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
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
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
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
to seeke that which the Lord hath not reueiled to thee but see thou studie to doe that which the Lord hath reueiled thou hast no warrand to seeke that which Hee hath not reueiled O Scotland thou hast no warrand whether GOD will stay with thee or not but thou hast this warrand to intreat Him earnestly by prayer and in a manner to constraine Him to stay with thee No Hee will depart if thou gettest not an heart to constraine Him Hee will not stay with thee if thou be not earnest to bid Him stay thou hast no warrand that Hee will stay vvith thee And I say to thee if Hee be not better intertained in Scotland than Hee is He shall leaue thee and woe to thee Scotland if Hee leaue thee this colde entertainement may justly make thee to feare that the Lord shall leaue thee Scotland Many in this Countrie of highest rancke would put Him away but if euer Hee depart a heauie judgement shall light vpon them Now vvhen Hee seemed as though Hee would goe further in a manner they doe Him violence and they sticke to Him taking Him to bee a man a passenger a gracious passenger and therefore they are lothe to sunder from Him and they vse arguments to mooue Him they say It is towards night and the day is farre spent and vvhere canst thou goe stay vvith vs all night then the Lord yeelded and taried with them Marke this We vse to say Prayer will breake hard weard and it is true repentance and supplication will holde off judgement that would light vpon vs. The Lord sayes in the eleuenth Chapter of Matthew and the twelfth verse The Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force What causes Him to tarie violence is done to Him and I say to thee if thou enterest into Heauen thou must doe violence and take it by force and I say more if thou throngest not seekest it not night day thou shalt neuer enter in it and if these disciples had not thronged on Him and constrained Him He had not remained with them thou shouldest euer pray to God and saye Lorde leaue vs not tarie with vs vvee may not sunder if thou stickest not to Him Hee shall leaue thee Then yee see vvhat it is to bee humane they vvould not let Him walke in the night but vvhat revvarde got they in steade of man they receiue God and man blessed for euer so I say humanitie to man hospitalitie to Pilgrimes hath a great revvard The Apost Heb. 13.2 sayes That some receiued Angels into their houses vnawares when they thought they had receiued men Abraham receiued Angels in his house Gen. 16.3 Lot receiued Angels Gen. 19.8 Now Brethren I say this to you as ye would receiue God haue mind of the poore and now especially in this extreame dearth giue them some part of that thou wouldest put in thine owne mouth that which thou wouldest put on thy backe there is none of you but yee will say If ye had Christ heere I should feede Him and if I saw Him naked I should giue Him clothes the reprobate shall say the same in that day We should haue cled thee if we had seene thee naked c. But what answeres the Lord Whē ye did it not to one of those litle ones ye did it not to me Knew Abraham or Lot that these men that they receiued in their houses were Angels and thought these two that He vvas Christ No they thought Him but a passenger We read they that haue shewed humanitie to men receiued God but we neuer reade that any that neuer delt humanely with men sought not to entertaine them got euer God to lodge with Him So in a word as thou wouldst not manifest thy loue to God be humane gentle and mercifull to man He who loues not his brother whō he sees dayly how can hee loue God whom he neuer saw No thou louedst Him neuer say what thou wil fye vpon that man that hath no humane entertainement in lodging of strangers Now when He is gone in with them He sits down at supper for it was Euening sitting down He takes the bread and giues thanks Take heed to this ye with prophane hands will pul rent swallow vp y e Lords benefites without knowing of God but the Lorde of glory nowe sitting dovvne as man Hee vvould not breake breade vntill Hee had sanctified it by prayer when Hee hath blessed the bread Hee takes it and distributes it to the disciples so ye see this is an Holy passenger whilst He makes Him to be a passenger Hee is Holy Marke this ye that are passengers all His communing in the way is holy then when He sits downe He blessed the bread ere He eate how euer He makes Him to be a passenger he dissembles neuer His holinesse but alwayes Hee is holie He is holy in the way He is holy in the house He is holy at the table that holy Lord will neuer take on the habite of prophanitie Marke this Be what thou wilt if thou be a Lord trauelling albeit thou dissemblest thy rancke behaue thy selfe as a commmon passenger or as a marchant c. yet with the companie thou art in behaue thy selfe holie be holie in thy journey be holie at the table and in thy eating shew that habite Ye that trauell either in this Countrey or to other countreyes see how farre men are from this if they meete with an euill person they will bee as euill if they meete with a filthie person they are filthier they will speake two filthie wordes for one if one goe to Germanie he wil be an Vbiquiter and in Rome a Papist in Scotland a Christian in as many places as many formes so thou y t is a Passēger as euer y u would look for rest hereafter look y t thou be holy a holy hearted mā in a company will not only haue great graces in himselfe but also he will be gracious to y t companie communicate these graces to them with whome He is in companie So dissemble as thou wilt be euer holy and as euer thou wouldest dwell with Iesus be euer like Him in some measure in holinesse and well is vs if in word and deede we be holy pilgrimes in this world This would not be passed by He sunders not from them in the house He goes not to one house and they to another but He will goe to one house with them and will sit at the same table with them then Hee will not stay still till they giue bread to Him but He beginnes to giue bread to them and feedes them with His owne hande So ye see Brethren what it is to be earnest to entreat the Lord to stay with thee Now certainly He shall be more homely with thee than thou canst be with Him if thou beginnest to entreat Him He will remaine with thee and feede thee with His owne hand and they that haue found the
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
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
and Pastors heere in this vvorld shall bee effectuall either to thy life or to thy death and as certainelie the same vvorde shall haue effect to driue the vvicked men vpon their backes as Zacharie saieth Chap. 1. vers 4.5.6 When the men are dead that haue spoken that vvorde after it hath beene spoken it shall bee founde liuing and that same voyce shall haue effect vvhen vvee are dead It is true sayeth the LORD my Prophets died with your fathers but my voyce which I put into their mouthes died not with them and your fathers knewe that that worde which I did put into their mouthes was liuing and neuer left them vntill it brought on judgement vpon them The LORD graunt that euerie soule may reuerence the vvorde of IESVS CHRIST for it shall bee founde that either it vvas spoken to thy saluation or to thy damnation And Heauen and Earth shall vanishe awaye before one jote of that Worde passe awaye vvithout its owne effect But nowe let vs see vvhat they doe after they are fallen downe vpon the grounde Leaue they off No no they rise againe and the LORD IESVS standeth still and letteth them rise againe and vvhen they are risen they speake nothing but Hee speaketh first and Hee saieth Whome seeke yee and they saye IESVS of NAZARETH And Hee answereth I am hee Nowe this is a strange thing Who can thinke that these men vvho founde so great a power proceeding out of the mouth of the LORD IESVS CHRIST finding such force shoulde haue medled with Him againe But left they Him for all this No but they get vp againe and pursue Him and take Him and binde Him It is an hard matter to bee giuen ouer to a reprobate sense that is to want feeling when the Lord taketh out of the soule in His judgement all sight sense that person is miserable and if thou be once strucken with that senselesnesse of the soule albeit thou be throwne downe vpon thy backe thou shalt get vp againe like a drunken man and fight against the Lord and that man is worse than any beast horse or mule for once strike a Horse downe he hath a feeling therof and he will beware of the like perill againe But a man who should haue reason after that the Lord hath once strucken him with senselessenesse there is no beast so senselesse as he is and as hee is senselesse so he shall not leaue off from euill doing and hee shall compt no more of the power of God than of a flee for they feele not the hand of God they are so astonished and they will vp againe after they are casten downe and they will assaye His power againe and will not leaue off till His wrath destroy him Striue therefore euer to keepe the soule in a sense and feeling and let not that miserable scroofe to goe ouer thy soule but haue still a feeling of the power of God and mercy of God in thy soule and alwayes haue a wakened conscience for if thine heart come to that extreame senselessenesse thy soule shall ouer-grow with such a fatnesse that thou shalt haue no more sense than a dead stocke and thou shalt bee like an Oxe fedde to destruction thou shalt neither haue feeling of mercie nor of judgement To ende with this ye see that Iesus Christ albeit he was but himselfe alone a simple man to looke to and without armour yet Hee prouoketh them and speaketh to them first Hee dischargeth them to stirre Him vntill first they entered into a conditiō with Him That His disciples should passe free there is not such a thing that one of them could haue power to put out their hand to take Him And if there were no more but this that they had no power to stirre him they might see more in Iesus Christ than in a common man they might see power in Him to keepe Himselfe yet their senselessenesse is so great that they cannot see this The Lord keepe vs in sense and feeling of Him that when He hath adoe with vs wee may feele Him and see Him that our conscience may bee wakened and our hearts mollified through Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE SECOND LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 7 Then he asked them againe Whom seeke yee And they said IESVS of Nazareth verse 8 IESVS answered I saide vnto you that I am hee therefore if ye seeke me let these goe their way verse 9 This was that the word might bee fulfilled which hee spake Of them which thou gauest mee haue I lost none verse 10 Then Simon Peter hauing a sword drew it and smote the high Priestes seruant and cut off his right eare Now the seruants name was Malchus verse 11 Then saide IESVS vnto Peter Put vp thy sworde into the sheath shall I not drinke of the cuppe which my Father hath giuen mee verse 12 Then the band and the captaine and the officers of the Iewes tooke IESVS and bound him THE last day beloued in the LORD IESVS wee diuided the whole Historie of the Passion and suffering of Iesus Christ which is contained in these two CHAPTERS to wit the XVIII and XIX of this Gospell in these parts First wee haue his suffering in the Garden Then wee haue his suffering in the Hall of the high Priest Thirdly we haue his suffering before the Iudge Pontius Pilate Fourthly wee haue his suffering in the place of Execution in Caluaria otherwise GOLGOTHA And last we haue the last part of his suffering which is his Buriall The last day wee entered into the first part of his suffering which IOHN in this Chapter setteth downe to bee this The Lord Iesus beeing in the Garden is taken captiue and bounde John passeth by all that agonie and conflict that the Lord had before his taking in the Garden with the heauie wrath of his Father for our sinne which hee did beare As concerning his taking we haue first the part of Iesus who of purpose wittingly and willingly came to this Garden to be taken which Garden was knowne to Judas the Traitor Then wee haue the part of Iudas he knowing the Garden commeth forward because the Lord vsed with his Disciples to resort thither accompanied with a band of men of warre with the officers and seruants of the high Priest to take and apprehende the Lord. In the third place wee haue the communing that fell out betwixt Christ and them that came to take him he knowing all things that should come vnto him hee taketh not the flight nor seeketh not to goe his way as he might haue done because it was night but hee commeth out vnsought and beginneth the speach and saieth Whome seeke yee They not knowing him by face answered IESVS of Nazareth He answered againe not denying himselfe I am he as he would say in plaine wordes I am the man whom yee seeke why seeke yee
to haue resisted them to recompense this injurie by reason of his calling albeit it was the greatest injurie that euer was done in the world Then the words of Christ doe declare that he did it of blindnesse for hee did that lay in him to stay the worke of the redemption of the world hee tooke no heede to his hand Now to marke something There is nothing more common to men than this to cloake their actions with the pretence of zeale he or she will say I did it of zeale but the Spirit of God in this place and marke it letteth thee see if thy zeale be a naked zeale if it go beyond the bounds of thy calling albeit it be in a good cause yet thy zeale is worth nothing if thy zeale be with ignorance if thou hast not the warrand of this worde thy zeale is of no value it will not warrand thine action if yee would haue surer rules of actions nor zeale is take heede to thâ—se two thinges First to thy calling Looke that thou go not beyond the bounds of thy calling Shalt thou that art a priuate man strike with a sworde Is that thy calling Then next to Gods word What auaileth it vnto a man to goe forward in blindnesse if he be not illuminate with the light of God it is but a blinde zeale and if thou wouldest haue thine actions well ruled then take that lanterne of the word going before thee to warrand thy conscience in all thy proceedings for of all graces this is one of the greatest to haue the worde of God thy warrand in all thine actions As for zeale I cast it not awaye it is ouer rare to be casten away for it is a speciall grace of God but take heede if thou wouldest haue zeale looke that it be moderate and passe not the boundes of thy calling and then looke that thou haue a warrande of the word of God looke that the eye of thy soule bee illuminate Ioyne these two together and then goe forwards to the worke of the Lord. Certainly experience hath taught vs that this zeale hath had an euill successe no man by this zeale did euer get commendation of God It may be that men will runne forwards rashly in zeale and will haue a good entrie but the ende will tell thee that it was but foolish hardinesse it will forthinke them And no doubt Peter when hee got this answere of his Master he repented No man hath neede to finde fault with men of this age for there are few Peters nowe adayes where yee shall finde one like Peter who hath zeale ye shall find ten who haue none The zeale of God is awaye that did eate vp the heartes of the men of God of old Then againe ye shall see in this fact of Peters Peter was a good man and one who loued Iesus Christ very well and hee was loath to leaue Him and when as the Lord said to His disciples Will yee depart also from mee Peter answered and saieth LORD Whither shall wee goe thou hast the wordes of life hee was verie loath to depart from Him And this action also which hee hath in hand is a good action in the defence of Christ Yet for all this in this good action and in the cause of God see how hee is miscarried the Lord findeth fault with him Well this is our nature that when we would doe the worke of the Lord our corruption defileth it and oftentimes in doing it we will sinne and we will blot it with some foule blotte And Peter doing this with some preposterous zeale he is not allowed for an vncleane man as hee is vncleane so hee shall make the worke of the Lord vncleane So the chiefe thing that a man should be exercised withall is prayer that y e Lord would sanctifie the person that the worke that y e Lord hath employed him in may be holily done and marke againe the greatest default that was in Peter was his too great zeale We need not to be afraide for this in this lande Nay we may be afraide for default of it that the worke of the Lord should perish and wee are to pray that the King and those whom he hath employed in this worke may haue an vpright heart and such an heart as Dauid and good Ezechias had an heart louing God and hating Gods enemies I would not doubt then but the worke in his hande should take a good end and hee should report honour and glorie Now the Lord seeing what Peter did Hee forbiddeth him and sheweth a greater anger against him than against Iudas Hee spake not so angrylie against Iudas or any of them that pursued Him as Hee did to Peter and He sayeth Put vp thy sword into the sheath and then he subjoyneth the reason Shall I not drinke of the cuppe that my Father hath giuen me Thou doest what lieth in thee to holde off the cuppe I will drinke of the cuppe that my Father hath giuen me of necessitie I must drinke it for it was preordinate before all times that I should drinke it and seeing it is so I will drinke it Shall any thing be injoyned to vs to doe of necessitie and shall we not doe it willingly The Father hath propined vnto mee a bitter cuppe of affliction and I shall drinke it out dregges and all Matthew in his 26. Chapter giueth mo reasons wherefore the Lord disallowed Peter and this is one Hee who strikes with the sword at his owne hande whom the Lord hath not armed to strike he shall be strucken with the sword It is a dangerous matter to slay if the Lord put not the sword into thine hand then he giues another reason will I be defended with the arme of man No if I would pray to my Father Hee would send me twelue legions of Angels and lastly sayeth He Shall not the Scripture bee accomplished of mee Shall I make the worde of the Lord false which hath foretolde of my suffering and therefore stay thy rashnes And note what Luke sayeth in his 22. Chapter verse 51 He takes vp the eare and puts it on againe Ye may see here that the Lord will haue no man hurt in his taking the Lord will haue no vnjust defence Iesus Christ will not bee defended with vnlawfull meanes He will not bee defended with Peters sword for he had no power giuen him of the Lord for to strike He will not haue injurie repressed with injurie Nay He will not haue the man that hath the just cause to represse an authoritie This guarde came from the authoritie from the Romane empire and Christ will not haue Peter a priuate man to meddle with the superiour power He will not haue him to defend Him against the authoritie It is a dangerous thing to resist authoritie albeit it be vnlawfully vsed chiefly a priuate man and albeit that the authoritie had done wrong yet a man who hath not authoritie should not represse
put in execution namely a wicked mā if he giue coūsell he wold gladly haue it put in executiō albeit it were neuer so wicked if he shuld do it himself he had rather hang himselfe than it went backe as ye may see in Achitophell Iohn the writer of this historie leaues Christ and hee returnes to Peter and makes rehearsall of a thing that befell to Peter in the meane time of that foule fall of Peter vvho boasted so fast of his strength to bee an example to the vvhole posteritie neuer to trust in the power of man he got a vvorse fall thā any of the rest of the disciples for he denied the Lord vvith an execration the rest fled only In this fact of Peters vve haue first how he tempts God then next because he tempted the Lord the Lord tempts him againe he who tempts God God will tempt him thirdly we haue the foule deniall of Peter by a light temptation Then Peter first tempts the Lord for when as they led away the Lord to the Hall of the High Priest there followed him Peter albeit the Lord had fore-warned him of his weakenesse but afarre off as Matt. 26.58 Marke 14.54 and Luke 22. 54. doe note and another disciple What this disciple was his name is not mentioned some thinke it was Iohn for Iohn when hee speakes of himselfe he vses cōmonly to suppresse his name as ye see often in this book Others think it was not Iohn nor any of the twelue but some other godly man who loued the Lord Iesus well to see what issue should follow vpon that taking and this is more prooueable for I thinke Iohn had not such an acquaintance and court with the High Priest being but a simple mā a poore fisher namely a disciple of Iesus Christ but whosoeuer it was it is not much to the purpose When they come to Caiaphas Hall the Lord is taken in amongst the rest this other disciple getteth in because saies Iohn he was knowne to the High Priest As for Peter because he was not knowne hee standes at the doore which was straitly kept at this time The other disciple pitties Peters case and estate but it was a preposterous pittie And hee entreateth the doore-keeper to let in Peter Take heede to friendship and looke that in pleasuring thy friende thou bee not an instrument of his destruction Nowe Peter commeth in and warmeth himselfe amongst the rest This for Peters tempting of GOD Nowe let vs examine heere what is commendable and what is not Indeede there is no man that will not like of this loue which Peter did beare towardes his Master CHRIST IESVS and of this zeale and of this his vnwillingnesse to depart from his Master for hee loued Him so well that hee would followe Him to the death and would to God in this cold age there were but a piece of this zeale in vs that Peter had wee haue no zeale and if it were but this incōsideratiue zeale yet it is better to haue it than no zeale So this loue is cōmendable for albeit he did wel to loue his master yet he faileth in this that in receiuing aduertisement out of the mouth of the Lord that he was not able to suffer for Him yet he would go forward when Iesus said to His takers If ye seeke me let these goe their way Peter might haue perceiued by this that he was not able to suffer hee might haue retired to some priuate place with prayer mourning but he would step forward would not accept of that that the Lord said to him thou art not able so he falleth here very farre We all haue our lesson here the day of our trial may come let vs therefore euer haue our eye on the will of God that which He will haue thee to doe that doe thou what the Lord requireth not of vs that doe not Thou canst doe nothing better than this to take vp thy Crosse and to followe Christ but if the Lord bid thee not doe it doe it not if hee require not at thine hand that thou suffer enter not to suffer if he forewarne thee that thou art not able to suffer the fire go thy way step aside and let it bee But one will say How can I get aduertisement Peter had the mouth of the Lord how shall wee be aduertised by God whether we shall offer our selues to the fire or not Iesus Christ is not amongst vs now face to face I answere The only way to know this is this Ere any man offer to put his hand to the Crosse of Christ look what he is able to beare looke what strength of God he hath if thou werest like a Giant thou wilt not beare the Crosse of Christ with mans strength if thou findest in triall y t thou hast not strength enough take it for a warning from heauen draw thy selfe away to prayer meditatiō then being furnished with strength come out and suffer then if thou hast strength step forward suffer Another fault in Peter when he commeth to the doore of the high Priest finding it shut yet hee standeth whereas by the shutting of the doore he was commanded to leaue off at least to try whether the deede in hand was lawfull or no. It was by the prouidence of God that the doore was shut he got a warning there to leaue off yet hee would not These impediments that are casten in when we are of purpose to effectuat or do any thing should not be idlely looked on but they should make vs to enter into a carefull and earnest triall of that deede to see whether it be lawfull or not for nothing is without the prouidence of God when thou hast considered the worke findest it a good worke conformable to Gods will that thou art able to doe it then goe forward in despite of the Deuill and the world but if thou findest after triall otherwise either that it is an euill vvorke or else a good vvorke and yet that thou art not able to doe it then staye and leaue off for if thou doest not thou shalt thinke shame in the ende as Peter did Therefore let no man looke lightlie to such impediments as they shall finde to bee casten in in doing anie thing Well yee see Peters fall in these two poincts First he will not receiue aduertisment Secondlie hee will not goe from the doore till he get in Search the grounde of his doing and ye shall see that albeit Peter was a verie weake man yet he saw not his owne infirmitie and when he thought himselfe strong enough in his vaine conciet he was blinded hee saw not his owne infirmitie this is the ground of his fall It was the strength of fleshe and blood that was in Peter and an humane spirite such a courage as the Romane vvarriours had This courage of fleshe and blood will carry men a good piece forwarde in the cause of
hee is not vvakened till the Prophet of the LORD came vnto him The longer that thy conscience lieth still in sinne the bitterer the vvakening vvill bee A reprobate vvill get an harde vvakening Iudas got a sore vvakening he vvas asleepe vvhilest hee kissed his Master but vvhen hee vvakened he hanged himselfe But the Lord dealeth otherwise vvith His owne Hee vvill vvaken them in mercie and in the heauiest displeasure they shall haue the sweetest joye and in the greatest aboundance of teares the greatest comfort Of all the thinges in the vvorlde take best heede to the conscience for it is alwayes verie readie to fall asleepe and of all judgementes a sleeping conscience is the greatest and therefore let vs striue night and daye to haue a waking conscience which may rounde in our eares when vvee lay vs downe at Euen vvhat vvee haue done all the daye if thou hast done good then thou mayest sleepe vvith a sound conscience but if thou hast done euill it is better a thousand times to vveepe vvith teares and vvake in mourning till thou findest thy selfe to be recōciled to God againe than to sleepe We should neuer let the conscience sleepe but euer hold it vvaking to tell vs vvhen vve doe euill that vve may haue dolour vvhē vve haue done vvell vve may haue joy through Iesus Christ To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all Praise Honour and Glorie for euermore AMEN THE FOVRTH LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 19 The high Priest then asked IESVS of his Disciples and of his Doctrine verse 20 IESVS answered him I spake openly to the worlde I euer taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Iewes resort continually and in secret haue I said nothing verse 21 Why askest thou mee aske them that heard me what I said vnto them beholde they know what I said verse 22 When he had spoken these things one of the officers which stood by smote IESVS with his rodde saying Answerest thou the high Priest so verse 23 IESVS answered him if I haue euill spoken beare witnesse of the euill but if I haue well spoken why smitest thou me verse 24 Now Annas had sent him bound vnto Caiaphas the high Priest verse 25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himselfe and they saide vnto him Art not thou also one of his Disciples He denied it and said I am not verse 26 One of the seruants of the high Priest his cousin whose eare Peter smote off saide Did not I see thee in the Garden with him verse 27 Peter then denied againe and immediatly the Cocke crew BELOVED in the LORD IESVS we haue heard the first part of the Passion of the LORD which was in the Garden beside that inward agonie with the wrath of His Father that Hee felt in His soule outwardly in the Garden where Hee was taken like a thiefe bound Hee was taken to deliuer vs from that captiuitie and bondage of sinne and death And then after we entered into the seconde part of His suffering which was in the Hall of Caiaphas being taken and bound He is led away to Hierusalem The first house that He is brought vnto is the house of Anna◠the father-in-lawe to Caiaphas and there Hee tarrieth a certaine time till the Priestes the Elders and Scribes were assembled in the house of Caiaphas and then Annas sendes Him bound to Caiaphas the High Priest Now we heard the last day the Historie of Peter how hee denied his Lord and Master Peter vpon a vaine confidence notwithstanding of an admonition of the Lord hee will followe Him to the house of the High Priest Now the Lord entereth in and the other disciple vvho knewe the High Priest and Peter vvas stopped at the doore this might haue beene an aduertisement for him to haue left off but yet hee would not and the other disciple thinking to gratifie him he desireth the maiden that kept the doore to let him in and beeing no sooner entered in but that same seruant vvoman tempteth him This temptation is by a sober instrument neither vttered she any reuiling vvordes vnto him yet neuerthelesse Peter falleth vvhereby yee maye see vvhereunto the confidence of fleshe and blood turneth for the lightest assault vvill throwe him downe vvho trusteth in it Hee is standing vvarming himselfe vvith euill companie and being standing securely he getteth his reward hee deare bought his vvarming there for hee is tempted and denieth his Lord and Master Now to come to this Text There are two parts of it shortly the first containes the suffering of the Lord Iesus in the Hall of the high Priest the second containes the second and third deniall of Peter As for the first it is saide that Caiaphas the high Priest begineth to aske of Iesus concerning his doctrine and his disciples he layeth not downe first such and such particular pointes of false doctrine because he had none to lay to the charge of the Lord and therefore this was no formall proceeding and dealing to draw a man before a judge and then not to haue one word to lay to his charge Should not the dittay be made before the man was taken ye may see the malice of this persecution Well then to examine his words he enquireth about his doctrine and then for his disciples whilst he asked him of his doctrine he would meane that his doctrine was not allowable and that it might not abide the light and that Hee teached lies and whilst as hee speaketh of His disciples hee would meane that the Lord was a seducer and had seduced so many among the people the Lord answeres The thing that I haue teached I haue teached openly before the world and therefore why askest thou me of my doctrine as though it were not allowable and as if I had teached in secret holes and caues then he appealeth to the witnessing of his enemies aske of these men who haue heard me I will bee judged by them This is the effect first of the question of the high Priest and next of the answere of the Lord. The first thing that wee marke here is shortly this Beholde in the person of Caiaphas the malice of the enemies of the trueth in their heartes they know the trueth and yet they will seeme that they knowe it not CAAIPHAS knewe the trueth but hee seemeth not to knowe it the enemies will count light darknesse albeit the truth should shine in their faces more bright than the Sunne in the noone-tide of the day yet they will say Light is darknesse But to come to Christs part as the trueth loues the light and desires not to be hid neither to bee teached in secret holes and caues so the trueth so farre as is possible is publikely to bee teached in the presence of the worlde it would haue all men to know it it would euer bee heard and the light would euer shine through the world The Ministers of the trueth should euer
might giue out the sentence Yet there is some accusation heere that he is an euill doer Is that sufficient vvhen a man is deliuered to the Iudge to say This man is an euill man No hee must qualifie it in particular wherein he is euill and hath failed if they had found anie they woulde not haue passed by it in their owne judgement seate they coulde get nothing to say against Him Nowe when they came to the judgement of Pilate and striuing to accuse Him they can saye nothing but in generall This is an euill man Then this I marke thorow this whole processe that the Lord will alwayes haue these two thinges to bee seene manifestly First the innocencie of Christ for looke the whole processe yea when He is slaine dead vpon the Crosse His very enemies themselues are constrained to testifie that He is an innocent man as the Centurion did The next is the wrongfull dealing of the Iewes against their consciences Now Brethren as it was in this matter of Iesus Christ so it hath beene since in all the Martyrs The Lord hath made both the innocencie of the Martyrs to appeare clearly and also He hath made the crueltie and tyrannie of their enemies to appeare Reade the bookes of the Martyrs and yee shall finde these two So Brethren it is well for them that will suffer for a good cause and chiefely for the cause of Iesus Christ yea although it were but in this That the Lord will haue their innocencie appearing What and if all the worlde condemne thee so the Lord Iesus justifie thee for albeit thou die yet thine innocencie dieth neuer And this is our comfort indeede that albeit this bodie shoulde bee burnt yet the daye shall come that our innocencie shall appeare for at the glorious comming of the Lord Iesus thou and thine innocencie shall stand vp to shame the Tyrants of the world Thus for their answere Pilate sayes againe Yee haue a lawe take and iudge Him after your lawe Albeit Pilate seeme to speake these thinges tauntingly to mocke the Iewes speaking one thing and thinking another to represse their pride yet the Text following testifies that he spake it in earnestnesse as he would say Before that I should condemne any man this way without an accusation for your pleasure I had rather renounce of my right and permit judgement to you condemne and doe as ye will Well then it is to be marked I see here that ere Pilate had judged the Lord wrangously he had rather haue giuen ouer his right and the judgement of Capitall crimes and well had it bene for Pilate if he had stood to this sentence and it had bene better that he had giuen ouer his right that the Romanes had albeit that hee should haue immediatly beene taken and hanged by the Emperour for it Alas the miserable man lost himselfe by the malitiousnesse of the Iewes yet albeit he be an Ethnicke hee is a man of better conscience than the Jewes were The light of a naturall conscience in this Pilate surpasses all the knowledge of the Iewes And the Lord at this time did set vp that light of Pilates on a Skaffolde as a lanterne and light to condemne these Iewes that had no cōscience The very words of Pilate are a lanterne to let the Iewes see that they had no conscience God in his wisdome from time to time vses to doe so Hee will make the Paganes to stand vp like light to shame the professours of the Gospell whose conscience is as it were burnt vp with a hote irone Is it not a great shame to thee when the Lord will raise him vp to be a light vnto thee who should bee a light to him and as in this worlde Hee will make men without God to stand before the Professours in this world to shame them So in the world to come He will raise them vp to shame and to condemne them Sodome and Gomorrha shall rise vp to the judgement of many in this age who professe Christ Yee shall see howe Pilate although he was a very euill man yet hee pities the Lord Iesus wil not for their importunity cōsent to his death They say It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death They require not that power to bee giuen them that the Romanes had for fourtie yeere before the destruction of the towne and Temple of Ierusalem they lost all authoritie to judge on Capitall crimes they spake truely And heere they would appeare to gratifie Pilate when they would acknowledge him to judge in capitall crimes but in effect they take the power of a judge from Pilate when vpon their sentence onely without accusation triall or verdict they will haue him to condemne Christ But better had it beene a thousand times for Pilate that they had taken that power to themselues for they inuolued the man in their guiltinesse by condemning Christ Iesus And I say more it had bene better for the Priestes that they had taken the whole judgement vnto themselues because that blood of Pilate lies vpon them This is a true thing the moc thou drawest to communicate with thy sinne thy damnation shall be the greater It were better for the Princes of this worlde who are like as many slaues to the Pope the Emperour the King of Spaine c. to renounce all the right they haue of judgement to the Pope when he and his crue haue condemned on innocent of Heresie to execute him rather than to be the Popes Burrio It had bene better for Sigismundus the Emperour that hee had resigned all authoritie to the Pope in burning Iohn Husse and Ierome of La Prage than breaking promise and oath to haue executed the Popes malice vpon them it had beene better he had neuer seene that councell and one daye the Princes of the earth shall curse the time that euer they were executers to the Pope And it were good for the Pope also that hee inuolued not these Princes in the same guiltinesse for their blood lies vpon him Would God their eyes could bee opened to see that deceiuer To returne againe It is not they that must condemne the Lord no but it must be Pilate hee must doe all that they may bee cleane and when the Lord is slaine are they cleane no Brethren let Pilate condemne Him and put Him to execution yet the Priestes and the Iewes are greater murtherers of Iesus Christ than Pilate was indeed Pilate hath his part in that woefull action woe vnto him that euer he medled with it and now hee findeth that hee hath his part therein But those High Priests those Iewes are the greatest murtherers of Iesus Christ Ye know the Papistes vse to say when a man is put to death It is not we y t slay the man it is the ciuill sword of the secular power Who burnt Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage but the Emperour The Pope is holy and his handes are cleane and these sinnes
to the purpose for they answere presumptuously If he had not bene an euill doer we had not brought him vnto thee The thing they delate is very generall it is a sober inditement to say He is an euill man that must be qualified and Pilate thinkes this of no valour and castes it off at the last after many words he throwes another accusatiō out of the Iewes the accusation is this as may be gathered of the Text he calles Him a king and king of the Iewes and an enemie to Caesar who would reaue the kingdome from him and a traitor and guiltie against the Majesty of Caesar The rest of the Euangelists haue this accusation more plainelie and at greater length The Iewes say Luke 23.2 Wee haue founde this man peruerting the people and forbidding the people to paye tribute to Caesar saying he is Christ and king So howbeit in this Gospell of Iohn is not mentioned that the Jewes gaue vp this poinct of accusatiō but that Pilate inquires whether Hee was a king or no It is manifest that they were delators of Christ to Pilate and Pilate knewe not this of his own head as the Text following declares Let vs examine this more deepely The Iewes that persecuted Him they delate Him not before Pilate for blasphemie they had adjudged Him alreadie worthy of death in their owne councell for blasphemie but when it cōmeth to the Romane judge Hee is deleated of treason against the Emperour This is a piece of craft and of the wisedome of the childrē of this world they knew the judge to be a profane man who coūted of religion but as of a trisle and knew that hee was deputie to Caesar and that hee woulde bee loath to see Caesars hurt therfore they applie well their accusation to the honour of the man and delates Iesus as one who had committed treason against Caesar Yee shall then note heere a piece of craft in this their doing Yet consider it more deepely The thing that they deleate to Pilate of Iesus was a lie for Iesus was so farre from that to accept a kingdome in this world that when the people assembled to make Him a King Hee conuayed Himselfe secretlie awaye to the Wildernesse IOHN CHAP. VI. and vvhereas they saye that Hee forbade to paye tribute vnto Caesar that was false also for Hee payed tribute vnto Caesar for Him and Peter and gaue commaundement to giue vnto Caesar that which was Caesars So this poinct of accusation is nothing else but a calumnie and a false accusation Yet let vs looke something further heere The IEWES woulde seeme to bee carefull for CAESARS kingdome and take delite to haue CAESAR to reigne ouer them but indeed CAESAR was the only man in the world that they loued worst and hated most and the thing that mooued them to giue vp this accusation vvas an hatred they had against Christ They flatter the Iudge and as they are craftie in their accusation so they are flatterers and all to get the innocent blood shed they haue an euill action in hand yea the worst that euer man had and so they care not by what euill meanes craft calumnie or flatterie they bring their purpose to passe If thou once takest purpose to doe an euill turne thou wilt not care by what vnlawfull doing thou bringest it to passe to speake the truth if once a man take an euill action in hand then he will of necessity be compelled to follow out euil meanes for an euill turne cannot be done but by euill meanes If a man once set his minde to pursue innocent blood of force he must vse flattery calumnies and euill meanes Therefore as ye would eschewe euill doing eschewe euill purposes for thou wilt not care to get thy purpose by all vnlawfull things Now to come to Pilates part when hee hath gotten this inditemēt he enters into the Cōmon Hall calles on Iesus saies Art thou the king of the Iewes no doubt they thought that they hauing accused Him so that Pilate should not haue looked on Him but incontinent should haue giuen out the doome for treason against great Caesar was no small matter yet Pilate was so farre from that that he speakes not a rough word to Him hee saies not What traitor art thou seeking the empire of Caesar but modestly Art thou the king of the Iewes A faire example of modesty and equity to be in such a man a profane Ethnick Christian Iudges may learne at Pilate vvhat modestie and equitie they should vse in judgement This telles vs plainly that the mind of Pilate vvas voyde of such affectiōs as makes Iudges to peruert judgement hee shewes hee vvas voyde of hatred hee carried no hatred against Christ neither sought hee His blood the man is euill abused by the High Priestes and the Iewes he doeth all his endeauour to get Iesus absolued Looke this vvhole discourse So Pilates minde is voyde of these affections of hatred desire of reuenge and seeking of innocent blood for Brethren vve know it is these affections that peruerts judgement The judge vvho hates and enuies the person accused he vvill haue him slaine though he vvere as innocent as Iesus Christ Himselfe Therefore let Iudges learne this lesson To bee voyde of hatred in judgement I suppose the man be the vvickedest in the vvorld yet seeke not the destruction of the creature but hate his crime looke that thine affections slaye not the man but looke that justice slaye him for if thou seekest the blood of the man thou shalt bee guiltie of his blood in the latter day The Lord answereth and He answereth not at the first time to the point but first He sayes to Pilate Askest thou that of thy selfe Is that crime that thou layest to my charge of thine owne head Or hath any other tolde it thee There is the meaning So ye see before the Lord will answere Hee will vnderstand who is the inuenter of this accusation Well Brethren I see this through all this Historie that the Lord will haue euery mans part knowne in the action He will know who is the delator and who giues out the verdict He wil haue Herodes part Pilates part the Iewes part Caiaphas part all their parts distinctly knowne what each man doeth the Lord hath a great eye to this action as it were the greatest in the world and when all is tried ye shall see that the burthen is laide vpon the Iewes and especially vpon the Clergie to speake it so Pilate had his part Herode had his part and both were guilty of the blood of Iesus Christ but the sinne of Pilate is laid vpon the Jewes of his blood they are guiltie So Pilate this day may curse the Iewes that euer hee was gouernour of Iudea Let the Papistes say what they will and extenuate their martyring of the Saintes and say that it was the ciuile sworde that slew them I affirme in the presence of God that the whole blood of the
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
is trueth And when he had said that hee went out againe vnto the Iewes and said vnto them I finde in him no cause at all verse 39 But you haue a custome that I should deliuer you one loose at the Passeouer will yee then that I loose vnto you the King of the Iewes verse 40 Then cryed they all againe saying Not him but Barabbas nowe this Barabbas was a murtherer WEE heard these dayes past Brethren of the suffering of the Lord First in the Garden Next vnder Caiaphas the High Priest for the time and then vvee entered into the thirde part of His suffering vnder Pontius Pilate the Romane gouernour who abode in Hierusalem for the time We heard the accusatiō that the Hie Priests and the Iewes alledge to Pilate the judge vvhere hee sate in judgement against Iesus Christ the accusation was not blasphemous against God for when the Priests thought Him afore in their own judgement seat worthy of death but treason against the maiesty of Caesar he calles himself say they the king of the Iewes as though Christ had come into y e world to be an earthly king and to take the kingdom ouer Caesars head Whē Pilate had posed Christ about this after one or two answeres he findes this accusation vaine false fained And therefore Brethren first in this Text we haue read this day we haue the purgatiō of Iesus and y t out of Pilates own mouth Next howe hee seekes by all meanes to get Him out of the Iewes hands Thirdly we haue the part of the Iewes how they seeke maliciously the life of the innocent preferres Barabbas a murtherer vnto Him As to the first part it is said that Pilate went out again to the Iewes out of the Hall and professed before them all that hee found no fault in that man worthie of death Then Pilate after his inquisition finding Iesus Christ vvho vvas accused before him free of all affectation of Caesars kingdome yet finding that Hee denied not but that Hee vvas a king and that vvas that good vvitnessing that Christ gaue vnder Pontius Pilate as Paul 1. Tim. 6.13 saies but Hee vvas no king of this vvorld Then Pilate thinkes there vvas no crime in Christ Iesus as concerning the other kingdome Pilate thought it but an imagination fantasie therefore thinking that Iesus made Himselfe to be a fantasticke king and sought not Caesars kingdome from him he vvould not count Him vvorthie of death but he clenses Him Politicke and prophane hearted men in this vvorld vvho smell of nothing but of the earth and haue no sense of Heauenlie thinges if ye will but leaue them the thinges of this worlde as Caesars kingdome the glory the honour the riches and the pleasures of this worlde vnto them they care not what men speake of God or His kingdome or of Iesus Christ or of matters of religion howbeit that they would say that they would climbe vp to the Heauen and raue it from God they care not for it as Paul sayes The natural man countes heauenly things but foolishnes speake to them of heauenly things all is but imagination Heauen is as dreame to them Lysias the chiefe Captaine who was in Jerusalem after this man vnder the Gouernour Felix when Paul was persecuted in Ierusalem ye remember what he wrote to Felix They accuse him of trifles and of questions of their law but I finde no thing in the man worthie either of death or of bands Acts 23.29 Wordly men countes it not a crime or a thing worthie of punishment to derogate from Gods glorie Well let men spend their time one day they shall feele it to their griefe that religion is the most earnest excellent thing that euer was and they shall curse the time that euer they esteemed any thing excellent but religion Yet this is commendable in Pilate that he giues so faire a testimonie of Iesus a Ethnicke who had no knowledge of God nor sense of the life to come to stand vp in y e face of them who should haue knowne Iesus Christ to purge the innocent might haue made the High Priests the Iewes ashamed Yet will ye marke this more narrowly albeit his purgation bee faire yet hee faileth farre for in purgation he vttereth a prophane heart whilst he purges Him in words he scorneth Him in his heart condemneth that Kingdome of His that trueth whereof He spake as a fable Prophane men who haue no part of sanctification whē they speake fairest and when they seeme to doe best they doe nothing but sinne Why because in the meane time when they speeke fairest their heart is full of vanitie in their heart they scorne God Albeit thou standest vp speakest much for the defence of Christ seemest to be angrie at the Iewes as Pilate did if in the meane time thine heart beleeue not in that Iesus thou art but a scorner all thy speach serueth for no purpose to thee if thou beleeuest not therefore in speaking of Heauen of religiō of Iesus Christ we should take heede to the heart y t it be sanctified remember y t while the mouth speakes God sees the heart whē thou speakest of that Name of Iesus Christ let tihne heart grippe into Him so thy speach shal be edifying and gratious Now when he hath cleansed Him by word thereafter by deede he seekes to get him loose And it is subjoyned that Pilate sayes Ye haue a custome that I should deliuer you a prisoner loose at the Passeouer Will ye that I let loose the King of the Iewes The rest of the Euangelists Matthew 27.12 Marke 15.3 Luke 23. setteth downe another accusation that past in order before this immediatly which I shal touch shortly the High Priests seeing that they obtained nothing by the first accusation wherein they accuse Him of treason against Caesar yet they will not leaue off but delates to Pilate many things and heapes calumnie vpon calumnie and oppresses Him with accusations as for Iesus Hee made none answere Pilate seeing this he vrges Him once twise to speake He will not speake Pilate wondereth at his great silence the High Priests insist at last they accuse Him of false doctrine which He had vttered from Galile vnto Hierusalem When Pilate vnderstood that He was a Galilean he sendes Him to Herode who was Tetrarch of Galile thinking to gratifie Herode that beeing at variance friendship should haue beene made Herode rejoyced at his comming and hoped that hee should haue seene some wonders of Him for both Pilate and Herode thought to make a Iugler of Iesus but Herode gets not one word of Him much lesse a signe or a wonder then Herode beginnes to mocke Him puttes on a garment on Him in token of derision and sends Him to Pilate then Pilate the second time with his owne voyce cleanses Him Some will maruell what moued Iesus to keepe such a silence to them all
