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 cānot 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 cōmended 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 womē 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 resurrectiō 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 remēbrance of His glorious resurrectiō 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 whē y e sun rose Now y e purpose of these women was not to be witnesses of y e resurrectiō 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 resurrectiō this was no smal honor He makes women witnesses of y e resurrectiō 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
faith y t coms by hearing thoÌ„ of that faith y t proceeds of seeing for He sayes to Thomas Because thou hast seene mee thou beleeuest but blessed are these that haue not seene and haue beleeued Joh. 20.29 Marke a manifest difference betwixt y e suffering crucifying of the Lord His Resurrection Ascension When y e Lord was crucified al sort of people beheld Him there were gathered a great multitude not of the Iewes only but also of the GeÌ„tiles out of many natioÌ„s for it was a solemne time the time of y e Passâ—ouer but there were not so many y t beheld His Resurrection nor Ascension for it was His pleasure to manifest Himself after His Resurrection to a small number of His own familiars namely His disciples Apostles likewise it was His pleasure to make choise but of a few of that same sort to be eye-witnesses of His glorious AsceÌ„sion for He wold haue His glory to be made manifest to y e world rather by the preaching of y e Gospel than by the sight of the eyes Of this difference we learne this lesson for our instruction That the shame ignominy of Christ is offred to be seene of all sorts of meÌ„ but His glory is manifested only to a small number euen to those who are saued by His bloode The shame ignominy of Christ in His meÌ„bers is laid to th' eyes of all sorts of men there are none who sees not how vile contemptible the faithfull are vnder the crosse but the glory of the faithfull is seene but of a few eueÌ„ only of those who are ordained to be partakers of that same glory For albeit saies Iohn that now we are the sons of God yet it is not made manifest what we shall be 1. Epist 3.2 And as th'Apostle Paul saies of y â— Iewes Jf they had known the Lord of glory they would not haue crucified him 1. Cor. 2.8 So say we of the wicked of the world If they knew that glory of the children of God they would not so contemne them despise persecute theÌ„ The place y t He leades theÌ„ to is said to be Bethania and Act. 1.12 it is said They returned to JerusaleÌ„ from the mount that is called the mount of Oliues neare vnto which mouÌ„t was Bethania both were neare to Ierusalem about 15. furlonges or a Sabbath dayes journey about 2. miles Ioh. 11.18 The Lord of set purpose chose this place to manifest His glory wherin before He suffred ignominy It was in this place that He wrastled with the feare of death finding the terrours of the wrath of God ceazing on His soule when He said his soule was heauie vnto the death It was in this place that the bande of men of warre came and tooke him It was in this place that they bound him and led him away to that shamefull death of the crosse Therefore in this place the Lord makes a shew of His glory in this same place He addresses Himself to triumph from this same place ascends He to His Heauenly Throne Marke the lesson in a worde The Lord of necessitie must be glorified in that same place where before He was dishonored He must be honoured either in mercy by y e conuersion of a sinner who has despised Him or els by the executing of judgemeÌ„t pouring forth of vengeance vpon th'obstinate stubborne contemners But to goe forward to the coÌ„ference coÌ„munication that was betwixt the Lord His Apostles alittle before He asceÌ„ded to HeaueÌ„ This coÌ„fereÌ„ce is set down Act. 1.6 For after the disciples were come together to the mount of Oliues they asked him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome of Israel Th' occasion of this their question is not set down here but it is likely that the Lord at this time has bin speaking something of that Heauenly Kingdome that vpon His speach they haue taken occasion to aske this question of th' earthly kingdome In demanding of this question they faile many wayes First they faile in curiosity being too curious as the Lordes answere imports Next they faile in this that as yet they thinke y t He should haue bene an earthly king that His kingdome should bee of this world Thirdly they faile in this that they desired to reign triuÌ„ph before they had foughten sufficiently ended their warfare This might seeme strange that they profited so litle in so long time hauing such faire occasion Their ignorance cannot be excused for by the space of 3. yeeres more they were coÌ„uersant with the Lord hearing Him preach saw Him worke miracles after His resurrectioÌ„ sundry times He appeared to them spake to theÌ„ in this same time they saw in Him a majesty they saw Him clad inuested with HeaueÌ„ly glory yet for all this they are earthly minded and think of nothing but of an earthly kingdome In this example of y e disciples we may perceiue how dull we are by nature vncapable of spirituall HeaueÌ„ly things All th' outward meanes of y e worlde will not profit vs if there be no more albeit we heard al HeaueÌ„ly spirituall things neuer so loÌ„g albeit we saw all things neuer so loÌ„g we will neuer be a haire the better except y t wee be taught of God except our minds be illuminate our hearts be opened by the H. Spirit Therfore when we vse th' outward meanes we should pray coÌ„tinually y t the Lord wold send His H. Spirit to instruct vs inwardly and to joyne His blessing with them Now to come to the Lords answere first He reproues them for their curiosity he said vnto them Jt is not for you to know the times the seasons He giues them a good reason because the Father has put them in his owne power Men in all ages haue bin too curious to inquire the things which belong not vnto them Th'Apostles here began curiously to inquire of the time of the restoring of the kingdome to Israel euer since men haue coÌ„tinued curiously to inquire the times seasons namely the particular time of the Lordes coÌ„ming to judgement But the Lord here snibs represses this curiosity in th'apostles for what had they adoe to search out the things y t the Lord kept secret to Himselfe It is not y e Lords will that men at any time should be curious to inquire the particular times which He keepes close to Himself namely the particular diet period of Christs coÌ„ming to judgement for of that day houre knowes no maÌ„ no not th'Angels which are in heaueÌ„ Mark 13.32 Next in the answere He calles them to remembrance of y t promise which He made to theÌ„ before of y e sending of y e H. Spirit induing them with power froÌ„ an high But saies He yee shall receiue power of the holie Ghost when he shall come on you This putting them in remeÌ„brance
Saints shall be required at their hands the sinnes of the Princes whome they haue abused shall be laide to their charge and the blood of those who perish shall bee required at their handes and we shall see that the blood of all that haue bene slaine from Abel the just shall be laide vpon the backe of the Pope and his Clergie The Lord saue the Princes of the world from them Another thing I would marke here Iesus would haue Pilate to take heede not to the delation only but to these also who giues it vp He would haue him to looke to the Iewes and to their disposition and affection It is not enough to a Iudge to looke to the crime but he must looke to the accusers and trie their disposition for if the accuser seeke the mans blood he will be a calumniator There is not a Iudge who is set on life and death but he is bound to set his eye on the delators Take heede to Pilates answere when Iesus hath demanded him thus then Pilate growes somewhat angrie that Christ should haue meaned that that sentence should haue proceeded from him So this is a sure argument that Pilate very gladly would haue kept his hands free of that blood of Iesus for hee sawe that He was an innocent man that it was a false accusation which was laid against Him Am I a Iew sayes he Thine owne nation and the High Priestes haue deliuered thee vnto me What hast thou done First he cleanses himselfe that he was not the author thereof because he was not a Iew and therefore knewe not perfectly His doings Next he sheweth who was y e author to wit His countrey men namely the High Priests for in conscience hee was perswaded both of Christs innocencie and of their calumnie and therefore cleanses himselfe but he was farre intangled in this judgement that hee could not get himselfe free he had done well if hee had saide I will haue nothing to doe with thee or if he had deliuered Him from these Iewes by his power but putting his hands once to judgement he could not get himselfe free Looke what it is once to beginne to judge the innocent when the Iudge beginnes to satisfie the appetite of wicked men he can not well quite himselfe till he defile himselfe with the blood of the innocent albeit hee would absolue the man yet his mouth shal condemne him So for no mans appetite let not a Iudge enter in judgement against an innocent man whome he knowes in his conscience to bee innocent And if thou enter in judgement with him absolue him vnder the paine of thy life or els thou shalt be guilty of his blood This is a corruptioÌ„ sometime of the judgment of SCOTLAND how the Iudge will say I behooued to doe it I did it against my will I was compelled to doe it Well that shall be none excuse to thâ—e for if thou doe it thou shalt bee condemned for it it is no small thing be a Iudge We haue heard Pilates cleansing of Christ he is so touched in his conscience with the innocencie of Iesus Christ that hee is compelled to cleanse himselfe first to Iesus Christ before that Iesus cleanses Himselfe to him Now followes the answere of Christ to this calumnie My Kingdome is not in this world Thou askest at me if I be a King I answere My Kingdome is not in this world he denies not absolutely that Hee was a King for the Lord Iesus is the most glorious King that euer was or shall be but He denies y t He was an earthly king As the Iewes accused Him He giues a reason If my Kingdome were of this world my seruants would fight for me he who aspires to a kingdome he wil fight all y t may doe for him to the very death if he had bene seeking a kingdome He would not haue stayed Peter froÌ„ fighting as He did Now to examine Christs answere First He denies not y t He is a king Next not denying y t He is a King commeth to a distinction I am a King But what a King Not an earthly but a spirituall King that is true the Iewes lay to my charge y t I affect an earthly Kingdome y t is not true Now Brethren this is to be marked He telleth him indeede that his Kingdome is not of this world but He telleth him not where His Kingdome was Hee sayes not My Kingdome is in Heauen Hee sayes not this My Kingdome is in the conscience of men and women in the world He teaches not Pilate this Some would thinke that He should speake more clearly of this matter to Pilate but Christ entred not into the common Hall to play the Doctour and to teach but the Lord Iesus set Himselfe to play the Priest to suffer patiently y t part of teaching was ended but knowing that the houre of His suffering was come that Pontius Pilate should be his judge He would not stay him And therefore Hee would not enter in doctrine because the time of teaching was past if Pilate would haue bene taught he might haue heard Iesus teach before but he would not heare Him He teaches Pilate as much as might make him inexcusable Then Brethren I see as Christ hath a time of teaching wherein He will teach men yea his verie enemies as He vttereth when they would haue taken Him sought his life so He hath a time of silence when He will not open his mouth Hee speaketh some thing albeit litle to Pilate but Hee speakes not so much as one word to the High Priests because Hee would haue rather had him safe than them because they were malitious Christ hath not as yet shut his mouth in this land but Hee teaches not sparingly nor scantly for to speake it so The raine of the word of God is powred aboundantly out of Heauen to water the thirstie soules of men if thou spendest thy time wilt not vse it well I warne thee that the day will come when thou shalt not get one word to thy comfort wilt thou alwayes haue the blessed Euangell and the ministrie thereof No as Christ had but one time when that time was past He would teach no more so hath his ministers all their teaching shall end as His did I say GOD sheweth grace on the persecuters of this Land when as yet He offereth grace to them but I denounce as the Lord liues if they repent not in time they shall not get so much as one good worde to comfort them Wherefore let not the opportunitie slip whilst it called the day let vs not harden our hearts Thus far y e Lord hath purged himself hath teached Pilate what a King He was not an earthly but a spirituall King I will not digresse here to speake of the kingdome of Christ therefore I come to Pilates answere Art thou a King well then would Pilate say thou deniest not that thou art a
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 Legēds 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 burthē 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
superstition that moued them they were to celebrate the Passâ—ouer and this was the day of their preparation they were preparing them by crucifying the innocent the Lorde of glorie Was this an holy preparation This was the Fryday and the morne was the Paâ—che Iohn sayes that was an high day or a great Sabbath because they kept two holy dayes together both their owne ordinarie Sabbath and the extraordinarie Passeouer and this they did contrarie to the ordinance of GOD for they should haue celebrated the Passeouer on Thurseday as the LORD did for He celebrated it that night that He was betrayed by Iudas and led away captiue by the Iewes So they did cast in the two Holy dayes together according to their custome for when y e Passeouer fell to bee on Thurseday they vsed to delay it vntill the Satterday which was their Sabbath day lest y t if these feasts which are so neare other had bene both kept the people should haue wearied and if Christ the other had not bene taken downe thaâ— y t Holy exercise wold haue bin defiled So they thought if they had bin taken down from the crosse and put away they had bene holy eneugh And vpon that same pretence when they were to accuse Christ they would not enter in the common Hall lest they should haue beene polluted They were Hypocrites they polluted the world and defiled the earth that they tread on A polluted body who hath no sanctification in Christ there is nothing that he touches meat or drinke yea the earth he walkes on but he defiles all yet these foule Hypocrites thought that if Iesus who sanctifies the Sabbath and sanctifies the heart had beene taken away they had beene holie eneugh An Hypocrite is a foule body defiles all that he handles All his religion is outward standing in bodily exercises and when he hath polluted all yea the very earth he treades on he will say Handle not touch not taste not that will pollute thee Coloss 2.21 There is his religion When the foule body defiles the aire the earth the Heauen hee bids thee touch it not lest it defile thee when he defiles all that he touches Nowe they get the request granted them and gets a commandement of Pilate and so The men of warre came forward and brake the legges of the one first and then they came to the other and brake his also They brake both their legges with great paine and torment Now will ye see these 2 thieues they are like in their death both are crucified in end both their thighes are brokeÌ„ yet for al this the one of them is a vessell of glorie and he had a promise of glorie and an assurance of it in his heart the other had none So Brethren take heede though the death of the wicked and the godlie bee alike yet they are not alike in condition Iudge not of mens estate by the outwarde miserie measure not Heauen and Hell by the outwarde death The Elect and the wicked will be oft times alike in death and oft times the Elect will die in the greatest torments Who suffered more painefull deathes than the Martyres did Beware that thou say as the Papistes who are enemies to Christ say They teach albeit that in Iesus Christ thy sinne be forgiuen yet the paine is not forgiuen and they say that the paine that the godly suffer in death is a satisfaction for sinne They say that the paine of the penitent thiefe was the punishment of his sinne but they lie and the Lord shall justifie it The Elect suffer no paine for sinne torment them as they will burne them scalde them all is but a mercifull chastisement and death to them is a faire port to Heauen He makes darknesse to be light to His owne Well this for the execution of the two thieues They come to the Lord to see whether He was dead or not they are not rash they finde Him dead they finde no sponke of life in Him therefore they offer not to breake His thighes See how the word and prouidence of God takes effect The Lord had said One bone of Him should not be broken and therefore to preueene the breaking the Lord miraculously tooke the Spirit from His Sonne His death was miraculous as ye heard before by the strength of nature He might haue liued longer as that great and mightie voyce which he vttered last testifies and so His sudden death was a meane to performe the Lordes ordinance Hee would vse this as the ordinarie meane to execute the eternall decree of the Father It is a follie to thee to say thou wilt depend on the prouidence of God and in the meane time to leaue off meanes for by so doing thou temptest God who as He hath ordained the ende so He hath also ordained the meanes to the end As for example If thou wouldest goe to Heauen thou must vse the meanes the hearing of the word c. Yet many will contemne the meanes and yet bragge they are assured to come to Heauen they will contemne the preaching which is the instrument that God vses But I say to thee thou deceiuest thy selfe for I denounce if thou werest an Emperour thou shalt neuer see Heauen nor life who contemnest that meane and instrument which the Lord hath ordained to bee vsed to bring thee to Heauen which is the preaching of His trueth Now Brethren ye see here the testimonie of the death of Christ giuen by the buâ—rioes they preach His death as though they had said Marke all people This Iesus whom we haue crucified is dead and therefore in token that this is true wee will not breake His bones after that comes another burrio a man of warre and giues the last witnesse Hee smites Him with a speare so that out of the wound gushed out blood and water As though the knaue had said I shall let you see that Hee is dead that there is no life in Him and so hee smites Him to the heart with a speare The Lord would haue the death of the Lord testified sundrie wayes for thy comfort for the most shamefull thing that euer was is death except it be sanctified it is the greatest miserie that can come to man if thou gettest no remedie against it for that death of the body is a port to that death euerlasting It is no childrens play to haue the soule dislodged No it was an ignominie to the Lord of glorie to be holden vnder the bands of death and to be tread vnder the feete of death yet the Father will haue His death testified sundrie wayes First Hee will haue it testified with a cry when He cried with a loude voyce Father into thine hands I commend my Spirit Next Hee will haue the burrioes to testifie His death and then He will haue a speare thrust to His heart to testifie His death besides the testimonie that all the creatures gaue of His death Is this for nothing No for suppose
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 coÌ„scieÌ„ce 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 sâ—aled 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 thâ—y 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 thâ—s Resurrection Marie Magdalene and the other Marie and Salome testifie of it The Angâ—ls 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 coÌ„ming 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
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 womā 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 Resurrectiō 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 womē 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 whē the Sabbath had passed by the womē 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 womē in the dawning of the day before the Sun rose wēt out of set purpose to anoint the Lord. There is y e first occasiō how his resurrectiō came to light The other occasiō As these womē 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 manifestatiō 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 frō the dead After this the Lord Iesus Himselfe appeares to the womē 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 cōcerning these womē who next after the Angels were made witnesses of the Resurrectiō of Iesus Christ y t they came not all to the graue in one cōpany but as it appeares wel of the History there has bin two cōpanies of thē one cōpany y t came first to the graue wēt out of Ierusalē 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 affectiō to Christ her name is registrate Brethrē the last day we heard something of the first company the time whē they came in the dawning of the day before the Lords day which we cal Sunday Now we heard as they came out of Ierusalē the Angell of the Lord descēded from Heauē with a great earthquake No question the women were afraid at this but being strēgthned with the Spirit they came forwarde as they were comming to the graue they fell in question about the
I thinke no man nor woman should doubt why these women preached this Resurrection The LORD giues them a spâ—ciall direction first from GOD then from His Angell and this commission might satisfie so that the Apostles were bound to receiue this commission that vvas ordained by the LORD of Heauen I marke this lesson There is neither man nor woman can speake in the Name of the Lord except they be sent So sayes Paul to the Romanes tenth Chapter and fifteenth verse None can preach except he be sent How can one preach CHRIST and if hee be not sent by CHRIST daâ—e a knaue stand vp in the middest of a cittie or towne and make a proclamation in the name of the Prince and not haue a warrand and darest thou stand vp and speake in the Name of the great GOD of Heauen and haue no warrand Indeede it is the LORD who knowes who is sent if thou werest neuer so admitted and warranded by the Church the Lord in that great day shall neuer count of thy preaching except thou haue a vvarrand in thy conscience Will Hee put His worde in the mouth of euery knaue No that is a grace to call IESVS the LORD No thou canst not call IESVS the Lord except thou haue the Spirit of Iesus as the Apostle sayes in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the twelfth Chapter and third verse So whether wee bee Ministers or others who speake of IESVS we should looke that that Spirit be in the heart to direct vs when we speake I marke next it was not enough to haue seene this resurrection and neuer to haue spoken one worde of it No Hee commands them to testifie to the Apostles and the Apostles got this commandement to preach it againe for the Gospell is not a candle to put vnder a bushell but to holde it vp and shewe it to the worlde for it is the life and the light of the worlde PAVL sayes to Timothie in his second Epistle the second Chapter first verse That that thou hast heard of mee before many witnesses the same deliuer thou to faithfull men which shall be able to teach others also No it is not to be concredite to euery knaue it is too precious a jewell to deliuer to knaues let them deliuer it to them that are able to teach others let the first deliuer to the second and the second to the third and the third to the fourth and the fourth to the fifth and so let it euer sound in the world Woe to that soule that impedes the course of the glorious Gospell for what can there be vvhere it is not teached but death No this Gospell is a stumbling blocke to the world Tell them sayes the Angell Hee vvill meete them in Galile for Iurie denied mee No would CHRIST say I will not appoint to meete with them in Ierusalem for Ierusalem is not worthie of mee but I will meete them in Galile and so they met with Him as ye shall see hereafter by Gods grace Then I see that all these tithings that tell vs of things that are not seene hath euery one of them a promise joyned with them y t we shall see them come to passe Beleeue thou that He hath suffered and thou shalt see that He hath suffered and beleeue that He is in glorie thou shalt see Him in glorie We savv Him not vvith our bodily eyes but we haue that blessing which the LORD pronounced to Thomas Iohn Chapter 20. verse 29. Blessed are they which neuer saw mee and yet doe beleeue in mee Now blessed for euer shall that soule be that neuer savv the LORD and yet beleeues in Him and I speake to thee a sore vvorde if thou beleeuest not vntill thou see Him thou shalt neuer see Him if thou beleeuest not that He died vntill thou see that Hee died thou shalt nâ—uer see Him but to thy damnation Hope vnder hope and against Hope Brethren many are the impediments that will stay vs so that wee will say I vvill neuer see Him I heare much speaking of Heauen but alas I feare I shall neuer see it I heare much spoken of life but alas I feare I shall neuer see life And these are the tentations of the most godly men and women of this vvorld yet against all these tentations beleeue Gods promises and hope for life for PAVL sayes in the Epistle to the Romanes the fifth Chapter and the fifth verse Faith brings foorth experience and Hope makes not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts aboundantly by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. No let none of these tentations hinder vs that thing that holdes backe the infidels shall worke for the best to thee that fearest the Lord if thou fearest the Lord I promise thee in y e name of GOD all these tentations shall further thee and thou shalt bee partaker of Life Now a word and I shall ende He signets seales vp that which he hath told I haue tolde you it saies he as he would say It is true that I haue tolde you and I vvill seale it to be true and ye shâ—ll find it to be true therefore doubt not So our lesson is this WheÌ„soeuer thou commest to testifie to the people of God in paine of thy life looke thou speake nothing but that which God biddes thee speake and that thou mayest saye in conclusion This is true that I haue saide and that this is true I vvill byde by it and seale it vp vvith my blood The Angell had no blood but if thou be not of that minde to shedde thy blood thou art but a deceiuer This is a great boldnesse to seale to seale it vp with thy blood but if thou haue it not sealed vp in thine heart thou shalt neuer seale it vp with thy blood and vvhen it comes to the sealing thou shalt steale away No it is a great vvord to say vvith the Prophet Dauid I beleeued and therefore I spake Looke thou speake nothing to the people of God but that which thou striuest to beleeue Howe is this assurance gotten And vvill euerie vvanton man get this assurance to stande and seale it vp vvith his blood No except thou striue night and day to get the Lorde in thy presence and not to haue anie joye but in His presence thou shalt neuer haue this assurance Then howe is it kept The Lord hath appointed reading Take heede to thy reading saies Paul to Timothie in his first Epistle the fourth CHAPTER and 13. vers and giue thy selfe to meditation and shâ—we thy knowledge in that that thou hast read and get not a knowledge onelie but a sense to speake to others Reading bringes knowledge and meditation bringes feeling and last is prayer And if it bee the duetie of all men to praye then especiallie the Minister is bounde to praye both for himselfe and for them also to vvhome hee is sent So in a vvorde Reade meditate and
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 teâ—rours 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
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 circumstaÌ„ce 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 thâ—t 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 â—â—nner 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
inuerted in thee for vvhen thou vvast young ere thou sawest mee thou gottest leaue to girde thy girdle about thee to dresse thy selfe and to walke where thou wouldest That is When thou wast most able and strong to beare the Crosse thou wast spared and thou diddest all thinges pleasantly according to thy desire when thou addressed thy selfe to the journey thou girded thy selfe as thou pleasedst Here He alludes to y e oriental people who vsed to weare loÌ„g side clothes therfore wheÌ„ they weÌ„t to any journey behoued to trusse theÌ„ vp to gird theÌ„ to theÌ„ But after this it shal not be so but wheÌ„ thou shalt be old thorow age more vnable to suffer affliction and to beare y e crosse then thou shalt be afflicted another shal gird thee That is Bind thee w t cords as thou went before where thou would so now thou shalt be led whither thou wouldest not Now Peter might haue said Suppose I sustaine trouble in my age yet thou wilt giue me a peaceable death in y e end There is no maÌ„ almost wheÌ„ he has spent his time in y e coÌ„moÌ„ weale but in his age he wil get leaue to be at rest to dy peaceably No sayes y e Lord when thou art an old man thou shalt be hurried out die a violent death And it would seeme y t Christ disswaded Peter to be an Apostle to enter into such a hard calling where in his olde age which requires to be freed froÌ„ trauell trouble shuld be most afflicted wheras in his youth he was freed froÌ„ afflictioÌ„ There is an hard meeting calling of Peter to be an Apostle I think many now would run aback froÌ„ the ministery if they wist of so hard a meeting Well the day of trial is coÌ„ming Marke y e lessoÌ„ WheÌ„ the Lord calles a Pastor He will tell him y e worst of it Hee vses no flattery in His calling In y e first entry He wil lay before thee great crosses terrours It may be thou get ease rest coÌ„modity but I assure thee y t this wil be the coÌ„fereÌ„ce the Lord will haue with thee wheÌ„ thou entrest WheÌ„ thou hast serued me looke for the crosse for thy stipend when thou hast done all make thee for death Therfore say not I will enter because I will get a good fat Benefice faire liuing I will get peace ease It may be y t the Lord cast these thinges to thee y t thou find theÌ„ but propone not y t to thy self as a cause of thine entry but say I am entring to labour to trouble â—o paine it may be in y e end wheÌ„ I haue done al I shall lay down my life let y e be thy resolutioÌ„ In this there is great differeÌ„ce betwixt God y e Deuill When y e Deuill calles one in the beginning he promises theÌ„ riches wealth honour prefermeÌ„t the villane will promise felicity happines in this life but in y e end miserably he deceiues theÌ„ who trusted his flattery Th'experieÌ„ce of the wretched catiues proues this for neuer got they such things as were promised but misery terrour and horrour in the ende But Christ calles men otherwayes and sayes Aime not at mee but by the crosse so long as ye are in this world ye shall haue opposition oppression and sorrow they shall bruise you they shall treade you vnder foot But in the meane time He promises That in the middest of all their griefs yea in death it selfe they shall finde comfort for when Hee has saide to His Apostles In the world yee shall haue sorrowe Hee subjoynes incontenent But bee of good comfort for I haue ouercome the worlde Ioh. chap. 16. vers 33. The world shall not bee victorious ouer thee thou shalt get a faire aduantage and outgate at the last thou shalt get the victory And in y e middest of their troubles not only promises He but also He will giue them a sweeter taste sense of inward joy than all y e worldlings caÌ„ haue When they are sitting in the middest of all their glory riches and outward pleasures yea in the very death Hee furnishes life as Paul sayes 2. Cor 6 9. As dying but behold we liue yea such a sweet life as the naturall man neuer could thinke of In thy death the life of Iesus Christ shall be most liuely Thou needest not then to feare to suffer any extremity for Iesus seeing euer Hee has promised thee such a vantage Yet further I see heere this not onlie out of this place but also thorow the whole Scripture experience teaches it That the prerogatiues vantages of this life liberty preferment standes not well with Iesus Christ at the least a Pastor shoulde not laye his count to brooke theÌ„ both together Peter when he was a free man and a Fisher going out and in at his pleasure hee knewe not vvhat Christ meaned As soone as he comes to Christ farewell vvith his freedome hee put his girdle about him ere hee knewe Christ but knowing Christ he must be bouÌ„d with a corde hurled in bands if any take this calling vpon him to enjoy the outward comforts prerogatiues of this world he deceiues himselfe Likewise Paul Philip. 3.7 Ere he knew Christ a Gentle-man folke thinke a Minister cannot be a Gentle-man a citizen of Rome an Hebrew a Pharise according to his sect in his zeale going beyond all men and in his righteousnesse he was vnrebukable according to the Iustice of the Law but when he comes to Christ what became of all these he leaues all renounces quites them he counts them for Christs sake to be damage doung So I say againe I see not how the aduantages liberties these outward prerogatiues can stand well with the Lord Iesus Indeed y e Lord some times casts these things in great abundance affluence to His owne and then if it please God why mayest thou not brooke them for the Minister hath as good right to these earthly things as another for the Lord sanctifies them to their vse but in the meane time take the counsell of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.31 Vse them as though thou vsed them not Settle neuer thine heart on them let them neuer be thy chiefe respect in paine of thy life if they come in comparison with Christ take Pauls counsell and experience also count them all damage and losse and count them hurtfull to thee yet a degree further count them but doung loath them spit at them as at dirt if they seeme to separate thee from Christ shake them off thee denude thine hand of them I say albeit it were thy life if it hinder thee from Christ away with thy life giue it to any Tyrant Persecuter if it hinder thee that thou caÌ„st not brooke Christ w t it for if thou giuest thy life for Christ indeede He shall be aduantage to thee not only in
