes of men to see y e price of this glorious Gospel But to speak of Nicodemus gift y t gift is honourable a gift of odours what should haue moued this man to haue both such a gift of odours more thaÌ any other if Nicodemus had not felt y e sweetest sauour odour that euer was coÌming froÌ the body of Iesus he had neuer brought such a gift hee meetes a sweete sauour with a sweet sauour that body needed no odours of Nicodemus because that bodie was filled with the presence of God and therefore needed none odours to preserue it from corruption The naturall body of a man beeing dead will stincke but the body of the Lord Iesus was not subject to corruption so ye see Brethren all things honour the buriall y e honorable maÌ Ioseph honoures y e burial the winding sheet honoures y e buriall y t man Nicodemus honours y e buriall y t rich gift honoures y e buriall of y e Lord so His buriall was on all wayes honorable So y e glorie of Iesus beganne in His buriall When Nicodemus is come with his gift Joseph Nicodemus joyne hands in hands together They tooke towells and buries the body of Iesus after the manner of the buriall of the Iewes Yet I see in this Ioseph a thing commendable When Nicodemus comes with a rich gift and a richer gift than hee gaue he enuies him not hee enuies neither the man nor his gift but hartily they take the body together and annoynt it Let no man enuie another who comes with a gift to Iesus but let mee with my small gift and thee with thy great gift hartily joyne hande in hande together and glorifie Iesus Christ put away enuie and emulation and hartily honour IESVS CHRIST for if we sawe that all our honour standes in the honour of Iesus Christ wee would bee content that euery man should come with greater gifts to honour Iesus Christ and so emulation would bee put away Now the Lord giue vs grace to
than all the vexation that was done to Him it was heauier than the crucifying of him it selfe and when thou hearest this name thou shouldest say He was not a deceiuer but it was I that was a deceiuer Hee was called a deceiuer for me who was damned for deceit that I should be deliuered from the debt punishment of deceit and deceiuers Now to end shortly Ye haue a watch saies he goe and make it sure keepe it as yee please Hee was an easie man to graunt to any man whatsoeuer thing he sought of him either good or euill Hee granted to Ioseph his sute to burie Christ so he grants to the Priests and Pharises this sute to keepe Him in the graue The reason is because being an Ethnick he serued not God but the affections of meÌ whether good or euill he looked not to God but hee had a respect to his owne standing and therefore hee cares not to grant a sute suppose it were against God and Christ Hee had a respect to his owne standing when he commanded Christ to be crucified Such like he respected his owne standing when hee gaue Ioseph leaue to burie Him and likewise now when he grantes this sute to the Priestes to vvatch His graue he respected his owne standing Marke this Brethren It is a miserable thing vvhen a King or a Iudge hath not God before his eyes wo to y t king who hath not God a good coÌscieÌce before his eyes for he will be a slaue to the affections of any varlot in the Countreye A Begger a Horse-rubber and the vilest slaue that can be among men is not so vile a slaue as he who serues the affections of men and hath not God and a good conscience before him and euer the higher and the greater his estate be he is the greater slaue Nowe hauing gotten leaue of Pilate they set men of vvarre to keepe Him in the graue they make the sepulchre sure with the watch to the ende Hee shoulde not bee stollen awaye and for the more securitie they sâaled the stone and signated it vvith Pilates ring and then it vvas death to anie man in the vvorlde to touch it Yet the more busie they are and the more they striue to hold Him in the graue the more the Lorde glorifies Him and the more cleare and manifest was his Resurrection Could Pilates seale holde him in the graue Could the men of vvarre holde him in No they coulde not keepe him but yee will haare They fell all downe dead at his Resurrection and they had not a worde to speake suppose such was the impudencie of the Priests that although they knew that he vvas risen Yet they hired the men of vvarre to say that he vvas not risen but his disciples stole him away by night And this errour continues in the vvorlde among the Iewes euer since But the Lord Iesus arose vvith great power and glorie and now is in infinite glorie in the Heavens at the right hand of the Father To vvhom vvith the Sonne and holy Spirit from our hearts vvee render all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer AMEN THE XXVIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII NOw in the ende of the Sabbath when the first day of the weeke began to dawne Marie Magdalene and the other Marie came to see the sepulchre verse 2 And beholde there was a great earth-quake for the Angel of the Lord descended from heauen and came and rolled backe the stone from the doore and sate vpon it verse 3 And his countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snowe verse 4 And for feare of him the keepers were astonied and became as dead men MARKE CHAP. XVI ANd when the Sabbath day was past Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome bought sweete ointmentes that they might come and anoint him verse 2 Therefore earlie in the morning the first day of the weeke they came vnto the sepulchre when the Sunne was now risen LVKE CHAP. XXIIII NOw the first day of the weeke early in the morning they came vnto the sepulchre and brought the odours which thây had prepared and certaine women with them IOHN CHAP. XX. NOw the first day of the weeke came Marie Magdalene early when it was yet darke vnto the sepulchre and sawe the stone taken away from the tombe THESE dayes past beloued Brethren in Christ wee haue heard at length of the death and Passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and in ende wee heard of His Buriall after His death and passion Now it followes as the Lord shall giue vs grace that we speake of His glorious resurrectioÌ from the dead In speaking of the Resurrection of Iesus Christ wee shall follow out the whole foure Euangelistes Matthew in his last Chapter Marke in his last Chapter and Luke in his last Chapter sets downe the Historie of the resurrection of Iesus Christ but John insists more largelie than the rest for he hath two Chapters of the Historie of the Resurrection Then to come to the purpose Wee finde in none of the foure Euangelists the time and the houre when the Lord arose from the dead preciselie noted We finde not the manner of His rising out of the graue Wee finde no mention made of any witnesses that sawe Him rise out of the graue It hath pleased the Lord in His wisedome to conceale all these thinges yet it is certaine He arose out of the graue in the morning what houre he knowes Himselfe in the morning after y e Iewish Sabbath which was the beginning of the thirde day after His Buriall for the Iewes counted their day from euen till eueÌ so the third day began at euening As it is certaine that the Lord arose out of the graue in the night so we find in the foure Euangelists that when He is risen He testifies a little after His glorious Resurrection by many witnesses And first of all the emptinesse and roomnesse of the graue testifies thâs Resurrection Marie Magdalene and the other Marie and Salome testifie of it The Angâls of Heauen testifie of it The Lord Himselfe testifies of it by appearing to the vvomen And these vvomen testifie of it to His Disciples And then the Lord witnesses His Resurrection by His owne appearing vnto them To come to the Text that we haue read We haue first of all out of the Gospel of MARKE noted the occasion how it comes to passe that these women are made witnesses to the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Next wee haue the coÌming of these holy women out of Hierusalem with odours to anoint the dead bodie of Iesus which they supponed to haue bene in the graue Thirdly wee haue the rehearsall of some things that fell out whilest the women were comming to the graue There falles out a great earthquake because their was a glorious Angell comming from Heauen to the graue And last of all we shall speake of the part of Marie Magdalene
particularly because she preuented the other and came first to the graue shee vvas a woman who loued the Lord marueilously and waited continuallie vpon Him As touching the occasion MARKE saies that when the Sabbath day was past Marie Magdalene Marie the mother of Iames and Salome bought sweet ointments that they might come and anoint him that is the dead bodie of the Lord which as they supponed laye in the graue Note the time well It was after the Sabbath was past for after they had seene the Lord layed in the graue by Ioseph and Nicodemus they returned home to the Preparation of the Passeouer which was as we compt on the Friday at euen when the Sun was gone downe On the morrow after which was their Sabbath they celebrated the Passeouer and they rested all that day vntill the euening Then vpon their Sabbath at euen which is our Saturdaye at euen when the Sunne was gone downe their Sabbath being ended they remember their purpose and buye sweet odours that on the morrowe earlie they might embaulme the dead bodie of the Lord. Nowe Brethren surely the loue and affection of these women caÌnot be passed by They take a purpose to honor the Lord by embaulming His bodie They rest on the Sabbath day a day a night interuenes yet this time stayes not their purpose I shall cause one night interuening put a good purpose out of our heads Indeed we will keep an euill purpose long in our mind But if we haue a good purpose at euen wee will forget it ere the morne it will bee buried with vs as if wee had neuer thought it But this purpose of these holy women would bee better examined that wee may see wherein they are to be commended they buy and prepare sweete smelling odours to annoynt the body of the LORD the LORD was risen at this time the LORD had foretolde them oftener than once or twise that He was after His death to rise on the third day yet they go out of very purpose that same day this cannot be commendable in them As for the loue that was in the hearts of these women it cannot but be coÌmended to all posterities to the end of the world would to GOD the like loue zeale to God were in the hearts of men women in these dayes but certainly the deed it selfe seeing they had the word of God in y e contrarie is not commendable But looke againe in all this doing the Lord takes more heed to y e heart than to y e deed not only forgiues He the sin but also He workes out of it not only His owne glory but y e well of y e womeÌ they went out of set purpose to embalme Him y e Lord turnes this so about y t He makes them to be witnesses of His glorious resurrectioÌ Now well is them y t loues y e Lord for to them all thinges works for y e best out of their sins He workes their saluation out of darknes light But to come forward to the next head The sweet odours beeing bought confected prepared y e women go toward the graue the time is very precisely noted by all y e foure Euangelists Matthew calles it the end of the Sabbath when the first day in the weeke began to dawne It was in y e dawning before the Lords day so called in remeÌbrance of His glorious resurrectioÌ which we vse to call our Sunday Marke sayes it was the first day of the Sabbath early in the morning in the beginning of the weeke as he would say Sunday early in the morning before y e rising of y e sun Luke sayes y e same Iohn sayes early the first day of the weeke when it was darke in a world it was on Sunday in y e morning at y e very point of time wheÌ y e sun rose Now y e purpose of these women was not to be witnesses of y e resurrectioÌ of y e Lord but to embalme His body which as they thought was lying in the graue but y e Lord turnes y e matter so about y t He makes them to be witnesses of Christs resurrectioÌ this was no smal honor He makes women witnesses of y e resurrectioÌ euen to y e shame of men yea euen to y e shame of His Apostles for they rose early in y e morning but His Apostles lay lurking still goe not out So in the example of these women wee may see that to bee true which Paul sayes 1. Cor. 1.27 The Lord hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mightie things that all glorie might redound to Him Another thing vve see in their example that vvhich the Apostle sayes 1. Cor. 3.18 If any man seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise The LORD in this doing vvill haue His disciples to sit dovvn in the schoole of vvomen to learne of them that glorious resurrection He vvil make them to be fooles y t they may be made vvise and Hee vvill haue the vvomen to bee their teachers and if thou acceptest not of the testimonie of these vvomen become not as a foole albeit thou vverest neuer so vvise thou shalt neuer get a part of the resurrection of Iesus Christ Novv I goe forvvarde to the third thing vvee haue here set dovvne It is an incident that falles out vvhilst as the vvomen is on their journey going to the graue for as they are going to the graue there falles out sayes Matthew a great earthquake the cause is noted for as they were going to the graue the Lord of glory sends an Angell to tell the resurrection of the Lord to these women so in very deed the Angell is a witnesse before the women but the women before the men Alwayes the Angel that comes from Heauen he is a honorable ambassadour the blessed Angels are very glorious no question the Lord would haue His resurrection first witnessed by so glorious an ambassadour He would not haue man to testifie first of it but He would haue a glorious Angell from Heauen to tell proclaime the Lord of glorie was risen and that He had broken the bands of death risen vp in despite of the Deuill death that to our well y t both we may rise to a newnesse of life y t we may be assured that they who sleepe in Him as Paul sayes and lies in the gaue shall be raised with Him at that great day in glory An Angell a glorious creature honoures the message but yet I say the message and commission honoures the Angel more than the Angell does the message yea if it were all the Angels in Heauen they get more honour by it than they can giue to it Well if the preaching of y e Gospel the testifying of Iesus His resurrection honoures the Angels shall we
thinke that any man in earth is too good to preach the Gospell of Christ No if thou werest a King it is a great honour to thee that thou shouldest haue grace to speake of His blessed Name Well BrethreÌ as the ambassadour was glorious the message was glorious so y â coÌmission was the joyfullest thing that euer y u heardest al the Angels in Heauen are too vnworthy to tel it Now as the ambassador was glorious the message more glorious so the Lord of Heauen honours His Ambassadour w t a terrible earthquake the ambassador of a King hath honour and why should not the ambassadour of the LORD IESVS haue honour aboue all the Kinges of the world No doubt the LORD in this Earthquake hath a further respect for hereby He testified that His glorious presence accompanied the Angell and that to the weale and comfort of the sillie women for as all the rest was to prepare their hearts reuerentlie to receiue so glorious an Ambassadour so was also this Earthquake For if both men and women bee not prepared to receiue the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST let an Angel come from Heauen if they be not prepared by the power of GOD they will not beleeue they will not heare nor receiue the message with reuerence Therefore let no man saye What needes all this a glorious Angell to come from HeaueÌ and such an Earthquake He might haue come otherwise He might haue come faire and softly and in more quyet manner I answere to this The LORD looked not so much to the Angell or the message as to the women for if it were an Angell that came from Heauen He shall neuer be receiued by the silliest bodie except thine heart be prepared by the power of God Now to goe forward When this Angell comes downe first wee haue what Hee does Then wee haue a faire description of this Angell The first thing He does is Hee goes to the graue and rowles away the stone from the doore Ye would thinke this was but a sober and seruile office to so glorious an Ambassadour Might not men haue done it It was Joseph and Nicodemus who rolled the stone to the tombe Might not men haue rolled it awaye againe Marke and compare the Buriall with His glorious resurrection In His Buriall He kept the Godhead close for if either in the death of Christ or in His Buriall that Godhead should haue vttered it selfe He could neither haue died nor yet haue bene buried for the Godhead can neither die nor bee buried but in the resurrection the Godhead that dwelt in Him bodilie breakes out and raises the stone Vpon this difference there followes another in His Buriall the Godhead keeping it selfe close He had no Angels but mortall men to wit Ioseph and Nicodemus to serue Him they winde Him they laye Him in the graue they roll the stone to the doore of the graue But when it comes to His glorious resurrectioÌ in the which that Godhead that before kept it selfe close brake out Hee vses not the ministerie of men but of a glorious Angell an Angell rolles away the stone as it were with His owne hand Nowe this lets vs see how highlie and honourablie wee should thinke of this glorious resurrection It is true the LORD in His Buriall was honourable but Hee was farre more honourable in His Resurrection for the honour that Hee had in His Buriall was but a worldlie honour but in His Resurrection Hee had an Heauenlie honour Indeede Ioseph and Nicodemus who buried Him were two Honourable men but an Angell is an hundreth times more Honourable and glorious than anie man albeit he were a king or Caesar himselfe And so the LORD in His Buriall vttered Himselfe to bee a Lorde ouer men but in His glorious Resurrection He vttered Himselfe euen in our nature not onelie to be Lord of men but also of Angels So Brethren all tendes to this to let vs see the glorie of the Resurrection of Iesus Nowe would to God wee could striue night and daye to get a sight of it for except we get a sight of it in some measure here wee shall neuer see glorie hereafter But before I leaue this I see that in the rolling awaye of the stone the Lord hath a respect to the weaknesse of these women knowing well they were not able to remoue so heauy a stone to see whether the Lord was there or no He sendes this Angell to roll it away to the ende that when the women came they should see that the LORD was risen from the dead Well here wee haue a comfortable lesson The LORD will helpe them that seeke Him Seeke the Lord where euer Hee bee Seeke the Lord in the graue seeke the Lord in the Heauen and thou shalt bee assured if thou bee a weake bodie the Lord shall supplie thy weaknesse and Hee shall cause the strong Angell to doe that which thou art not able to doe Reade wee not how the Lord hath sent His Angels to fight the battels of His owne And if thou wilt seeke the Lord when thou art going any way thou shalt find in experience that the Lord shall send His Angell before thee and prepare thinges before thy comming And I doubt not but some of you who heares mee haue founde this in your owne experience in such sort that yee haue wondered at that blessed prouidence of His Majestie and hath bene moued glorifie Him Now there is another thing to be marked When He hath rolled the stone from the doore He departs not but he sits downe and abides there to testifie that the Lord Iesus was risen So yee see the first witnesse of the Resurrection of Iesus Christ is an Angell Hee remaines sitting vpon the stone to testifie that Christ was risen in glory The first witnesses of His death and Buriall were men and women but the first witnesse of His glorious resurrection is His blessed Angell to let vs see how the Lord would honour His Resurrection and to make vs esteeme of it to wonder at it for in the sight of it stands our life and glorie Alas that once our eyes coulde bee opened to see the glorie of our Redeemer sitting at the right hande of that Majestie then could wee not but wonder at the greatnesse of that glorie Well then as I saide before in this poinct The Lord had a great respect to the poore women Alas an Earthly King will haue a small respect to the poore But the Lorde of glory had a great respect to these poore women Indeed the sight of the emptinesse of the graue might haue beene a sufficient testimonie to them of Christes Resurrection considering the fore-warning they had before to wit That the Lord shoulde rise againe the thirde daye but they were weake in faith And therfore He that supplied the weaknesse of their bodies by the streÌgth of the Angell He supplies their faith by this same Angel for they began to doubt whether He was risen