be the grouÌ„d of obedieÌ„ce vvheÌ„ I see the image of God in him wheÌ„ I see him armed vvith y e power of God I ought to obey him for the conscience of God Then a game marke in Iesus Christ vvhen Pilate the earthly Iudge hath to doe vvith Him Hee lookes not so much to Pilate as to His Father Iesus Christ all this time when He is pulled here and there sets not His eye so much vpon men as vpon His Father and vpon His prouidence This teaches a lesson vnto all men but chiefely to them vvho fall into the handes of men of authoritie and power They ought not so much to set their eyes vppon this or that man as vpon God and acknowledge albeit it were in the middest of all torments it is not man that deales vvith me it is not so much any person deales with me as it is my God The King hath not an hand to moue or a word to speake against me if my God giue it not to him he who is in the handes of men and lookes not to this is worse than a beast This is a chiefe point whereby thou glorifiest God to acknowledge His prouidence in suffering or in torment none can haue consolation but hee who seeth this there is the matter of consolation and patience in torments to see that when hee is in the hands of a Tyrant hee is in the handes of a mercifulll Father and to say Albeit these torments bee sore and grieuous and albeit men deale with mee it is my Father that deales with mee in mercie Let thee bee torne and rent yet acknowledge this thou shalt finde joy that shall exceede all thy torments Looke to the Martyres So Brethren it is no small comfort to a man for to set his eyes alwayes vpon God and especially when hee is into the handes of a Iudge or Tyrant Nowe thus farre the Lord hath giuen an answere to Pilate and hath challenged the glorie of that Majestie Would to God we could learne that lesson to defend the glorie of God which is blasphemed in this world Come to the other part it is in respect of the High Priestes they were the instruments of God working by his prouidence to put Christ in his handes Pilate thou gloriest ouer me but woe is to them who haue put mee into thine hands Woe is to them who put an innocent man in the handes of a Tyrant Marke this There is nothing spoken of Pilate that hee sinned albeit hee sinned but Hee speakes of the sinnes of the Iewes and of the High Priestes this lets vs see that albeit Pilate sinned yet they sinned more and their damnation is greater than his hee that beginnes mischiefe the wrath of God shall especially ouertake him and if there were no more but the example of Iudas it may tell vs this that Iudas was the first that beganne this worke Iudas put Him first in the handes of the High Priest On whome strikes the wrath first What befell to Iudas Whilst the Lord Iesus is so handled the traitour Iudas is put to the torture and the Lord rents the soule of him in pieces the miserable Catiue to be free of that torture he hangs himselfe Did the wrath of God light first vpon Iudas who was the first traitour the wrath of God lightes first vpon the traitours yet the Jewes are sleeping they thought they were free of judgement but still the wrath prosecutes them to induration Thinke yee that these traitours are free of wrath No no the dolour and vengeance in its owne time shall ouertake them and they shall not haue a worde to speake The Papistes when they haue caught a Christian who confesseth Iesus Christ when they haue tryed Him they will put Him into the handes of the Emperour or King of Spaine they will washe their handes as cleane of the blood of the innocent and who tooke his life but the King of Spaine O! but the wrath of GOD persecutes them and all the blood of the innocent lies vpon them because they deliuered them into their handes to bee tormented by them The judgement of that Antichrist and of that accursed crue shall bee heauier than the judgement of the Kinges who execute their malice I denounce this IN THE NAME OF GOD and therefore let euery man and woman beware that they be not partakers in the murther of the innocent yea if the Hangman knowe that hee is innocent albeit hee thinkes howsoeuer the matter goes he is free let him not touch him Reade yee not in the Historie of the three Children Sidrach Mesach and Abednego who being taken and casten into the hote fierie fornace at the commaundement of Nebuchadnezar the King that the men that cast them into the fornace were slaine with the flame of the fire Yea if it were but in a thought take heede thou consent not to the death of the innocent Nowe to ende in a worde Yee see heere when Iesus speakes of His Father and of His doinges Hee blames Him not but Hee speakes in all submission of Him but when Hee speakes of the Iewes who were instruments of this worke of God Hee rebukes them shamefullie and imputes sinne vnto them This is a wonder and yet it is the worke of God and they are instrumentes ruled by God yet the Lord is Holy and they are vnholy and wicked Act. chap. 2. vers 23. They crucified Him with wicked haâ—des now the Lord was cleane and the Iewes handes were vnholie Howe was this The cause was because in all this doing there was not such a thing as that anie of these wicked instrumentes looked vnto God they are satisfying the affection of their heartes and drinking vp the innocent blood maliciously Marke this Whatsoeuer thou doest in this worlde whether thou goest out or in eatest or drinkest set alwayes thine eyes vpon the Lord and doe it all to His pleasure and saye vvith thy selfe I doe this to pleasure and to glorifie thee O Lord And I aduertise thee that albeit thou doest anie thing agreeable in it selfe to the vvill of GOD yet if thine heart bee not set vpon GOD in the doing that vvorke is vnholie in thine hand There is nothing to sanctifie thy soule if thine eye be not set vpon GOD for vvhen the eye of the soule is set vpon the LORD there commeth light downe from Him that sanctifieth the heart And this is it in a vvorde that I vvoulde saye Bee neuer at the ende of an euill thing if thy conscience tell thee in thine eare that thou art at an euill turne doe it not I appeale you when yee doe anie thing in secret if your conscience vvill not saye O catiue that vvhich thou doest vvill bring thee to destruction Manie men in this Lande thinke themselues neuer vvell but vvhen they are at an euill turne But I forewarne thee as thou vvouldest bee safe and finde mercie at that Great day to holde thine handes cleane from all euill turnes and chiefelie from
dash themselues on the sworde to deuoure them It is a miserable thing to want the light of the soule so the Iewes saw not with whome they had to doe they had no conscience as Pilate had and therefore beeing through malice and appetite of reuenge incensed against the Lord Iesus blindfolded they regard not what imprecations they vtter for they saw not Hell or els if these Iewes had a light of conscience they did so rashly against Iesus with knowledge which is most likely theÌ„ it followes that they were marueilous malitious as ignorance is hardie so is malitiousnesse more hardie albeit such a man should see yet against the light his malice will make him to runne ouer the bellie of his conscience Yee knowe the voyces of prophane men Ere I were not reuenged of him I had rather be in Hell this commeth of malitiousnesse to get the soule spirit within him satisfied but if thou felt one twitch of Hell thou wouldest recant these wordes for it would cause thee shoute and squeele hiddeously I incline to this judgement that this wicked action is more to be ascribed to malice than ignorance the Iewes and the High Priestes had the word of God and the Prophets whereby they might haue knowne the Messias When I read of the Prophets that speake of induration in the time of Iesus Christ I say it hath come of an hardnesse and induration of heart And when I see the wordes of the Apostles that say O stiffe necked people I thinke that they put their owne fingers in their eyes that they should not see The Lord saue vs from malitiousnesse and namely from such malitiousnesse as is not without knowledge when a man sees and will pull out his eyes Compare the Iewes with Pilate now Pilate sinneth hee kâ—lled himselfe in the end and the Lord made his owne hands to be his burrio No doubt he sinned who can excuse him he sinned malitiously he had a conscience goes against it malitiously But Brethren to speake the trueth it was not so much malice that pushed him forward as great infirmitie and feare for first he feares to be accused of treason against Cesar it was no maruell to such a man to feare who had no God but Cesar â—hen hee saw appearance of great tumult to rise amongst the Iewes What necessitie was laide on them to haue the blood of the innocent So I see nothing in them but malice if it were but in this respect that the sinne of the Iewes weigheth downe the sinne of Pilate and their damnation is a thousand times greater What had this man He had nothing but nature The contrauension of the light of nature will neuer make vp the sinne against the Holy Ghost which gets no mercie but come to them They had the light of nature and the light that commeth from Heauen they had the worde of GOD amongst them they contraueened an heauenly light that came downe from Heauen and was wrought into their heartes by the Spirit Steuen sayes in the 7. Chapter and 51. verse of the Actes of the Apostles Yee haue alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as did your fathers so doe you that is not a naturall light but a light that came from aboue There were some of these men who sinned malitiously against the Holy Spirit What maruell was it then that they got no grace to repent for of all sinnes the sinne against the Holy Spirit is the most dangerous they that commit this sinne haue no grace to repent therefore no mercy to them the Lord strikes their soules with impenitencie so that soule is euerlastingly hardened and so beeing strucken with impenitencie they got neuer grace to say God bee mercifull to me Seeing then their sinne against Christ was so great seeing it was not so much of ignorance as of malice it was not only against the light of nature but also against the illumination of the Holy Spirit what maruell was it that such a terrible Iudgement ouertooke them as neuer lighted on any nation The Iewes found this innocent blood in experience laide to their charge Ioseph that saw all these thinges with his eyes writeth what heauie vengeance and judgement fell vpon Jerusalem the Iewes for he testifies that there was slaine at the siege of Ierusalem eleuen hundreth thousand beside ninetie thousand that were tane captiues thereafter the towne was lamentably destroyed and sacked So the blood of the innocent neuer left them these y t remaine yet feele the judgement of the blood of the innocent for according as they desired y t His blood should be vpon them their posteritie so the wrath of God came vpon them to the vttermost 1. Thess 2.16 It is a wonder that a Iew should be safe if ye heare of a Iew to be conuerted thinke it to be a great mercie Now to apply this shortly to vs if it were but this terrible example of vengeance which folowed the Iewes it should terrifie to the end of the world all soules to take on the blood of the innocent take on one take on all if thou takest on the blood of one seruant of God thou shalt take on all the innocent blood from Abel to that man whom thou hast slaine Fye vpon foule butchers who are more meete to be butchers dogges than men What care they to wash their handes in innocent blood But I say to thee if euer thou gettest grace it is a wonder fye vpon the butchers of Scotland No if the Lord would waken thy conscience to torment thee present to thee the sight of Him of whose blood thou hast shed it would bee so terrible that it would make thee to curse the time that euer thou did it one day fearefully without comfort it will torment thee when will these bloodie men leaue off y e sheading of innocent blood in this bloodie barbarous nation oâ— all nations it is the most barbarous and bloodie Aboue all things dip not thine hands in the blood of Iesus Christ Thou who sheadest innocent blood is a persecuter of the seruants of Iesus Christ and who resistest the trueth thou wilt say If thou hadst bene in Christs dayes thou wouldst not haue coÌ„sented to His death but thou who sayest so if thou hadst fallen in these dayes thou hadst malitiously bene partaker of the death of Christ hadst put handes in Him thou wantest nothing but time I will tell you who is it that sheds the blood of Iesus Christ takes His blood on them what euer he or she be that will resist this knowne trueth of Iesus Christ and persecute the professours thereof I affirme they are as guiltie of the blood of Christ as the Iewes the High Priests were and that same blood shall bee laide to their charge in the great daye of the Lord Read ye not in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chap. 6. and 10. of them who haue repined haue begun to cast off that
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
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
the day in the which He was crucified MARKE names it to haue bene about the third houre of the daye which according to our reckoning and our fashion of diuiding of the daye fell about the twelfth houre of the daye which manifestes a verie hastie dispatch and a short space betwixt the doome and the execution yea all this matter was very hastilie dispatched for Hee was taken in the night in the which Hee gotte no rest but was hurried first to Annas and from him to Caiaphas Hall and then before Pilate the Romane Iudge and there before him condemned So that Hee is taken in the night and the next day before twelue a clocke Hee is crucified In the night Hee is taken and brought before the Iudge The accusation passeth The doome is giuen and He is crucified on the morrow following before twelue of the clocke Nowe to passe by the malice of the Jewes and their earnestnesse to haue the Lord put to death we shall marke that all this judgement wee maye see the swiftnesse of the wrath of the Father which pursued the Sonne because He bare the sinnes of the worlde It lets vs see plainlie that the judgement that shall bee in the latter daye to the which this is proportionate it is a type of the latter judgement that judgemeÌ„t also I say shall passe ouer swiftlie and the reprobate in that judgement when the Lord is once entred into judgement shall not gette leaue nor leasure to draw their breath till they be casteÌ„ into Hel. And after that the terrible Iudge shall once enter into accompt with them and giue out that sentence Depart from mee yee cursed of my Father with the Deuill and his angelles immediatelie those damned soules shall bee hurled to Hell If the wrath was so swift vpon the Sonne of God Himselfe what shall bee the swiftnesse of the wrath vpon the reprobate in that Great daye Then come to the Text which we haue read and to goe forwardes to speake of the thinges and circumstances that fell out in the time that the Lord did hang quicke nayled vpon the Crosse for as I haue already declared Hee hung the â—pace of three houres quicke nayled vpon the Crosse ere Hee gaue vp the ghoste The first thing we haue to speake of is concerning the two Thieues that were crucified with Him the one at the one hande and the other at the other hand Next wee shall speake of that prayer that Iesus conceiued whilest Hee was hanging on the Crosse before His enemies And thirdly wee shall speake of that title and inscription that Pilate commanded to bee fixed on the Crosse to wit IESVS of Nazareth the King of the Iewes and this contained the crime and cause of His suffering Last wee shall speake of the diuiding of His garmentes and howe they cast lottes on His coate All these heads are plaine they offer plaine doctrine Then to come to the first It is saide that They crucified with him two thieues two vagabondes two throat-cutters and they crucified the one of them at his right hand and the other at his left hand And Hee hung on the Crosse in the middest betweene them both They crucifie not the Lord Iesus Himselfe alone but betwixt two Thieues and not at the side but one of them at each side and Him in the middest gâ—uing out thereby to bee vnderstood by all the worlde who looked on Him and there was an hudge multitude of Iewes Romanes and Gentiles looking on that of all Malefactors He was the greatest Brethren I see this thorowe all the Historie of the Passion of Iesus Christ euer His dolour encâ—easses till it come to the ende to the height And I see this that as His paine growes continually So shame is heaped on His head continually and whilest Hee is hanging on the Crosse at the same time the greatest shame is heaped on His head for Hee hanges vpon the Tree betwixt the euill doers as Prince of all euill doers in the worlde To let you see that as the paine of the reprobate shall bee extreame so the shâ—me and confusion that they shall suffer in Hell shall passe all measure In this circumstance as in all the rest I looke not so much to the Iewes and to their malice as I looke to His Father in Heauen to His wrath and to His Iustice it is Hee who is the chiefe worker of all these things All theâ—e men Pilate Herode the men of warre and the High Priestes they are like as many burrioes to that Iudge The LORD hanges on the Crosse in extreame paine of bodie and soule and as Hee hanges in extreame paine so there is extreame shame joyned with it Nowe if the shame and paine was extreame it must followe that Hee bare an extreame but then of sinne these goe together in GODS Iustice extreame burthen of sinne extreame paine and extreame shame for the Iustice of GOD requires that extreame sinne bee punished by extreame paine and shame It is true the Martyres suffered greater shame paine than euer murtherer did or malefactour yet it followes not that their sinne was greater than the sinne of them who suffers not so great paine Why The Martyres suffered not for sinne Non eo nomine Neuer a Martyre suffered for sinne but for the testimonie of the same Lord Iesus Christ who suffered for their sinne and therefore in their suffering they had an exceeding great joy assuring them that they had a remissioÌ„ of their sinnes in the blood of the Lambe IESVS CHRIST But IESVS CHRIST suffered for sinne Eo nomine it is one thing to a sinner to suffer it is another thing to suffer for sin No if the Lord make thee to suffer for the least sin if it were but for an euill thought thou shalt feele howe terrible a Iudge Hee is The LORD suffers and is shamed for sinne the Lord IESVS suffered extreame shame and paine therefore the consequent followes He bare an extreame but then of sinne When I looke to this vtter shame as I call to minde all the sinnes that IESVS suffered for so chiefly I looke to that high pride of Adam and of vs all in Adam whereby wee aspire to bee like to that High and glorious Majestie that pride whereby we would haue spoyled that great GOD of that honour and glorie which was due to Him Therefore in this vtter shame the Father of Heauen meetes randers and requites that high pride of Adam and for that Hee heapes shame on the head of His Sonne As thou aspirest to dishonour Him by pride so Hee meetes thy pride in His deare Sonne If thou be not found in IESVS in that great day the prouder thou bee in the worlde the greater shall be thy shame beside that vnspeakable torment of soule and bodie Now will yee see in this extreame paine shame that the Lord suffers how the wonder of our saluation is wrought it is so farre from that that it is wrought
with a glorious pompe the Iewes would haue had this worke wrought gloriously and would haue had the Sauiour a glorious King and therefore they stumbled at this at the ignominious Crosse of Iesus Yee see by the plaine contrarie that there cannot be a greater paine nor shame We are not bought by glorie nor pompe wee are redeemed from death and shame by death and shame such a redemption cannot stand with His Iustice His Iustice requires blood Heb. 9.22 Noremission of sinnes without blood Then euery one of vs who would attaine to saluation we must not looke to Heauen first to get it in IESVS glorified but we must looke to Hierusalem and to Golgotha first To see Him there hanging and crucified spare not to kisse Him on the Crosse and to bathe thy selfe in His blood and if thou takest offence at His Crosse thou shalt neuer see Him in glorie but to thy shame No by the contrarie take on persecution with Him that in that great day thou mayest be glorified with Him To goe forward Luke in his 23. Chapter verse 34. markes a circumstance which is not marked by the rest to wit that IESVS prayed to His Father for His persecuters This prayer apparantlie hath beene either at this time when they were striking the nailes thorow Him or els very soone thereafter howsoeuer He is hanging on the Crosse at that time The words are Father forgiue them for they know not what they do 1. Pet. Chap. 2. ver 23 sayes of Him When He was reuiled Hee reuiled not againe He rendred none euill words againe when He suffered Hee threatned not againe but committed it to Him who judges righteouslie When they were nailing Him on the Crosse and scorning Him on it Hee shew not an angrie countenance Hee committed the vengeance to GOD. In these wordes hee would let you see a marueilous meeknesse and patience in IESVS CHRIST and therefore by the Prophets Hee was compared to a Lambe No neuer a Lambe suffered with such mildnesse as IESVS did But now in this Historie he goes somewhat further hee lets vs see that the LORD IEnot onely recompensed euill with euill but Hee rewarded good for euill whilst they torment Him he conceiues a feruent prayer for them and this lets vs see not onely a wonderfull patience but also a great loue and pitie He bare to His enemies It is a wonderfull thing to see any in torment to bee patient toward the tormenter but it is greater in the torment both to be patient to pray to GOD for him who torments him and this is the greatest of all to suffer for the tormenter This loue properly pertain es to IESVS CHRIST onely The Martyres haue prayed for them who persecuted them as STEVEN did Act Chapter 7. verse 60. LORD lay not this sinne to their change but neither STEVEN nor any other Martyre in the earth suffered extreame torment for the tormenter Neuer a man had such a loue to suffer for his tormenter No this loue is proper only to IESVS CHRIST and in the Scripture it is ascribed vnto IESVS CHRIST that Hee died for His enemies His tormenters These last wordes of that place of Peter where hee sayes Hee committed vengeance to Him who iudges righteously are worthie of consideration for there hee will let vs see the ground of patience in suffering His eye was on His Father and Hee sawe his Father to bee a just Iudge and to take vengeance on them who persecuted them Wouldest thou bee patient in suffering goe not to reuenge but put the reuenge in the hand of the Iudge except a man haue this consideration it is impossible for him to suffer a wrong patiently And it is as true that these men of this Lande who in no measure are patient but are ay reuenging those who will doe two wrongs for one hee will glorie that hee hath slaine two for one and hee will bragge of his foule murther and say I haue one slaine he hath two he hath better than his owne It is impossible I say that these men cannot haue GOD before their eyes they looke not to GOD because in suffering injuries they leaue not the reuenge to GOD and so their damnation shall not bee so much for the wrongs as because they vsurped the office of the Iudge and gaue him not vengeance to whome it belongeth Some of you may aske how can this be that Peter sayes The LORD committed vengeance to His Father stand with this that Luke sayes Hee prayed for them howe can these two stand To commit the vengeance to God and to pray for thine enemies I answere These things are different To commit vengeance to GOD to commit a wicked man to his owne Iudge and to begge a vengeance to a wicked man IESVS gaue them ouer to their owne Iudge and gaue the Iudgement to GOD hee begged not vengeance on them hee prayes for them to his Father that hee would forgiue them To speake my minde heere This Prayer that the LORD made vpon the Crosse I take it not so much to be for the malitious Scribes Pharises and Priestes who did this not so much of ignorance as of malice For in the 17. Chapter and 9. verse hee sayes I pray not for the worlde but for them that thou hast giuen mee As for the poore multitude of the Jewes and the men of warre and for the ignorant Gentiles who were there The effect declares the force and power of this Prayer for by one preaching of Peter there were three thousand soules cōuerted of the enemies of Christ Act. Chapter 2. verse 41. No question this hastie conuersion of so many came of the effectualnesse of the Prayer that hee made to the Father on the Crosse yea by appearance the force of that Prayer vttered it selfe then when the multitude came from the spectacle of the Crosse home againe knocking on their breasts But consider the forme of the Prayer hee sayes Father forgiue them the reason is They know not what they doe But they are sillie blinded people Paul 2. Cor. 2. Chapter verse 8. sayes If they had knowne what Hee was they would not haue crucified the LORD of Glorie Yee shall euer marke Brethren two series of sinners and two sorts of sinning There are some malitious sinners woe to those Some are ignorant some sinnes of knowledge yea the malice of the heart drawes them to a mischiefe and some because they know no better beeing wrong informed No doubt many of this multitude thought they were doing good seruice to GOD Malice in sinning makes a man inexcusable and closes his mouth before that Iudge yee shall see this one day The malicious sinners when the sentence shall bee pronounced against them shall not whisper once againe But ignorance albeit it makes not a man inexcusable it will neuer excuse thee before that great Iudge Beguile not thy selfe thou shalt not once open thy mouth and say LORD the thing that I did I did it of ignorance
and therefore I deserued not death yet it is not so euill as malice for whereas malice prouokes the wrath and judgement of the Iudge for it is a terrible thing to haue an malicious heart and of set purpose to sinne against the Iudge Ignorance will mooue the Iudge to pitie and commiseration and so ye see the LORD seeing the poore ignorant multitude Hee pities them and as Hee pities them so Hee prayes for them Ignorance mooued Him to pittie and to praye for them In a worde The Christian man that is persecuted wrongfullie either hath to doe with malicious men wee may finde this in experience ere wee die who persecute of malice or with enemies who are not so much malicious as ignorant if hee haue to doe vvith malicious persons patience is required but if hee haue to doe with ignorant bodies then not onelie patience is required but also rueth and loue Wouldest thou haue patience then commit vengeance vnto Him vvho judges justlie for if thou vvouldest bee patient looke to thy GOD and saye I commit thee in the hands of the Iudge And if thou haue to doe vvith an ignorant see that thou bee pittifull looke to the ignorance of them that persecute thee and thou shalt not so soone looke to their blindnesse but thou shalt not onelie bee patient but also pittifull and the ignorant vvill seeme to bee miserable and to bee pittied for this is certaine that the innocent man vvho is persecuted is not so much to bee pittied as hee vvho of blinde ignorance persecutes him Alas What is to bee pittied but that vvhich procures damnation before GOD So ignorant blinded bodies are moste to bee pittied Nowe consider howe all rankes and sortes of people shame Him and first Pilate shames Him and commaundes an inscription and title to be vvritten on the Crosse bearing the crime and cause of His death It is saide that Pilate the Iudge Writeth a title to bee fixed on the Crosse and bee writeth it in Hebrew and in Grecke and in Latine to the ende that men of all Languages might reade it and vnderstand it and the effect thereof is this IESVS of Nazareth the King of the Jewes This was in Hebrewe in Greeke and in Latine three Languages to bee read by Hebrewes Graecians Romanes There is no question but this was written according to the fashion of that time for among the people of GOD both the judgementes and also the punishmentes vvith inscriptions containing the cause thereof vsed to bee publicked And this vvas a commendable and allowable custome that vvhen a man vvas condemned to die they alwayes vsed to put vp an inscription containing the crime and cause to testifie that hee vvas vvorthilie executed According hereunto they handle the Lord IESVS for they lead y e whole proces in the sight of y e people went not into a corner to judge Him but in the presēce of y e whole people they led Him out of the Portes of Hierusalem to execute Him Reade of this custome Iosh Chapter 7. verse 19. Of Achan who stolle the Babylonians garment how hee was judged of the whole people Read of that blasphemer in the wildernesse Leuit. 24.23 how before the whole people hee was executed publikly Reade of Ionathan how hee was judged and condemned of his father Saul in the sight of the whole people 1. Sam. Chapter 14. verse 5. As the Iudgement was publicke so they vsed to put an inscription aboue them to testifie to the people their crime and the cause of their death that they died justly It is no small matter to slay a man albeit hee were the poorest that euer was and there is not a Prince in the face of the earth that may slay a man without a good cause No not the Emperour hath that power And as no man should bee slaine lightly so if there bee a just cause of execution the man may not be executed priuily at the pleasure of the Iudge but if there bee good justice the Iudgement must be before the people The people haue their owne right and entresse in judgement seates Yee know in that great Iudgement of the world which shall be at the latter day not one shall be judged and condemned without the approbation and consent of the whole Elect which shall stand round about their Lord. Then how much more hath the people at the least the best part entresse in earthly Iudgements to see good administration of justice and Iudgement and that the Iudge vse no Tyrannie This then was the cause of this Inscription euen that the cause of the death of Iesus should bee made manifest to the people according to common commendable custome But Pilate had another respect Pilate did this not so much that the people should know the cause of His death for his conscience tolde him that He was innocent as he put it vp to reuenge him on the malicious Iewes who compelled him against his heart and conscience to condemne Him Hee will haue this put vp that their King was hanged and that they hanged Him with their owne hands But GOD hath His part heere and all was gouerned by that heauenlie Prouidence Neither is Pilate nor the Iewes heere so much to be looked to as the dispensation of the Father As Pilate did it for one ende so the LORD did it for another ende Men will doe a thing vpon an euill intent GOD will doe the same thing by a wicked instrument to His good ende by His effectuall prouidence Hee will haue this to be put vp to ratifie the Heauenly and Spirituall Kingdome of IESVS CHRIST and Hee vvill let them all see that IESVS is the onely King and inspeciall by this inscription the LORD vvill haue it testified to the vvorlde that as IESVS hung vpon the Crosse vvith paine and shame that so likewise vpon the same Crosse He triumphed gloriously ouer His enemies ere Hee came to Heauen on the Crosse Hee gotte victorie and Hee triumphed ouer them all and ledde them all captiues on the Crosse as it is vvritten to the COLOSS. CHAP. 2. VERS 15. More than this The LORD did it to this ende To fore-shaddowe that the preaching of the Kingdome of IESVS CHRIST to followe on His Ascension should bee to all Nations Kingdomes and Languages for immediately after that Hee passed out of the vvorld IESVS vvas proclaimed to all Nations the King of Glory and continues to this day and shall bee for euer Pilate is a preacher heereof albeit hee haue little minde of it but hee vvas like Caiaphas vvho prophesied that it vvas expedient that one shoulde die for the sinnes of the vvhole people CHAP. 11. VERS 40. And this is done by the speciall prouidence of GOD no doubt The constancie of Pilate in his sentence and vvriting notwithstanding the strong opposition of the Scribes and the High Priestes vvho desired him to alter and change the title and for that vvhich vvas vvritten by Pilate to vvit This is
of His owne goods Howsoeuer they esteemed of Him yet Hee vvas innocent Next they doe Him shame in stripping Him and setting Him naked vpon the Crosse in the sight of all the worlde And last of all they despite Him and contemne Him in taking His garmentes and parting them in His owne presence vvhere He Himselfe might behold it So they did Him vvrong shame and despite But Brethren as in all other circumstances conjoyned with the Passion I looke not so much to men as to the Lord So heere I looke not so much to these executioners in parting of these garments as to that Heauēly Iudge His Father to His justice in this matter for whatsoeuer bee their part and howe vnjust soeuer they bee that Heauenly Father is just and that burthen of our sinne vvhich Iesus Christ tooke vpon Him deserued all this as suretie for vs Hee demerited all this Nowe to examine more narrowly euerie one of these to wit the wrong shame and despite wee shall see howe justly all is done if yee will looke to His Father and first consider the wrong done vnto Him in taking His cloathes Hee was wearied of His garments because Hee was cledde with our sinne Nowe woulde to GOD that wee could feele in mercy this weight of sinne which our Mediator did beare vpon His backe for vs for then wee woulde not runne on so wantonly as wee doe And it telles vs this That a sinner that is not in Iesus Christ vvho hath not put off sinne but yet beares the burthen of sinne hath no right to weare so much as a moste vile garment yea though it were but a bratte of a sacke to hide his shame from the sight of the worlde let bee Golde Siluer or precious rayment and if it shall fall out at any time that hee be reaued and spoyled of his cloathes let him take it to bee of the just judgement of GOD whatsoeuer bee mans part therein And though the Thieues bereaue him yet the GOD of Heauen is just in punishing of him whatsoeuer part man hath in the action Yet it telles vs more for I tell you still that this judgement of Iesus Christ is the image and figure of the latter judgement for such processe as is vsed heere shall bee vsed in the latter judgement Then I saye it telles vs that in that latter daye a reprobate and sinner vvho shall not bee founde in Iesus Christ shall bee depriued and spoyled of all the creatures made for the vse and ornament of man and there shall neuer a one of them bee left him neither shall hee haue so much a foot-breadth of earth or the meanest commoditie in the worlde yea albeit hee were a king let him haue possessions kingdomes and the whole earth now but then there shall not bee any thing in this worlde that hee shall possesse at that daye but shame in the Hell for euermore Where by the contrary they who shall bee founde in Iesus Christ shall not onelie bee cladde with incorruption and glory in Christ but also shall be put in possession of a newe Heauen and newe Earth to reigne with their Head and Lord Iesus Christ for euermore Yee see then what happinesse it is to bee founde in Iesus Christ at that Great daye O the misery of him vvho shall bee founde out of Him Nowe to come to that shame which Hee suffers on the Crosse The Father thorowe His nakednesse heerein also is just Hee vvas cledde on the Crosse with our sinnes It telles vs this that among all the punishmentes of sinne this is one to wit nakednesse to set the body naked in the sight of the worlde Yee reade in Esay 3.17 where the sinfull women are threatned for their pride that the Lord IEHOVAH shall make naked and discouer their secret parts to the world But to speake of the latter day beside all the rest of the punishments of the reprobate the nakednesse of their carcases shal be a punishment they shall rise with foule bodies whereas the Elect shall rise with glorified bodies and the reprobate shall stand vp in the sight of all men Angels with naked bodies that their shame may be seene they shall crie to hide their shame on the mountaines to couer them and on the hilles to fall on them Now last to speake of that despite that Hee suffered They parte His garmentes before Him in despite of Him They goe not to a backside to deale them Looke to Gods dealing heere this is a just thing with God that hee who is a sinner and who in contempt and despite of God hath sinned that he be contemned againe and suffer despite openlie And Christ among all other punishmēts bare this punishment of contempt vpon the Crosse Then if contempt be done vnto thee who art a sinner not in Iesus Christ not cledde with His justice in respect of God it is due justice if thy goods be taken and pulled from thee before thine eyes if thy sonnes bee slaine in despite of thee or thy virgins destored thy selfe looking on take it for the just judgement of God In the latter daye beside all the punishmentes that shall fall vpon a reprobate despite shall be done to them If it were but this that the persons whome they disdained contemned and spitted vpon shall bee glorified in despite of them So to ende this This teaches vs howe good a thing it is to bee in Iesus Christ and howe blessed that bodie shall bee vvho is founde in Him And as for thee who art out of Iesus Christ woe shall be to thee suppose thou were an Emperour Nowe to goe forwarde After the Hang-man and after their despite followes the part of the people vvho gazed on Him they beginne and wagge their heads Dauid foretelles of that in the 22. Psalme vers 7. They had mee in derision and made a mowe and nodde their heads and they said Is this the man who saide hee would destroy the glorious Temple of Hierusalem and builde it after in three dayes Come downe from the Crosse and saue thy selfe They mistooke the LORD for the LORD vnderstood of the Temple of His bodie which after three dayes by His glorious resurrection hee should reedifie and builde vp againe so the opprobrie that they cast vp to Him is this He was wount to say He would cast downe the Temple and builde it vp againe in three dayes But this is a thing impossible and their ground they take from His present infirme estate that inhabilitie He was in on the Crosse So they gather of that Seeing He could not free Himselfe that the other was impossible Before I marke or obserue any thing on this place I shall followe out the scoffing rayling and mocking of others After the people came in the Princes of the people as High Priestes Scribes Pharises Elders and Rulers and they raile on Him saying This man tooke on Him the Name of CHRIST let vs see if He can saue Himselfe As
it is impossible that that body can attaine to glory They thinke him as an out-cast and will scorne his profession They will saye Are these your Christians of all men they are the moste miserable if that be the waye to Heauen I will renounce to goe that way this is rather the waye to goe to Hell This is the voyce of the worlde And the cause is because miserable catiues know not what sinne is which at that time behooued to bee purged by the Crosse for the justice and Majestie of GOD beeing offended required that it shoulde bee so and nowe in vs sinne thorowe manifolde crosses and afflictions must bee mortified Let the vvorlde thinke and speake as it pleases the onely waye whereby thou shalt come to life is suffering and affliction and thou must thinke this that wee must bee racked thorowe Hell ere wee come to Heauen Our redemption is wrought by the Crosse thou shalt not come to Heauen but by the Crosse The ground of all is sinne But alas the world sees it not The word will teach thee that there is no other vvay to come to Heauen but by affliction and it will thee that if thou bee not purged and changed by trouble and affliction thou shalt neuer see Heauen Alas that wee coulde once grone vnder sinne And blessed is the soule that hath a sight of the weight of sinne and vvoe to that soule that hath no sight of sinne To goe forwarde I see in this Thiefe vvho rayles on Christ some speciall thing hee hath a particular of his owne hee is in torment and therefore hee saies Jf thou bee that CHRIST saue thy selfe and vs. Brethren a torment vvhatsoeuer it bee if it bee not the better sanctified it vvill mooue the creature to fall out in blasphemie thou vvilt blaspheme both in heart and mouth and thou vvilt saye that there is no power in GOD to saue thee And the Thiefe in effect saide this There is no power in thee to saue mee I renounce thee as a Sauiour and if thou confesse His power thou wilt denie His mercie and vvilt saye GOD is but a Tyrant And if thou vvilt saye Hee is mercifull bee mercifull to vvhome Hee vvill Hee cannot bee mercifull vnto mee This last distrusting of mercie to thy selfe is a great sinne And that to saye altogether that there is no mercie in GOD it is a plaine blasphemie And last to saye there is no power in GOD it is to denie GOD to bee GOD For howe can Hee bee GOD if Hee vvant power So I thinke that this catiue hath beene a great blasphemer of that Majestie and vvhen I looke on it I see in him the image of the death of the reprobate vvhen they are dying and changing this life The Lord giue vs grace to die well The reprobate shall thinke that in their doing God hath no power to saue them for of all men in the worlde the reprobate is the most Ioath to die for either they shall thinke that God is not mercifull at all or else at least that there is no mercie in Him for them and so the miserable creature will turne his backe on GOD and immediately shall cast himselfe into Hell and damnation Wee reade of Sidrach Mesach and Abednego that they were so farre from this blasphemie that when the Tyrant falles out in blasphemie they meete him and saye Our GOD is Almightie and Hee hath power to deliuer vs if Hee please Neuer come thou to despaire though thou shouldest die tenne thousande deathes but sleepe in His bosome hang on Him and saue His honour and thinke not that which maye derogate His honour and saye Though thou shouldest slaye mee LORD yet will I trust in thee and so die sweetlie resting in His armes Well I see this hath beene a miserable bodie and hath died miserablie blaspheming the God of Glorie and this is euen as the reprobate shall doe at the latter Iudgement And yet when I compare him with the Pharises and Priests I find their blasphemie greater than his Well shall it bee to the Thiefe in respect of them for they had knowledge and hee wanted Who shoulde haue had knowledge but they They had no torment hee had sore torment What neede had they to blaspheme Therefore their condemnation shall bee greater than his And vvhen I compare this blasphemie of the Thiefe with the blasphemie of some men in these dayes vvho when anie crosse falles vpon them without their expectation vvill saye What can GOD doe more vnto mee so in effect denying power to bee in GOD and in IESVS CHRIST I count the blasphemie of these men to bee greater than his vvas For nowe IESVS is in Glorie and the Thiefe saw Him on the Crosse in miserie vvith himselfe If thou now blasphemest Him so it were well done that thy mouth were sowed vp that thou neuer spakest a vvorde Nowe to ende vvith this The LORD giue vs grace that neither in thought nor in vvorde vvee dishonour that MAIESTIE but maye acknowledge His mercie and power towardes vs in IESVS CHRIST To vvhome bee all Honour Glorie Praise Power and Dominion both nowe and euermore Worlde vvithout ende AMEN THE XVII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 40 But the other answered and rebuked him saying Fearest thou not GOD seeing thou art in the same condemnation verse 41 We are indeede righteously heere for wee receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse verse 42 And hee saide vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome WEE heard the last day Brethren of all these railings and blasphemies that the Lord Iesus suffered of all rankes and estates of persons whilest Hee hang on the Crosse naked liuing in torment Pilate began fixed on the Crosse an ignominious inscription That Iesus was a Traitor against Caesar and that He suffered death for His treason Then the Hang-men foure in number in despite and in His sight tooke his garmentes and diuided them in foure partes and because his coate had no seame but was wouen thorowout therefore they cast lottes for it who shoulde haue it whole Then comes on the people with their part and raile vpon Him and blaspheme Him saying Nowe if thou bee that Christ come downe and saue thy selfe Then followe the high Priestes the Scribes and the Elders who raile on Him and saye Is this hee who will saue others let see if hee can bee able to saue himselfe Then the men of warre and Gentiles beginne to raile if thou bee the King of the Iewes saue thy selfe and come downe from the Crosse And then one of the Thieues railes out on Him If thou be that Christ saue thy selfe and vs both but nowe so like as thou art the Christ thou art adying as vvell as vvee and art neither able to sâ—ue thy selfe nor vs and therefore thou art not a King Nowe Brethren yee maye perceiue that it was no prayer that