curiositie First hee forgets his owne calling Secondly hee is too curious in his brothers calling Lastly hee does an injurie to Christ makes an eruption vpon Christes office to spoyle Him of His authoritie and power to call all and thinke ye not albeit the Lord now adayes as Hee did Peter then but He lookes with an angrie eye vpon curious men This rebuke is registrated to rebuke thee if thou be giuen to curiositie But it would bee marked that albeit the Lord be angrie with Peter yet neuerthelesse He forgets not His mercie When He found him to linger in his course the Lord leaues him not but He puts out His hand and takes holde of him therefore He sayes Follow thou me This is the mercie of the Lord towards His owne that when He rebukes them He leaues them not there but He will put out His hand and pull them in againe to Him No neuer one of vs would goe forward except by a new grace pulled vs forward except the Lord led vs by the hand there could not be such a thing as a man could be saued There is such a stumbling and wauering in our nature therefore Paul saide I striue by all meanes to attaine to the Resurrection of the dead Yea rather sayes he I am comprehended of Christ Jesus Phil. 3.11 12. Therefore ay cry for grace after grace otherwise thou canst not goe one foot right forwarde much lesse perseuere to the end Ye will aske a question Should neuer one of vs be carefull of our brother in his calling Humanitie required that Peter should bee carefull of John is this the thing the Lord reprooues and forbids I answere there is a great difference betweene carefulnesse and curiositie it is not carefulnesse Hee findes fault with Woe to him that cares for himselfe only for why should not euery one of vs be helping one another be carefull to bring forward the stragling body But it is curiositie that the Lord reprooues Then the lesson is this shortly Take heede that by thy doing men should be very wise thou hinderest not thy selfe more by thy curiositie when thou enterest into the affaires of thy brother than thou profitest him by thy care when thou beginnest to care for him beware thou fall not in curiositie passe neuer the bounds of thy calling for there is none that hath a calling but it is joyned with care of his brother the higher calling the greater care The Kings calling requires a great care of others in the Policie Such like the Ministers calling is joyned vvith a care for the people not to feed himself but to feed the people It is joyned with a speciall and wonderfull care so that night and day his eye should not bee off his flocke Yet men should beware that their care turne not to curiositie Curiositie is very dangerous A curious man has no loue to thee for he takes pleasure in the hurt euill that falles to thee and it is his meat drinke hee feedes vpon the euill report of others Iohn subjoynes that when the Disciples hearde of these words of Christ they giue them a strange glosse They say Iohn should not die A faire glosse a faire commentarie Iohn sayes This was not the meaning of the Lord He spake not such a thing He saide not to him hee should not die and that was not His minde Hee tolde not whether hee should liue or die But Hee saide If I will hee tarrie till I come what is that to thee Yee see howe readie men are to misconstrue and peruert the one-folde meaning of the LORD If the Disciples vvho heard His owne liuelie voyce vvere so readie to giue a false and a lying glosse to His vvorde vvhich they hearde Him speake I pray you vvhat maruell is it albeit men daylie misconstrue the vvritten vvorde of GOD and neuer leaue off to father lies vpon the Scriptures Yee vvonder at the Papistes I vvonder not Looke the whole Scriptures these Traitors conclude euer a lye vpon the trueth Looke the Rhemish newe Testament and the rest of their vvrittes I vvonder not at them but I vvonder at this Considering this grossenesse of ignorance and the propension of men naturallie to misconstrue GODS Worde and Will that there is so much as one to open the trueth and to vnderstand the right meaning of the vvorde The cause of this misconstruing is not of the Scripture as if it vvere doubtsome harde obscure or as a nose of vvaxe as they blaspheme but the fault is partlie in the blindnesse of the minde of man and partlie in the peruersitie and frowardnesse of the vvill and malice of the heart for it falles out that either such is the blindnesse of man by nature they knowe not the minde of the LORDE or else if they knowe His minde yet vvillinglie they desire not to knowe it but to remaine ignorant for it is true that the Apostle PETER sayes They that are vnlearned and vnstable wreast the SCRIPTVRES to their owne destruction 2 Pet. Chap. 3. vers 16. And PAVL sayes Jf our GOSPELL bee hidden it is hidden to them who perishes whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded 2. Cor. 4.34 Againe we may perceiue that a lye ran speedily abroad and was easily receiued got soone place in the hearts of th'Apostles wherof we may learn that the multitude commonly drinkes in lyes vanities fables and Heresies very suddenly because naturally they are very bent thereunto Yet this errour remained not long vvith th'Apostles for after that according to the Lordes promise extraordinarily in the day of the PENTECOSTE they vvere illuminated and after the Holie Spirite vvas giuen them vvho called all thinges to remembrance which the Lord had spoken vnto them when Hee was present with them and gaue them the true meaning and vnderstanding of all these thinges as CHRIST sayes Joh. chap. 14. vers 26. This lye concerning IOHN euanished then all the Disciples knewe the LORDES meaning when Hee spake these wordes to Peter of Iohn If I will that hee tarrie till I come what is that to thee But the Papishe Kirke and that Antichristian Kingdome this day makes it plaine enough vnto vs howe bent men are by nature to receiue maintaine and entertaine lyes and vanities for in that Kingdome not onelie is this fable of IOHN retained but also an hudge multitude of lyes and of the vanities and fantasies of the braine of man which were deuised by the GENTILES are allowed and receiued for almoste all the Religion of the Papistes like a Beggers cloake is clouted and patched together partlie of the fables and superstitions of the GENTILES and partlie of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Iewes vvhich vvere abolished by the comming of CHRIST If anie vvould knowe what fables they maintaine and giue out concerning Iohn let them reade their golden Legende Nowe in the last two verses of this Euangell the Apostle concludes his GOSPELL and in the conclusion hee telles vs vvho
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 trāsfiguratiō 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
LECTVRES VPON THE HISTORY OF THE PASSION RESVRRECTION AND ASCENSION OF OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST Beginning at the eighteenth Chapter of the Gospell according to S. IOHN and from the 16. verse of the 19. Chapter thereof containing a perfect Harmonie of all the foure Euangelists for the better vnderstanding of all the Circumstances of the LORDS death and Resurrection PREACHED BY THAT reuerend and faithfull seruant of God M r. ROBERT ROLLOCKE sometime Minister of the Euangell of IESVS CHRIST and Rector of the Colledge of EDINBVRGH EDINBVRGH Printed by ANDRO HART ANNO 1616. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THEIR MOST LOVING FREIND IN THE LORD MASTER WILLIAM SCOT OF ELI Grace in this life and Euerlasting Glorie in the life to come RIght worshipfull albeit that the true knowledge of Christ crucified of all other be the most worthie and excellent albeit that in him be the only and full matter of mans gloriation yet few there be who striue to know him as they should and to make him the matter of their reioycing For to speake nothing of the Gentiles who count the preaching of Christ crucified to be foolishnesse or of the Iewes who count it a stumbling blocke 1. Cor. 1 23. or of the Turkes who will not acknowledge him to be their Redeemer euen they who haue bene baptized in Christ professe outwardly his word true doctrine if they remaine in nature be not preuēted by the spirit of adoption whereby they may see their owne miserie their sinnes the terrours of the wrath of God for sinne in the meane time that they professe Christ they in heart scorne the Crosse of Christ his woundes and his blood they account the knowledge thereof of litle value yea they will preferre to it the knowledge of any thing here beneath and they will seeke the matter of their gloriatiō not in it but either in themselues or els into the creatures of God which in themselues are but transitorious shadowes The naturall man will neuer thinke that he can finde greater things in Christ crucified than he will finde if he obtaine the obiect which most he desires likes and longs for The ambitious man will not thinke that he can get greater honour than to be called the sonne of a King or Emperour he will not refuse with Moses to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter that he may be called the sonne of God Heb. 11.24 The sensuall man cannot thinke that he can find any greater pleasure than in his sinfull lust he will neuer chuse rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne The couetous man can neuer thinke that any greater happines can be than here on earth to haue gold siluer and treasures he will neuer with Moses esteeme the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Only that man whom God preuents by his Spirit and calles effectually frō the kingdome of darknes to the kingdome of light wil account duely of the Crosse of Christ will say with the Apostle God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 and I decreed not to know any thing saue Iesus Christ him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 that man will call it the supereminent knowledge of Iesus Christ Philip. 3.8 he only will make Christ crucified to be the matter of his gloriation for he will see that God in him as in a store-house hath placed all treasures that in him dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodely Col. 2.9 he will thirst to be woompled in the wounds of Iesus and washed in the blood of Iesus yea that man will see that God hath manifested in Christ our Sauiour and in his death and resurrection his glorious properties more clearly than in the worke of our creation or any other of his workes whatsouer for he is called the brightnesse of the glorie the engraued forme of the person of the Father the Image of the inuisible God Heb. 1.3 and that man will see that there is nothing which the soule of man inlakes stands in neede of or can desire but he will finde it in Christ. Wouldst thou see the glorious properties of God consider first his power albeit in the worke of creation his power appeared to be incomprehensible omnipotent when by his word he formed all things of nothing called these things that are not and made them to be yet in the worke of the Redemptiō he manifested greater power for notwithstanding Sathan the power of darknesse the sinnes of the Elect which Iesus bare death and the graue were against him yet powerfully he raised Iesus from death Eph. 1.19 there is a great power and whereas in the Creation he formed to Adam a spous out of his owne ribbe in the Redemption he formed the Church of God out of the blood of Christ there he gaue life in commanding that to be which was not here he giues life not by life but by death by the death euen of his owne Sonne Albeit in the worke of Creation great and more than wonderfull doth his wisdome appeare in making this glorious and beautifull fabricke in making all things euen contraries to agree in such an harmonie yet in the worke of Redemption God by finding out a way which no creature neither man nor Angell could inuent how that iustice and mercie could stand together hath shewed greater wisdome his wisdome is such that the Angels admires and desires to looke in it 1. Pet. 1.22 Albeit great anger wrath did the Lord vtter many times against sinners as in the olde world by the Flood and on Sodome Gomorrhe by raining from heauen brimstone and fire he destroyed man woman young olde rich and poore without exception yet more clearely was his anger against sinne seene when for the sinnes of the Elect he spared not his own wel beloued Son on whō they were laid but made his wrath so fearfully to pursue him that he cried My soule is very heauie euē vnto the death Marc. 14.34 and My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matt. 27.46 And albeit great loue did the Lord shew toward men gaue many testimonies therof in giuing them life breath all things Act. 17.25 in making his sun to shine on them his raine to fal on them giuing them fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food gladnesse Act. 14.17 yet neuer such loue shewed he as when he sent the Son of God to be the Sonne of man that the sonnes of mē might be made the sonnes of God againe and when he made him to die that men might liue Herein sayes Ioh. 4.10 is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes here only is an incontrollable testimonie of an undoubted loue and if ye will duly consider all the rest of Gods glorious properties ye shall
would haue had the innocent loosed but so that it were with contentment of the Iewes hee would please all parties and for their pleasure when hee would cleanse the innocent hee punishes Him as a nocent seeing then that he depended vpon the appetite of vngodlie men it could not bee possible that hee could bring a good action to passe yea whomsoeuer dependes vpon the lust of malitious men can neuer affectuate any good thing or if they doe any thing they doe it by euill meanes and so faile greatly let vs therefore ay studie to please God let vs if we should die in the meane time doe that which is pleasant vnto God setting aside the pleasure of men Marke Pilates forme of doing hee vseth worse worse meanes The first meane is euill in comparing Iesus with Barabbas the wicked man the murtherer yet he thought by that meanes to set Iesus at libertie but now he scourges Him this is a higher degree of euill and now he failes further beginne once to doe against conscience for pleasuring of wicked men as Pilate doeth all this against conscience if thou hadst neuer so good so faire a pretence thou shalt be compelled by processe of time to doe a greater euill albeit thou begannest with lesse euill thou shalt not speed at last It is true Pilate would doe a lesse euill to get a greater Good done but when he hath once or twise against his conscience most vnworthely abused the Lord Iesus thou shalt see the end of it he preuailed not Thus for Pilates part The men of warre vnder him haue their part of this action they platte a crowne of thornes and put it on His head to his scorne and to his paine and they clothe Him with a purple garment smites Him with their roddes and then they goe before Him and say Haile King of the Iewes and this they did at the commandement of Pilate Lamentable is the estate of the subjects when the Prince is vngodly and it is a sore thing for the officers when the Iudge is vnrighteous yea all the inferiours euen to the Hangman may curse the wicked Iudge This commandement excuses not the souldiers they lend their hands the members of their bodie to be weapons of vnrighteousnesse and this sheweth that there was some malice in their heartes there is none that lendeth the members of their bodie to bee weapons of vnrighteousnesse but they will bee condemned thou mayest not say It was my masters will commandement therefore I behooued to doe it the commandement of thy master will not excuse thee for no mans pleasure doe euill for his commandement shall be none excuse to thee at that great day ye shal find that these souldiers were worse inclined than Pilat was this falles out if the master command them to doe one euill deed oftentimes the seruants will doe two they desire but one word or one winke to set all the countrey in a fire Looke the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 4. vers 27 Euery man in particular who had part in this worke are counted Herode first and next Pilate leaueth hee the part of the men of warre he calleth them the Gentiles next the people of Israel This witnesses that the eye of the Lord was on them that did this fact and not one of them all shall be excused and if it were but a common souldier that is in an euill fact he shal die at that day Vaine therefore is the opinion of sillie ignorant bodies who thinke that the commandement and will of their master will excuse them for they shall die for their owne sinnes but their blood shall be required at the hands of their masters Christ hath his part Pilate is a worker of euill and the men of warre also Now let vs consider the part of Iesus the innocent He is the sufferer He suffers dolours and shame and many vnworthie things that by the most just dispensatiō of God beeing our suretie he bare our sinnes and iniquities therefore the wrath of God ceased vpon Him most vehemently There is not a deed done here or a word spoken but the Lord decreed it from all eternitie and dispenseth it in time and on his part all was just because Iesus had taken on Him the sinnes of the Lord therefore this paine and shame followes that burthen See the weight of the wrath of God that lyes on Him who had no sinne in Himselfe and further the wrath of God lyeth not on a common man but on His only begotten Sonne our cautioner The Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap 5. verse 9 sayes Although Hee was the onely begotten Sonne of God yet He learned obndience through His suffering that is He learned what and how good a thing obedience was and what wrath damnation followes disobedience And there is not one of the Sonnes of God but by afflictions they learne the same thing that the first begotten learned how good a thing it is not to sinne It is good therefore that God humble vs that we may say Nowe I learne what is wrath and how good a thing it is to serue God and to bestow my life for Him the godly when they feele a portion of this wrath they will take vp a better course and will say What if this God would powre on His whole wrath on mee it is no childrens play to play with God make a pastime of sin and then cry peace that wrath shall come vpon thee like a mountaine and then thou shalt cry Cursed bee the time that I haue disobeyed God for now I shall feele that infinite wrath If yee will marke the Text well ye will see in the whole passion of Christ that the Lord endeuoures to manifest two thinges and thinges contrarie the one to the other by appearance By appearance Hee will haue Him appeare before the worlde the most innocent man and the most guiltie man in the world How can these two stand The Lord thus wise will haue Christ to appeare in Himselfe the most innocent man and in vs the most guilty man in the world Hereupon it commeth to passe that Pilate absolued Him as innocent yet punishes Him as nocent for Iesus Christ bare the sinnes of the whole faithfull and it is for this purpose that we seeing these two things in Him that we should account Him a meet Mediatour for vs and our faith should rest on Him Come to Experience Except I vnderstand that my Redeemer bee innocent in Himselfe I will neuer beleeue that Hee can bee able to beare my sinne and to redeeme mee for Hee could not bee able to beare his owne sinne much lesse another mans sinne except He were innocent Heb. 7.26 such a Priest it behooued vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled and separated from sinners Next except I vnderstand that my sinnes are taken off my backe and laid on His backe and that He hath taken my guiltinesse on Him the
bid thee doe thou shalt haue the world By worldly things hee will allure the naturall man and by the losse of them he will terrifie him and make him to yeeld This is our lesson Let neuer any man againe after Pilate trust to a naturall conscience except hee finde the conscience propped vp by faith and with better thinges and higher things than the things of this world and if this conscience be backed with hope of that life it will bee a wonder to see howe a man will stand to the ende No Crowne but to him vvho standes to the ende Hee vvho is so backed hee vvill stand against the Deuill and hee vvill saye I care not for this life vvhen the Deuill tempts him if I loose this life I shall get a better if I loose the king I shall see a more glorious king if I loose this vvorld I shall find a better happie is that man vvho hath his conscience backed vvith faith in Iesus Christ and hath a sight of Heauen and of God It is onely this man and vvoman that can stand in temptations against the Deuill and the vvorld Now let vs see the effect Alas this assault vvas sore to Pilate we shall see how by little little he looses his conscience inclines to pronounce y e sentence of damnation against the innocent assoone as he heares these vvords he is astonished and in all hast he brings foorth Iesus and comes out in sight of the vvhole people and sits downe in his tribunall he calles it The Pauement in Hebrew GABBATHA we call it an high seate or loft vvhere the Iudge sate The time is noted when he goes to that vvoefull judgement to wit when as the Jewes were in a preparation to the Passeouer the houre is noted The sixt houre which in our account is the twelft houre the Lord Iesus was condemned and deliuered to the men of warre I neede not to speake of the calculation of the Iewes they diuide the day and the night into twelue houres sixe houres before noone and sixe after noone The time and the place is so particularly noted that vvee should giue greater credite to the Historie But to come to y e matter Ye see clearly that this last temptation had the greatest force astonished Pilate and that conscience that had stood so long it began to saile him and he begins to decline Then Brethren note the force of such temptations what force they haue in respect of naturall men It is impossible for a man who hath nothing but nature without anie portion of grace in him to abide the force of such a temptation When hee is straited with these either to loose conscience or els to loose honour riches life c. so to die the death it is impossible for him to keep a naturall cōscience he will think that man to be a wise man who will redeame his life by the losse of his conscience will think him a foole who will lay down his life ere he want his conscience Whereto should we insist in this point O foole what is thy life when thou hast lost sense conscience the senses wherby men properly liue are not so much these outwarde senses as tasting touching seeing hearing smelling as the fealing of that inward cōscience So if once thou loose that inward feeling thou art no better than a beast for they haue all these outward senses What better art thou than dead No the carion is not so dead as thou whē thou art past feeling but yet there is worse well were it for a senseles man to liue in securitie that that cōscience should sleep but marke that same cōsciēce y t before was a coūseller telling thee what was right wrong vvhat thou shouldest doe and what thou shouldest not doe it is the faithfullest counseller that a man can haue for it will counsell thee night day to doe good leaue euill after once thou hast hardened thine heart against cōscience suppose thou lay it asleepe and passe thy time yet it will not sleepe for euer I forewarne all that haue a sleeping cōscience that it shall not sleepe aye but it shall come with the terriblest face that euer was ere all be done The face of the Burrio was neuer so terrible as thy conscience when it comes againe to teare thee rent thee and draw in pieces thy miserable soule Howbeit wicked mē for a while will be busie playing riding and running to get the tormenter at rest yet I tell thee that if the LORD haue not mercie vpon thee it shall vvaken so that it shall neuer sleepe againe neuer let thee rest Of all the torments in the world the worst is the torment of the conscience driuing thee before the terrible tribunall to cling in thy soule and drie it vp with the fire of the wrath of God No peace for the wicked sleepe on as they will they shall be wakened Now Brethren beside the force of this tentation there is an inward malice of the heart against the conscience Certainely a conscience in a naturall man is good and it is a remnent of grace after the fall but there is as euill a thing that dwelleth in thine heart since that fall that is a bitternesse malice of thine heart there is such a gall of bitternesse that if there were no more to slay them it is enough It is not this outwarde tentation onely that drawes Pilate so farre backe but also the malice of the heart when the conscience sounded in his eare and said Pilate doe not this the malice of the heart caried him against conscience I say againe albeit that there were nothing without thee to moue thee there is too much within thee These men who runne headlong vnto blood to wracke religion and their countrey thinke yee not but they haue aduertisment in the meane time by their conscience and they know that they doe wrong But alas such is the gall of bitternesse such is the malice of their heart against conscience that it caries them as mad men with a furie ouer the belly of their conscience Nowe Brethren this is well to be marked When Pilate is set downe in His tribunall albeit he be caried away by his conscience will yee looke yee shall see a priuie battell betweene the spunke of the conscience he had and the malice of the heart When hee sits downe he hath a doubt in his heart that conscience drawes him backe that hee dare not at the first pronounce the sentence but hee sayes Behold your King He sayes scornefully of His Kingdome yet hee meaneth in his heart to haue Him loose as if he had saide Is this the man Alas hee is little likely to bee a King a poore miserable sillie poore man this is his meaning that he might moue them to let Him liue So as I marked before the force of the tentation outwarde and of the inward malice of the heart against
in the Lord Cursed are they vvho die not in the Lord let them be hanged beheaded or die in their bed terrible shall be that death that followes after this death The death that He died vvas a sore odious kinde of death to a man to be taken quicke and nailed quicke on the Crosse and no doubt Hee hang for the space of three houres so as y e death of those vvho are not in Christ is accursed so it is sore He suffered not only this paine in body No the chiefe torment vvas in y e soule it vvas tormented vvith that bitter sense of the vvrath of the Father It is not a death of the body that sinne brings on it brings an extreame bitter paine to the soule The Lord dies not in a moment hee is dying and not dead a viue image of the death of hell thou shalt die in the paine of hell and neuer get an end Those vvho die in Christ die vvhat death they will bee they beheaded or hanged or drawne in raxes or burnt they shall neuer die a cursed death their death is a sweete death and all the joyes that euer was shall issue of their death It must be so What makes a cursed death but sinne and if thou be in Him as IESVS was crucified so thy sinne is nailed vpon His backe and therefore beeing taken away what must followe but that thou must be glorified And either thou shalt bee crucified thy selfe No not in the Earth but in the Hells euerlastingly or els thou must haue thy sinnes crucified on the Crosse of IESVS CHRIST and be partaker of his death and therefore if any of vs would die a blessed death it is certaine that wee must die let vs see whether our sinne was crucified with Christ or not Shall I haue no warrand of the death of sinne in mee and that I was crucified with IESVS CHRIST and am freed of all paine eternallie thorowe His Crosse Will yee that I shall tell you howe yee shall get the certaintie of this Looke if thou findest a continuall death of sinne looke if thou findest this regeneration and a newe life and loue of GOD and a delite to serue Him in some measure then assure thy selfe that thy sinne was crucified on the Crosse with IESVS CHRIST and if thou liuest in wantonnesse and gettest no mortification thou shalt bee crucified in the Hell yea though thou were a King Our lordes and gentlemen will passe their time but I denounce albeit thou bee an Emperour thou shalt bee tormented and consumed awaye by that eternall vvrath of GOD in Hell Goe on thy vvayes O the vvorlde is sleeping Shall they neuer knowe vvhat they are adoing What are these oppressors doing these murtherers doing these adulterers and fornicators doing Is there anie care of Heauen in them Is Heauen or Hell but tales No no it shall bee the terriblest sight that euer thou sawe It is not as men saye to wit Hell is but a boggarde to scarre children onelie No thy miserable soule shall finde in wofull experience the dolour and woe of that place Nowe it restes that I speake about the houre in the which Hee vvas crucified Onelie Sainct MARKE calles it About the thirde houre Then apparentlie the LORD IESVS vvas nayled on the Crosse betwixt eleuen and twelue of the clocke And a little before twelue Hee vvas mounted vp vpon the Crosse for betwixt the sentence of Condemnation and Execution there passed not an houre For there vvas a malicious earnestnesse to hasten Him to the Crosse neither vvoulde they giue Him leasure to drawe His breath This lets vs see the fearcenesse of the vvrath of the Father vvhen Hee judges sinne After that Hee vvas once condemned Hee gotte no rest but vvas hastened to the place of Execution to suffer paine and shame Looke still to the grounde This judgement is the type of the latter judgement if the sentence of condemnation bee passed immediatelie thou shalt bee pulled awaye looke to it as yee vvill to euerlasting torment Therefore blessed is that soule that hath part of the suffering of IESVS CHRIST To Him therefore vvho once vvas ignominious and now is glorious bee all Honour for euermore AMEN THE XV. LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 35 And when they had crucified him they parted his garmentes and did cast lots that it might bee fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet They diuided my garmentes among them and vpon my vesture did cast lots verse 36 And they sate and watched him there verse 37 They set vp also ouer his head his cause written THIS IS IESVS THE KING OF THE IEVVES verse 38 And there were two thickes crucified with him one on the right hand and another on the left MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 24 And when they had crucified him they parted his garments casting lottes for them what euerie man should haue verse 25 And it was the thirde houre when they crucified him verse 26 And the title of his cause was written aboue THAT KING OF THE IEVVES verse 27 They crucified also with him two thieues the one on the right hand and the other on his left verse 28 Thus the Scripture was fulfilled which saieth And hee was counted among the wicked LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 33 And when they were come to the place which is called Caluarie there they crucified him and the euill doers one at the right hand and the other at the left verse 34 Then said IESVS Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe And they parted his raiment and cast lottes verse 35 And the people stood and behelde and the Rulers mocked him with them saying Hee saued others let him saued himselfe if hee be that Christ the Chosen of God verse 36 The souldiers also mocked him and came and offered him vineger verse 37 And said If thou bee the King of the Iewes saue thy selfe verse 38 And a superscription was also written ouer him in Greeke letters and in Latine and in Hebrew THIS IS THAT KING OF THE IEVVES IHON CHAP. XIX verse 18 Where they crucified him and two other with him on either side one and IESVS in the mids verse 19 And Pilate wrote also a title and put it on the Crosse and it was written IESVS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE IEVVES verse 20 This title then read manie of the Iewes for the place where IESVS was crucified was neare to the Citie it was written in Hebrew Greeke and Latine verse 21 Then said the hie Priests of the Iewes to Pilate Write not The King of the Iewes but that he said I am King of the Iewes verse 20 Pilate answered What I haue written I haue written IN these dayes past beloued in the LORD IESVS wee haue brought this Historie of the Passion of Iesus Christ to the verie act it selfe to the crucifying of Him vpon the Crosse The last daye we spake something of His crucifying and last wee spake of the houre of