they thought Hee was stollen away Yet the Lorde Iesus supplies their weaknesse and to the emptinesse of the graue Hee subjoynes the saying of the Angell The Lord is risen from the dead Then the lesson is this Againe seeke the Lorde Art thou sicke in bodie He will supplie thy weaknesse Art thou weake in faith seeke the Lord as certainlie as He supplied the faith of these women Hee shall supplie thy faith And if thou wilt not beleeue for one testimonie Hee will testifie againe and I testifie Hee will neuer leaue thee if thou once aimest to seeke Him yea Hee will heape testimonie vpon testimonie till Hee confirme thee and bring thee to perfection Nowe Brethren followes heereafter a faire description of this Angell In MATTHEVV first he is described from his looke countenance The looke and his eyes glaunced as ye see flashes of fire Then hee is described from his rayment Hee is cladde with faire bright rayment white like the snowe Hee hath fierie eyes and his rayment is like white snow Last of all hee is descriued from the effect that followed on his sight But on whome Not on the women but on the strong men of warre for assoone as they saw him they were not able to looke vpon him but fell downe as dead they might not sustaine to beholde him and his glorious countenance Now as this great Earthquake which was joyned with his comming downe from Heauen vvas a visible signe of the presence of God accompanying Him so that terrible countenance white rayment were also visible signes of that same presence of GOD accompanying Him when hee came to the graue The Majestie of GOD shined in his face rayment the same presence made the men of vvarre to fall downe as dead Whereto vvas all this To glorifie honour that great commission that the Angell had Why should not the ambassadour of a glorious King be glorious Why should not His looke his countenance His rayment and all be glorious But yet againe all this is for the vvell of the poore women In all this the LORD regarded them for euen as the terrible earthquake vvas to prepare their heartes to receiue the ambassage reuerently Euen so vvas the bright countenance and shining rayment of this Angell Novve to speake something of the signes of the presence of God that He hath vsed since the beginning to set out His inuisible glorie No all the Angels in Heauen had neuer povver to get accesse nor apprehend y t inaccessible light It is true the great God hath no neede to borrovv either light from the fire-flash or vvhitenes froÌ y e snovv or hue or hotnes from the fire to set foorth His glory for all the beauties in all the creatures are not to be coÌpared to y t glory that is in Him The fire had neuer y t glance to set forth His glory c. yet it hath pleased y e Lord for our capacitie submitting Himselfe to our infirmitie by those things y t are most glorious exquisite in Nature to set out represent His incomprehensible glory He takes as it vvere a darke shadovv thereby to let vs see His shining glory therefore Brethren take vp y e lesson When euer the Lord vtters His Majestie by outward signes of His creatures hold not altogether thine eye fixed on y e outward signes as though His Majesty extended y e selfe no further as though there were no greater glory in Him than in them as though He vvere no vvhiter than the snow nor brighter than the fire for the visible creature cannot fully expresse the glory of the Creator but by the eye of Faith thou shouldest pierce into that inward light and incomprehensible glory whereinto GOD dwells blessed for euer which is represented by the beautie of these outwarde signes Therefore when Hee sets out His brightnesse by the brightnesse of the Sunne when thou seest the Sunne shining thou shouldest say with thy selfe I cannot abide the brightnesse of this Sunne therefore what brightnesse is in y t God that made it and if by the eye of Faith thou lookest thorow the glorie of all the creatures to the infinite glorie of the Creator thou shalt haue a faire vantage for thou shalt no sooner looke vpon His glorie by the eye of faith but assoone shall the Lord by the beames of His infinite glorie and by a marueilous light shine in thine heart for as the Apostle sayes 2. Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse is Hee which hath shined in our hearts And I doubt not but these poore women looking to the glory of the Angell who was an Ambassadour of Iesus they saw and considered how glorious Iesus was who sent him and so they found the glory of the Lord shining in their soule afterwards which made them to rejoyce with a joy vnspeakable and glorious Now to end shortly it is said That for feare of Him the keepers were astonished and became as deade men The men of warre are standing about the graue when His Angell comes but when they see the Angell the earth did not shake so fast as they did they shake and fall downe deade as it were in a trance these men were stout before and it is likely that they had bragged before that all the world should not get Him out of the graue for they were acquainted with tumultes of warre and they had seene as many terrible sights as any men yet for all their stoutnesse they looke not so soone to the Angels face and rayment but assoone they fall downe dead Wel thou art a stout man if thou wilt say All the deuils in Hel shal not smite thee nor affright thee thou thinkest thou wilt out-face all the world this Land is full of such foolish braggers who will say they will not bee afraide to meete the Deuill but one blencke of the face of that Majestie of GOD will cause them fall downe as dead to the ground Will yee weigh this matter aright It is not onely the outwarde sight of the Angell that astonishes these men for if it was the sight of the Angell why fell not the women downe Why were they not astonished the women stood still and the Angel spake to them and they to him so there must be another cause of this terrour and what was the cause They were great sinners sinne did reigne in them without repentance they had an euill conscience they were enemies to Iesus Christ and therefore at the sight of the Angell when the light of GOD enters in and wakens their consciences they are stricken with exceeding terrour and feare The children of God who haue their consciences purged from the guiltinesse of sinne vses not to be stricken with such terrour at the sight of God but rather receiue joy thereby It is true The presence of the Majestie of God is terrible in it selfe and the Angells themselues can not behold it in the owne brightnesse yet
Him wheÌ He was dead in y e graue alas she had another kind of loue to Him thaÌ we haue now but now albeit He be now glorified in y e Heauens we will suffer our selfe easily to sunder froÌ Him without a coÌplaint or mone but if we fouÌd either y e force of His death or yet the force of His life glory we would neuer be glad vntill we were joyned w t Him Now when she sayes they had taken away y e Lord albeit she speakes not y e trueth yet I will not say she made a lie but she failed in ignorance she spake as she thought but she knew not y t the Lord was risen IgnoraÌce is a sore thing for wheÌ once any maÌ coÌmits a sin through ignorance he goes forvvard froÌ one sin to another so she makes an euil report to y e Apostles striue therefore to get this misty cloud of ignorance remoued froÌ thee for if thou takest pleasure to ly in it y e end of it shall be vtter darknes BrethreÌ marke y e mercy of God y e Lord layes not this to her charge it is said commonly loue hides a multitude of sins y e Lord vvhen He loues a person He casts y e mantle of His mercy ouer his sins hides them He vvill be loth to reuile them vvhom He loues a man vvil not shame another whoÌ he loues vvel much lesse will y e Lord doe it No He vvill cast y e cloak of His mercy vpoÌ them y t they appeare not before y e judgemeÌt seat of His Father Now I see further albeit those things were not true yet by them y e Lord brings good to y e disciples for they were lying in sluggishnes so wakens them so He works light out of darknes yet y t is no vvarrand for thee to do euill Let no man doe euill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 Marke last coÌcerning this womaÌ Marie I see she comes to y e knovvledge of y e resurrectioÌ of Iesus with great paine for she waked y e night before w t care she comes out early in y e morning to y e graue goes home w t great care heauines It is not a litle thing to come to Christ in His glory thinkest y u to step in at the first to see God in His glory thou vvilt not get leaue to see y e glory of a King at y e first thinkest y u to come to Christ at the first No y u must come to Christ y e sight of His glory vvith many teares great paine But what if thou shouldst paine thy selfe all thy lifetime if thou get a sight of this resurrection in glory if thou gettest a blencke of y t countenance if it vvere at thy last end it shall svvallovv vp in a moment all thy displeasure paine if thou shouldest suffer martyrdome yet y t sight of His glory shall furnish such joy as shall swallovv vp all displeasure the sight of that eternall weight of glory makes vs to count all the afflictions of this present life to be but light and momentanean when we looke not to the things that are seene but to the things that are vnseene Thou thinkest the time here to be longsome but once thou gettest a sight of that glory thou shalt think it but a moment Novv leauing Marie Magdalene I come to the rest of the vvomen y t were at y e graue of whoÌ we haue these four things shortly first what they do they enter into y e graue of y e Lord for it was large not an hole surely they behoued to loue Him well in whose graue they went Next wheÌ they enter in the graue we haue set down what they see they see an Angell in the shape of a young man clothed in a faire white robe sitting in the graue thirdly we haue how they are terrified and lastly wee haue the speech of the Angell to the women Then first comming to the graue they runne not away as Marie Magdalene did but enter in the graue seeking the LORD and in this point they goe beyond Marie she went backe but they goe forward otherwise she went beyond them for loue zeale and faith in Christ No not one of the disciples surpast Marie Magdalene in loue faith and zeale yet they surpasse her in this point and as they excell her in going forward they get sure information of the resurrection of Iesus Christ for their reward Marke the lesson they who are inferiour in spirituall graces in some duties will excell them who are superiour and when the superiour falles backe they will goe forward and this lets vs see that it is the LORD who makes the difference Hast thou moe graces than thy companion Hee that preferred thee at one time will plucke His hand from thee another time and put them before thee and to this end that thou who gloriest in thy graces may glorie in the Lord for thy grace is not in thy selfe but in His Hand This for the first thing followes the next What see they They see in the shape of a young man an Angell cled with a long robe from top to toe I take this Angel to be y e same of whoÌ we spake y e last day who first remoued away the stone and then sate downe on it his eyes burning like lightening and cled in white rayment Novve this Angell withdravves himselfe and hides him in the graue vvhen hee savv the vvomen comming neere lest he should haue frighted them away he goes in the graue but he sate on the stone first to terrifie the men of warre lest they should trouble the women besides this there is another cause why hee goes in the graue beeing to testifie the Resurrection he chuses the commodity of the place that when he should get the women in the graue that the Lord was riseÌ in the graue he might instruct them better by the emptinesse and roomenesse of the graue that the Lord was risen from the dead Well that same Lord that terrifies the wicked with His looke that same GOD is mercifull to His owne and that Angell that terrifies the men of warre he is a minister of mercie to the godly women I say more at that same time whilst as He chases away the wicked in doing of that He shewes mercie to the godly and He terrifies the wicked that they should not bee a stoppe or terrour to the godly all the terrours and judgements of the wicked as they serue to the glorie of God so they serue for the well of His owne for the LORD hath not only His owne glory before His eyes but also of the âell of His owne Then consider againe the circumstance of the place wherein the Angell teaches these women the resurrection of Iesus Christ The Father of Heauen is very carefull of euery circumstance that serues for the testimonie of Christs Resurrection first Hee is carefull of the
They saw the stone away froâ the sepulchre as the first did And they enter into the graue as the first âid But they found not the body of the Lord Iesus and they are very sad and heauie supposing it had bene stollen away they see two Angels whom they supposed to be two men fearfull to looke on the first companie see but one Angell these see two and the earthly witnesses grow in number so the heauenly growe there was but one Angell only who appeared to the first companie now this companie see two Angels and all this was for the greater certaintie of the matter and resurrection of Iesus Christ they seeing two Angels are afraide therefore the Angells begin and comfort the women by telling that Christ was risen and bids them goe tell the Apostles Nowe wee shall marke something of the part of the women and then we shall come to the part of the Angels As this carefulnesse of the Lord that was in these women was worthie of praise so the Apostles carelessenesse of their Lord cannot be praised for it became them to haue come out first as the couragiousnesse of these women is to be commended so the Apostles cowardnesse merites no commendation and the moe women testifie of His Resurrection that same brings the greater shââc to the Apostles When thou art a man and hast a calling and wilâ let a Wife goe before thee it shames thee and no doubt the force of His Resurrection was more powerfull in the poore women than it was in the very Apostles for all this spirituall courage flowes from the life of Christ for except He had risen from the death and that vve got life thorovv His life vvee vvould neuer haue life yea all the spirituall life and quicknesse that vvas in the fathers of olde vvas by the vertue of Christes Resurrection to come and all this quicknes of ours is by the vertue of His Resurrection already past if thou haue that life begunne it shall be a sure earnestpennie that thou shalt rise in glorie and liue a life like to the glorious life of thy glorious Head and Sauiour Iesus Christ Then I marke another thing in these women They are subject to diuerse perturbations of minde they come out with sadnesse and when they found not the body of the Lord Iesus their dolour is increased then when they see and heare the Angels they are terrified and last of all they finde joy Wilt thou compare the godlie vvith the vngodlie yee shall finde sometimes in the heartes of the vngodly greater peace than in the heartes of the godlie no paine nor vexation in them but they say peace peace as the Apostle sayes in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians the fifth Chapter and the thirde verse but beholde the end when they haue cried Peace then a sudden destruction from the Heauen shall ouertake them and their peace shall end in disquietnesse for euer The trouble of the godly endes in endlesse joy the godly beginnes in sadnesse goes forward in sadnesse but euer in the ende they finde joy and the greater trouble thou bee in in the ende thou shalt finde greater joy and vvhen thou shalt attaine to that joy the verie remembrance of that trouble that thou haddest in this life shall augment thy joy and thou shalt rejoyce that euer thou hadst trouble here if thou hadst bene euen burnt or martyred for CHRISTS sake and by the contrarie The wicked that haue liued heere in securitie vvhen they are thrust in Hell in endlesse paine and displeasure shall finde that the remembrance of the joy that they had in this life shall augment their paine and they shall curse the time that euer they liued here in such pleasure and had this false peace on earth This Historie is plaine and therefore I goe forvvarde I come to the part of the Angell the first speech is somewhat rough Why doe yee seeke the liuing amongst the dead Why doe yee this Then Hee comes on and sayes Hee is not heere Hee is risen Then he confirmes it by a reason Remember women what Hee said to you when Hee was with you in Galile Saide Hee not that Hee behooued to bee deliuered into the hands of sinfull men and bee crucified and to rise againe the third day This is the meaning in effect Then vvhere Hee beginnes with a reproofe there must bee a fault in them No the LORD vvill not reprooue thee for nothing I take their fault to be obliuion for so the wordes of the Angell import they had forgot that Hee should rise the thirde daye suppose He had told them Well Brethren I see this It is the vvill of God that vve neuer forget His word more I see If thou lettest it slip out of thy mind as we doe too readily the Lord will reproue thee but in His reprouing in His anger He neuer forgets mercy lenitie in reprouing of the women Hee makes the Angell to instruct and tell them that Hee vvas risen so in reproouing of thee Hee will teach thee and it learnes vs this lesson Alwayes in all reproofes teach them whom thou reprouest if thou reprooue them without a care to instruct them thy reproofe auailes nothing at all Then looke so soone as his anger goes away and when he hath spoken two wordes thereafter hee sayes Hee is not heere Hee is risen Remember He said to you He behooued to suffer and die and rise the third day So we learne this at the Angell It may be that God speake a word of anger but it will soone goe away and the mercy remaines for euer and when Hee hath laide His anger aside Hee teaches in mercie and I speake this to the childe of God Manie faults in vs all and nowe and then He speakes in anger that His owne perish not with the wicked world Hee will waken them with some angrie word and thinke as thou wilt and if thou be not wakened with some angrie worde thou shalt die in thy stincke and canker of thy corrupt nature and so long as we are here there is euer some matter of anger so that now and then Hee will speake to thee in anger for wee are as foolish children thinking and speaking as children and therefore haue need to be chastised but when wee are perfect men neuer an angrie worde nor a gloome shall be but alwayes mercie and pleasure for euer Then I marke another thing in the Angell Remember sayes he that the Sonne of man must bee deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and to die and the third day to rise againe as Hee shewed to you Well then I see the Lord He forgets not His owne worde that He speakes suppose the women had forgotten it No the Lord that speakes it thinkes neuer so light of it as thou doest Thou wilt forget soone and thou takest no thought of it but that word that He speakes either by Himselfe or by His Ministers He will neuer forget
it The word of a King is much and of great might then how weightie is the word that comes from the King of kings Heauen and earth shall perish ere one jote of that worde perish or fall to the ground and as Hee forgets not so Hee will haue it called to the remembrance not only of the godly but also of the wicked but marke the difference When Hee brings it to the Elects memorie Hâe brings it euer with great joy as He did to these women But as to the wicked it is euer a dolefull and wofull remembrance with paine and griefe and this is no small part and cause of the paine of Hell that all the words which God spake to them whilst they liued and which they contemned shall bee brought to their memorie that booke of remembrance shall bee holden euer before their eyes that there they may see and reade all the wicked workes that they haue done in their life yea the least euill worde shall bee laide to their charge and then the conscience shall stand vp and accuse them euerlastingly No if thou bee out with Christ I say to thee terrible shall that sight bee that thou shalt see for the least euill thought shall bee laide to thy charge let be euill deedes and that forgetfulnesse of the worde of God whilst thou liuedst shall be a great parte of thy paine and griefe but the forgetfulnesse of the godly shall bee hid as all the rest of their sinnes shall be hidde in Him and in that blood they shall bee counted as cleane as if they had neuer sinned nor had forgotten Gods word Thus farre for the part of the Angell Now I returne to the women When the Angell hath spoken and informed them of the Resurrection They returne and tell to the Apostles what they had heard and seene Marke this lesson They cannot keepe it within their brest but they will communicate it to others they will tell the Apostles Brethren after that once a man or a woman hath conceiued that spirituall joy all the worlde will not holde their tongue put them in a fire they cannot but speake of it Many Martyres haue proued this to be true if it were but a woman she must preach it to others I say more if thou hast not pleasure one time or other to speake with joy of Christ to others to speake of His Passion and Resurrection thou neuer heardest with joy We all haue pleasure enough to talke with joy of vaine and prophane tales but of that pleasure of pleasures litle or no delite haue vve to speake I condemne not only the world but also the children of GOD and my selfe with the first Alas too litle pleasure haue wee in our heartes to speake of Christ and His Resurrection But to whome go they Goe they to tell the wicked people No that people was not worthie of it they steale in to the Apostles and them who loued Christ who were lurking in Ierusalem So the lesson is this A man that findes joy will not communicate it to the prophane man he will knowe well that he communicates it to such one as will haue joy with him if any man bee sad yee see they will not communicate it but to them that will bee sad with them so it is with joy they will not tell to euery man the joy but to such as wil haue joy with them Looke the twelfth Chapter to the Romanes and the fifteenth verse hee wishes them To reioyce with them that rejoyce and to bee sadde with them who are sadde Marke this thing also Is not this joye a precious thing Nothing so precious in the worlde as joye and maruell yee not that they shoulde bee so liberall of it And if thou hadst all the worlde it is nothing in respect of this joye and yet they are liberall of it Paul Rom. chap. 1. vers 11. hee answeres to this J long saies hee to come to you to impart some spirituall gift to strengthen you No this hurt not him for hee expones himselfe saying That I might bee comforted together with you through our mutuall faith both yours and mine So when hee commeth to giue grace hee gotte grace No it is a vvonderfull thing vvhen two holie bodies meete what joye the one vvill poure into the heart of the other Put all the Infideles together they cannot minister this joye one to another So in a word Communication of joye shall not empaire but it shall enlarge the joye in thee Whereto shoulde one stande vp to preach CHRIST but that by his joye hee maye minister joye to them that heare him Nowe the LORD graunt that both Preachers and hearers may finde in their heartes this joye which is in CHRIST Nowe I goe forwarde As they goe in the part where the Apostles lurked they finde before them that first companie of vvomen who had returned from the sepulchre Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome and as they enter in they finde them telling these same newes to the eleuen Apostles So that the eleuen Apostles wanted not witnesses women after women testifying that the Lord was risen Will yee consider this well and ye shall see that it imports a deadlie securitie in the Apostles alas it should haue beene they who shoulde haue come to the women to haue tolde them of the Resurrection of Christ When Hee sendes so vvomen after women it testifies that they were in a dead securitie and so it testifies a great mercie of the LORDE vvho vvill not let them sleepe in that carnall securitie Brethren this same mercie of God towardes His owne abideth as yet for in vs is nothing but sleeping and if thou feelest it not thou feelest nothing Pastors people and all sleepes in securitie as the Apostles did And I saye to thee that if the LORDE vvoulde let thee alone and vvoulde sende to thee no vvitnesses to vvaken thee and to saye to thee Sinner vvake and arise No there is none of vs but wee woulde sleepe to death So looke to the LORDS mercy in this thy miserie He sendes men to thee He sendes crosses and troubles to vvaken thee Take men awaye take awaye these cloudes of vvickednesse take awaye câosses I giue the vvorlde their doome no exception from the King to the Begger and if thou vvantest vvitnessing that CHRIST died and rose againe thou shalt sleepe to destruction Thou thinkest that this needes not to bee preached but thou shalt see one daye that there vvas neuer anie thing so needefull in the earth as this preaching and thou shalt curse the time that euer thou vvast sette in the vvorlde except thou compt this preaching the greatest earnest that euer was So this is a token of great mercie towardes them and yee will vvonder that they shoulde bee so sluggishe vvho hearde him so long and that nowe they cannot bee vvakened Alas they were not as yet so vvell skilled that Heauenlie vvit vvas not as yet in their