but beeing nailed quicke on the Crosse in such extreame paine that might haue occupied and exercised all his senses and when he is looking and waiting for the hand of the hangman to breake him quicke on the Crosse to this man to haue driuen his senses and to haue set them on a better life from that hell hee was in to that heauenly Life it was more than wonderfull and I say it was as wonderfull as if he had leapt out of the lowest hell to the highest heauen Then come to the person of him to whome he prayes if hee had seene Iesus Christ standing before him like a glorious King it had beene lesse to haue beene wondered at but hee is hanging in that shamefull death and in greater shame than he for they railed not on him as they did on Christ which no question was more grieuous than all torments as if Hee had beene a reprobate from GOD So if he had seene Him in glorie it had bene no maruell but to seeke life in a man who was dying ignominiously and who was hanging in a worse estate than Himselfe and to haue pierced thorow and seene thorow such a cloud of ignominie such a faire Life and glorie I say it was more than wonderfull Further if he had seene Him before and bene familiar with Him heard Him teach and had seene His wonders as the Apostles did it had not bene much to maruell at but this beeing the first meeting the first acquaintance and neuer to haue spoken with Him before they met in an ignominious Crosse together then to seeke in such a death such a life in such ignominie such glorie it is a thing more than marueilous Came anie of the Iewes then and prayed vnto Him Yea came anie of the Apostles Came anie of His Disciples Came either Peter or Iohn or Matthew No all were offended with Him I saye of this man to the glorie of God that hee shamed all that stood by hee shamed the Apostles and made them to cast downe their faces And I saye hee shames all men and women who will not beleeue when they see Him not crucified as hee sawe but glorified nowe in the Heauens sitting at the right hande of that Majestie shame shall light on thee and this Thiefe shall bee sette vp in glorie to testifie against thee and to condemne thee 1. COR. 1.27 Paul saies GOD will raise vp thinges naughtie to shame thinges high in the worlde and to humble the pride of the fleshe If euer this was practised it is practised in this Thiefe Therefore in time learne thy lesson at this Thiefe for if hee doe thee no good hee shall doe thee euill and this same preaching shall doe thee euill if it doe thee no good The LORD raised him vp vpon a Gallowes to bee a Teacher of Faith and Repentance of Hope of Patience of Loue and of all graces and thinke no shame to learne at him for if thou thinkest shame of the Thiefe to bee thy master hee shall giue out a testimonie to aggreadge thy damnation and hee shall saye I went to teach the Infideles on the Crosse with Thee and they hearde it and beleeued not Lord let their damnation bee aggreadged All this that I speake tendes to this That hee who glories maye glorie in the Lord And they who woulde maruell let them maruell at the Lord. I speake not these thinges that yee shoulde wonder at the Thiefe that sillie creature But all this is That yee shoulde wonder at Iesus Christ who wrought such a wonder at this time and shewed such a power when Hee was weakened It is a wonder to shewe such power in His humiliation and such mercy on such a vile sinner who was not worthie that the earth shoulde beare him let bee to dwell in Heauen Wonder at Him who is so mercifull and gracious to poore sinners To Him therefore bee praise for euermore AMEN THE XVIII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 43 Then Iesus said vnto him Verely J say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 25 Then stood by the crosse of Iesus his mother and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleopas and Marie Magdalene verse 26 And when Iesus saw his mother and the disciples standing by whome he loued He said vnto his mother woman beholde thy sonne verse 27 Then said He to the disciple behold thy mother and from that houre the disciple tooke her home vnto him WEE heard the last day Beloued in Iesus of the repentance of one of the Thieues that hung on the Crosse with Christ in a moment wonderfully hee begins to be penitent for all his misdeedes and former life and hee vtters his penitencie and the displeasure that was in his heart for sinne in sundry effectes First hee rebukes bitterlie that blasphemie that the other Thiefe speakes out against the Lord and saies Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same damnation Thou and I suffer justly for we haue demerited all this but this man pointing out Christ hath done nothing amisse When hee hath thus rebuked the Thiefe hee turnes him about to Iesus Christ who hung in the middest and hee directs his prayer to Him and saies Lord remember mee when thou commest to thy Kingdome The other the blasphemer would faine haue liued in the vvorlde And therefore because hee sawe that IESVS had no power to giue him this earthlie life therefore hee blasphemeth CHRIST in His face But the penitent Thiefe seekes not this present life but desires that hee may gette entrie in to that Heauenly Kingdome The last day I spake concerning the petition of the penitent Thiefe I repeate nothing Onely wonder not at the Thiefe or at such an earnest repentance in him suddenly bâ—â— wonder at Iesus Christ vvho in such vveaknesse hanging so shamefully vpon the Crosse yet vttered such mercie and such infinite power yea one of the moste miserable catiues that euer was in the vvorlde I goe forwarde and first I shall shewe you of the answere that the Lord giues to the penitent Thiefe and then I shall come to the earnest recommendation that Iesus made of His Mother MARIE vnto IOHN The Lord answeres him Verily I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The answere containes a promise and the thing that the Lord promises is Thou shalt bee vvith mee thou seekest to bee vvith mee in my Kingdome thou shalt bee vvith mee and thou shalt bee a subject vvith mee and more a follower and vvhereas thou werest a vile Thiefe I shall make thee a glorious King in the Heauen And when shall this bee Without delay it shall not be to morrowe or other morrowe but this same day immediately thou shalt bee transported to that vnspeakeable glorie And where shall this bee It shall bee in Paradise Thou shalt not goe to Purgatorie but into Celestiâ—ll Paradise Of this worde Paradise wee reade in sundrie
places of the Newe Testament as namely 2. COR. 12.4 where PAVL speakes of his rauishing to Paradise and also REVEL 2.7 But to leaue the vvordes and to come to the meaning This Paradise signifies none other thing but that House of the Father in the which is manie mansions as wee saide in the foureteenth Chapter Nowe woulde yee knowe the place of it PAVL saies It is farre aboue these visible heauens where Christ himselfe ascended EPHES. 4.10 It is the place of the Throne of that Majestie of that Glorie and of that euerlasting rest of the Kirke of Iesus Christ and of His Sainctes where they shall rest in a wonderfull glorie euerlastinglie The vvorde is borrowed from that Paradise that Parke of pleasure in the vvhich ADAM and EVAH vvere planted to liue in a vvonderfull pleasure for euer if they had stoode vvithout sinne But to come to the matter First in this answere that the Lord makes to the penitent Thiefe yee may see a vvonderfull readinesse in Christ to heare the petition of a miserable sinner for hee hath scarcely spoken the worde when the Lord makes an answere and no maruell for Hee that preuentes thee with grace ere thou thinkest of grace Hee will followe after with grace Hee who giues grace to begge grace Hee will giue a gracious answere ROMAN 8.26 The Spirite of GOD interceadeth for vs with sighes vnspeakeable That is the first grace Then hee subjoynes The Lord who searcheth the heart knoweth the sense and meaning of his owne Spirite There is the seconde grace Thou shalt not so soone open thy mouth to speake to Him with the Spirite but Hee shall as soone heare thy vvorde thou shalt not so soone haue a meaning but it shall as soone touch the heart of the Lorde as it touches thine heart because it is not thy spirite but the Lordes Spirite who speakes in thee So all the difficultie and hardnesse is to gette the first grace to praye there is no difficultie of the next And there are wonderous fewe vvho gettes this grace to begge to sigh to sobb c. yea where one hath it ten wantes it and when this is once gotten the other followes of its owne will for if thou askest spirituall graces of necessitie thou shalt gette thy petition graunted And if wee aske earthly thinges either shall wee gette our petition or else the Lord once shall shewe vs why Hee will not graunt it and so wee shall haue contentment to vndertake His will and shall heartily thanke Him There is more yet in this answere Besides this easinesse to heare marke an abounding mercie and exceeding liberalitie of the Lord passing aboue the petition The Thiefe onely prayed the Lord to remember him when He came in His Kingdome The Lord aunsweres Beholde euen I giue thee more than thou requirest for thou shalt be with me this day in Paradise so thou needest not to feare that I forget thee The Thiefe seekes but a little thing the Lord giues him more than hee can seeke the hande of the Lorde is not so scarce Wilt thou seeke a litle thing the Lord shall giue a thousand times more than thou canst seeke the Lord hath neither scant nor want Brethren the glory which we shall finde one day shall bee greater than we can looke or hope for in this world No things Heauenlie which He shall giue surmountes further aboue our capacitie than the Heauen does aboue the Earth Yea if thou speakest of earthlie things findes not many by experiēce that they get such an estate in the world as they would neuer haue looked or hoped for I sought but life saies Dauid Psal 21. 5 yet the Lord gaue me to be a king that is He gaue me not only a priuate obscure life but a glorious life in the sight of the people Besides this easinesse and liberalitie of the Lord to grant to a poore man aboue that that he durst presume He prescribes no time but this same day I know not if he durst haue bene so bold as to haue sought such a time that same day Marke further here a wonderfull power in the Lord at that time when Hee was in a most vile and ignominious death which was the image of Hell to pull a man quicke on the Crosse to breake Him on a Crosse The Lord is weakned the Iewes thought more of the dirt they trode on than of Iesus yet ye see what a wonderfull power which strikes out from Him to the thiefe this is the power of a King This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise What Emperour durst speake this Yea He vtters the power of GOD Himselfe This promise is proper to GOD only to promise participation of that heauenly Kingdome What Angell durst doe this None but the eternall and immortall GOD. It is true the LORD Iesus whilst as Hee hang vpon the Crosse was wonderfully weakned and that glorious Godhead that dwelt in the humane Nature kept it selfe closse for a time and held in the beames of His glorie for a time within that vaile of His bodie for if Hee had not kept closse that Glorie of His Godhead the world could not haue crucified Him yet He kept Him not so closse but in the Crosse Hee manifests Himselfe Hee does the part of a King and fought a fiercer battell than all the Kings in the world Hee fought against all the enemies and in the ende Hee triumphes in that Crosse as in a Chariote and leades them all as thieues before Him And if there were no more to shewe that Hee was a King than this hastie conuersion of the thiefe it may tell you if Christ had such a power whilst as Hee hang in such weaknesse on the Crosse What power hath He now when He is in the Heauen exalted in the Throne of glorie If it bee so that wee feele not CHRIST powerfull in vs to life as the thiefe felt Blame not IESVS as if Hee wanted power sufficient nowe in glorie who had such power in His humilitie but blame thy selfe Thou wants that which the thiefe had thou wants Faith in Christ glorified the thiefe may shame thee who beleeued in Him whē He was in extreame ignominie Then to end all this y t hath bin spokē of this answere in a word Seeing y e Lord of lords y e Lord Iesus is so readie Neuer was there King so ready to heare a subject as Iesus is if thou werest the vilest bodie that goes a Thiefe a Harlot c. yet if thou wilt saye this Lord remember on mee and giue mee a part of thy Kingdome if thou prayest to Him from a penitent heart with confidence and assurance I promise vnto thee Heauen and Earth shall goe together ere thou vvantest thine asking Seeing our Lord Iesus is so liberall then seeke more than enough more than a Kingdome and thou shalt get more The only cause why we want is in vs we haue no hearts to seeke it And last Seeing He is so
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
Parentes standes not in ceremonies so much as in performing of necessarie dueties One word is greater in the houre of death or the meanest care than all that thou couldest doe being in health It is said Honour thy father and thy mother But our lordes and gentlemen thinke it enough to take off their hats and to bowe their knees to them Standes the honour of thy Parentes in a ceremonie Commendes God hypocrisie Learne at Iesus Christ the honour of thy Parentes standes in performing all essentiall partes of thy duetie to them Was thy Mother bounde to giue thee sucke and to bring thee vp in thy youth I saye thou art as straitly bounde to honour thy Mother and to nourishe her in her olde age Woe to them that procure their mothers curse and who are not tender to their mothers and will neither foster them nor haue a care of them This example of Iesus Christ which is registrate in the Gospell shall beare witnesse against thee when thy conscience shal rent and teare thee Men are come to such vnnaturalnesse that the Lyon was neuer so cruell as men in Scotland to them out of whose bellies they came Now what does Iohn He takes her home heartily John takes anoâ—her mans mother and entertaines her and he gets but this direction from the Crosse Fie on thee that gettest a direction from the throne of heaueÌ„ to honour thy own mother I say not saies Christ my mother but thy mother When men will not obeye Christ from that HeaueÌ„ly Throne what shall become of them in that great day Shame shall be heaped on them And Iohn who tooke not home his own mother but another mans mother shall stand vp condemne thee who would not entertaine thine own mother All the speaches of the worlde will not learne men in this wicked generation Further this is not to be pâ—ssed by that Iohn had an House and so had the rest of the Apostles say not y t they were beggers it is but folly to place religion in beggery I say it in a word These priuiledges in the world Houses wiues children c. are as well sanctified to a Minister as thy lordship is to thee Nowe I beseech thee as euer thou woldest y t the Lord shold blesse thee thy posseshoÌ„s in this world shold giue thee an hope of y t life to come let the Ministers of the Gospell haue a part of their own It is not yours as euer ye would giue an accompt to the Iudge to be answerable to Him in y t great Checker for all the blood of perishing soules shall bee required at them who with-draw these temporal things whereon those should bee sustained whom God hath sent to feede the soules of men and women to that Heauenly life To the Lord of that life be all Honour Praise and Glorie for euermore Amen THE XIX LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 45 Nowe from the sixt houre was there darknesse ouer all the lande vnto the ninth houre verse 46 And about the ninth houre Iesus cried with a loude voyce saying Eli Eli lamasabachthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 33 Now when the sixt houre was come darknesse arose ouer all the land vntill the ninth houre verse 34 And at the ninth houre Iesus cried with a loude voyce saying Eloi Eloi lamma-sabachthani which is by interpretation My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 44 And it was about the sixt houre and there was a darknesse ouer all the land vntill the ninth houre verse 45 And the Sunne was darkened and the vaile of the Temple rent through the middes BELOVED in the LORD IESVS CHRIST we haue heard the last day that the Lord when Hee is hanging on the Crosse Hee was not onely occupied in suffering at the will of His Heauenly Father but also Hee was occupied in doing First we heard Hee did like a king howbeit He hung on the Crosse like a vile slaue in the sight of the worlde Yea Hee did like God Hee appardoned the poore Thiefe that hung at His right hand and was penitent and sought grace and mercie at Him for his sinnes and Hee makes a promise to him that hee shoulde bee with Him shortly in Paradise Then next wee hearde that when as Hee hung quick on the Crosse He did like a louing kind Sonne to His Mother who bare Him He recommends her earnestly to be entertained with Iohn His well beloued disciple Nowe in this dayes exercise wee haue a rehearsall of other thinges that fell ouâ— when as Iesus hung on the Crosse there falles a wonder there falles a darkenesse at the noone-tide the Sunne is obscured the time is noted when at the sixt houre the space of three houres as we shall heare All the time that Hee hung on the Crosse the darknesse continued on the Earth The next thing wee haue namely out of Matthew and Marke an heauie complaint that the Lorde falles out into vvhen Hee had hung on the Crosse about three houres for Hee falles out in the beginning of the ninth houre into an heauie complaint to His Father saying My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken mee Then vve haue how the Iewes misconstrues the voyce of the Lord but first we shall speake of the wonder there falles a darknes in the whole land or as some interprete on the whole earth the cause is noted The Sunne which should haue giuen light is obscured a marueilous Ecclipse contrarie to the common course of Nature fell on the Sunne The time is noted When it was the sixt houre Now Brethren This place requires that I should speake something concerning the diuision of the night and the day for this is requisite for the vnderstanding of the Historie of the Passion of Iesus Christ the Iewes tooke vp the beginning of their night from the going downe of the Sunne and ended at the rising of the Sunne they diuided their night in twelue houres whether long or short they had a more compendious diuision and diuided it in foure partes which they called quatuor vigilias foure watches euery watch containing three houres as for their day they measured it from the rising of the Sunne in the morning to the going downe and as they diuided the night so did they the daye in twelue houres whether it were long or short and as they diuided the night so did they the daye in foure partes each part containing three houres they called the first part of the day the first morning prima diluculi and the first houre albeit it contained three houres taking the name from the houre vvhere it beganne the second part vvhich contained other three houres they called the thirde houre taking the name from the houre it beganne at speaking exclusivè as vve vse to say the third part taking the name from the part it beganne at they called the sixt houre the
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
the Crosse wee haue bene speaking Only nowe I shall point out the ground whereupon the sufferings of the LORD arises First they rise of that naturall infirmitie He was an infirme man without sinne He hungred as we doe He thirsted as we and through trauelling Hee rested neuer daye nor night and sojourned through the world Hee wearied as we doe Then another ground was that sadnesse and heauinesse of the soule Hee was in a continuall sadnesse there was neuer so sad a man as He was we read that He did weepe but we neuer read that Hee did laugh And thinke not that when the soule is in heauinesse that the bodie can bee well And last His suffering proceeded of a violent dealing against Him and nayling Him on the Crosse vvho vvas so violently handled as the LORD of glory was I leaue this and vve vvill speake of the dolours which Hee suffered in His soule First the LORD IESVS whilst as Hee trauelled vp and downe amongst His people Hee vvas in a continuall displeasure When Hee looked vpon that obstinate people Hee was sad vvhen Hee entred in Ierusalem Hee vvepes and sayes Ierusalem Ierusalem faine would J haue gathered you as a henne gathereth her birdes vnder her wings but thou wouldest not The moste speciall griefe that the LORD suffered in His soule was that vvhich Luke in his tvventieth tvvo Chapter names an agonie that is an anguish in the soule and an heauie paine proceeding from a battell that Hee had in His soule it proceeded from the wrestling with the wrath of GOD and infinite wrath vvith Hell and the povvers of it vvith death not temporall but euerlastingly Novve this agonie Hee vtters in the Garden when Hee sayes My soule is heauie on all sides euen to the death That vvorde was expressed out of that bitter anguish that Hee had in His soule whilst He spake so To speake of the time of it I am of that minde that it vvas not only when Hee vvas in the Garden but before in the twelfth Chapter of Iohn vvhen Hee vvas speaking to His disciples Hee sayes My soule is troubled And Hee turnes Him to His Father and Hee sayes Father saue mee from this houre yet the nearer He drew to death it grew greater and greater it was greater in the Garden than it was of before but now on the Crosse when Hee saide My God my God why hast thou forsaken Mee it was the greatest of all I will speake something of this I will certifie you the speciall vnderstanding of the suffering of Iesus Christ stands in the knowing of this inward agonie which IESVS CHRIST had in His soule and if yee knovve not this yee know nothing of His suffering it is true that no tongue is able to tell it No all the tongues of Angels the heart of man nor Angell is not able to conceiue the greatnesse of it The wordes of the Scriptures expresse not the greatnesse of the anguish but so far foorth as the LORD will giue mee the grace I will speake somewhat of it In the wordes that the Spirit vses in the Scripture yee shall finde this The LORD suffers a torment in His soule then yee shall see in the wordes an exceeding greatnesse of the anguish in the soule and lastly yee shall see in the wordes of the Spirit not only that He suffered anguish in the soule and the greatnesse of it but the very degrees and partes of it particularly First goe to the olde Testament in the fiftieth and third Chapter and fifth verse of the prophecie of Esay hath these wordes It pleased the LORD IEHOVAH to breake Him the wordes importes not only the breaking of the body but also of the soule Then in the hundreth and sixteene Psalme and at the fifth verse Dauid who was a type of CHRIST sayes The sorrowes of death haue compassed Mee and the anguish of Hell hath ouertaken Mee These wordes importe not onely a bodily suffering but they importe an anguish in the soule Come to the Newe Testament Matthew in his twentieth and sixt Chapter My soule is heauie and compassed to the death Wouldest thou haue the greatnesse of it Hee sayes On all sides And whereto Euen to the death not of the temporall death but euen to the death of the soule Then Luke in his twentieth and two Chapter sayes Hee was in an agonie Hee was in anguish Hee was wrestling With whome was this His disciples were away from Him There vvas no man vvith Him It vvas vvith the wrath of the Father from Heauen with a vvrath vnspeakable Peter 2. Actes sayes GOD raysed Him vp from death and raysed Him the doloures of death beeing loosed He could not bee retained vvith them The vvordes in their owne language is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies extreame dolour like as a woman hath in bearing her birth The Spirite of GOD vseth to expresse the paine of the Hell in the soule by a similitude of a vvoman vvho trauelleth in birth for of all paines in the bodie it is the greatest and sorest and yee that haue felt it yee knowe that yee could not liue if it continued with you 1. THESSALON CHAP. 5. VERS 3. Hee settes downe the paine of Hell by that similitude When they shall saye Peace then shall come the suddaine doloure vpon them like a woman trauelling then shall they not escape And MARKE CHAP. 14. VERS 33. comes on more particularlie and saies Not onelie hee had a paine in the soule but also hee settes downe the degrees of the paine The natiue Language is moste proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Hee beganne to bee astonished and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee beganne to bee in a grieuous and extreame anguishe When the vvrath beganne to presse downe the soule then the anguishe arose and the extreamitie of paine But I leaue the opening vp of all thess vvordes vntill the next occasion and so to ende As vvee speake of the suffering of CHRIST So I beseech GOD to open our soules and our heartes to feele it For there is no life but in His suffering And the LORDE giue vs grace that our heartes maye take fast holde of his sadnesse and dolour to our joye euerlasting To this LORDE bee Honour and Praise for euermore AMEN THE XX. LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 46 And about the ninth houre IESVS cryed with a loude voyce saying ELI ELI LAMASABACHTHANI that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee THE last daye welbeloued in Christ vpon occasion offered in this place wee began to rehearse ouer all the whole Passion of Christ and vvee brought the matter to that agonie and that inwarde anguish of the soule which the Lord suffered beside all the outward passions of His bodie especially during the time of three yeeres and an halfe to wit the time in the which Hee bare openly the office of a Mediator betwixt God and man Nowe as the Lord will giue vs grace by
occasion of this voyce wherby the Lord vttered this heauie complaint to His Father before He yeelde vp the ghoste when He saies My God my God why hast thou forsaken me we shall speake this day of that inwarde agony and anguishe of the soule that the Lord was in when Hee vttered this voyce I perceiue three groundes whereby we maye bee able in some measure for who is able to attaine to the perfect knowledge of the greatnesse of that agony that the Lord suffered to come to the knowledge of that agony The first grounde I shall take out of the vvordes of Scripture vvhereby that agonie is expressed The second ground I take from these effectes that the Lord vttered partly in prayer and partly in heauie complaint in that agonie And the thirde ground I shall take from our owne feeling What auailes all the knowledge in the vvorlde without feeling of His Passion and of His Resurrection Then to goe forward in order and to open vp euerie one of these grounds The last day I began to bring to you the words of Scripture some out of the old TestameÌ„t some out of the New by the which this inward agony y t the Lord suffred in his soule is expressed most viuely I cited to you those words that are in the 53. chap. of Esay where there is a viue and liuely prophesie of Iesus to come into the world The Lord saies the Prophet tooke pleasure to breake him This breaking is not onely of the body on the Crosse but chiefely in breaking of the soule for the soule of Iesus was rent with sorrow Then I cited out of the 116. Psalme the words of Dauid being the type of Christ The dolours of death haue compassed me the sorrowes of Hell haue ouertaken me Then I came to the Gospel of Matthew and I cited these words out of the 26. CHAP. My soule is heauie on all sides to the death There is the heauinesse of the soule and an heauinesse without any joy and a heauinesse to death euen to euerlasting death Then I came to Luke who in his 22. CHAP. hath these words And he was in an agony there is a battell But where In the GardeÌ„ With whom None was fighting with Him no man was neare Him Whom with but with the heauie wrath of the Father that He felt in His soule In the 2. of the Acts I cited the wordes of Peter Whome God raised vp againe when He had loosed the dolours of death The word in its owne languague signifies that paine that women suffer in trauelling wherby the Scripture vses to expresse the paine of Hell And last of all I came to the words of Marke in his 14. Chap. where he not onely vtters this inward paine that the Lord had in His soule but also the greatnesse of it and the degrees and partes thereof The wordes are When the Lord was in the Garden he began to be afraid and astonished and then to bee in a wonderfull heauinesse The words in their owne language are more significatiue Nowe Brethren wee shall examine and weigh these wordes of Marke The first word that Marke vses signifies an astonishment a feare and an horrour whereby the Lord in the Garden was troubled suddenly from the Heauen so that all the members of His bodie shooke and trembled It is not a matter of jestes it arose vpon a sense of the wrath of God comming from HeaueÌ„ and a most vehement sense thereof that lighted on Him suddenly because Hee bare our sinnes and this terrible wrath ouer-tooke all the powers of His soule and occupied them Brethren I take this to be none other thing but that first stroke of euerlasting death whereby the reprobate shâ—ll bee stricken in the first entrie to Hell when they set in their head first to Hell the wrath shall so strike them that all the powers of the soule shall be dammished The suffering of Christ in His soule is the viue image of the suffering of the reprobate in Hell And â—t is it that Paul in the 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians sets downe When they shall crie peace all things are sure then sudden destruction approaches the wrath and vengeance from Heauen lightes on suddenly so that all the haires of their heads shall stand on end and it shall come vpon them suddenly euen as the showres and dolour comes on a woman who is trauelling in birth I can giue no better example of it than ye haue in the Prophecie of Daniel in Belshazzar the prophane man he is sitting with his Princes banketting and prophaning the holy vessels of the House of the Lord. What falles out hee sees come out of the wall suddenly an hand writting he sees it not so soone look the first stroke of Hel but he is stricken with a feare horrour his knees shiuer smite one another he becomes like a dead man a viue image of Hell This for the first worde that Marke vses and the first part of that agonie that IESVS CHRIST suffered for vs in His soule Now wee haue to weigh the second word Hee sayes Hee beganne to bee astonished and to be in a wonderfull heauinesse The word in its owne language signifies an extreame paine in the soule Who is able to tell it The Lord saue vs from the extreamitie thereof it rose vpon that horrible wrath that He was stricken with and was lying on Him and pressing downe His soule First Hee was stricken then the heauie wrath of GOD lyes still on the soule so that Hee hath dolour in His soule that all the powers of His soule is full of wrath Who can beare the wrath of the Omnipotent GOD No not CHRIST as He was man only no not all the Angels in Heauen The LORD saue vs from it When the wrath of the great GOD strikes on any in the Hell all the powers of the soule faile and all leaue off to doe their duties beeing full of displeasure It is a marâ—eilous thing for as carefull as the LORD was wount to bee of the redemption of man for that was His only care night and day it was His meate and drinke yet all that care was nowe away and He forgets it and Hee falles out in a Prayer and Hee sayes Take away this cuppe from Mee and that was the cuppe of His Passion for our Redemption yea Hee bids His Father take it away which if it had beene taken from Him neuer a soule should haue beene redeemed Consider then if Hee was in an agonie or not when Hee forgate the worke of our Redemption Now we must not thinke that this forgetfulnesse came of sinne our forgetfulnesse comes of sinne the Holy one had no sinne but it rose of an infirmitie of Nature wherewith Hee was cled for our sinne Yee see if a man be in a distresse in the soule the senses and all the powers of the soule are so occupied about that sorrowe that they forget their owne functions and operations
was but for a time but no escaping for thee if thou be thrust into hell thou shalt neuer get out and shalt find nothing but bitternes aime here or there all shal be in vaine euerlasting bitternes shal be casten in thy teeth and compasse thee on all sides that is a sore word An euerlasting bitternes neuer to haue an ende So blessed is that soule for euer who in that Day shal be found in Christ to get a part of that passioÌ„ y t He suffred the Lord giue euery one of vs grace now while we haue time to know Him to seek to be fouÌ„d in Him for wo to y t soule y t shal be fouÌ„d out of Him in y e great day Now I come â—o y e voyces first to that fourth voyce y t the Lord vttered wheÌ„ He said I thirst When vttered He it When He knew that all â—hinges were ended To the ende that the prophesie might bee fulfiâ—led that was spoken of Him before Hee saide I thirst A voyce of sadnessâ— comming from an extreame drought of bodie The Lord Iesus as He tooâ—e our nature vpon Him so He tooke on all our infirmities sinne exâ—epted Many times was Hee hungry and thirsty but chiefely whâ—n He hanges on the Crosse in that extreame heat of His soule and His body The soule was burnt vp with wrath and all the moysture of the bodie likewise dryed vp with wrath at this time the Lord had such a thirst that the tongue of man cannot expresse it thou sufferedst neuer such a thirst in any Feuer or disease as the Lord Iesus suffered for thee on the Crosse And no doubt beside other paines this exceeding thirst was a part of His paine and a part of that ransome that He payed to the Father for our redemption Yee see when a man is in a Feuer the thirst will bee a speciall part of the paine that hee hath Therefore albeit the thirst that the Lord sâ—ffered on the Crosse was an exceeding great paine yet He will not vtter His voyce I thirst till the ransome was payed Hee would not seeke to quench that thirst till that wrath of the Father was satisfied The drought was insatiable for the infinite wrath of God thirsted after the blood of the Mediator bearing our sins and was not quenched till the blood of the Mediator was drunken vp No quenching of sin but by the blood of the Mediator if thou bee not in Him the wrath of God will thirst for thy blood After this followes that bodily thirst The soule is dried vp the moysture of the body is clung vp the wrath suckes all vp On this rises the thirst of the body for except the Lorde had had a spirituall thirst and a pleasure to obey His Father to the death to saue thy soule from Hell it had beene vnpossible for Him to haue suffered that bodily thirst so long Learne this lesson at the Lorde Iesus and followe His example wee should suffer patiently all paine that it pleases the Lord to lay on body and soule knowing that it is according to His will and that by thy suffering thy obedience to Him is tryed And as we should suffer patiently all paineâ— so wee learne at Christ to abide patiently this bodily thirst in sicknes or Feuers knowing well that the Lord layes it on vs to trie our obedience patience But wilt thou know how thou shouldest abide it patieÌ„tly The Lord Iesus had a spirituall thirst to obey His HeaueÌ„ly Father for thy saluation that swallowed vp that bodily thirst Gette thee an earnest thirst to obey thy God it will bee a wondrous thing how patientlie thou wilt suffer whatsoeuer God wil lay on thee Therfore BrethreÌ„ in all things we should set our hearts to obey God and winke and close thy eyes at all dangers yea if thou be in extreame thirst and going to die say Lord I wil obey thee if thou get thy heart thus resolued and humbled vnder the hand of thy God howbeit thou be in pain for a time thou shalt see a faire end The Lord Iesus after this thirst and after death saw a glorious end So no question wilt thou leane on thy God as He did abide His will patiently thou shalt see the joyfullest most glorious end that euer was The Lord giue vs grace to obey God and to say Cast me here or there lay on me what thou wilt I shall obey thee though thou shouldest slay mee I will trust in thee This is an happy râ—solution We shall speake of the end wherefore the Lord vttered this voyce To the ende saies Iohn that the Scripture might be fulfilled In the 5. of Matt. the Lord saies J come not to dissolue the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill the Lawe and to fulfill euerie jote of that Lawe Heauen and Earth shall perish ere one jote of that Lawe shall passe away Now among all the prophesies that Christ fulfilled there is one here made mention of in the 69. Psalme Jn my meat they gaue mee bitternesse and in my drinke they gaue mee gâ—ll to drinke Nowe this prophesie is accomplished Dauid spake this in his owne person typically but the veriâ—y thereof was fulfilled in Christ Dauid got no vineger to drinke but Iesus Christ drunke vineger When the Lord came into the world wrought the worke of our redemption there was not so much as a title that was foretold of Him but He fulfilled it there was not a circumstance of His death but it was fore-tolde That nayling was fore-tolde where it is said They pearced mine hands and my feete The hanging of Him betwixt two Thieues was fore-tolde They reckon me saies the Prophet amoâ—g the vnjust The diuiding of His garmentes was fore-spoken They diuidâ—d my garmentes among them and cast lottes for my coat Looke the XXII and IXVI. PSALMES and the LIII CHAPTER of ESAY So this drinking of vineger was foretolde Nowe what learnes this vnto vs Was there euer any man whose death was pointed out this waye No neuer any one All the Kinges nor all the Emperoures had neuer such a particular pointing out of their death This lets vs see that the Father had a more speciall care of the death of IESVS than of the death of anie man that euer vvas and consequentlie it lets vs see that there vvas neuer such a vvorthie personage in the vvorlde as IESVS and that there was neuer such excellencie in the death of any as in the death of Iesus in it stood the life of the world Let men make pompes of the death of Emperours the Lord had neuer such an eye to the death of any as to the death of His onely well beloued Sonne and all the predictions of His death are to this end that wee comparing the issue of His death with the predictions wee might beleeue that Iesus was sent to bee the onely Sauiour of the world When I thinke on this I wonder at the
blindnesse of y e Iewes y t cannot know Him to be the Mediator but after that once a man be giuen to a reprobate sense he will say the Sun in y e noone-tide is but darknes The Gospel is hid sayes Paul 2. Cor. 4.4 to them who perish if thou see not beleeue not y e Gospell thou hast an earnest pennie in thy bosome y t thy damnatioÌ„ is sealed vp Thus farre for His thirst they gaue Him a drinke There is a vessell full of vineger This was a custome that they vsed they had a drinke beside them who were crucified Some thinke it was for this end that the paine might be stanched There is a drinke of vineger standing beside the Lord but I knowe not if they gaue such a sowre drinke to the thieues So this vessell standing beside one of them steps to it in scorne and takes a water sponge and puts it on a reede and puts it to His head he got litle thanke for his worke I take this giuing of this drinke to the Lord at this time to haue proceeded from bitter malice The wrath of His Father was begun to be asswaged yet the wrath of the Iewes could not be asswaged There is none end of the malice of the Iewes so long as breath is in Him they neuer cease to rage against Him WheÌ„ He was dead they persecute Him wheÌ„ He was in glorie they thought to shame Him WheÌ„ y e Lord looses y e raines of y e deuill of wicked men to chastise his own they run headlongs to wracke His Church y e Lord seekes but chastisemeÌ„t they seek wrack of body soule he y t knowes not this he knowes nothing if these persecuters got their will they would not only seeke y e wracke of y e body but also of y e soule What doth y e Lord for this when y e Lord hath pulled in their raines Hee takes y e scourge casts it in y e fire because they run far beyond their coÌ„mission This shal be y e end of their miserable soules O y t damnation y t shal ouertake them when y e Lord hath chastened vs by them they shal be cast in y e fire for euer Refuses y e Lord y e drinke indeede before He was raised vp on y e Crosse He tasted of this but would not drinke but He beeing on the Crosse it is said He dranke it It may by that after such a troublesome labour that His drought was so great that Hee was glad to drinke any liquour Alwayes this I know except the Lord had had a thirst of thy saluation Hee had not drunken it The thirst of thy saluation made Him as Hee dranke out the cuppe of the wrath of His Father So to drinke out this bitter cuppe that was propined to Him out of the bitternesse of their heartes Hee dranke out the wrath of God and the wrath of man that thou shouldest drinke the water of Life I say remember vpon that drinke that Iesus dranke when thou drinkest delicious drinkes it is not thy money that buyes the wine except it be bought with the precious blood of Iesus not a piece of bread or any thing pertaines to thee if it bee not bought with the blood of Iesus to them who are sanctified all thing is sanctified if thou be not in Him thou shalt bee accused as a violent possessour of all things in y t great day Now I goe to the next voyce when He hath drunkeÌ„ He saies Jt is sinished that is y t wearisome worke is now put to an end now the ransom is payed now the work of RedemptioÌ„ is ended Brethren that yee may vnderstand this The Lord when He was in the Garden had two workes The first was to buy Heauen to conquere life to vs The second to put vs in possession of it The first worke He beganne it in the first moment of His conception and continues still from that time to that moment He gaue vp the Spirit to the Father Now that worke beeing ended He proclaimes on the Crosse cries out in the audience of them all Consummatum est it is finished Now that wearisome worke is ended the deare worke is ended Heauen and life and righteousnesse is conquered to the worlde for euer This is the summe of the Gospel the worke of our Redemption is ended this is all our preaching Heauen life glorie is conquered againe to the lost world Thou needest not to giue one pennie out of thy purse for Heauen Cursed are they from the High Heauen to the low Hell that open their mouth to say Thou must pay some of that ransom out of thy purse Woe to the Papistes who will stand vp say Thou must pay some part of that ransome wo to that foule mouth that dare be so bold to open it and say pay thou a part of that ransome with thy money seeing that Iesus Christ hath proclaimed that all is finished bought by His blood woe vengeance and euerlasting damnation shall light on the Pope and all the Papistes that dare open their mouthes to speake such presumptuous wordes Yet there is another worke remaining which is to put vs in possession of Heauen and He began this at His resurrection and He holdes it on yâ—t and shall continue it vnto His comming againe And at that day of His comming yee shall heare Him crying All is ended not on His Crosse but in glory and all the Angels and all the Sainctes shall crie All is ended Glorie to him who hath ended all no more shall bee Looke downe to His heart and to the sense from whence this voyce arose wheÌ„ He saies this ye shall find that Iesus felt the wrath of His Father asswaged Before Hee was in an agony now Hee feeles the agony to cease where before He fouÌ„d no joy now joy returnes On the sense of all these thinges falles out this voyce All is ended WheÌ„ I looke to this I thinke I see y e image of a godly Sainct dying for the godly are like to him in death and life Before the last moment they are in a battell and suddenly they will say I haue gotten the victorie in Iesus and theÌ„ last they will yeeld vp the spirit Come to the last voyce It is a voyce of joy I am of that opinion that before the Lord yeelded vp the ghost the agony left him and that joy that had left him returned againe and made him to vtter joyfull words The Euangelists say He cryed with a loud voyce What voyce this is Luke expresses Father into thine hands I recommend my spirit All that were standing about might haue heard him vttering this powerfull voyce Now ye would wonder that a man immediatly yeelding vp his spirit should haue such a strong voyce Ye see men and women in death their voyce will faile them some will not haue any voyce and some not any signe some if they get that grace to speake
voyces vvere of joye for it appeares well that before the Lord gaue vp the ghost comfort and joye returned to Him againe And I am of this mind that there are none who are Gods owne but before their departure out of this life sooner or later they will get a sense of that joye which they are to passe vnto immediatelie The first voyce of joye was All is ended As though Hee vvoulde saye This wâ—â—ke is done and ended and nowe the ransome of the redemption of man is payed to the least farthing Nowe the last voyce vvas vvhen Hee vvas immediatelie readie to render vp His spirite into the handes of the Father sayes with a feeling of joy in the heart Into thine hands Father J commend my Spirit Now this day we haue to speake by His grace First of His death and the yeelding vp of His Spirit Next of those wonders that fell out immediatly after the Lord had rendered the Spirit and thirdly we haue to speake how the multitude were mooued when they sawe these wonders Novve as concerning His death the words are but few Iohn sayes When Hee had spoken and cried with a loude voyce Hee bowed downe His head and He rendered His Spirit The wordes are to be marked Hee renders His Spirit first as it were Hee tooke His soule in His owne Hande and deliuered it in the handes of the Father desiring Him to keepe it well to the day of His glorious resurrection for Brethren this is the difference betweene the godly vngodly in their death as they differ and are vnlike to other in their life so especially in their death The vngodly cast away the soule and life and cares not where it goes but woe is to them that doe so they will neuer take vp such a life againe when they haue cast it awaye not regarding where it goes to but thinking lightly of it No let no man nor woman cast away this life or dislodge this soule lightly if the soule goe from thee lightly and thou carest not for it better it were for thee neuer to haue had a life a soule or a body But againe Brethren The Lord Iesus as all His lifetime Hee is carefull for the soule that is lodged in an earthly tabernacle so chiefly in the moment when it is to fllit The godly they will not let the soule flit out of the body vntill they know that the hand of the Lord is sweetly loosing the soule to keepe it vntill the day of their glorious resurrection Brethren it would be well marked There is not one of the foure Euangelists Matthew Marke Luke or Iohn but they note very precisely the death of the Lord and the yeelding vp of His Spirit As for the circumstances that fell out in His Passion some will note one thing and leaue another As for example These voyces that He vtters on the Crosse not one of the Euangelists hath them all some hath one and some another But when it comes to the yeelding of the Spirit they all in one harmonie note The Lord gaue vp the Spirit This is a thing not to be passed by nor to be lightly looked on and it lets vs see the death of our Sauiour the separation of His soule from His body is so substantiall and so needfull a thing both to Him to haue suffered and vs to knowe that except the Lord had suffered the death all the crucifying of Him inwardly outwardly all the rest of His suffering had auailed vs nothing the ransome of our sinnes had not bene payed for that was the curse that was laide vpon vs to pull our soule from our bodie and as it was needfull that He should suffer the death for vs so it is needfull to euery one of vs to knowe this that my Sauiour died and His soule was really separated from His body it is needfull that thou haue euermore the Lord Iesus crucified before thee and know that the soule was separated from His blessed body for grace and remission of sinnes is conquered thorow the death of the Mediatour if thou hast not Faith of the death of the Mediatour it is vnpossible that thou canst beleeue that thy soule shall come to Heauen The Apost Heb. 9. hath a notable comparison hee sayes When a man hath made a Testament and his legacie wherein hee leaues such inheritance to any man his Testament can neuer bee sure nor ratified before the man be dead and if he ratifie not the Testament with his death it cannot bee sure for the man in this life may alter the Testament But after that once he die there it stands it cannot be reuoked Euen so sayes the Apostle The Heire of the world Iesus Christ hath made a Testament and such one as neuer man made leauing such goods and heritage to His Saints as neuer man left euen that heauenly Heritage that exceeding Glorie Now sayes the Apostle If the Heire of the World Iesus Christ had not sealed vp His Testament by His blood it had neuer beene sure but His death interueening and closing it then the Testament is sure all the world is not able to alter one jote of it to adde or diminish it Woe be to him that will adde any thing to the Testament of Iesus Christ he is counted a villaine who will adde to a mans Testament Wilt thou adde or diminish any thing at thy pleasure from the Testament of Iesus Christ This Newe Testament is the best Testament that euer was Let Worldlings bee content with the Testaments of their forefathers yet count thou nothing at all except thou get a part of the legacie left in His Testament Woe bee to thee albeit thou get Eaâ—ledomes and Kingdomes and great possessions left to thee by the Testament of thy forefathers if thou gettest not this Testament Well Brethren this Testament can not be ratified but by the blood of the Testator How can I beleeue it except I know that He died and that the soule was as verily separated from the body as euer the soule of man was so when I consider the death of my Sauiour who hath made such a Testament I am so farre from that to bee offended at that shamefull death that the death is the ground of my saluation and that in His death is all my glorie the assurance of my life is in the assurance of His death and His ignominie and shame is my glorie Now thus farre for the death of the Lord Iesus Now come to the consideration of these wonders that fell out immediately as He gaue vp the Ghost The Vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the toppe to the bottome The earth quaked Such things neuer fell out in all the deathes of men in the world No not in the deathes of all the Kings in the world The stones were clouen the graues of the dead did open These are the foure wonders that are noted to haue fallen out immediatly when the Lord gaue vp the Ghost Brethren