one gets the conscience of their merite and feeles that they deserue death ten wants it It is a pitie to see how many dies without sense like dogges and then if it fall so that one get the conscience of sinne in the houre of death it falles out ofttimes that they get not the sense of mercie It may bee that thou get the sense of sinne and be stricken with a feare but with a desperate feare for with the sense and feeling of sinne if there bee not also a sense of mercie there is nothing but terrour and a seruile feare So thou shalt die like a vile slaue in damnation So the conscience of this thiefes merite makes him to feare God no doubt hee hath had a sweet sense of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ But who made this difference It was the Lord It was a happie thing for this thiefe to be crucified with IESVS CHRIST for all this slowed out of the Crosse of IESVS CHRIST Therefore take vp the lesson Thinke not that in the houre of death thou shalt bee twitched as thou shouldest either with the feeling of thy sinne and miserie or yet of mercie except that thou sweetely turne thee to the Crosse of CHRIST and say LORD I feele neither sense of my merite and what my sinnes deserues nor of mercie LORD therefore giue mee it then the sweetnesse of that sense shall swallow vp that paine No comfort in death but in IESVS CHRIST except thine eyes be set on that Crosse Woe is to thee and woe to thee againe and better for thee if thou hadst neuer come in the world Thou and I sayes hee suffer iustly This confession witnesses the inward conuersion to IESVS CHRIST for when the heart of a sinner is turned to IESVS CHRIST it will taste a such sweetnesse that the creature will not care by that it bee shamed so it can get that LORD in whome it feeles such a sweetnesse glorified it is a sure token that these shamelesse sinners these men who will not shame themselues in the sight of the worlde but will stand in their pointes of honour with GOD these miserable soules these bloodie murtherers these adulterers tasted neuer of that mercie in IESVS CHRIST If thou wouldest haue thy sinnes hid from the eyes of GOD that terrible Iudge then open them to the world that the LORD may be glorified and if thou hidest thy sinnes the LORD shall rippe vp thy brest in that great daye and let all the world see the most hid and secret corner of thine heart to thy shame and confusion Nowe come to the thirde argument of reproofe and it is taken from the innocencie of Iesus This is an innocent and iust man Fearest thou not GOD to raile on the innocent if He were guiltie as thou and I am thy railing were more tollerable but howe canst thou raile on this just man The lesson is Iust ones who suffer innocently should not be railed vpon the LORD keepe our mouthes from railing on them if thy conscience tell thee of their innocency reuile them not a man who suffers may be innocent two manner of wayes for either hee is innocent in himselfe and not guiltie of that for which hee suffers or els if hee bee a malefactour and guiltie he may be innocent through Faith and repentance through the blood of Iesus Christ as this thiefe was innocent in Christ Now if a man be innocent of that crime for which hee suffers raile not on him on paine of thy life and if thou findest him innocent in the blood of Iesus Christ and findest him to haue true and vnfained repentance in Him albeit he bee neuer so wicked let him die and suffer these paines hee should suffer for repentance should not exeeme and free him from ciuile punishment but beware thou raile on him surely thy mouth should be stopped to raile out on him God forbid that an euill word be spoken out against him as a reprobate whom the LORD Iesus countes innocent in His blood for this railing testifies that thou counts that man as a reprobate and that is too sore a judgement thou takes to thee I see heere further the LORD neuer leaues His Sonne without a testimonie of His innocencie Pilate euer on testified His innocencie before hee condemned Him and said once twise thrise I finde nothing worthie of death in Him No Pilate was neuer brought to say that Christ was guiltie suppose he condemned Him but euer preached and proclaimed His innocencie Then when Hee is comming to suffer the poore women followes and testifies and now the poore penitent thiefe testifies the innocencie of Christ and lastly the men of warre were compelled to say Of a trueth this is the Sonne of God And if ye consider well yee shall see two thinges very contrarie that of all men that suffered He was both the most just and the most vnjust He was innocent in Himselfe and Hee was guiltie in vs and this for our consolation for this lets vs seee how meete a Mediatour He was for vs my Sauiour must be innocent in Himselfe Heb. 7.26 and He must bee guiltie in me Thus farre this thiefe hath vttered that inward repentance in rebuking the other for his blasphemie and sinne and in confessing his sinnes before the other thiefe and those that stood by now followes the third effect he turnes him to the Lord and in all humilitie seeking remission grace and life and sayes Lord remember me when thou commest to thy Kingdome Prayer should follow vpon confession of sinnes but marke the word hee calls Him Lord albeit he saw Him hanging on the tree there like a vile slaue yet he acknowledges Him to be a King when he ascribeth a Kingdome to Him albeit he sees Him hanging there like a slaue yet he askes life of Him albeit he saw Him in weaknesse in torment and at the point of death All these things are marueilous and ye shall see them the more marueilous if ye will consider well the person of him who prayes what a man before this time he was and then what is his estate present and last the person of Him to whom he directs his Prayer This his conuersion was marueilous if this man had beene trained vp in the schoole of Christ any space of time it had beene lesse marueilous but beeing trained vp in a denne of thieues where hee had lost all kinde of equitie and naturalitie where hee had liued like a beast like a lyon liuing by cutting of throates theft and by the bloode of men this man to be turned from such an foule heart to get faith and seeke mercie so suddenly in a moment such sudden mutation is more than marueilous aad wonderfull Then will yee looke to his present estate if he had bene free in the body without paine so that he had gotten leasure and licence to looke thorow that body to His Kingdome and to that eternall Life then this doing had beene lesse marueilous
powerfull let vs seeke from Him with this assurance that Hee can giue all thinges which either wee can seeke or can conceiue and that according to His effectuall power working in vs. Now I end with this History of the Thiefe I come to the other History concerning that recommendation that Iesus makes of His Mother Marie to John His Disciple whom Hee loued The Lord Iesus hanging on the Crosse in extreame torment paine He is not only a sufferer howbeit indeed He sufferes all extreamitie but in suffering Hee does manie workes First Hee does like a King in giuing life and glorie to the Thiefe All the Kinges in the Earth in their Royall Robes shall not doe so much as Hee did on that vile Crosse Nowe next Hee vtters a verie naturall and louing affection to His Mother who bare Him when He is to depart out of this life and to be taken away hastily He is carefull how shee shall liue when Hee is gone from her To come to the Historie Wee haue first the occasion that bringes on this and secondly the commendation it selfe and thirdly how Ihon accepts of her As concerning the occasion There standes by the Crosse a man and three women whilest the LORD is hanging quicke in extreame torment Hee spyes out these foure persons MARIE His Mother and MARIE His Mothers Sister that is her kinswoman according to ther HEBREVV phrase who was either the Wise or the Daughter of Cleopas and MARIE MAGDALENE a kinde vvoman out of vvhom He had casten seuen deuils kindnesse meetes kindnesse Their heartes vvere vvith Him howbeit Hee vvas hanging vpon the Crosse Then if thou canst doe no more vnto Him yet follow Him with these women to the death of the Crosse There are three Maries better Maries were neuer in the world and Iohn whom here he calles the disciple whō Jesus loued this stile he gets in y e Gospel because as Iesus loued him entirely so hee findes this loue deeply setled in his soule well is he that finds that the Lord loues him All the Kingdoms in the Earth are nothing in respect of that sense Well These are the foure that are standing by the Crosse together As for Iohn I see now certainely this doing of his in the following of the Lord this standing by the Crosse shewes albeit that Faith in Iesus Christ in the heart of Iohn and all the rest was wonderfully smoothered for all were offended in Him that night yet that Faith in his heart was not altogether quenched No it was not quenched in one of the Apostles nor in Peter who denied Him To speake of Iohn Thinke ye that except hee had had Faith that euer hee would haue followed Him to the Crosse and except hee had beleeued that Iesus after such a death should haue risen againe in glorie except he had looked for a glorious resurrection that euer hee could haue beholden such a miserable spectacle Faith gaue him boldnesse to follow Christ to the Crosse Hope furnished him comfort when he beheld Him in ignominie and paine These three women vtters a tender and louing heart towards Him Brethren if there had bene no more but this naturall loue that a mother beares to the sonne Marie would neuer haue followed her Sonne to such a vile death if shee had not beleeued that death should haue turned into such a glorious Life Would she haue stood beside her Sonne and seene Him torne and rent quicke in such torments What mother would haue done it 1. Thess 4.13 ye read what Paul writes to them I would not haue you ignorant that yee mourne not for them which are asleepe as the Gentiles who are desperat in their displeasure If thou haue but a naturall loue in thine heart when thou seest him or her whom thou louest depart that loue shall worke but impatiencie in thee a desperate displeasure that is if with that loue thou haue no hope of a glorious resurrection desperate shall be thy dolour and it were better for thee to want thy naturall affection Indeede it is true our Faith and Hope of glorie after this life will not extinguish the naturall loue neither puts it away the dolour that one should haue I desire not that a man should bee senslesse without loue and I count more of a stone than of one without loue and better were it that that person were a stone So I say Faith and Hope will not extinguish displeasure but it will mitigate it so that in a wonderfull heauinesse it will finde joy and thou wilt say albeit wee sunder nowe the day will come wherein wee shall haue a joyfull meeting Come yet to these women They may teach all men and women to the end of the worlde Thinke yee not that they should haue bene terrified at such a Crosse and that Marie should haue thought shame of her Sonne so shamefully tormented and railed out on by all men Well then if these women by the sight of that shameful death of Iesus Christ on the Crosse are not terrified nor diuerted from following albeit they saw His glorie to come but very obscurely and if their hearts were knit with Him whilst as Hee hang on the Crosse and there was neuer a band so surely knit as their hearts were with Him Fye on all men and women after these women who will thinke shame of the Crosse of Christ albeit they haue greater presence and sight of the glorie of Iesus Christ than these women had Shall a sillie worde shall the sword shall the fire terrifie thee And if it bee so these same women shall stand vp and condemne thee in that great day Now let vs consider these wordes whereby He recommends His mother to Iohn The Lord as He is looking from Him He sees these foure standing together for wicked scorners stood together so the godly who mourne for Christ drew together and Hee directs His speech to two of them First to Marie and next to Iohn Woman He sayes Beholde thy sonne poynting to Iohn not to Himselfe This stile that He giues her would not be passed by He calls her not mother but Woman and this is the common stile which Iesus gaue her whilst as He was in the world it lets vs see whilst Iesus was in the worlde as at all times so especially at the houre of death whilst Hee is liuing in the world He had His eyes raised vp from all earthly and carnall things which men in this life count much of as are mother sonne daughter husband wife kinred Countrie And by His example Hee would teach vs when we are here to know none according to the flesh No not Christ Himselfe for in Heauens there shall bee neither father nor mother nor husband nor wife but we shall be all olde things which accompanie the olde creature beeing abolished like Angels in Heauen Therefore Iesus as a patterne teaches vs this to turne away the eye piece and piece from this Earth all that is in
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 Heâ—uen 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 sâ—e 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
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 offeÌ„ded 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 coÌ„sidered 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 mouâ—h 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 shâ—ddowes 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 moâ—e 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 Priâ—stes any hâ—ed to this langâ—age 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 bâ—e 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 shâ—ll 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
greater wonder to see a regenerate man from whome that scroofe is taken away than that all the rockes should rent This for the first wonder now followes the second The Earth quakes No doubt but with the quaking of the earth there was a sore dinne whilst the soule of the Lord separated from the body O! what a thing was it to draw the soule of the Sauiour of the world from the body No the renting of the rockes was nothing in respect of that drawing of the soule of the Mediatour from the body The Earth is holden vp by the mightie hand of the Lord and when it shakes the mightie hand of the Lord shakes it When the Lord begins to shake His arme all the mountaines shakes it is no jesting for if Hee hit thee Hee will bruse thee in pieces although all the world were about thee What is miserable man doing that will not knowe the power of the Almightie God This shaking meanes a threatning to this people and the earth threatens to swallowe them all vp for their indignitie they wrought to their Lord their Maker If thou dishonourest thy Maker the earth shall open and swallow thee vp as it did Core Dathan and Abiram who withstood Moyses No it is a wonder that the earth should beare men No I protest I would not wonder so much if the earth opened and swallowed some men as I wonder that the Lord in His long suffering patience spares them and holds His hand and Iudgement off them It is a wonder that the houses fall not downe on the blasphemers and the chambers where they commit their filthinesse should not smoother them But Hee shall cause an heauier thing fall on the body and soule than a thousand mountaines were tumbled on them thou doest nothing but heapes vp wrath as the Apost sayes against the day of wrath No wrath and heauie wrath shall be heaped on them So the earth threatens thâ—m for the indignitie they did to their Lord. Yee see that after the earth quaked it will swallow vp townes and people but shee swallowes them not vp now but the earth vomites them out as not worthie to beare them in her bellie No she thought them ouer bitter to be within her who had dishonoured her Creator but afterward looke what came on them The earth will reuenge that foule thing done to her Lord the land of Iudea spued them out and the earth will not let that cursed kinde haue a foot-breadth of her O! what is it to haue battell with the Creator when He begins to arme the earth or any creature against thee we would thinke that this shaking of the earth should haue mooued them yet tâ—ey take no thought for it At the voyce of the Lord the earth did shake but did the Priests and the Scribes shake Are they mooued at the dinne and shaking of the earth So againe I say there is nothing so vnmooueable No not the earth as thine hardened heart will be at all the denunciations that will come from Heauen or Hell saue thy selfe from a reprobate sense or else thou shalt neuer bee wakened till thou bee thrust into hell where thou shalt bee tormented vvith endlesse vexation without any hope of comfort This for the second wonder Nowe let vs come to the clieuing of the Mountaines This followes on the former as the earth opened to swallow them so the mountaines cloue to tumble vpon them The mountaines will not suffer them to dishonour their maker What mooued this the Iewes Euen as much as the other two No question it was a great and terrible noyse when the mountaines cloue Woe to a senselesse heart The mountaines may clieue and shiuer and quake but if thy soule bee giuen to induration the stones mountaines shall bee mooued and broken but thine heart shall neuer breake Woe againe to a senselesse heart which is not mooued at the word of God that Scepter of yron whereof ye reade 2. Psal shall light on thee bruise thee in pieces Therfore cast away that vaile froÌ„ thine heart and striue to keepe light in thy soule conscience and walke in sobriety till thy God call on thee and then thou shalt see a blessed ende Nowe wee come to the last wonder which was wrought The graues doe their duetie they forget not their maker but in their manner they glorifie their Lord God and honour Him yea death it selfe with the graue doe Him homage and honour But miserable man will not honour Him The graues laye open from three a clock after noone for about three a clock the Lord gaue vp the ghost and they lay open all that day all that night all the daye following and the next night till the morning that the Lord rises and then the bodies of the Sainctes also arole by vertue of His resurrection and went into the Citie The graues will tell the miserable people that the Lord Iesus had loosed the bandes of the graue by His death By death He slew death with her owne sword He slew her as wee speake Shee would teach them that the bodies in that Great day shall rise vp by the vertue of that resurrection of Iesus Christ This question may bee asked What became of those bodies which arose went into the City Did they lay them down againe in the graue or ascended they to Heauen I will not bee curious in this purpose But in my judgement they were taken vp to the heaueÌ„s with Iesus Christ to be an argumeÌ„t of our resurrection going to the heauens This was a faire lesson but this miserable people was not moued Woe to a stonie senselesse heart the graue may open but nothing will open a senselesse soule Therefore I beseech you striue to get a soft and mollified heart The voyce of Iesus made the earth to quake the rockes to rent the graues to open the deade to rise but the voyce of the LORD opened not their heartes then He opens the graues It is an easier thing to raise a dead body out of the graue than to raise thy soule if it bee once haâ—dened it is more wonderfull to raise a deade soule and to see that soule get a sense of Heauen than to see all the bodies of the Church-yard rising Nowe to compare these wonders There are two of them The first and the last that teach this people The other two the second and the third that threatens them The quaking of the earth and the renting of the rockes threaten a damnage and destruction to them and in this temperature of His wonders As the power of God so the wisdome of God appeares wonderfully He threatens this people for the indignitie that they had done to the LORD of glorie with Hell and death yet Hee holds vp His handes O! how vnwilling He is to strike but if He light on thee Hee will cause thee squeele He is ayming Hee is shaking that terrible arme and threatning them in the meane time
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 sâ—uâ—d 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 wâ—ll 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 tâ—ue 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 â—he 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 gushâ—d 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 shâ—ll 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 accoÌ„plished And he brings in two Scriptures the one coÌ„cerning that His bones shuld not be brokeÌ„ the other coÌ„cerning 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 coÌ„cerning this souldier y t pierced the side of the Lord with a speare how they say y t the Griek worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 theâ—eafter 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
deepe perswasion of thine heart thou speakest like a Parrat thou prophanest that Holy word and knowest not what thou speakest Now all the Apostles are away yet their testimonie remaines this is that blessed Gospell that wee haue this day yet the Lord leaues not the world destitute of witnesses who haue liuelie voyces who will preach like the Apostles indeede their record should bee beleeued if thou beleeuedst neuer a preaching I say thou hast no Faith thou shalt neuer see Heauen Indeede we are not Apostles but sinfull men yet if thou beleeuest vs not thou shalt die as well as they who would not beleeue the Apostles I bid no man nor woman beleeue vs simply but only so farre as our record agrees vvith the recorde of the Apostles We may not compare with the Apostles we haue not seene Him we haue not heard Him as they did they had a greater measure of perswasion of Faith and of feeling than any Preacher hath nowe yet the Lord hath giuen His measure to euery one therefore we desire not that yee should beleeue vs simply to beleeue euery thing that we say as the Pope and that soule crue will bid you beleeue all that they affirme No if he were the best Minister that euer preached beleeue his recorde if it agree not with the writting of the Apostles They haue set downe the ground and they who teach any other thing but that which is written by the Apostles or els that follow on their writes by a necessarie consequence I pronounce a vengeance and a curse shall be on them Woe to deceiuers who poyson soules dayly by their vengeance and poyson Now to come to the last heade Iohn layes downe the ende wherefore His thighes were not broken and by piercing of His side These thinges were set downe that the Scripture might bee fulfilled and he cites two testimonies The first is out of the twelfth Chapter of Exodus Not one bone of Him shall be broken The next is out of the twelfth Chapter of Zacharie They shall see Him whome they haue pierced Some will maruell that it is said oft times in the Gospell this was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled Some would thinke that this had bene but a light cause that the thighes of Christ and the bones were not broken Wherefore That the Scripture might be fulfilled the side was pierced that the Scripture might be fulfilled Men would count this but light but wilt thou count that light that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled Thinkest thou it a light thing that that thing that the Lord spake long time before should come to passe and the LORD should be glorified in His Trueth Thinkest thou it a light thing that the Lord should bee found a lyer No ere He be a lyer and ere a jote or title that Hee hath spoken should passe away vnfâ—lfilled it is better that Heauen and Earth men and Angels and all the creatures should vanish to nothing The Lord speakes none idle talke as man will doe but what thing so euer that Hee speakes Hee speakes it of set purpose to the glorie of God and to the well of His Church and therefore it is very requisite both for His owne glorie and for the well of His Church that His word be accomplished Would to God we could consider how highly we sould regarde the glory of God in beleeuing of His promises of mercie and His threatnings of Iustice Well the end of these thinges was that GOD should be glorified in the trueth of His word There is nothing the Lord seekes more than to be knowne in the trueth of His worde and therefore looke what He will doe to bee knowne to be true in His promise rather than His promise be not performed Hee will inuert the course of nature the thing that the Lord hath once spoken it shall be performed albeit all the world should say the contrarie It is said Numb 23.19 God is not as man that He should lie neither as the sonne of man that Hee should repent hath Hee said it and shall Hee not doe it and hath Hee spoken and shall Hee not accomplish it Men may lie but God cannot lie ere Hee bring not about the thing that Hee hath spoken Hee will mixe the Heauen and the Earth together He will bring things about against all the meanes in the worlde not onely by and aboue nature but also contrarie and against nature As Hee brought the promise made to Abraham to passe Nature can be no impediment to the LORD albeit a creature can doe nothing against Nature Looke then what a Faith wee should haue Wee should beleeue His promise albeit it were neuer so vnpossible to Nature Thou must not only glorifie God when thou seest His promise come to passe but also thou must also glorifie Him by depending and hanging on His worde ere euer thou see it accomplished It is an easie thing when thou seest the Lordes promise come to passe to say Glorified bee GOD in the trueth of His promise but except thou glorifie Him by Faith in His worde ere euer thou see the promise effectuate thou doest nothing worthie of praise beleeâ—e His word let neuer death nor life nor power in Heauen or iâ— Earth or the Deuils separate thee from that Faith in His worde No I say further thou must so glorifie God by Faith in His word that albeit thou savvest all things threaten the contrarie yet notwâ—thstanding thou feelest in thine heart that God is true this was a fined and purified Faith Such was the Faith of Abraham who aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that hee should haue a seede not considering the deadnesse of his owne bodie nor the deadnesse of Saraes vvombe hee beleeued in despite of nature and all ordinarie meanes and therefore worthilie hee is called The Father of the Faithfull Then wouldest thou haue such a faith as the Lord commendes beleeue in His promise though all the thinges in the worlde shoulde threaten the contrarie Hath Hee promised to thee Heauen and Life and albeit thou sawe nothing but Hell and Death yet beleeue Him for there is nothing more contrarie to Life than Death And yet albeit thine owne heart woulde make opposition and saye vnto thee It cannot bee that euer thou canst get Life and Heauen for what seest thou but Death and Hell Yet thou wouldest glorifie God by beleeuing His promise in despight of Hell and Death Notwithstanding thou seest the Deuill man Death and Hell threatning that thou shalt not get life yet beleeue the Lordes promise And if in this case thou beleeuest thou hast a fined faith fined and made more precious than Golde in the fornace And except thou bee tried by such temptations thou knowest not what faith meanes Faith must bee tried by temptations by troubles and afflictions Our Christians woulde passe thorowe the worlde with ease and rest they will beleeue but howe In peace and rest they cannot abide to
appearing heire to a kingdome men will count of him Much more then when we see a man or woman ordained to that Heauenly kingdome and to that glory shoulde we not honour them for that respect of glory Paul to Tim. saies In a great house are many vessels some to honour some to dishonour Yee see in a Noble mans house howe honourably they will handle golden and siluâ—r vessels Then when we looke to a faithfull man should we not count greatly of him because hee is so glorious a vessell and is to be partaker of that glory All the glory of this world appertains properly to the faithfull Indeede often times they haue least part thereof that they maye knowe their happinesse standes not in this earthly glory but in that glory of Heauen the wicked haue most of it Yet I say All the glory euen of this world appertaines to the faithfull only No honour appertains to a king who is a reprobate He is but a violent vsurper of these worldly things and he shal one day giue account of his violent vsurpation nothing but shame appertaines to him and all his honour shall bee turned into shame Now I goe to the next thing The boldnes that Ioseph had in coÌ„ming to Pilate Hee lurked before but nowe when Iesus is lying in greatest ignominy as wee vse to speake At the Gallowes foot The man takes boldnes steps in to Pilates Hall makes his request His riches his substaÌ„ce honour held him abacke awhile but now he comes out forgets all interceades for the body of Iesus to burie it Thy riches honour of the worlde are like as many fetters yron chaines to retaine thee hold thee abacke from Christ Yet all the riches honour in the world cannot hinder nor hold backe GODS calling when Hee puts out His hande to drawe thee in to Him But if He put not out His hand draw thee out thou art so fast detained that all the strength in the worlde will not be able to draw thee It is true that Paul saies 1. Cor. 1.26 Ye see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh nor many noble are called It is a rare thing to see the Lord draw such men He vses not to call many wise men out of the hands of their wisdome nor many rich men out of the hands of their riches nor many Noble men out of the handes of their Nobility No He lets them be We reade not of any potent men among the Jewes whom the Lord pulled out to be His Disciples except these two Ioseph Nicodemus There might haue beene moe among the Princes of the Iewes but wee find the names of no moe registrate O how hard a thing it is to draw a wise maÌ„ a mightie man or a Noble man to Christ for it is true that Christ saies It is as hard to drawe a rich man to Christ as to draw a Camell thorowe a needles eye To draw a great body thorow a needles eye is no lesse difficulty than to draw thee to Christ who art a Noble man who wilt sit vp talke of thy kinred of thy blood This doing of Ioseph may bee marueiled at Think ye not y t Ioseph should haue manifested himselfe rather in Iesus lifetime than nowe after His death When Hee was going working wonders and speaking such sweet sentences as neuer man spake yet all this moued him not to come foorth and shew himselfe But now Christ being in shame he comes out Whereunto shall I ascribe this I ascribe it to the force y t came from the death of Iesus There was neuer a liuing man in the world that had such force as y t dead body had No I say He had more power hanging dead on the crosse than when Hee was liuing in the world more mighty was His death than His life The Lord giue vs a sense feeling of y e force of y e death of Christ it is able to cause a dead body rise from death to life Iohn 12.24 He foretold y e power of His death When the corne of wheat lyes in the ground and dies it fructifies and brings foorth much fruit so the dead body of Iesus fructifiâ—d and brought with it out of the graue to life many thousand soules so does it to the end of the world Hast thou life into thee From whom came that life Euen from the death of Iesus Christ if Christ had not died thou hadst neuer felt life Hee vses also for this purpose another similitude Where euer the dead carcasseâ—s thither resorte the Eagles Meaning where His dead body was the faithfull where euer they were they should take them to their wings from all the ends of the earth leaue their riches and honour and by Faith flee to Him to feede vpon Him for His deade body casts such a sweete smell thorow the Heauens and the Earth a carioun casts such an euill smell but the body of Iesus hath a sweete smell that it will allure men women to come to it The Lord giue euery one such a taste of His sweetnesse as Ioseph and Nicodemus found that with pleasure we may flee to Him and feede on Him Now followes the request he comes in to Pilates Hall and desires leaue to take vp the dead body of Iesus as yee saw before the body of Iesus was not taken from the crosse without the licence of the Iudge Pontius Pilate so they durst not burie the body of Iesus without leaue Why The Lord vvas condemned and the man who is condemned is yet in the hands of the Iudge vntill he giue Him ouer If we consider wel this whole Historie of the suffering of Christ vve shall finde one thing vvorthy to be marked Albeit the Lord Iesus vvas the moste innocent man that euer vvas in the vvorlde yet hauing to doe vvith Magistrates both ciuile and ecclesiasticall as Pontius Pilate Caiaphas and the rest from the beginning to the end Hee will haue nothing done but vvith their leaue vvhen the Magistrate sent out men of vvarre to take Him He vvould not suffer Peter to resist them but He reprooued him for drawing his sword Hee would not haue His body taken downe from the Crosse without the leaue of the Magistrate Hee would haue nothing done to Him Hee would not be buried without the leaue of the Magistrate Hee leaues thee His example to teach thee if thou werest neuer so innocent yet if thou fallest in the handes of the Magistrate suffer nothing to be done to thee with offence and with the disgrace of justice and judgement hee who would die well and in the Lord let Him protest that nothing be done to him that will disgrace justice albeit he suffer innocently I might let you see an higher ground of this matter but I wil touch it only The Lord that came in the world to relieue thee from that great Iudge and from all