to them that impaire the authoritie of the Scripture wee may pingle with them a while here but wee remit them to that great day that the Iudge appeare and then they shall receiue their reward for their blasphemie But to leaue them What are these Scriptures that preach CHRISTS Resurrection from the dead In what part is His Resurrection foretolde In the 13. of the Actes Paul preaching of Christ he confirmes it by the olde Scriptures The first Scripture is out of the 55 of Esay verse 3.24 Where He sayes Hee will make an euerlasting couenant with you of the sure mercies of Dauid Then he concludes Therefore it behooued the Lord to rise from death Marke the consequent No there is not such a thing as that euer mercie had continued if Christ had not risen The Apostle sayes in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians the first CHAPTER and the 20. VERSE In Him are all the promises of God Yea and Amen No thou or I should neuer haue had Faith nor any spirituall grace if Christ had not risen So so oft as euer thou feelest a sponke or motion of that spirituall life within thee thou mayest say I am sure that Iesus is risen from the death for this is sure all grace and life flowes from the life of Iesus So if Hee had not risen thou shouldest haue had no life He hath another Scripture out of the sixteenth Psalme at the tenth verse Thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt suffer thine Holy One to see corruption Then hee concludes therefore Hee is risen How followes this It followes well enough for if He had not risen His body behoued to rot and to be corrupted as ours rotte And Peter in the second Chapter of the Actes and verse 31. vses the same testimonie Likewise in the fiftie three Chapter of Esay and the 8. verse where he prophecies of Christ he sayes And who is able to count His generation for all His death He is that euerlasting Essence meaning that albeit Hee died Hee shall rise to life without end There is another Scripture Then they should haue beleeued without sight But alas who is carefull to get this knowledge of this Resurrection and if we had a care to seeke Christ wee would turne ouer these olde Scriptures to see the prophecies of Christ to come then we would come to the New Testament to see these things accomplished so wold meditate in y e Scriptures night day to coÌfirme our faith to get our hearts set stablished on the LORD for it is a matter of great difficultie to get the heart established with grace and if thine heart bee not established and filled with that worde thou wilt neuer see CHRIST nor gette anie grace in Him So to ende this I beseech you as euer yee woulde see CHRIST bee diligent to seeke the Scriptures that yee maye settle your heartes heere vpon Him and beleeue in Him that heereafter yee maye see Him to your comfort and consolation at His seconde comming when Hee shall appeare in the cloudes with the millions of Angels To Him bee glorie for euer Amen THE XXXIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 9 And when Iesus was risen againe earlie the first day of the weeke hee appeared first to Marie Magdalene out of whome hee cast seuen deuils IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 11 But Marie stoode without at the sepulchre weeping and as shee wept shee bowed her selfe into the sepulchre verse 12 And sawe two Angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feete where the bodie of Iesus had layen verse 13 And they saide vnto her Woman why weepest thou Shee said vnto them They haue taken away my Lord and I knowe not where they haue layed him verse 14 When shee had thus saide shee turned her selfe backe and sawe Iesus standing and knewe not that it was Iesus verse 15 Iesus saieth vnto her Woman why weepest thou whome seekest thou Shee supposing that hee had beene the Gardener saide vnto him Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell mee where thou hast layed him and I will take him away WEE haue heard Brethren before first of the out-comming of the first companie of women to the graue of the Lorde and of their returning home againe Secondlie vve heard of the out-comming of the second companie of women and their returning home againe Thirdlie and last of all we heard how Peter and John beeing wakened with the tidinges which the women tolde them of His Resurrection came out to the graue to see if it was so as the women had reported They ranne and in running they striue who shall bee first Iohn out runnes Peter whether it was because hee was younger and more able in his person or whether hee had greater joye in his minde I leaue that to anie man to judge and comes first to the graue and lookes in and goes backe againe Peter comes after him and lookes better about him and seeing the winding-sheete in one part of the graue and the linnen cloth wherewith the Lordes head was wrapped to bee in another part hee wonders at it and thereafter goes into the graue Then came IOHN againe who afore onely looked in and nowe the seconde time enters in and when hee sawe hee beleeued and went his waye Thus farre wee hearde the last daye Nowe in this Text ye will see MARIE MAGDALENE of whom yee hearde before who came to the graue of the LORD with the first company and drawing neare to the graue saw that great stone remooued who hastilie ranne home thinking verilie that the bodie of the Lord had beene stollen awaye and wist not where it vvas layed This same MARIE as appeares hath followed after Peter and Iohn suppose shee ranne not with them yet shee came soone after but before shee came they had gotten the sight of the graue and went awaye shee comming to it goes not in but stands without at the graue vveeping So this daye vvee returne to the Historie of MARIE MAGDALENE and first vve shall speake of her mourning And secondly wee shall speake of these thinges which shee sawe in the graue and about the graue and how shee met with the LORD for whom she mourned and last wee shall speake of the effect that followed vpon these sights as GOD shall giue the grace and as the time shall permit Then to beginne at the first it is saide in the Text Marie Magdalene stood without weeping when she came to the graue She enters not in the graue nor lookes not into it but abode in that opinion that the body of the Lord was stollen away she stands without weeping and mourning Nowe certainely I must ascribe this to a wonderfull loue of this woman there is no man that can expresse sufficiently this loue that she bare to Christ No well were wee if wee could loue Him halfe so well as she did Yet in this mourning shee sinneth
RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 16 Iesus sayeth vnto her Marie Shee turned her selfe and saide vnto him Rabboni which is to say Master verse 17 Iesus sayeth vnto her Touch mee not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but goe to my Brethren and say vnto them I ascende vnto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God verse 18 Marie Magdalene came and tolde the Disciples that shee had seene the Lord and that hee had spoken these thinges vnto her WEE heard these dayes pâst beloued in CHRIST howe that earlie in the morning first one companie of women came out of HIERVSALEM to the graue of the LORD and next after them another companie Thirdlie wee heard of PETER and IOHN two of the Apostles howe they came out to the graue of the LORDE beeing stirred vp by the report of the women And last wee heard of the outcomming of MARIE MAGDALENE to the graue of the LORDE the seconde time following after the Disciples PETER and IOHNNE after they vvere returned shee comes againe to the graue Shee offered not to looke in but stoode mourning for a space vvithout thinking certainelie that the bodie of the LORDE had beene stollen awaye But at the last it pleased the LORDE to bowe her minde and then shee bowed her bodie and looked in to the graue and sawe two Angeles the one at the head and the other at thee feete of the graue where our LORDE had layen sitting clothed in bright rayment and when shee sawe them shee vvas nothing afraide as the other vvomen shee vvas so filled vvith displeasure and sorrowe and her eyes vvere so dimme vvith mourning that shee coulde not see The Angels aske her Why weepest thou Shee answeres them They haue taken awaye the bodie of the LORDE and I knowe not where they haue layed it Yee vvill maruell at this there is nothing in her minde but the dead bodie of the LORDE and as shee is not terrified vvith the sight of the Angels so shee is not terrified vvith their voyce and shee turnes her about from them and finding Him standing beside her in His owne proper person and the LORDE saide as the Angell had saide before vnto her that is Woman why weepest thou Hee calles her Woman speaking strangelie and Hee proceedes further and sayeth Whome seekest thou as though Hee had not knowne vvhome shee had beene seeking MARIE supposing Him to haue beene the Gardener of that Yearde vvhere the LORDE vvas buried shee sayes Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell mee where thou hast layed him that I maye take him vp and burie him Nowe as saide is there is nothing else in her minde but that deade body of Iesus which is an argument that shee loued Him exceedingly when Hee vvas liuing I say all that vvas in her vvas exceeding vehement in her was exceeding loue to the Lord exceeding vehement desire to see Him exceeding displeasure for Him for stealing Him out of the graue as she supposed so that I may say she vvas one of the violent ones that Christ speakes of in the 11 of Matthew that breakes vp Heauen he sayes there That violence is done to the Kingdome of Heauen and the violent possesse it She pulled Christ out of the handes of the Apostles and of the rest of the women and vvent betvvixt them and Him and therefore she meetes Him first because she seekes Him before them Thus farre we heard the last day now we follow out the rest of the Historie and that thing that followes of the communing betwixt the Lord and her the Lord leaues her not so lying in ignorance displeasure but as He had before somewhat strangely and vncouthly talked with her so now He comes on more homely and Hee vtters a more kindely word and He names Her by her name Marie Hee speakes nothing but one word but a well chosen vvord an homely vvord the vvord of a Pastor of a shepheard naming her by her ovvne name as it is said in the 10. of Iohn The good shepheard will name his sheepe by their name this was a powerfull word as will be seene by the effects that were wrought in her she sawe not of before it opened her eyes to see and her eares to heare and in a vvorde it opened all her dead senses Marke this lesson When the Lord hath spoken to vs for a time as a stranger afarre off as though He knew vs not at last He will come on with an homely kinde word and He will let thee see that He knowes thee by thy name by thy face by thine heart and by thine actions Read the 4. of Iohn speaking to the woman of Samaria He speakes to her at the first as though Hee had not knowne her but at the last He begins and tells her of all that she had done and that shee was but an harlot lying presently in harlotrie shee hearing that shee vnderstands that Hee is a Prophet and at last that Hee is Christ the Messias Brethren though the Lord speakes to vs afarre off as a stranger that knowes vs not and wee answere as though we knew Him not yet stay still heare on and thou shalt heare one vvorde that shall doe the deede thy effectuall calling will be performed with one word it standes not in many words When He will waken thee one word vvill doe the deede Yet to come to her assoon as she hearest the word she comes turnes her in an instant to Him againe so it seemes that shee had turned her from Him as she did from the Angels that spake to her before she sayes Rabboni it is a Chaldaicke word which in our language signifies Master He speakes but one word she another His vvord is a well chosen word and so was hers His word vvas homely hers also vvas homely His was the word of a Pastour her word is the vvorde of one of the flocke His vvord is the vvord of a Master her vvorde is the vvord of an obedient disciple and last His word is the word of povver to call her His vvorde testifies his calling and the effect of His povver In this stands our calling when the LORD names vs by our name and speakes kindely to vs and then we answere Him We may not answere any way No thou must answere like one of the flocke like one that knowes the voyce of the shepheard thou must answere like one that knowes the voyce of His Master thou must answere like one that feelest the effect of His calling When the Lord speakes homely if thou answerest homely there shall be exceeding joy this is it that vve call effectuall calling The thing that I note is this shortly As long as the LORD speakes strangely to vs we will heare Him strangely and as long as Hee knowes not vs wee will not know Him if it vvere a thousand yeeres wee will not knowe Him and this lets vs see that neither man nor
woman can doe ought except He preuent them with grace if He loue thee not first thou wilt neuer loue Him 1. Iohn 4. and if Hee know not thee first thou shalt neuer know Him No neuer a man will know the Lord except He know them first Hee sayes in the 4. Chapter to the Galathians verse 9. Now seeing ye knowe God then bethinking himselfe hee sayes yea rather are knowne of God and therefore thou shouldest say Lord loue mee that I may loue thee Lord know me that I may know thee c. Now I go forward When she hath vttered this word Rabboni she goes forwarde to haue embraced Him in her armes Hee meetes her and sayes Touch mee not for I am not yet ascended to my Father Some would maruell what mooued the Lord Iesus to stay that woman that loued Him so intirely to touch Him Wee will heare hereafter how a whole companie tooke Him by the feete and adored Him as ye may reade Matth. 28 8. and the disciples touched Him as ye may read in the 24. of Luke and the 39. verse Thomas put his handes in His side in this same Chapter and it cannot bee saide that these touched Him after that Hee ascended vp to Heauen that could not be possible it is a maruell then that Hee should be so strange to MARIE I ansvvere to this and I take mine ansvvere first out of the reason and next out of the commission Hee giues to Marie for first when Hee sayes to her I am not gone vp to my Father and therefore touch me not now the meaning is this in effect it is not time for thee to touch mee nowe till that time I bee in glorie and then touch mee by the armes of Faith as much as thou canst or mayest yee must consider that shee vvas too much addicted to His bodily presence and shee thought that Hee should haue remained and dvvelt with her on earth as Hee did before and therefore Hee vvould not let her come neare Him vntill Hee instructed her of a spirituall touching that He was not to stay here but to dwel with His Father in the Heauens but after He hath instructed her He lets her the other vvomen touch Him as much as they vvould This is the first answere The other I take it out of the commission He giues her the commission was to tell the disciples and Hee vvilles her to tell hastely and therefore Hee will not let her come neare to touch Him vntill she haue done her commission Now let vs marke somethings in Marie Magdalene Yee read in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the fifth Chapter and the fourteenth verse PAVL sayes The loue of God constraines mee that is the loue of GOD binds vp mine heart and hand and all my senses Novv vvould to GOD we could loue Him halfe so well as he did hee giues the reason because Hee loued me and died and gaue His life for me I vvill consecrate me to His seruice it is litle enough thou shouldest doe so seeing Hee hath bought thee and then He defines the seruice hee sayes now I will know no man after the flesh that is for carnall respects as for Countrie land kinred or parentage But I acknowledge them as new creatures I will looke to the grace of regeneration this is the seruice of Christ if I haue knowne CHRIST Himselfe after the flesh yet I know Him no more so Hee had His friends His kinred and His Countrey as other men had but since Hee is exalted aboue the Heauens I will knowe Him no more so I will compare Marie with Paul a godlie man with a godlie woman she is like Him in this that she loued the Lord exceeding well He died to redeeme Paul therefore Hee loued Him exceeding well shee loued Him because Hee died for her but when it comes to the seruice Marie is not well learned Paul touches Him by Faith in the Heauens Marie lookes not to the Heauens but she goes to embrace Him in her bodily armes in this shee is behind but she got better instruction hereafter Marke this lesson There are some men that will loue the Lord intirely and yet when they come to His seruice they will faile for such is the grossenes of our nature that we cannot incline to that spirituall seruice which He chiefly requires Papistâie is full of this grossenes they can doe nothing if they want His carnall presence either in Himselfe or in a stocke or a stone or in a piece of bread and therefore they dreame a bodily presence of Him in the Sacrament all their Religion is earthly no Spirit no grace in it But accepted the Lord of that grosse seruice of Marie that she offered I am certaine He loued Marie better than the Pope all his shauelings yet for as well as He liked Marie Hee likes not this her seruice Hee sayes to her Touch me not then how will he like of that person that Hee loues not so well that delites in grosse and wilfull ignorance The LORD keepe vs from such grosse seruice and make vs to touch Him by Faith Another thing here He will not suffer her to touch Him before that she had gotten commission to her brethren This lets vs see if the LORD haue giuen vs a commission He will haue vs doing it with speed not beeing intangled with any thing Paul sayes in the second Epistle to Timothie the second Chapter and the fourth verse No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because hee would please him that hath chosen him to be a souldiour if the embracing of a person may hinder thee doe it not if the saluting of a person in the journey may hinder thee doe it not Yee read in 2. Kings Chapter 4. verse 29 Where the Prophet Elisha sends his seruant Gehazi to the Shunnamite he sayes Make haste Salute no man by the way and if any salute thee answere him not and when Christ sends out His disciples He bids them make hasle and salute no man by the way LVKE CHAPTER 10. VERSE 4. The LORD will not haue vs to decline neither to the right hand nor to the left if it were but a looke if it may hinder thee in the Lords worke doe it not Paul receiued a commission as yee may reade Philip. Chapter 3. verse 13. he ranne so that he neuer looked ouer his shoulder but that hee forgot that which was behinde and endeuoured to that which was before till he had ended his course Yee remember of the wife of Lot how she was forbidden by the Lord to looke backe to Sodome she would not goe forward in her journey but shee would looke backe againe and therefore the Lord turned her in a pillar of salt Hee would haue them speedie in His worke and Woe is them that doe the worke of the Lord negligently Ierem. 48.10 Nowe let vs come to the commission He sayes to her Marie Goe and
tell my brethren Well gets a woman the commission where is Peter Iohn and Matthew and the rest of the Apostles alwaies in the beginning it is a woman that gets the commission The last day yee remember I spake of sundrie preferments of women that they gote before all men they gote the reuelation of His Resurrection before all men in the world and not by men but by glorious Angels but Marie is preferred to all men and women in this that shee first sees the Lord and then shee gets a reuelation of the Lord that the women got not she gets the reuelation of His ascension and yet there is more she got it not to her selfe alone but He sayes Tell the Apostles tell them sayes Christ I goe to my Father So this is a speciall grace that women got and especially Marie that was furthest casten downe possessed with seuen deuils What should I say The further thou be casten downe the higher shalt thou bee exalted But marke the wordes Hee sayes Tell my brethren Notwithstanding of their sluggishnesse notwithstanding they were offended in Him yet Hee sayes Tell my brethren In the 22. Psalme verse 23. DAVID sayes I shall preach to my brethren The LORD accomplished heere that prophecie heere Hee preaches to His brethren ye read in Heb. 2.11.12 Hee that sanctifies and wee which are sanctified are all of one that is wee are of one common nature and therefore He is not ashamed to call vs brethren and therefore he brings in this place of the 22. Psalme saying J will declare thy Name vnto my brethren the reason is this Hee hath a common nature vvith vs and therefore Hee is not ashamed of vs marke it well Nowe vvhen He is risen He calles them brethren and now vvhen Hee is in that passing glorie the LORD is not ashamed to call vs brethren if a man of small linage bee exalted in this world hee vvill not knovve his father or his mother But the LORD that is exalted aboue all the Angells is not the prouder Hee is also humble to His brethren as euer Hee vvas in the earth Hee is not ashamed to call vs poore wretches His brethren and sisters that are heere in the earth No if thou bee not ashamed of Him first Hee vvill neuer bee ashamed of thee Now to come to the commission He sayes Tell them I goe to my Father and to your Father and to my God and to your God Tell them this The commission that is giuen before by the Angells telles that Hee was risen but the commission that the LORD Himselfe giues to Marie is of an higher degree of glorification it is of His ascension for Tell them sayes Hee I goe to my Father and to your Father and to my God and to your God The LORD vvhen Hee comes in proper person brings euer a greater reuelation than vvas of before All the light that the Angels Prophets or IOHN the BAPTIST reueiled of Him vvas but darknesse in respect of that light that Himselfe brought Likevvise after His going to Heauen the Apostles the disciples and Ministers Ministers light to the end of the vvorlde but in that great day vvhen the LORD shall come thou shalt see a greater light thou savvest neuer light comparable to that light It is hard for thee novve to beleeue but sober thinges but then thou shalt see great things thou shalt haue no stoppe euen thinges that the eye hath not seene neither hath entered in the heart of man Yet let vs vveigh the vvordes better I goe vp to my Father I goe not dovvne let them not seeke mee in the earth I haue beene in it as PAVL sayes to the Ephesians the fourth CHAPTER and the ninth VERSE Hee descended into the lowest partes of the earth I goe nowe to the Heauen The vvorde importes that Hee vvas to leaue them and that vvorde vvas sad to them and to Marie and they tooke it heauie I goe sayes Hee to my Father and to my God Hee vvent not for His ovvne vvell to the Father that the Father might communicate His glorie to Him I goe sayes Hee to my Father and to your Father and to my God and to your God This imports that as Hee vvent to His Father for His ovvne glorie and vvel so Hee vvent for their glory and vvell and assoone as He should get that glorie He should communicate it to them and no doubt this vvorde your Father and your God raised their heartes to follow Him suppose our bodies bee heere our heartes are in the Heauen and vve are citizens there albeit thy body vvere burnt if thine heart be in the Heauen thou art vvell and if He had not gone to Heauen neither had He gotten glory neither had anie glorie beene communicated vnto vs but Hee going to that Father of glorie as the Apostle calles Him and so as the first begotten of GOD beeing filled with glorie wee are made partakers of His glorie as yee reade in the first CHAPTER of this Gospel of Iohn The oyle y t was poured down vpon the head of AARON stayed not there but ranne downe to his bearde his breast his girdle and the lowest partes of his garment So the graces that were in Iesus Christ our head stayed not there but flowed from Him euen to the meanest of all His members The Lord who is full of grace giues euery one of vs a part here and one day we shall bee all filled with grace and glory for euer and euer Marke the wordes well he calles Him first Father and then he calles Him God which imports two natures in one person The Father importes His Godhead and that he calles Him his God it imports that He is man so that these two wordes import that Christ is both God man blessed for euer But marke the order He sayes not I goe to your Father and mine No but to my Father and your Father Ere euer He be our Father He must be His Father Ere euer He be our God He must bee the God of Christ the man for if it had not bene for the bloode of Christ Hee had neuer bene thy God thou hast that bought vnto thee with the bloode of Christ wee come in vnder Christ our elder brother Nowe when Marie hath receiued the commission shee tarries no longer howbeit shee was loath to depart from Him yet because shee saw that it was His will she obeyes The godly would faine goe and dwell with the Lord Paul sayes I haue confidence in GOD and J choose rather to remooue out of this bodie and to dwell with GOD 2. Corint Chap. 5. Faine woulde the godlie soule bee with GOD and suppose it bee pressed downe with sinne yet it breaks aye vpward toward the Heauens to be with the Lord that this moâtalitie may bee swallowed vp of Life for as long as wee lye heere vvâe liue vnder the burthen of sinne So faine woulde the godlie bee with Him yet seeing it is his vvill that