the Lord in His death Hee was euen in the extreamitie of His humiliation Hee was weakned made of no reputation the Lord of glorie was tread vpon by the feete of death death stamping on Him He could not be further humbled there is nothing so ignominious as death except it be sanctified it is terrible and ignominious so that if it be not sanctified in the death of the Lord Iesus it is but a curse to thee a vengeance from Heauen yet for all this casting downe of Him His heauenly Father leaues Him not but in His greatest humiliation the Father giues the greatest tokens of His glory and He testifies that He was not only innocent but that He was the Lord of glory y t Godhead neuer left Him in that ignominious death nor neuer shall leaue Him albeit it kept the selfe close y â— He might suffer that ignominious death because it was not expedient that Hee should vtter His power yet y t Godhead in His death wrought such wonders that He testifies before the Iewes that y t same man which hung there was the Lord of glorie and the Lord of life Will yee come further that albeit that miserable people had not a tongue to speake and would not giue a testimonie of the glory of CHRIST the dumbe and senslesse creatures who had not mouth nor tongue nor life will not bee silent but will doe their homage to the Lord. Fye on thee and woe is thee that euer thou got y e mouth or tongue the dumbe creatures in their kinds do homage to their God glorifies Him shames all the world they shame all y e disciples for al were 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 is remembring His mercie and teaches them by wonders to looke yet if they will take a lesson to repent of all the indignitie that they had done Hee threatens them with the one hand and offers mercie with the other to see if they will repent This is the dealing of the Lord Hee warnes them and He sayes Yet I will not swallow thee vp with the earth and I will not let the rockes tumble downe on thee to deuoure thee yet repent for there is gâ—ace for thee if thou turnest Brethren no man shall goe to Hell without aduertisement to stand to the end that if thou wilt not repent when the Lord begins to put hand in thee and to rent thee thy mouth may be closed that thou canst not say Lord I got no warning all excuses shall be put away Alas will not men learne for all this shaking of the mountaines Lord shake these hearts of ours the Lord be merciful to all sinful soules to senslesse creatures lest wheÌ„ they shall cry Peace all things are sure enough theÌ„ sudden iudgement approach the wrath come ouertake them Now come to y e last thing I shall end Are there none y t are moued at all at these wonders Amongst so many hundreths thousands is there not one moued yes there are some moued who are these are the high Priests moued No not a whit is there any of y e rest of y e order of y e Priests moued Not They continue blinde and dumbe Are the Pharises and the Scribes or the Elders mooued No They are not mooued but the more they heare their heartes are the more hardened Who are then mooued at these vvonders It is an Ethnicke bodie a Captaine of men of vvarre vnder PILATE and a Pagane vvho neuer once knewe GOD yet vvhen hee sees this and hearde the voyces hee saies Of a suretie this man was just And more hee saies Truely this was the Sonne of GOD. Is there anie moe Yes A bande of men of vvarre Not of the IEVVES but such as had liued on robberie vvithout the feare of GOD they feared greatly and saide also Truely this man was the Son of GOD. Who of the IEVVES is mooued Not the Scribes and the Pharises and the rest of the Order they are nothing moued but the sillie multitude vvho cryed before Crucifie him nowe they goe home smiting on their breastes and crying vvoe to them for that dayes labour but there vvas neuer a motion in the Priestes or in anie of the Princes or Pharises or Scribes It is a vvonderfull thing to see that they vvho had judgement and vnderstanding and who had read all the prophecies of the MESSIAS to come gotte no sense yet a sillie multitude gettes some sight and sense Woulde yee knowe and poinct out a senselesse creature vvho vvill not bee mooued neither by vvorke nor vvorde It is such a man as hath this vvorldly wisedome Such a man as hath knowledge and yet does against his knowledge and conscience for all that these Priestes and Pharises did vvas both against knowledge and conscience They repined against the Holy Spirit and against their conscience they crucifie Iesus Whosoeuer thou art who opponest thee to the brightnes of the Gospell thou crucifiest the Lord of glory and as it shal be layed to the charge of the high Priests and Pharises and of Pilate and Herode in that Great daye that they crucified IESVS CHRIST So it shall bee layed to thy charge and thou shalt bee as guiltie of His blood as they Woe to that soule which vvill resist that word and the Holy Spirite Woe shall bee to the great men in this land vvho against conscience conspires against CHRIST Religion and their natiue Countrey for vvrath and vengeance remaineth for them if they leaue not off this vnhappie course The King of SPAINE and all their associates shall not bee able to holde vengeance off them that shall one daye bee heaped vpon their heads The LORD saue vs from induration and neuer suffer vs to repine against Light nor to scrape it out of our soule and conscience I see heere further The LORD gettes moe friendes in His death than in His life The Centurion and the men of vvarre they curse the time that euer they vvere employed in that seruice The multitude vvho bad crucifie Him thorowe blindnesse and ignorance nowe they repent the time that euer they did it and they returne homewardes knocking vpon their breastes That immaculate Lambe that precious Sacrifice hanging thus on the Crosse Hee cast such a sweete smell on the earth and on the people that they vvho vvere His enemies goe awaye mourning This falles out often times in the Martyres for some people goes out with them who woulde eate them and yet the LORD IESVS makes their death to cast such a sweete smell that it is effectuall to mooue manie thousandes to mourne and to bee conuerted So that it is founde to bee true that the bloode of the Martyres is the seede of the Kirke And they who woulde haue swallowed them before in their death pitties them and become their friendes thorowe the sweete smell which they felt comming from their death and would goe home mourning that euer they were enemies vnto them and were instrumentes of their death Therefore let the enemies of the trueth persecute the Sainctes of GOD and His Trueth with Fire and Sworde as they please They shall gette no vantage and they shall not gette this Light quenched for there shall such a sweete smell arise out of the ashes of the Sainctes which in despight of the enemies farre moe shall bee wonne to IESVS CHRIST by their death than euer was wonne to Him by their life To Him therefore vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXIII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 55 And many women were there beholding him afarre off who had followed Iesus from Galile ministring vnto him verse 56 Among whom was Marie Magdalene and Marie the Mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedeus sonnes MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 40 There were also women who behelde afarre off among whome was Marie Magdalene and Marie the Mother of James the lesse and of Ioses and Salome verse 41 Who also when Hee was in Galile followed Him and ministred vnto Him and manie other women who came vp with Him vnto Hierusalem LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 49 And all his acquaintance stoode afarre off and the women that followed him from Galile beholding these thinges IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 31 The Iewes then because it was the Preparation that the bodies shoulde not remaine vpon the Crosse on the Sabbath daye for that Sabbath was an high dayâ— besought Pilate that their legges might bee broken and that they might bee taken downe WEE haue heard these dayes past beloued Brethren in Christ what was the part of the whole
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
bee charged with fire and sworde but woulde slippe ouer in wealth and quietnesse But true faith must abide the triall of the fire of manifolde temptations and afflictions Well the daye shall come when it will bee seene who among vs hath this fined faith They haue the fined faith who will seeke to Iesus Christ and to His promise in the fire I woulde haue spoken of these two Testimonies but I leaue them vntill the next occasion and so I ende heere beseeching the Lorde to haue a care of euerie one of vs and to furnishe vs vvith grace and strength that wee maye sticke fast vnto Him and His promises Not onelie nowe in peace but euen in the middest of the fire and in death it selfe That after this life bee ended vvee maye bee glorified in the Heauens thorowe Christ To whome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour and Glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXV LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 57 And when the euen was come there came a rich man of Arimathea named Ioseph who had also himselfe beene Iesus disciple MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 42 And now when the night was come because it was the day of the preparation that is before the Sabbath verse 43 Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable Counsellour who also looked for the Kingdome of God came and went in boldlie vnto Pilate and asked the bodie of Jesus LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 50 And beholde there was a man named Ioseph who was a Counseller a good man and a just IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 38 And after these things Ioseph of Arimathea who was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes bâ—sought Pilate that hee might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue him licence Hee came then and tooke Iesus bodie THese dayes past beloued Brethren in Christ we haue spoken of the taking downe of y e Lord from the Crosse after He was dead which came as yee heard by a request made to Pilate these who made the request were the Iewes his enemies they requested that he should be taken from the crosse not for any loue they bare to him but because it was the time of the preparation to the Passeouer they beleeued that Iesus the other two crucified meÌ„ who hung on y e Crosse should haue polluted their holy feast holy actioÌ„ request Pilate that y e thies of the crucified men might be brokeÌ„ that therafter they might be takeÌ„ down from from the Crosse The souldiers came first to the one thiefe broke his thie theÌ„ they came to the other broke his thie also last they came to Iesus finding Him to be dead they would not break His thie but one of the souldiers came with a speare in his hand and to put the matter out of doubt he thrust Him thorow y e heart so that out of the wound ran blood water in abundance WheÌ„ Iohn hath made a rehearsal of these things he joynes to a weighty testimony He who saw these things hath testified of them his testimony is true he knowes that they are true that ye might beleeue Last he sets down the end of these things first wherfore the thies of Iesus were not brokeÌ„ theÌ„ wherfore His side was pearced These things were done sais Iohn that y e Scripture might be fulfilled for this he alledges first y e which is spokeÌ„ of the type Exod. 12 Not one bone of the Pascal lambe might be brokeÌ„ and Zachar. 12. They shall see him whom they haue pearced thorow The last day Brethren we left off at these testimonies of Scripture therfore this day as God shal giue vs grace we shal speak first of these 2 testimonies therafter we shal enter to the next History y t is to the burial of Iesus Then to speak of the first testimony Not one bone of him shal be brokeÌ„ Moses speakes these words Exod. 12 of the pascall lamb he giues a commandement that in the eating of the pascall lamb not one bone of it should bee broken That which Moses speakes of the pascall lambe Ioh. drawes it vnto Iesus Christ because the Lord Iesus was the true pascall lambe and that lambe that the Iewes ate was but a figure shadow of that true lambe the Lord Iesus who tooke away the sinnes of the world therfore seing the type shadow had ceased by the death of Iesus Christ there was not a pascall lambe any more and all the celebration of the Passeouer that the Iewes vsed after the death of Iesus Christ was but vanitie it was good reason that Iohn shoulde draw that which was spoken of the figure to the thing signified by the figure for these wordes that Moses spake of the pascall lambe were accomplished in Christ there was not one jot of it but it was perfected and accomplished in Him Paul 1. Cor. 5 drawes to Christ the very words which Moses vsed in prescribing of the eating of the pascall lambe Put away the olde leauen that wee may bee a newe lumpe as wee are vnleauened for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Marke this lesson for our instruction When thou readest of the Types and Figures in the olde Testament cast away the Types and keepe the veritie and applâ—e it to CHRIST who is figured by the Types We are euer reading y t olde Scripture y t speakes of the types vsed in the old Church of the Iewes as that Scripture of the Paschal lambe and all the other ceremonies of the Iewes but take heede how yee read them read them not as the Iewes read them read not these Scriptures as though they were to bee vnderstood of as many types yet to bee kept in the earth bevvare of that Heare them not as though they vvere any figures and shadowes vnfulfilled for that were to exclude the Lord Iesus vvho only is the body But in reading cast avvay the types because they haue alll ceased at the comming and after the death of Christ Cast not away the Scripture but dravv it vnto Iesus and that vvhole Scripture which the Iewes vnderstood of the type vnderstand thou of Christ As for Example In reading of this Scripture Exod. 12.41 Cast aside the type the Paschall Lambe but cast not away the Scripture Ye shall not breake one bone of Him Take this Scripture and vnderstand it of Iesus Christ that Lambe of God and His bones And vve must not thinke Brethren that this is any vvrying and vvresting of the old Scripture by the ovvne sense because the same Scripture vvhich spake of the Type spake of Iesus but mediatly by the Types and the Fathers of olde by reading of the Types got a sight of the body looking in thorovv the shaddovv to the body This is no vvresting of the Scripture But novv seeing all Types are avvay it is good reason that those Scriptures novv immediatly be vnderstood of Christ vvhich before mediatly vvere applied to
Christ I goe to the second testimonie Zacharie 12.10 prophecies that the Iewes that pierced thorovv Christ should see Him and vvhen they see Him they should vveepe for Him as for their only begotten sonne It is a prophecie of the repentance of the Jewes vvho had crucified Christ pierced Him thorovv a promise of their repentance for that vvofull deede they did This same thing came to passe in the 2. of the Acts vvhen Peter in his preaching laide to their charge that wicked deede that they had crucified the Lord of glorie had put hand into the Lord of life at his preaching their hearts were pricked pierced thorow with bitternesse they demand of Peter the rest What shall they doe to be safe it is said three thousand of them repented beleeued at that one preaching The words wold be marked How is this that They pierced Iesus They pierced Him first with their sins it was the Jewes sins chiefly that procured the death of Christ Next they pierced Him when they persecuted Him when they crucified Him blasphemed Him and rayled on Him hanging on the crosse last they pierced Him when by the speare in the handes of a souldier they thrust Him thorow and pierced His side And who is this that pierced Him It was not so much the Ethnicke man that did this as the Iewes for whose sinnes Hee came to die for they were the occasion of all this wickednes If we will marke narrowly and will weigh narrowly this matter aright we will see great wickednesse malice and vnthankfulnesse to haue bene in this people The Lord came to die for them And who are these that slay Him Euen these for whome He came to die Was not this a mischieuous deede Who will not abhorre and detest such a villanie and malice Alas should I who am a sinner when an innocent man comes to die for my sinnes slay that man and be a burrio to Him Lord saue mee from such wickednesse and let neuer mine hands be a slayer of that man and yet this was the malice of the vngratefull Iewes Againe will ye consider the wonderfull loue that Christ caried to this people when they deserued nothing at His hands but death He dies for them when they were His enemies He shed His blood sor them thereafter when they executed Him and crucified Him beholde His wonderfull loue Hee brings them to repentance His mercie ouercomes their malice so that in them ye see that which is said to be verified Where sinne aboundes grace and mercie superabounds ROM 5.20 There is no comparison betweene the loue of Iesus and the sinnes of men Albeit thy sinnes were neuer so great and hainous yet the loue mercie of Christ will compasse them and goe round about them all so that no sinner hath occasion to despare of mercie and of grace I doubt not there is none of vs all but we will condemne the Jewes and will finde fault with the malice of this people but looke to thy selfe whilst as thou condemnest them that thou disfigure thine owne face and condemne thine owne selfe Are there none in this land that haue put hand in Iesus that died for them as surely as euer the Iewes did Who dare cleanse themselues Thou darest not say but thou hast pierced the Lord either one way or other There is not a sinne that thou committest but therewith thou hast pierced the Lord. Hast thou opponed thy selfe to the Trueth and persecuted the Gospell then thou hast pierced Christ Hast thou persecuted the Church of Christ and troubled His members on the earth thou hast pierced the Lord for Hee cries out Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 〈◊〉 Hast thou beene giuen ouer to thy lustes and led a wicked life I say if thou bee in any of these rankes if thou gaine standest His Trueth persecutest Him in His members or by thy euill life Protest as thou wilt thou hast pierced Him as well as the Iewes and thou shalt bee as guiltie of His death as they were and as Pilate Herode Iudas and Caiaphas were challenged for His death so shalt thou except the Lord of His mercie grant thee grace to repent The Lord giue euery one of vs grace in time to repent IOH. REVEL 1.7 drawes this Scripture to the second comming of Christ in the cloudes for hee sayes They shall see Him whom they haue pierced and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourne before Him Of the which wee may gather that in the latter daye the very Elect when they shall rise and see the Lord when they shall see these handes and these seete and that side which by their sinnes they haue pierced thorow their first meeting shall bee with bitter mourning they shall mourne as a man will doe for His onely begotten sonne but immediatly that weeping shall be turned into joy and the Lord shall wipe away all teares from their eyes so that they shall neuer mourne nor sorrow any more but they shall be with the Lord and rejoyce with a solide joy for euer more Now I come to the buriall of that blessed body As the downe taking from the crosse came by a request so this buriall also comes by request But who requests for His buriall Not the Iewes that requested for His downe taking but good Ioseph of Arâ—mathea requests for the buriall The Iewes requested not for any loue they bare to Him but Joseph that worthy disciple of Christ requests vpon loue Then the thinges that we shall speake of the buriall this day are these First by the conference of the foure Euangelists wee haue a faire description of this man Ioseph Next we haue especially in the Gospell of Luke how boldly he comes to Pilate thirdly we haue the suite it selfe then the good and humane answere that he receiues out of the mouth of Pilate Then looke how this man is pointed out First he is described by his name his name is Ioseph Next hee is described by his countrey he vvas of Arimathea a tovvne in Iudea Thirdly he vvas described from his substance Hee was a rich and wealthie man and vvhat more What matter of all outvvard things of our birth of the place of it or all the riches and substance in the vvorld if there be no more Fourthly he is described from his office He was a wise and graue Senator and apparantly hee was in that Councell of the IEVVES which was called SANEDRIM yea apparantly he was on PILATES couÌ„sell because he was a wise and potent man But all these are outwarde thinges therefore the Spirit afterward paints him out by his inward qualities for if thou haue no good properties I will not giue a pennie for all thy calling thy substance and all outwarde thinges Hee is painted out in these qualities which concerne this life his behauior toward meÌ„ he is called a good vpright maÌ„ in his life But what helpe all these ciuill and morall vertues
if there bee no more they are little worth Therfore the Spirit of God describes him from the inwarde grace of the heart from faith and hope And it is saide Hee waited for the kingdome of God All his riches closed not his eyes from the sight of that life to come Then as hee hoped for y t Kingdome so hee vsed the meanes Hee beleeued in Iesus Christ and was His Disciple So then if thou bee not a scholler to Christ in this earth looke neuer to dwell with Him in Heauen Yet there is something wanting Hee durst not avowe himselfe openlie for feare of his riches and honour But now at last when it comes to extreame persecution hee manifestes himselfe When they sate in the Counsell concerning the death of Christ IOSEPH would not giue his counsell nor consent thereunto But yet there is an impediment in this man for he should not only haue refrained to haue giuen his consent but should haue opponed himselfe against them as Nicodemus did for he opponed himselfe boldly vnto them Doeth our law saies he condemne a man before he be heard IOH. 7.50 where learne yee that So yee see it is an hard and dangerous matter to bee a Counseller either in Kirke or in Policie There will bee many impedimentes in Counsellers yea euen in the best of them and yee see that when harde matters doe come in question men will absent themselues from the Councell but that is not well done For if thou bee a Counseller albeit there were neuer so hard a matter in hand thou art bound in conscience to bee present But indeede it is better to absent thy selfe than to come and giue an euill vote Againe there are some who will come but will not consent to euill as IOSEPH here did But this is not enough there is an infirmity here for thou that art a Counseller art bound to make opposition to euill Again there are other some who will come not only refuse to consent to that which their cōscience judges to be euil but also wil oppone themselues boldly thereunto as Nicodemus did And these are the best sort of Counsellers Alwayes wee see this It is an harde matter to be a good Counseller for often times this terrour and that terrour will bee casten in to thee if thou incline either this waye or that way and somtimes the matter will fall out so ambiguously that thou wilt not know howe to vote or what way to turne thee So that of all men he who is a Coūseller either in Kirke or Policie in these dangerous dayes wherein such terrours are casten in hath most need to depēd vpon the coūsel of God reuealed in His word in all things to keepe a good cōscience Let no man offer to doe against his consciēce for then the cōscience shall take hold on him intend a processe against him and challenge him conuict him and torment him with anguish before the Lords Tribunall This for the description of the man We must not thinke y t by fortune or chance or of his owne accord rashly he came to this point No the prouidence of God guided him led him out for that purpose And in this action God had respect not only to the Heauēly honour of Christ but also to the worldly things to riches power The Lord chose a worldly rich potent man to bury Him to this end that the Iewes who by all meanes sought to heape shame ignominie vpon the Lord should not oppone themselues staye Him to be buried for if it had bene a poore or meane man that had taken this in hande doubtlesse they had opponed themselues hindered His buriall Againe an honourable man is chosen to bury His Sonne honourablie The Father will haue an Honourable riche man to burie His deare Sonne Indeede Ioseph of Arimathea got neuer such honour as by y t buriall of the blessed body of Iesus the Son of God His calling was nothing he had neuer bin registrate for y t he was a Senator in Iudea except that the Lord had put in his hand the buriall of His deare Son It is true the buriall of the Lord Iesus is the last point of His humiliation for what is the buriall of the body but the continuance of y e body vnder death And if thy burial be not sanctified it is a terrible thing to be casten in a hole to be bound vnder the earth Woe to that bodie who is casten into a hole and in the bellie of the earth and if it bee not sanctified in the buriall of IESVS CHRIST So I say the buriall of Iesus Christ was the last poinct of His humiliation Hee was holden in the fetters of death Yet the Lorde begins the glory of the Son at that which was ignominious in it selfe He will not employ euery man in this work but the most honourable man in the Citie And then Hee will haue His Buriall not in a vile place nor in a backside but in a notable faire place couered with a stone So the Heauenly Father will haue the honour of the Sōne His glory to begin at the buriall which was shamefull in it selfe and then Hee goes forward till His resurrection and to His ascending to Heauen sitting at the right hand of the Father To worldlinges this honour of their buriall is but a part of worldly honour but heere vnto Christ that same piece of honour was y e beginning of his heauenly glory If thou be in Iesus this same honour which is done to thy bodie in this life in thy buriall is the beginning of thy glory which thou shalt enjoy in the Heauens The dishonour of the faithful in this life shal be turned to their honour and glorie and it shall be turned to their weale All things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God saies Paul Rom. 8.29 If thou louest the Lord that shame that shall be heaped on thee in this earth shall bee the beginning of thine honour Then much more shall the honour that thou shalt get in this life bee the beginning of that euerlasting honour Now when Ioseph takes vp the body of y e Lord lying so low at the Gallowes foot and intends to bury that body I doubt not but he hath an eye to that glorious resurrection and he saw that glory wherewith that body should be glorified should glorifie the bodies of the faithfull make them like His glorious body If there were no more but that respect of the resurrection of the bodies of the faithfull in that daye it shoulde make vs count of the bodies of the faithfull of their death and buriall 1. Pet. 3.7 Ye reade that husband shoulde giue honour to their wiues because they are the infirmer and weake◠vessels and because that with them they are to bee heires of the kingdome of glorie and of that life Yee see this that if there vvere but an earthly body who were
the pointes of his Iustice it behoued Him to suffer all the points of Iustice vnder the earthly judge Pontius Pilate in His condemnation in His taking from the crosse in His burial this was all to the intent that thou mightest be fully freed from all the points of the Iustice of GOD for whatsoeuer thing He either did or suffered it was for thy cause There is another thing here that would not be passed by There is no question but it comes of the Prouidence of God that this body is neither reaued away by violence nor stollen away by slight but the taking away comes of a speciall request◠no question this matter was so dispensed that the death of Iesus should bee made notable and come to the eares of Pilate and all other men the death was to be made notable to the world likewise the buriall was to be made notable to the end that His glorious resurrection might be made knowne to the world These are the two pillars of our Faith the death of Christ and His resurrection these are the two points that the deuill and the Heretiques haue from time to time striuen to hew and cut downe that they should not appeare to the world because they are the chiefe pillars of our Faith but honour glory be to the Lord who of His grace hath kept these pillars constantly in His Church in despite of the deuill all his instrumēts Now the God of Heauen grant vs grace to take holde on His death and glorious resurrection that through His death and resurrection we may bee raised from death to newnesse of life here that hereafter wee may reigne in glory with Him To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all honour praise and glorie world without end AMEN THE XXVI LECTVRE OF THE BVRIALL OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 44 And Pilate marueiled if hee were alreadie dead and called vnto him the Centurion and asked of him whether hee had beene any while dead verse 45 And when hee know the trueth of the Centurion hee gaue the bodie to Ioseph verse 46 Who bought a linnen cloth and tooke him downe and wrapped him in the linnen cloth c. IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 38 And after these things Ioseph of Arimathea who was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that hee might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue him licence Hee came then and tooke Iesus bodie verse 39 And there came also Nicodemus who first came to Iesus by night and brought of myrrhe and aloes mingled together about an hundreth pound verse 40 Then tooke they the bodie of Iesus and wrapped it in linnen clothes with the odours as the manner of the Iewes is to burie THE last day welbeloued in Iesus Christ wee entered into the History of the Buriall of the Lord Iesus and wee hearde that the Buriall came by a request made to Pilate the Romane Deputie for the time The request maker was one IOSEPH Hee is set down and described by all the foure EVANGELISTES in all his properties Hee was a man of ARIMATHEA a Towne in IVRIE Hee vvas a rich man and also an honourable and graue Counseller Then as concerning the qualities of his person Hee was a good and an vpright man who liued vprightlie in the worlde and yet hee had a further respect than vnto this life for he waited constantlie for the Kingdome of God And therefore when Christ came into the worlde and tooke vpon Him that great office of the Mediator betwixt GOD and man hee enters into His schoole and became His Disciple howbeit for feare of the IEVVES hee durst not manifest himselfe but lurked secretlie for a time euen to this time that it came to the Buriall of the bodie of Iesus and then hee shewes himselfe to bee a Disciple of Christ In that Councell which was against the Lorde hee vvas a Counseller but hee vvoulde neither giue counsell nor consent to the condemning and slaying of CHRIST Thus much yee hearde before concerning this man and his properties Then wee hearde howe hee goes forwarde boldlie to Pilate to seeke the Lordes bodie Hee lurked before so long as Iesus was in the worlde working such wonders as neuer man wrought speaking with such a grace as neuer man spake with But nowe when Hee is dead hee comes out boldlie and goes to Pilate and hee manifestes himselfe To let vs see that IESVS in His death had greater force to drawe the soules of men vnto Him than Hee had in His life for from that death there came so sweete and sensible a smell to the soules of sinners that it drewe the soules of sinners vnto Him Namelie the heart of this man IOSEPH So that hee comes out boldlie as saide is and hee goes to PILATE and requestes him to giue him the bodie of IESVS to bee buried Thus farre vvee hearde the last daye Nowe this daye wee haue PILATES answere to IOSEPHS request PILATE wonders that He was dead so soone and for the more certaintie hee calles a Centurion and askes him if Hee was dead alreadie The Centurion affirmes that Hee was dead alreadie PILATE grantes the request After this we come to the maner of His Buriall Wee shall goe forward as time shall suffer God shall giue vs grace Pilate wonders that hee was so soone dead This wondering of Pilate no question imports that the death of Iesus was extraordinary It was not after the common fashion of men y t were crucified for men who were crucified they vsed to hing long on the Crosse before they yeelded the spirit dayes nights and in end ere they yeelded the spirite the life was taken from them by violence They were broken on the Crosse So Pilate hearing that the Lorde was so soone dead hee wondered as at an extraordinarie thing There are sundrie thinges that testifie that death of Iesus to haue beene extraordinary as first That mighty and loude voyce crying which the Lord vttered on the Crosse immediately before He yeelded the spirit for who will giue a loud crie at the yeelding of his spirit for at the poinct of death when nature failes it is a rare thing to finde a man to haue a voyce or a word Next The yeelding of His spirit so suddenly whē by the power of nature He might haue liued longer Last This wondering of Pilate testifies That His death was extraordinarie that there was a power in Iesus which controlled nature When nature would haue kept life the diuine power puts it out In a word This wondering testifies That the death of Iesus was the death of God the death of a man but God in the man glorious and blessed for euermore Now it is said Pilate vnderstood of the Centurion that Iesus was dead when hee granted the request of Ioseph and gaue the bodie to him to bee buried First I see Pilate is a good Iustitier the Romane Iustice was
a good Iustice the Romane Iustitiers were good he shewed him selfe to bee a good Iustitier in this a man condemned to die hee would not giue Him out of His hands till hee knew perfectly that He was dead The Iudge should not giue a man out of his hāds to any till he know he be dead Iustice requires that If they did so to the greene tree the Lord Himselfe saies what shall they doe to the withered If so precise justice was kept on y e innocent what shall become of the reprobate who must suffer euery point of justice Lord saue vs from that justice of the reprobate I put it out of doubt This justice kept on Iesus is a liuely image of that justice that shal be kept on the reprobate Thou shalt not escape one point of that justice but thou shalt suffer in thy carcage y e extremity if thou be not participate of His blood Another thing is to bee marked in Pilate I see a part of humanity in him hee grants the dead body humanely And surely this was by the fashion for the bodies of crucified mē were not giuē yeelded at the request of mē as their death was ignominious so was their buriall I put no doubt the cōscience of the innocencie of Iesus neuer left him the consciēce of His innocēcie made him to be so easie to grant the body of Iesus at the request of Ioseph Brethren if this matter had bene in the hands of Caiaphas the Priests and the Scribes the Elders they would not haue bene so ready to haue giuē the body to be buried for as they sought to shame Him in His death so would they in His buriall they had buried Him like an Asse castē Him out like a beast So who is this that dishonours the Saints of God in their buriall It is not Pilate or an Ethnicke or Turke or Pagan it is hypocrit professors hypocrits Caiaphas it is false priests knaues with a coloured religion it is the counterfet hie priests those shauelings those monks friers who murther the innocēts there was neuer bitternes nor gal of heart like their bitternes who wil cal thēselues the kirke they are a false a deceiuing kirke they haue not bene content to martyre the deare Saincts of God that bloody massacre shall neuer goe out of memory it shal be recent to their perpetual shame they shal pay for it one day but they haue raised vp y e bones of the dead to burne thē The vessels of dishonour seeke the dishonour of the vessels of honour but shame and confusion shall light vpon them whē the Saints of God shall get honour The Lord saue vs from them and that judgement which they shall receiue We goe now to the māner of the Buriall Looke the louing affection of this holy man Ioseph would to God we could learne at him who loued the dead Iesus so well to loue Him now liuing and glorified in the Heauēs When he hath gottē the body of the Lord he takes it puts it not in a foule cloth he takes not an old sheet but he buyes the cleanest linnē finest that culd be gottē the Spirit of God notes that it was a fine linnen cloth which had neuer touched any mans body before then he wraps the body of Iesus in that winding sheet I suppone it was with his owne hands for wee reade of none other that touched Him for hee thought his owne hands ouer vnworthie to winde such a precious and glorious bodie Nowe Brethren as the Buriall of the Lord was honoured by an honourable man who was the Burier of Him so it was honoured with a cleane winding-sheet which is a piece of the honour of the Buriall But looke to this mans doinges better When hee procures leaue to bury Him he departs not leaues another to bury Him he sais not I haue done enough I haue gottē his body he has other friēds thā I here he has his mother his disciples other womē who came with him out of Galile and others let them bury him doe y e rest to him No he saies not so So this is a cōmendable thing in him who hauing gottē leaue to bury him he perfects the worke he will bury him himselfe with his owne hands Let vs learne at Ioseph If we put to our hāds to the work of Iesus to honour him wo to him that honours him not if thou begin to do him any seruice leaue not off whilst thou haue ended it Count not that which thou hast done as men doe who will say I haue professed I haue suffered for religion more than the best of them But when thou art running that race neuer looke ouer thy shoulder vntill thou commest to thy races ende and say thou art an vnprofitable seruant suppose thou hadst done neuer so much goe forward the crowne is not in the middest of the race but at the end and hee who persistes to the end of the race he shall get the crowne not he who goes backe againe Yet the affection of the man would bee considered and weighed after that once that sweete smell the sweetest smell that euer was felt comes from the body of Iesus that sweet smell of loue for the sauour of that body is the sauour of loue such loue as man neuer bare to man such loue as made the Lord to die for sinners after that the smell comes to Iosephs soule it wakened vp in his heart loue towards the Lord for Hee must loue vs before wee loue Him and whilst Hee begins to loue Him he makes request for Him euer the nearer that he drawes to that precious body the sweete smell that came from that precious body was alwayes the greater and the heart of Ioseph warmed ay the more with Him so that he could neuer get rest vntill he got that body in his armes and wrapped it in linnen clothes So when we begin to taste that fragrant odour that sweet smell our hearts will be allured to draw neare to Him and as we draw the nearer to Him wee will ay finde the sweeter sauour proceeding from Him Thou shalt feele alwaies the more that sweet odour the more neare thou meete with Him and who euer thou bee that seekest Him once thou vvilt neuer rest vvhilst thou see Him and be vvith Him Paul speakes this of himselfe 2. Cor. 4.8 I approoue rather to be with the Lord than to dwell in this bodie And to the Phillipians 1.23 I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ For as vvell as vve loue this body vve vvill be content to slit out of it to let the body fall dovvne like a broken pitcher that vve may be conjoyned vvith Christ vve vvill be content to slit and to obtaine Iesus Christ euen vvith the dissolution of the body This for the part of Ioseph in the burying of Christ novve follovves the part of one Nicodemus Whilst as Ioseph is
layed IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 41 And in that place where Iesus was crucified was a Garden and in the Garden a new sepulchre wherein was neuer man yet layed WEE haue in hand at this present well-beloued in CHRIST this Gospel of the Buriall of the Lord When Hee is crucified and dead His Buriall is obtained by a request which request was made to Pilate the Iudge and Romane Deputie he that made the request was Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable man a Senator a rich a good and a godly man There comes afterward to Ioseph one Nicodemus a Doctor in Israel an honourable a wise and a good man and a Disciple of Iesus albeit quietly as Ioseph was and he joynes handes in this worke with Ioseph So these two take the whole worke in hand first Ioseph and then Nicodemus In the Historie of this Buriall wee haue these two partes First wee haue the vvinding of Christ as vve speake commonly Hee is vvinded and vvrapped in a newe linnen cloth being embaulmed vvith sweet odors We haue heard already of this first part of His Burial The secōd part of His Buriall is the laying of His precious body in the graue First this day we shal speak of the laying of y t body in the graue next falles out a piece of a History concerning certain women namely Marie Magdalene the other Marie the mother of Ioses vvho are vvitnesses of y t buriall saw that all things vvere vvell done Thirdly in that part vve haue read in the Gospel of Matthew especiallie vvee haue a piece of Historie concerning the vvatching keeping of the graue of Iesus after He vvas buried The Historie is very plaine and the doctrine thereof shall be plaine also Then to begin at the first part of the history The burying of Iesus after hee vvas vvrapped in the vvinding-sheet Iohn in his Gospel markes the place vvhere he vvas buried First in generall he notes it to bee in a Garden not a Kirke not an house but a Garden in the faire fields not vnder a roofe but vnder the roofe of heauē This burying in Kirks is come in vpon superstition It maye suffice the greatest lorde of them all to be buried in the fields as the Lord Iesus vvas buried So the place vvas a Garden Next it is described from the situation of it Neare Mount Caluarie the place vvhere hee vvas crucified Joseph and Nicodemus choosed this place of verye purpose because it vvas neare hande the time straited them the time of the Passeouer vvas drawing neare and they vvere to celebrate it after the going down of the Sunne and therfore they take the commoditie of the place This vvas their purpose But the Father of heauen had his purpose in this vvorke The place vvas notable knowne to all the indwellers in Hierusalem The Lorde of purpose chose that place that as the place of His Buriall was knowen to Hierusalem so the Resurrection of the Lord should be known to Hierusalem Al this knowledge that Hee was buried auailes nothing if thou knowest not y t Hee is risen againe vvithout this knowledge no remission of sinnes no life But to come more particularlie to the place Iohn when hee had set it downe in generall he comes in speciall and hee calles it a monument he calles it a new graue wherein neuer man lay It was a graue not hewen out of the earth it was hewen out of a stone and Ioseph caused it to be hewē out not to Iesus but to himself but yet he vouchsafes it vpon Iesus All was notable the place the gardē the time the graue that His Resurrection might be notable easily known to all the indwellers in Ierusalem for He made all things to fall out so that His resurrection should be patent the Lord prouided that in all respects the buriall of Iesus might be honourable Looke to these men that buried Him Joseph and Nicodemus honourable men looke to His windingsheete and cleane linnen cloath looke to the odours wherewith Hee was embalmed they were costly looke to the place it was hewen out of a stone with great cost and trauell it was a new graue wherein neuer man lay it was ordained for an honourable man the Lord will haue His Sonne honoured in all these things and as He was a chiefe man farre aboue all the kings in the world separate from sinners made higher than the Heauens as the Apostle sayes Heb. 7.26 So His heauenly Father would haue Him appearing a speciall man in His buriall and namely in His graue for in that graue wherein Hee was laide neuer sinfull man come well worthy was He who was separate from sinners to be laide in a graue wherein neuer sinner was laide yet the newnesse of the graue it importes something more that when He rose it should not bee saide that any other man should haue risen but that it was onely Iesus that had risen To goe forward to the laying of the body in the graue the two men Ioseph Nicodemus they take the body lay it in They cast it not in but softly tenderly they laid that precious body that they loued so well they laide it in a graue as it were in a bed to sleepe when they haue laid Him downe in y e graue they take a great stone rolles it on the doore of the graue when they haue done that they goe to the celebration of the Passeouer As all this worke was directed by prouidence of God so in laying on of this great stone the Lord Hee had His prouidence No question Ioseph and Nicodemus rolled on this stone to honour the Lord but the prouidence of the Lord in this stone was chiefly that when the Lord rose againe the enemies should not say that the Lord was stollen out of the graue for it was no small matter to rolle away such a great stone so the Lord would meete the calumnies of His enemies in raising the stone and not onely in raising the stone but in breaking the bands of death and of the graue and in raising from death to life wherein Hee shewed the power of His Godhead for in nothing did the power of GOD appeare so euidently as in the raising of Christ from the death and therefore the Apostle Paul in the first Chapter to the Ephesians verse 19. brings it in as a singular proofe of the strong power of God Now we haue ended this discourse of the buriall which in all respects ye see is honorable so that albeit the buriall be otherwise ignominious and by the last part of His humiliation yet in it the Lord begins to honour Him He begins at it His glory euen so albeit the buriall of all men women beeing shamefull of the owne nature yet the buriall of all faithfull men and women beeing sanctified in the buriall of Iesus Christ is the first part of their honour for by it they passe to that eternall glory but the
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