good many suters to crucifie Him many suters to breake Him many suters to hold Him down in the graue ye read of none but of one Ioseph vvho makes sute to get the dead body of Iesus buried Read all the Ecclesiasticall Histories and ye shall finde these same things that fell out in Christ to haue fallen out in His members when a godly man hath beene drawen out before the ciuile Iudge or to martyrdome there hath bene sundrie suters for him some suters good some euill yet euer moe euill than good Therefore a Pâ—ince or Magistrate was neuer in such danger in any judgement as wheÌ„ he gets a good man fallen in his hands Pilate was neuer in such danger as he was into through this action for it lost him his life present the life to come When the action of a thiefe or a murtherer comes before a King there is no such danger but when a godly man is brought before him for the cause of CHRIST then he should take good heede where he shall get one to giue him a good counsell he shall get many to giue him euill counsell many shal crie crucifie Him woe to him if he assent as Pilate did for he shall inuolue himself in that same guiltines with them that cried crucifie him It is true indeede that Pilate granted a good suite hee gaue leaue to Ioseph to burie the body of Christ yet did this any good to Pilate saued it him No Thinkest thou when thou hast executed an innocent that thou doest enough when thou hast giuen His bodie to bee buried No that shall not excuse thee nor free thee from guiltinesse O how gâ—eat and weightie is the burthen of Magistrates Therefore they had neede euer to haue good men about them and we should pray the Lord earnestly to guide them and direct them in judgement This much for the suters now come to the sute the wordes are these The deceiuer said whilst as He was aliue that within three dayes He should rise command therefore that the sepulchre bee made sure vntill the third day lest His disciples come by night and steale Him away and say to the people that He is risen froÌ„ the dead so shall the last eâ—rour be worse than the first In effect this is as much as if they had said these wordes this man said that He should rise the third day therefore appoint Him a guard to testify of His glorious resurrectioÌ„ y e Lord so directed their words albeit their meaning was flat contrarie Marke therefore a good lesson euer more the Lord hâ—th snared the reprobate in their wicked deuises hath euer turned them from that mischieuous end they aymed them to the manifestation of His owne glory The Priests Pharises thought to obscure y e glorie of Christs resurrection if it had lyen in their hands to hold Him by force in the graue but the Lord who workes light out of darknesse makes their sute to serue for the clearer manifestation of His resurrection for they could haue done no more for the manifestation of His resurrection if they had bene hired for that purpose so looke what interprise wicked men will deuise to dishonour Him I say the Lord shall turne it in end to His glory but to their destruction I will say further it may seeme marueilous peruerse deuises of the wicked often times do serue more to His glory than the good purposes deedes of the godly for it is not a greater glory to GOD to bring light out of darknes than to bring light out of light the Lord is a most skilfull and mightie workeman Hee makes His glory to appeare by bringing light out of darknesse by bringing life out of death and by calling the thinges that are not as if they were all the deuises of the wicked are darknesse the doings of the godly are light so the Lord will sometimes bee more woÌ„derfully glorified in the doings of the wicked than in the doings of the godly But this doth y e wicked no good nor it serues nothing for their benefite for in y e meane time they are more malicious against y e Lord than euer they were they call Him a deceiuer this is a wonderfull thing they saw the Lords povver in obscuring of the sun in renting of the rockes in opening of the graues they saw His great glory shine in all these wonders yet such is the maliciousnes of these wicked men they call y e Lord of glory a deceiuer in so doing not onely they oppone themselues against God but also they doe so far as in them lay as to haue spitted in the face of God yet these miserable creatures I meane the Scribes Pharises came not on a suddaintie to this extreame maliciousnes but they shew some meane small beginnings of it wheÌ„ Christ first manifested Himselfe began to preach amongst them then they proceeded froÌ„ worse to worse continually all the time He was conuersant amongst them thereafter in His Crosse death they taunted mocked Him put Him to the most shameful death they could deuise now when He is buried laid in y e graue they vtter more maliciousnesse than euer they did they come to the extremitie of maliciousnes and induration they call the Lord a deceiuer Cursed be y t mouth that calles the Lord a deceiuer as Paul sayes He that loueth not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be anathema maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22 This lets vs see the nature of their sinne it was a sinne against the Holy Spirit and this is the nature of that sinne when once thou shalt enter in it thou vvilt hardly get backe againe vntill thou commest to extreame excecation and induration to thine euerlasting destruction My lesson is this If the Lord giue vs grace to learne it When it pleases the Lord to shine vnto thee albeit thou vverest a King or Earle or Lord looke as thou vvould eschevv Hâ—ll damnation that thou repine not to this light but greedily embrace it and vvalke in it for if thou step forvvard in repining thou shalt haue an hard backe-comming againe and thou shalt come from excecation to excecation vntill thou come to vtter destruction Novv I doubt not but ye are sorrovvfull vvhen ye heare the Lord a deceiuer yee are sorrovvfull to heare light called darknesse but comfort our selues vvith this the Lord vvho vvas free of all guile and deceit suffers Himselfe to bee called a deceiuer to purge vs from guile and deceit for it might seeme marueilous that the Spirite of God shoulde register this name of a deceiuer suppose they called Him a deceiuer for this name defiles the aire to call the Lord of Trueth a deceiuer Yet no question the Spirite hath left it in register to bee hearde and read of all Christians to the ende of the worlde that thou mayest knowe what the Lorde hath suffered for thee And doubtlesse this name was heauier to Him
heades and they had more of that vvorldlie and fleshlie vvit than of that Heauenlie vvit and this drewe them to this securitie This is the nature of the Regenerate Suppose the Regenerate in this vvorlde compt in some measure of the crosse of Christ and of the power of God yet in the best of them there is some lacke some infirmities and vvantes and they will thinke sometime the preaching of the Crosse and Resurrection of Christ to bee but vanitie and a dreame of vviues as IOHN PETER MATTHEVV and the rest of the Apostles did for none of them vvoulde beleeue this That CHRIST vvas risen Wee vvill thinke that there is some great follie in these tidinges I vvill tell you my nature and the nature of the best man or vvoman but vvhen vve shall see That joyfull Morning as DAVID calles it then vvee shall saye vvith SARAH THE LORDE hath made mee nowe to laugh indeede Shee scorned vvhen shee hearde saye shee shoulde conceaue and beare a childe shee thought shee coulde not beare a childe and nowe vvhen shee sees it come to passe shee saies The LORDE makes mee to laugh indeede And so shall vvee saye one daye that thing vvhich vvee thought but jestes then wee shall saye I see this nowe that I coulde not beleeue vvell enough nowe I see it is true indeede So then in despite of all naturall vvit striue to gette an hope aboue hope and then shalt thou greatlie vvonder at that sight and maruell foreuer that there could be such a joy Now blessed is that man or that woman that gets a taste of it here for they shall be assured of it for euer But to goe forward I see that it auailes not much to speake to a sleeping person that is loadned with sin and feeles it not that is the worst estate in the worlde neuer to groane vnder this mortalitie vnder this burthen of death They can neuer say with the Apostle Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death And if yee speake to these persons of the Resurrection death of Christ it auaileth nothing to them What did the Apostles They thought it but a scorne if the Apostles thought so what wilt thou doe that sleepest in thy murther in thine adulterie in thy theft in thine oppression If the Apostles slept how wilt thou sleepe a sleeping sinner must bee once wakened as PAVL sayes in the Epistle to the Romanes the first Chapter and eighteenth verse The wrath of God is manifest from the Heauen against all the vnrighteousnesse of men And I say the wrath and the vengeance of GOD is manifest vpon the sleeping sinner and death comes on him that neuer shall haue an end But PAVL in the Epistle to the Romanes the third CHAPTER and the twentie and one VERSE hee comes on with other tithings and sayes That the righteousnesse of GOD through faith in Jesus Christ is made manifest to them that beleeue And I will say to thee that Iesus is come into the world and died for thee if thou beleeuest thou shalt be freed of that burthen of sinne and wrath and vvhen a man heares this he will thinke it the sweetest tithings that euer he heard for the sinner will finde life in that death and that blood will sprinckle his conscience as the Apostle sayes to the Hebrewes and thou wilt finde a wonderfull joy vvhen thy sinnes are remitted in Christ of all joyes vnder the Heauen this is the greatest The preaching of Christ auailes to none but to him who findes his soule loadned with sinne Now one word and so I shall ende I see in the Apostles and in their great infirmitie the great prouidence of GOD they will neither beleeue nor misbeleeue but by His Prouidence what euer vvas their part in it the worke was good of a good purpose The LORD will not haue them to beleeue the testimonie of the first companie nor yet of the second companie of women No no He vvill not haue them to beleeue vntill they see it with their eyes and feele it with their handes and ere they passe out to others He vvill speake to them and let them see that they may be perswaded that it was true I alwayes tell you this It is not a small thing to testifie of the Resurrection of Christ to preach His Passion and Resurrection and wilt thou of a light knowledge preach it No beware thou speake this or that vpon a report Of all men that speakes in this earth or is sent with a commission a Minister hath most neede to beware what hee speakes Speake hee of the Passion or Resurrection of CHRIST ere euer hee speake let him get a sight of Him suppose not vvith the bodily eyes lay hold on Him by Faith in thine heart Thinke it not enough to be an hearing witnesse but a seeing witnesse and vvhen thou hast gotten that persvvasion with vvhat confidence vvilt thou speake of His death thou wilt speake with such euidencie that the high heartes of men shall be humbled finding such weight in thy wordes The LORD giue vs grace that vvhen vve stand vp to speake of the Resurrection of CHRIST to others vvee may haue the perswasion of it in our ovvne heartes and that vve may finde His gracious Spirit working in vs and as vvee speake of Heauen and these joyes to others so vvee may finde some joy beginne in our owne hearts heere that after this life is ended we may reigne with Him in glorie for euer with CHRIST To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour praise and glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXXII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 12 Then arose Peter and ranne vnto the sepulchre and looked in and sawe the linnen clothes layed by themselues and departed wondering in himselfe at that which was come to passe IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 3 Peter therefore went foorth and the other disciple and they came vnto the sepulchre verse 4 So they ranne both together but the other disciple did out-runne Peter and came first to the sepulchre verse 5 And hee stouped downe and sawe the linnen clothes lying yet went hee not in verse 6 Then came Simon Peter following him and went into the sepulchre and sawe the linnen clothes lie verse 7 And the kerchiefe that was vpon his head not lying with the linnen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it selfe verse 8 Then went in also the other disciple who came first to the sepulchre and hee sawe it and beleeued verse 9 For as yet they knewe not the Scripture That hee must rise againe from the dead verse 10 And the disciples went awaye againe vnto their owne home WE haue heard these dayes past beloued in the Lord Iesus of the two companies of women that went out of Hierusalem towarde the graue of the Lorde early in the morning The one company that came first wherein was Marie Magd. and Marie the mother of
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 pâ—st 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
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 moâ—talitie may bee swallowed vp of Life for as long as wee lye heere vvâ—e liue vnder the burthen of sinne So faine woulde the godlie bee with Him yet seeing it is his vvill that
difference betvveene them and the vvomen when the vvomen vnderstood that Hee vvas risen they came home vvith joy the men of vvarre came home vvith sadnesse and vvith discontentment and they preach this to them that were sad to heare it and ashamed of it they preach it not to the Apostles as the vvomen did but to the High Priestes Marke this Lesson Looke how ye tell tythings there are some that will make good tithings of euill tithings and euill tithings of good as they please albeit they be neuer so good if they be not contented with them they vvill make them euill but be they neuer so euill if they be contented with them they will make them good and tell them vvith joy Bevvare hovv ye tell tithings of the Church of ENGLAND of FRANCE or of GERMANIE or of other partes Looke when thou speakest of the prosperous estate of the Church that thou speake it with joy and vvhen yee heare that the Church is troubled speake that not with joy but vvith sadnesse Thou that art not content vvith the prosperous estate of CHRISTS Church thou vvouldest haue hid CHRISTES Resurrection as the Scribes did and if thou hadst beene liuing with them So in a vvord if the Church be sad tell it vvith sadnesse and if she be joyfull tell thy tithings vvith joy if thou speakest of IESVS and His glorie speake of Him vvith joy and pleasure in thine heart Novv to goe forvvard The High Priests when they heare these newes they are nothing content therevvith but are ashamed They call a Councell of the High Priestes and the Senatours of the people The thing that they decerne is to bribe the men of vvare that vvatched the graue and to hire their tongues to lie they gaue them a great summe to say That the body of the Lord was stollen out of the graue by the disciples in the night whilst they slept and lest the men of vvarre should bee affrighted for Pilate and so refuse to lie they preuent that for say they take no thought of Pilate ye shall get no harme If hee heare of this wee will perswade him and so keepe you harmelesse Well these men were once disappointed and yet leaue they off No they will haue His glory and Resurrection smoothered and because they could not get it by violence nowe they will smoother it by craft No that thing that they cannot doe by violence they shall seeke to bring it about vvith lies No thinke yee that these Traitours and Apostate Lordes doe rest No that thing that they could not get done by violence they seeke to doe it by craft Well yee vvould maruell at this yee vvould aske Whether or not they were assured that the LORD IESVS was risen and beleeued the report of the men of warre I answere It could not bee but they beleeued that He rose by a diuine power No it could not be but they thought it and if they had thought that the disciples had stollen His body away they would haue pursued them and gotten the bodie againe Then seeing the arme of GOD raised Him vp and they knew that the Lord was risen Is not this a wonder that they repent not but will oppone them to the power of God No wonder not at it Men who haue once begunne to fight against the Holy Spirit and God Himselfe immediately can scarcely euer repent and turne backe againe but rather goes forward to fulfill their sinnes as the Apostle sayes 1. Thess 2.16 the wrath of God is come vpon them to the full This is not the first time they fought against God immediatly but they had often times done so before and beginning they leaue not off but goe forward So learne this lesson marke how dangerous a thing it is once to beginne to oppone thy selfe to God if thou beginnest once to oppone thy selfe against that Majestie the wrath of God shall so sease on thee that thou shalt not get leaue to goe backe till thou bee shut in hell So Steuen Acts 7.31 speakes of these same Iewes O stiffenecked people yee euer resist the Holy Spirit that is as yee haue begunne to sinne against that Holy Spirit so yee continue ye cannot goe backe againe So that they are set out as a spectacle of Gods judgement and it should learne vs to tremble once to thinke euill against that Holy Majestie these people may be a document to all them that oppone themselues to Him The Lord saue vs from all sinnes but namely from this sinne against the Holie Ghost that can haue no repentance Nowe to goe forwarde The souldiers against their owne conscience sell themselues miserably to lie and it was a wonder that the Iewes knew it not to be a lie the men who made this lie were prophane men of warre who commonly vse to haue litle godlinesse or religion Indeede I grant the Lord hath His owne of all sortes but seldome finde ye that men of warre are either good or godly Besides this they were Ethnikes and without God in the world in a word they were prophane hearted men then what wonder was it that they sell their tongue their conscience No if thine heart be prophane thou shalt soone sell thy tongue and thy conscience to any man and thou shalt soone sell thine hande to murther albeit it were a King as ye haue heard of sundrie Our Kings Majestie had neede to take heede to this that there bee no prophane men about Him for they will sell him his kingdome for a litle price It is said of Esau Heb. 12 16. He solde his birthright he solde Heauen he solde his part of Paradise for a messe of pottage What was the ground of all this The Apostle sayes Let no prophane man be among you as Esau prophanitie was the ground and hee brings in this as an effect following prophanitie if thou be prophane thou wilt sell thy conscience and I say this marchandise of buying and selling of consciences that is so frequent in this Lande tells that this Land is ouerspread with prophanitie The Apostle sayes It is the will of God that yee bee holy but Scotland may say farewell holinesse Alas if thou kept in thine heart holinesse thou wilt keepe thy conscience but if thou be prophane like Esau thou wilt sell thy conscience for a pennie So I direct mine exhortation to all sortes of men to Traffiquers be not prophane but keepe an holy heart and thou shalt keepe a good conscience and if thou be a Iudge if thou bee prophane thou wilt sell thy conscience for a crowne art thou a Marchand if thou wantest an holy heart thou wilt sell thy conscience a Minister if his heart be not holy hee will soone sell his tongue and his conscience So in a word Let vs striue with our conscience to haue an holy heart Alas the ground of all this mischiefe in Scotland is prophanitie of heartes When they haue sold their tongue they went and said He was stollen
for this was but the third day after He vvas crucified Yee see Brethren for all this leauing of the LORD and desparing euer to see Him yet heere is a piece of godlinesse in their heartes and a sponke of Hope that keepes them that they drowned not into despare for if they had not preuented they would haue perished with the rest of the Iewes and as they are thus wrestling betwixt Hope and Despare the Lord takes them by the hande to helpe them It is a good thing to haue if it vvere but one sponke of grace yea if it were but to speake of Him For none can call Iesus the Lord as the Apostle sayes except he haue gotteen the Spirit of Christ So holde on and speake of Him if thou canst doe no more Yet to goe forward When they are talking He comes in and goes with them Marke it This is an argument that the Lord heard what they were speaking and as He heares them Hee joynes with them side for side Well take heede to thine heart to thy words The Lorde is nearer to thee than thou thinkest walke as if thou werest speaking to Him and as if He heard thee or saw thee and when thou speakest abhorre not the presence of the Lord Thou that wilt runne to an hole wilt abhorre His presence but ay say this Lord be present at my speaking what meanes all this baudrie talke and blasphemie Euen this Thou seekest not to haue thine heart sanctified by the presence of thy God so if thou wilt speake say Lord be into mine heart and Lord rule my tongue and open my mouth then when He openeth thy mouth gracious words will come out So in a word seeke that presence to sanctifie your speech and actions It is said when He joynes with them Their eyes are so bound vp that they could not know Him They know not His face nor His voyce Marke sayes That he appeared to them in another forme Luke sets downe in plaine wordes how this was to wit not that He was of a diuerse forme indeed but because their eyes were holden closed that they could not know Him so the change was in them not in Him Hee remained in one forme and was euer like Himselfe in all His appearance He neuer altered His presence but He altered their eyes that behelde looked vpō Him I thinke some of you would aske In what forme appeared Hee Was Hee naked The souldiours got His clothes Whether was He naked or not No I thinke not that Hee was naked but Hee appeared with His Ioynes girded as a man addressed to a journey as He appeared to Marie cled like a Gardener yet ye will aske had He indeede cloathes on Him or not I haue no warrant of that alwayes He appeared to them to be clothed indeede they thoght He had cloths on Him these men thought He had clothes on for their eyes vvere bound vp It is a wonder that they could not know Him nor His voyce He altered not His voyce and yet they could not know Him albeit it be naturall by the sight of the eye to know one with whō wee are acquainted it is naturall by the eare to know the voyce yet this place lets vs see that the Lord hath a commandement of these gifts when Hee sayes looke that thou see not thou shalt not see and if He say to thee looke that thou know not thy father thou shalt not know him and more if He say know not the voyce of thy wife thou shalt not knowe her voyce All this tends to this We should beg our eyes our eares and all at the hands of God ay for that gift that thou hast thanke God hartily and say Lord I thanke thee for this that I can know the voyce of one creature frō another so all our lifetime should be a begging of His gifts if we moue we should thanke our God Now if we should beg this naturall sight that we haue much more are we bound to beg the thing we haue not to beg a spirituall eye to see heauenly things then when thou gettest it thou shouldest render thanks to Him Now of graces this is the best that the Lord giues an eye to see that life for if thou gettest one blencke certainly thou shalt see Heauen that joy and glorie at the which one day thou shalt wonder Now glory bee giuen to Him for all His giftes and euen for this that Hee hath giuen vs these bodily eyes I beseech Him to giue euery one of vs spirituall eyes that we may get a blencke of Him here and in the Heauens enjoy His presence for euermore through Christ our Lord. To whome with the Father and Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XXXVII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 17 And hee saide vnto them What manner of communications are these that yee haue one to another as yee walke and are sadde verse 18 And the one named Cleopas answered and saide vnto him Art thou onelie a stranger in Hierusalem and hast not knowne the thinges which are come to passe therein in these dayes verse 19 And hee saide vnto them What thinges And they saide vnto him Of Jesus of Nazareth who was a Prophet mightie in deede and in worde before God and all the people verse 20 And howe the high Priestes and our Rulers deliuered him to bee condemned to death and haue crucified him IN this Historie of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST welbeloued in Him wee haue heard hitherto of sundrie witnesses testifying His Resurrection from the death The Angels began and they testified His Resurrection to the women The women testified it to the Disciples who were conuened at Hierusalem and namelie to Peter and Iohn Then MARIE came foorth the seconde time and shee meetes with the LORD Then there are other women who came foorth and meetes vvith the LORDE And after these women there comes other witnesses to vvit enemies who were sent to watch the graue by PILATE and the High Priestes and they witnessed That Hee was risen But they solde their tongues to the high Priestes and the IEVVES to make a lie and to affirme that the LORDES DISCIPLES had come in the night and stollen awaye His bodie vvhile they slept And after these vvitnesses yee hearde the last daye wee returned to other two vvitnesses vvho both vvere the Disciples of the LORDE the one is named CLEOPAS but the name of the other is not expressed These two euen in a manner despairing that euer they shoulde see the LORDE they depart out of Hierusalem where they were with the rest of the Disciples to a Village not farre off called EMMAVS and they were talking by the waye of the thinges which immediatlie had fallen out before The Lorde who sawe them and hearde them addresses Himselfe shortlie to them and goes with them as a passenger going out the waye
from morning till euening we should vvonder at that God and his works at that mighty GOD whom the Prophet calles Deum admirabilem To goe forward The Lord who knew all things for all thinges are naked to His eyes He knew better what was done than Cleopas did yet Hee will not take vpon Him that Hee knevv He misknowes them and He askes What are these things Marke it Brethren Hee got a rough and sharpe answere before and yet Hee leaues not off Hee will not leaue them but Hee beares vvith their infirmities and novv Hee giues another pull to the heart deales againe vvith them that they should povvre out their sadnesse and griefe to Him No if thou pertainest to the Lorde Hee vvill not leaue thee for an hard meeting suppose thou dravvest abacke Hee vvill giue thee another pull Albeit wee be vnfaithfull sayes the Apostle yet the Lord abideth faithfull Change as thou wilt the Lord shall neuer change but remaine ay constant in mercie to His ovvne till they be perfected and crovvned vvith glorie Then Cleopas seeing him to bee troubled with a stranger at the last hee must tell the vvordes that he and his companion vvere speaking as they vvent on the way Marke this lesson Repine as thou vvilt when the Lord dravves thee at the last thou must yeeld But vvhat is the cause that any sinners vvill yeelde vvhen the Lord dravves Euen the secret operation of His Holy Spirit and if he that drew them by the vvorde had not a secret power and operation by His Spirit in their hearts they vvould neuer haue yeelded Albeit the LORD vvould prooue them by speech and language albeit Hee vvould exhort them admonish them threaten them yea and scourge them to come to Him and vvell is the soule albeit it be scourged yea if it vvere harled thorovv the middes of Hell if it were thorow neuer so great difficulties in the world if once it get grace to come to Him yet none outward thing will make vs to come to Him it is the inward draught of His Spirit that makes vs to come to Him and drawes vs by the eye by the eare and by the hand if He take vs not by the hand we can neuer come to Him It is saide in the 2. Chapter to the Romanes and the 4. verse Hee drawes the reprobate and calles them but all that calling is but outwarde Hee vvill scourge them and dravv them outwardly but Hee neuer puts the feeling of His holy Spirit in their heartes and so they can neuer come to Him therefore whē the Lord is outvvardly drawing and calling thee say alwayes this Lord draw thou mine heart inwardly by thine Holy Spirit or els it will bee long ere it come to thee if all the sicknesses all crosses troubles scourges judgements that can bee and all this preaching that I heare will neuer cause mee come to thee except thou draw mine heart Now to come to the vvords that Cleopas speakes there is none of them but they vvould be marked he beginnes and rehearses to Him the vvhole summe of these things that hee and his companion had bene speaking and he propones them summarily he sayes All the things we haue spoken was Concerning Iesus of Nazareth Alas fewe of vs take pleasure to talke of Him therefore when the Lord comes takes thee by the hand looke thou mayest say Lord I haue bene talking of thee in some measure for as sure as the Lord laid to His eare to heare what Cleopas and his companion talked as sure He layes to His eare to heare vvhat thou speakest Then vvhen he hath tolde the generall hee lets the stranger know what a man Iesus vvas and then he telles shortly what had befallen him these two dayes and after he speakes of the effects that it had wrought in his heart and in the heartes of His disciples to wit that He was no Redeemer This is the whole conference I shall goe thorovv this conference as God shall giue the grace and as time shall permit First in describing of Him hee calles Him Iesus of Nazareth That was the stile hee gaue Him Marke it The first thing that hee speakes to Him is an vntrueth he calles Him Iesus of Nazareth No doubt he thought He had beene borne at Nazareth suppose they had the Prophecie that Hee should be borne at Bethlehem in Iuda Micah Chapters verse 2. and that He vvas borne there The ground of this errour that vvas amongst the Iewes vvas because of Ioseph and Marie dwelt at Nazareth and Iesus was brought vp there with them that false rumor spred that Ioseph vvas His father and that He was borne there but He was not borne there I grant it is true that after His resurrection Peter in the Actes and the Apostles themselues called Him Iesus of Nazareth as Cleopas here calles Him Iesus of Nazareth Also Paul in the twentie sixe Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles and the ninth verse calles Him Iesus of Nazareth but neither Peter nor Paul spake this of ignorance as if Hee had bene borne there but because they to vvhome they spake knewe Him best vnder that name they submitted themselues to their capacitie But as for Cleopas he knevve no better for he thought indeede that Iesus had bene borne at Nazareth so the first word he speakes is plaine vntrueth so yee see what it is to judge vvith the multitude The Papists will send thee to beleeue that which the multitude beleeues and makes the multitude a token of the true Church but thou shalt be beguiled with the multitude and if thou follovvest them because they walke in the broad vvay thou shalt perish vvith them Next consider His description Hee calles Him Vir Propheta Indeede He failed not in this stile Hee was a man and was a man indeede blood and bone as we are yet there is a defect in this vvord Cleopas knewe no more but that He vvas a man hee knew not that He was GOD and man in one person It is true Peter in the 2. of the Actes calles Him Vir Propheta yet hee knew Hee was the Sonne of GOD blessed for euer so as in the first wordes there is an vntrueth so in the next wordes there is a defect I marke this to let you see the ignorance that was in them before the LORD ascended to the Heauen It was a wonder that they who walked so long with Him should haue beene so ignorant the third time he calles Him A Prophet Indeede He was such a Prophet as was neuer before nor after Him yet there is a fault here he giues Him the greatest stile he thought Hee had but Hee had farre greater stiles for Hee is not a Prophet onely but also a Mediatour King and High Priest Then hee comes on and hee telles what a Prophet Hee was saying that Hee was powerfull in word and deede Nowe would to GOD we could speake of Him in loue with this poore man