vvee bee Pilgrimes heere a vvhile that our joye maye bee the greater vvhen vvee meeâe vvith the LORDE vvhome vvee haue longed for vvee are contented for a time Now when Marie departs what does shee She tolde the Dâsciples that shee had seene the LORDE Shee is preaching and telling The LORD is going to heauen to your Father and your GOD. Nowe Brethren seeing vvee are Pilgrimes let vs take heede vvee bee well occupied and looke wee discharge our commission for there is no man nor woman but they haue a commission Thou that art a Preacher preache both in time and out of time to His glorie and if thou discharge thy commission faithfullie in thy calling then euen as Marie was welcome vnto Him againe so shalt thou bee also welcome when thou shalt meete with the LORD and Hee shall accept well of thee The LORDE enable vs to take heede to this that seeing wee must remaine absent from our LORDE for a time heere wee maye euer cast vs to bee vvell occupied and walke carefullie in that calling that Hee hath placed vs in And then when that the LORDE of Glorie shall appeare whome wee haue serued in this life our soules and bodies shall enjoye the full fruition of His presence in Heauen To whome be glorie for euermore Amen THE XXXV LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 9 And as they went to tell his disciples beholde Jesus also met them saying God saue you And they came and tooke him by the feete and worshipped him verse 10 Then saide Iesus vnto them Bee not afraide Goe and tell my Brethren that they goe into Galile and there shall yee see mee MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 10 And shee went and tolde them that had beene with him who mourned and wept verse 11 And when they hearde that hee was aliue and had appeared to her they beleeued it not BELOVED BRETHREN these dayes past vvee haue heard first the Historie of Marie Magdalene how shee returned home and how shee came againe to the graue of her LORD and of her mourning and weeping at the graue of her looking againe in to the graue of the sight of th'Angels meeting with her of Christes wordes vnto her first Hee spake aloofe and afarre off vnto her Woman why weepest thou whome seekest thou Then Hee speakes homelie vnto her calling her by her name and sayes Marie Shee answeres Him Rabboni as Hee had named her homelie so shee answered Him homelie Hee named her like a Master and shee answered Him like a reuerende Disciple Hee calles her as a Sheepehearde and shee answeres Him as one of His flocke knowing Him by His voyce shee offers to embrace Him but Hee preuentes her and sayes vnto her Touch mee not for I am not ascended to my Father perceiuing her to bee ouer much addicted to His bodilie presence before Hee will permit her to touch Him Hee will haue her first to beleeue in Him and to touch Him in glorie by the hande of faith Then Hee sendes her in commission Goe to my Brethren so calling His Disciples A louing stile Tell them of other tidinges than euer they haue hearde yet They hearde of my Resurrection but they beleeued not but nowe I goe to the Heauens to my Father and to your Father to my GOD and to your GOD And this is the commission Marie receiuing it shee executes it and runnes to the Disciples to tell them and as Iohn sayes she preaches to them the thing that shee had heard of the LORDE MARKE sayes that when shee came to them shee founde them weeping This was a weeping time but shortlie after followed a time of joye This change of courses yee see in the worlde for though thou bee wanton and laugh heere neuer so much yet thou wilt weepe soone after But wilt thou weepe and mourne heere for a while when there is matter of mourning thou shalt laugh and rejoyce shortlie afterwarde Nowe when Marie findes the Apostles weeping and mourning shee telles them that the LORD is aliue shee confirmes it that Hee spake and sayes shee sawe Him with her eyes But howe takes the Apostles with this commission They remaine faithlesse for all that she could say they would not beleeue her No it is an hard matter to beleeue the Article of the Resurrection That a man that is dead can rise againe and take life fleshe and blood will neuer dite this vnto thee that one that is dead can liue againe The women vvho vvere more simple and not so vvise in vvorldlie vvit as the Apostles vvere are more readie to credite the Resurrection than the Apostles vvho vvere strong according to the fleshe The Resurrection is harde to be beleeued of anie man but this is sure The Resurrection is hardest to bee beleeued of them vvho are vvisest in this vvorlde No hee that hath this worldlie vvisedome hee countes these Heauenlie and Spirituall thinges but follie till hee bee made a foole that hee maye bee made wise as the Apostle PAVL speakes 1. CORIN CHAP. 3. VERS 18. That is till hee renounce this worldlie wisedome hee shall neuer beleeue these Spirituall thinges When I consider the wordes of MARKE I finde manie faultes in the Disciples They were lying mourning this vvas a vaine mourning What cause had they of mourning for Him whome they thought vvas dead but yet vvas aliue So they had matter of joye and not of mourning And from vvhence proceeded this mourning First they vvere ignorant of the Scriptures which had foretolde that he shoulde rise againe Then they had forgotten the vvorde vvhich the LORDE had spoken vnto them That hee shoulde die and rise againe the thirde daye Yet there is vvorse in them than this The first companie of vvomen vvho tolde them of CHRISTES Resurrection they woulde not beleeue them Then the next companie comes neither woulde they beleeue them one vvorde And last MARIE came vvho not onelie met vvith the Angels but also vvith the LORDE and receiued a commission and yet they vvoulde not beleeue her notwithstanding shee tolde them that she had seene Him So there is not onelie an vnbeliefe but a stiffenesse in them So that if yee will count these faultes their dolour is first without comfort and secondlie an ignorance of the Scriptures and thirdly a forgetfulnesse of the worde of the LORDE and last there is an infidelitie that they would neither beleeue the women who came from the Angels nor MARIE that came from the LORDE and sawe Him and spake with Him So that they are as new to enter to learn as though they had neuer seen nor known Christ Yet there was some good thing in them for certainly howbeit the dolour came of ignorance forgetfulnesse and incredulitie yet I am sure of this that the loue which they carried towardes CHRIST caused them to mourne for if they had not loued Him they had not mourned for Him No there was none of the High Priestes that wet their cheekes for His death So
of necessitie loue caused them to mourne for Him And this sponke of loue that was couered kept down afore in end it brake out burnt thorowe all their imperfections It is a wonder to see howe the LORDE will keepe in a sponke of grace vnder an hundreth imperfections And this shoulde make vs to bee loath to judge and to giue out sentence for all the euill that wee see in anie it maye bee that the LORDE will let thee see that there was some sponke of grace in that man couered which sponk will breake out in its owne time Nowe I haue ended the Historie of MARIE MAGDALENE who loued the LORDE so well and so entirelie In the words following to wit in the Gospell of MATTHEVV there are two discourses The first is of the two companies of women at their turning home againe as they met with the Angels afore nowe they meete with the LORDE Himselfe In the next discourse wee haue a piece of an Historie of them that were set to keepe the graue who returned to the Scribes and to the High Priestes vvith these same tidinges Hee is risen againe Nowe I shall goe thorowe this daye the first discourse and piece of Historie as GOD shall giue vs grace Then to returne to the women It is saide that as they returned home The LORDE met them but Marie was returned before these women came foorth shee had met with CHRIST and returned home againe This company meetes with the LORDE as they returned homewarde Ye will perhaps aske what was the cause that Hee met with Marie Magdalene No doubt this was the cause She loued Him best shee loued Him aboue them all and shee had the greatest languor to see Him and shee rested neuer till shee had seene Him and met with Him What was the cause that these women sawe Him afore the Apostles No question their languor to see IESVS was next to MARIE The Apostles languor was last and therefore they got the last sight of Him Nowe the lesson is easie Thou that longest moste for the LORDE IESVS shalt see Him first with MARIE MAGDALENE A man will thirst for earthlie thinges and bee disappointed of them but it is vnpossible if thou thirst for CHRIST and to see thy LORDE but thou shalt see Him So Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Matth. Chapter 5. verse 5. So if thou vvouldest see CHRIST first long for Him and thou shalt neuer get that blessednesse till thou seest Him Then if thou canst not be the first in care and desire to see Him vvith Marie Magdalene yet bee next in care vvith the rest of the vvomen and if thou canst not attaine to the first nor second looke that thou be in the third roome at least that thou long vvith the Apostles and thou shalt get the thirde sight for blessed are they that get any sight yea the last sight Blessed are they that come either first or last to Heauen but thinke not that this dravving neare of ours to Him is the cause that Hee dravves neere to vs No if Hee drevve not neare vnto vs first vve vvould neuer thinke of Him let be to dravv neare vnto Him So Brethren the cause vvherefore our heartes doe dravv neare vnto the LORD is not in vs but in Him because He thirstes for vs and dravves vs vnto Him and vvouldest thou haue an argument that the LORD is neare vnto thee looke if thine heart dravves neare vnto Him and if thou findest thine heart longing and thirsting for Him then the LORD is neare vnto thee and Hee is present with thee and if thou findest no sense nor feeling of Him in thine heart nor no desire of Him nor no languour for His presence in the vvhich is sacietie of joy and if thou haue no languour bee sure the Lord is farre from thee for if Hee be farre from thee albeit thou hadst all the world about thee thou art but a miserable body When Hee meetes vvith these vvomen Hee is not dumbe and Hee speakes not to the eare only but also to the heart He sayes God saue you the word in the own language would be wel marked it signifies rejoyce Is not this a great thing that Hee that hath joy to giue thee should bid thee rejoyce and no doubt it was an effectuall vvord and it made them to haue joy vnspeakable A man when Hee bids thee rejoyce hath no power to worke joy in thee but the LORD is joy it selfe who hath joy to giue but the LORD Himselfe or who can giue peace but the LORD assoone as He drawes neare to any person and giues His presence to Him to y e end that His presence may worke He giues a joyful word the word of the Lord is of power as Paul sayes Rom. 1.16 The Gospell is the power of GOD vnto saluation vnto euery one that beleeueth So if thou contemnest this word that bids thee rejoyce thou shalt get no portion of that grace that is with Him so this word is the only minister that ministers joy to the soule all the thinges in the world shal neuer minister joy to the soule that is afflicted WheÌ He hath spoken this word and no question it was very effectuall they are so filled with joy that they tarie not to make answere but they fell dovvne at His feete And embrace Him by the feete and adore and worship Him as Thomas did vvhen hee put his hande in His side he said Thou art my Lord and my God IOHN Chapter 20. verse 28. Hee refuses not this honour because Hee vvas their LORD and GOD. Yee see heere how effectuall the presence of the LORD is albeit it were but one worde Reioyce the povver that is in that worde workes such a joy in the heart of a sinner that the poore sinner must meete Him the LORD cannot meete thee but if thou feelest that joy but thou must meete Him againe and striue to haue Him in thine armes No svvord nor fire nor hunger nor nakednesse nor nothing can separate thee from Him if thou feelest Him in thine heart but thou must meete Him againe and cleaue fast to Him The feeling of this joy which is through the presence and worde of GOD mooues vs to desire to embrace Him and makes our conjunction vvith Him vvhereupon arises our joy againe farre greater than before The joy that wee haue novv is but by Faith and a farre meeting as farre as is betvvene the Heauen and the Earth yet sayes Peter in his first Epistle the first Chapter and the eight verse Wee not seeing Him but beleeuing in Him reioyce with a ioy vnspeakable and glorious So beleeuing in Him vvee finde joy but vvhen thou shalt see Him face to face Alas lookest thou not for this then thorovv thy conjunction with Him by sight there shall be praise honour and glory for euer No such shall bee thy joy as eye neuer savve eare neuer heard nor neuer
could enter into the heart of man thou shalt vvonder vvhen thou seest it that euer there could bee such joy prepared for thee and therefore measure it not by thy capacitie Yet this vvould not be passed by They goe not to His throat to His necke or to His middle but they fall dovvne and takes Him by the feete and vvorships Him Marke it Brethren a sinner vvill be homely indeede vvith his God vvith CHRIST No there vvas neuer a creature so homely vvith another as the sinner vvill be vvith the LORD But marke it This homelines vvill not be vvith misnourturnesse and vvith an opinion of paritie albeit thou wilt bee homely with Him as with thy brother yet thou mayest not make thy selfe as companion to Him and count lightly of Him but thou must be lowly thine head must be reuerenced Hee is our Head Ephes Chapter 1. verse 22. If therefore wee ought to reuerence Him for He is in a wonderfull sublimitie and highnesse aboue His Church and as this is true that the soule which is joyned with Him in this life by Faith sees in Him such a Majestie that it stoupes before Him so much more vvhen wee shall see Him face to face in glorie and His Majestie fully reueiled wee shall reuerence Him and in humilitie fall at His feete singing Holy Holy Holy as yee haue in the sixt Chapter of Esay and in the Reuelation Nowe to goe forward While they are sitting at His feete the LORD speakes to them and suffers them to feele Him and all to this ende that they might beleeue Hee was risen and liuing Then He sayes to them Feare not this encouragement importes that notwithstanding all their embracing of Him and confidence there vvas a piece of feare and lying backe in them I will not commend it because the Lord hath discommended it It is true indeed our joyning with Him by Faith should be with such a confidence that it should be without any feare or doubting but with joy This should be but marke it againe There is such an holinesse in that Majestie that we joyne with there is no spot in Him then so long as we are here there is such vncleannesse such an euill conscience in vs that our Faith is joyned with doubting and feare so that if thou hast not a recourse to Him no peace for thee we will feare that that Holy one consume vs that are so vnholy but the Lord who knowes thy feare He comfortes thee thou knowest not thine owne feare so well as the Lord does thou feelest Him not so soone by Faith but as soone He knowes thy feare and thine heauinesse as Hee did the feare of the women and Hee sayes to a sinner that faine would embrace Him feare not thou hast no cause of feare My terrours haue taken thy terrours away And as the Apostle sayes Heb. Chapter 4. verse 16. Let vs goe boldly to the throne of grace with confidence that we may receiue mercie if thou hearest this voyce thou mayest goe boldly and He shall put away all teârours and feare But in that life to come when all matter of seare as sinne and corruption of nature is away albeit vve shall see Him more clearelie and bee conjoyned vvith Him more perfectlie yet all feare shall bee taken awaye for perfect loue castes out feare as Iohn saieth in his first Epistle Chap. 4. vers 18. Nowe to goe to the commission Goe and tell my Brethren that they goe into Galile and there shall they see mee They woulde see mee bid them goe before mee into Galile and there they shall see mee There is heere then a commission giuen vnto the vvomen to the Disciples There was afore a commission sent vnto the Disciples by the Angels First of a companie of vvomen and afterwarde another companie and next MARIE was sent from the Lorde Himselfe Nowe Hee sendes a newe commission to tell them that Hee was risen yet they neuer beleeued Heere vvee see a marueilous patience in suffering their incredulitie so long What King vvoulde haue had euer the tenth part of this patience With this Hee joynes the louing stile Tell my Brethren Hee sayes not Tell these sluggishe and faithlesse bodies His patience is joyned with loue vnspeakeable All the worlde cannot expresse the lenitie and patience of the LORDE towardes His owne though they shoulde bee neuer so vnbeleeuing yet Hee calles them His Brethren Wee shoulde studie night and daye to knowe that the LORDE loues vs for our standing is not in our loue towarde Him but in His loue towardes vs and if thou finde thy selfe rooted in His loue as the Apostle speakes to the EPHESIANS thou shalt neuer bee separated thorowe anie occasion from that loue that is in CHRIST Then againe I see Hee hath a marueilous studie to gette them instructed Hee sayes not I haue sent manie alreadie and yet they will not beleeue No Hee sendes euerie companie after another till they beleeue and till faith be wrought in their heartes What meanes all this care to instruct them The Lorde was to sende them foorth to teach others and therefore all His studie is before they instruct others that they might beleeue themselues No if the Lorde sende thee to tell of His Death His Resurrection and Ascention to the Heauens and of His comming againe to Iudgement He will haue a care that thou be instructed and that thou beleeue that which thou deliuerest vnto others No I will not giue a pennie for a Minister that hath no assurance no feeling nor no sight of the death and Resurrection of CHRIST and that will stande vp and speake to the people of GOD. Besides this patience this loue and this care that Hee hath to instruct them who are to bee employed in His seruice Hee shewes a marueilous wisedome in humbling them thorowe the teaching of the women And therefore Hee will not sende an Angell vnto them but infirme women to schoole them and shame them and howbeit the commission beares not this in expresse wordes yet Hee will haue the women to saye in effect Fie vpon you yee are sluggishe bodies yee shoulde haue taught vs and not wee you This is it that the Apostles shoulde haue vnderstood They vnderstoode His wonderfull wisedome Hee was to sende them to the worlde He was carefull to instruct them He sendes not Angels to schoole them but women to learne them humilitie that they neuer forget this that they were schooled in the schoole of women for as it is required that the seruantes of GOD haue knowledge and a perswasion so they must haue humilitie or else they cannot bee faithfull Preachers Nowe one worde and so I shall ende Bidde them sayes Hee goe to Galile Hee sayes not Goe to Hierusalem No the LORDE had turned His backe on Hierusalem for these who contemned Him when Hee was humbled in the fleshe the LORDE will dispise them when Hee is glorified Woe to them whome Hee forbiddes His seruantes to goe vnto
away and the Euangelists note it That that fame remaines amongst them vnto this day I thinke ye should maruell that such a false fame should haue preuailed God disappointed them before but now He permits them to get the victorie Woe to that victorie that is gotten against God woe to that man that goes against God if an euill action prosper with him it is a token that he shall be thrust in Hell This was but a small victorie for no doubt all that He appointed for life and saluation beleeued that He rose Nowe Brethren when they are away the true perswasion remaines in our heartes that the LORD rose so that euer trueth in the end gets the victorie Ye would maruell that the people should credite that His body was stollen out of the graue for if it was stollen by whome was it stollen They say by His disciples Is it likely that they who were a companie of timorous and abashed persons durst haue come out without armour against Pilates guarde They say whilst they were asleepe they tooke it away then they slept very sound that they could not heare such an hudge stone taken away and if they were sleeping when it was taken away Why followed they not when they wakened and no doubt if it had beene true they would haue followed and haue brought the disciples and executed them Yee would wonder now vvhy these people should not haue beleeued I ansvvere These people were appointed for damnation and they hated the light and therefore a lie gets soone place in their heartes they that hate the trueth the Deuill cannot make such a lie but they will easily beleeue it What is the cause that the people beleeue the Pope and that crue of the Antichristian kingdome The cause is this They hate the light and therefore as the Apostle sayes Because they beleeued not the trueth the Lord makes them to beleeue lies So our lesson is this in a word loue the trueth and thou shalt hate lies they hate the trueth and their heartes drinke in lies The Lord set our heartes vpon Him and make vs to beleeue the trueth This for the first we goe to the second and we shall enter in it and leaue the rest till the next day because the time is almost spent alreadie Wee come againe to better and more holy witnesses There are two of the disciples of Christ the name of the one is Cleopas and the name of the other is not expressed these were not two of the eleuen disciples but two of the common rancke of disciples that vsed to follow the Lord. The same day sayes the Text to wit the same day that Hee rose the same day that the women went out and did meete Him and that same day that these women returned and preached to the Apostles These two disciples went on their iourney about threescore furlongs which is seuen mile of ours or thereabout from Ierusalem They are not going to seeke Christ but they leaue Him and as it were in a manner they despared that euer they should see Him they were thinking all that time that they had spent with Him was lost yet suppose they were leauing Him He leaues not them These women sought Him and they found Him but these two disciples leaue Him but yet the Lord castes Him in their way Well Brethren who euer findes the Lord man or woman it is of grace if thou hast found the Lord thou hast gotten mercie thou hast found mercie for if thou findest Him thou hast found Him ere euer thou hast sought Him or els if thou hast sought Him thou hast not sought Him as thou oughtest for Marie sought Him not as she should haue done and therefore the Angell said Why seekest thou the liuing amongst the dead So thou that seekest Him not and findest Him thanke GOD and thou that seekest Him and seekest Him not as thou oughtest to haue sought Him if thou finde Him thanke Him for it is of grace that thou findest Him for if Hee looked howe thou soughtest Him thou wouldest neuer finde Him Wee faile often in seeking of Him either wee seeke Him not with that measure of desire that wee ought alas the best of vs all in this world cannot seeke Him with halfe a great desire or if wee seeke Him wee faile as the women did And last of all wee seeke Him not for that ende wee should seeke Him Wee should seeke Him for that life and that grace that is in Him that we might bee like Him and partakers of that life But all men for the most part seeke Him for some worldlie respect as for a deliuerance out of miserie and if thou be sicke thou vvilt crie for thy health if thou be poore thou vvilt crie for riches and if thou bee hungrie thou wilt crie for meate So that the seeking of Him is either for the bellie or some other worldlie thing scarcelie one among an hundreth will seeke the Lorde for himselfe for Heauen and glorie and if one can come thus farre to get a grone for Heauen that vvill bee in a sober measure and with a great imperfection Wee are by nature addicted to the thinges that are on the earth and for them doe wee seeke them but Heauenlie thinges that cannot bee seene wee seeke them not vvee thinke them but follie So I saye if wee get a desire wee get it with such an imperfection that it is a wonder The thing that thou and I shoulde moste seeke for is that seconde comming of CHRIST to put an ende to this miserie that is vvithin vs and vvithout vs so that this shoulde bee our saying Come LORDE IESVS and put an ende to this miserie But who cryes for this comming Yea rather I heare men saye God keepe me from that daye Alas knowest thou not that thy miserie shall neuer haue an ende vntill that daye The Apostle PAVL sayes Wee that haue gotten the first fruites of the Spirite wee sigh in our selues wayting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies Roman Chapt. 8. vers 23. Wee are nowe the Sonnes of GOD but it appeares not vvhat shall bee but then it shall appeare vvhat thou art Nowe the Godlyest is in moste miserie And alas it appeares that the best of vs hath that SPIRITE but soberlie and not in that measure that wee shoulde haue And if wee had it wee woulde sigh and crie Come LORD IESVS come that word would neuer goe out of our mouthes and our eyes would neuer be from the Heauens to looke when our Lord would come and breake their cloudes and these visible Heauens and then take thee to Himselfe out of this vaile of miserie to that endlesse joy So to come to our purpose Whether vve see Him first or last it is of grace that all glorie may redound to Him Well as they are journeying betvvixt Ierusalem and Emmaus they are talking as tvvo men vse to talke together and all their talke vvas of CHRIST and His crucifying