thinke that any man in earth is too good to preach the Gospell of Christ No if thou werest a King it is a great honour to thee that thou shouldest haue grace to speake of His blessed Name Well Brethrē as the ambassadour was glorious the message was glorious so y ◠cōmission was the joyfullest thing that euer y u heardest al the Angels in Heauen are too vnworthy to tel it Now as the ambassador was glorious the message more glorious so the Lord of Heauen honours His Ambassadour w t a terrible earthquake the ambassador of a King hath honour and why should not the ambassadour of the LORD IESVS haue honour aboue all the Kinges of the world No doubt the LORD in this Earthquake hath a further respect for hereby He testified that His glorious presence accompanied the Angell and that to the weale and comfort of the sillie women for as all the rest was to prepare their hearts reuerentlie to receiue so glorious an Ambassadour so was also this Earthquake For if both men and women bee not prepared to receiue the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST let an Angel come from Heauen if they be not prepared by the power of GOD they will not beleeue they will not heare nor receiue the message with reuerence Therefore let no man saye What needes all this a glorious Angell to come from Heauē and such an Earthquake He might haue come otherwise He might haue come faire and softly and in more quyet manner I answere to this The LORD looked not so much to the Angell or the message as to the women for if it were an Angell that came from Heauen He shall neuer be receiued by the silliest bodie except thine heart be prepared by the power of God Now to goe forward When this Angell comes downe first wee haue what Hee does Then wee haue a faire description of this Angell The first thing He does is Hee goes to the graue and rowles away the stone from the doore Ye would thinke this was but a sober and seruile office to so glorious an Ambassadour Might not men haue done it It was Joseph and Nicodemus who rolled the stone to the tombe Might not men haue rolled it awaye againe Marke and compare the Buriall with His glorious resurrection In His Buriall He kept the Godhead close for if either in the death of Christ or in His Buriall that Godhead should haue vttered it selfe He could neither haue died nor yet haue bene buried for the Godhead can neither die nor bee buried but in the resurrection the Godhead that dwelt in Him bodilie breakes out and raises the stone Vpon this difference there followes another in His Buriall the Godhead keeping it selfe close He had no Angels but mortall men to wit Ioseph and Nicodemus to serue Him they winde Him they laye Him in the graue they roll the stone to the doore of the graue But when it comes to His glorious resurrectiō in the which that Godhead that before kept it selfe close brake out Hee vses not the ministerie of men but of a glorious Angell an Angell rolles away the stone as it were with His owne hand Nowe this lets vs see how highlie and honourablie wee should thinke of this glorious resurrection It is true the LORD in His Buriall was honourable but Hee was farre more honourable in His Resurrection for the honour that Hee had in His Buriall was but a worldlie honour but in His Resurrection Hee had an Heauenlie honour Indeede Ioseph and Nicodemus who buried Him were two Honourable men but an Angell is an hundreth times more Honourable and glorious than anie man albeit he were a king or Caesar himselfe And so the LORD in His Buriall vttered Himselfe to bee a Lorde ouer men but in His glorious Resurrection He vttered Himselfe euen in our nature not onelie to be Lord of men but also of Angels So Brethren all tendes to this to let vs see the glorie of the Resurrection of Iesus Nowe would to God wee could striue night and daye to get a sight of it for except we get a sight of it in some measure here wee shall neuer see glorie hereafter But before I leaue this I see that in the rolling awaye of the stone the Lord hath a respect to the weaknesse of these women knowing well they were not able to remoue so heauy a stone to see whether the Lord was there or no He sendes this Angell to roll it away to the ende that when the women came they should see that the LORD was risen from the dead Well here wee haue a comfortable lesson The LORD will helpe them that seeke Him Seeke the Lord where euer Hee bee Seeke the Lord in the graue seeke the Lord in the Heauen and thou shalt bee assured if thou bee a weake bodie the Lord shall supplie thy weaknesse and Hee shall cause the strong Angell to doe that which thou art not able to doe Reade wee not how the Lord hath sent His Angels to fight the battels of His owne And if thou wilt seeke the Lord when thou art going any way thou shalt find in experience that the Lord shall send His Angell before thee and prepare thinges before thy comming And I doubt not but some of you who heares mee haue founde this in your owne experience in such sort that yee haue wondered at that blessed prouidence of His Majestie and hath bene moued glorifie Him Now there is another thing to be marked When He hath rolled the stone from the doore He departs not but he sits downe and abides there to testifie that the Lord Iesus was risen So yee see the first witnesse of the Resurrection of Iesus Christ is an Angell Hee remaines sitting vpon the stone to testifie that Christ was risen in glory The first witnesses of His death and Buriall were men and women but the first witnesse of His glorious resurrection is His blessed Angell to let vs see how the Lord would honour His Resurrection and to make vs esteeme of it to wonder at it for in the sight of it stands our life and glorie Alas that once our eyes coulde bee opened to see the glorie of our Redeemer sitting at the right hande of that Majestie then could wee not but wonder at the greatnesse of that glorie Well then as I saide before in this poinct The Lord had a great respect to the poore women Alas an Earthly King will haue a small respect to the poore But the Lorde of glory had a great respect to these poore women Indeed the sight of the emptinesse of the graue might haue beene a sufficient testimonie to them of Christes Resurrection considering the fore-warning they had before to wit That the Lord shoulde rise againe the thirde daye but they were weake in faith And therfore He that supplied the weaknesse of their bodies by the strēgth of the Angell He supplies their faith by this same Angel for they began to doubt whether He was risen
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
first witnesse of His Resurrection Hee will not haue a man to be witnesse but an Angell Then He is carefull to whome this Angel should tell His Resurrection He will not haue him testifying it to the men of warre He wil not haue pearles casten before svvine but to the vvomen The LORD is carefull of the place vvhere His doctrine should be taught He vvill haue the vvomen to goe to the graue to the ende they should receiue the doctrine of Resurrection the better that by the emptinesse of the graue the Angell might the better demonstrate that the LORD was risen Thinke yee novv that the LORD hath casten off that care He had then That care He had of the person of the Preacher of the person to vvhome He sends Him of the place of preaching No that same LORD hath the same care yet and He vvill loue them vvell to vvhome He concredites His glorious Euangell He loues them vvell vvhom He lets attentiuely and carefully heare His glorious Gospell and the LORD hath a care vvhere a man may most commodiously speake for edification and vvhere men vvomen may heare Christ pointed out commodiously This for the thing they savv vvhat follovves The sillie vvomen are terrified as the guard of the men of vvarre vvere terrified I see then in the person of these vvomen the presence of GOD is terrible to the godly and more I see vvhen men and vvomen are seeking Iesus Christ the first sight they get of Him is terrible The ground of this is not only that terrible Majestie that no creature can bee able to looke on and why should not all flesh stoupe at the presence of that glorious GOD but this is not the onely ground but because in the most godly man or vvoman there is a remanent corruption therefore they are afraide at the presence of GOD. Feelest thou it not now thou shalt feele it ere thou go This remanent corruption can not abide the sight of that glory a spot of vncleannesse cannot stand in the presence of that Holy Majestie yet I see a greater difference betweene the women and the guard for the men of warre vvere terrified to the death but so vvere not the vvomē Where fro came this difference betweene the vvomen and the Guarde That Guarde vvas but a companie of prophane bodies vvithout God vvithout grace vvithout faith vvithout hope vvithout loue vvas full of sinne of an euill conscience But the vvomen suppose they were sinfull had partly an euill conscience for where sin is there is part of an euill cōscience yet in a part they were purged frō sin thorow the death of Iesus Christ they had their conscience sprinkled with His blood as that euill cōscience terrified them so that good consciēce held them vp Suppose so long as we remain in this body we cānot be quit free of sin corruption ye well is y e soule y t in the blood of Iesus findes their sins forgiuen them for suppose it be terrified yet it wil not despaire Now I come to the speach of the Angell to the women The Angell seeing thē terrified he speaks and encourages them first and saies to them Feare yee not and then he begins to testifie of the Resurrection of Christ last he giues them a commandement to tell the Disciples First hee saies to the women Feare not He spake not such a word to the Guarde but let them lye still till they gathered their spirites and rose vp and ran home for for all the world they durst not tarrie there There is another difference betweene the godlie and the wicked When the Lorde hath casten the wicked down He will not giue them a word to comfort them but will let them lye still Woe to them nothing within them to raise them vp no faith no hope no part of good consciēce they are full of sin nothing without them no the Lord shall not vouchsafe a good word on them He will neither giue thē an inward nor an outward comfort and at the latter day the Lord shall speak one joyfull word to them but He will say Goe your way ye cursed companie to be tormented with the Deuill and his angels Woe to the estate of them y t shal be foūd out of Iesus Christ Albeit y t now these things sound not in thy eares now thinkest Heauē Hell to be but matters of jests yet one day though thou be a king thou shalt find these things to be earnest thou shalt wish whē thou wast made a mā or a womā thou hadst bin made a stock or stone But by the contrary The Lord holds vp y e godly not only inwardly by a piece of good cōscience but also by outward means He speaks comfortablie to them And He will say to them by His Ministers Feare not Marke further He will not only holde them vp but that same thing y t terrified the wicked He will make it to cōfort them He makes this same Angell that terrified the men of vvarre to comfort and encourage them More than this Hee will not onely free and relieue them from terrour but He will poure in joye And no question this worde had a powerfull force to raise them vp comfort thē And then besides this He ministers joye by telling them of y t glorious resurrection So not only feare is put away but the glorious Resurrection of Iesus Christ is tolde them whereof there arises an vnspeakeable joye Well Brethren albeit we feele not this joy for the present yet hold still thy eare heare on continually howbeit with pain for it thou get grace to hold still thy eare heare I promise thee in the name of God thou shalt get such a joye in the ende as shall make thee to thinke all thy paine to be nothing Now one word ere I end Mark how the Lord prepares His own to heare these tidings He will not haue them to come with a light disposition of heart as wee vse to doe without any sight premeditation of sin misery Thou wilt come in not once think thou hast neede of the preaching of the glorious Resurrection of Christ But look the preparation of these women Ere euer the Lord will haue the Angel speaking one word Hee will haue them terrified no question they were exceedinglie affraid As euer thou wouldest look for joy thine heart must be prepared with terrour in some measure castē down ere euer the Lord speake one cōfortable word to thee And therfore let no man take hardily with the terrours of the word This is the first Thē the next poinct of preparation is Whē thou art casten downe ere He begin to speak to thee the glad tidings of saluation He will raise thee vp He will say to thee who art casten down thorow the sense of thy sin Be not terrified but be of good comfort And if the Lords spirit accōpany this word it will
encourage thee it will raise vp thy dead soule Then when the sinner is raised vp to heare gladly then hee comes on to the gladde tidings of saluation Iesus is come into the world for thy sins this Iesus is crucified dead and buried for thy sins and this same Iesus is risen and ascended vp to the Heauen to bee an euerlasting Aduocate for thee What more This same Iesus shall come to judge the world and to take thee with Him one day and to make thee partaker of His glorie This is the vvhole summe of the Gospell The Lord giue vs grace to bee partakers of that joy vvhich the glorious Gospell offers in this IESVS CHRIST To whom vvith the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all Praise and Honour for euermore AMEN THE XXX 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 know that yee seeke Jesus who was crucified verse 6 Hee is not heere for hee is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord was layed verse 7 And goe quicklie and tell his Disciples that hee is risen from the dead and beholde hee goeth before you into Galile there shall yee see him loe I haue tolde you MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 6 But hee saide vnto them Bee not so troubled yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth who hath beene crucified hee is risen hee is not heere beholde the place where they put him verse 7 But goe your way and tell his Disciples and Peter that he will goe before you into Galile there shall yee see him as hee said vnto you WE heard the last day Brethrē that there were two companies of women that came out of Hierusalem to the graue of IESVS CHRIST The first companie came foorth in the dawning of the daye before the rising of the Sunne The next companie came foorth somewhat later I thinke about the rising of the Sunne In the first companie vvere Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome others vvho are not named These came out of Hierusalem altogether and as they drew neare to the graue they saw the great stone that vvas rolled to the doore of the graue rolled away Mary Magdalene assoone as she sees the stone to bee rolled awaye tarries no longer but supponing it was done by men and that they had stollen away the Lordes bodie by night then in haste shee runnes home and telles PETER and IOHN and shee saies to them They haue stollen awaye the bodie of the Lord and wee know not where they haue layed him But the other women tooke more aduisement than Marie Magdalene for they abode still and when shee was gone home they entered into the graue and they sawe an Angell standing in the graue in the likenesse of a young man clothed with a long white robe sitting at the right side of the graue at which sight they were wonderfullie astonished And this Angell to my judgement was euen that same Angel that rolled awaye the stone from the graue and with His bright looke terrified the Guarde and frighted them lest they should haue troubled the vvomen The women beeing astonished at the sight of the glorious Angell Hee begins to speake to them of the Resurrection and to tell them of these tidinges For the better vnderstanding of the Oration of the Angell wee shall speake of it in these foure partes The first is a voyce of comfort a worde of encouragement Feare not saies the Angell The next hauing encouraged them hee beginnes to preach to them of the Resurrection of Iesus Christ testifying vnto them that the Lord was risen And hee confirmes by one or two arguments that the Lord was risen In the thirde part of his Oration hee giues a commandement to the vvomen to tell the Apostles and namelie Peter that the Lorde was risen and more than that that that same Lorde should goe before them into Galile and there they shoulde see him In the fourth and last part hee concludes this speach and hee saies Beholde I haue tolde you Then after the Oration of the Angell vvee haue the effect that the Oration vvrought in the hearts of the vvomen to vvit they feare and rejoyce exceedinglie and they obey the voyce of the Angell and they runne home with all haste to tell the Apostles that the Lord was risen Nowe to returne to the Oration of the Angell It is short but wonderous pitthie As for the first part of the Oration Feare not Wee spake of it the last daye and there vvee left off therfore now wee proceede to the seconde part to that graue testimonie which the Angell giues to the Resurrection of Christ Before he speakes hee conciliates authoritie to his person Whosoeuer speakes in the name of Christ shoulde haue an authoritie of person The vvordes are these I knowe perfectly that yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth that was crucified sayes the Angell hee askes not Whome seeke ye but hee breakes off the speech and he sayes I know ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth that was crucified and buried and by this knowledge he lets them see that hee was sent of God and knew the purpose of the women ere euer they reueiled it to Him What man is he that knowes the minde of a man except that the Lord giue him knowledge extraordinarily No all the Angels of Heauen will not know my minde except the Lord reueile it No man nor Angell can know the heart and search the secrets thereof but onely GOD that made the heart So he lets them see that he was sent of God that the worde might haue the greater credite for wherefore serues the authoritie of persons but that the worde they speake may haue the greater credite Marke the lesson There is neuer one that the Lord sends to be witnesses in the world of Christ of His crosse and passion of His resurrection of the mercies and graces that passe all vnderstanding flowing from His Passion and Resurrection but either in one measure or other He wil haue them decored with heauenly reuelation with power euen to goe downe to the secret thoughts of mens hearts and to lay them open to them that they may see their owne vile heartes for our heartes are not knowne not to our owne selues vntill wee goe downe and pull off the vaile off them and all to this end that we may see God in that person that speakes and the last end is this that credite may bee giuen to that gracious word and should the word of life passe without credite Paul 1. Cor. 14.24 25. sayes If a Prophet stand vp to prophecie or a Preacher to preach and if an ignorant person come in loadned with sinne and not feeling the burthen alas there are too many of this sort if this person come in with the force of the word he is dejected and he falles downe and glorifies God and hee will say GOD is with that man that speakes
and if God were not with the man that speakes the heart of the man would neuer be dejected No all the Kings vnder the Heauen could not deject the heart of the poorest begger So to end this in a worde The Lord will know well whome He sends to speake these glorious tithings that Christ hath suffered and is risen and this is sure these that He sends He will giue them power to pull downe if it were the heart of a King to the ground yet the stile hee giues to Christ would not be past by marke it well hee saies not I knowe yee seeke IESVS the Sonne of GOD he saies not so but he saies I knowe yee seeke Jesus of Nazareth a man who was latelie crucified So the Angell in styling of Him giues Him the basest and vylest names that hee can hee names Him from a sillie Towne in IVRIE IESVS OF NAZARETH Then from that vile death of the Crosse That man that was crucified I doubt not but in this name he had a respect to the women who knew these stiles which Hee had in the dayes of His flesh when Hee was conuersant here they knewe these stiles better than the stiles of His Godhead which were from all eternitie Yet he hath a further respect to these stiles to let vs and these women see that hee was not ashamed of His infirmitie nor at the shamefull death of the Crosse Noe the Angels to whom this death appertaines not so much as to vs saies PETER in his first EPISTLE the first CHAPTER and the eleuenth VERSE delight to looke in to CHRIST to looke in to that infirmitie and to that death of the Crosse Alas proude sinner wilt thou bee offended to looke in to it when Peter saies it is the delight of the holie Angels to looke in to it Because these Angels in the infirmitie of CHRIST they sawe the power of GOD shining in that foolishnesse of the Crosse of CHRIST they sawe that wisedome of GOD and in that justice of GOD they founde a passing me 〈…〉 and therefore nowe and euerlastinglie their delight is to looke 〈◊〉 CHRIST and His suffering And as they delight to looke in to CHRIST and His suffering so they shall giue praise to Him and more for that than for the making of the worlde in His great wisedome and power Yet if wee will weigh and consider well wee shall finde another respect which the Angels haue in naming Him after such base stiles which is That the glorie of His Resurrection might appeare the greater It is euen as hee shoulde haue saide IESVS of that sober Village NAZARETH who was counted vile in the worlde and was crucified yet for that infirmitie Hee is risen againe and is in the glorie of the Heauens So hee names Him after these base stiles to enlarge the glorie of His Resurrection for the humbler that Hee was the Resurrection was the more glorious It vvas indeed a great matter and a vvonder to see a man a vvorme treade on by the Deuill treade on by death it vvas a vvonder to see Him howe Hee vvas humbled that Hee should haue risen againe to such a wonderous glorie So that at the Name of Iesus all knees shall bowe Philipp Chap. 2. vers 10. But I leaue this and I goe forwarde Next comes on the tidinges The wordes of MATTHEVV are these First Hee is not heere Then the next wordes Hee is risen The first worde was an heauie worde to these holie women for apparâ—ntlie they conceiued with Marie Magdalene that His bodie was stollen awaye out of the sepulchre and thought not that He was risen againe The next worde they heare comfortes them The first worde makes them exceeding heauie but the seconde worde makes them to rejoyce when hee saies Hee is risen He is not stollen away craftilie but by His owne power He is risen In this anunciation as in a picture yee maye obserue the forme which is vsed in proponing the EVANGEL and gladde tidinges of Saluation The beginning is alwayes in dolour and in sadnesse but the ende is in joye and gladnesse The first vvorde that vvee heare is That the LORDE is come into the worlde and suffered shame reproaches and ignominie and at last the shamefull death of the Crosse vnder PONTIVS PILATE These are heauie tidinges to vs to heare that our LORDE was so hardlie and so euill entrâ—◠〈◊〉 the vvorlde and that in ende Hee died the vile death of â—â—â—osse for vs and was buried And yet immediatelie it followes That the same LORDE is risen and ascended vp in glorie to the Heauens and there sittes at the right hande of GOD and that thorowe His Passion death and Resurrection our sinnes are forgiuen vs wee shall rise againe and get life euerlasting And these are joyfull tidinges Nowe to insist further The first tidinges which is tolde to the Kirke in this earth are sadde and heauie Thou must suffer And whosoeuer will striue to liue godlie in CHRIST of necessitie he must suffer affliction There are sadde tidinges But it followes if thou suffer with Him thou shalt reigne with Him These are gladde tidinges Nowe I shall giue you the wordes of the Scripture for my warrande Christ Matth. 16.21 saies the same to His Disciples I am to goe vp to Hierusalem and to suffer and to bee slaine And Peter tooke euill with it These are sadde tidinges But Hee saies I will rise againe the thirde daye And this is joyfull And in the XVI CHAPTER and XXXII VERS of IOHN Hee saies to them The time will come when yee shall bee scattered and leaue mee alone Sadde tidinges But I am not alone for the Father is with mee Ioyfull tidinges Then Hee saies to them Yee shall bee hated of all men for my Names sake That is sadde tidinges to them But they who continue to the ende shall bee saued Gladde tithinges And againe in the 16. Chapter of IOHN and 33. vers He saies Jn the worlde ye shall haue affliction A sad word But J haue ouer-come the worlde gladde tidinges So yee see these tidinges alwayes beginne with sadnesse but they ende with joye And as it is of the worde so it is of the disposition of the hearers The sinner will first bee sadde and then finde such a joye as is vnspeakeable and this shall bee thy disposition so long as thou art an hearer But when thou shalt be a beholder no heauines of heart but joye for euer and all teares shall be wiped away from thine eyes While thou art hearing thy teares shall bee mingled with joye but when thou art seeing there shall bee perfect joy without teares Thus farre for the tidings He is not content to tell them onely the Lord is risen no one word will not suffice them but He confirmes it by Christes prediction He said it before the Lord was to suffer and to rise the third day Looke the XVI Chap. of Matth. So he confirmes them by the Lords owne Testimonie These prophesies
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
praye night and daye so farre as is possible to thee to doe And if thou doe these thinges thou shalt seale it vp vvith the effusion of thy bloode and thou shalt haue more joye in thy death than euer thou hadst in thy life So that thy death shall bee the beginning of thy life and of that fullnesse of joye which thou shalt possâ—sse vvith Him in the Heauens for euer To Him therefore vvith the Father and His blessed Spirit be all Praise and Honour for euer AMEN THE XXXI LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 8 So they departed quicklie from the sepulchre with feare and great joye and did runne to bring his disciples word MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 8 And they went out quicklie and fledde from the sepulchre for they trembled and were amazed neither saide they anie thing to anie man for they were afraide LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 1 NOw the first day of the weeke earlie in the morning they came vnto the sepulchre and brought the odours which they had prepared and certaine women with them verse 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre verse 3 And went in but found not the bodie of the Lord Jesus verse 4 And it came to passe that as they were amazed thereat beholde two men suddenlie stoode by them in shining vestures verse 5 And as they were afraide and bowed downe their faces to the earth they saide to them Why seeke yee him that liueth among the dead verse 6 Hee is not heere but is risen remember howe hee spake vnto you when hee was yet in Galile verse 7 Saying that the Sonne of man must bee deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and bee crucified and the third day rise againe verse 8 And they remembred his wordes verse 9 And returned from the sepulchre and tolde all these thinges vnto the eleuen and to all the remnant verse 10 Nowe it was Marie Magdalene and Ioanna and Marie the mother of Iames and other women with them who tolde these thinges vnto the Apostles verse 11 But their wordes seemed vnto them as a fained thing neither beleeued they them I Shewed you from the beginning vvelbeloued in the Lord Iesus that there vvere two compainies of vvomen that came out of Hierusalem to the graue of the Lord First one company in the vvhich vvas Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James Solome with some others TheÌ„ soone after that there came out another company of vvomen vvhose names vve finde not registrated Wee haue hearde alreadie of the Historie of the first vvomen vvee hearde of their outcomming vvee hearde vvhat they saw and vvhat they hearde vvhen they came to the graue of the Lord. Now this daye vvee haue the returning of the first companie home to Hierusalem set downe in few vvords Then we shall goe to the Historie of the second company of vvomen vvherein first vve haue their outcomming Secondlie vvhat they heare and see and thirdly their tidinges to the Apostles vvhat they had hearde and seene And this Historie concerning the seconde companie is written by Luke Chap. 24. vers 2. Matthew writes concerning the first companie and Marke also Iohn speakes onelie of Marie Magdalene Luke sets downe the whole seconde companie But nowe to returne to the home-comming of the first companie of women It is written by MATTHEVV and MARKE that when they had receiued direction of the Angell They returned home with feare and great joye to tell the eleuen Apostles for IVDAS was fallen awaye what they had heard and seene I note shortlie these three thinges in these women First I see that there was a feare in them Next I see that they had an exceeding joye And last of all I see in them obedience to the voyce of the Angell with all expedition The feare was because of the presence of that glorious Angell The joye because of the joyfull newes to wit That the LORDE was risen The obedience was because of the commaundement of the Angell to runne home and tell the APOSTLES All these three thinges are to bee commended in them And they teach vs this lesson howe wee shoulde depart from the presence of our GOD when wee meete to heare these glorious tidinges without the which there is no life and without the hearing whereof thou shalt neuer see Heauen Let no man deceiue himselfe they teach vs howe wee should depart from the worde Depart with feare and reuerence that is the first Then depart with joye that is the seconde And thirdly depart with a minde to obeye that which thou hast heard and this is the last Wee shoulde feare in respect of the presence of the Lord whereat all the Angels were afraid and where two or three are gathered together in His Name there is His presence And if thou seest not His presence in the Congregation it were better for thee that thou presentedst not thy selfe in the Congregation The joye shoulde bee of the hearing of these tidinges Thou delitest to heare tidinges but all the tidinges of the worlde is nothing to these to wit That Iesus is come into the world and hath died for thee And last of all Depart with obedience for thou gettest this commandement When thou goest home communicate these tidinges to others that thy joye may bee encreased The light of the Gospell requires holinesse and a godlie conuersation that thou liue soberlie in thine owne person justlie with thy neighbour and godly with thy God When the daye breakes out and when the Sunne rises the light of the daye is not for nothing it cryes vpon thee to thy labours to fall to an honest conuersation Then much more the Sunne of righteousnesse that light of lightes that LORDE vvhen Hee shines and cryes Shake off the vvorkes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light Shake off thy murther thy adulterie and oppression in paine of thy life Thou wilt come out and sticke and slaye a man in sight of the Sunne No that murther shall not so much bee layed to thy charge as the contemning of GOD vvho shined before thee vvhen as thou slewest that man Wee are fallen nowe to such a shamefull murther as vvas neuer heard of among the TVRKES What will become of this Kingdome Suppose there vvere none other sinne but this sinne of blood O it cryes for a vengeance Marke this sie vpon thee that in such a light and in the sight of that great GOD thou shouldest commit such villanie But I goe forwarde and I enter to the Historie of the seconde companie of women who went out to the graue of the Lord. The first company sawe but one Angell but this sawe two Angels and therefore they are diuerse The Historie is very plaine and there can be no other thing almost marked than that which is already touched and therefore I shall goe thorow it shortly as God shall giue the grace This second companie came out shortly after the first companie they draw neare
They saw the stone away froâ— the sepulchre as the first did And they enter into the graue as the first â—id But they found not the body of the Lord Iesus and they are very sad and heauie supposing it had bene stollen away they see two Angels whom they supposed to be two men fearfull to looke on the first companie see but one Angell these see two and the earthly witnesses grow in number so the heauenly growe there was but one Angell only who appeared to the first companie now this companie see two Angels and all this was for the greater certaintie of the matter and resurrection of Iesus Christ they seeing two Angels are afraide therefore the Angells begin and comfort the women by telling that Christ was risen and bids them goe tell the Apostles Nowe wee shall marke something of the part of the women and then we shall come to the part of the Angels As this carefulnesse of the Lord that was in these women was worthie of praise so the Apostles carelessenesse of their Lord cannot be praised for it became them to haue come out first as the couragiousnesse of these women is to be commended so the Apostles cowardnesse merites no commendation and the moe women testifie of His Resurrection that same brings the greater shâ—â—c to the Apostles When thou art a man and hast a calling and wilâ— let a Wife goe before thee it shames thee and no doubt the force of His Resurrection was more powerfull in the poore women than it was in the very Apostles for all this spirituall courage flowes from the life of Christ for except He had risen from the death and that vve got life thorovv His life vvee vvould neuer haue life yea all the spirituall life and quicknesse that vvas in the fathers of olde vvas by the vertue of Christes Resurrection to come and all this quicknes of ours is by the vertue of His Resurrection already past if thou haue that life begunne it shall be a sure earnestpennie that thou shalt rise in glorie and liue a life like to the glorious life of thy glorious Head and Sauiour Iesus Christ Then I marke another thing in these women They are subject to diuerse perturbations of minde they come out with sadnesse and when they found not the body of the Lord Iesus their dolour is increased then when they see and heare the Angels they are terrified and last of all they finde joy Wilt thou compare the godlie vvith the vngodlie yee shall finde sometimes in the heartes of the vngodly greater peace than in the heartes of the godlie no paine nor vexation in them but they say peace peace as the Apostle sayes in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians the fifth Chapter and the thirde verse but beholde the end when they haue cried Peace then a sudden destruction from the Heauen shall ouertake them and their peace shall end in disquietnesse for euer The trouble of the godly endes in endlesse joy the godly beginnes in sadnesse goes forward in sadnesse but euer in the ende they finde joy and the greater trouble thou bee in in the ende thou shalt finde greater joy and vvhen thou shalt attaine to that joy the verie remembrance of that trouble that thou haddest in this life shall augment thy joy and thou shalt rejoyce that euer thou hadst trouble here if thou hadst bene euen burnt or martyred for CHRISTS sake and by the contrarie The wicked that haue liued heere in securitie vvhen they are thrust in Hell in endlesse paine and displeasure shall finde that the remembrance of the joy that they had in this life shall augment their paine and they shall curse the time that euer they liued here in such pleasure and had this false peace on earth This Historie is plaine and therefore I goe forvvarde I come to the part of the Angell the first speech is somewhat rough Why doe yee seeke the liuing amongst the dead Why doe yee this Then Hee comes on and sayes Hee is not heere Hee is risen Then he confirmes it by a reason Remember women what Hee said to you when Hee was with you in Galile Saide Hee not that Hee behooued to bee deliuered into the hands of sinfull men and bee crucified and to rise againe the third day This is the meaning in effect Then vvhere Hee beginnes with a reproofe there must bee a fault in them No the LORD vvill not reprooue thee for nothing I take their fault to be obliuion for so the wordes of the Angell import they had forgot that Hee should rise the thirde daye suppose He had told them Well Brethren I see this It is the vvill of God that vve neuer forget His word more I see If thou lettest it slip out of thy mind as we doe too readily the Lord will reproue thee but in His reprouing in His anger He neuer forgets mercy lenitie in reprouing of the women Hee makes the Angell to instruct and tell them that Hee vvas risen so in reproouing of thee Hee will teach thee and it learnes vs this lesson Alwayes in all reproofes teach them whom thou reprouest if thou reprooue them without a care to instruct them thy reproofe auailes nothing at all Then looke so soone as his anger goes away and when he hath spoken two wordes thereafter hee sayes Hee is not heere Hee is risen Remember He said to you He behooued to suffer and die and rise the third day So we learne this at the Angell It may be that God speake a word of anger but it will soone goe away and the mercy remaines for euer and when Hee hath laide His anger aside Hee teaches in mercie and I speake this to the childe of God Manie faults in vs all and nowe and then He speakes in anger that His owne perish not with the wicked world Hee will waken them with some angrie word and thinke as thou wilt and if thou be not wakened with some angrie worde thou shalt die in thy stincke and canker of thy corrupt nature and so long as we are here there is euer some matter of anger so that now and then Hee will speake to thee in anger for wee are as foolish children thinking and speaking as children and therefore haue need to be chastised but when wee are perfect men neuer an angrie worde nor a gloome shall be but alwayes mercie and pleasure for euer Then I marke another thing in the Angell Remember sayes he that the Sonne of man must bee deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and to die and the third day to rise againe as Hee shewed to you Well then I see the Lord He forgets not His owne worde that He speakes suppose the women had forgotten it No the Lord that speakes it thinkes neuer so light of it as thou doest Thou wilt forget soone and thou takest no thought of it but that word that He speakes either by Himselfe or by His Ministers He will neuer forget
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
heart is wakened thou wilt seeke the Lord but if thine heart be not bowed it shall stand vp like a wall or a brasen pillar and this shall bee thine estate Thou vvilt haue no joye but sadnesse at the hearing of these tidinges for the stiffe heart receiues no joye but is in dolour and there is no seeking of CHRIST there to see vvhether Hee bee there or not So in a worde our lesson is this Let not a stiffe heart depriue thee of that solide joye which is in CHRIST fie vpon that heart Nowe to goe forwarde They runne and they ranne together striuing who should bee formost and who should come first to the graue to vnderstande the trueth of these vvomens reportes Now our lesson is this It is an happie thing to striue in good thinges vvho shoulde bee readiest farthest forwardes No I shall neuer blame one to striue to be first at CHRIST No striue with thy father and with thy mother No striue with all thy kinred to be first in Heauen and looke that thou neuer giue place to another to goe before thee but alas our people striue farre otherwise we striue who should runne fastest from the LORD and fastest forward to a mischiefe to murther blood and in oppression this is all the strife in this countrey Who striues to be first in Heauen The LORD sayes Matth. CHAPTER 11. VERSE 12. The Kingdome of Heauen suffer violence and the violent take it by force and possesse it The LORD meaneth that wee should striue to throng in and to see who should be first in Heauen Alas how farre are wee from this godly striuing dolefull experience teaches vs this day in Scotland Thou wilt possesse another mans heritage but who striues to possesse that heauenly heritage The LORD sayes in Luke 13. Chapter and verse 24. Striue to enter in at the strait gate Meaning that we should striue with our whole kinred to be first in Heauen suppose thou wilt let a King goe in before thee at an earthly gate yet striue to goe in before him to Heauen and striue to goe in before all thy kinred Paul that exhorted all men to runne hee ranne himselfe he sayes in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the ninth Chapter and the twentie three verse Hee ranne and hee ranne on to be partaker of the Gospell that he preached to others and hee ran so fast that hee neuer looked behind him No if thou standest to count thy footsteps another shall passe by thee and thou shalt come behind Hee sayes Hee looked to that prise of the high calling of GOD Philip. 3.14 If two be running here on the earth striuing to get the crowne the one will enuie the other and he will trauell to get himselfe forvvard and put his companion backvvard This earthly race is with enuie and euery one would take the feet from another Paul giues a reason hereof in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the ninth Chapter and the twentie foure verse and sayes There is but one crowne but it is not so with thee that runnest in that heauenly race the one will not enuie the other the one vvill not put the other behind he will not put him backe but hee vvill take him by the hand say Goe forward to the end brother and thou shalt get the crowne this is it that we should euery one exhort another to doe euer to goe forward to Heauen and euery one take another by the hand to helpe him forward because there is not a crowne only but many crownes looke how many runne there are as many crownes wilt thou runne thou shalt get a crowne will I runne I shall get a crowne and will the third runne he shall get a crowne neuer one who runnes shall be destitute of a crovvne PAVL in the second Epistle to Timothie the fourth Chapter and the 7. and eight verses sayes I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course J haue kept the faith nowe hencefoorth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord that righteous Iudge will giue to mee at that day No he cannot be just but He must giue the crowne to thee that hast runne And not only to mee sayes hee but vnto all them also that loue that His appearing As he would say to all them that vvill runne vvith mee and I say to thee if thou wilt runne on lead thy neighbour by the hand that is vveaker than thou it shall be so farre from hindering thee from the crowne that thine honour and glorie shall be augmented when thou shalt come to Heauen Paul sayes in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians the 2. Chapter and the nineteenth verse What is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not yee it euen in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at His comming And therefore well is that soule that winnes another to Heauen be thou King Lord Gentleman or Minister if thou helpest many to Heauē thou shalt get y e more glorious crowne To goe forward they run together but in y e running y e one is speedier than y e other Iohn leaues Peter behind him outruns him but when it comes to the graue he only lookes in and sees the linnen cloathes lying but hee enters not in to get knowledge but seeing the linnen cloathes hee stands still Peter that came behind him enters first in into the graue sees the matter as it was the windingsheete as we call it lying in one place and the kerchiefe that was vpon His head in another place by it selfe To speake this by the way it lets vs vnderstand this Amongst the Iewes that the windingsheete was not put ouer the whole body and head as we vse to doe but from the shoulders downe and the linnen was about the head after this manner Christ was wrapped Wherefore should I speake of the vanitie of the Papistes they will say to you they haue the same windingsheete and this same kerchiefe remaining as reliques and they will haue them in sixe or seuen places at one time is not this a great wonder it should haue lasted so long and yet should bee kept in so many places at one time and more they say the vine picture of Christ is in that windingsheete His body they say made such a dint that His picture might be seene there but thinke yee if it were so that the Euangelists who register smaller thinges would haue hid and conceiled it But I leaue them to their vanitie as vnworthie of any refutation and I come to the matter In this course and race of Peter and Iohn to the graue I see this course that wee haue in this life is verie vnequable it keepes not alwayes one constant tenour nor wee are not ay alike speedie sometimes one runnes fast sometimes hee will settle and wearie and goe slowly forwarde and whilst as hee wearies his neighbour will outrunne him and ere they come to the end hee
to them that impaire the authoritie of the Scripture wee may pingle with them a while here but wee remit them to that great day that the Iudge appeare and then they shall receiue their reward for their blasphemie But to leaue them What are these Scriptures that preach CHRISTS Resurrection from the dead In what part is His Resurrection foretolde In the 13. of the Actes Paul preaching of Christ he confirmes it by the olde Scriptures The first Scripture is out of the 55 of Esay verse 3.24 Where He sayes Hee will make an euerlasting couenant with you of the sure mercies of Dauid Then he concludes Therefore it behooued the Lord to rise from death Marke the consequent No there is not such a thing as that euer mercie had continued if Christ had not risen The Apostle sayes in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians the first CHAPTER and the 20. VERSE In Him are all the promises of God Yea and Amen No thou or I should neuer haue had Faith nor any spirituall grace if Christ had not risen So so oft as euer thou feelest a sponke or motion of that spirituall life within thee thou mayest say I am sure that Iesus is risen from the death for this is sure all grace and life flowes from the life of Iesus So if Hee had not risen thou shouldest haue had no life He hath another Scripture out of the sixteenth Psalme at the tenth verse Thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt suffer thine Holy One to see corruption Then hee concludes therefore Hee is risen How followes this It followes well enough for if He had not risen His body behoued to rot and to be corrupted as ours rotte And Peter in the second Chapter of the Actes and verse 31. vses the same testimonie Likewise in the fiftie three Chapter of Esay and the 8. verse where he prophecies of Christ he sayes And who is able to count His generation for all His death He is that euerlasting Essence meaning that albeit Hee died Hee shall rise to life without end There is another Scripture Then they should haue beleeued without sight But alas who is carefull to get this knowledge of this Resurrection and if we had a care to seeke Christ wee would turne ouer these olde Scriptures to see the prophecies of Christ to come then we would come to the New Testament to see these things accomplished so wold meditate in y e Scriptures night day to cōfirme our faith to get our hearts set stablished on the LORD for it is a matter of great difficultie to get the heart established with grace and if thine heart bee not established and filled with that worde thou wilt neuer see CHRIST nor gette anie grace in Him So to ende this I beseech you as euer yee woulde see CHRIST bee diligent to seeke the Scriptures that yee maye settle your heartes heere vpon Him and beleeue in Him that heereafter yee maye see Him to your comfort and consolation at His seconde comming when Hee shall appeare in the cloudes with the millions of Angels To Him bee glorie for euer Amen THE XXXIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 9 And when Iesus was risen againe earlie the first day of the weeke hee appeared first to Marie Magdalene out of whome hee cast seuen deuils IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 11 But Marie stoode without at the sepulchre weeping and as shee wept shee bowed her selfe into the sepulchre verse 12 And sawe two Angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feete where the bodie of Iesus had layen verse 13 And they saide vnto her Woman why weepest thou Shee said vnto them They haue taken away my Lord and I knowe not where they haue layed him verse 14 When shee had thus saide shee turned her selfe backe and sawe Iesus standing and knewe not that it was Iesus verse 15 Iesus saieth vnto her Woman why weepest thou whome seekest thou Shee supposing that hee had beene the Gardener saide vnto him Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell mee where thou hast layed him and I will take him away WEE haue heard Brethren before first of the out-comming of the first companie of women to the graue of the Lorde and of their returning home againe Secondlie vve heard of the out-comming of the second companie of women and their returning home againe Thirdlie and last of all we heard how Peter and John beeing wakened with the tidinges which the women tolde them of His Resurrection came out to the graue to see if it was so as the women had reported They ranne and in running they striue who shall bee first Iohn out runnes Peter whether it was because hee was younger and more able in his person or whether hee had greater joye in his minde I leaue that to anie man to judge and comes first to the graue and lookes in and goes backe againe Peter comes after him and lookes better about him and seeing the winding-sheete in one part of the graue and the linnen cloth wherewith the Lordes head was wrapped to bee in another part hee wonders at it and thereafter goes into the graue Then came IOHN againe who afore onely looked in and nowe the seconde time enters in and when hee sawe hee beleeued and went his waye Thus farre wee hearde the last daye Nowe in this Text ye will see MARIE MAGDALENE of whom yee hearde before who came to the graue of the LORD with the first company and drawing neare to the graue saw that great stone remooued who hastilie ranne home thinking verilie that the bodie of the Lord had beene stollen awaye and wist not where it vvas layed This same MARIE as appeares hath followed after Peter and Iohn suppose shee ranne not with them yet shee came soone after but before shee came they had gotten the sight of the graue and went awaye shee comming to it goes not in but stands without at the graue vveeping So this daye vvee returne to the Historie of MARIE MAGDALENE and first vve shall speake of her mourning And secondly wee shall speake of these thinges which shee sawe in the graue and about the graue and how shee met with the LORD for whom she mourned and last wee shall speake of the effect that followed vpon these sights as GOD shall giue the grace and as the time shall permit Then to beginne at the first it is saide in the Text Marie Magdalene stood without weeping when she came to the graue She enters not in the graue nor lookes not into it but abode in that opinion that the body of the Lord was stollen away she stands without weeping and mourning Nowe certainely I must ascribe this to a wonderfull loue of this woman there is no man that can expresse sufficiently this loue that she bare to Christ No well were wee if wee could loue Him halfe so well as she did Yet in this mourning shee sinneth