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
suppose thou beleeuedst not at the first and conceiuedst it not yet vvhen thou art at the brinke of desparation that shall holde thee aboue thou gettest further information Nowe goe to the rest Wee haue hearde this preaching of Cleopas to the passenger as he supposed Yee see he was carefull to teach Him and no question all that hee knew of Christ he tolde it Learne this lesson at Cleopas All that knowledge which thou hast of Christ tell it to another and if thou haue little tell it to him that hath nothing and it may be thou shalt get further information as Cleopas did for the stranger instructed him in all thinges Nowe CHRIST speakes and Hee sayes to him not letting him know that He was Christ O fooles Hee that Christ calles a foole is a foole indeede And if Hee call thee a foole thou art one And then Hee sayes Slowe of heart to beleeue concerning Christ the Messias Before I come to the words behold the clemencie mercie of the Lord These two men were rauing like fooles or as men in a feuer suppose they were His Disciples they vtter a plaine distrust and yet the Lord castes them not off Hee saw a little sparke in them Hee sawe a sponke of faith and Hee goes not to put it out So that it is true that is spoken of Him Esay Chap. 42. Hee neuer brake the bruised reede nor yet put out the smoaking slaxe but helde it in and quickened the sponkes thereof where hee founde it till it came to a perfection No Hee vvill neuer cast thee awaye for a little faith but Hee vvill entertaine it and of a sponke Hee vvill make a fire Yet to come to the wordes Hee sayes Fooles madde men vvithout anie minde And then Hee calles them dull hearted There are two thinges in man A minde to see and a vvill to embrace that which he seees As for their minde they vvere bereaued of mind as for their will they haue not a vvill nor an heart to embrace it So marke what misbeliefe is Alas it leaues not one part of the whole all the povvers of the soule are vitiate by misbeliefe Faith goes thorow all the powers of the soule it first stands in an illumination and sight of those things that concernes thy saluation it decernes of thinges heauenly and then goes downe to the heart and makes it to embrace IESVS CHRIST and His benefites euen these heauenly things that thou canst not see with the eyes of the bodie Infidelitie by the contrarie beginnes and blindes the minde of the infidell that hee sees not nor cannot see nor discerne of things heauenly and spirituall Albeit thou canst neuer discerne so vvell of policie as the Heathen could yet in heauenly things thou art but madde and out of their minds Christ would call thee vvood and madde Looke hovv Paul calles all the Philosophers 1. Rom. In a worde hee calles them fooles and then infidelitie goes from the minde and filles the heart and makes the heart astonied if thou be an Infidell thou art dull and senselesse thou mayest lay holde on the worlde but if thou gettest no better thou shalt die in thy dulnesse and senslessenesse So wouldest thou knowe whether thou art quicke or not and of a good conceiuing Trie not thy selfe by earthly things and say not I vnderstand the writing of this man or that man but if thou wouldest know whether thou werest not dull senslesse or not looke if thou seest any thing in Heauen and heauenly things and then thou art not dull and senslesse but if thou feelest not heauenly thinges albeit thou werest a King goe thy way thou art but a dull and senslesse creature the Asse or the Dogge is better than thou there the stile Hee giues them wood men and madde men without a minde These men that can compasse these thinges in the worlde thinke themselues quicke but I saye to thee in the Name of this IESVS if thou knowest not CHRIST and heauenly thinges thou art but a dull and senslesse man and seest not nor vnderstandest no more than an Asse Marke euery word that He speakes whilst He calles them slow to beleeue all that the Prophets had spoken He castes the Prophets in their teeth He calles them slow to beleeue not this thing or that thing not this man or that man but that which the Prophets had spoken It is euill not to beleeue any that speakes the trueth but it is worse not to beleeue a Prophet Any man that is sent or called of God if thou beleeuest Him not that same calling of the man augments thy judgement looke to it If ye beleeue not a man that is called that calling of his shall augment thy judgement Then Hee sayes Beleeue yee not the thinges that they haue spoken to you hearest thou many thinges and is this vvorde oft beaten in thine eares and hearest thou this daye the morne and other morne and yet wilt thou not beleeue the more heauie is thy judgement the more thou hearest if thou purposest not to beleeue the greater is thy judgement I giue thee my counsell if thou purposest not to beleeue heare not a preaching for all the preachings that thou hast heard shal aggrauate thy judgment a thousand times heauier shall thy judgement be better that thou hadst heard neuer a preaching except thou purpose to beleeue Marke this He vses a sharp forme of rebuke before He teach them He telles them not vvhat Hee vvas Hee makes as though Hee vvere a stranger and yet He calles them fooles and slovve to beleeue Take heede to this yee that vvill not suffer your selues to bee called foolish and vvill not suffer your heart to be launced but ay vvouldest haue good vvordes and that vvill not heare your selues to be called fooles there is the vvay to grace there is the order of teaching and hearing and if thou teachest call a foole foole albeit hee weâ—e a King call him madde or els thou vvilt beguile him call a slow hearted bodie foolish that is the only vvay to come to light and knovvledge Thou that vvouldest preach must doe this and thou that art an hearer First thou must get a sense of thy miserie and that thou art but foolish as euer thou vvouldest see Christ striue to get a sight of the blindnesse of thy soule and the hardnesse of thine heart and if thou seest thy blindnesse and miserie then thy desire will be vvakened and thou vvouldest giue ten thousand Kingdomes to be out of that damnable estate Now I shall bee short When Hâ—e hath begunne thus roughly vvith them and hath prepared their heartes to heare then Hee beginnes to teach Why should I call thee a foole and an hard hearted bodie except it be to teach thee So Hee beginnes and teaches them a faire preaching and no doubt Hee made a large discourse but heere it is summarilie gathered vp Hee layes downe His proposition It behooued him to suffer and to enter into
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 behoâ—ued 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 offeâ—ed 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'afflictioÌ„s 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 tâ—uer 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 polâ—ute 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
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
the Gospell is nothing else but an expounding of Moses and the Prophets and Iesus Christ is the foundation whereupon the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets is builded He is the end of the law all tendes to Him Thereafter we heard how Christ manifested Himselfe to these Disciples for when as Hee made Himselfe as though Hee woulde haue left them beeing constrained by them Hee went in to tarrie with them and as He sate at table with them in the blessing and breaking and distributing of the bread their eyes were opened and they knowe Him Last wee hearde vvhat effectes vvere vvrought in them vvhen they sawe Hee vvas their Lorde and Master Howbeit Hee left them yet they vvere not sadde but that sight which they got of Him left exceeding great joye and comfort in their heartes and so they call to mind that burning which they found in their heartes when He spake vnto them whereby they are more confirmed that it was the Lorde that spake to them for the burning of the heart which a man will finde in himselfe is a sure token of the presence of Christ Nowe in the Text which we haue presently read we haue set down their returning to Hierusalem with great expedition how they declare to the Apostles others who were there assembled all things y t fell out vnto theÌ„ by the way these things which they saw with their eyes which they had heard with their ears Therafter we haue set doun another appearing of Christ which fell out this same very time y t these two Disciples are talking together with th'eleueÌ„ of these things TheÌ„ to come to the words It is said They rose vp the same houre and returned to Hierusalem The circumstance of the time of their returning vvould be weighed They make no delay they stay not all night in Emmaus albeit it was late and they were before of intention to haue remained there till the morning but they vse all possible expedition and they rise that same houre to returne to Hierusalem that they might shew the Disciples what they had heard and seene make them partakers of their joy Compare this their returning to Hierusalem with their comming out of Hierusalem to Emmaus ye will find a great difference WheÌ„ they came out of HierusaleÌ„ to Emmaus they went slowly with sad hearts sad conference and when the Lord whom they supposed to be a passenger met them inquires what conference that was that they had amongst themselues They take leasure enough to tell Him the sorrowfull newes that had falleÌ„ out in Hierusalem of the crucifying of Iesus of Nazareth But in their returning to Hierusalem they make great speede they goe quickly they goe with joyefull heartes hasting to communicate to the disciples the great joye which they themselues had conceiued vpon the things which both they sawe and heard The lesson is plaine When the children of God are casten downe when their hearts are grieued when they haue no joyfull and comfortable newes to tell but sadde and heauie tidinges concerning Christ and His Gospell and the estate of His Kirke then they will goe slowlie and with heauie cheare they will speake slowly and with sadnesse they will haue little pleasure in any thing that they doe for the griefe of their hearts takes hand and foote from them so that they can doe nothing willingly and with chearefulnesse But by the contrarie when their hearts are joyfull when they haue joyfull and comfortable tidinges to tell to others of Christ and His Kirke then are they quicke and speedie and chearefull in al their doings they will goe with expedition and chearefulnsse they will speake with chearfulnesse with chearfulnes they will make haste to communicate their joye to others for y e joy which they conceiue in their hearts cheares vp and encourages all the members of their bodies to doe their duetie vvillinglie vvith chearfulnesse and pleasure Yea such is the force of the joye in the heart that it will swallow vp ouercome all troubles all stayes impediments which can be casteÌ„ in to hinder a good purpose and therefore if thou seest a man slow to a good action and namelie to preach the Gospell of IESVS thou hast just occasion to suspect that he hath found little joy in his heart through the Gospel as by the contratrie if thou seest a man hasten with chearfulnes to preach the Gospell it is a sure token that he hath his heart filled with the sense of joye through the Gospell Nowe when they came to Hierusalem They founde the eleuen Disciples of the Lorde and beside them they founde sundrie others gathered together with them Appearinglie these men vvho were gathered together vvith the Disciples vvere such as had heard the Lord Iesus teaching when He was conuersant in the worlde and had founde the power of His Preaching effectuall to their conuersion for as euill men delite in the societie of euill men because conformitie in manners makes men to entertaine societie together as the harlot with the harlot the drunkarde with the drunkard the thiefe with the thiefe c. EueÌ„ so good men take pleasure in the company of good men that they may be a mutuall furtherance one to another of the glorie of God their own saluation When these two Disciples finde th'eleuen the rest that were with them in Hierusalem looke howe they are exercised They are telling one to another that the Lord Jesus was risen indeed These two Disciples came to tell theÌ„ these newes supposing they had knowne nothing of them but they found themselues preueÌ„ted they found that the Lords disciples tel them that same that they came to haue informed them of to wit that the Lord Iesus was risen indeed And this they prooue by the testimonie of Simon Peter who had affirmed to them that he had seene the Lord for among others to whom the Lord appeared after His ResurrectioÌ„ He appeared in particular to Simon Peter as Paul testifies 1. Cor. 15.5 where he telles that He was seene of Cephas before He was seene of the rest of the twelue So these two disciples that made haste vpon set purpose to further strentheÌ„ and comfort others they are furthered strengthened comforted by others and so they find their comming to bee profitable to themselues The lesson shortly is this Often times it comes to passe that they who come of set purpose to declare to others that joy which they haue found to be wrought in their soules by the Holy Spirit by the preaching of the Gospell are preuented by others heaâ—e of others these same glad tidings that they came to speake themselues before they can get time or leasure to vtter them theÌ„selues and so they finde that same joye communicated to them vvhich they come to communicate to others or if they be not preuented then it falles out that they heare these same glad tidings of others that they themselues declare to others and
so receiue mutuall comfort or if others speake nor to them at least this fall out that of their owne message and of that speach that they vtter of IESVS CHRIST they will find their joye to encrease more and more to abounde so that it falles out that their preaching is not onelie powerfull and comfortable to the soules of others but euen to themselues when they preach to others they preach to themselues If thou hast gotten a spiritual grace or comfort to thy soule bee carefull to communicate it vnto others for by so doing thou shalt find thy grace and joye to encrease feare not that by communicating of thy grace it shall bee empaired for these spirituall graces are not like worldlie benefites whereof the more thou giuest to others there is the lesse behinde but the more thou giuest of these spirituall graces vnto others the more thou hast behinde to thy selfe the more shall they encrease For to him that hath it shall bee giuen and hee shall haue abundance Matth. Chap. 25.29 But it vvoulde bee marked Albeit these two Disciples finde themselues to bee preuented by the eleuen who were telling that same thing that they came to tell them yet they are not so silent nor conceale not the thinges vvhich they had hearde and seene but it is saide that they also tolde what thinges were done in the waye and howe CHRIST was knowne of them in breaking of bread and so they goe about to confirme the APOSTLES in that which they themselues were telling of the Resurrection of CHRIST Nowe a question may bee mooued heere Howe is it that LVKE sayes that vvhen the two Disciples came of purpose to tell the eleuen what had befallen to them in the waye and vvhat they had hearde and seene concerning IESVS the eleuen preuentes the two and telles them that IESVS was risen and had appeared to Peter seeing MARKE speaking of this same matter sayes that when these two went and tolde Christes appearing to them to the remnant that they beleeued Howe agree these two together To this I answere First That when LVKE sayes that they tolde the two Disciples that the Lorde was risen indeede and that hee had appeared to Simon Peter hee meanes that there was a number among them who beleeued and that which was proper to some hee ascribes it indefinitelie to the whole And on the other part when MARKE sayes they beleeued not it is to bee vnderstoode that there vvere certaine of them vvho beleeued not And so both the EVANGELISTES according to the accustomed forme of speaking in the Scripture attribute that indefinitelie to the whole which was proper to a part Next I answere When Marke sayes they beleeued not he speakes of a full and perfect Faith that was free of all doubting wauering and vnconstancie but Luke speakes of a begunne Faith which in the meane time wantes not the owne doubting for wee may perceiue in the Historie that sundrie times after this they were in doubt as yee see hereafter in the 41â— verse of this Chapter where it is said that after Hee had shewed them His hands and His feete they beleeued not their heartes were not constantly settled with an assurance of His resurrection Novv in the next part of our Text vve haue set dovvne another appearing of Christ after His resurrection which falles out in this same very time when these two disciples were talking with the eleuen this is His first apparition we haue heard of foure alreadie His first appearing was to Marie Magdalene the second was to certain other women the third was to y e two disciples who were going to Emmaus the fourth was to Peter which we shewed you before Luke touched in a worde verse 34. Now in this His fift appearing He appeares vnto the disciples beeing assembled together The three Euangelists Marke Luke Iohn set downe particularly the circumstances of their assembling meeting together which circumstances would be well considered because they serue for the clearing of the Historie the first circumstance is of the persons that were conueened who and how many they were Marke sayes that He appeared vnto the eleuen yet we must vnderstand by the Historie y t followes in Iohn that Thomas was not present at this meeting but here he giues y e name of the whole to y e most part after Iudas death they were commonly called the eleuen Iohn sayes generally indefinitely That the disciples were assembled Of this circumstance we marke The disciples of the Lord for the most part euer vsed to meete and assemble together they assembled together before His Passion they assembled together euen in the verie time of His Passion and hanging on the Crosse for it is saide in the 23. Chapter of Luke and the 49. verse And all His acquaintance stood afarre off and the women that followed Him from Galile beholding these things and now they assembled together after His Passion So yee may see They who are Christes are euer going about to meet to holde themselues together that they may speake conferre of all thinges that fall out concerning Christ and the estate of His Church whether they be joyfull and comfortable or sad sorrowfull that they may edifie further one another mutually in the course of their saluation that they may be joyned together and make vp and compleete one body And why not For as there is one GOD the Father one head the LORD Iesus one Spirit one Faith one Baptisme one hope of vocation so there should bee but one body the members whereof should endeuoure to entertaine loue and vnitie amongst themselues Ephes Chapter 4 verses 3 4 5 6. This meeting together of the members of the body of Christ and their mutuall conference brings with it an exceeding great consolation and joy for the Lord hath promised to send that Comforter the Holy Spirit to these meetings of the Sainctes and Christ sayes in the 18. Chapter of Matthew and the 20. verse Where two or three is gathered together in my Name there will I be in the middes of them If thou despisest these holy meetings and disdainest thou the holy conference I denounce to thee in the Name of Christ thou shalt neuer finde a solide joy or consolation manie there are who contemne the meetings of the faithfull and the assemblies of the Sainctes and disdaine the meanes of grace godly speeches and conferences and yet will dreame to themselues that the Holy Spirit vvill dvvell in their soules and that they will finde joy and consolation but the end will prooue that their corrupt and false hearts haue deceiued them Nowe I come to the second circumstance which is concerning their exercise in that meeting What were they doing Marke sayes They sate together Luke sayes They were speaking of these things that they had heard by the report of sundrie persons concerning the Lords Resurrection so ye see their exercise was holy their conference was spirituall
see Christ that hee woulde not care for death nor for the graue to see Him Howbeit they cannot beleeue yet they haue joye and their soules are rauished with admiration Faith is not so much in a rauished and carried heart as in a setâ—ed soule A faithfull heart is the moste setled heart in the worlde If there bee vanitie in the heart faith is so solide that it will presse out vanitie Faith is a solide thing in a setled heart A faithfull man is a setled man and a man without faith is as an emptie vessell and as a bagge of winde his joye is light and proceedes onely from the swarfe of the soule But after once faith bee setled there will bee solide joy that comes in with pleasure and searches the least corner of the heart a joye vnspeakeable and glorious begunne heere which will haue none ende till wee see Christ So this their joye goes not farre enough downe in their heartes for they are rauished with joye but had not solide faith When I marke this place I see in it what shall be the estate of the godlie when they shall meete with their LORD The first sight shall rauishe them so that they shall wonder that euer there coulde haue beene such a glorie Wilt thou but suspende thy judgement for a while thou shalt see that which thou neuer sawest and that which thou neuer heardest tell of and that which neuer coulde enter into thine heart When thou shalt see this thou shalt fall into an admiration Then after once thou knowest Him then after the admiration shall follow a solide faith a solide joye and a setled apprehension of thinges spirituall and that not for a time but for euermore Nowe it lastes not scarcelie is it present when it euanishes But after the full sight shall followe the solide joye that neuer shall haue ende As by the contrarie This shall bee the estate of the reprobate The first sight and sense of that wrath that shall ceaze vpon them so fearcelie as neuer before they coulde haue suspected shall astonishe confounde and dammishe them Thou knewest neuer what measure of wrath is hidden vp in the treasure of GOD. Thou who art a reprobate till thou feelest it there shall come such a terrour vpon thee that it shall cause all the haires of thine head stande ouer ende and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such an astonishment as Christ suffered in the Garden a little before Hee was taken Then shall followe on them that anguishe and fearefull dreadfulnesse pressing them when they haue beene astonished at the sight and sense of vvrath vvhich is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich vvas the LORDES seconde perturbation vvhich is a more setled feeling of vvrath and more constant apprehension of dolour sorrowe and anguishe for euermore in the Helles And it shall bee so vveightie vvhen they are shotte into Hell that it shall presse the sappe out of them The LORDE saue vs from it and giue vs grace to bee founde in CHRIST that wee maye bee saued from that vvrath vvhich is to come in Him To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Praise Honour and Glorie for euermore Amen THE XLII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 41 Hee saide vnto them Haue yee heere anie meate verse 42 And they gaue him a piece of a broyled fish and of an honie combe verse 43 And hee tooke it and did eate before them verse 44 And hee saide vnto them These are the wordes which I spake vnto you while I was yet with you that all must bee fulfilled which are written of mee in the Lawe of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes verse 45 Then opened hee their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures verse 46 And saide vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the thirde day WEe continue as yet beloued Brethren in the History of the appearing of Christ after His glorious Resurrection His fift appearing was to the eleueÌ„ who were so called after the defection of Iudas and the others The common ranke of His Disciples conuened together in the night in a secret plâ—ce of Hierusalem and while they are sitting together hauing their conferences one with another each one perswading certifying another of the Resurrection of the Lord in the meane time the doore being shut the LORD on a suddaintie comes in ere they wist and Hee standes in the middes of them standing in the middes of them He wishes His peace to them and He sayes Peace be vnto you they seeing Him and supposing Hee had bene a Spirit or an Angell in the likenesse of a man they were abashed and astonished The Lord aftherwards settles them with a litle sharpe rebuke Hee beginnes to shew vnto them that He was no spirit but a very body and that same very man called Iesus vvho before His Passion vvas conuersant with them that same man that suffered and therefore He holdes out His handes and His feete which were both marked with the print of His wounds on the Crosse See sayes He feele sayes He looke if I be not that same man which suffered a Spirit hath not flesh and blood as I haue Ergo I am no Spirit When He had in this manner led them by the very sense to know Him by the eye to beholde Him by the eare to heare His familiar voyce salutation by the hand to handle Him What effect followed Yet sayes the Scripture they beleeued not and they could not beleeue for exceeding joy wherewith they were rauished for admiration and wondering they could not beleeue for a piece of time Faith dwelles in a setled heart and if there be any vanitie and any emptinesse in the heart Faith will presse out the vanitie and will fill vp that emptinesse in the heart and the faithfull man is the most solide and settled thing in the world and hee who is the vnfaithfull man is a vaine hearted man his heart is blowne vp with vanitie albeit he had all the naturall wit in the world Now the joy that Faith brings with it is not an admiration and rauishing of the heart but it is a solide joy a solide apprehension of spiritual things in the heart so the heartes of the disciples at the first sight became rauished in admiration the vaile of their heartes were not touched with joy they had not that settled joy that they had afterward Nowe to come to the Text that wee haue read In it first the Lord yet continues in assuring them that it was He He striueth on with their infidelitie then when He hath shewed them visibly the action of a body in eating in their sight then He comes to a sweete Sermon wherein Hee instructes them in two points first that all things that befell to Him as His Passion and Resurrection behooued to haue befallen to Him secondly againe
determinate prouidence of God in a manner of necessitie so that in respect of this prouidence they coulde not otherwise haue bene We haue heard before that there was a necessitie of Christes death resurrection that there was a necessitie of preaching now here we see that there is a necessitie of sending of Ministers to preach the Gospel for there is no faithfull Minister but he must haue his commission of Him God must make choose of him separate him frō the common sort of men as Paul sayes of himselfe He was called to be an Apostle put apart to preach the Gospel of God Rom. 1.1 So must it be with all faithfull Pastors It is true indeede some wil preach whō y e Lord hath not sent some wil run vnsent some wil preach to get honor vantage or preferment to themselues but these are not faithfull Pastours but all faithfull Pastours must of necessitie be sent of y e Lord receiue their cōmission frō Him Now if this be true y t nothing concerning Christ or His Gospel or the Ministers y t preach it falles out without y e determinate prouidence counsel of God it is as true that none heares y e Gospel preached without y e same prouidence The speciall prouidence of God is no lesse extended to the hearer than to y e Preacher of y e Gospel so that the hearer as well as the Preacher is bound to glorifie God in His gracious prouidence in y e riches of His grace Many oftentimes thinke that it is by conjecture y t men come to y e Church heares the word preached but y e faithfull man that hath felt the power of this word in quickening His soule raising it frō death to life is assured y t the Lord had a special prouidence care in making Him to heare y t word at such a time to his great comfort But it would be marked that albeit all y e Preachers of the Gospel be sent by God yet all are not sent after one manner there is a great difference amongst them for some are sent immediatly of the Lord Himselfe without the ministerie of men as were the Prophets of olde and here the Apostles None of these were sent by mens ministerie but it was only the Lorde Himselfe who sent them according to the good pleasure of His will some are sent mediately by the ministerie of men as are the ordinarie Pastours and Ministers in the Church this daye who albeit they bee sent by God yet the Lord vses the ministerie of men in sending of them Nowe these men whom the Lord employes in this piece of seruice to call and send others should not bee rash nor lay handes suddenly on any man but they ought to be verie carefull to take good heede vnto the Lords will and consider and trie narrowly whether it be the Lords will to call such and such persons to the Ministerie that so they may haue a good conscience that they haue sought to conforme themselues to Gods will When Christ sent His Apostles He sent them according to the will of GOD the Father 1 Cor. 1.1 So whomsoeuer men call and send they must call and send them according to the will of God the Father and the Sonne But yee will say Howe shall men knowe these men whome the Lorde thinkes meete to be sent How shall they know whether it be the Lordes will to choose such and such men to His Ministerie I answere The LORD hath set downe sufficient markes and tokens in the Scripture whereby wee may know them whome the Lord would haue vs to send He hath stamped them with gifts beyond the common sort of men If yee would know what these gifts and graces are wherewith the Lord endues them read 1. Timoth. 3 c. Tit. 1.6 In the which places ye will see what properties the Spirit of God requires to be in a faithfull Pastor Indeed I grant there are some of the properties rekoned out there by the Apostle that are common to other true Christians with the Pastour As to be temperate wise holy righteous and such other but there are some other that properly belong to a Pastour As that hee bee apt to teach that he be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and conuince the gainesayers that hee haue skill to guide and rule the Church of God Let them who haue power to call Ministers take heed vnto these properties that they call not men to this High calling vpon a priuate affection which vice and corruption hath beene too common in all ages but that they call them whom the Lord hath stamped with these graces and pointed out as meete to vndertake this charge that they may haue the better conscience in their proceeding Yet before we leaue this it would be considered who these were whom the Lord sendes were they wise men were they such who constantly auouched Him professed His Name Were they such men as deserued much at His hand Were they such as were meete and sufficient for such a glorious calling No certainely For who is sufficient for these things sayes the Apostle 2. Cor. 2 16. Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3.5 What manner of men are they then Euen these who before His death and suffering were offended in Him who were ashamed of Him and fled away euen these who after His Resurrection were so hard to beleeue that He was risen againe from the dead for all the paines that the Lord tooke vpon them men altogether vnmeete and vnsufficient for such an high and glorious calling men who by nature were fraughted with such stuffe as was directly repugnant to such a worthie calling and yet for all this the Lord castes them not off but sends them to preach saluation to the world He made them of darknesse to be light to shine to the rest of the world for sayes Paul God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse is He that hath shined in our heartes 2. Cor 4 6. Our hearts are darke by nature yet the Lord by shining in them brings light out of darknesse for as the Lord in the first creation commanded light to come out of darknesse so dayly in the new creation and regeneration and namely when Hee sets a man in His Ministerie He makes light to shine out of darknesse We haue a notable example of this in the Apostle Paul he had bene before a blasphemer and a persecuter an oppressour yet such was the mercy fauour of God toward Him that for all this He not only beautifies him with that common grace to be a Christian and to get an assurance of the Remission of his owne sinnes but also countes him faithfull to place him in His Ministerie to preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes to others The world thinkes it an easie thing to make a man a Minister but if wee consider what stuffe is in man