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 vpoÌ 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 whoÌ 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 froÌ 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
his glorie There is the necessitie It behooued that the Lorde Iesus by manie and sore sufferings shoulde enter into His glorie Marke this vvho can tell it clearer than Hee Himselfe tolde it So I will tell it againe Iesus by His suffering behoâued to enter into His glorie IESVS CHRIST once leauing His glorie got no entrie againe into it till Hee was so inanited as neuer creature was The LORDE putteth to a necessitie of suffering saying Jt behooued him to suffer and so saye I There was such a necessitie layed vpon Him that Hee behooued to suffer and all the vvorlde coulde not saue Him from it beeing once come downe into this vvorlde Therefore the LORDE by His Prophets had fore-tolde this necessitie That hee shoulde suffer death and therefore seeing Hee fore-telles it it behooued him to suffer All the vvorlde shall not bring it backe againe The Lorde as Hee had fore-tolde it so Hee had ordained it from all eternitie Wilt thou call backe againe that that the LORDE hath decreede Thou mayest reduce the decreet of man but all the world cannot reduce the decreet of GOD. These are the causes of His suffering but I shall come to a lower and a subordinate cause I saye to thee thy sinne made this necessitie The LORDE taking vpon Him the burthen of thy sinne and becomming Mediator that immaculate Lambe that had no sinne neither in bodie nor in soule Hee taking once the burthen of our sinne vpon Him Hee was in a manner holden out of Heauen for a time and Hee was made accursed and therfore before He suffered for sinne He could not get entrie into Heauen for wheresoeuer sinne is there is death bee it inherent within thee if thou get not one to die for thee thou must die for this is plaine talke but would to God it were vvell learned death must euer followe sinne if thou laye it not on Him and Hee die not for thee thou shalt die for euer Thou makest but a pastime of harlotrie and murther and theft but I say There is no satisfaction of thy harlotrie and murther but death I saye to thee harlot thou art dead murtherer thou art but dead albeit thou be a lord I tell thee thou art but dead if thou get no reliefe in the Mediator without satisfaction for thy sins thou shalt neuer see HeaueÌ Christ saw not HeaueÌ after He tooke on our sin till He was dead and offeâed His blood The high Priest durst not enter into Sanctum sanctorum without a basen full of blood vnder paine of death Euen so Christ entered not into heauen but with his owne blood And if thy sinne helde an innocent out of heauen O miserable bodie thinkest thou that thou who art altogether defiled canst come to heauen Nothing can enter there that is defiled Murtherer thou shalt neuer see heauen except thou goe to Iesus and laye on the burthen of thy sinne vpon him and saye Lord take this burthen from mee and if thou canst saye this from thine heart he will take it from thee Now Brethren a question would be asked If Iesus hath died for thy sinnes and mine that we might get an entrie Thou mayest say to mee What to doe haue I to suffer seeing the Lorde hath prepared the way What to doe haue I to suffer in soule or body or why shoulde I bee afflicted seeing the Lorde hath made the way patent I will not answere with the Papistes for they will saye Thou must paye one part but I saye to thee in despite of thine heart if thou paye anie part thou must paye the whole But I answere All these sufferinges is no satisfaction to bring thee to Heauen Then thou wilt saye Why should I suffer if it helpe not to bring me to HeaueÌ I answere All the afflictions which are laide on thee are laide on thee for the slaughter of the remaining corruption feelest thou not a remaining corruption within thee All th'afflictioÌs which are laid on thee as sicknesse want of goods losse of friendes c. all is laid on thee to slaye that remaining corruption Brethren I will tell you plainlie The death of Iesus and His suffering is the only meane to enter into Heauen in despite of all the Papistes Againe I saye Looke what neede wee haue of His death wee haue as much need of affliction in our owne persons to slaye that sin which remaines in vs Suppose there be manie wayes to slay sinne yet except thou be chastised and vexed with affliction outwardly and inwardly as it pleases the Lord to laye it on thee thou shalt neuer see Heauen So cast thee not to sleepe but make thee for affliction and trouble to mortifie thy sinne or else thou shalt neuer see Heauen And vvell is thee that art afflicted and made like Christ by thine afflictions What wordes can be tâuer than the words of Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. It behooueth you to enter into heauen by manie tribulations The Apostle sayes there is a necessitie And againe he sayes Heb. 12.14 without holinesse affliction brings holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Well thou that delitest to polâute thy body I tell thee if thou be not holie thou shalt neuer see God And I saye more Without affliction either in soule or bodie thou shalt neuer bee holy Thou that sleepest securely and hast mind of nothing but thy dinner and thy supper good chiere and good companie I tell thee once twise yea thrise thou shalt neuer be holy and thou shalt neuer come to Heauen and if thou sleepest on in this estate thou art not one of His compt Booke Let him or her who is afflicted thanke God and take it out of His hand and saye The Lord hath sent it to sanctifie me Lord giue me thy Spirit that I may bee holy that I may see thy blessed face one day to my euerlasting joye in Iesus To whom with the Father and Holy Spirit be glory for euermore Amen THE XXXIX LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 27 And he beganne at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the thinges which were written of him verse 28 And they drewe neare vnto the towne which they went to but hee made as though he would haue gone further verse 29 But they constrained him saying Abide with vs for it is towardes night and the day is farre spent So he went in to tarrie with them verse 30 And it came to passe as hee sate at table with them hee tooke the bread and blessed and brake it and gaue it to them verse 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew him and hee was no more seene of them verse 32 And they saide betweene themselues Did not our heartes burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and when hee opened to vs the Scriptures WEE insist yet Beloued in Christ in this part of Historie concerning the two Disciples of CHRIST who in the
to seeke that which the Lord hath not reueiled to thee but see thou studie to doe that which the Lord hath reueiled thou hast no warrand to seeke that which Hee hath not reueiled O Scotland thou hast no warrand whether GOD will stay with thee or not but thou hast this warrand to intreat Him earnestly by prayer and in a manner to constraine Him to stay with thee No Hee will depart if thou gettest not an heart to constraine Him Hee will not stay with thee if thou be not earnest to bid Him stay thou hast no warrand that Hee will stay vvith thee And I say to thee if Hee be not better intertained in Scotland than Hee is He shall leaue thee and woe to thee Scotland if Hee leaue thee this colde entertainement may justly make thee to feare that the Lord shall leaue thee Scotland Many in this Countrie of highest rancke would put Him away but if euer Hee depart a heauie judgement shall light vpon them Now vvhen Hee seemed as though Hee would goe further in a manner they doe Him violence and they sticke to Him taking Him to bee a man a passenger a gracious passenger and therefore they are lothe to sunder from Him and they vse arguments to mooue Him they say It is towards night and the day is farre spent and vvhere canst thou goe stay vvith vs all night then the Lord yeelded and taried with them Marke this We vse to say Prayer will breake hard weard and it is true repentance and supplication will holde off judgement that would light vpon vs. The Lord sayes in the eleuenth Chapter of Matthew and the twelfth verse The Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force What causes Him to tarie violence is done to Him and I say to thee if thou enterest into Heauen thou must doe violence and take it by force and I say more if thou throngest not seekest it not night day thou shalt neuer enter in it and if these disciples had not thronged on Him and constrained Him He had not remained with them thou shouldest euer pray to God and saye Lorde leaue vs not tarie with vs vvee may not sunder if thou stickest not to Him Hee shall leaue thee Then yee see vvhat it is to bee humane they vvould not let Him walke in the night but vvhat revvarde got they in steade of man they receiue God and man blessed for euer so I say humanitie to man hospitalitie to Pilgrimes hath a great revvard The Apost Heb. 13.2 sayes That some receiued Angels into their houses vnawares when they thought they had receiued men Abraham receiued Angels in his house Gen. 16.3 Lot receiued Angels Gen. 19.8 Now Brethren I say this to you as ye would receiue God haue mind of the poore and now especially in this extreame dearth giue them some part of that thou wouldest put in thine owne mouth that which thou wouldest put on thy backe there is none of you but yee will say If ye had Christ heere I should feede Him and if I saw Him naked I should giue Him clothes the reprobate shall say the same in that day We should haue cled thee if we had seene thee naked c. But what answeres the Lord WheÌ ye did it not to one of those litle ones ye did it not to me Knew Abraham or Lot that these men that they receiued in their houses were Angels and thought these two that He vvas Christ No they thought Him but a passenger We read they that haue shewed humanitie to men receiued God but we neuer reade that any that neuer delt humanely with men sought not to entertaine them got euer God to lodge with Him So in a word as thou wouldst not manifest thy loue to God be humane gentle and mercifull to man He who loues not his brother whoÌ he sees dayly how can hee loue God whom he neuer saw No thou louedst Him neuer say what thou wil fye vpon that man that hath no humane entertainement in lodging of strangers Now when He is gone in with them He sits down at supper for it was Euening sitting down He takes the bread and giues thanks Take heed to this ye with prophane hands will pul rent swallow vp y e Lords benefites without knowing of God but the Lorde of glory nowe sitting dovvne as man Hee vvould not breake breade vntill Hee had sanctified it by prayer when Hee hath blessed the bread Hee takes it and distributes it to the disciples so ye see this is an Holy passenger whilst He makes Him to be a passenger Hee is Holy Marke this ye that are passengers all His communing in the way is holy then when He sits downe He blessed the bread ere He eate how euer He makes Him to be a passenger he dissembles neuer His holinesse but alwayes Hee is holie He is holy in the way He is holy in the house He is holy at the table that holy Lord will neuer take on the habite of prophanitie Marke this Be what thou wilt if thou be a Lord trauelling albeit thou dissemblest thy rancke behaue thy selfe as a commmon passenger or as a marchant c. yet with the companie thou art in behaue thy selfe holie be holie in thy journey be holie at the table and in thy eating shew that habite Ye that trauell either in this Countrey or to other countreyes see how farre men are from this if they meete with an euill person they will bee as euill if they meete with a filthie person they are filthier they will speake two filthie wordes for one if one goe to Germanie he wil be an Vbiquiter and in Rome a Papist in Scotland a Christian in as many places as many formes so thou y t is a PasseÌger as euer y u would look for rest hereafter look y t thou be holy a holy hearted maÌ in a company will not only haue great graces in himselfe but also he will be gracious to y t companie communicate these graces to them with whome He is in companie So dissemble as thou wilt be euer holy and as euer thou wouldest dwell with Iesus be euer like Him in some measure in holinesse and well is vs if in word and deede we be holy pilgrimes in this world This would not be passed by He sunders not from them in the house He goes not to one house and they to another but He will goe to one house with them and will sit at the same table with them then Hee will not stay still till they giue bread to Him but He beginnes to giue bread to them and feedes them with His owne hande So ye see Brethren what it is to be earnest to entreat the Lord to stay with thee Now certainly He shall be more homely with thee than thou canst be with Him if thou beginnest to entreat Him He will remaine with thee and feede thee with His owne hand and they that haue found the
Lorde they haue seene such an homelinesse as they could neuer thinke of In the 3. of the Reuelation verse 20. The Lord Iesus sayes I will stande at the doore and I will knocke hee that will open to mee I will come in and suppe with him Once let me in I shall be so homely as thou neuer wouldest haue thought I shall insinuate mee in thine heart I shall not only sit at thy table but I will sit in thine heart and shall feede thine heart with joy and food euerlasting Nowe to goe forwarde the Lord who no question bound vp their eyes before opens them now if He close thine eyes the world cannot open them He only can oppen them The meane whereby Hee opens them apparantly was that forme of prayer Hee vsed before He brake the bread Next they vnderstood that it vvas Hee by the distributing of the bread for Hee vsed to feede them with His owne hande and therefore by these signes they are made to know Him I see here grace growes after that once grace begins none end of grace after that once He hath inuited them He suppes with them then He feedes them with His owne hand and then at the last their eyes were opened and judge yee what joy that was to them No doubt that was the most joyfull sight that euer they saw So hold on and entertaine the Lord a while and set Him at thy table and neuer be glad to eat nor drinke except thou findest some presence of thy GOD for it is a lothsome dinner if thou wantest Him and if thou entreatest Him on thou shalt finde in ende an exceeding joy Entertaine Him now as a passenger and in the ende thou shalt see Him to thy comfort thine eyes shall bee opened to see Him as He is Then it is said as their eyes were opened He was lifted from them yee must not thinke that the Lord made His body inuisible it is contrarie to the order of nature a thicke body to be inuisible nor yee must not thinke that He brake out at the house side as the Papists dreame this departure was by the holding of their eyes He was not changed in this forme or that forme but the change vvas in their eyes so that they see not howe Hee departes or in what manner as before their eyes were holden that they could not know Him To leaue this yee would maruell Hee giues them but one blencke in an instant He goes away from them why stayes He not No it was not meete for them that Hee should stay nor yet was it possible for Him to stay after that manner that they would haue had Him to haue stayed seeing nowe sufficiently they were assured that Hee was risen it was not needfull that Hee should stay with them as of before as yee see the Apostles in the 1. of the Actes speaking to Him they say Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel That is in effect Lord wilt thou not remaine with vs here on the earth No He would not stay with them but giues them a glance of Him then secondly Hee could not dwell amongst them the earth could not be capable of a glorious body glorifie a man or a woman the earth cannot keepe them glorifie a man or a woman this earth is too euill for them they cannot dwell in the earth No that Paradice wherein Adam was set that pleasant Garden that He was placed in could not keepe a glorious body and a glorified man So the Lorde beeing glorified could not dwell and abide amongst men as of before so then wouldest thou dwell with Christ and dwell in that pleasant place and thou shalt neuer haue happinesse nor joy till thou dwellest with Him Thinke not to bring Him downe to the earth but if thou wouldest dwell vvith Him flit out of the earth make thee for flitting Paul sayes I desire to flit and to dwell with the Lord Wouldest thou desire to dvvell vvith the Lord desire to flit out of thy bodie for if thou hast not a desire but art afraide to flit it is a token that thou hast no langour of God and that thou shalt neuer dvvell vvith Him but that soule that desires to flit to enjoy that presence that soule that hath groaned for it for the soule that is godly groanes as a man that groanes vnder a burthen shall enjoy the presence of God dvvell with Him and that soule shall be glorified thy body indeed shall not bee glorified vntill that time that Hee shall appeare and then thy bodie and thy soule both shall bee glorified with Him and then our eyes shall see Him and our bodies shall dwell vvith Him in the Heauen in that euerlasting Paradise Nowe Brethren hitherto the Lorde hath manifested Himselfe then see what effect followes and is wrought in their heartes of this manifesting Yee woulde thinke that so soone as the Lorde had bene taken from them they shoulde haue bene sadde For who would not bee sadde to want Him For if thou sawest Him for all the world thou wouldest not bee content to want His presence Yee would maruell why they make no mone for that short time that Hee abode with them No doubt that sight that they got left such a comfort in their heartes as cannot bee spoken And if the Lorde giue His presence to anie man his heart will haue such a joye that it will feede vpon it Yee reade in the eight Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles howe the Eunuche who came from the Queene of Candare when Philippe came and baptized him Philippe was carried awaye from him yet the Scripture sayes not that hee mourned when Philippe was taken away No it is saide that hee went on his waye rejoycing From whence comes this joye No doubt it was the presence of Philippe that left this joye behinde it So in a worde The presence of God leaues alwayes joye and if thou get a blinke of Him in the morning thou shalt bee joyefull of Him all the daye and that joye shall feede thee and when thou art eating and drinking that presence will feede thee Woe to thee who seekest not to get a blinke of Him for if thou gettest not a blinke of Him thou shalt neuer haue solide joye in thine heart But the wordes would bee marked And they saide betweene themselus Did not our heartes burne within vs while hee talked with vs by the waye and when hee opened to vs the Scriptures There are the vvordes When these two men hearde Him the worde was effectuall but they thinke Him not to bee their Lord till hee manifested Himselfe vnto them and then they call to minde by their burning that they found that it was Hee that spake vnto them This confirmes them that it was Hee The same burning of the heart that one will haue is a sure token of the presence of Christ for if the Lorde were not present in thine heart it woulde not burne at the