and as he sayes Ioh. Chap. 3. vers 29. It is the bridegroome that hath the bride and I stand sayes he heare Him and hearing Him I reioyce with an ioy vnspeakable and glorious No it is the greatest joy vnder the Heauen to heare Him speake and if thou hearest Him thou vvilt not desire to speake shee turnes her and shee sees IESVS standing vvhome she sought shee sought Himselfe and findes His Messengers but at the last she finds Himselfe In a word we haue our lesson Seeke euer the Lord thou will not get Him at the first Thou wilt not get a King at the first for Hee hath Messengers afore and wee His Ministers are all His Messengers and wee all tell you and I tell you that CHRIST is comming and blessed bee that commer I bidde thee stande a while and then the LORDE shall come at thy backe Happie and blessed art thou that shalt bee asking for Him thou shalt get such a joyfull meeting as Marie Magdalene did but woefull shall that meeting bee to thee who delitest not to heare nor to speake of Him for Hee shall come vpon thee like a thiefe in the night So blessed art thou who art talking with His Messengers for Hee shall call thee by name as Hee did Marie and that shall bee the joyefâ—llest voyce that euer thou heardest I saide before that shee got a preferment aboue the Apostles in getting a sight of the Angels but that was common to her with the other women Heere yee see further she got a preferment aboue all women shee gets the first sight of Iesus as MARKE sayes after His Resurrection And this argues that her desire to see Him exceeded the desire of all the Apostles and all the women So thou that longest moste for the LORD shall see Him first and joyefull shall that sight bee to thee Yet marke howe shee receiues it Shee knowes Him not This is a marueilous thing shee neuer left Him but followed Him from GALILE and yet when the LORDE offers Himselfe vnto her eyes shee knowes Him not This must bee imputed to that great stupiditie which was in her eyes they were so dimme that shee coulde not see If the LORDE had anie secrete dispensation in it or in what forme He appeared I will not dispute Our lesson is this There enters such a mist into our eyes that suppose the LORDE offer Himselfe to bee seene in the vvorde crucified and glorified in His Gospell yet thou vvilt not see Him till the beames vvhich glaunce from His face shine into thine hearte and scatter that cloude of darknesse and vvhen that cloude is awaye thou vvilt see vvith such a sweetenesse as cannot bee vttered and thou who diddest neuer see that sight thou neuer sawest joye Nowe blessed is that soule that can beholde the LORDE in the Mirrour as it were comming behinde and happie is that soule that can delite to see Him in the Mirrour for certainlie they shall see Him one daye face to face and the LORDE will turne them about as Hee did Marie and then these vile bodies shall bee like vnto His glorious bodie and that face which is now but vile shall then glaunce as the Sunne in the Noone daye So blessed are they that can awaite till the LORDE come Thou neuer mettest with one in this worlde who can make thee so joyefull as Hee will and euer the greater languor that thou hast for Him the greater shall bee thy joye Alas wee seeke joye heer and there is but fewe who seeke CHRIST in whome is all true joye Well Marie knewe not the LORDE but yet Hee knewe her No thou mayst wel forget Him but He wil not forget thee but He shall cause thee to knowe Him ere thou goe Hee sayes to Marie Woman why mournest thou At the first He lyes aloofe He sayes not Marie but like an vncouth man Hee sayes to her Woman why mournest thou Then Hee sayes not I knowe thou weepest for mee but Hee sayes Why weepest thou Hee sayes not I knowe whome thou seekest but Whome seekest thou So then at the first Hee holdes Him aloofe with His owne Hee giues them not His familiar presence at the first but as long as wee are heere on earth His speach shall bee a farre off As long as wee liue by faith Hee lookes to vs as it were afarre off And this speach is to waken a languor and piece of sadnesse in vs till wee meete with the LORDE for the more thou mournest the greater shall bee thy joye The Lord if Hee please in an instant maye take thee to the Heauens but Hee will let thee lye heere for a while and the greater that thy sadnesse is in this life the greater shall thy joye bee in the life to come O that joye which that bodie shall haue who hath longed for the LORDE Then thinke long and waite for that His bright and glorious comming as Paul speakes for no man shall get a crowne but thâ—y who haue waited for Him Nowe I shall ende in a worde Shee supposing that hee had beene the Gardener of the Garden where the LORDE was buried shee saide vnto him Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell mee where thou hast layed him that J maye take him awayâ— Looke if shee loued Him not well when Hee was liuing for in His death shee coulde not bee seuered from Him so did the loue of IESVS constraine her In the twentie and fourth CHAPTER OF MATTHEVV it is saide Wheresoeuer a dead carkeis is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Nowe shee is a Mirrour of loue and zeale Alas if thine heart coulde melt with loue as hers did Yet I see in her a marueilous stupiditie Shee knowes Him neither by sight nor voyce her heart was so ouer-come with dolour sadnesse And this senselessenesse that fell on good Marie Magdalene will often-times fall on the best man or vvoman in this life That as the Prophet sayes in hearing they will not heare and in seeing they will not see So all tendes to this Let euerie one judge charitablie of another Bee loath to condemne anie for as liuelie as thou art thou mayest fall downe dead and therefore waite on the LORDE and the voyce of the LORDE shall come vnto thee and call on thee as Hee called on Marie and that voyce shall open both the eyes of thy bodie and of thy soule and Hee shall let thee see and feele that it is Hee and that joye shall bee compleate vvhen thou shalt come and inherite that Kingdome which was prepared for thee before the foundation of the vvorlde The LORDE graunt it maye bee our onelie joye and that vvee maye holde vp our eyes and vvaite night and daye for that blessed comming of IESVS at the which time our joye begunne shall bee perfected and neuer haue ende To this LORDE IESVS vvith the Father and that blessed SPIRIT bee all Praise Honour and glorie for euer and euer AMEN THE XXXIV LECTVRE OF THE
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
vvee bee Pilgrimes heere a vvhile that our joye maye bee the greater vvhen vvee meeâ—e vvith the LORDE vvhome vvee haue longed for vvee are contented for a time Now when Marie departs what does shee She tolde the Dâ—sciples that shee had seene the LORDE Shee is preaching and telling The LORD is going to heauen to your Father and your GOD. Nowe Brethren seeing vvee are Pilgrimes let vs take heede vvee bee well occupied and looke wee discharge our commission for there is no man nor woman but they haue a commission Thou that art a Preacher preache both in time and out of time to His glorie and if thou discharge thy commission faithfullie in thy calling then euen as Marie was welcome vnto Him againe so shalt thou bee also welcome when thou shalt meete with the LORD and Hee shall accept well of thee The LORDE enable vs to take heede to this that seeing wee must remaine absent from our LORDE for a time heere wee maye euer cast vs to bee vvell occupied and walke carefullie in that calling that Hee hath placed vs in And then when that the LORDE of Glorie shall appeare whome wee haue serued in this life our soules and bodies shall enjoye the full fruition of His presence in Heauen To whome be glorie for euermore Amen THE XXXV LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 9 And as they went to tell his disciples beholde Jesus also met them saying God saue you And they came and tooke him by the feete and worshipped him verse 10 Then saide Iesus vnto them Bee not afraide Goe and tell my Brethren that they goe into Galile and there shall yee see mee MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 10 And shee went and tolde them that had beene with him who mourned and wept verse 11 And when they hearde that hee was aliue and had appeared to her they beleeued it not BELOVED BRETHREN these dayes past vvee haue heard first the Historie of Marie Magdalene how shee returned home and how shee came againe to the graue of her LORD and of her mourning and weeping at the graue of her looking againe in to the graue of the sight of th'Angels meeting with her of Christes wordes vnto her first Hee spake aloofe and afarre off vnto her Woman why weepest thou whome seekest thou Then Hee speakes homelie vnto her calling her by her name and sayes Marie Shee answeres Him Rabboni as Hee had named her homelie so shee answered Him homelie Hee named her like a Master and shee answered Him like a reuerende Disciple Hee calles her as a Sheepehearde and shee answeres Him as one of His flocke knowing Him by His voyce shee offers to embrace Him but Hee preuentes her and sayes vnto her Touch mee not for I am not ascended to my Father perceiuing her to bee ouer much addicted to His bodilie presence before Hee will permit her to touch Him Hee will haue her first to beleeue in Him and to touch Him in glorie by the hande of faith Then Hee sendes her in commission Goe to my Brethren so calling His Disciples A louing stile Tell them of other tidinges than euer they haue hearde yet They hearde of my Resurrection but they beleeued not but nowe I goe to the Heauens to my Father and to your Father to my GOD and to your GOD And this is the commission Marie receiuing it shee executes it and runnes to the Disciples to tell them and as Iohn sayes she preaches to them the thing that shee had heard of the LORDE MARKE sayes that when shee came to them shee founde them weeping This was a weeping time but shortlie after followed a time of joye This change of courses yee see in the worlde for though thou bee wanton and laugh heere neuer so much yet thou wilt weepe soone after But wilt thou weepe and mourne heere for a while when there is matter of mourning thou shalt laugh and rejoyce shortlie afterwarde Nowe when Marie findes the Apostles weeping and mourning shee telles them that the LORD is aliue shee confirmes it that Hee spake and sayes shee sawe Him with her eyes But howe takes the Apostles with this commission They remaine faithlesse for all that she could say they would not beleeue her No it is an hard matter to beleeue the Article of the Resurrection That a man that is dead can rise againe and take life fleshe and blood will neuer dite this vnto thee that one that is dead can liue againe The women vvho vvere more simple and not so vvise in vvorldlie vvit as the Apostles vvere are more readie to credite the Resurrection than the Apostles vvho vvere strong according to the fleshe The Resurrection is harde to be beleeued of anie man but this is sure The Resurrection is hardest to bee beleeued of them vvho are vvisest in this vvorlde No hee that hath this worldlie vvisedome hee countes these Heauenlie and Spirituall thinges but follie till hee bee made a foole that hee maye bee made wise as the Apostle PAVL speakes 1. CORIN CHAP. 3. VERS 18. That is till hee renounce this worldlie wisedome hee shall neuer beleeue these Spirituall thinges When I consider the wordes of MARKE I finde manie faultes in the Disciples They were lying mourning this vvas a vaine mourning What cause had they of mourning for Him whome they thought vvas dead but yet vvas aliue So they had matter of joye and not of mourning And from vvhence proceeded this mourning First they vvere ignorant of the Scriptures which had foretolde that he shoulde rise againe Then they had forgotten the vvorde vvhich the LORDE had spoken vnto them That hee shoulde die and rise againe the thirde daye Yet there is vvorse in them than this The first companie of vvomen vvho tolde them of CHRISTES Resurrection they woulde not beleeue them Then the next companie comes neither woulde they beleeue them one vvorde And last MARIE came vvho not onelie met vvith the Angels but also vvith the LORDE and receiued a commission and yet they vvoulde not beleeue her notwithstanding shee tolde them that she had seene Him So there is not onelie an vnbeliefe but a stiffenesse in them So that if yee will count these faultes their dolour is first without comfort and secondlie an ignorance of the Scriptures and thirdly a forgetfulnesse of the worde of the LORDE and last there is an infidelitie that they would neither beleeue the women who came from the Angels nor MARIE that came from the LORDE and sawe Him and spake with Him So that they are as new to enter to learn as though they had neuer seen nor known Christ Yet there was some good thing in them for certainly howbeit the dolour came of ignorance forgetfulnesse and incredulitie yet I am sure of this that the loue which they carried towardes CHRIST caused them to mourne for if they had not loued Him they had not mourned for Him No there was none of the High Priestes that wet their cheekes for His death So
of necessitie loue caused them to mourne for Him And this sponke of loue that was couered kept down afore in end it brake out burnt thorowe all their imperfections It is a wonder to see howe the LORDE will keepe in a sponke of grace vnder an hundreth imperfections And this shoulde make vs to bee loath to judge and to giue out sentence for all the euill that wee see in anie it maye bee that the LORDE will let thee see that there was some sponke of grace in that man couered which sponk will breake out in its owne time Nowe I haue ended the Historie of MARIE MAGDALENE who loued the LORDE so well and so entirelie In the words following to wit in the Gospell of MATTHEVV there are two discourses The first is of the two companies of women at their turning home againe as they met with the Angels afore nowe they meete with the LORDE Himselfe In the next discourse wee haue a piece of an Historie of them that were set to keepe the graue who returned to the Scribes and to the High Priestes vvith these same tidinges Hee is risen againe Nowe I shall goe thorowe this daye the first discourse and piece of Historie as GOD shall giue vs grace Then to returne to the women It is saide that as they returned home The LORDE met them but Marie was returned before these women came foorth shee had met with CHRIST and returned home againe This company meetes with the LORDE as they returned homewarde Ye will perhaps aske what was the cause that Hee met with Marie Magdalene No doubt this was the cause She loued Him best shee loued Him aboue them all and shee had the greatest languor to see Him and shee rested neuer till shee had seene Him and met with Him What was the cause that these women sawe Him afore the Apostles No question their languor to see IESVS was next to MARIE The Apostles languor was last and therefore they got the last sight of Him Nowe the lesson is easie Thou that longest moste for the LORDE IESVS shalt see Him first with MARIE MAGDALENE A man will thirst for earthlie thinges and bee disappointed of them but it is vnpossible if thou thirst for CHRIST and to see thy LORDE but thou shalt see Him So Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Matth. Chapter 5. verse 5. So if thou vvouldest see CHRIST first long for Him and thou shalt neuer get that blessednesse till thou seest Him Then if thou canst not be the first in care and desire to see Him vvith Marie Magdalene yet bee next in care vvith the rest of the vvomen and if thou canst not attaine to the first nor second looke that thou be in the third roome at least that thou long vvith the Apostles and thou shalt get the thirde sight for blessed are they that get any sight yea the last sight Blessed are they that come either first or last to Heauen but thinke not that this dravving neare of ours to Him is the cause that Hee dravves neere to vs No if Hee drevve not neare vnto vs first vve vvould neuer thinke of Him let be to dravv neare vnto Him So Brethren the cause vvherefore our heartes doe dravv neare vnto the LORD is not in vs but in Him because He thirstes for vs and dravves vs vnto Him and vvouldest thou haue an argument that the LORD is neare vnto thee looke if thine heart dravves neare vnto Him and if thou findest thine heart longing and thirsting for Him then the LORD is neare vnto thee and Hee is present with thee and if thou findest no sense nor feeling of Him in thine heart nor no desire of Him nor no languour for His presence in the vvhich is sacietie of joy and if thou haue no languour bee sure the Lord is farre from thee for if Hee be farre from thee albeit thou hadst all the world about thee thou art but a miserable body When Hee meetes vvith these vvomen Hee is not dumbe and Hee speakes not to the eare only but also to the heart He sayes God saue you the word in the own language would be wel marked it signifies rejoyce Is not this a great thing that Hee that hath joy to giue thee should bid thee rejoyce and no doubt it was an effectuall vvord and it made them to haue joy vnspeakable A man when Hee bids thee rejoyce hath no power to worke joy in thee but the LORD is joy it selfe who hath joy to giue but the LORD Himselfe or who can giue peace but the LORD assoone as He drawes neare to any person and giues His presence to Him to y e end that His presence may worke He giues a joyful word the word of the Lord is of power as Paul sayes Rom. 1.16 The Gospell is the power of GOD vnto saluation vnto euery one that beleeueth So if thou contemnest this word that bids thee rejoyce thou shalt get no portion of that grace that is with Him so this word is the only minister that ministers joy to the soule all the thinges in the world shal neuer minister joy to the soule that is afflicted Whē He hath spoken this word and no question it was very effectuall they are so filled with joy that they tarie not to make answere but they fell dovvne at His feete And embrace Him by the feete and adore and worship Him as Thomas did vvhen hee put his hande in His side he said Thou art my Lord and my God IOHN Chapter 20. verse 28. Hee refuses not this honour because Hee vvas their LORD and GOD. Yee see heere how effectuall the presence of the LORD is albeit it were but one worde Reioyce the povver that is in that worde workes such a joy in the heart of a sinner that the poore sinner must meete Him the LORD cannot meete thee but if thou feelest that joy but thou must meete Him againe and striue to haue Him in thine armes No svvord nor fire nor hunger nor nakednesse nor nothing can separate thee from Him if thou feelest Him in thine heart but thou must meete Him againe and cleaue fast to Him The feeling of this joy which is through the presence and worde of GOD mooues vs to desire to embrace Him and makes our conjunction vvith Him vvhereupon arises our joy againe farre greater than before The joy that wee haue novv is but by Faith and a farre meeting as farre as is betvvene the Heauen and the Earth yet sayes Peter in his first Epistle the first Chapter and the eight verse Wee not seeing Him but beleeuing in Him reioyce with a ioy vnspeakable and glorious So beleeuing in Him vvee finde joy but vvhen thou shalt see Him face to face Alas lookest thou not for this then thorovv thy conjunction with Him by sight there shall be praise honour and glory for euer No such shall bee thy joy as eye neuer savve eare neuer heard nor neuer
could enter into the heart of man thou shalt vvonder vvhen thou seest it that euer there could bee such joy prepared for thee and therefore measure it not by thy capacitie Yet this vvould not be passed by They goe not to His throat to His necke or to His middle but they fall dovvne and takes Him by the feete and vvorships Him Marke it Brethren a sinner vvill be homely indeede vvith his God vvith CHRIST No there vvas neuer a creature so homely vvith another as the sinner vvill be vvith the LORD But marke it This homelines vvill not be vvith misnourturnesse and vvith an opinion of paritie albeit thou wilt bee homely with Him as with thy brother yet thou mayest not make thy selfe as companion to Him and count lightly of Him but thou must be lowly thine head must be reuerenced Hee is our Head Ephes Chapter 1. verse 22. If therefore wee ought to reuerence Him for He is in a wonderfull sublimitie and highnesse aboue His Church and as this is true that the soule which is joyned with Him in this life by Faith sees in Him such a Majestie that it stoupes before Him so much more vvhen wee shall see Him face to face in glorie and His Majestie fully reueiled wee shall reuerence Him and in humilitie fall at His feete singing Holy Holy Holy as yee haue in the sixt Chapter of Esay and in the Reuelation Nowe to goe forward While they are sitting at His feete the LORD speakes to them and suffers them to feele Him and all to this ende that they might beleeue Hee was risen and liuing Then He sayes to them Feare not this encouragement importes that notwithstanding all their embracing of Him and confidence there vvas a piece of feare and lying backe in them I will not commend it because the Lord hath discommended it It is true indeed our joyning with Him by Faith should be with such a confidence that it should be without any feare or doubting but with joy This should be but marke it againe There is such an holinesse in that Majestie that we joyne with there is no spot in Him then so long as we are here there is such vncleannesse such an euill conscience in vs that our Faith is joyned with doubting and feare so that if thou hast not a recourse to Him no peace for thee we will feare that that Holy one consume vs that are so vnholy but the Lord who knowes thy feare He comfortes thee thou knowest not thine owne feare so well as the Lord does thou feelest Him not so soone by Faith but as soone He knowes thy feare and thine heauinesse as Hee did the feare of the women and Hee sayes to a sinner that faine would embrace Him feare not thou hast no cause of feare My terrours haue taken thy terrours away And as the Apostle sayes Heb. Chapter 4. verse 16. Let vs goe boldly to the throne of grace with confidence that we may receiue mercie if thou hearest this voyce thou mayest goe boldly and He shall put away all 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
and Hee bindes vp their eyes so that they could not knowe nor discerne Him suppose they had followed Him and had beene with Him long time before Thus farre wee hearde the last daye Nowe wee followe out the rest of this Historie and in this Text which presentlie wee haue read wee haue the communication which was betwixt the Lorde and them while they vvent out the waye they knewe Him not and Hee makes Him not to knowe them so each one of them is a stranger to others The Lord beginnes the conference and Hee demaundes of them first What manner of communication it was that they had while as they were in the waye And next seeing their countenance sadde Hee demaundes of them Wherefore they were so sadde These are the two things which Hee demaunded of them Nowe to note something of them As they walked out the waye yee see they haue beene sadde and their speach and communication by appearance hath beene a monefull complaint which they made concerning CHRIST Not vaine and ydle talke nor rejoycing in the tidinges but all their talke and speach came from sadde and heauie heartes But whilest they are sadde the LORD comes to them and Hee comes to comfort them Well is that soule that is sadde and mournes for Christ and His Kirke for that soule shall get consolation out of Christes mouth But if where there is matter of mourning thou be merrie then the Lord will not come to comfort thee It is true these men were sadde for Christ without a cause for that was the moste joyefull daye that euer was and therefore they shoulde especiallie haue beene joyefull that daye yet suppose they were sadde without a cause the Lord comes comforts them No it is better thou bee sadde for Christ for a matter that is joyfull than to bee gladde in a sadde matter choose rather to bee sadde for Christ than to bee merrie or ouer wanton And if thou bee sadde albeit there be no matter the LORD will pittie thee but if thou laugh rejoyce and take thy pastime the LORDE will let thee laugh on for a time but He will leaue thee destitute of all consolation when thou hast neede of it I tell you this aye There is no matter of laughing in this miserable Lande it were better for vs to mourne and to bee sadde for sinne that wee might gette comfort from GOD. Nowe to come forwarde CHRIST perceiuing these men to bee sadde Hâ—e drawes neare vnto them and Hee askes the cause of their heauinesse and what mooued them to bee so sadde and Hee desires them to reueile their mone and care vnto Him Suppose Hee makes Himselfe vnknowne vnto them and speakes to them as though Hee had no care yet no question this is His vvill that they shoulde reueale the cause of their care and sadnesse vnto Him that they might finde comfort in Him Brethren are yee sinners are your heartes filled vvith care it is the will of thy GOD and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST that thou poure out thine heart to Him let Him see thy sadnes Mark this It is no small matter to knowe GODS will vvee are slowe and sloathfull to turne vs wee will consume our selues and pine awaye in our sorrowe and griefe ere wee make our complaint and mone vnto Him who onelie maye furnishe vs with consolation and Hee knowes vs well enough and therefore Hee awaites not till we first reueale our griefes vnto Him and poure them into His bosome but Hee prouokes vs first and Hee will enter in and seeke them out as yee will heare He sought them out of these men with great difficultie Come yee to mee sayes Christ Matth. 11.28 all yee that are wearie and I shall refrâ—sh you I here is His will If thou be wearied come to Him and get rest and ease to thy soule If thou goe not to Him thou shalt neuer get rest nor ease whether thy trouble bee within thee or without thee Yea not onelie by word inuites and prouokes Hee vs but also by His doing Hee drawes vs Ioh. Chap. 6. vers 44. there Hee sayes No man can come to mee except the Father drawe him It is His will that thou shouldest come vnto Him but if Hee put not out His hande and drawe thee thou vvilt neuer come to Him in all thy life time And therefore vvhensoeuer yee heare this voyce Sinner come vnto mee then saye this againe vnto the LORDE LORDE drawe mee put thine hande to mine heart and drawe mee or else J cannot come to thee No except the Lord put out His hand and draw thine heart to Him thou art not come All the Kinges in the worlde are not able to drawe a sinner except GOD onelie Nowe consider their answere and see this communing The one named Cleopas takes the speach in hand the other disciple is silent and he answeres the Lorde verie roughlie not knowing with whom hee had to doe thinking Him to haue beene a passenger and stranger walking out of the waye hee sayes vnto Him Art thou a stranger in Hierusalem and hast not knowne the thinges which haue fallen out within these fewe dayes In these wordes because hee tooke the Lorde to bee a stranger and passenger going out of the waye yee cannot blame him in making such an answere And as he tooke him to bee a stranger he answeres well for when such wonderfull workes fall out in anie Countreye it becomes no man to bee ignorant of the wonderfull workes of GOD and if euer there was a wonderfull worke that worke of the Crucifying of the Lorde was moste wonderfull And if thou bee ignorant of the wonderfull workes of GOD thou merites a rebuke And as Cleopas marueiled so will the godlie maruell at thee who canst neither bee seeing nor hearing nor consider the wonderfull workes of GOD. It is a wonder to see the illumination of a sinner and the conuersion of the heart of a man to GOD and to see a regenerate man yea the raising of a deade man to life is not so marueilous as is the quickening of thee who art deade in sinne and trespasses as the Apostle PAVLE sayes to the EPHES. Chap. 1. vers 21. And as the quikening and illumination of a sinner is a wonder so also the blinding of a sinner is a wonder Is it not marueilous that though thou crie to him as thou wilt and albeit heauen and earth shoulde goe together hee will neither heare nor see As the Lorde is more than wonderfull to his owne in mercie to cause them to heere and see thou wonderest liâ—tle at his mercie but all the Angels wonder at it euen so in blinding and hardening of the wicked the LORDE is wonderfull Sittest thou heere nowe and seest not nor hearest not the LORDE All the world maye wonder at thee So the LORDE maye bee vvondered at either in mercy to his own or in justice to the wicked as th'Apostle speaking in the eleuenth Chap. to the Romanes hee wonders at it and
if we saw Him we would count the least euill thought to be indignitie against Him by reason of the worthinesse of His person What euer was done against Christ it was indignitie No this world was not vvorthie of Him and I say more what euer euill is done to His members for His cause it is an indignitie because there is a dignitie in them It is another kinde of thing to vse a Christian man as thou wilt than to vse a Turke thou thinkest it a small thing to sticke him yet one day thou shalt know that he is a worthie personage especially if he suffer for Christ Take heede what the Apostle sayes They crucified the King of glory and the Lord of life how agree these two together the King of glorie and then to be crucified He countes that the greatest indignitie was done to Him that euer vvas done in the worlde Then the Apostle sayes of His Sainctes Heb. 11. They haue persecuted them and slaine them with the sword whom the world was not worthie of And I say more The godly who see the worthinesse of Iesus Christ and of His Sainctes and then sâ—es the indignitie that is done against IESVS CHRIST and His Sainctes it is no vvonder that they cannot comport with it Villane if thou werest a King that regardest not to offend Him they cannot comporte with thee the offending of Him is the sorest vvound that euer came to their heartes and vvhen they see any thing done against His Sainctes they cannot comport with it No it could not bee possible that the godly could comport or suffer these things vnlâ—sse they knew all these things were done by His prouidence O villane who boastest thou wilt doe to the Saincts of God what thou pleasest what art thou but His rod and thou shalt bee casten into the fire and suppose thou sette thy selfe against His glorie yet Hee shall make thee in despight of thine heart to serue to His glorie Then thou who art the childe of GOD in such cases shouldest saye I see the finger of GOD in this for this tyrannie coulde doe nothing vvithout the prouidence of my GOD. Looke how PETER speakes in the ACTES Chap. 2. vers 23. hee sayes They crucified him But this is his comfort That they did nothing but according to the determinate counsell of GOD. And the godlie knowe that all comes from Him and for His glorie and thou that vvilt not glorifie Him Hee shall bee glorified in thy destruction and shame euerlasting Nowe to this glorious and blessed GOD bee glorie for euer and euer AMEN THE XXXVIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 21 But wee trusted that it had beene hee that should haue deliuered Israel and as touching all these thinges to daye is the thirde daye that they were done verse 22 Yea and certaine women among vs made vs astonied who came earlie vnto the sepulchre verse 23 And when they founde not his bodie they came saying that they had also seene a vision of Angels who saide that hee was aliue verse 24 Therefore certaine of them who were with vs went to the sepulchre and founde it euen so as the women had saide but him they sawe not verse 25 Then hee saide vnto them O fooles and slowe of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken verse 26 Ought not CHRJST to haue suffered these thinges and to enter into his glorie WEE continue yet BRETHREN in this Historie concerning the two Disciples of CHRIST vvho that same daye of His Resurrection not knowing of it vvent out from the rest of the Disciples that vvere conuened at Hierusalem to a Village called EMMAVS not farre from Hierusalem We haue hearde of their outgoing and of their meeting with Christ howbeit Hee knewe them yet Hee let them not knowe that Hee knewe them but Hee bounde vp their senses their eyes and their eares that vvhen they looked to Him and hearde Him speake they knewe him not but they tooke him to bee a passenger and no question hee appeared vnto them in the habite and vveede of a passenger And meeting vvith them hee askes vvhat vvas their communication and vvherefore they vvere so sadde and discomforted One of them named CLEOPAS takes the speach in hand and beginnes to speake roughlie vnto Christ That hee vvas come from Hierusalem and knewe not these thinges vvhich vvere fallen out vvithin fewe dayes It is halfe a refusall of an answere Yet the Lorde vvill not leaue them off but hee askes What are these thinges vvhich haue fallen out Hee answeres OF IESVS OF NAZARETH Of him is the whole summe of their talke Then hee comes on and hee makes it more cleare to the passenger as hee thought and first hee lets him see vvhat a man Iesus vvas There vvas neuer such a man Hee was a Prophet mightie in worde and deede No man euer spake as hee spake and no man euer vvrought such miracles as hee vvrought so that hee had an approbation both of God and man Then next hee comes to these thinges vvhich had befallen so vvorthie a person such indignitie as neuer vvas seene hee sayes Our high Priestes and Rulers haue condemned him to die and haue dispatched him by the moste vile and ignominious death that coulde bee They haue crucified that Prophet that was mightie in worde and deede like a villane Thus farre hitherto Nowe the rest of this narration that followes containes three partes the Historie is plaine and therefore wee shall goe shortly thorow it Cleopas gathereth a sore and a comfortlesse conclusion vpon the crucifying of Christ a conclusion of desparing that Iesus should haue redeemed the world it is said Wee hoped that hee should haue redeemed Israel from their sinnes But now He is taken away and He is dead and therefore our hope is gone and we can looke no more for Him to be our Redeemer Marke this if hee reasones well or not Iesus is crucified and therefore Hee cannot be our Redeemer we cannot hope that euer He shall redeeme the world By the contrarie hee should haue reasoned IESVS is crucified and therefore Hee is the Redeemer for as the Apostle Heb. Chapter 9. and twentie two verse sayes Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes for if Hee had not suffered Hee could not haue beene the Redeemer and haue redeemed vs but Cleopas and the other knew not what the Redeemer should haue suffered they knewe not what the Redeemer meant and therefore beeing deceiued with the false opinion that the people had concerning the Messias that Hee should bee like a King Iulius Caesar the Emperour by an earthly power to deliuer them from the tyrannie of the Romanes This false opinioÌ„ made them to gather this that He could not be the Redeemer seeing that Hee was crucified And indeede if this ground that they laide had bene true Hee could not haue deliuered them beeing crucified I spake of this the last day if thou followest the multitude and
beleeuest as the Papistes bidde thee as the multitude beleeue and close thine eyes thou shalt perish vvith the multitude They vvill say What adoe hast thou vvith the Bible thou hast no more adoe but beleeue as the Church beleeues but I saye vnto thee It shall happen vnto thee as it happened vnto Cleopas That thing that should bee the matter of hope it shall cut thee from hope as it did this poore man Cleopas yea I say further if thou beleeuest with the multitude thou shalt perish with the multitude Fie is not that rabble ashamed of this light fie vpon them No the vengeance from Heauen shall light vpon them except they repent Novve to come to the second parte of the narration that hee makes ye haue heard his conclusion But now sayes Cleopas This is the third day since hee was crucified and dead Yet we heare nothing As hee would say once dead and ay dead Marke vvhat hee vvould gather of this It is the thirde daye since hee died and wee haue not seene him alas I feare wee shall neuer see him againe alas hee will neuer redeeme Israel Hee dare not speake this right out but hee keepes it in his minde Is this a good conclusion It is the thirde daye since hee died therefore hee cannot redeeme Israel Hee should haue concluded It is the thirde daye since hee died therefore hee is risen in glorie to bee the Redeemer of Jsrael But the ignorant man knewe not the Scriptures of GOD as Christ sayes to him heereafter for Christ had foretolde that hee woulde rise the thirde daye and yet hee had forgotten it and so he concludes I shall neuer see him and hee cannot be the Redeemer Then ye see vvhat it is to be ignorant of the Scriptures of GOD and to forgette them There is nothing concerning Christ but it is fullie set downe in the olde and newe TESTAMENTES So that if an Angell woulde come downe from Heauen hee can tell no more in substance Yet if thou wilt not looke to them but close thine eyes that thou see not and stoppe thine eares that thou heare not and so forget them againe before thou bee well out of the Kirke it is a wonder that thou shouldest gette anie matter of hope No thou shalt find nothing but matter of desparation Whosoeuer therefore vvoulde haue matter of joye in the heart and haue joye in their distresse let them alwayes haue the Scriptures before their eyes What needed these men to haue beene troubled if they had kept the Scriptures before their eyes So in a vvorde As thou vvouldest haue joye in trouble keepe the Scriptures in thy memorie for there is no joye but in these Scriptures Nowe to goe forwarde to the thirde parte of this Narration of Cleopas concerning Christ Before hee comes to it hee makes a rehearsall of these same thinges which had happened that same day in the morning for on the thirde daye in the morning there went out some women he himselfe was not so ready it had bene better for himselfe to haue said I went out to the graue and I saw and I heard this and they haue made vs the Disciples of Christ all astonied for they tolde vs that they founde not the bodie of CHRIST But they tolde vs that they founde Angels and that the Lorde was risen and aliue but for all this we beleeued not Then some of vs who were men namely Peter and Iohn who went out and they founde this that the LORDE was out of the graue But marke his last vvordes But none of them sawe the LORDE Alas these two DISCIPLES apparantlie hath come out of HIERVSALEM ere MARIE MAGDALENE and some other women who went out that same day had returned shewed that they had seene the Lord. They went away ouer soone to Emmaus But looke what he concluded They sawe Him not therefore Hee was not risen This is it that they would conclude Because they could not see Him with their bodily eyes therfore they looked neuer to see Him As if wee should haue measured the Redeemer the Redemption by grosse and carnall senses Looke if he concluded well He should haue concluded the contrarie We could not see Him with our eyes and senses and therefore wee beleeue He is the Redeemer That is the conclusion that Hee shoulde haue gathered for faith is the demonstration of things which are not seene as the Apostle speakes Hebr. 11.1 This is a false conclusion Wee cannot see Him vvith our bodilie eyes therefore wee cannot hope to see Him But by the contrarie Wee cannot see Him with our bodilie eyes therefore wee beleeue and hope to see Him Then wee see this in CLEOPAS and his fellowe suppose they were with CHRIST and should haue had an eye to haue seene yet they are meere carnall for leaning onelie to the senses of the bodie they are more naturall than spirituall and so they conclude They should neuer see the Lord for suppose they spake not this vvith their mouthes yet they thought it in their heartes and they were standing betwixt hope and despaire No if thou bee but a naturall man thou shalt beleeue nothing but that which thou conceiuest and feelest with thy senses but for Heauenlie thinges thou canst not beleeue them Heauen and Hell will bee but fables to thee and all will be but follie vnto thee There are enough of these men in this Towne and therefore as euer thou wouldest see Heauen as thou wouldest liue hereafter and as thou wouldest reigne in glorie seeke to haue spirituall senses which may passe farre beyonde nature a spirituall eye to see thinges Heauenlie and a spirituall hand to feele things Heauenlie or else thou shalt die and perishe and thou shalt neuer haue life heereafter Then in time seeke to bee spirituall and to seeke Heauen and Heauenlie thinges A bodilie eye will neuer perceiue these thinges Yee see then howe false a conclusion hee hath gathered Yet I perceiue in the last part of his narration something that smelles of the hope of Resurrection an impediment in his heart hee is neare to despaire almoste hee hath giuen ouer both faith and hope of CHRIST that euer they shoulde see Him yet hee is fleeting aboue hee swatters and swimmes hee giues not cleane ouer hee drownes not altogether but as yee maye perceiue a sponke of faith and hope remaines in him and it beares him so aboue that hee sayes not I despaire And where got hee this Euen of the report of the vvomen suppose hee beleeued not them yet hee durst not saye that they lied or that it was vntrue that they spake Well it is alwayes good to heare of CHRIST and if it vvere but a vvoman to speake of Him for in the daye of thy trouble yea if thou were betwixt hope and despaire that thing which thou hast hearde will bee brought to thy remembrance and keepe thee from despaire But thou who hast not hearde thou shalt perishe and thou who hast hearde
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
daye of His resurrection vvent out to HIERVSALEM to a Village neare by called Emmaus We heard these dayes past what Cleopas one of the two spake by the waye to Christ whome hee tooke to be a passenger because his eyes were bounde vp that hee could not see Him nor discerne Him neither by His voyce nor by His face All his speach tēdes to this Our hope is gone we thought Iesus should haue beene the Redeemer but He is dead and continues vnder death Wee entered in the answere which Iesus makes speaking to Him like a passenger The first entrie is rough lāguage O fooles sayes Hee and dull of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets had spoken of Iesus An hard entrie Thereafter He begins to instruct them and to teach them The chiefe poinct of doctrine is first laid downe in these wordes Jt behooued that CHRJST shoulde suffer and by suffering enter into his glorie Of this which wee hearde the last daye I repeate nothing In this TEXT as GOD shall giue vs grace and as time shall suffer wee haue the confirmation of this doctrine Hee prooues this necessitie that hee behooued to suffer by manie testimonies And then in the seconde wee haue howe Hee manifested Himselfe and howe their eyes were opened and howe Hee let them see that Hee was Christ And in the thirde parte wee haue the effectes which it vvrought in them after that they knewe Him to bee their Lorde and Master Then to beginne at the first To prooue that Christ suffered and so entered into His glorie Hee searches the Scriptures Hee beginnes at Moses and from Moses hee comes to the Prophets interpreting vnto them what Moses and the Prophets had spoken concerning CHRIST interpreting that which concerned His Passion and that vvhich concerned His glorie after His Passion The matter is set downe summarilie Heere no Scriptures are expressed neither such as vvere taken out of MOSES or the PROPHETS but summarilie it is saide That Hee prooued all out of MOSES and the PROPHETS There Hee alleadged not a bare testimonie but Hee declared and expounded euerie one of the Testimonies to these two Disciples And then vvhen Hee hath interpreted them Hee gathered the conclusion That it behooued himselfe to suffer Now Brethren we see in this place what the preaching of the Gospell is in effect it is none other thing but the declaration of Moses the Prophets Christ preaches here the Gospell to them and yet He does nothing but interpretes Moses and the Prophets So the preaching of the Gospell is nothing but the exponing of Moses and the Prophets and this Euangell is a plaine commentarie of the Text of Moses Moses wrote not one thing and the Apostles another but Moses wrote the same thing that the Apostles wrote only this is the difference Moses wrote obscurely the Apostles more clearly Then marke well this They that are preachers of the Gospell separate neuer the interpretation of the Gospell from the Text of Moses and the Prophets Some fantastick braines haue thought the Olde Testament not needfull since the Gospell was written but all is vanitie Christ teached not that way yee see Christ takes His Text out of Moses and interpretes Moses and the Prophetes and the Apostles wrote nothing of Christ but that which they grounded vpon Moses and as for vs wee should speake nothing but that vvhich vvee ground vpon the writtings of the Apostles and next wee ground our preachings vpon the Prophets and thirdly vpon Moses that is a ground that is a sure ground and all the world cannot cast it downe that doctrine which is grounded vpon the Apostles the Prophets and Moses it is good but if it bee not grounded vpon these three I will not giue thee one pennie for it Secondly ye see all the interpretation of Moses is concerning Christ and what befell Him His suffering and His glory after His passion there is the chiefe corner stone whereupon our Faith is builded and whereupon our Faith is grounded and whereupon the doctrine of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles is builded the corner stone Christ and therefore sayes the Apostle beeing grounded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and the lowest stone Christ and in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 3. verse 10. He sayes No man can lay another ground but that which is laide alreadie Iesus is the foundation and ground of all true doctrine and veritie Paul Rom. 10. calles Him the end of the Law in Him is all the Law fulfilled and Hee put an end to all these types and shadowes in the Lawe So there is the chiefe ground of our doctrine Iesus Christ the lowest stone vpon Him is grounded the doctrine of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles and we builde our doctrine vpon Him I goe forward This for the first head now followes the second part of the Text how Hee beginnes to manifest Him for as yet they thought Him to be but a passenger yet a gracious man and blessed passenger as yee will heare they were loth to depart from Him it is saide When they draw neare to Emmaus in a towne where they thought to lodge all night the Lord makes as though He would haue gone further the wordes are He faines as though He were to goe further that village was not the end of His journey the words giue occasion of a question Thought the LORD one thing and spake He another to speake one thing and to thinke another is a plaine lie I will not insist in this matter the purpose of the Lord at this time was to enter into the village towne with them and sit at Table with them vpon this condition that they should bee earnest with Him vrge Him and in a manner constraine Him but this failing was in them they not beeing earnest Hee purposed to leaue them and to goe further then when it comes to the doing and executing of His purpose when He said Hee vvould goe further He lied not for He purposed so to doe if they had not beene earnest with Him and caused Him to abide Then wherein can it be said that He vsed simulation except in this that Hee shew not them that if they were earnest with Him He would abide No if thou wouldest haue Him to stay with thee thou must be earnest to seeke Him and constraine Him in a manner I might let you see examples both in God and godly men that haue shewed a part of their purpose and kept the rest to themselues God said to Moses I will slay this people and none of them shall escape Hee kept vp this except thou interceede And againe Hee sayes Yet fourtie dayes and then Niniue shall be destroyed Lied the Lord Not albeit He kept vp a part of His purpose except they had repented for if they had not repented He had destroyed them So the Lord bids Samuel conceale His purpose in annoynting Dauid 1. Sam. 6.16 This onely is our lesson Bee not curious