and how farre his nature is repugnant to that calling wee will thinke that of all things in the world it is most hard and most painefull It is an hard thing indeede to bring a man out of nature and make him a Christian but it is farre harder to make a man a teacher of Christians and a disposer of the treasures of grace and of the secrets of God Nowe when I beginne to consider what should haue mooued the Lord to haue chosen such persons and so vnmeete for such an high calling I thinke this chiefly hath beene it that when the Apostles went out to preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes to others and to exhort all persons howe grieuouslie so euer they had sinned to come and to seeke mercie in Christ they might propone themselues as examples of the superaboundant mercie of God and that they in their Ministerie might declare and make manifest the gentlenesse and long suffering of God towardes all men euen the greatest sinners in the worlde and that by the proofe and experience that they found in their owne person of the mercie of God in calling them and placing them in that high calling who before vvere so miserable wretches and so vpon their owne experience they might the more easily perswade euen the most miserable sinners to seeke for mercie and grace in Christ When Paul preaches Where sinne aboundes there grace and mercie superaboundes if hee had not found this by experience and had not stoode for example hereof hee would not so easily haue perswaded sinners of the exceeding greatnesse of the mercie of God But to goe forward Because this direction that He giues them and this Ministerie He calles them to was very painfull and troublesome and so they might haue taken hardly with it therefore in the words following the Lord goes about to encourage them to vndertake it and to discharge it chearfully the Argument is of great force Beholde sayes He I will send the promise of my Father vpon you that is I will send vnto you the Holy Spirit Himselfe with Him His extraordinarie giftes and graces as the gift of prophecie of working of miracles of tongues and such other that ye may bee the more able to discharge this calling and to performe the worke I send you for Hee calles this the promise of His Father because the Father long before by His Prophetes promised at the comming of the Messias to send His Spirite in great abundance vpon them that beleeue Yee may read this promise in sundrie places of the Olde Testament but chiefly in the 2. Chapter of the prophecie of Ioel and the 28. verse In the last dayes I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions and also vpon the seruants and vpon the maides will I powre my Spirit c. And of the accomplishment of this promise ye may read in the 2. Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Out of this place wee may marke first That the things which the Father promised of olde to His Church the Sonne in the appointed time accomplished them the Father promised of olde the Spirit and His graces the Sonne in the fulnesse of time sendes the Spirit and His graces and giues them to His Church and for this cause the Spirit and His giftes that is giuen to euery faithfull man is called the measure of the gife of Christ Ephes Chapter 4. verse 7. And thereafter in that same Chapter ver 11. the Apostle sayes That Christ to the end He might fill all things Hee gaue some to bee Apostles some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastours and Teachers that is He gaue all sorts of gifts vnto His Church that He might fulfill the promise of His Father and all these giftes and graces that we see are now in the Church from whome came they but only from the Lord Iesus This leadeâ— vs to an higher ground that the Sonne hath receiued of the Father all graces and all the giftes of the Holy Spirit together with the Holy Spirit Himselfe the Father hath giuen all first to the Sonne and not to vs for the Father loues the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into His hand Ioh. 3.35 And In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge Coloss Chapter 2. verse 3. Yet there is an higher cause of this to wit that the Sonne only hath merited the Holy Spirit with the fulnesse of all His graces No man euer merited any of them for who can merite them but hee who first receiued them The Lord Iesus receiued them first wee haue none but as He giues vs Hee merited and purchased them to vs with no lesse price than with the ransome of His owne blood Now wouldest thou know how all these graces that the Lord hath boughâ— with such a deare price are communicated to thee and made thine I will tell thee Not by any merite of thine own for thou couldest merite nothing at the Lordes handes but Hell and damnation but it is of the free grace and liberalitie of the Father and the Sonne that they are made thine it is of this grace that out of His fulnesse we receiue grace for grace When the Apostle Coloss Chapter 2. verse 9. hath saide In Him dwelles all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily thereafter he subjoynes And ye are compleete in Him as if hee had saide All this fulnesse is made yours of free grace whilst as by Faith yee take holde of Him Consider the wonderfull bountifulnesse and liberalitie of the Sonne to thee who giues thee these graces freely that Hee bought so dearely and purchased with such a worthie price Yee know sayes the Apostle the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that He beeing rich for your sakes became poore that ye through His pouertie might be made rich 2. Cor. 8.9 Now ere I go forward I marke another lesson that the Spirit of God pointes out clearely in these words for our instruction for when the Lord sayes I will send you the promise of my Father vpon you that is the Holy Spirit with His graces He lets vs see that without His Spirit His presence and assistance a Minister cannot be able to doe any thing well in His calling but that in the discharge of euery part of His calling hee must bee assisted by the Spirit The Apostle Paul when hee is telling what good successe his preaching had among the Gentiles he takes not the praise thereof to himselfe but he ascribes all to the presence of Christ by His Spirit I dare not sayes he speake of any thing which Christe hath not wrought by mee to make the Gentiles obedient in word and deede Rom. 15.18 It is not with a Minister as it is with a man in the ciuile policie No there is a great difference for in the ciuile policie a man by his naturall giftes by his wisdome
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 wâ—ll 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
he hath a speciall warrand from the Iudge otherwise hee cannot haue a good conscience in his intimation then how shall the Pastour knowe Gods sentence pronounced in Heauen that hee may haue a good conscience in his proceeding To this I answere It is true indeede the Pastour hath none extraordinarie reuelation of that sentence vvhich is past in Heauen but all the warrand that the Pastour hath is ordinary wrought by the Spirit accompanying His own word vvhich He left in vvrite vnto vs and the Pastour gets this vvarrand out of the vvord by the applying of the generall sentences of the vvorde to particular persons according as they finde their disposition and behauiour and by this meanes gets such a sufficient warrand out of the vvorde as his conscience may rest vpon As for example to speake first of the sentence of the Remission of sinnes Before the Pastour absolue a man and remit his sinnes he lookes first to the generall sentences set downe in the worde that may be his warrand as namely that sentence which the LORD Himselfe vtters Ioh. 3.13 Whosoeuer beleeues in the Sonne of God shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Nowe to Faith in Christ joyne Repentance for the Gospell joynes Repentance and Remission of sinnes together Luke 24.47 and sayes Whosoeuer beleeues and repents shall be safe To this generall proposition the Pastour will assume particularly This sinner repents and beleeues whereupon he concludes declaring the sentence that is alreadie past of Him in the Heauen therefore this sinner hath his sinnes forgiuen him and he shall be saued Againe before the Pastour binde a man and retaine his sinnes hee lookes to this generall sentence of the worde Hee that beleeues not and repents not is alreadie condemned Ioh. 3.18 Then he assumes particularly But this sinner beleeues not neither repents whereupon hee concludes the declaration of the sentence which is alreadie past in Heauen Therefore this sinner is condemned and is bound in Heauen The Lord worke in our heartes true repentance and Faith in the Lorde Iesus that not only wee may heare the voyce of the Pastour absoluing vs but likewise our owne consciences may assure vs of the Remission of our sinnes through the mercie of God in Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLVI LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XX. verse 24 But Thomas one of the twelue called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came verse 25 The other Disciples therefore saide vnto him Wee haue seene the Lord but hee saide vnto them Except I see in His handes the print of the nayles and put my finger into the print of the nayles and put mine hand into His side I will not beleeue it verse 26 And eight dayes after againe His Disciples were within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus when the doores were shut and stood in the middes and saide Peace be vnto you WEE haue heard hitherto Welbeloued in Christ of fiue sundrie appearings of our Lord after His Resurrection The first was to Marie Magdalene The second was to other women The third was to two Disciples as they were going from Jerusalem to Emmaus The fourth was to Simon Peter The fift was to the eleuen assembled together in one place In this fift appearance the Lord hath a Sermon to His Disciples wherein first He lets them see the necessitie that He should suffer and rise againe and that these thinges behooued to be preached to the world and thereafter giues them a direction to goe out to preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes to the worlde in His Name and to the end He may encourage them the more willingly to vndertake this charge Hee promises to giue them the Holy Spirit with His graces y t was promised before for their further assurance He enters them presently in some measure in possession of the Spirit for Iohn sayes Hee breathed vpon them and saide vnto them Receiue the Holy Ghost and then Hee enarmes them with authoritie and power to forgiue and retaine sinnes And Hee sayes Whosoâ—uer sinâ—es ye remit they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes ye retaine thâ—y are retained Now in the words that we haue presently read out of the Gospell of Iohn wee haue set downe a particular Hâ—storie concerning Thomas and his incredulitie this Thomas is he who is also called Didymus we read of him first that he was called and receiued to be one of the twelue Apostles Matth. 10 3. Next we â—ead that hee was offended that the Lord purposed to returne againe to Iudea beeing requestâ—d by Martha and Marie to come to Lazâ—rus their brother and that he burst out in words full of anger aâ—d iâ—dâ—gnation saying Let vs goe also that we may die with Lazarus Ioh 11.16 And last wee haue in this place set downe the Historie not only of his great incredulitie but also of his stubburnesse and wilfulnesse therein for neither did hee beleeue neither had hee a will or purpose to beleeue Of this doing of Thomas we may learne that by nature there was no difference betweene y e Apostles of the Lord Iesus other men albeit moste vile most vnworthie but grace made the difference they were as incredulous as stubburne as hard hearted as any other by nature while it pleased God of His mercie to open their heâ—rtes to make them to bâ—leeue And therefore the Lord Iesus when He calles them to be Apostles and ordaines them to preach the exceeding gâ—eatnesse of His mercy to others He makes them to stand for eâ—samples of that same mercie that they preach to others that they might y e more easily perswade others make them to come to seeke mercie in Iesus This was the ende why the Apostle Paul sayes The Lord shewed mercy on him who was a mâ—serable wreth and had called him to bee an Apost Iesus Christ saies he shâ—wed on me all long suffeâ—ing vnto the ensample of them which shall in time to come beleeue in Him vnto eternall life 1 Tim. 1.16 Thus much concerning the person of Thomas we come next to the Historie of his incredulitie first to the occasion of it the rest of y e Apostles Disciples who were assembled together in one to whom the Lord Iesus had manifested Himselfe declares preaches to Thomas y e ResurrectioÌ„ of Christ y e cause of their preaching thereof to him was because Thomas was absent when the Lord appeared to the rest What was the cause of his absence it is vncertaine neither will we curiously inquire what it was It may be that after Christ His Master was apprehended he kept himselfe close lurked secretly for feare of danger through the malice of the Iewes and durst not manifest himselfe so soone as the rest or it may be that he was entangled with his owne priuate affaires at that time when the rest met together and were speaking of
he came to himselfe bethought himselfe for it is a wonder to see howe soone the soule of the most obstinate and indured man will be turned when it pleases the Lord to be effectuall in it by His presence The rest of the Apostles beleeued not so soone as they sawe the Lord heard His voyce albeit their incredulitie was not so great as was the incredulitie of Thomas yet when it pleased the Lord to open their eyes and to illuminate their vnderstanding they beleeued And Thomas vvho by many degrees surpassed all the rest in incredulitie after that once he saw the Lord and heard Him incontinently he beleeued and gaue a notable confession of Him Then marke it Brethren Faith dependes not on our selues on the strength of our nature on the free wil of man or vpon such such disposition of the soule but it dependes vpon the free mercie and good pleasure of God It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in GOD that sheweth mercie Rom. Chapter 9. verse 16. Therefore when wee see any beliefe in CHRIST let vs euer giue the praise thereof to GOD and not to the man as if it were of his naturall strength power and inclination But let vs consider this confession of Thomas and the grounds vvhereupon it arises he sayes Thou art my LORD and my GOD. This confession that hee giues of the LORD proceedes from a cleare light whereby his minde was suddenly illuminated and that by the powerfull and effectuall presence of the LORD his minde was first illuminated to see CHRIST to be the LORD as He is man for CHRIST as Hee is man is LORD ouer all thereafter to see Christ as He is GOD for by the vaile of the flesh and of the nature of man Hee is led in and gets accesse to see the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in Him bodily Next this confession proceedes frō the apprehension of the heart whereby it felt the Lord and tooke holde of Him for as that cleare light shined in his minde so also the heart of Thomas was opened to embrace the Lord and to draw Him in to himselfe and therefore hee calles Him not simply Lord but my Lord he stiles Him not simply God but my God For no question this plaine and cleare confession testifies that there was a cleare illumination in the minde and a full perswasion in the heart of Thomas of that which he confessed If wee compare Thomas with the rest of the Apostles wee will finde that as he surpassed them farre in vnbeliefe so he surpasses them farre in beleeuing and confessing of the LORD for such a confession hath not beene hitherto vttered by any of the Disciples so that in this example we may see verified that common saying The last shall be first and the first shall be last The rest of the Apostles were before Thomas in Faith they beleeued before him but nowe Thomas by a suddaine change runnes out before them hee hath a clearer sight and a greater measure of Faith than they had The rest of the Apostles had the Holy Spirit giuen them and that strengthened their Faith but Thomas who then was absent after that once hee see and heare the Lord he findes such a cleare and marueilous light in his soule that hee vtters a more glorious and notable confession than any of the rest had done before And this likewise teaches vs to ascribe the praise of all the benefites and graces that is in man to the grace and mercie of GOD who distributes to euery man according to the good pleasure of His will that which Hee thinkes meete for as was said before It is not in him that runneth nor in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercie This sudden change and notable confession which Thomas giues of the LORD teaches vs yet further that there was some sponkes of grace and of spirituall desire left into the soule of Thomas to see the LORD and to enjoy His presence for except there had bene some piece of desire to haue seene Him how could hee vpon a suddaintie haue embraced Him so willingly and joyfully as one long desired and looked for For the wordes of Thomas importe first that hee had great sorrowe and sadnesse in His soule because as hee thought hee had lost the LORD Next that hee had a desire to finde Him and to see Him againe And thirdly that hee had an exceeding great joy when he found Him and by his expectation saw Him and enjoyed His presence This serues for thy comfort who hast gotten a measure of grace albeit the corruptions and infirmities of the flesh striue to drowne and smoother and suffocate it yet neuer shall it altogether be abolished and extinguished but at last it shall wrestle out and preuaile and ouercome the corruption Now to come forward to the LORDES replie to Thomas Hee answeres him Thomas because thou hast seene thou beleeuest blessed are they which haue not seene and haue beleeued Hee sayes not because thou hast touched Mee but because thou hast seene Me. So in my judgement Thomas touched not the Lord but contented himselfe with the seeing of the LORD and hearing of His voyce Hee acknowledges the Faith of Thomas but Hee extetenuates it in comparison of others Hee praises not Thomas for His Faith because hee tied his faith to his senses Hee beleeued because hee sawe Him but Hee praises and commends the Faith of others who no counting of the outwarde sense should beleeue in Him albeit they saw Him not Albeit Hee acknowledges the Faith of Thomas Hee calles him not blessed for it but Hee pronounces them to be blessed who haue not seene Him and yet doe beleeue These wordes of the LORD to Thomas le ts vs see that the case and condition of them who beleeue without seeing is nothing worse nor inferiour to the case and condition of them who haue not seene the LORD and vpon sight haue beleeued We this day who haue not seene the LORD face to face but only haue heard His worde and beleeue are nothing inferiour to them who sawe Him and beleeued and namely to Thomas who would not beleeue except he saw the LORD and if there were no more to assure thee who hast not seene the LORD IESVS and yet beleeuest that thou art blessed this joy that thou shalt finde in the middes of thy greatest sorrow and affliction might be a sufficient argument to perswade thee for Peter sayes The Godly in the middes of their affliction beleeuing in Christ whome they haue not seene reioyce with a ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. Chapter 1. verse 8. Indeede in this life the blessed estate of them who beleeue in Christ is neither clearly seene by others neither is it throughly felt by themselues for it is not seene what wee shall be and heere only haue wee the first fruites of the Spirite and a foretasting of these things that shall bee reueiled but in that
liuing GOD for Hee sayes vnto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona for neither flesh nor blood hath reueiled that vnto thee but my Father which is in Heauen Matth. Chapter 16. verse 17. And therefore we must craue continually of the LORD that Hee would vouchsafe His Spirite on vs to worke Faith in our soules that beleeuing in IESVS CHRIST wee may get life and Saluation through Him To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour and praise for euermore AMEN THE XLVIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XXI AFter these thinges Jesus shewed Himselfe againe to His Disciples at the sea of Tiberias and thus shewed He Himselfe verse 2 There were together Simon Peter and Thomas which is called Didymus and Nathanael of Cana in Galile and the sonnes of Zebedeus and two other of His disciples verse 3 Simon Peter saide vnto Him I goe a fishing They saide vnto him Wee also will goe with thee They went their way and entred into a shippe straightway and that night caught they nothing verse 4 But when the morning was nowe come Iesus stood on the shore neuerthelesse the Disciples knew not that it was Jesus verse 5 Iesus then saide vnto them Sirs haue yee any meate They answered Him No. verse 6 Then Hee saide vnto them Cast out the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall finde So they cast out and they were not able at all to draw it for the multitude of fishes verse 7 Therefore saide the Disciple whome Iesus loued vnto Peter It is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord hee girded his coate to him for he was naked and cast himselfe into the sea WEE continue as yet Brethren Beloued in Christ in the Historie of Christs appearings after His Resurrection whereof this which we haue set downe in the beginning of the 21. Chapter of Iohn is the seuenth if wee reckone precisely all the particular appearings whereof any mention is made in the Gospel But if we count only the appearings vnto His Apostles assembled together this is the third in number as the Euangelist himselfe hereafter telles In the first two appearings He manifested Himselfe vnto the eleuen beeing assembled together in an house the doores beeing closed only Thomas was absent in the first appearing nowe heere Hee appeares only vnto seuen beeing together not in an house but without at the fishing As concerning the particular time of this appearing what day it was from the first daye of His Resurrection or howe many dayes it was from His last appearing vnto them it is not particularly set downe and therefore we will passe by it but the Euangelist markes particularly the place of this appearing for he sayes Iesus shewed Himselfe againe at the sea of Tiberias which sea is otherwise called the sea of Gennesareth for according to the accustomable forme of speaking among the Iewes a lake is called the Sea Before wee come to the rest of the circumstances of this appearing it is expedient that we answere to a question that may bee mooued It may bee asked What is the cause that the Lord appeared so oft times vnto His Disciples and so many wayes Had it not bene enough that He had appeared to them once or twise What needed there any moe appearings To this answere There are many great and weightie causes wherefore the Lord so oft times appeared and first because Faith in the Resurrection from the dead is a thing very hardly and with great difficultie is obtained for among all the Articles of Faith there is none more contrarie to Nature none appeares to be more vncredible therefore the Lord that He might assure them that He was risen and that they who are in Him one day shall rise againe Hee appeared so oft times after His Resurrection Next Hee appeared so ofâ— to His Disciples because they were to be the first witnesses of His Resurrection to the worlde and therefore they needed oft times to see the Lorde to haue heard to haue handled Him and beene conuersant with Him they needed all sortes of helpes to their Faith that they might haue full assurance themselues that the Lorde was risen to the ende that with the greater assurance and with a full perswasion as the Apostle speakes of himselfe 1. Thess 1.5 They might testifie of that Resurrection both by viue voyce and by writting vnto others euen to the comming of the Lord Himselfe indeede so it came to passe for because Hee appeared and reueiled Himselfe so oft times to them therefore they had exceeding great libertie and boldnesse both in their speaking and writting for the frequent seeing of Him hearing of Him speaking and conuersing with Him made them to haue a full perswasion and this full perswasion made them to haue great libertie freedome for he that hath not a full perswasion in his owne heart should not take vpon him to be a witnesse and preacher of the graces and benefites of God to others neither will he euer be able to speake of them with freedome to mooue others to beleeue Thirdly He appeared so oft vnto His Apostles not for their causâ— only but for our cause also who should liue in the ages to come Hee had respect vnto the weaknesse of our Faith for euery particular appearing of Christ serues to helpe and further something our Faith our Faith degree by degree is helped by euery one of them and all His appearings beeing joyned together are a sure and stedfast ground to our Faith to repose vpon they serue to consummate our Faith and to bring it to a full perfection for when wee heare or reade that our Lord appeared at any time to His Disciples wee should thinke and settle this in our minde that when Hee appeared vnto them Hee appeared vnto vs when they saw Him we saw Him when vvee reade that the Lord appeared vnto Peter I should thinke that He appeared vnto mee vvhen Iohn and the rest of the Apostles sawe Him vvith their eyes I should so esteeme that I sawe Him vvith mine eyes and whensoeuer they sawe Him I should lay my count that I saw Him for vvhen that Peter sayes That with his eyes he saw His Maiestie 2. Pet. 1.16 hee pointes out Christ as it were with his finger to bee seene with mine eyes When Paul sayes That the Lord was seene of him after His Resurrection 1. Cor. 15.8 hee pointes out the Lord to be seene by me When Iohn sayes Wee declare vnto you that which wee haue heard which we haue seene with these our eyes which we haue looked vpon these handes of ours haue handled of that worde of life 1. Ioh. 1.1 hee sets the Lord as it were before my face that I may see Him with mine eyes I may heare Him with mine eares and may handle Him vvith mine handes To the end that my ioy may be full as he speakes there verse 4. And therefore thou
who art a faithfull Christian hast cause to rejoyce that the LORD so oft times appeared to His Disciples for it was for thy cause for the helping and confirming of thy weake Faith that Hee appeared so oft that so thy joye may bee the more full Now I goe forward vnto the circumstance of the persons to vvhom the Lord appeared There vvere seuen of the Disciples gathered together for hee sayes There were together Simon Peter and Thomas who was called Didimus and Nathanael of Cana in Galilie and the two sonnes of Zebedeus and two other Disciples No question it vvas not by fortune or chance or rashly that so manie of the Disciples met together at this time but it vvas by the determinate counsell and prouidence of GOD that they vvere assembled together to the ende that hee might manifâ—st and exhibite himselfe vnto them beeing assembled together When the Lord hath a purpose to communicate his graces and benefites in a great measure hee vses commonlie to call together a number of his owne in one place that hee may communicate his graces the more liberally vnto them beeing assembled together for he giues not his great graces nor vouchsafeth not his glorious presence so much to priuate persons alone as hee does to a companie of the Sainctes assembled together it is to them chiefelie that hee manifestes himselfe When the Lord was purposed to bestowe the holie Spirite what does hee hee gathers the whole number of the Apostles together in one place vpon the daye of the Pentecoste and then hee sendes vpon them all the holie Spirite in the forme of fierie and clouen tongues as wee reade in the seconde Chapter of the Actes and the thirde verse Our owne experience may bee a sufficient proofe vnto vs of this for when finde we the Spirit of God to worke moste powerfullie and the graces of God moste aboundantlie to bee bestowed vpon vs not when wee are our selfe alone but when we are assembled together with y e Saincts to exercise the meanes of grace to heare the worde to offer vp our prayers together vnto God and to be partakers of the SacrameÌ„ts And therefore if thou wouldest haue the Spirite of GOD present with thee and looke for anie grace despise not the fellowship contemne not the assemblie of the Lordes Sainctes Now amongst the rest that are here counted out we see Thomas is reckoned to be one The first time that the Lord appeared to his Disciples assembled together the doore beeing shut THOMAS was not present but the seconde time that the LORD appeared vnto them hee vvas present vvith them Now in this thirde appearing of the Lord to his Disciples he is also present vvith them This example of THOMAS letteth vs see that a man vvho is gone astraye and hath wandred out of the way after that once the Lord mercifully takes him by the hand and sets him in the way of grace that he will be carefull constantly to walke into that way with the rest of the faithfull who are walking in that way he will be loath to separate himselfe from their societie after that once the Lord beginnes freely to giue grace He ceases neuer to heape grace vpon grace while grace be crowned with glorie for it is true that the Apostle sayes That Hee who hath begunne the good worke in vs will performe it vnto the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 And our Sauiour sayes To euery man that hath it shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance So happie is the man in whom the Lord hath once begunne to worke for He will neuer leaue him while He performe His worke in him Now when they are met together what is their exercise They goe to the fishing the occasion of this exercise comes of Peter hee purposed to separate himselfe from the rest and therefore hee sayes vnto them J goe a fishing The rest cannot bee content to sunder from him but they offer their companie to him and they say We also will goe with thee What made Thomas and the rest of the Disciples so vnwillingly to sunder from Peter and what made euery one of them so desirous to enjoye the companie of another Was this by chance or fortoun No but it was by the speciall prouidence of GOD that same prouidence that before gathered them together now keepes and retaines them together in such sort that albeit some of them were of purpose to haue sundred themselues from the rest yet the rest will not sunder from them The Lord will keepe them together that Hee may communicate vnto them such grace as Hee would not bestowe vpon them beeing sundered one from another He shewes Himselfe He vouchsafes His presence in them to their exceeding joy and comfort beeing now together whereas if they had bene separated if Peter had gone one way Thomas another and the rest the third it is not likely that the Lord would haue manifested Himselfe vnto them But how is this that the Disciples of the Lord who were ordained and appointed by the Lorde Himselfe to an higher calling to the Apostleship to be witnesses and preachers to the world of these things which they saw and heard of Him goe to the fishing Might they leaue that high calling and take themselues to so base and contemptible an exercise I answere that heerein they doe nothing amisse for albeit they were appointed and designed by the Lord to be Apostles yet in effect they were not as yet Apostles they had not entered to that calling neither were they meete for it vntill the time that they were endued with power from on high and before they had receiued the Holy Spirit in the forme of firie and clouen tongues in the day of the Pentecoste And further what fault was it albeit they had entred to their office of the Apostleship that they should bee exercised in an honest and lawfull occupation and should worke with their handes as we read of the Apostle Paul vvho in sundrie places professes that he laboured with his owne hands for his liuing Read 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thess 2.9 2 Thess 3.8 Now when they agree to remaine together They went their way and entred into a ship straightway and they goe to take fish and to seeke bodily food for themselues but the Lord in the meane time is calling them to a better thing euen to see the Lord and to enjoy His gracious presence which was a great deale better than all their fishing and all that they could haue gained by that exercise and Peter after that once he knew that it was the LORD which spake to them counted more of His presence than of all the huge and great number of fishes that were inclosed within the nette for hee leaues them all after that once he knew that it was the Lord that spake and shewed Himselfe present vnto them yea he castes himselfe into the Sea and hazardes his life to the end he may come speedily and soone vnto the Lord.