this was a very good preparation going before the Lords comming appearing to them yea no question it was wrought by the force and power of the Lord Himselfe when He was approaching and drawing neare to them for when the Lord is drawing neare approaching to vs then that Holy Spirit who dwelles in our heartes beginnes to moue and vtter Himselfe He wakens vp joy in our heartes Hee opens our mouth to speake with freedome and libertie and to entertaine purpose of spirituall and heauenlie thinges for that Spirit in our soules hath a forecast and feeling before hand of the LORDS comming this is it that shall mooue the godly in that great day when they shall see the tokens of the comming of the LORD to looke vp and lift vp their heades knowing that their redemption dravves neare Luke 21.28 for except the Lord did send before a ligt to shine in their soules as a messenger going before Him to tell Him that the Lorde is comming they would neuer lift vp their heads and therefore when the Lord commands His disciples to looke vp and to lift vp their heades before His comming it is as much as if He had saide to them that Hee will furnish them strength at His comming to lift vp their heades and to be waiting for Him Nowe followes the third circumstance concerning the time of this meeting Iohn in setting it downe is more particular than any of the rest of the Euangelists He sayes It was the same day at night which was the first day of the weeke That is it was the same day that He rose which for that same cause is called the Lords day and it was in the Euening after Sunne-setting when it began to be darke night for it was after the returning of the disciples from Emmaus and they returned not to Ierusalem vntill it was very late for wee heard before it was towards night when they desired the Lorde to stay with them and they returned from Emmaus to Ierusalem after the Lord had stayed some space with them and had eaten and manifested Himselfe to them in the breaking of bread Luke 24.29.30 Iohn telles the cause why they assembled in the night rather than in the daye For feare of the Iewes who as they were malicious against the Lord Himselfe so would they haue vttered their malice against His disciples and all them that loued Him so they make a choyse of a time that was least dangerous for Brethren it is the Lordes will that His children make a choyse of the time that is most conuenient which may serue most for their safetie in their assemblies and meetings it makes not at what times meetings be kept whether in the daye or in the night if so be that they who assemble and meete together be holy for all times are sanctified to the faithfull and them who are holie themselues for it is true that Paul sayes To the pure all things are pure Tit. 1.15 Likewise Christ Himselfe shewes His presence to His own indifferently at any time when they are met together whether it be day or night it is not these outward things that Christ chiefly respects neither the time nor the place nor no such outward circumstaÌce but Christ lookes chiefly to the persons that meete together to their disposition whether they be holy or not the outward things sanctifie not the person but the person sanctifies the outward things manie thinke thât if they come to the Church on the Lordes daye because both time and place is holy that they are holy enough but if thou hast no holinesse in thine heart all thinges are polluted vnto thee the time is polluted the place is polluted the exercise of the word is polluted For vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.16 The last circumstance is of the place The Euangelists make no particular mention of a speciall place wherein they did meet only Iohn markes That the doores were shut and therefore that they kept themselues close and quiet and in this their meeting exercise they were secret so that the Iewes knew not either where they were or what they were doing Iohn sayes it was for feare of the Iewes that the doores were shut As they had holy wisdome in choosing of the time so they had holy wisdome in choosing of the place God will haue His children to be wise in all things and when Christ sendes out His Apostles He exhortes them To be wise as serpents Matth. 10.16 The faithfull are compassed about with many perills and dangers on all sides which hardly they will eschew except they haue holy wisdome Now it was not only the feare of danger from the Iewes that made them shut the doores but likewise that they might be secret for when the Sainctes are exercised in godly conference and in spirituall and heauenly exercises and when they are handling secret and hid mysteries of saluation then they should bee separated from the worlde and from the societie of prophane men prophane men should be debarred from such holy exercises and from the meetings of the Sainctes and one day they shall be fully debarred and put out of their companie for when they shall be gathered vnto the Lorde Iesus to enjoy His glorious presence in the Heauens the wicked shall get none entrance there to trouble them any more with their prophanitie Thus farre wee haue spoken shortly of the circumstances of the disciples meeting Now it followes we should speake of the appearing it selfe Whilst the disciples thus gathered were speaking one to another of the Resurrection of Christ in the meane time Iesus himselfe comes stands vp in the mids of them He presentes Himselfe to them when the doore were shut after an extraordinarie manner a marueilous manner and verie suddenly for a glorified bodie hath a very swift and speedie motion Iohn lets vs see that His appearing and comming to the house to them was miraculous for hee sayes Hee came when the doores were shut but the particular âânner of His entering in by what way Hee came into the house is not expresselie set downe by anie of the Euangelists and therefore sundrie men haue sundry opinions of the manner of His comming in euerie one farre different from another First The Papistes affirme That the bodie of our Sauiour pearced thorow the doore the substance and bodie of the doore remaining whole vnbroken vnaltered in anie part so that both the bodie of the LORDE and the bodie of the doore at one time vvere in one place And this they affirme that they may haue some appearance of a grounde to establishe that vaine and foolishe dreame and fantasie of the bodily and locall presence of the bodie of our Lorde in the Sacrament of the Supper Of the which doctrine of necessitie it must follow That one and that selfe same bodie may be in manie places at one time for
that as those things befell to Him of necessitie so of necessitie those things behooued to be preached to the world So He instructes them in these two necessities Then Hee comes on in the second part of His preaching and giues direction to them to be preachers and witnesses to the worlde of all these thinges promising againe to them that Spirit which He had promised them before His Passion and that they should haue the greater securitie He giues them commandement not to depart out of Ierusalem vntill they were endued with vertue out of Heauen this is the effect To come to the first part When they heard Him speake with a voyce familiar wherewith they had beene acquainted and that homely salutation Peace bee vnto you yet they would not knowe Him when they had seene His hands and feete yet they beleeued not that it was He when they had handled Him and felt Him yet they beleeued Him not for all this they were rauished with joy yet they beleeued not The Lorde will not leaue them in this vnbeliefe but He will let them vnderstand that it was He He teaches them by the sight of a bodily action Hee askes if they had aây meât They present to Him A piece of rosted fish and that was all the delicate they gaue Him and with it A piece of hony combe Hee takes and eates in their sight Hee eates the piece of the rosted fish and the hony combe Not that the Lord after His Resurrection had any need to eate any of their meat Hee who nowe vvas immortall after His Resurrection that was glorious and that vvas full of God and had all the powers of His soule filled with God What needed He their piece of fish or their hony combe to eate So it was not for any need He had that Hee eated but that He eated in their sight that they should beleeue that the Lord was a body a Spirit eates not neither drinkes The Lord therefore shewes them that He vvas no Spirit In doing this Brethren no question He humbled Himselfe beeing now immortall and glorious and full of God Was not this a humbling of Him an immortall bodie to take that mortall bread It is a wonderfull thing to see how Iesus Christ humbled Himselfe ay whilst He vvas yet still in this vvorld Beeing sayes Paul Philip in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God He made Himselfe of no reputation taking on Him the shape of a seruant That is the nature of man in the nature of man became obedient to the Father for vs to the death to a vile death euen to the death of the Crosse a foule deâth and a sore death Then vvhen after He vvas once ââade and risen againe ând should haue entred to His glory and haue passed to Heauen immâdiately after His Resurrection to sit at the right hande of that Majestie Hee would not immediatly doe so but did deferre and delay it the space of fourtie dayes and all this time humbling Himselfe it was a small thing that when He was mortall to humble Himselfe but when He was immortall that Hee should haue continued so long humbling Himselfe for the cause of man it is a wonder amongst all the partes of His humiliation this is one part that He ate this mortall food And thou when thou shalt be glorified thou shalt not bee so farre humbled as to eate any food of this world thou shalt not be so farre humbled as IESVS CHRIST was humbled Was this Brethren for the Apostles cause only Was it for Peters cause Iohn Iames and the rests cause No Paul sayes All is yours speaking to the Church whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or thinges present or things to come or life or death all is yours and ye are Christes and Christ is Gods 1. Epist to the Corinthians the 3. Chapter and the 21. and 22. verses So all the Apostles themselues were for the Churches cause I speake to you Paul Iohn Iames c. were for your cause and all this homelinesse of Christ with them was for your cause as they were for your cause so seeing the LORD hath so farre and so many wayes humbled Himselfe consider if wee haue not great cause to meete Him or not If any will bowe so lowe as to take thee by the hand wilt thou not put out thine hande againe and meete Him and thinke ye that this humbling of the LORD of glorie hath taken an ende it endes not so long as this Ministerie continues Know yee what this Ministerie and this preaching is It is but an humbling of GOD from Heauen and that for thy cause looke what Paul sayes in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians the 5. Chapter and the 20. verse We are Ambassadours for Christ as though GOD did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God There ye see that by this Ministerie GOD humbles Himselfe to pray thee to be reconciled with Him is not this an humbling of God euen that He should pray thee to be reconciled with Him He becomes a suter and solister for thy cause sayes the Apostle We pray you that yâ should be reconciled to Him what is it to God to humble Himselfe if not this when He beseeches and requests vs by His Messengers and Ambassadours that wee bee reconciled to Him This exceeding humbling of the LORD as it lets vs see His loue vnspeakable towardes vs so it requires a meeting on our partes as wee would eschew fearfull judgements If the first humbling of GOD when He humbled Himselfe in our nature will not mooue thee to make Him a meeting it shall bring on a judgement If the second wherein He humbled Himselfe after His Resurrection so many wayes will not mooue thee it shall double thy judgement if the third humbling of Him now in the Ministerie will not mooue thee if thou contemnest the word and the Ministerie it shall triple the judgement albeit thou werest the King of the world O that judgement and wrath that shall bee heaped vpon thee thou shalt be thrust downe and plunged in Hel to be tormented for euermore Can GOD humble Himselfe for nothing No either shall it be for passing mercie or els for a passing judgement to thee for euer more Then Brethren yee shall marke in this place and I shall onely touch it by the way The Lord after His glorious Resurrection eated the meate they gaue Him Hereof it followes That after His glorious Resurrection Hee kept these naturall powers as eating and drinking if Hee kept them not how could Hee eate at this time if there was not a power attractiue in His stomacke how could the meat goe ouer to His stomacke This I speake to let you see when we shall rise be glorified and see our Lord vvhen this humbled bodie shall be translated to the likenesse of His glorious body as vvee shall keepe the same
and quicknesse of his wit may doe some things without the speciall assistance of the Spirit of Christ but in the Church no man can doe any thing without the presence of the Spirit the man that hath not the Spirit and His graces in some measure is altogether vnprofitable and vnmeete for the Lordes worke for this cause the Lorde makes a speciall promise of this Spirit to them whome He places in His seruice because their calling and function in all respects is spirituall Looke to experience and ye will finde the trueth of this promise There is not a faithfull Minister but in some measure hee hath the Spirit of God to bee powerfull with him in his calling in such sort that not himselfe only but others also who see and heare him will sensiblie perceiue and take it vp The Apostle Paul found sensibly the Spirit of God to be powerfull with him in his labouring in the Ministerie when hee sayes It was not I that laboured but the grace of God which is with me 1 Cor. Chapter 15. verse 10. And againe when he sayes That hee laboured and stroue according to His working which worketh in him mightily Col. Chapter 1. verse 29. And on the other part when hee sayes to the Corinthians Yee see the experience of Christ that speakes in me which toward you is not weake but is mightie in you 2 Cor. Chap. 13. verse 3. he importes that as he himselfe found the power of the Spirit within him so they to whome he preached found it by His Spirit But I insist not to bring in particular places for if we consider well the Epistles of Paul vvee will finde many sentences testifying to vs that not only he himselfe found the power of the Spirit in his Ministerie and the life of Iesus working mightely in him in the middes of his infirmities yea euen in death it selfe 2. Cor. Chapter 4. verse 8. but also that same power was manifest vnto them that heard him Naturall men thinke all is but scorne that is spoken of the Spirit and of His power in the preaching of the Gospell they laugh at it as if there were no such thing but the faithfull man findes that it is not for nought that Christ promised His Spirit to them whom Hee sends as also that vvithout that Spirit no grace could haue bene wrought in their soules Now in the last wordes of this Text to assure them the more that they should receiue this Holy Spirit that was promised the Lord commands them That they goe not out of Ierusalem but that they tarie there vntill they be endued with power from on high that is Vntill they haue receiued this Spirit that He promised to send vnto them So in a manner for their further assurance He prescribes to them a particular time within the which they should receiue the Holie Ghost The Lord commonly when Hee makes a promise of anie thing to His owne Hee will giue them some waârand to confirme and assure them vntill Hee fullie performe His promise for because He knowes our weaknesse and infirmitie He giues vs as it were an earnest pennie to strengthen our Faith and Hope vntill He pay the whole summe to vs for such is our weaknâsse that albeit vve haue no more wee cannot bee able long to depend vpon His naked word It is true indeede that the Lord sometime for the triall of the Faith of His owne will charge them to rest vpon His bare and naked word only to beleeue His promise Hee will giue no furâher assurance as likewise for a season it may bee that they depend vpon His bare word but it is as true that this cannot continue long for except as by Faith they depend vpon the worde so also they haue some feeling and foretasting of the thing promised and some earnestpennie and securitie to assure them of the obtaining of the promise their Faith will faile and decay So weake are we in Faith so ready are we to mistrust that we cannot stand nor continue except wee bee vnderpropped and vpholden by some speciall warrand from God Now to end One thing further may be marked in these words The Lorde discharges the Apostles to goe out of Ierusalem vntill they haue gotten tâis Holy Spirite that Hee promised them The lesson is A Minister should not couet to goe to the worlde to preach the Gospell vntill the time hee bee assured that the Holie Spirit accompanies him and his trauells for if the Apostles themselues might not goe out to preach vntill the Spirit were sent vnto them it is a foolish thing for any man after them to presume to doe it But alas it is a thing greatly to be lamented in this age that there are so fewe that waite vntill they be accompanied with the Holy Spirit in their Ministerie and that so many goe rashly to vndertake such an high calling Many vpon a conceite that they haue of their naturall giftes their wisdome their quicknesse ingine memorie eloquence and such other giftes will start vp to the pulpet and preach confidently to the people in the Name of Iesus But the Lorde in His just Iudgement not only withdrawes all blessing from their labours but also heapâs shame and ignominie vpon them and makes it manifest to the world that He sent them not but they ranne vnsent But thou who wouldest haue a good conscience who wouldest haue the Lord to blesse thy trauells in His Ministerie presume not too farre of thy naturall giftes how great so euer they be but waite vpon the Lordes leasure vntill Hee preuent thee with His Spirit and endue thee with power from on hie and in the meane time be crying earnestly for the presence of that Spirit who when Hee comes will open thine heart and loose thy mouth to speake with boldnesse and freedome in the Name of Iesus To whome with the Father and that blessed Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLV LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XX. verse 21 Then said Iesus to them againe Peace be vnto you as my Father sent me so send â you verse 22 And when He had saide that He breathed on them and saide vnto them Receiue the Holy Ghost verse 23 Whosoeuer sinnnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes ye reteine they are reteined HITHERTO beloued Brethren in Christ wee haue insisted in the opening vp of that Sermon that the Lorde vttered to His Apostles in His fift appearing after His Resurrection as it is set down by the Euangelist Luke wherein first He lets them see that it behooued Him to suffer and to rise againe from the death because it was so foretolde of Him and that it behooued Repentance Remission of sinnes to be preached in His Name to all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Next He giues them a direction to goe out to the world to be witnesses and preachers of these things albeit they were altogether vnmeet and vnsufficient and had
GOD to cast downe holdes c. 2. Cor. Chapter 10. verse 4. Hee hath giuen them power to discharge their calling Yee may reade of this power at great length Matth. Chapter 16. verse 19. When the Lord speaking to Peter in his person sayes to all the Apostles I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen And Matth. Chapter 18. verse 18. the Lord sayes to all his Apostles Whatsoeuer ye binde on earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen So yee see the Lord giues them this power before His suffering and now after His Resurrection He renewes it againe Nowe wee must not thinke that this power was giuen only to the Apostles and their Ministerie which was then extraordinarie No but it is giuen also to the ordinarie Pastors and their ordinarie Ministerie to continue with them to the ende of the world Nowe Brethren because this power which the Lord giues to His Ministerie is a matter of great importance and serues much for our instruction Wee shall insist somewhat more largely in speaking of it First What are the meanes whereby this power is practised and put in execution The meanes are two the first is the preaching of the worde the preaching of the Law and the preaching of the Gospell The second is Ecclesiasticall discipline vvhich ought to be conjoyned with the preaching of the word should follow after it But wherein is this power placed Standes it in this that the Pastor himself should reteine or forgiue mens sins Is this the proper effect of the Ministerie No the Pastour himselfe hath no power to forgiue or reteine sinnes because that belongs only to God Himselfe and cannot be communicated to any creature The Pharises themselues acknowledged this for when CHRIST saide to the sicke of the Palsey Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee they counted Him a blasphemer for say they Who can forgiue sinnes but GOD oly Marc. Chapter 2. verse 5. c. And the Lord sayes himselfe Esay 43.25 I euen I am Hee that puts away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes This is so proper to the Lord that He will not giue this power to any flesh because it is a part of His glorie and He sayes J will not giue my glorie to another Esay 48.11 And good reason it is that this power of forgiuing and reteining of sinnes belong only to Him for all sinne properly is against the Majestie of GOD Himselfe for Iohn sayes Sin is a transgression of the Law of God Therefore Dauid when He had slaine Vriah had committed adulterie with Bathsheba his wife he sayes to the Lord Against thee against thee only haue I sinned done euill in thy sight Psal 51.4 So this stands sure that properly it is a thing belonging to GOD only to forgiue and reteine sinnes to binde and to loose that is to pronounce the sentence of remitting and reteining of sinnes Then wherein stands this power that Christ hath giuen to His Pastours and Ministerie I answere It stands in the promulgation and proclaming in the earth of that sentence that is alreadie past giuen out in y e Heauens for this is manner of y e Lords dealing with men Hee will not lift them vp to Heauen immediatly make them to heare y e sentence of remitting or reteining of sinnes pronounced there by Himselfe No but He abases demits Himself to vs by His Ministry He comes down as it were out of Heauen to vs by His Ministerie He intimates proclames to vs in the earth that sentence which alreadie He hath pronounced in the Heauens and that either to our comfort and consolation if it bee the sentence of remission of sinnes or els to our griefe and downecasting if it be the sentence of reteining of sinnes And if wee despite and contemne this Ministerie wherein God abases and demits Himselfe vnto vs and by the which as the Apostle sayes 2. Cor. 5.20 He prayes vs to be reconciled vnto Him we can haue no warrand nor assurance of the remission of sinnes not of saluation Then yee see that this power that the Lord giues to this Ministerie stands in the proclaming declaring of that sentence which is alreadie past and pronounced in the Heauens and the words that the Lord vses here if we marke them wâll import this same meaning for He sayes Whosoeuer sinnes ye forgiue they are forgiuen speaking in the time bypast as if Hee had saide this is a thing alreadie done the sentence is alreadie pronounced in the Heauen as for you who are my Ministers ye only intimate proclame in earth that sentence which is alreadie past in Heauen He sayes on the other part Whosoeuer sinnes yee reteine they are reteined vsing the time bypast as if He had said the sentence of reteining of their sins is already pronounced in Heauen ye only intimate declare on earth y e sentence which already is past in HeaueÌ Now hauing considered wherein this power consists we shal let you see what sort of power it is This power that the Lord hath giuen to His Ministerie either extraordinarie as the Apostles had or ordinarie which the Pastours haue is not a Kingly power not such a power as is giuen to Kings Rulers in the world No it is only a ministeriall power Let a man sayes Paul so thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ 1. Cor. 4.1 And againe He sayes We haue not dominion ouer your Faith but we are helpers of your ioy 2. Cor. 1.24 yet it is a power so the Apostle calles it 2. Cor. 13.10 According to the power which God hath giuen me to edification and not to destruction And a glorious Ministerie 2. Cor. 3.9 And as the word of God calles it a power so also the consciences of men finde it to bee a power Therefore the Apostle sayes 2 Cor. 13.3 Ye seeke experience of Christ that speaketh in me which toward you is not weake but is mightie in you And if we will compare it with the ciuile and kingly power we will finde it in this respect to be preferred to the ciuile power that whereas the ciuile power is extended only ouer the body the life and goods temporall this power of the Ministerie is extended to the soule to the spirituall graces of the soule and life euerlasting and therefore it is called by the Apostle the Ministerie of the Spirit and of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 3.8 9. Now to end shortly There may be a question moued When the Minister either remittes sinnes or reteines sinnes vpon earth how shall he be assured that y e Lord hath not remitted or reteined them in Heauen for it becomes the Herauld or Messenger to make intimation of nothing but of that whereof