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
if it were true y t two bodies might bee in one place at one time then it would followe that one bodie at one time might be in manie places But both these assertions are directlie repugnant to the nature of a bodie whatsoeuer it bee whether it bee a glorified bodie or a bodie not glorified It is but a vaine distinction which the Papistes haue inuented betwixt a bodie glorified and a bodie not glorified for a glorified body remaines a true body the glorifying of it takes not away the nature nor the natural properties of a bodie and therefore it cannot bee at one time in manie places but onelie in one place neither can it bee in one and the selfe same place with another bodie Next others thinke That when the body of the Lord went in at the doore the body of the doore was rarified and yeelded and gaue place to the Lords body that it might enter in when it had gone in it returned to its own estate was thickned made solide as of before euen as when the Lord was walking on the sea the sea was thickned made hard solide vnder His feet y t it might beare Him aboue therafter again incontinent it returned to its own nature This opinion is more tollerable than the former because it stands well enough with the Omnipotent power of God where as y e former sentence of the Papists cannot stand with His omnipotency because it includes a manifest contradiction Thirdly some thinke That whē the Lord was entring in the dore opened to Him and after He was come in the dore incontinent most speedily closed again This opiniō semes to be most probable wee read in sundrie places the like to haue bene done as in the 5. Chapter of the Actes the Angell of the Lorde opens the doores of the Prison where the Apostles were and shuts them againe And in the 12. Chapter of the Actes when the Angell brings Peter out of prison the yron gate opened vnto them of the owne accorde And likewise in the 16. Chapter of the Actes When Paul and Silas beeing in prison prayed and sung Psalmes to God all the doores of the prison opened and euery mans bands were loosed in the which places yee see When the Lord deliuered His seruants whether by the ministerie of His Angels or without their ministerie the doores were opened But in no place of Scripture we reade of the rarifying of a bodie and much lesse any thing of that vaine opinion of the Papists That two bodies may be in one place at one time and therefore this last opinion seemes to be most likely But in this point wee insist not Only one thing we marke out of this place that the LORDS comming is very sudden and vnlooked for how so euer it be that the LORD comes vnto men vvhether it bee in mercie as Hee vses to come to His ovvne vvhether it be injustice to the vvicked His comming is euer sudden and vvithout their expectation and therefore we should not be so carefull curiously to enquire about the particular comming of the LORD as vve should be carefull to prepare our selues that vvee may bee readie vvaiting for His glorious appearing that vvhen euer Hee comes Hee may finde vs with oyle in our lampes readie to enter in with Him Watch sayes the LORD for yee knowe neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come Now to end shortly Hauing spoken already of the circumstances of the meeting of the disciples as also of the marueilous appearing of the Lord to them it followes last that we speake of His saluting of them when He comes in amongst the mids of them He is not silent but He salutes them sayes Peace be vnto you This was His cōmon salutation which they were acquainted with no question He vttered it with such a homely familiar voyce that they might easily haue known that it was He none other y t appeared spake vnto them for Hee vvent about by all meanes possible to remooue all doubting out of their heartes that so they might haue a full assurance of His Resurrection and yet for all this very hardly could they bee perswaded that it was He and therefore Marke sayes He reprooued them for their vnbeliefe hardnesse of heart because they beleeued not them which had seene him beeing risen vp againe For such is the infidelity dulnes of our hearts that al the meanes that GOD vses is litle enough to make vs to beleeue Now when the LORD sayes to His disciples Peace be vnto you wee must not thinke that this was a bare and simple vvishing and desiring of peace vnto them without any further effect No wee must not thinke so This word was powerfull this wishing of peace behooued to bee effectuall in their soules because it proceeded from Him who is the fountaine and author of all peace and who Himselfe is our peace as the Apostle sayes Ephes 2.14.17 And when the Lord who is peace Himselfe comes to preach peace How can it be possible except the heartes of men be harder than the flint or adamant but that preaching of peace must be effectuall in their soules The Lord in this wishing of peace is not like man the most that a man can doe is to wish peace and to desire peace to others No man albeit He were neuer so holy can doe more hee cannot giue his peace that he wishes he cannot make his peace effectuall But Christ when Hee wishes peace Hee giues and communicates that same peace He workes that same peace in their heartes and therefore when Hee is departing out of the world comforting His disciples Hee sayes Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giues giue I vnto you Ioh. 14.27 He sayes not only I leaue peace with you but I giue you my peace and that not as men in the world who can doe no more but wish I make my peace effectuall by giuing you peace The Lord make euery one of vs partakers of this peace that wee may euer haue matter of rejoycing in IESVS To whome with the Father and Holie Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLI LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 37 But they were abashed and afraide supposing that they had seene a spirit verse 38 Then hee saide vnto them Why are yee troubled and wherefore doe doubtes arise in your heartes verse 39 Beholde mine handes and my feete for it is I my selfe handle mee and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see mee haue verse 40 And when hee had thus spoken hee shewed them his handes and feete verse 41 And while they yet beleeued not for joye and wondered c. IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 20 And when hee had thus saide hee shewed vnto them his handes and his side Then were the Disciples gladde when they had seene the Lord.
and feele sensibly vvith mine hand a body then shall I beleeue otherwise no Papist will cause me beleeue that I eate CHRIST really and bodily with my mouth no more than the disciples would beleeue that CHRIST was a body till they felt Him and sawe Him I will be of the Faith of the disciples Beleeue them who will I shall neuer beleeue them by the grace of GOD. Let mee see a bodie not the roundnesse and whitenesse of the bread and let me feele this that CHRIST let His disciples feele if thou vvilt not let mee feele that I will neuer beleeue thee holde thee content and I am not bound to beleeue thee yea more if I beleeued thee I vvere faire in the wrong I should sinne against the LORD and against the trueth of His body Why If I beleeue thee neither seeing nor feeling such a thing then I should beleeue the body of Christ to be vnuisible and vntractable and to beleeue that is to beleeue the body of CHRIST to bee no bodie That bodie that is not seene nor handled is not a body these properties beeing taken avvay from a bodie there remaines no bodie yea sight and feeling are such vnseparable accidents of the bodie that the verie glorified bodie cannot be vvithout them The Papists cast vnto vs a friuolous distinction betwixt the glorified body of CHRIST and His vnglorified bodie No the verie glorified bodie is as vvell visible and tractable as an vnglorified bodie The godlie in the latter daye shall see whether it be visible or not Goe thy way with thy bodily presence thou debarrest thy selfe from that presence that the godlie shall see one daye to their consolation Furthermore Brethren There is another thing to be marked I see IESVS CHRIST after His glorious Resurrection to haue kept the markes of the wounds Hee shewes His handes and His wounded hands Hee shewes them His feete and His wounded feet He shewed His side to Thomas when he would not beleeue made him to put his handes in His side Yee woulde maruell that Christ rising vp in glorie shoulde haue kept the markes of infirmitie When the Lord rose it became Him to shake off all infirmitie and the markes of His woundes are a part of infirmitie See ye not howe it hath pleased the Lorde to humble Himselfe for our cause to the ende that vvee should beleeue Not onelie rose Hee and appeared vnto them but also after He rose Hee keepes the marks of His vvoundes that no vvayes they shoulde doubt but fullie beleeue that it vvas Hee and none other It is a vvonderfull thing to see the humilitie of Christ for our cause as all His life vvas but an humbling of Himselfe so after His Resurrection for thine exaltation vvhen Hee should haue gone to glorie Hee abides fourtie dayes to cause His Disciples beleeue Art not thou who art dust and ashes bound to humble thy selfe for Him seeing that Hee who is so glorious humbled Himselfe so low for thee Now whether the Lord keepe these markes or no or vvhether vve shall see Him come vvith them or no in that great day I vvill not be curious but this I knowe the fresh memorie of the vvoundes and of the Crosse shall neuer vanishe out of the hearts of the Elect and in the Heauen thou shalt remember a thousande times better than in the earth vvhen thou shalt see Him as Hee is when thou shalt beholde Him vvhom thou hast pearced thorowe thou shalt mourne sayes the Prophete Zacharie There is the remembring of the vvoundes And as that Crosse shall neuer goe out of the eye of the Father for it is as present now before the eye of the Father as it was that houre that He was crucified So vvhen thou shalt come to Heauen alwayes thou shalt haue a memorie of the Crosse And in this respect He is called an euerlasting Sacrifice and an euerlasting Priest And as the sight of that Crosse pacifies the vvrath of GOD vvere it out of the eye of the Father the flame of His vvrath vvoulde deuoure and consume thee for the pacifying of the vvrath standes in the sight of the Crosse So the joye and peace of thy conscience in Heauen shall stande in an euerlasting remembrance of the Crosse and His bloodie vvoundes There are two groundes of our Eternall joye and peace in Heauen First our joye and peace standes in the sight of that present glorie of Christ in Heauen Next after the sight of that glorie they stand on a remembrance of His by-gone Crosse These shall bee the two pillars of the euerlasting joye and happinesse vvhich the Sainctes shall haue in Heauen So Hee shall stand in as good stead to thee in the Heauen as Hee did in the earth Learne to seeke Him to embrace Him and to bee homelie with Him for in Him standes thy joye euerlastinglie and euer thou bee happie thou must bee vvith Him Now this for Christs part Hitherto hath Hee taught them by the senses and thinges sensible But looke vvhat this vvorkes in them It is saide That for joye they coulde not beleeue and they fell out in a wondring There is the effect that it vvrought There is something heere vvrought to vvit a joye and a vvondering Yet the thing that they shoulde haue is not as yet vvrought that is Faith for joye and wondring by appearance stayes their faith So harde a matter is it to cause a man to beleeue It is an easie thing to thee who knowest not what Faith is to saye I beleeue but when thou art put to the proofe thou wilt finde howe harde a thing it is to cause thee to beleeue There is as great contrarietie betwixt our nature and faith in Christ as is betwixt water and fire And if thou beleeuest there must bee as great chaunge in thy nature as to change water into fire and fire into water Nature must bee turned into grace But howe comes it to passe that joye and wondering shoulde staye Faith Consider it That which one would faine haue comming to passe yee knowe hee cannot easilie beleeue it when one telles him that it is come to passe And that which least wee woulde haue comming to passe we most easilie beleeue that it hath come to passe A man that feares euill will credite an euill report readilie but hee that earnestlie wishes a good thing will not so soone credite a good report hee will thinke it almoste impossible But yet when a man heares tell of a thing which hee would faine haue comming to passe although hee beleeue it not yet the heart will leape for joye This was the disposition of the Apostles The thing that fainest they would haue cōming to passe was a sight of IESVS And if thou were acquainted with Christ as these men were if Hee were taken out of thy sight thou wouldest gette no pleasure till that thou sawest Him as PAVL sayes I desire to be dissolued and to bee with CHRIST Hee had such a thirst to
soule and body so vvee shall keepe all the naturall povvers and faculties of them Nothing shall bee lost in the Resurrection We shall keepe all but after another manner all these povvers nowe are infirme and weake all are vile vvithout glorie then all shall bee glorified facultie of eating and drinking shall bee glorified and made spirituall Wilt thou then desire meat wilt thou hunger as thou doest now vvill thy stomacke desire meat as it does now No all thy naturall povvers shall be filled vvith GOD. 1. Cor. Chapter 15. verse 28. God shall be all in all Hee shall bee meate and drinke and all thinges to thee In the 21. Chapter of the Reuelation and the 22. verse Hee shall bee the Temple Thou shalt not neede to goe to the Church Thy God shall be a Temple Thou shalt not neede Sunne nor Moone or a lanterne or a candle Thy God shall be all in all to thee So long as we are here we hunger we thirst we haue this meat and that meat and we must haue the Sunne by day and the Moone by night and a candle all this necessitie importes an imperfection Eatest thou drinkest thou all is an argument of imperfection and albeit God filles thee in a part GOD beginnes to fill thee in this world and thou wilt feele His sweetnesse yet He giues vs heere in this life but a litle taste GOD is not all in all to vs and therefore so long as vvee are heere we must eat and drinke but after that once GOD shall fully possesse vs and replenish our soules when vve shall see our Lord againe vve shall neuer hunger nor thirst there shall neuer be want againe there shall be fulnesse not of perishing joy but a fulnesse of such glory as no tongue can expresse and all the povvers of thy soule shall be replenished with an vnspeakable pleasure the vvorlde knovves not vvhat this meanes and vvhen it is spoken to them they thinke it vanitie To enter heere curiously about this meat and to dispute What became of this meat vvhether it vvas digested and turned to nutriture and vvhether it vvas auoided againe I thinke it needlesse But to speake it in a vvorde It vvas an easie matter to the LORD IESVS CHRIST vvho made all of nothing vvho made thee of nothing vvho made thy meate and drinke of nothing vvho made that piece of fish of nothing and vvho made that honey combe of nothing to turne it into nothing againe without a concoction or digesting in the stomacke Novve to goe forvvarde to the second part of the Text and to come to His svveet Sermon No question He deliuered it at great length but Luke hath summed it shortely Heere IESVS CHRIST preaches after His glorious Resurrection yee heard many of His preachinges before His suffering in Iohn heare this now after His Resurrection The first thing Hee does He informes His Disciples of a necessitie It behooued Christ to die it behooued Him to rise againe after His buriall the third day there is a necessitie Hee prooues this What euer thing sayes Hee vvas vvritten of mee in Moyses first in the Prophets next and in the Psalmes last all behooued to bee accomplished euery jote of it of necessitie vvould the LORDE say must bee accomplished Heauen and Earth must passe avvay ere one jote of that vvhich is spoken of Mee passe avvay but all must be fulfilled To touch this Hee takes vp all the vvhole Olde Testament into three partes First the bookes of Moses Secondly the Prophetes Thirdly the Psalmes of Dauid Commonly wee vvill heare the Olde Testament diuided in two partes First the bookes of Moses Next the Prophetes novve He makes the Psalmes the third In the Psalmes vve haue continuall prophecies of CHRIST yet I thinke this is the principall cause of it because the Psalmes are songs vvhich Dauid sung vnto GOD and thereafter put in vvrite and this is the chiefe purpose of the Psalmes It is true that in the Psalmes there are Prophecies contained concerning CHRIST and therefore the Psalmes vvere before rekoned vvith the Prophecies and Dauid counted amongst the Prophets Luke Chapter 24. verse 15. Yet the chiefe purpose of the Psalmes is to sing vnto the LORD and then hee prophecies hee standes as a viue and expresse type of CHRIST wherein he differs from other Prophets vvho in their prophecying vvere no types of CHRIST But to returne What euer thing sayes CHRIST is written of Mee it behooued that to bee accomplished But so it is all these thinges haue beene vvritten and foretolde of Mee my suffering and my Resurrection Moses the Prophets and Dauid haue foretolde them Ergo of necessitie I behooued to suffer and to rise againe the third daye Yee see then vvhat Hee is doing Hee is binding the Faith of His Disciples to beleeue of Him that Hee vvas risen vrging them vvith such a necessitie that they could not escape It is not so easie a thing as the vvorlde thinkes it to beleeve Aske at a vvanton companion if Hee beleeues He vvill answere Why beleeue I not vvhen in the meane time His ovvne mouth nor His heart hath no more smell of Faith than the thing Hee touched neuer and yet the blasphemous knaue vvill say He hath Faith but to get Faith of all things thou shalt finde that it is the moste hard and difficill thing and ere euer thou beleeuest thou shalt be straitted The soule shall be so forced and constrained to beleeue that thou canst not say othervvise Well Brethren vvee haue done vvith it and vvee haue made shipvvracke of saluation if vve beleeue not this Gospell and this Historie of the death and Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST Beleeuest thou not that IESVS CHRIST hath died and hath risen againe for thee thou shalt neuer see Iesus to to thy comfort But ere euer thou or I beleeue that this is true that is written of CHRISTS suffering and His glorification ere euer thou beleeuest the Historie of the New Testament of the Passion and rising againe of Christ done and ended thou must be perswaded there is a necessitie that all these thinges that are spoken in the Olde Testament behooued to be done if then thou wouldest knovve the necessitie of these thinges cast thine eyes to the Olde Testament and cast it ouer Beginne at Moyses and then come to the Prophets and lastly to the Psalmes of Dauid Reade the Old Testament and that write shall shewe thee such a necessitie of these things that more possible had it bene that the world should haue vanished away than that these thinges should not haue come to passe and then vvhen yee take the New Testament and sees these things which are foretolde to bee accomplished yee will not beleeue with how great joy the heart will rest vpon Iesus and it will saye I vvill beleeue this that Christ hath suffered and is risen for mee then thy pleasure vvill be to turne ouer the Olde and Newe Testament that thy Faith may be the more
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
Pastours vvho before vvere called themselues But to goe forward When He hath charged them to goe out to preach the Gospell because it was a very weightie and painfull charge therefore He encourages and strengthenes them the more willingly to vndertake it First by bestowing vpon them the Holy Spirit and His graces Next by arming them with power and authoritie To come to the first it is said When Hee had saide this Hee breathed on them and saide vnto them Receiue the Holy Ghost In giuing to them the Holy Spirit He vses an outward and visible signe Hee breathes vpon them for this breathing vpon them was not the sending and giuing of the Holy Spirit it selfe but it was an outward signe and Sacrament to represent to signifie and assure them of the giuing of the Holy Spirit the outward breathing vpon them was a signe of the inward breathing of the Holy Spirit vpon their soules and a signe verie fit and conuenient to expresse the thing signified for the wind serues very well to represent the Holy Spirit and is vsed for that same purpose by the Lorde Himselfe Ioh. 3 8. Thâ— wind blâ—wes where it listeth c. But it would be marked that the Lord vses not only the bare and naked signe No that could haue profited them very litle but to the signe He joynes words telling the meaning of it He sayes Receiue the Holy Ghost For the Lorde in all Sacraments vses commonly to joyne the word to the Sacrament As in Baptisme and the Lords Supper to the end that not only Hee may declare and open vp the meaning of the signe but also to worke and confirme Faith in mens heartes that so the Sacrament may be powerfull and effectuall in them for the outward signe alone is not able to worke Faith in the soule but it is the word chiefly that workes Faith the worde is the life of the Sacrament and therefore except the word be joyned with the outward signe it cannot bee a true and effectuall Sacrament Nowe it is to be considered that this breathing of the Lord vpon His Apostles was not a thing that Hee would haue to bee kept ordinarily in His Church but it is an extraordinarie signe vsed extraordinarily by the Lorde in the sending out of extraordinarie men the Apostles to an extraordinary calling whereby the Lord at that time endued them with extraordinarie graces necessarie for that great calling And therefore foolish and damnable is the practise of the Pope his Cardinalls and his Bishops which they vse in sending out their shauelings into the world for when they admit them with their vile and stinking mouths they breath vpon them and say Receiue the Holy Ghost filthily abusing this action of the Lord as if it lay in their hands with their breathing to giue the Holy Spirit whereas the Lord hath reserued this power to Himselfe alone and communicates it not to any man they are but counterfaiters of such things as the Lord will not haue to bee counterfeited for this His action in all pointes was extraordinarie and therefore ought not to be vsed ordinarily but I leaue them to their owne vanitie A question may bee heere mooued How agrees this doing of Christ on His Disciples and giuing them the Holy Ghost recorded here by Iohn with the wordes that we heard before out of the Gospell of Luke where the Lord sayes Beholde I doe send the promise of my Father vpon you but tarie in Ierusalem vntill ye be endued with power from on high Which wordes importe that at this fift appearing to His Disciples which is one with this that John recordes He gaue them not the Holy Ghost but only promised to send Hâ—m to them I answere Both these places agree well enough together for in Luke the Lord promised to send His Spirit with His graces in a full measure vpon them which promise indeed hee performed on the daye of the Pentecosts when they beeing gathered together there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like fiâ—e and sate vpon each one of them and they were all miraculously filled with the Holy Ghost Act. 2.1 But the Lord heere only giues them the Holy Ghost and His graces in a small measure to be as it were a beginning of that full accomplishment which they were to receiue in the daye of the Pentecoste for wee may not thinke that the Holie Spirit and all His graces were giuen fully and compleetely to the Apostles at one time No but they were giuen piece and piece by degrees for first they got the fruites of the Spirit when the Lorde was conuersant with them in the flesh in the dayes of His infirmitie Next after He rose from the death they receiued them in a greater measure as we may see in this place of Iohn and last after the Lordes ascension Hee powred downe in abundance His Spirit with all His graces according as He had promised to them Luke 24.49 and was long before foretolde by Ioel Chap. 2. verse 28. But why would Hee not giue them the Holy Spirit and His graces in a full measure at the first Because there behooued to be a certaine proportion and correspondence betweene the Head and the members the Lord Iesus was their Head they were members of His body so long as He was not fully glorified Himselfe it was no reason that they should haue receiued the fulnesse of grace but when He was fully glorified He filled them abundantly with grace Ephes 4.10 The Lord now glorified in the Heauens hath store and abundance of grace to giue to His Church but our heartes are not prepared to receiue grace wee offend Him continually with our sinnes and grieue His Holy Spirit for this is the last age of the world wherein sinne aboundes and thâ—refore that vve are not so skant of grace the fault is not in the Lorde there is no scarcitie nor want of grace with Him but the fault is in our selues who entertaine sinne in our heartes whereby wee banish grace out of them and makes the Spirit who should be our Comforter to be a witnesse against vs in that great day of the Lord. Now after that the Lord hath encouraged His Apostles by giuing them His Holy Spirit and His graces in the words following to make them the more willing He armes them with power and auâ—hoâ—itie before He send them out He sayes Whosoeuer siâ—nes ye remit thâ—y are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes ye retaine they are reteined As if Hee had said to them I will not send you out powerlesse with a fectlesse worde in your mouth but to the end ye may the better discharge your commission I enarme you with power I will giue you power to binde and loose to forgiue sinnes and retaine sinnes The Lord sendes none out to his warfare till first Hee furnish them with weapons and armour But what weapons are they Euen spirituall weapons Paul sayes The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through
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
beleeue There are two sortes of contumacie and stubburnesse in sinne and vnbeliefe the one is conditionall and such vvas the vnbeliefe of Thomas the other sort is absolute vvithout any condition vvhen in no case vpon no cause nor vvarrand vvill beleeue and of this sort vvas the sinne and vnbeliefe of the Priestes and the Pharises for vvhen the souldiers that vvere appointed to keepe and guarde the sepulchre came in to the towne and tolde them that IESVS CHRIST vvas risen out of the graue not only did they not beleeue but also they stroue to keepe themselues in such vnbeliefe and hardnes of heart that in no cace nor condition they vvould suffer themselues to bee reformed so they deteined the vvord of GOD into vnrighteousnesse There is a great difference betweene these two sortes of vnbeliefe The first sort may obtaine mercie Thomas obteined mercie the LORD pardoned his vnbeliefe The other sort verie hardly can obtaine mercie the Priestes and the Pharises found no mercie their vnbeliefe vvas laide to their charge the LORD forgaue them not but as they remained in vnbeliefe so they perished in their infidelitie The LORD saue vs from this cursed sinne of vnbeliefe and infidelitie and namely from this absolute vnbeliefe that in no cace vvill suffer reformation for through processe of time it brings on this sinne against y e Holy Ghost which neuer will be forgiuen neither in this world nor in y e world to come Now last ere I leaue these words of Thomas we may see what is y e grouÌ„d fountaine of this vnbeliefe obstinacie and pride of Thomas the grouÌ„d of all was he leaned too much to his grosse bodily senses to his seeing feeling handling he makes his eyes his hand to be y e ground of his faith Thomas indeede failed not in this that he desired to see y e Lord with his eyes to handle him with his hands for ye heard before how y e Lord by y e sight of the eyes y e feeling of Him with their hands perswaded y e Apostles of the certaintie of His ResurrectioÌ„ Luke 24.39 likewise we see that y e Lord hauing regarde to y e infirmitie of His owne pitying the weaknesse of their faith dayly in y e Sacrament teaches them by y e outward senses as by the seeing tasting handling of y e Elements But herein Thomas sailed that he addicted tied himselfe so to his senses to his sight to his handling that he affirmed professed plainly except he saw him with his eyes handled him with his hands he would neuer beleeue that y e Lord was risen againe from the death notwithstanding of the witnessing of so many so godly so faithfull persons who euery one after another testified of the Lords Resurrection Then marke it Bâ—ethren It is not vnlawfull for a man to desire to see the Lorde euen with his bodily eyes No that desire is lawfull and acceptable to God for all the Sainctes that euer haue beene since the beginning of the world desired to see our LORD face to face Manie Kings and Prophets haue desired to see Him and yet sawe Him not Luke Chapter 10. verses 23.24 Abraham the father of the faithfull desiâ—ed to see Him and olde Simeon who got a reuelation that hee should not depart while he saw the LORD earnestly waited and thirsted for to see Him Luke 2 25. So that it is a lawfull and acceptable thing to desire to see the Lord. But in desiring to see Him we must beware that our faith be not so tied to the outward senses that we refuse altogether to beleeue except wee see the Lorde with our eyes and handle Him with our hands No I say more thou must be so farre from tying thy Faith to the outward senses that thou must not tie it to the very inward feeling of the soule thou must not say except I ay feele I will no wise beleeue for albeit that at all times thou haue not a feeling findest not grace into thy soule albeit thou findest not the Holy Spirite who is the earnest pennie of thy saluation to be presently working within thee and sealing vp thine adoption yet thou art obliged to relie and depend vpon the bare word and naked promise of God and so to seale in thy soule that the Lord is true for he hath made a verie small progresse in Faith that will not trust in GOD and depend vpon His naked worde except ay hee haue some feeling of grace of joy of comfort and of the Holy Ghost The Sainctes of God many times vvhen they had no feeling depended vpon the worde of promise and waited vpon the accomplishment of it Job when he felt not the Lords fauour but conceiued that the Lord was angrie with him he sayes Although thou slayest me yet will I trust in thee Iob 13.15 And Abraham when hee saw none appearance that the Lords promise concerning his seed could be performed yet it is said of him That aboue Hope hee beleeued vnder Hope Rom. 4.18 Likewise Dauid vvhen he vvas in great danger of his enemies and sawe litle appearance of deliuerie still trusted in God and depended vpon His promise for he sayes I will reioyce in God because of His word I trust in God and will not feare what flesh can doe vnto me Psal 56.4 It may be that the Lord exercise thee with the conscience of sinne and with the terrours of His vvrath in such sort that thou findest no sense of grace nor of His fauour yet in this case despare not but by the example of the Sainctes learne to depend vpon the worde and promise of God till thou findest the performance of it to the comfort of thy soule Now to goe forwarde and to end shortly After that the Euangelist hath set downe after this manner as ye haue heard the historie of the incredulitie of Thomas hee comes to another appearing of the Lorde after His Resurrection which is the sixt in number for of fiue wee haue heard alreadie and this appearing seemes chiefly to bee for Thomas cause The time of this appearing is noted It was eight dayes after that is from that day in the which Thomas had plainely professed that hee would neuer beleeue that the Lord was risen except that both hee sawe Him and felt Him and His wounds and it was the eight day likewise after the Lords Resurrection for the former fiue appearings of the Lord whereof we haue alreadie spoken were al vpon the first day in the which the Lord rose from the dead So ye see that Thomas the space of whole eight dayes interueening remained in incredulitie vnbeliefe This example of Thomas le ts vs see what is the disposition of the soule of a man after he hath committed a sinne against the Majestie of God after he hath once sinned he is wrapped vp in a senslesse securitie hee sleepes sound in his sinne there is a vale casten ouer the
eyes of his soule that he cannot see sinne in its own colour hee cannot consider the way wherein hee is walking nor the judgement which he is drawing on his own head Whereupon it falles out that he proceedes from sinne to sinne and either hee falles ouer againe in that same sinne which before hee hath committed or in some other sinne Wee haue a proofe of this in the person of Peter for after that once he had denied his Master hee slept in a senslesse securitie he made litle account of the great sinne hee had committed whereupon it came to passe that soone after he falles ouer againe in the same sinne of denying of the Lord and alitle after being demanded he denies Him the third time and if he had bene oftener demanded no doubt but he would haue denied Him oftener if the Lorde had not looked vpon him fauourably The like also wee see in Dauid albeit otherwise a man after Gods owne heart after that he had committed that foule adultery with Bathsheba the wife of Vriah hee is twitched with a griefe or remorse but lyes still sleeping securely in sinne and so from adulterie with Bathsheba hee falles in abhominable murther of Vriah her husband and after this hee continued for a long season as it were benummed and without a sense of his sinne or feare of judgement and as all sortes of sinne leaue some senslessenesse and induration in the heart so chiefly stubburnesse and contumacie in not beleeuing the knowne trueth of God brings greatest senselessenesse and induration An example of this Paul lets vs see in the Gentiles who followed not that light that the Lord had left in nature and which the Lord shew to them in the workes of His creation that they might glorifie God but repined against it and therefore sayes the Apostle As they regarded not to acknowledge God euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate minde to doe those thinges which were not conuenient Rom. 1.28 Because they would not glorifie God as became them to doe there was such a dimnesse in their eyes such senslessenesse and blindnesse ouertooke them that they regarded not to doe the thinges that were most vnnaturall They past all feeling and gaue themselues ouer vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedines Eph. 4.19 And they had their consciences burned as it were with an hote iron 1. Timoth. 4.2 It is a dangerous thing once to fall in sinne for if the Lord leaue thee to thy selfe thou shalt neuer stay while thou râ—nne headlong to destruction Therefore pray continually that the Lord would looke fauourably vpon thee and that He would lay holde on thee that thou fall not away from Him and if thou haue fallen that Hee would put out His hand and draw thee to Him againe that thou mayest returne and be saued Thus for the time of the sixt appearing of the Lord now He appeares after y e same maner that He had appeared to the Disciples before For the Disciples beeing within and Thomas with them Iesus came the doores beeing shut and stood in the middes Of this manner of appearing we haue spoken at length before therefore we will speake no more of it When He is come in among them He vses that same forme of salutation which He vsed before for He said Peace be vnto you We passe by this salutation also because wee haue spoken of it already No question it was a very effectuall powerfull salutation because Hee that wished peace vnto them was the author of peace Only one thing I shall marke and so I shall ende I see there is nothing that is able to waken the soule of a sinner that is lying sleeping in sinne and wrapped vp in a senslâ—sse securitie but only the gracious presence of the Lord Iesus What was it that wakened Peter when he had thrise denied his Master It is said The Lord turned backe and looked vpon Peter whereupon immediatly his heart smote him and hee went out and wept bitterly Luke 22.61 62. How was Dauid wakened when he had long lien in his sinne without any remorse How but by the fauour of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God who pitied Him and sent His Prophet Nathan vnto him for this yee must vnderstand that all the Prophets which spake of olde to the Fathers were sent immediatly by Iesus Christ and spake by His Spirit 1. Pet. 1.11 and 3.19 And what was it that wakened Thomas out of his securitie What mooued him that was so obstinate in his incredulitie to beleeue What but the gracious presence of Christ for except that mercie of God in Iesus Christ waken vs out of securitie all the Iudgements of God that euer He hath powred out vpon any from the beginning will not mooue vs the most fearfull and terrible examples of His wrath vpoÌ„ others will not waken vs. Iudas lets vs see the proofe of this in his Epistle when he tells that they who turned the grace of God into wantonnes were not mooued to absteine from sinne by the example of that fearfull and terrible Iudgement of God which ouertooke Sodome and Gomorrhe and the cities about them but that they likewise notwithstanding of these great Iudgements continued in the like sinnes and defiled the flesh Iude 7 8. Then seeing we are naturally sleeping in sinne and none outward thing in the worlde no judgement neither temporall nor spirituall seazing on vs in neuer so high a measure can bee able to waken vs. Let vs pray earnestly that the LORD would preuent vs with His owne gracious presence that wee sleepe not while death oppresse vs. The Lord make euery one of vs to finde this presence of the LORD Iesus To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLVII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 27 After said He to Thomas Put thy finger here and see Mine hands and put foorth thine hande and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull verse 28 Then Thomas saide vnto Him Thou art my Lord and my God verse 29 Iesus saide vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued verse 30 And many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of His Disciples which are not written in this booke verse 31 But these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ that Sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through His Name AFTER that we had spoken at length Well beloued in Christ of the first fiue appearings of the Lord after His Resurrection wee beganne the last day to speake of this sixt appearing the occasion whereof was premitted by y e Euangelist John to wit the absence of Thomas from the rest of the Apostles when the Lord appeared vnto them and his great incredulitie when they tolde him for notwithstanding that many faithfull witnesses
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
great daye when our LORD shall appeare then shall it bee seene how blessed the estate of them shall be who beleeued for then when wee see Him as He is we shall be like to Him in glorie The world countes them who beleeue in Christ Iesus to be vile and contemptible bodies but one day they shall see their happinesse their glorie to their shame and confusion But heere it may be asked What mooues the Lord so highly to commend the Faith of them who beleeue and yet see not What can be the cause of this I answere The reason is because Faith without sight is more hardly obtained than Faith by sight The man that beleeues without sight he must ouercome many moe impediments and tentations than the other who beleeues that which he sees and this is commonly true that which is obtained most hardly and acquired with greatest difficultie is most precious most excellent and most worthie of praise and so this Faith that wants sight is farre to be preferred more praise worthie than the other for it is sundrie wayes tried and fined before it appeare 1. Pet. 1.7 Now to goe forward The Euangelist in the end of the Chapter by the way meetes some things which curious men might haue objected First they might haue asked Whether if all the miracles which the Lord Iesus wrought while Hee was in the world were set downe in write and extant in the Gospell written by him Iohn answeres No they are not all written for he sayes Many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of His Disciples which are not written in this Booke They might haue saide againe to Iohn then by appearance this Euangell that thou hast written is not perfect but vnperfect To this hee answeres My Gospell is perfect enough because all things are written that are necessarie to Faith and Saluation These words are casten in only by the way in this Historie of the Resurrection for albeit hee seemes to breake off the Historie of the Resurrection of CHRIST and to conclude in a manner the whole Gospell yet he returnes againe to the same Historie of the Resurrection in the Chapter following and in the ende thereof hee concludes the whole Gospell almost in these same words that are set downe heere But to returne and to speake of the miracles whereof Iohn speakes heere hee sayes Many other signes and Miracles wrought the LORD which are not written in this booke Then it may be asked Wherefore are they not written Were they vnprofitable Serues the knowledge of them to no vse To this I answere That these miracles were profitable and steadable to confirme and strengthen the faith of them who liued in that age and sawe them done yea further they are also steadable to the faith of them who liued in the ages following for when we read and heare that there was such a great multitude of miracles wrought by the Lord albeit wee know not distinctly and particularly what they were that serues very much to strengthen and confirme our Faith so that wee see these miracles which are not written are not left out of write as though they were vnprofitable and as though they serued for no vse or were vnworthie to be remembred No they were profitable and worthie but they are left out because the miracles set downe in write by Iohn and the rest of the Euangelists which indeed are very many are sufficient to Faith and Saluation But because the Euangelist sets downe in this place the ende of the miracles that the Lorde wrought therefore we shall speake more largely of them CHRIST when Hee came into the worlde was many wayes marueilous and therefore amongst many other glorious stiles Hee gets this also to bee called wonderfull Isaiah Chapter 9. verse 6. For first if wee looke to His person Hee was wonderfull for He was GOD and man in one person the like whereof neuer was nor neuer shall bee Next if we looke to the doctrine which Hee brought out of Heauen and to the worde which Hee preached to the worlde Hee was wonderfull for wonderfull was the light of His doctrine whereby Hee brought a marueilous light to the darke worlde and this made the officers to say to the High Priestes Neuer man spake like this man Ioh. Chapter 7. verse 46. and in the 7. Chapter of the Euangell of Matth. verse 29. Hee teached them as one hauing authoritie and not as the Scribes Last if we consider the things that Hee did and the wonders that Hee wrought in the world He was wonderful for they declared plainly that He was not only a man a creature but that He was God the great Creator and that Eternall IEHOVAH And these miracles serued to confirme His doctrine for the doctrine and the word of the Gospell preached by CHRIST serued to worke and beget Faith in the heart but the miracles serued to confirme the doctrine the word which He preached for they were steadable either to prepare the hearts of men to receiue the word and doctrine of the Lord or els to confirme them in that word which they had reeceiued alreadie Now both the word and doctrine of Christ and also His Miracles are set downe and left in register to vs by the speciall will direction of Christ to the well of them that were to liue in the ages to come that they might beleeue get life and saluation and therefore this written word doctrine should be receiued by vs as the viue voyce of Christ Himselfe and wee should count no lesse of it than if wee heard Christ Himselfe speaking to vs with His owne mouth and likewise wee shoulde count of the miracles written in the Gospell as if wee had seene the Lord Iesus working them before our eyes and therefore nowe in our age we neede not any new miracles to confirme of new againe the doctrine of Christ and His Apostles Indeede miracles were very necessarie to them that liued in the Primitiue Church when the Gospell was first preached and when it appeared vnto the world to be a new doctrine when the Church was in her infancie then miracles were very needfull but now seeing the doctrine of Christ and His Apostles is sufficiently confirmed alreadie by all these miracles that were wrought in these dayes by Christ His Apostles we need no miracles Why should we desire them except we thought that the doctrine is not yet sufficiently confirmed and as yet is but a new doctrine If we thinke that it is the same doctrine which Christ and His Apostles taught it needes no new confirmation Many vaine and fantasticke men but especially the Papistes this daye are not content with the Miracles that haue bene wrought by the Lord Iesus His Apostles to confirme the doctrine of the Gospell but they craue new miracles to confirme the doctrine of the Gospell as if it were not sufficiently confirmed alreadie But I say vnto thee Vaine man goe seeke miracles as
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.