these His vvonderous workes bare witnesse that the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily Iohn sayes We saw His glorie as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of God Ioh. 1.14 How saw we this glorie How discerned he it Euen by these many other such wondrous works indeed it had done them litle good to haue knowen that Christ was risen againe except they had beene assured that He who rose vvas God the Sonne of God if they had not knowen this the knowledge of His Resurrection had not bene steadable to Saluation Nowe it vvould bee marked that he sayes when they come to land They saw fish laide on the coales and bread This was for their sustentation So the Lord manifested not only His power in the miracle but likewise His loue in feeding of them to the end that they should not rest coÌ„tent themselues with marueiling at His power but that vpon thâ— consideration of His gâ—eat loue they should be mooued to loue Him againe intierely to put their trust in Him Indeede vve ought to vvonder at the gloriousnesse of the person the Lord and at His extraordinarie and maruellous power for He is as the Prophet Esay 9.6 calles Him Wonderfull but vve should so maruell at His power that in y e meane time vve endâ—uoure to haue a sense of His loue that vve may loue Him againe put our trust in Him for without the sense of His loue our maruelling vvondering at Him vvill doe vs litle good Now let vs come to the Lords conference vvith the Disciples Iesus saide vnto them Bring of the fishes which yee haue nowe caught The Lord breakes off first the conference for they carried such a reuerence to the Lord that they vvould not presume once to speake for as the presence of the Lord vvorketh Faith and loue in the soule so it vvorkes feare and reuerence of His Majestie if thou vvantest feare and reuerence to His Majestie thou neuer foundest His presence in thy soule Now vvhen Hee bids them Bring of the fishes which they had caught He demands an accompt of the benefite vvhich He had bestowed on them and so Hee shewes that it vvas not His vvill that rashly vnaduisedly they should haue cast away the benefite vvherewith He had blessed them albeit it vvas but an earthly blessing and hereby vve may see that the fact of Iohn and the other Disciples vvas vvorthie of praise vvho left not the fishes behind them but drew the net full of fishes to the land Againe it is worthie to be marked that he ascribeth the taking of the fishes which Hee had enclosed in the net and freely giuen them to their trauels labours for He sayes Bring of the fâ—shes which ye haue now caught This forme of speaking lets vs see how well the Lord likes how highly He counts of the labours which His own Children vndertake at His coÌ„mandement for albeit we be altogether vnprofitable seruants when we haue done all that we can do Luke 17.10 and all our labours be not steadable to Him nor profitable in theÌ„â—elues yet such is His loue fauour towards His own that both He commends them as profitable seruants allowes of their workes as steadable and this He does to the end He may encourage vs as His children not to wearie but to goe forward in well doing for it is necessarie that we be exercised in well doing go forward in good works for God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephes 2.10 that without them it is vnpossible to attaine vnto eternalâ— life In like maner when freely He crownes His grace into vs Hee calles that crowne a reward as if we had dâ—serued it by our labours for the Lorde vses to deale with vs as a louing father deales vvith His Children the father will make much of his sonne allure him promise him an hyre to moue him to do that thing that he is obliged to do of duty so the Lord dates and allures vs and calles the thing which Hee giues vs freelie an hyre and rewarde to the ende that Hee may encourage vs to goe forwardes in vvell-doing Likewise in that perfect forme of prayer vvhich the Lord hath taught vs Hee calles that bread which Hee biddes vs craue from GOD our bread as though GOD vvere indebted to giue it vnto vs and as if vve had a right vnto it vvhich neuerthelesse vve craue from God as appertaining to Him not to vs yet He teaches vs to call it our bread albeit vve haue no right to it to testifie His fatherly loue fauour towardes vs. When the Papists heare any thing ascribed to our laboures vvhen they heare a rewarde named in the Scriptures then incontinent they conclude That vvee merite it at GODS hand But they deceaue themselues for as the Lord ascribes heere the taking of the fishe vvhich vvas His benefite and blessing vnto their laboures vvhich they vndertooke at His commandement So after this same manner and no otherwise Hee vses to call that a rewarde vvhich Hee giues vs freelie to the ende Hee may encourage vs vvith the greater pleasure to doe His vvill Nowe let vs come to the obedience to this coÌ„mandement of the Lord. As soone as Peter heares the Lord bidding them bring of the fishes which they had caught incontinent hee stepped foorth and drewe the nette to land full of great fishes an hundreth fiftâ—e and three Hee is verie readie to obeye Before vvhen first hee vnderstoode that it vvas the LORDE hee vvas carried vvith such a feruent zeale to meete vvith the LORDE that hee left the nette fishes and all behinde him Nowe vvhen hee heares the LORD commanding to bring the fishes there is none of them so bent and readie to obeye Which lettes vs see that vvhen PETER left all and cast himselfe into the Sea to meete the LORDE hee despised not neither misregarded the benefite of the fishes vvhich the LORDE gaue the DISCIPLES So learne in this example of PETER vvhat is the disposition and behauiour of a sanctified and holie person for a season hee vvill bee rauished and as it vvere transported aboue all the pleasures and outwarde comfortes of the vvorlde and he vvill bee so sette vpon the meditation and thinking of those thinges vvhich are spirituall and to enjoye the presence of the LORD that scarcelie vvill hee once so much as haue any thought of them because he countes himselfe to be a Citizen of the Kingdome of Heauen Againe when hee knowes that it is the Lords will that he should be exercised the time of his pilgrimage heere in some earthly calling hee is content to returne backe againe and to put his hand to worke exercising him in his owne calling yet in the meane time when his hande is working his heart is in Heauen where his treasure is when he is exercised in his calling his conuersation is aboue and as Paul speakes of him Hee vses the world as though hee
it not saide The violent take the Kingdome of Heauen by force Matth. Chap. 11. vers 12. And doth not the Lord recommend importunitie and earnestnesse in crauing by the Parable of the widowe who importunated the vnrighteous Iudge To this I answere It is lawfull indeede to seeke continually the increase and growth of knowledge as well as of all other spirituall graces yea it is a thing that the Lord recommends vnto vs commands But of what knowledge should we seeke the increase Only the knowledge of these thinges that are reueiled and set downe in the Olde and New Testament it is the Lords will that wee euer grow in knowledge of these thinges and that we goe from knowledge to knowledge But this increase of knowledge is farre different from curiositie in seeking new reuelations besides the thinges that are reueiled in the writes of the Prophets and the Apostles The Lord likes well growth of knowledge but Hee mislikes curiositie yea I say to thee if thou seekest a clearer and more ample reuelation than that which is alreadie set downe in the Olde and New Testament thou offendest highly the Majestie of God for by so doing thou deniest that Christ when Hee came into the world brought with Him a full and perfect reuelation of all things necessarie Read what the Apostle Paul sayes Rom. 10.6 Now to end shortly In the last wordes of our Text wee haue set downe the Conclusion of this appearing of Christ whereof we haue spoken wherein hee telles that it was the third in number for hee sayes This nowe is the third time that Iesus shewed Himselfe vnto His Disciples after He was raised againe from the dead I thinke he calles it the third in number not absolutely but in respect of the Disciples and so the words import for it is said This is the third time that He shewed Himselfe vnto His Disciples for if we number precisely the particular appearing of Christ after His Resurrection vnto this time whereof wee haue any mention made in the Scripture we will finde that this is the eight in number He shewed Himselfe first to Marie Magdalene Next to other certaine women Thirdly to the two Apostles who were going to Emmaus Fourthly to Simon Peter Fifthly to lames as we may read 1. Cor. 15.6 Sixtly to the Disciples assembled together in Ierusalem Thomas only being absent Seuenthly to the same Disciples assembled together Thomas beeing present with them Eightly He appeared vnto these sâ—uen at this time when they were fishing Nowe it was not without cause that the Lord reueiled Himselfe so oft after Hee rose againe No question Hee did it not onely to confirme the Disciples of the trueth of His Resurrection but also for our cause that wee might haue stedfast faith and full assurance that Hee is risen againe for our comfort And it is the Lords will that when wee reade that there were so many that saw Him with their eyes heard Him spake with Him handeled Him and haunted with Him wee should bee fully perswaded and assured of His Resurrection But I will not insist in this matter because I haue spoken of it alreadie Nowe seeing the Lord has had such a great care of our faith that by beleeuing we might haue comfort seeing so oft times and to so manie Hee appeared the LORD make these meanes effectuall to worke and to encrease faith in vs that both in our life and especiallie in the houre of death wee may haue matter of rejoycing in Him To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all praise and honour AMEN THE L. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XXI verse 15 So when they had dined Iesus said to Simon Peter Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me more than these He said vnto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee He said vnto him Feede my lambes verse 16 He said to him againe the second time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me He said vnto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee He said vnto him Feede my sheepe verse 17 He said vnto him the third time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou me Peter was sorie because hee said to him the third time Louest thou mee and said vnto him Lord thou knowest all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus said to him Feede my sheepe WEE haue hearde these dayes past Beloued in the Lord Iesus of the third generall appearance of the Lord Iesus after His glorious Resurrection The place we heard was by the Sea of Tiberias The persons to whom He appeared we heard were seuen in number The manner how He appeared was by miracle by wonderfull working He shewes a miracle in the Sea by taking of many great fishes there Then by land by the extraordinary preparation of meat fire to His disciples comming off the sea to the land To this He joyned y e third miracle in keeping whole the net so that there was not a threed broken notwithstanding of the great number of fishes taken therein Thereafter as He manifested Himselfe in His Godhead diuine power in working of miracles so He comes on more familiarly manifestes Himselfe in His humane nature lets theÌ„ see y t He was a maÌ„ ate drunk with theÌ„ as other men therfore He sits down dines with them Hee eates Himself giues them to eat also Then hauing dined He enters in conference with Peter which conference we haue to entreat of this day as God wil giue vs grace The end of His conference with Peter was not to make him an Vniuersall Bishop His Vicar here on y e earth as the Papists speake that is to say To make vp a Popedome for the Papists make these words relatiue to that promise which they saye He made to Peter before Matth. 16.18 I say vnto thee Thou art Peter vpon this Rocke I will build my Kirke That was not the end but y e end of it was to restore him again to his own rowm of th'Apostleship from the which he fell for Peter had made a foule defection froÌ„ his Lord he denied Him thrise so by this defection threefold denial he depriued himselfe of his rowm of th'Apostleship wherunto he was called Looke how verily Judas fell by his traitorie as verilie did Peter fall for he that denies the Lord Iesus vnto the time he bee restored againe he cannot be a Christian man let bee an Apostle or Minister So in a word the ende of this conference was to restore Peter again by taking out of his own mouth a threefold confession of his loue to the Lord of the hatred of that foule sin which hee committed by denying of the Lord. Indeed it is true at Christs first meeting with His disciples at HierusaleÌ„ in a maÌ„ner he was restored because he got a dâ—rection with the rest to go foorth preach the Gospel where Christ sayes As my Father sends me so send J
beguiled with it as well as another And as for the sinceritie of the heart it is not in the vtmost swarfe but it is downe lowe in the ground Therefore thine heart must be touched pricked and lanced partlie by thy selfe and partlie by others till that pure fountaine of sinceritie and loue breake foorth and appeare There is the speciall cause of this doubling All this serues for the weale of PETER howbeit hee tooke euill vvith it for euerie demand vvas a confirmation of PETER in that grace of Apostleship Now to come to PETERS answere Peter said vnto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Behold the meeting Christ sayes Louest thou me Hee answeres Lord thou knowest that I loue thee There is a sweet meeting When the Lord requires loue of thee then meete thou Him vvith loue This answere imports y t His demand has bene very louing vttered with a sweet voyce and behauiour and that Hee saide as much as this I loue thee Peter louest thou mee So in this demande Hee has touched the heart of PETER with the sense of that loue which Hee bore to PETER Now this sense opened the heart of PETER to loue the Lord againe 1. Ioh. 4.4 There will neuer man loue the Lord first It vvill passe thy power to loue Him first therefore of neede force the loue of Christ behoued to be shed abroad in the heart of PETER and hee behooued to bee touched with the loue of the Lord before hee could answere Lord I loue thee Therefore if the Lord saye vnto thee Louest thou mee Saye Lord loue mee that I may loue thee And if euer thou wouldest discharge a duetie in this lâ—fe striue euer to finde that Iesus loues thee for else all His commaundementes will bee for nothing But marke the vvordes Pâ—tâ—r svvould seeme not to answere the Lord as Hee propones the Lord propones by way of comparison Louest thou mee bettâ—r than thâ—se Peter answeres simplie Lord I loue thee Hee sayes not better than these I see heere a piece of modestie more than hee had before for before hee fell he was ouer loftie and jollie and thought little of the â—est But nowe I see after his fall hee vvill not compare with the rest but simplie hee sayes Lord I loue thee Brethren I see that although his fall vvas euill yet it has done him good it has tamed him he was ouer arrogant before The defection of the godlie is verie euill yet this is a sure thing that the fallings and the sinnes yea the foulest defections of the godlie doe euer better them and worke alwayes to their good A vvonderfull thing The Lord who brings light out of darknesse makes the defection of His owne to turne to their vveale Has hee beene a proude man an ignorant man c. the Lord vvill giue him a fall Hee vvill cast him downe vpon his backe and vvith that Hee vvill tame him make him to stink in his own nostrils as He did to Peter for now vvhen he is fallen sees his own vveaknesse he speakes soberly makes no matching with the rest Lord if th'Elect be much beholdeÌ„ to God for He makes all things to further them for their saluatioÌ„ So in a vvord No euill can come to the godly man Yet the wordes vvould be considered he sayes not simply I loue thee but Lord thou knowest that I loue thee he takes the Lord to be vvitnesse to his coÌ„fession as if he vvould say It stands not in my words but Lord thou knowest that I loue thee And so here he both acknowledges Iesus to be God for He is only judge to the heart also approues the sinceritie of his loue to Him for God is said to bee witnesse not so much to the confession of the mouth as to the sinceritie of the heart If thou louest the Lord call Him to be vvitnesse of thy loue and therfore beware of your confession of faith and loue to the Lord looke y t it be with sinceritie of the heart not from the teeth forward neb of the tongue only but looke y t it rise from the loue which is rooted in the heart for the Lord is witnesse and judge of the heart Hee vvill passe from thy wordes and vvill looke in vvith a pearcing eye into thine heart rip it open to see if there bee any sinceritie of loue there So looke euer to y e heart vvheÌ„ thou takest the Lord to be witnesse to thee Men coÌ„monly take no heed to this they say The Lord knowes when they vvill speake falsly Ye shall find this coÌ„monly that he who is the greatest swearer falsest man is euer readiest to take God to be his vvitnes but vvhen he speakes so vvhat is he doing eueÌ„ crauing that God vvould send a veÌ„geance judgemeÌ„t on him Yet to vveigh the vvords more narrowly he sayes not simplie Thou knowest but vvheÌ„ he professes his loue to Him he giues Him a reuerend stile again calles Him Lord. No th'Apostles carried to their Lord a vvonderfull reuerence This learnes thee vvhen thou makest a coÌ„fession a professioÌ„ a protestatioÌ„ vvherin thou namest y e Lord as it should be in modesty sincerity of heart so should it be in fear reuereÌ„ce That God who is full of glory majestie should neuer be named but with honor reuerence when thou speakest to Him speake in reuerence yea thinke neuer of Him but with reuerence Well these speaches protestations of men wherin they name the majesty of God y t are so vnreuerend rash insolent testifies sais plainly That in their hearts there is no reuerence to God yea they vtter y t in their hearts they haue said There is not a God in heaueÌ„ But O miserable catiue thou shalt find y t there is a God one day to thy euerlasting daÌ„nation I giue thee no lesse doome CoÌ„sider further when Peter answeres y e Lord the third time it is said by John y t Peter was sad in heart giues a sad sorrowfull coÌ„fessioÌ„ because he thought the Lord by so many interrogatioÌ„s credited him not but dâ—strusted him TheÌ„ learne hereby what should be y e properties of a true coÌ„fessioÌ„ as coÌ„fessioÌ„ should be in modesty sincerity reuereÌ„ce so it should be in sadnes y e coÌ„fessioÌ„ of a sinner must be in grief sadnes there is no question but in his confession he saw matter of sadnes saw y e Lord by His vrging of him so many times would haue him to be sad This he perceiues therfore he is sad wheÌ„ he confesses So the coÌ„fessioÌ„ of a sinner must be with sadnes of heart Wilt thou come to the Lord with a waÌ„ton confession after thine accustomed mirrinesse No no for the Lord by pricking of Peter so oft declares y t He has no pleasure in a coÌ„fession except it be in sadnes Therfore when thou confessest say Alas Lord thâ—t I caÌ„not loue thee so well as
I should doe would doe Well if the Lord seeke a confession of thee He will pricke thee till He get a sad confession of thee Now it may be asked What ned this confession once twise thrise to be repeated What needed Peter thrise to say I loue thee I answere what needed Pâ—ter to denie Him thrise Now certainly that threefold deniall requires this threefold confession if hee had denied Him but once it might haue bene Hee would haue asked but once if thou goest downe to Hell by degrees wilt thou leape vp to Heauen without any degrees at an instant No no looke by how many degrees thou hast gone down from God toward Hell by as many degrees must thou approach to Him againe for when thou hast committed a great sinne thou canst not repent enough for it albeit thou shouldest weepe and mourne many dayes and yeeres all is too litle Many a time must thou coÌ„fesse thy sinne which if thou doest thou shalt both thereby glorifie God and also obtaine a fuller assurance of the remission of thy sinnes for the more thou repentest the more thou coÌ„fessest thy sinnes thou wilt get the fuller perswasion greater assurance that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Now I go forward The Lord meetes Peter againe when he hath professed that he loued Him Hee sayes Fâ—ede my Lambes againe Feede my sheepe the third time Feed my sheepe Peter seeing thou hast confessed that thou louest me here I absolute thee the Lord sayes in effect I restore thee to thine office againe be thou an Apostle be thou a feeder of my sheepe be a Pastor to me this is the principall purpose so that y e loue of Iesus restores a sinner it is this loue that restores thee to the roome thou hast beene in But I insist not heere in this answere to Peter ye see how the Lord will haue thy faith thy loue to be manifested No y e coÌ„fession of faith of loue must be manifested in actioÌ„ according to the calling the Lord hath placed euery one into hath the Lord called thee to be a king Hee wil say vnto thee feed my people as thou wouldest loue me the Lord grant y e Kings may take heed to this especially our King y t as he professes a loue to Christ so he wold feed His people the Lord giue him this coÌ„sideration art thou a Minister sayest thou louest the Lord well the Lord will say to thee againe feede my lambes I neede none of thy feeding thy loue and well doing cannot extend the selfe to me but do good to others who carie my Image for my cause A profane maÌ„ or womaÌ„ w t a shameles face wil say I loue God the greatest knaue of them all wil say so but if it manifest not in an actioÌ„ thou art but a lyar thou louest Him not faith loue must euer vtter theÌ„selues in good actioÌ„s hast y u gotteÌ„ a heart hands feet do some good otherwise if y u dost neuer a good deed thy profession of faith loue is but vain Look 1. Ioh. 2.4 He that sayes I know God keepes not His commandements he is a lyar the trueth is not in him If a maÌ„ sayes I loue God hates his neighbour he is a lyar so y t he shal be punished not only because he did no good but because he was a lyar there are many lying Protestants in this Land they will protest they loue God but when it comes to the trial the world sees y t they haue only a shew of religioÌ„ not y e power therof there is anotâ—er thing here yet to be marked vntil Peter had professed he loued Christ He bids him not feed His lambs but looke how the one followes the other therefore it must follow y t feeding of the lambes of the Lord must come of the loue of y e Lord. If Peter had said I loue thee not Christ could not theÌ„ haue said to him feed my lambes theÌ„ the lessoÌ„ is cleare a maÌ„ caÌ„not be a Pastor a feeder of the sheepe of Christ except he loue Christ No there is none in any calling y t can do any good deed except y e welspring of loue be in his heart if y t be not he shall neuer do any good deed all shal be sinne thou mayest well flatter thy sâ—lfe others may flatter thee say all is well but if loue be not how faire glansing so euer thy worke be God couÌ„nts not of it No King in his calling shall euer doe a good deed except he do it for loue he beares to y e Lord therefore seeing a Pastor should learne all other folke to do their dutie yea y e King himselfe how much more is that loue required to be in him if hee would do rightly sincerely earnestly as for his feeding it is more poysoning than fâ—eding if he haue not loue to Christ the Pastor is not worth a penny y t striues not to get a sense of y t loue of Christ in his heart Theâ—e are so many difficulties impediments cast in to a Pastor wheÌ„ he is about to discharge his duty which he can neuer be able to ouercome except he both loue y e Lord be sensible of the Lords loue towards him the life of a Pastor is a thornie lâ—fe and the more faithfull y e man be y e moe vexatioÌ„s troubles will he vnderly what is his life but a coÌ„tinuall tâ—ouble with whoÌ„ hath he to do with a flock for a Pastor a flock are relatiue what a flock some are so dull that teach he neuer so much carefulâ—y they remaine rude and vncapable many of this towne are guiltie of this and if there bee any capable they are so vaine so wanton light headed y t they vanish away in their own cogitatioÌ„s againe some are so infirm y t euery thing almost is a stuÌ„bling block suppose y t meÌ„ giue no offeÌ„ce yet wil they tak offeÌ„ce some so malicious indured that the more the Pastor cry the more endure they their heartes and rejects all wholesome admonition some will be sitting vp before the Pastor and mocking him when hee is preaching and when the Pastor hath done all the pointes of his calling faithfully he needes not to looke for any thing but vnthankfull meeting in the end No the more faithfull a man be in his calling the moe tentations shall hee bee subject to to make him the more weake and feeble If ye would have the proofe of this looke 1. Cor. 4.9 What are we sayes Paul God hath set vs vp to be a mocking stocke a â—azing to the world to the Angels and to men what are we the ofscouring of the world that is sweeped out to be cast to the backe-side Then what held him vp and what held vp Peter and the rest of the Apostles and Martyres What but the loue of Iesus if they had not
loued Iesus and that exceedingly they would soone haue fainted we want the tenth part of that loue to Iesus that they had alas all is vanished away Would Peter or Paul or any of them haue borne out these things if they had wanted the loue of Christ if it had not constrained them No 2 Cor. 5 14. he sayes We are fooles but for Christs sake for that loue of Christ constraineth me that is the loue of Iesus occcupies so all my senses that it beares mee out thereafter he resolues that loue which he caried to Christ into the owne cause where he subjoynes Bâ—cause we know that if â—ne be dead for all then were we all dead the ground of His loue was because Christ loued him and this loue is the cause that makes His owne to doe all to suffer all for Christs sake to liue to Him to die to Him looke if thou findest that Christ loues thee then thou wilt loue Him so that thou wilt not refuse if it were a thousand deaths for His cause O the loue of Christ is a great gulfe No it will drowne greater persecutions than the Sea will Pray therefore that the loue of the Lord Iesus may be in thine heart that thou mayest loue Him againe Now againe if the faithful dischaâ—ge of the dutie of a Pastor must proceede of necessitie from the loue of Christ as the effect froÌ„ the cause Then marke how ye shall know whether a man loue Christ or not a King a Minister euery Professor whosoeuer Would ye haue a token looke if he be faithfull in his calling if this be a necessâ—ry effect then marke their works by their works thou shalt know them the loue cannot be seene with the eye it is vttered by a marke by the life wheÌ„ thou seest a man well occupied in his own calling the King ministring Iustice the Pastor feeding his people certainly thou mayest say Yone man loues Christ but if the action be inlacking what warrand haue I that a man loues God I haue none The Apostle Paul by the confusions and perturbations which he saw to be in the Church of Corinthus gathers that the false teachers these deceiuers loue not y e Lord Iesus therefore he denounces a judgment against them saying If any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be had in execratioÌ„ yea excoÌ„municated to death 1. Cor. 16.22 I say an vnfaithful Pastor who feedes his own bâ—lly not Christs sheepe is accuâ—sed not only because he spoiles y e Church of Christ but also because he loues not y e Lord Iesus Woe shall be to him one day by y e contrarie a faithfull Pastor ô what honour glory shal he be exalted vnto Yet againe these words would be considered the word of feeding would be looked to it is a borrowed word to speake properly a Minister feedes not it is an Heard that feedes neat and sheepe the Scripture applies not this word only to Ministers but to Kings for looke how busie as an Heard is going about feeding his flock as busie should a King be in his calling a King is but an Heard set ouer to feed y e people of God but the Scripture commonly in the New Testament applies it to Ministers because in a Minister there should be as great diligence painfulnes carefulnes toward y e people as in y e Heard toward y e flocke if there were no more to teach this this threefold so earnest coÌ„mendation to Peter the rest were sufficient It is true that y e Lord Iesus Himself is the Prince of y e Pastors yea properly He is only Pastor He is the Heard therefore He clamâ—s this stile to Him Job 10 1. For why the flock is His not y e Ministers therfore He sayes Feed my lambes then ye are his flocke He is your Pastor properly Againe it is His food that y e flock is fed with all y e store of y e fodder of grace is out of His barne If a Minister minister to you y e smallest portion of food which is not taken out of y e barneyard of Iesus it is poyson he giues you Knaues haue deceiued y e world long the Pope his shauelings haue propined poyson to y e people haue made many thousands goe to Hell giue Christs flocke Christs food But notwithstanding that Christ properly is y e only true Pastor yet louingly he coÌ„muninicates this His stile to them whoÌ„ He employes in His seruice of y e Ministerie Thou y t art a Minister He cals thee a Pastor but thou art but as a seruant laid vnder y e chiefe shephâ—ard they are not Lords of y e flock No not the best of them No not Lords but dispensators so they are not propeâ—ly Pastors Seeing then such is the mercy of the Lord that He so honours them that Hee coÌ„municates His stile to y e Ministers therfore they should striue to shew theÌ„selues worthy of that stile by y e faithfull discharge of their calling in feeding of y e flock But who are they that should be fed Christ sayes first Feed my lambes then He sayes twise Feed my sheepe all is one for y e Kirke is compared to a folde full of sheepe He sayes not Goe feed tygres lions wolues but lambes sheepe Who are these then By these lambes sheep the Lord vnderstands His Chosen Blessed is hee that is chosen in Christ for great is the number of them that perishes a very haÌ„dfull shall be saued they must be more tame ones sillie simple ones like sheep Ye see y e sheep euer receiuing hurt neuer noysom nor hurtfull to any other Any beast will ouercome a sheep but it wil ouercome none so it is silly simple ones y t are Christs sheep Now I mean not y t all th'Elect are at y e first hand as silly as sheepe no but y t they who were before like wolues lions tygres by y e Spirit through the preaching of y e word by processe of time are tamed and made like sheep No no wheÌ„ Peter went out to feed theÌ„ they were like tygres raging in their lusts No the chosen by nature before they be tamed called they are nothing differeÌ„t froÌ„ y e reprobate they rampe and roare like lioÌ„s albeit in y e secret couÌ„sel of God His decree of predestinatioÌ„ by His grace there be a great differeÌ„ce betwixt y e one y e other for God only makes a differeÌ„ce betwixt His Elâ—ct the reprobate What was Paul himselfe or any other before they were called but wolues tygres TheÌ„ y e Pastor albeit he find men as wolues tygers yet he should not stay froÌ„ feeding of theÌ„ no he must preach y e Gospel y t therby he may make of wolues tygres lambes and sheepe for many of them that were like tygres after they had once hearde the voyce of the Apostles became simple as sheepe Nowe it may bee