testified vnto him that the Lord was risen and had appeared vnto them that they sawe Him with their eyes heard Him with their eares and handled Him with their hands yet such was the incredulitie of Thomas that he professed plainly that in no cace he would beleeue except hee saw in His hands the print of the nailes and put his finger in the print of the nailes and put his hande into His side To remedie this incredulitie of Thomas the Lord appeares now the sixt time eight dayes after His former appearings when His disciples were met together and Thomas with them Iesus came the doores beeing shut and stood in the middes of them and saluted them after the accustomed manner saying vnto them Peace be vnto you Now in these words which we haue presently read we haue the Lordes conference with Thomas first Next in the last wordes of the Chapter the Euangelist meetes mens curiositie affirming albeit all things that Iesus did were not written in this Gospell yet it was not vnperfect because all things were written that were necessarie to life and saluation In the conference that the Lord hath with Thomas Hee meetes him not roughly and rigorously as his incredulitie had justly deserued but with lenitie and meekenesse Hee endeuoureth to make him to beleeue by granting him his desire Thomas had plainly professed that except hee sawe the print of the nailes and put his hande into His side hee would not beleeue therefore the Lord sayes nowe Thomas Put thy finger heere and see Mine handes and put foorth thine hande and put it in My side and bee no more faithlesse but faithfull See the gentlenesse of the LORD and howe louingly Hee speakes to him Thomas was not onely incredulous but also he was stubburne obstinate proud and arrogant hee counted others fooles that beleeued hee professed that in no cace hee would beleeue without seeing and feeling of the LORDES wounds Now the LORD grantes this to Thomas which he desired albeit hee was vnworthie of it yea the LORD inuites him and louingly bids him put his hande in the print of the nailes and in His side for the LORD speakes not this in bitternesse and tauntingly to Thomas for the wordes that He subjoynes Be not faithlesse but faithfull testifie that Hee spake of loue and in lenitie to Thomas to make him to beleeue It is true indeede the wordes containe a sort of reproofe and rebuking of Thomas for his incredulitie but this reproofe is so tempered and seasoned vvith such lenitie and meeknesse that scarcâly can it bee perceiued and taken vp This dealing of the LORD with Thomas le ts vs see how great is the mercie gentlenesse and long suffering of the LORD IESVS towards sinners whose sinnes deserue nothing but wrath judgement such is His mercie and meeknesse towards sinners that to the end Hee might please vs Paul sayes Rom. 15.3 Hee would not please Himselfe He suffered shame ignominie for vs He suffâred dolour paines for vs He died for vs and after Hee rose He spared no trauell to make the Apostles belâeue sundrie times did He appeare to them now He appeares for Thomas cause albeit he had runne very far in the course of infidelitie stubburnesse yet He striues by granting him his desiâe to perswade him and make him to beleeue The Lords gentlenesse and long suffering is very great towardes all men euen the verie reprobate themselues who refuse the riches of His bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bount fulnesse of GOD leadeth them to repentance Rom Châpter 2 verse 4. For as Paul sayes Hee suffereth with long patience the vessells of wrath prepared for destruction Rom. Chapter 9. verse 22. But it is greater towardes his owne in whome Hee sees some sponke of grace to bee for albeit Hee finde it to be very small and heauily oppressed and smoothered downe by the corruption of our flesh and of our cankred nature yet He endeuoures to cherish and intertaine it for Hee breakes not the brused reed my quench the smooking flaxe Esay 42.3 Matth. 12.20 But Brethren it serues for no purpose to speake of this gentlenesse and bountifulnesse of the Lord except wee haue a sense and feeling of it in our owne soules and except we taste how sweete and bountifull the Lord is for no wordes can expresse it no wordes can perswade a man of it except he finde the proofe and sense of it in his owne soule The Lorde worke a feeling of it in euery one of our hearts that we may speake of it with the greater assurance perswasion But there may be a question mooued heere The desire of Thomas seemes to be vnlawfull and vnreasonable why then should the Lord haue granted it to him How standes this with His Iustice How agrees this with that vnchangeable Nature of GOD in Christ To this I answere That Thomas failed not in this that he desired to see the Lord for that is the desire of all the Sainctes but in this he failed as we heard before that he tied his faith so precisely to his outwarde senses to seeing and handling that hee professed that no wise he would beleeue except hee saw the Lord and felt Him yet no question he had in the meane time some spirituall desire to see the Lord and hee had a true and sincere loue towards the Lord. This louing dealing of the Lord with Thomas teaches vs this comfortable lesson The Lord markes not narrowly the infirmities and wants that are in His owne Hee lookes not narrowly to the weaknesse of their Faith to the imperfections wants of their prayers and requests for their prayers are full of wants and imperfections but Hee passes by their imperfections Hee ouersees their infirmities and misknowes the corruption wherein their Faith their prayers and desires are inuolâed and ouercled and Hee hath a regard to their Faith albeit they haue it in neuer so small a measure for the Lord knowes the meaning of His owne Spirit euen then when He is wrestling into vs against an inumerable number of our infirmities sinnes and corruptions Happie is that soule that hath a sponke of true Faith for the Lord will regarde it and ouersee many infirmities and imperfections in him Thus farre of the Lords speech to Thomas Now followes the answere of Thomas vnto the Lord Thomas meetes Him with a notable confession Thou art my Lord and my God The Text makes no particular mention vvhether or not Thomas put his finger in the print of His vvounds and his hand in His side when the Lord bade him If so hee did and vvould none otherwise beleeue then surely hee hath beene very hard of heart impudent and obstinate vvho vvould not beleeue when he saw the Lord with his eyes and heard Him speaking to him But it is more probable and I am of that judgement that so soone as Thomas sawe the Lord and heard Him speaking that he was ashamed of his incredulitie
The Lord who euer hath a regarde of His owne makes all their actions and their sufferings to tend to their vvell and comfort yea to serue and further them to eternall life When thou goest to performe any thing vvhen thou addressest thy selfe to any worke vvhat euer it be vvhether it be husbandrie fishing marchandise or any other exercise I giue thee my counsell endeuoure euer to entertaine in thy soule a sense and perswasion of the loue of God and if thou so doest thou shalt finde that when the members of thy body are exercised in their labour that thy soule likewise shall make a progresse straightway to Heauen Well they goe to the fishing but vvhat successe haue they at the first Not very great their successe was very slender for it is said That night they caught nothing How came this to passe Was it through their vnskilfulnes No it was by the secret prouidence and direction of God who often times delayes the successe of the labours of His owne and will not answere their expectation at the first to the ende that in His owne appointed time He may giue it more aboundantly to their greater coÌfort for this is the Lordes accustomed dealing vvith His owne children Of set purpose He vvill disappoint them for a time to their greater benefit and comfort thereafter When Paul vvrites to Philemon concerning his seruant Onesimus vvho had fled away from him he sayes It may be that he hath departed for a season that thou mightest receiue him for euer Next the Lord vses to disappoint the hope of His own for a season because that serues more to the glory of God than if they got it at the first time for vvhen men finde a prosperous successe in all their vvayes and all thinges answering to their desire scarcely doe they consider and discerne Gods blessing yea manie times it comes to passe that in such cases men ascribe the praise of all to themselues to their owne vvisedome their trauels and laboures they flatter themselues sacrifice to their owne nette But vvhen they see themselues notwithstanding of all their trauels disappointed of their hope and thereafter finde a blessing and good successe then they plainly discerne that all things proceed from the blessing and fauourable prouidence of God and therfore giues to the Lord the praise and glory of all Last vvhen He delayes the successe vvhich His owne hope for in their laboures Hee giues them a faire recompence for the vvant of the temporall benefit for a season and He giues them a spirituall benefit to their soule for vvhen thereafter He giues them a successe He makes them to see His blessing and opens their heartes and looses their mouthes to sounde His praise vvhich is better than any earthly benefit that can be bestowed vpon man When the Disciples had long laboured without successe at last the Lord comes for th'Euangelist sayes When the morning was nowe come Iesus stood on the Sea shore Howbeit the Lord vvill long absent Himselfe from His own and giue them no sensible blessing in their trauels yet at the last hee vvill come in his owne due time to their great comfort Nowe the time is marked vvhen the Lord comes to vvit in the morning hee tarries away all the night and comes in the morning The Scripture compares the time in the vvhich vvee liue vvithout Christ vnto the darke night for as in the night no man can vvalke nor be exercised in the vvorke of his calling no more can any man vvithout Christ vvalke in the vvay of saluation nor doe anie thing acceptable to God Againe his presence and comming is compared to the morning for as in the morning vvhen the Sunne rises men may see the way and walke in the way and bee exercised in the workes of their calling So when CHRIST that Daye-starre beginnes to arise that Sunne of Righteousnesse beginnes to shine vâto the soules of His owne then they see the way of saluation and they haue courage and pleasure to walke therein and to doe the workes of light which are acceptable vnto GOD when Hee is absent there is nothing but night and darknesse when He returnes againe there is light DAVID seemes to allude vnto this prâsence of Christ by His Spirite in the soule when hee sayes in the xxx PSALME vers v. Weeping may abide at euening but âoye commeth in the morning Nowe howbeit the Lord stood before them on the shore Neuerthelesse the Disciples knewe not that it was IESVS Howe this comes to passe that they knawe Him not it is vncertaine for the cause is not set downe neither will wee curiouslie inquire for it it may bee and it is likelie that their eyes were closed that they could not discerne and knowe Him whome otherwise they sawe present before them The example of these Disciples lets vs see what is the naturall disposition of the children of God They sought not the Lord fiâst yea when Hâe offers Himselfe vnto them they know Him not So it is with vs all by nature neither can we seeke God neither can wee so much as once thinke of the seeking of Him neither when Hee offers Himselfe vnto vs vnsought can we dâscerne Him and knowe Him by nature Except God by His Spirite preuent vs and illuminate the eyes of our mindes open our hearts and make vs to knowe Him wee will neuer seeke Him nor knowe Him but wee shall euer remaine in darknesse Yet albeit they knowe not the Lord Hee beginnes to shew Himselfe vnto them and Hee breakes off conference vnto them Sirs have yee anie meate And by this speach Hee pâepares them to that good successe and blessing which He was to giue to their trauels And this Hee does by bringiâg them to a confession of their want and needfulnesse for when hee inquires at them if they had anie meate they answered him No. They confesse their want for marke Brethren how the Lord will haue thy soule to bee prepared before Hee communicate His blessing Thy skant thy neede and thy pouertie though it were neuer so great will not doe the turne it will not mooue the Lord to blesse thy trauels if there be no more No Hee requires further of thee Hee will haue thee to acknowledge to feele and to confesse thy pouertie The Lord pitties not but abhorres proude and sturdie beggers Hee does to His owne as a louing father does to his sonne Albeit the father see his sonne in great pouertie and neede lacking foode and rayment yet if hee come proudly and stubburnly by the doore presence of his father hee will not know him nor helpe him howbeit hee haue substance wealth enough vnto such time as he is humbled and come to himselfe Euen so the Lord when wee are in miserie in great want and neede and will not acknowledge nor confesse it vnto Him He will not know vs nor bestowe His blessinges vpon vs till we be humbled Now wheÌ the Lord has prepared
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 judgemeÌt 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 Coâinthians 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 Iesâs 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 hâe 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 Fââde 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 froÌ 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 âffirme 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 sâyest 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
reward in the world He telles him Thou shalt be girded with cordes in stead of a girdle and then thou shalt be ledde away whither thou wouldest not that is to a violent death whereby thou shalt seale vp the Gospell that thou hast preached then the Lord giues him and he receiues the office of Apostleship with this pâemonition that in the end of it he shall die the death The Lord foreâarnes him to this end that hee should be on his preparation to makâ him readie to dâe to enarme him against the death for death comming vnawares is terrible will teâtifie y e proudest flesh that liues ãâã this forewarning sârues for y e enarming of him forewarned halfe armed as the Prouerbe is Preparation for death meditation of that death and of the life to come is better and more steadable armour against death than a jacke or all the strengths and castles in the earth It is a terrible thing when death lights vpon a creature suddenly it dammishes the creature But to the purpose In the person of Peter I perceiue That there is no man the Lord receiues to bee a Pastor a feeder of His flocke or a Minister but Hee takes him with this prâmonition Make thee for death that is a hard beginning Prepare thee to shed thy blood for my sheepe and to seale that Gospell which thou hast preached with thy blood for why a man that enters to feede the flocke of the Lord hath not adoe with lambes only sillie and simple sheepe but hee must fight with Wolues as hee must feede the lambes so hee must fight with Wolues Tygres Beares c. that would deuoure the Lambes Yea sometimes it will fall out that these whome they thinke to be Lambes will manifest themselues to be Wolues yea beside this it may be that one of His owne flocke shall stand vp and deuoure him in the end and beside this what is the Deuill euer doing with him Is he not euer going about the Folde like a roaring Lyon with the mouth of him euer wide open seeking to swallow and deuoure not only the flocke but also the Pastor so that he should make him for death It is true Brethren euery Pastor in the ende dies not a violent death all are not hanged beheaded or burnt Some yea many die their owne naturall death and in peace the Lord honoures not euery man with the gift of suffering for the Name of Christ it is an honour get it who will as He honoured Peter and He requires not that euery man seale this doctrine with his blood in the end but yet it is the Lordes will that neuer a man enter so soone to the Ministerie but as soone hee make him for suffering and that he preach so that he be readie to seale vp euery preaching with his blood Away with the man who when he enters thinkes with himselfe that hee shall haue ease and a quiet and a pleasant life It is true againe the Lord will not speake now to euery man face to face forewarning him and giuing to him a reuelation from Heauen now as then Hee did to Peter yet there is nothing more certaine than this it is His will that euery man bee reââie euery houre to seale vp the Gospell with his blood if it pleâse the Lord to call him Paul Actes 21. when hee was going âp to Ierusalem he got a fore-warning That he should be bound hand and foote and so it fell out but it was not fore-tolde him that hee should die yet hee sayes when the godly are standing weeping lamenting seeking to disswade him to goe vp What doe ye weeping grieuing mine heart Why trouble ye me I am ready sayes he not only to be bound but I am prepared to die for the Name of the Lord Iesus So howbeit hee got not the warning yet he had this resolution setled to suffer Now appertaines this nothing to you who are the people I saye to thee Thou who wilt call thy selfe a Christian man who hast giuen vp thy name to Iesus Christ thou art as far indebted to seale vp thy professioÌ with thy blood if thou be charged as the Pastor is otherwayes I will not giue thee a pennie for thy profession It had bâene better thou had neuer taken that name if thou bee not readie to seale it vp vvith thy blood It is true euerie one is not in verie deede martyâed but I saye to thee There is a necessitie layed vpon thee that in some measure thou prepare thee to suffer the crosse and death it selfe for Christes sake and so that thou be a Martyre in thine owne mind and resolution And albeit thou eschew death yet of this bee assured That thou shalt beare the burthen of affliction either inwardlie or outwardlie for vvhosoeuer vvould liue godlie in Christ Iesus must suffer affliction 2. Timoth. chap. 3. vers 11. and Act. chap. 14. vers 22. it is saide Thorowe manie afflictions wee must enter into the kingdome of God This necessity is layd vpoÌ vs. It is the duetie as we vse to speake of euery ChristiaÌ man woman to suffer Therâfore Brethren seeing this necessity is layed on vs That wee must suffer some affliction we should be prepared for it yea if it were to dy the death for the name of Iesus Let euerie one bee preparing themselues both Pastor and people for it may bee that all estates bee sooner put to try all than yee looke for and that the Lord saye to the Pastor Thou hast beene preaching these manie yeeres nowe seale it vp wâth thy bloâde And to the people Yee haue beene prosissing long nowe suffer for it There is my counsell Suppose thou shedde not thy blood yet looke that in the resolution of thine heart thou bee a Martyr thou bee headed hanged and that suffer all sort of torment that euer any suffered and striue to get contentment to die at the pleasure of the Lord. Hee knowes not vvhat a Christian man meanes who has not this resolution A foole thinkes that this hie calling is to get pleasure ease delicacie No no as CHRIST went out of the ports of Hierusalem bearing His owne crosse to the place of execution so He calles thee to goe foorth with Him out of this world bearing His reproach Hebr. 13.13 Otherwise looke not to haue participation of His glorie Yet let vs marke the vvordes more narrowly Now certainly will ye looke in to them yee will see that Peters calling to th'Apostleship was wondrous straite Peter might haue thought and saide with himselfe Seeing I am entring to be an apostle I am entring to a glorious calling I wil get honor enough I was before a poore Fisher nowe I will get honour ease peace and rest The Lord answeres No Peter it shall not be so And this Hee declares by comparing his condition to come in his age with his by-past condition in his youth As if Hee had saide The order of nature shall bee
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 theÌ all these aduantages in earth caÌnot be aduaÌtage in y e houre of death in heaueÌ or earth no aduaÌtage 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 generatioÌ 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 wheÌ 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 yoÌg 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 lessoÌ 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 bouÌd to Christ in his seruice they only are truely free whoÌ 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 tormeÌt 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 tormeÌter 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 obedieÌce 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 froÌ me So I say it was no maruel y t nature in Peter abhorred froÌ 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 wheÌ 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 vvheÌ 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 maÌ 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 wheÌ He is speaking of his death He sayes not after this maÌner 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 tokeÌ of this follow thou me for he giues him this as an vndoubted signe of his crosse death y t was to come No BrethreÌ 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 tormeÌted for euer But wheÌ we