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 pâ—emonition that in the end of it he shall die the death The Lord foreâ—arnes him to this end that hee should be on his preparation to makâ— him readie to dâ—e to enarme him against the death for death comming vnawares is terrible will teâ—tifie y e proudest flesh that liues 〈◊〉 this forewarning sâ—rues 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 prâ—monition 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 reâ—â—ie euery houre to seale vp the Gospell with his blood if it pleâ—se the Lord to call him Paul Actes 21. when hee was going â—p 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 bâ—ene 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 martyâ—ed 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 Therâ—fore 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 wâ—th thy bloâ—de 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
Peter and the rest got the victory notwithstanding of feare and dread thou wilt giue mee the victory vvith Peter This aduertises vs thus farre Neuer man suffered martyrdome by his owne strength And if Peter had beene giuen ouer to his owne strength hee vvoulde not haue suffered more than Judas And if Steuen had not bene sustained with the sight of Heauen to haue holden vp his heart hee vvoulde not haue suffered the death Paul teaches vs Philip. chap. 1. vers 29. As faith is the gift of God so it is the gift of God to suffer affliction It is giuen to you saies he to suffer And therfore he saies to Timothie 2. Epist chap. 1. vers 8. Be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel But howe By your owne strength No but by the power of God And therfore whosoeuer would haue this strength let him beg it of the Lord. Whensoeuer it shall please God to say Goe to the stake then euer say Lord giue me strength I shall suffer Therefore as night day we should be vpon this resolution to suffer for Christ so should we night day be earnest in prayer and if thou findest the power of God by prayer to bee conueyed to thine heart thou needest not to feare for that power will prop it vp vphold it in th' extremity of death martyrdome So euer be in prayer saying Lord giue me strenth and if thou get once a piece of this power thou shalt wonder at it Now Iohn in the next verse he joynes y e meaning of these words of the Lords to Peter lest any mā reading or hearing should doubt of the meaning This spake hee sayes Iohn signifying by what death hee should glorifie God Hee meanes that hee shoulde die a violent death hee should not get leaue to die his owne naturall death in peace but that hee should die violently vpon the scaffolde The Papistes vpon these wordes gather That Peter was crucified that y e Lord meant y t he should be hanged but the words beare no such thing Thou shalt stretch out thine hands What necessity is there here to import crucifying or hanging more than heading or any one death more than another What death it was it is not certaine it is farre better not to meddle with it than to beleeue mens fables Only the words of y e Lord import y t he died violently But what death soeuer it was it is not much to edification Yet this is not to bee passed by but wel to be marked That whē He is speaking of his death He sayes not after this māner He signified what death he should die no but by what death he should glorify God a thing more worthy of marking He stiles defines y e death martyrdome of Peter to be a glorifying of his God Brethren the death of all the godlie and Saincts whatsoeuer kinde of death it bee whether it bee in peace their owne naturall death or a violent death whatsoeuer kind of death it bee it may bee defined after this manner to bee a glorifying of God And blessed are they that die in the LORD Blessed are they that die in faith in the LORD IESVS that is as PAVL sayes sleepes in Him 1. Thessal chap. 4. vers 14. So I saye The death of euerie godlie man and woman glorifies their God Yet we must vnderstand That the death of these who suffer martyrdome and seales vp the trueth of Christ with their blood that death especiallie gettes this praise and this stile That it glorifies GOD after a speciall manner Marke it well Martyrdome properly is called The glorifying of God because in it especially is the matter of the glorie of God Aboue all other deathes of men in the worlde in the death of the Sonne of God Iesus Christ was greatest matter of the glorifying of His Father and therefore aboue all other deathes the death and crosse of Christ gettes this stile of the glorifying of GOD Joh. Chap. 12. vers 28. When the LORDE has striuen vvith the feare of death looke howe Hee considers vvith Himselfe Lord glorifie thine owne Name that is Bee thou glorified in my death Next after Christs death the death of the Martyres serues most for the glorie of God and therefore next after Christes death the death of the Martyres brookes this stile Therefore ye see in this place Iohn speaking of the martyrdome of Peter calles it The glorifying of GOD. And Paul to the Philippians speaking of his death sayes that the Lord should be magnified in his death Philip. chap. 1. vers 20. And all to this end To encourage vs chearefullie to go to death for Christs sake What knowes anie of vs but wee may bee charged with martyrdome whether it be Minister or anie of the flocke And I affirme to you that if the Lord call any of you to die for the Gospell if ye denie Him Hee will denie you These are His owne wordes Matth. 10.33 Therefore seeing euerie one of vs if wee bee Christians are bound to suffer No not a Minister onelie but the soberest of you all lad and lasse Wee haue this encouragement to suffer Martyrdome that our death shall glorifie God after a singular manner It is no matter vvhat become of thee if thou gettest that honour to glorifie God for bee assured if thou doe so thou shalt be partaker of His glorie When the conference is done the Lord appearantly rises vp for the time of this conference they were sitting together And the Lord sayes to Peter Followe thou mee The meaning is this as though He would say Well Peter I haue forewarned and enarmed thee against this death in tokē of this follow thou me for he giues him this as an vndoubted signe of his crosse death y t was to come No Brethrē they that will follow the Lord must take vp his crosse and followe Him And therefore bids Hee Peter follow Him Well these wordes are hard to flesh and blood But here is the great comfort We haue Christ to follow He goes before vs When we goe to the crosse to martyrdome Hee goes before vs. To goe to death vvithout Christ going before vs of all thinges it is most terrible and fearefull But to goe to death following Christ there is great matter of consolation for vvhen Hee is before vs and if vvee followe vvith His crosse vpon our backes vvee shall finde that the death of Christ has taken away the bitternesse of death Whosoeuer shall followe Christ shall neuer taste the bitternesse of death But if thou bearest thine owne crosse thou diest for thine owne sinne as a Malefactor a Thiefe a Murtherer c. Woe is thee for the ende of that death is th'extremitie of Hell It stands not onely in a shamefull ignominious and comfortlesse departure and in the sundring of the soule from the bodie it ends not there but thereafter y e soule must be thrust into Hel to be tormēted for euer But whē we
haue Christ going before vs bearing our crosse suffering for our sins theÌ„ we following Him bearing His crosse Hee dying first takes away the bitternesse of death and makes our death an entrie to life euerlasting There is a comfort that Peter gettes in death so that death is made sweet to him and a port to life euerlasting Brethren ye must vnderstand That Christ goes before vs not onelie in His death but in His Resurrection and life for at this time Hee vvas risen So PETER followes Him in His Resurrection There is a double comfort Wee followe IESVS CHRIST not onelie in His death but also in His Resurrection to raise vs to life againe for it is by vertue of that life of IESVS CHRIST that vvee rise to life after our death Whereto intendes all this Euen to encourage vs to suffer Martyredome and seale the Gospell with our blood if it shall please the Lord to call vs and happie art thou if the Lord shall honour thee so that Hee will haue thee to beare His Crosse to suffer as an innocent who for a thousand of thine own sinnes art worthy of an ignominious death desperate departure for if He goe before thee if He beare thy Crosse the bitternesse of death is taken from thee because the guiltinesse of thy sinne is forgiuen Now the Lord furnish vs strength courage that we shame not His cause if it shall please Him to call vs to suffer for the Name of Iesus To whome with the Father and Holie Spirit be all praise and glorie for euer AMEN THE LII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XXI verse 20 Then Peter turned about and saw the Disciple whom Iesus loued following which had also leaned on His brest at supper and had saide Lord which is he that betrayeth thee verse 21 When Peter therefore saw him he said to Iesus Lord what shall this man doe verse 22 Iesus said vnto Him If I will that he tarie till J come what is it to thee follow thou Me. verse 23 Then went this word abroad among the brethren that this disciple should not die Yet Iesus saide to him he shall not die but if I will that he tarie till J come what is it to thee verse 24 This is that disciple which testifieth of these things and wrote those things and we know that his testimonie is true verse 25 Now there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written euery one I suppose the world could not containe the bookes that should be written Amen WEE haue heard Brethren that after the Lord had restored Peter to the dignitie of the Apostle shippe from the which hee had fallen by his threefold deniall of his Master in the Hall of the High Priest he addes to his absolution restitution a premonition and forewarning forewarning him that in the end of his Apostleship when he should become an old man he should close vp and seale his Apostleship with his blood When thou wast young sayes the Lord to Peter thou girdedst thy selfe thou knittedst thy clothes when thou wast wont to goe any way and wentedst whither thou pleasedst but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt not get credence to gird thy selfe to put thy girdle about thee but thou shalt stretch out thine hands and another shall giâ—d thee with cordes and chaines and shall lead thee away not where it shall please thee but where it shall please him he shall lead thee to the death We heard Iohn opened vp the meaning of these words and told vs that Christ thereby signified that Peter should glorifie God by a violent death and thereafter to encourage him the Lord goes before him bids Peter follow Him signifying thereby that His death had taken away the bitternesse of death and that by vertue of His Resurrection he should liue againe Now in the wordes that we haue read in the first place we haue set downe a new conference betweene the Lord and Peter for while they are in the waye the Lorde going before and Peter following there they fall againe in a new conference and Peter as he was ay too rash albeit very zealous so here rashly he demandes a curious question and it is about Iohn the writter of this Gospell the question is What should Iohn doe What shall this man doe Shall he not follow the Lord The Lord had not bidden him follow Him it might haue contented Peter well enough that the Lord had kept silence of Iohn and he to haue done the thing that the Lord bade him Nowe Brethren ere I come to the question yee must marke the occasions of this curiositie of Peter I perceiue the first occasion that brings Peter to this question is this When they are going together Peter lookes ouer his shoulder and turnes him about and turnes his eye from the Lord and looked to Iohn that apparantly followed a farâ—e off vpon which followes this curiositie and this learnes vs this lesson If the Lord bid thee followe Him in any calling what euer it be as Hee bade Peter followe Him to the death that was his calling for a man followes God in his calling all lawfull callings are but a following of the LORD learne here to be wiser than Peter hold thine eye constantly vpon Him thine heart vpon Him in thy calling followe Him foot for foot tread thou in the same footsteps so farre as He shall giue the grace decline not neither to the right hand nor to the left as to thine eye looke that it be neuer drawne froÌ„ Him looke not ouer thy shoulder to see what is behind thee but look constantly on the Lord for if thou doe this thou loses y e sight of Him that of need force shall make thee to settle backe in thy calling Peter but once turning goes one foot backward falles back froÌ„ y t course wherin he should haue walked Paul Philip. 3.14 considered this well in that race he ranne to be partaker of ResurrectioÌ„ life euerlasting he sayes I neuer looke behind me I neuer looke ouer my shoulder to see what is behind but mine eye is euer vpon the marke to get the price of the high calling of God Seeing then we haue taken vp a course to walke in to that life Iesus Christ beeing the forerunner and breaking vp the Heauen holde thine eye continually vpon the forerunner follow Him in thine own calling and see that thine eye goe neuer off Him It is the felicitie of the creature to follow Him and thou must follow the Lord in thine owne calling there is the first occasioÌ„ VpoÌ„ this followes another for piece piece he comes to his curiosity turning himselfe about looking to John Whom the Lord loued who was very familiar with the Lord apparantly hath vsed the Lord more homely than any of the rest for he was the man which leaned on Iesus brest at supper for wheÌ„ y e Lord
forewarned them that one of them should betray Him Peter winkes vpoÌ„ Iohn beckenes vnto him as hee leaned on y e Lords brest to aske who it was John said Lord which is he that betrayeth thee Now Peter remeÌ„bring this loue of y e Lord towards John this great familiaritie he marueiles why that Disciple should haue bene left behind should not haue beene required to follow Him as well as he and so he falles out in this curious question forgets in a manner his own calling there is the ground Peter looking to Iohn he sees him not so soone but hee findes in him the matter of his curiositie wilt thou leaue off thine own calling take leasure to looke about thee here or there to this man or that man wheÌ„ y e Lord hath bidden thee strictly follow Him forbidden y t thou shouldst looke about thee thou shalt not so soone do this but as soone thou shalt find matter of curiositie No if thou take thee y t leasure to looke to another thou shalt get a stuÌ„bling block to stay thee froÌ„ thy calling therfore if thou be called by God to any calling looke y t thine eye be neuer off y e Lord as thou wilt be answerable to Him hold thine eye vpon Him take thee not so much leasure froÌ„ thine own calling as to looke once to another man ô y t strict life y t is required of a Christian men thinke y t they may liue loosely as they please No but thou must walke circumspectly precisely in thy calling holding thy eye vpoÌ„ y e Lord Another thing I marke Peter wheÌ„ he sees Iohn following after wonders y t the Lord bids not him also follow he thinkes that y e Lords homelines with Iohn is failed It wil be at times y t these men y t haue found in greatest experience y e loue of Christ familiaritie w t Him blessed are they y t haue found His loue is homely with Him if thy acquaintance begin not here y u shalt neuer be acquainted w t Him hereafter let no maÌ„ be guile himselfe it will be y t meÌ„ wil think y e Lord has forgot them has left them cast them off they themselues wil begin to doubt of y e Lords fauour the smallest thing y t can be wil make vs to dout but there is no cause why either y u shouldst doubt or other men should think so for whom He loues He loues to y e end The answere which y e Lord giues here to Peter testifies His loue was as great now as euer it was before if thou gettest once His loue it shall not faile thee it wil appeare indeed to thy sense y t it failes but measure thou not y e fauour of God by these things that are outward y u must not judge rashly either of thy selfe or of others by these outward things Now come to y e question vpon these occasions followes this question What shall this man doe Shal not Iohn thy beloued disciple follow thee Wilt thou leaue him behind thee If thou giuest mee this honour to die for thee wilt thou not giue him the like Ye see here an example of curiositie not only superfluous but hurtfull he hurt himselfe and did no good to Iohn What was the ground of it he tooke him leasure from his vocation which was to looke to Iesus and to follow Him to scanse vpon John VpoÌ„ this hee falles in this inconuenâ—ent Paul 2. Thess 3.11 speaking of them who liued inordinately he joynes these together They worke nothing themselues again They are curious about other mens affaires Meaning y t all this curiositie about other mens affaires comes froÌ„ idlenes in their own calling VpoÌ„ this it comes to passe y t thou sets thy mind on other folk if thou wert busie in thy own calling y u wouldst not be curious in other folks affaires this ye shal find y t these meÌ„ that busie their heades about other mens adoes finding fault with this man and that man they are most idle and carelesse of their owne adoes fye vpon this curiositie fleeting and flowing hither and thither Then set thy minde on thine owne calling so thou shalt not get time to trouble and vexe thy minde with other mens adoes This is the curious question folke would thinke that this is but a light worde which Peter speakes but it is not so for beside this curiositie there is another fault in him hee hath a sinistrous judgement of the Lords doing he thinkes all men should be called to one calling hee is called to die for Him and so hee thinkes should Iohn also but the LORD lets him see that hee is beguiled There are many in this warfare but all this hath not one station calling he hath one he hath another he hath this he hath that The Lord will say to one Doe thou this to another Doe thou that to Peter Follow me to John tarie thou still there for example There will be ten men in this warfare he will take one of the ten and say Come thou out and goe be burnt for my Names sake and he will let the rest stand still and will exercise them with croces some more gently some more sharply as pleases Him so diuersly Hee will crosse them no Christian without some crosse be patient in it thou shalt get a faire outgate He will exercise one in the minde and another in the body the third in his goods and geare He hath many wayes to exercise His owne if there were a thousand of them Hee will get as many crosses so that none shall escape his crosse It is a vaine thing to thinke that all men shoulde be called to that whereunto thou are called No leaue others to the Lord to doe with them as He pleases goe thou to the scaffold if the Lord command thee and leaue thy neighbour Thus farre for the curious question Now come to the rebuke He meetes Peter in anger and with sharpe words If I will that hee tarie till I come what is it to thee Doe that which thou art commanded to doe Follow thou me As He would say Let John be thou art too curious looke to thy selfe turne thine eye from Iohn and follow me in thy calling which I haue placed thee into Yee shall perceiue in this reproofe three things that He findes fault with First that he should haue left off his calling the second that he was curious about Johns calling the third the greatest of all hee enters into the calling of the Lord a great vsurpation it pertained to the Lord to call Iohn and euery man as pleases Him O! but hee would be the caller of John this is no small thing No no thou must not scoffe with the Lord as though Hee had no discretion to call others so in this doing he does injurie to the Lord. Brethren behold in Peter how many euills falles on
Hierusalem according to the Lords coÌ„mandemeÌ„t til they got that promised Spirit with His graces Then assoone aâ— they haue receiued the H. Spirit with His graces and were sufficienly furnishâ—d theÌ„selues they goe out to coÌ„municate that grâ—ce to the world wherewith they themselues were replenished beginning at Hierusaâ—eÌ„ then going throughout all Judea then to Samaria last to the vtmost parts of th' earth This doing of the disciples serues to teach these who intende to entâ—r into that holy calling of the ministery how they ought to behaue theÌ„sâ—lues They must not suddeÌ„ly rashly goe out to preach the Gospel before they bee well furnished themselues but they should keepe themselues close vsing holy meanes and exercises till they find themselues to be furnished with grace in some measure but being once furnished with grace it is the Lordes will that they keepe themselues no more close but that they goe out and communicate that same grace vnto others for the Lord giues them no spirituall graces to keepe to themselues but to th' end that they may employ them to the weale edification of others Men should beware of these two extremities first that they presume not to goe out to preach to others till they bee first well furnished themselues next when they are furnished with grace that they let not Gods graces rest within themselues but that they vse them chearfully for the benefite of the Kirke But if we consider more narrowly this going out of the disciples we wil find it to be extraordinarie and miraculous it fell out altogether vnexspected of the Iewes no the Iewes neuer thought that thinges should haue fallen out so either concerning Christ Himselfe or His disciples for as coÌ„cerning Christ they thought they should neuer haue heard any more of Him except cursed and detestable speaches of Him for they had nowe handeled Him shamefully they had railed on Him and crucified Him putting Him to an ignominious death and after Hee was buried and risen they perswaded the guarde y t watched the sepulchre to noise abroad that his discipleâ— had come by night stollen him away so they thought there should haue bene no more of Him But beholde vpon a suddaine the Lord vnexspected of them by His powerfull prouidence makes His glory to be sounded throughout the whole world and whereas they thought He should haue bene buried for euer in shame Hee is exalted to a wonderfull glory And as concerning the disciples The Iewes thought they durst neuer haue presumed to haue opened their mouthes againe to speake of the Name of Christ for they thought they were all but sillie based bodies who sled away when their Master was taken and were offended at His ignominious death and terrified and astonished with that sorrowfull spectacle that they saw when He hung vpon the crosse neither durst they presume to meete together againe openly for feare of their liues But while the Iewes are thus thinking and beleeue that there shall neuer be any moâ—e worde of Christ behold vpon a suddain when they thinke nothing lesse His disciples come out publickly in their presence and before the whole world holding out bearing before them y t crucifiâ—d man boldly charging the worlde to beleeue in Him From whence comes this that they vvho before vvere so dâ—shed and based that sledde away before durst nowe meet together so openly and preach with such boldnesse and libertie Him of vvhome before they vvere ashamed Euen from that incomprehensible vvonderfull power of Christ their King who was now sitting in the Heauens in glory vvho according to His promise sent vpon them His holy Spirit and indued them vvith power froÌ„ an hight Now the last thing is the successe that the Lord giues vnto their preaching He saies The Lord wrought with them and confirmed the worde with signes that followed If ye reade th' Acts of th'Apostles ye vvill see the successe has bene marueilous for within a short space by their Ministery they brought gâ—eat multitudes not onely of the Jewes but also of the Gentiles to th' obedience of Christ and by them suddenly the face of the world was changed The cause of this great successe th'Euangelist marks to be the Lords vvorking vvith them confirming the vvord that they preached vvith signes and vvonders When it is said that the Lord wrought with them we may not thinke that they vvere the chiefe workers and the Lord but an helper to them No the Lord is euer the chiefe worker and His faithfull seruantes but worke together with Him in the building of that spirituall house vnto the Lord He being the chiefe builder and His seruantes but worke with Him So Paul calles them workers together with God 2. Cor. 6.1 All the successe of the Gospel is His His seruantes are only instruments vsing the meanes Paul plants Apollo waters but God giues th' increase 1. Cor. 3.6.9 Now as we saw in their going out to the worlde in their preaching with boldnesse that Christes power was wonderfully manifested euen so in this great and glorious successe that they haue in their preaching that same power of Christ is as wondefully manifested If we compare this successe which the Gospel had in that first age of the Kirke of Christ with that successe which it hath now adayes we will find a great difference Many more were called then than there are nowe for then at one preaching thousandes were conuerted but nowe at many preachings scarcely will one be conuerted And what meanes this seeing the Gospel is taught nowe in that same sinceritie that it was then Euen this that by all appearance the Lord hath gathered in alreadie the most part of them who are to bee saued and the number of these that rest to be called and saued is few in these dayes in respect of that great multitude of them who were called and saued in the dayes of th'Apostles The great haruest is gathered in already onely glaininges now remaine And on the other part it importes that there is a great number ordained to wrath and destruction and therfore they are not conuerted by the preaching of the Gospel If our Gospel saith Paul bee hidden it is hidden to them that perish 2. Cor. 4.3 Now to end here Seeing all the successe of the Gospel proceedes from the powerfull presence of Christ by His Spirit the Lord grant that so long as He giues vs liberty to vse these outward meanes He would make vs find the powerfull working of the Spirit concurring with the meanes that wee may turne to Christ and so bee assured that wee shall bee saued from that wrath which is to come in that great day of the appearing of the LORD IESVS To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee all praise Honour and Glorie for euer and euer AMEN FINIS