Apostles which sets out vnto vs the glorious Majestie of God and His properties His power His mercie His Iustice His wisdome c. is by infinite degrees inferior to the Majestie which it describes vnto vs that the Spirit of God paintes Him not throughly fully in His essence nature and in His owne perfection as He is No but in painting Him out Hee attempers His stile to our infirmitie weaknesse that we may vnderstand beleeue for there can be no words so high so sublime so glorious inuented or deuised by any that can bee sufficient to expresse that Majestie which is incoÌprehensible infinite Alwayes seeing the Holy Spirit hath set down so much in the Scripture concerning that glorious incomprehensible Majestie of God His worship as is sufficient for our Saluation let vs therewith be content and not curiously seeke for any more and while we read or heare the Scriptures let vs earnestly craue at God that He would worke faith in our soules that we may beleeue that Iesus is that Christ the Sonne of God that in beleeuing we may haue life Saluation through Him To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory for euermore AMEN THE LIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 16 Then the eleuen disciples went into Galile into a mountaine where Jesus had appointed them verse 17 And when they sawe Him they worshipped Him but some doubted verse 18 And Jesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is giuen vnto Me in heauen and in earth verse 19 Goe therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 15 And Hee saide vnto them Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospell to euery creature WELBELOVED Brethren these dayes bypast we followed out the Historie of the Resurrection of the Lord and of His manifolde appearings vnto sundrie but especially vnto His Disciples as they are set down by the Euangelist John who insists more largely in describing His appearings to His Disciples than any of y e rest as God gaue the grace the last day wee ended his Gospell spake last of the conclusion thereof now it rests that we follow out so much as remaines of the Historie of the resurrectioÌ as it is set down by y e rest of y e Euangelists for Iohn wrote his EuaÌgel after all y e rest omitted purposely such things as were written by y e rest willing vs to addresse our selues to y e rest of y e Euangelists that there we might read follow out y e rest of y e Historie of CHRIST vvhich hee left off And so vvee are this day to enter into the description of another appearing of CHRIST after His Resurrection as it is set downe by Matthew Marke This appearing of the Lord seemes to be the ninth in number for the first was to Marie Magdalene The second to other women The thirde to two disciples as they weÌt to Emmaus The fourth was to SimoÌ Peter The fift to Iames Then three seuerall times Hee appeared to His disciples being gathered together as ye heard out of Iohn So this is y e ninth appearing wherin it is likely that He shewes Himselfe not only to the eleuen disciples being met together but also to a great number of brethren being together with them For this seemes to be y t appearing wherof th'Apostle Paul makes mention 1. Cor. 15 6. where he says Hee was seene of more than fiue hundreth brethren at once In this appearing there are sundry thinges to bee considered As the circumstances of time and place the disciples worshipping of Him when they sawe Him the doubting of some of them His communicatioÌ with the disciples sending them out with a commission to preach to all Nations Appearantly this is that meeting which the Lord in His appearing to the women enjoyned to the Apostles for by the women Hee gaue th'Apostles a direction to meete Him in Galilie Matth. chap. 28. vers 10. According to this direction it is said The eleuen disciples went into Galilie vnto a Mountaine where Iesus had appointed them So the place vvas in that Mountaine of Galilie wherein the Lord had appointed them to meete The time is not particularly mentioned yet it is likelie that as the Lord gaue a direction concerning the place so did Hee also concerning the time of their meeting Then this whole meeting the time the place and all is according to the direction and appointment of the Lord. Now as they keep this meeting vpoÌ hope to see the Lord according to His promise so they are not disappointed of their hope The Lord is as good as His promise He shewes Himselfe present vnto theÌ Marke the lesson The Lord who has appointed ordained y e meetings assemblies of His owne has promised to be amongst them when they are gathered together He disappoints theÌ not of His promise but shewes Himselfe to be present with theÌ This y e disciples fouÌd by experience wheÌ they met together by His appointment y e Lord shewes Himselfe present vnto theÌ This same haue al y e godly fouÌd in al ages y e faithful find it this day in their meetings for albeit He shew not Himselfe present after a bodilie manner as here He did to His disciples yet He is present yea no lesse present with His owne now than He was then but He is now present after a spirituall manner and the faithfull find His presence to be no lesse powerfull effectuall now than it was then for froÌ whence comes this vnspeakeable joy comfort and peace of conscience which the faithfull find in their meetings but from the presence of Iesus for except the Lord Iesus were present in our soules by His Spirite it were not possible that wee could finde such a powerfull working and such sweete motions and alterations in them Vaine and foolish men who are touched with no sense of sin disdaines scornes the meetings of the Saincts they thinke them all to be but fectlesse for y e feshioÌ they think they feed vpoÌ fantasies But y e faithful find by experience that the presence of Christ in their meetinges is so powerfull comfortable as no tongue can vtter nor the heart of man is able to conceiue And thou y t contemnest and scornest these meetings thou shalt find one day by sorrowful experieÌce of how great comforts thou hast depriued thy selfe And if thy conscience were once wakened with the sense of sinne thou wouldest finde that there were no joy nor comfort to thy soule but by these meetings Then thou wouldest haue greater pleasure to frequeÌt these meetings thaÌ euer thou hadst to eat or drink when thou werest hungry and drie Now when y e Lord appeares to them what doe they what is their behauiour It is saide When
Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirit Indeed it is true that God was knowne in the Trinitie of persons in some sorte by the Fathers who liued vnder the Old Testament before Christs manifestation in the fleshe but the knowledge which they had was obscure and confused in respect of that knowledge which IESVS brought into the worlde at His comming but chiefely this distinct knowledge of the three persons of the Godhead was manifested after Christes Resurrection from the dead and His Glorification for Christ glorified is chiefely the image of the vnuisible God and the brightnesse of His glorie and the engrauen forme of His person And from Christ glorified especially proceedes th' effectuall operation of the Holy Spirit in the soules of His Elect. All tendes to this To let you see that the cleare and distinct knowledge of the Godhead in the Trinitie of the persons proceeded chiefely from the Kingdome of Christ and from His glory Nowe to this God one in essence in three persons The Father the Sonne and the Holie Spirit be all praise honour and glorie for euermore Amen THE LIV. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 20 Teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you and loe I am with you alway vntill the ende of the world Amen MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 16 He that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall bee saued but hee that will not beleeue shall bee damned verse 17 And these tokens shall follow them that beleeue In my Name they shall cast out deuils and shall speake with new tongues verse 18 And shall take away serpentes and if they shall drinke anie deadlie thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their handes on the sicke and they shall recouer THE last daye Welbeloued Brethren in Christ we began to speake of the nine appearings of the Lord to the Disciples as it is set downe by Matthew and Marke Hee appeared to them in a Mountaine of Galilie vvhere Hee had appointed them to meete Him Wee hearde vvhat vvas the Disciples behauiour The sight of that glorious Majestie made them to fall downe and worship Him yet in the meane time some of them doubted and therefore the LORDE to confirme them drawes neare vnto them and enters into communication with them and in His communing first Hee telles what power and authoritie was giuen Him both in Heauen and earth to the ende Hee might mooue them the more willinglie and chearefullie to vndertake the office of the Apostleship Then when Hee has layed downe this power as a ground of their office and Ministerie Hee sendes them out in the worlde charging them first to goe to all Nations Next to preach to euery creature And thirdly To baptize in the Name and authority of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirit Nowe in these wordes first Hee telles them what doctrine they shoulde teach to the worlde then hee makes them a threefolde promise The first is of life and saluation to then that beleeue and are baptised The seconde is a promise of th'extraordinarie and miraculous giftes of the Holie Spirite The thirde is a promise of His owne glorious and powerfull presence with them in discharging of their calling that not for a season but to continue to th' ende of the vvorlde Then in the first wordes which vve haue read He telles them what they should teach not al things not euery thing that they pleased themselues but He sayes Teach them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer J haue commanded you So Hee restraines the doctrine that they should teach vnto the world vnto that doctrine which Hee Himselfe first had taught them In the 14. Chapter of John vers 26. after Hee has first promised the Holie Spirit to teach His Apostles all thinges then Hee telles vvhat Hee meanes by All these thinges which His Spirite should teach and Hee boundes them and restraines them to that doctrine which Hee Himselfe had taught them before For sayes Hee hee shall bring all thinges to your remembrance which I haue tolde you Euen so here Hee restraines the preaching of th'Apostles to these thinges vvhich Hee Himselfe had taught them So marke this lesson The doctrine of Iesus Christ which Hee deliuered the time that Hee liued in the vvorlde and had His conuersation among men is the grounde the rule and the measure of all true doctrine The Spirit of the Lord Iesus vvhome Hee left behinde Him to bee His vicegerent in th' earth kept preciselie this rule Hee taught not so much as one sentence in substance but that vvhich CHRIST had taught before Th'Apostles vvhome Hee sent out into the worlde declined not one jote from this rule for they taught the vvorlde nothing but that vvhich the Holie Spirite had furnished and suggested vnto them before and that Spirite taught them nothing but that vvhich IESVS had taught them before So that the doctrine of the H. Spirit th'Apostles come all wholly from Iesus as th' only doctor teacher of His Kirke of whom the Father said in His baptisme traÌsfiguratioÌ Heare him So it should be w t ministers and Teachers of the Church to the end of the world they should make Christes doctrine to bee the rule of all their doctrine they should teach nothing but that which Christ teached before them the faithfull Ministers of Christ in all ages haue striuen to doe so they confirmed all their doctrine so farre as they could to the doctrine of Christ Indeede it is true through processe of time corrupt men entred in the Church who respected not God nor His glory nor the well and saluation of men but their owne honour their owne lusts and their bellie who taught the world not the doctrine of Christ the way of life but their own fantasies dreames and traditions Wee may see this lamentable experience this day in the kingdome of the Antichrist What teaches the Pope and his Clergie to the world Not the word of God Not the doctrine of Christ Not that doctrine which the Holy Spirit furnished to the Apostles not that vvhich the Apostles haue left in register this day they make not that to be the rule of their preaching but they teach their owne vanities deuised by themselues they teach mens traditions they teach vnwritten verities as they call them vvhich are for the moste parte altogether repugnant to the doctrine of Christ The Lord saue vs from their doctrine vvherewith they poyson the world and bring men to perdition Now as the Pastors are obliged to teach nothing but the doctrine of Christ so are the people bound to heare and receiue none other doctrine but the doctrine of Christ and for this cause they shoulde pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit who is promised to His owne to illuminate their mindes and to giue them the gift of discretion to discerne spirits as also they should be diligently exercised in reading and considering the Olde and New Testament the writtings of the
these thinges and none other thinges So that if they teach not these thinges but their owne dreames and fantasies they haue nothing adoe vvith this promise for if they keepe not the condition vvhat vvarrant can they haue to looke for the promise Nowe howe farre the Papistes are from keeping this condition from teaching the doctrine of Christ onelie it is more than manifest and they are blind that sees it not for in stead of the doctrine of the Gospell they teach their owne traditions dreames and fantasies They haue banished the Spirite of Trueth and haue bewitched the vvorlde vvith their lyes and vanities Therefore seeing the felicitie and happinesse both of Pastor and people standes in this To finde the Lordes presence with them in this pilgrimage the Lord grant that both Pastor and people may striue carefullie to holde fast the doctrine of the Gospell and that they may conforme their liues thereunto that so vvith confidence they may claime to this promise of the presence of Christ To whome with the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE LV. LECTVRE OF THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XXVI verse 19 So after the Lord had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 50 Afterward hee led them out into Bethania and lift vp his handes and blessed them verse 51 And it came to passe that as hee blessed them hee departed from them and was carried vp into heauen verse 52 And they worshipped him and returned to Hierusalem with great ioye ACTS CHAP. I. verse 6 When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel verse 7 And hee saide vnto them It is for you to knowe the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power verse 8 Bu yee shall receiue power of the holie Ghost when hee shall come on you and ye shall bee witnesses vnto mee both in Hierusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and vnto the vttermost partes of the earth verse 9 And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken vp for a cloude tooke him vp out of their sight verse 10 And while they looked stedfastlie toward heauen as hee went behold two men stood by them in white apparell BELOVED BRETHREN IN CHRIST vvee haue alreadie insisted at length in the Historie of the LORDES Resurrection vvherein vvee shewed you how often Hee appeared to His owne and especiallie to His Apostles to the ende that not onelie they themselues might bee more fullie perswaded of His Resurrection but also vvith the greater confidence and libertie they might speake therof to others In His last appearing to His Apostles vvee sawe Hee gaue them a commission and charge To goe out to the vvorlde to preach the Gospell and to baptize In the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost but He willes them to teach nothing else but onelie these things all these things which He had taught them before And to th' end He might the more easily moue them willingly and chearfully to vndertake discharge this calling first He sets down His vnspeakable incomprehensible power wherupoÌ is is grounded shewing them that al power in heaueÌ in earth was giuen vnto him Next He subjoynes a threefold promise of blessing to them in the discharging of their Ministery The first is a promise of life saluation to them who beleeue are baptized The second is a promise of th'extraordinary miraculous gifts of the H. Spirite The third is a promise of His own powerfull presence to continue with them vnto th' end of the world vpon condition That they faithfully discharge their calling teach these things all these things onlie these things which the Lord had taught no other Now it rests that we speak of the History of His Ascension to Heauen which we haue briefelie and in fewe vvordes in th'Euangelistes for Matthew and Iohn makes no mention of it Marke touches it shortlie in his Gospell Luke also speakes something of it in his Gospell but hee insistes in it more largely in setting downe the Circumstances of it in the first Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles In the words which wee haue presently read we will see how the LORD leades His Disciples out to Bethania we will see what conference communication is betwixt the Lord and them we will shew how He blessed them we will see the manner of His Ascension what was the behauiour of the Apostles while Hee was ascending to Heauen and looked stedfastly to the Heauen as He went vp Then to come to the words Luke sayes He led them out into Bethania This was the place from the which the Lord ascended vp to the Heauen and therefore of set purpose He leades them out of Ierusalem to this place They come not to this place by fortune or chance they come not there of their owne accorde or vpon any foresight that they themselues had No but they were ledde out of Jerusalem to see that glorious Ascension of Christ and to be partakers of His grace But who led them out It is saide The Lord ledde them out none comes to grace by aime none comes to the place vvhere grace is in dealing by fortune or chance No it is the Lord which leades them as then the Lord ledde His Apostles as it were by the hande to Bethania to see His glorie and to be made partakers of grace so it is alwayes by the LORDS secret and powerfull prouidence that any man comes to the place vvhere the LORD distributes His grace for sayes CHRIST No man can come to mee except that Father who hath sent mee draw him Ioh. Chapter 6. verse 44. Therefore if thou findest at any time by this Ministerie grace to bee communicated into thy soule in His Church ascribe neuer the praise of it to thy selfe or to thy trauell but giue the praise and honour of all to the LORD IESVS vvho had a care of thee and by His gracious prouidence bâought thee there But vvho are these vvhom the Lord leades out Not all they vvho heard Him vvho knew Him vvho had conuersed vvith Him but it is only His Disciples vvhome the Lord ledde out these only vvhome He vsed most familiarly vvhom Hee loued most tenderly and vvho in a manner vvere His domestiques The number of them vvhome the LORD chooses and leades out to grace at any time is not great they are but few in respect of the multitude vvhome the Lord passes by but especially at this time it was the LORDES pleasure to choose but a few to be eye-witnesses of His glorious AsceÌsioÌ for it was y e Lords will that His AscensioÌ should rather be manifested made known to the world by hearing than by seeing for y e Lord prefers likes better of that
behoued to be in a greater humility w t greater reuereÌce w t greater feruency thaÌ euer it was before Indeed they worshipped Him before knowing Him to be the Messias but their knowledge was but very mean sober but now they see know perfectly that He is the Lord of glory the glorious judge of the world therefore the worshipping of Him at this time behoued to be in greater reuereÌce with greater perswasion boldnes than euer it was before The sight of that glorious majesty makes euer the creature in reuereÌce to worship God the greater sight the greater reuerence The faithfull while they liue here in th' earth because by th' eye of faith in the mirrour of the Gospel they see the glory of the Lord therfore in humility they worship His majesty but because they see Him not clearly as He is but darkly and obscurely therfore their worshipping here is not like that worshipping y t shal be when they shal see Him face to face for when we shal see him as he is we shal worship Him with greater reuerence confideÌce boldnes liberty than euer we did before for then vve shall be made like vnto Him that is vve shall bee made conformable to the image of His glory and vve shall shake off all this mortality corruption vvherewith th'Apostles vvere clad at this time vvheÌ they worshipped Him ascending to HeaueÌ So that that vvorshipping adoring of the Lord which the faithful shal giue Him in that great day wheÌ He desceÌds from the HeaueÌs to judge the world shall surpasse exceedingly by many degrees that worship which the Apostleâ gaue Him wheÌ they saw Him asceÌd into HeaueÌ for theÌ there shal be nothing to hinder them Now in the meane time while the Lord is ascending to Heauen as they worship Him so likewise they followe Him vvith their eyes and looked stedfastly toward heauen vvhere they saw Him ascending vvhich testifies plainly that their hearts were lifted vp to the Heauens together vvith Christ as Christ ascended so their hearts ascended vvere lifted vp to Heauen by the power veâtue of that same Ascention glorie of Christ in vvhome they beleeued for they that beleeue in Christ and are conjoyned to Him by faith of necessity must by that bând of faith be lifted vp together vvith Him to the Heauens for that soule that is linked to Him by faith caÌnot be seuered from Him but it must follow Him vvhersoeuer He goes Mark this lesson wheÌ y e heart is lifted vp to Heauen it vvill lift y e eye of y e bodie to Heauen also y e sight sense of y e Ascension of Christ liftes vp the heart to Heauen for where there is in y e heart a sense feeling of y e power of Christs AscensioÌ of necessity both the soule th' eyes of the body must be lifted vp to Heauen And this lifting vp of th' eyes of the body proceeding froÌ the lifting vp of y e heart to Heauen this lifting vp of y e heart proceeding froÌ y e feeling of y e power of th'AsceÌsioÌ of Iesus which now y e faithfull find is a sure argumeÌt vndoubted warraÌâ to y e faithful y t one day th' eye y e heart y e soule y e body yea y e whole man shal be lifted vp to heaueÌ both soule body in y t great day wheÌ y e Lord appeares to judgemeÌt shal enjoy His glorious preseÌce therfore y e godly haue great cause continually to be waiting looking for y t glorious apppearing of Christ happy art thou who art euer waiting for it for at y t glorious appearing thou shâlt be partaker of glory w t him to whoÌ with y e Father H. Spirit be all praise honor glory Amen THE LVI LECTVRE OF THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 20 And they went foorth and preached euerie where And the Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed Amen LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 52 And they Worshipped him returned to HierusaleÌ with great ioye verse 53 And were continuallie in the Temple praising and lauding GOD Amen ACTS CHAP. I. verse 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heauen as hee went beholde two men stood by them in white apparell verse 11 Which also said Yee men of Galile why stand yee gazing into heauen This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen verse 12 Then returned they vnto Hierusalem from the mount that is called the mount of Oliues which is neare to Hierusalem beeing from it a Sabbath dayes journey verse 13 And when they were come in they went vp into an vpper chamber where abode both Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartlemew and Matthew James the sonne of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes and Iudas Iames brother verse 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplications with the women and Marie the mother of Iesus and with his brethren THE last day welbeloued BrethreÌ in Christ we entred into the history of Christs ascension to heauen We heard of the circuÌstaÌces of it The Lord led them out to Bethania to the mount of Oliues from the which place He asceÌded vnto heaueÌ we heard of the coÌmuning y t was betwixt Christ his disciples who asked of him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Jsrael The Lord reproues this their curiosity It is not for you to know the times the seasons which the Father has put in his owne power And then he tels what they ought to doe First they shuld be mindfull of the promise of y e H. Spirit Next they shuld look to their own calling to beare witnesse of him to the world Wee heard how before his Ascension he blessed them we heard of the manner of his Ascension it was very sensible and visible He went a little space from them and was taken vp and receiued in a cloude hee was taken out of their sight and carried vp to heauen This was done the âoth th'Apostle themselues might be perswaded and also with greater boldnesse assurance perswade others of His Ascension We heard that wheÌ He was taken out of their sight He was placed at the right hand of God and exalted to that sublimitie of glory that all the creatures in heauen and earth are subdued to him And last wee hearde what was the behauiour of th'Apostles In the meane time they worshipped him and looked stedfastly to âhe heauens This day by Gods grace wee shall follow out put an end to this history In the words which wee haue read we wil sâe what falles out While the disciples are looking vp to the heauens two Angels are sent to them by Christ who partly reproues them and partlie comforts them We will see likewise what the disciples doe after this They