right side of the shippe we shew you their obedience albeit they knew Him not thought that He had bene a stranger yet vpon hope of a good successe they cast out the net We haue heard what successe the Lord gaue to this their obedience the net was so filled with fishes that they were not able to drawe it And last we haue heard how Iohn knew Him first and tolde Peter and how Peter vpon a feruent zeale to meete with the Lord casts Himselfe into the Sea and hazardes his life Nowe this day by Gods grace we shall follow out the rest of the Historie of this appearing of Christ as namely how the Disciples did meete vvith the Lord and how when they came to the land miraculously they saw fishes laide on hote coales and what was the Lords conference and dealing with them and vvhat vvas the behauiour of Peter and the rest of the Disciples But to come to the wordes when Peter had cast himselfe into the Sea and came to the Lord what doe the rest of the Disciples Are they altogether carelesse Haue they not also a desire to meete vvith the Lord Yes they haue a desire and they came to the Lord albeit not so soone as Peter For they came by ship for they were not far from land but about two hundreth cubits Albeit they came not all so soone as Peter yet at the last they al come to y e Lord as vvell as Peter for they vvere not destitute of grace no more than Peter as zeale caried Peter to y e Lord so Faith knowledge brings and leades the rest to the Lord Peters zeale mooued him to come more speedily suddenly hastily to the Lord but their Faith and knowledge brought Iohn the rest also to the Lord for such is the force of Faith that albeit it haue not ay such feruent zeale accompanying it as vvas the zeale of Peter yet at last it will leade conuey a man vnto Christ Striue aboue all thinges to haue Faith and seeke it dayly of the Lord for if thou haue Faith in Christ not only shalt thou get a comfortable sight of Him heere in thy soule but also thou shalt see Him hereafter face to face by the contrarie if thou want Faith if thou haue it not in some measure thou shalt neuer get a sight of God to thy comfort for as the Apostle sayes Without holinessâ— no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 If thou be not holy thou shâ—lt never see Heaven so say I Without Faith thou shalt neuer sâ—e God if thou haue not Faith thou shalâ— neuer come to Heauen Mocke Faith and holinessâ— as ye please the Lord sh◠〈◊〉 â—sie this one day vvithout Faith holinesse the gates of Heauen shal be closed vpon thee thou shalt neuer get no portion of life nor glory Nowe vvhile the Disciples are comming to the Lord They are drawing the net with the fishes Compare this doing of theirs vvith the doing of Peter ye vvill see both doe vvell albeit the manner be diuerse Peter left the net all y e fishes behind swimmed out hastily speedily to meet y e Lord Iohn the rest drawing after them the net full of fishes come to y e Lord both doe vvell both their doings are commendable for zeale so caried Peter y t not only he cared not for y e net the fishes but also he hazarded his life that hee might come to y e Lord Iohn the rest of y e Disciples as they knew y e Lord Himselfe so they esteeme highly of that benefite vvhich the Lord powerfully louingly had bestowed vpoÌ„ them as a pledge of His fauour therfore they were not carelesse of the benefite they misregarded it not but they thought it meet to carrie it with them for His cause who had vouchsafed it on them so both y e one the other are worthy of praise hereof we may learne this lesson The actions of y e Children of God wherein they are exercised according to y e gift that y e Lord hath distributed to euery one albeit they be very farre different one from another yet they are all in some sort good worthy of their owne praise because euery one of them helpes another for as it is with the giftes faculties so it is with the actions operations proceeding from them Now the gifts faculties are diuerse yet all are for the well of the body euery one of them supplies the want of another yea euen y e meanest gifts helpe the greatest the gift of the foot helpes the gift of the hand and of the eye Euen so the actions and operations slowing from the gifts serue for the well and commoditie of the whole body euery one of them supplies the want and inlake that is in another the least may helpe the greatest in some thing that it wants Ye see a proofe of this heere in the actions doings of the Apostles Peter left the net the fishes and all behinde him that hee might corâ—e hastily vnto the Lord the thing that inâ—aâ—ed in him the rest supplied they bring the bâ—nefite with them the fishes that the Lord had sent them Again albeit that Iohn y e rest brought y â— fishes with them that y e Loâ—d gaue thâ—m as a pledge of â—is loue yet they were somewhat sloâ—e they â—aâ—eâ— not as Peter did to come to the â—ord now Petâ—r helpeâ— them in this waâ—â— for by hiâ— zeale and forwardnesse he stirred them vâ—â—â— prouoked them to a godly eâ—ulat on Wee must not incontinently despise and reject the particular actions of euery one of the children of God because they are not perfect in all respects for the Lord will not bestow all gifts at once to euery faithfull man but wee should consider all the actions of all the children of GOD gathered together as it were in a masse and one heape and so because euery one helpes and supplies the want of another to the well of the whole we shall finde a perfection Now when by ship drawing the net with the fishes after them they come to land What falles out What finde they They find a miraculous worke for it is said As soone then as they were come to land they saw hoat coales and fish laide thereon and bread Where euer they came they sawe miracles when they were on the Sea they found a miraculous multitude of fishes inclosed in the net when they come to the lande they found another miracle a fire and all furniture for their dinner extraordinarily prepared without the hand of man No question these things were done by the extraordinarie working and dispensation of GOD to the end that not only they might assuredly know that the Lord was risen againe but likewise that when they considered His marueilous and extraordinarie power they might be perswaded that He who rose from the dead was not only man but also God for
vsed it not 1. Cor. 7.31 That is When he is exercised in worldly things he hath not his heart fixed on the world for that is the right vsing of the world for that man that hath his heart fixed on the world when he is occupied in a worldly calling he abuses the world If euer in all thine actions thine heart bee glewed to the vvorlde and thine affections teddered to the earth if thou haue no pleasure to thinke of Heauen and heauenly thinges thou mayest take that for a sure token that as yet thou art not called to the participation of grace Nowe when Peter drawes the net with an hundreth fiftie and three great fishes in it the Euangelist markes that Albeit they were so many yet was not the nette broken No question as the taking of so many fishes the hote coales fish laide thereon with bread was effectuate as ye heard by the secret extraordinarie miraculous prouidence of God so was this also and all was to this end that the Disciples might see that the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily and that the Godhead which before the Passion was obscured and kept the selfe close did nowe vtter the selfe gloriously When Peter hath drawen the net vvith the fish to the land The Lord saide vnto them Come and dine In the former doings ye haue heard Hee vttered His Godhead now heere by His familiar and accustomed forme of doing He makes it manifest that Hee vvas man also Yee haue heard before that by the actions of eating and drinking He prooued that Hee was not a Spirit but a man Luke 24.39 And as Hee is carefull to enforme their mindes and by these actions to perswade them that He is both God and man so likewise He hath a care of their bodies and of the sustentation of this temporall life He knew that by their long painfull trauell they were both wearied and hungrie and had great need of refreshment the Lord had a care of this and Hee feedes them as it were with His owne hand so that at one time both their soules and their bodies are fedde by Him and this should be thy care that when thou findest that the Lord feedes thy body and hath a care of this temporall life that thou also striue to finde that the Lord feedes thy soule hath a care to bring thee vnto eternall life And indeede if thou receiuest these temporall benefites which serue for the sustentation of thy body with thankesgiuing and prayer thou wilt finde that when the Lord feedes thy body He feedes also thy soule Now the Euangelist markes by the way interrupting the Historie That none of the Disciples durst aske Him Who art thou seeing they knew that Hâ—e was the Lord. No question the Euangelists sets downe these wordes partly to let vs see what great reuerence they caried to the Lord while they sate at table with Him and partly to let vs see how full and sure perswasion they had that it was the Lord for he telles the cause why they durst not aske Him who He was because They knewe that He was the Lord and it had bene too great boldnesse and impudencie in them to haue asked that at the Lord which they knewe well enough and the Lord had reueiled Himselfe to them sufficiently before and now also By this behauiour of the Disciples wee may marke what is the nature of Faith and the force and effect of it in the regenerate man it is not vnreuerent but thinkes reuerently of the Lord whome it apprehends it is not impudent and shamelesse but humble and shamefast it is not immoderate it passes not measure but it is moderate and conteines the selfe within bounds and measure that is it is not euermore curiously seeking many and new reuelations but it is content with that measure that the Lord hath reueiled By the contrarie looke to the nature of infidelitie it is euer vnreuerent toward GOD impudent and immoderate it is neuer content with that measure of reuelations which the Lord hath giuen but it is euer curiously out of measure seeking new reuelations and what if it were for any good end what if it were to learne and grow better then it were somewhat more excusable but it is all to this ende that either it may tempt the Majestie of God or els to satisfie the immoderate and vnsatiable curiositie wee may see the example of these fruites of infidelitie in sundrie persons as in the Iewes who as Dauid sayes oft times tempted the Lord in the Wildernesse by their infidelitie but chiefly in the Scribes and Pharises they euer tempted the LORD for albeit both by His Word and doctrine and also by His diuine workes and miracles Hee had sufficiently reueiled Himselfe vnto them and albeit also they had beene conuicted in their conscience that Hee was the Messias yet notwithstanding of all this they continue still in tempting of Him and they say Master we desire to see a signe of thee Matth. Chapter 12. verse 38. But the LORD answered them An euill and adulierous generation seekes a signe but no signe shall be giuen to it but the signe of the Prophet Ionah The Papists this day are very like the Scribes and Pharises they cannot be content with that measure of reuelation which the LORD hath giuen vs in the Scriptures and namely in the Newe Testament wherein the Mysterie of CHRIST and the doctrine of Saluation is fully and clearly set downe a clearer reuelation than is there set downe shall we neuer finde vntill the LORD come in the cloudes to judge the world they cannot be content with all the Miracles which wee reade wrought in the Olde and Newe Testaments by the Prophets by the Lord Himselfe and the Apostles but they are euer seeking for new and extraordinarie reuelations they are seeking vnwritten verities which may be calâ—ed vanities they are euer seeking newe miracles and such other toyes and dreames they can neuer bee content But wee may answere them as the LORD answered the Pharises They shall get no moe signes nor reuelations than they haue gotten alreadie they are too bold and impudent after that the LORD hath sufficiently reueiled Himselfe to sâ—eke for new reuelations This their doing testifies sufficiently that they haue no Faith for faith is reuerent shamefast and moderate keeping the selfe within the bounds of Gods reueiled will but by the contrarie it beares witnesse of their infidelitie for this impudencie and immoderate seeking of newe miracles and reuelations are fruites of infidelitie But a question may bee mooued vpon these wordes When hee sayes And none of the Disciples durst aske Him Who art thou seeing they knew that Hee was the LORD Is it vnlawfull for vs to seeke increase and growth of knowledge Yea are we not commanded to seeke it dayly Sayes not the LORD Seeke and ye shall finde aske and it shall bee giuen you knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you Luke Chapter 11. verse 9. Yea is
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
asked here Seeing the Lord recommends vnto Peter only His chosen to bee fed instructed by him should th'Apostles haue care of any other to feed and instruct except of th'Elect onelie Let it bee that these Elect at the first hand bee like wolues and tygers yet the care of them onelie in this place is recommended vnto Peter and the rest by the Lorde I answere Albeit the Lorde recommende chiefelie the care of th'Elect yet He excludes not the reprobate for it is the Lordes vvill that foode should bee offered to them also for the Pastor cannot know who are Elect or Reprobate therfore it is his duety to compt all to be elected to feed all he must not be rash in judgemeÌ„t No man should be so bold as to presume to giue out sentence who are chosen or who are reprobate for the LORD knoweth who are His 2. Timoth. 2.19 Therefore let him stay vntill the Lord discerne who are elect let the Pastor count all to be Lambes and endeauoure to feede all yet his labours shall only be fruitfull in the Elect for there is neuer one that is not chosen that shall bee tamed by the word all the preachings in the world will not tame a reprobate but he shall euer be a Wolfe indeede a reprobate may for a season take on a sheepe skinne that is hee may play the hyprocrite and may seeme outwardly to some to be godly but truely and in effect he will neuer haue true Faith nor godlinesse Now last this would not be passed by that the Lord bids Peter feed His not another mans sheepe but His owne sheepe that is them whome He hath redeemed and ransomed with His owne blood This word containes an argument wherefore the sheepe should be fed to wit because they are the Lords ransomed with His owne blood And more than that this vvord admonishes the Pastor that hee count not the slocke to be his owne but the Lords and that hee feede it not to himselfe to vse the slocke for his owne gaine and aduantage Iohn Baptist sayes Hee that hath the bride is the bridegroome but the friend of the bridegroome reioyces greatly because of the bridegroomes voyce Ioh. 3.29 By these words Iohn signifies that he wooed not the Church to himselfe but to the Lord who is the bridegroome And Paul sayes to the Coâ—inthians I am iealous ouer you with godly iealousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgine to Christ 2. Cor. 11.2 For it is the most abhominable and detestable sacriledge that can bee to spoyle Christ the bridegroome of the Church His bride to take from Him His flocke which Hee hath redeemed with such a precious and glorious ransome euen the blood of God Acts 20.28 Seeing then that the Lord hath committed to Pastors the Church which is His owne Spouse and His Flocke which He hath redeemed with no lesse price than His own blood the LORD giue Pastours grace to be carefull in feeding of them with that food of life furnished vnto them by the LORD Iesâ—s To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee all praise and honour for euer AMEN THE LI. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IOHN CHAP. XXI verse 18 Verely verely I say vnto thee When thou wast yong thou girdedst thy selfe and walkest whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch out thine hands and another shall gird thee and leade thee whither thou wouldest not verse 19 And this spake Hee signifying by what death hee should glorifie God And when He had said thus He said to him Follow Me. THE last day beloued Brethren we heard how the Lord in this third appearing vnto His Disciples after His Resurrection when He dined with them fedde them and giuing them meat out of His owne hande hee entered in conference with Peter especially the ende of the conference Hee had with Peter was to restore Peter to that dignitie of the Apostleship from which hâ—e had fallen and whereof hee had made himselfe vnworthie through his apostasie and threefolde deniall of his Lord and Master Hee askes him one thing thrise Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou Me Peter answeres and giues a threefold confession Lord thou knowest that I loue thee The LORD answeres againe and giues a threefold absolution and pronounces the sentence of his restoring againe three times Fâ—â—de then sayes the Lord My Lambes feede My sheepe This Hee does to confirme him the better in his restoring for when a man hath made a foule defection froÌ„ God his heart is not easily perswaded of grace againe it will not be at one or two sentences it will not be a promise at one time that will giue him an assurance of the fauour of God againe therefore to giue Peter the greater assurance of grace Hee triples ouer the sentence and giues him three times that commission to feede His lambes and sheepe The last day Brethren as the Lord gaue the grace we opened the meaning of these words and last of these words My Lambes my sheepe now only thus farre I adde for your consolation ye see all this loue that Peter confesses toward the Lord Himselfe Hee turnes it ouer vpon His Lambes His Sheepe and flocke in a word vpon His Church Marke it The Pastor or Minister will no sooner professe loue to his Lord that placed him in that roome but as soone the Lord will send him to the flocke people if thou loue me the Lord will say loue my people the Lord will place His people in His own roome looke what loue any will beare to Him He will haue it declared and vttered to His Saints more He does it three times so oft as Peter professes loue so oft He sends him to y e people look how oft the Pastor professes loue to Christ as oft He will send him to y e people if he say I loue thee then He will answere feede my Lambes if He will say a thousand times He wil answere feede my flocke manifest it vpon them that carie mine Image This shewes the wonderfull loue that God beares to His Elect He will haue all that dutie that is due to Him to be translated vpon His Church so that whosoeuer doe not their dutie to y e Church I â—ffirme I say professe as they will they haue no loue to Christ thou mayest stand vp and bable vaunt of thy loue to Christ but I say there is no such loue in thine heart as thou professest with thy mouth If thou sâ—yest thou louest God doest not thy dutie to man thou art a lyar 1. Joh. 4.18 To goe forward to this Text When He hath restored him to the office of Apostleship which by his deniall justly he had lost Hee giues him the office with a knot as we speak He forewarnes him in the entrie that hee shall get no rest in it and when he hath done all what shall be his
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
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
Apostles which sets out vnto vs the glorious Majestie of God and His properties His power His mercie His Iustice His wisdome c. is by infinite degrees inferior to the Majestie which it describes vnto vs that the Spirit of God paintes Him not throughly fully in His essence nature and in His owne perfection as He is No but in painting Him out Hee attempers His stile to our infirmitie weaknesse that we may vnderstand beleeue for there can be no words so high so sublime so glorious inuented or deuised by any that can bee sufficient to expresse that Majestie which is incōprehensible infinite Alwayes seeing the Holy Spirit hath set down so much in the Scripture concerning that glorious incomprehensible Majestie of God His worship as is sufficient for our Saluation let vs therewith be content and not curiously seeke for any more and while we read or heare the Scriptures let vs earnestly craue at God that He would worke faith in our soules that we may beleeue that Iesus is that Christ the Sonne of God that in beleeuing we may haue life Saluation through Him To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory for euermore AMEN THE LIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 16 Then the eleuen disciples went into Galile into a mountaine where Jesus had appointed them verse 17 And when they sawe Him they worshipped Him but some doubted verse 18 And Jesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is giuen vnto Me in heauen and in earth verse 19 Goe therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 15 And Hee saide vnto them Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospell to euery creature WELBELOVED Brethren these dayes bypast we followed out the Historie of the Resurrection of the Lord and of His manifolde appearings vnto sundrie but especially vnto His Disciples as they are set down by the Euangelist John who insists more largely in describing His appearings to His Disciples than any of y e rest as God gaue the grace the last day wee ended his Gospell spake last of the conclusion thereof now it rests that we follow out so much as remaines of the Historie of the resurrectiō as it is set down by y e rest of y e Euangelists for Iohn wrote his Euāgel after all y e rest omitted purposely such things as were written by y e rest willing vs to addresse our selues to y e rest of y e Euangelists that there we might read follow out y e rest of y e Historie of CHRIST vvhich hee left off And so vvee are this day to enter into the description of another appearing of CHRIST after His Resurrection as it is set downe by Matthew Marke This appearing of the Lord seemes to be the ninth in number for the first was to Marie Magdalene The second to other women The thirde to two disciples as they wēt to Emmaus The fourth was to Simō Peter The fift to Iames Then three seuerall times Hee appeared to His disciples being gathered together as ye heard out of Iohn So this is y e ninth appearing wherin it is likely that He shewes Himselfe not only to the eleuen disciples being met together but also to a great number of brethren being together with them For this seemes to be y t appearing wherof th'Apostle Paul makes mention 1. Cor. 15 6. where he says Hee was seene of more than fiue hundreth brethren at once In this appearing there are sundry thinges to bee considered As the circumstances of time and place the disciples worshipping of Him when they sawe Him the doubting of some of them His communicatiō with the disciples sending them out with a commission to preach to all Nations Appearantly this is that meeting which the Lord in His appearing to the women enjoyned to the Apostles for by the women Hee gaue th'Apostles a direction to meete Him in Galilie Matth. chap. 28. vers 10. According to this direction it is said The eleuen disciples went into Galilie vnto a Mountaine where Iesus had appointed them So the place vvas in that Mountaine of Galilie wherein the Lord had appointed them to meete The time is not particularly mentioned yet it is likelie that as the Lord gaue a direction concerning the place so did Hee also concerning the time of their meeting Then this whole meeting the time the place and all is according to the direction and appointment of the Lord. Now as they keep this meeting vpō hope to see the Lord according to His promise so they are not disappointed of their hope The Lord is as good as His promise He shewes Himselfe present vnto thē Marke the lesson The Lord who has appointed ordained y e meetings assemblies of His owne has promised to be amongst them when they are gathered together He disappoints thē not of His promise but shewes Himselfe to be present with thē This y e disciples foūd by experience whē they met together by His appointment y e Lord shewes Himselfe present vnto thē This same haue al y e godly foūd in al ages y e faithful find it this day in their meetings for albeit He shew not Himselfe present after a bodilie manner as here He did to His disciples yet He is present yea no lesse present with His owne now than He was then but He is now present after a spirituall manner and the faithfull find His presence to be no lesse powerfull effectuall now than it was then for frō whence comes this vnspeakeable joy comfort and peace of conscience which the faithfull find in their meetings but from the presence of Iesus for except the Lord Iesus were present in our soules by His Spirite it were not possible that wee could finde such a powerfull working and such sweete motions and alterations in them Vaine and foolish men who are touched with no sense of sin disdaines scornes the meetings of the Saincts they thinke them all to be but fectlesse for y e feshiō they think they feed vpō fantasies But y e faithful find by experience that the presence of Christ in their meetinges is so powerfull comfortable as no tongue can vtter nor the heart of man is able to conceiue And thou y t contemnest and scornest these meetings thou shalt find one day by sorrowful experiēce of how great comforts thou hast depriued thy selfe And if thy conscience were once wakened with the sense of sinne thou wouldest finde that there were no joy nor comfort to thy soule but by these meetings Then thou wouldest haue greater pleasure to frequēt these meetings thā euer thou hadst to eat or drink when thou werest hungry and drie Now when y e Lord appeares to them what doe they what is their behauiour It is saide When
they saw Him they worshipped Him What made them to fall downe and worship Him What sawe they into Him No question they sawe in Him a glorious Majestie By all appearance at this time He has shewed himselfe in greater glory than Hee did of before So beholding His glorie on the one part and their owne vnworthinesse on the other as Hee approaches vnto them they humblie fall downne and worship Him This their behauiour teaches vs that wheresoeuer the Lord of Glorie is present there He should be worshipped and adored His presence requires adoration Seest thou the Lord present with thee Then in humilitie fall downe and worshippe Him But thou wilt saye I cannot see Him how then can I adore Him Th'Apostles saw His glorious presence with their eyes therefore they ought to haue worshipped Him but as for vs who liue in these dayes after His ascension to Heauen we see Him not and therefore how can wee worship Him But I answere thee It is true thou seest Him not nowe vvith the eyes of thy bodie but thou seest Him with the eyes of thy soule thou seest Him with the eyes of faith thou seest Him in the vvorde and Sacraments first crucified and then glorified And if thou wilt not worship Him when thou seest Him here present in the worde and Sacraments thou wouldest not haue worshipped Him if thou haddest seene Him with the eyes of thy body face to face These profane bodies vvho vvill not vvorship Him nowe vvhen they see Him present in the mirrour of the Gospell they vvill neuer gette leaue to worship Him in the Kingdome of Heauen Thinkest thou not that the Lord is seene present in His word What meanes Paul then vvhen he sayes that an vnlearned man comming into the meetinges of the faithfull where manie are prophecying finding himselfe rebuked and judged of all and the secrets of his heart made manâ—fest that hee will fall downe on his face and worshippe GOD and saye plainlie That GOD is among them indeede 1. Corinth Chap. 14. vers 24. and 25. What sees the vnlearned man among them that makes him to fall down and giue such a confession No question but the glorious light of the GOSPELL shines into his soule and Christ offers Himselfe present to bee seene by the eye of faith The faithfull this daye by experience finde in their meetings this same presence of the Lord And therefore it becomes vs in all our meetinges euer to vvorshippe the Lord and to sit vvith feare and reuerence to heare the worde and to prepare our heartes to receiue the Holie Spirite whome the Lord promises and offers with the preaching of the worde to all His Chosen Againe this their behauiour teaches vs what force and power there is in the glorious presence of Christ Iesus His presence is powerfull to humble and bowe both the bodie and soule of the creature This made Paul to saye that at the Name of IESVS euerie knee should bowe both of thinges in Heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth Philipp chap. 2. vers 20. For that sublimitie and highnesse vvhereunto the Father hath exalted Him is so effectuall and powerfull in all creatures and of all sortes that either sweetlie willinglie it mooues them to worship Him in all humilitie or else it breakes bruises them with fearcenesse and violence and compels out perforce obedience of them The sight and sense of this sublimitie and highnesse makes the blessed Angels in Heauen in all reuerence to worshippe Him The sense of this sublimitie makes the Sainctes on earth when either they speake or heare of Him reuerentlie and in humilitie to bow both their bodies and their soules vnto Him And by the contrarie The sight and sense of this same sublimitie raises vp in the Deuill and his angelles such horroures and dread as cannot bee expressed The sense of this sublimitie makes the wicked howe proude and jollie soeuer they bee in their owne conceite oft times when they heare of Him to quake and tremble The Euangelist Matthew notes That notwithstanding of their worshipping of Him yet some of them doubted But who were these that doubted Euen some of these who before worshipped Him And what mooued them to doubt Apparantly that same that before moued them to worship Him moues them also now to doubt to wit that extraordinary vnaccustomed majesty and glory wherein Iesus appeared to them which scarcely they could haue deemed to bee so great wonderfull And certainly the glory of the Lord sitting this day in the HeaueÌ„s at the right hand of the Father is so exceeding great woÌ„derfull that if it were permitted to vs to behold it as it is with our bodily eyes such is y e corruption of our nature we could not but doubt whether He were y e Christ who vvas so far humbled abased in y e earth of whom we heard before in y e Gospel Beside this cause y e difficulty to belieue this article of the ResurrectioÌ„ of y e dead seemes likewise to haue furthered their doubting for indeed amoÌ„g al y e articles of our belief there is none more coÌ„trary to nature nor harder to belieue thaÌ„ this article of y e ResurrectioÌ„ of our bodies froÌ„ y e dead Nature can neuer be perswaded y t a dead body y t has bin a prey to worms is resolued in dust ashes can rise vp againe to life But as of all articles there is none harder to be belieued so there is none more necessary to saluatioÌ„ nor none that brings greater consolation And therefore the Lord that vve might haue the more full assurance and perswasion thereof tooke great paines vpon Himselfe and for the space of fourtie dayes Hee remained vpon the earth after His Resurrection and sundry times shewed Himselfe to His Disciples and manie other of the Faithfull that all occasion of doubting might bee remooued and so their joye and comfort might bee the greater Nowe this doubting of the Disciples lets vs see vvhat is the disposition of the heartes of the Godlie euen in their best exercises For euen their best exercises are euer accompanied vvith a piece of doubting of vvant of infirmitie c. their vvorshipping of GOD is vvith doubting their prayer is vvith infirmitie and vvauering of the minde their meditation falles from GOD and spirituall things to carnall and earthly things their hearing of the word is euer with some piece of loathing their Faith is mixed with infidelitie so that before they can come to any great measure of grace they must striue and wrestle through many infirmities and ouercome many difficulties and tentations so that the best man euen in his best workes hath no matter of rejoycing if the Lord would enter in judgement with him Yee haue heard the disciples behauiour now look how the Lord meetes them First He drawes nearer to them and then He enters in communing with them for it is said Iesus came and spake vnto them He
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
As He blessed them He departed froÌ„ them He went alitle froÌ„ them Next He was taken vp Tdirdly He was receiued in a cloud Fourthly being receiued in y t cloud His Apostles beholding Him the cloud toâ—ke Him out of their sight Fiftly being taken out of their sight by the cloud He was caried vp into heauen If we weigh coÌ„sider wel all these circumstaÌ„ces we wil see that th'AscensioÌ„ of our Lord was not only exceeding glorious but also very sensible visible for while He stood in the mids of them He depaâ—ted separated Himselfe a space from them to the end that they all might the better see Him ascending thereafter He was taken vp piece piece degree by degree so that sensibly piece piece they might haue followed Him with their eyes then as they are thus beholding a cloude interueenes takes Him out of their sight After this they see His person no more but they see y t cloud wherein He was receiued to be caried vp into heaueÌ„ al these circumstaÌ„ces were very sensiible for now He goes not froÌ„ them on a suddainty He conueyes not Himselfe out of their sight in a momeÌ„t as He did w t the two Disciples w t whom He sate at table in Emmaus no question the Lord of set purpose would haue His AscensioÌ„ to be so sensible to the end y t the disciples who saw it the whole form of it so clearly might haue a setled assuraÌ„ce ful perswasion in their hearts to the end y t w t the greater euidency liberty freedom they might preach proclaime it to the world for the ful perswasion of the heart made theÌ„ bold confideÌ„t in preaching as Paul saies Seeing we haue such trust we vse great boldnes of speech y t so y e world hearing theÌ„ speak w t such euidency freedome boldnes of the Lords AsceÌ„sion seeing theÌ„ paint out so vinely sensibly the whole forme processe y t therein was vsed might without any doubt fully beleeue y t the Lord was ascended to heaueÌ„ so the Lord had a regard respect vnto His Kirk in all the faithful y t shuld liue in th'ages to come yea euen of vs who liue this day wheÌ„ so sensibly visibly in the preseÌ„ce of His Apostles He asceÌ„ded into heaueÌ„ The Lord made not His Apostles eye witnesses of His Ascension so much for their own cause as for the Kirkes cause which by their Ministery was to be gathered together to be broght to th' obedience of Iesus so when y u coÌ„siderâ—st y t sensible forme progresse y t the Lord vsed in His Ascension for thy cause it is thy duty to praise glorifie His Majesty for it Now after the Lord is caried vp to heauen what followes was there no higher degree of glory Yes for Marke sayes After He was receiued into heauen He sate at the right hand of God After He had past throgh al the visible HeaueÌ„s He was set at the right hand of His Father in the highest Heauens farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euery name that is named not in this world only but also in that which is to come so that all things were made subiect vnder His feete Ephes 1.20 21. this the Father had spoken of Him before when He said Sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Psal 110.1 To sit at the right hand of God is to obtaine y t highest degree of glory in the heauens as Mediator to haue equal power glory w t the Father to haue power ouer all creatures to doe w t them as He pleases to haue all things vnder His feete to be declared to be y e head of y e Kirk that person by whoÌ„ the Father immediatly guides gouernes all things for as He is y e Sonne of God equall with y e Father He was glorified with that glory which Hee had with the Father before the foundations of the world were laid according as He prayed before His Passion Joh. 17.5 as He is man He is exalted aboue euery creature in such sort that by y e hand of Christ the man God gouernes all things in heauen in earth so we see that y e Lord by degrees passed froÌ„ glory to glory now He is in such incomprehensiblâ— glory as this mortal eye of man caÌ„not be able to pierce into Indeed the disciples saw His glorious AscensioÌ„ but they could not be able to see that highnes sublimity of glory whereunto He was exalted wheÌ„ He sate at the right hand of y e Father SteueÌ„ saw the heaueÌ„ opened the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.55 but how sober meane a portioÌ„ of His glory was y t which He saw in respâ—ct of y e fulnes of glory y t He had theÌ„ in y e heaueÌ„s but albeit we be not able w t our bodily eyes to pierce behold y e greatnes of y t glory whereinto He is exalted yet this is our coÌ„fort y t we find sensibly by experience in our own soules y t Iesus is sitting in his Kingdome w t exceeding glory power by these comfortable effects motions y t He workes within vs. Th'Apostles albeit they saw Him not sitting at y e right hand of God in glory yet in y t same momeÌ„t y t He sate down in His throne of glory they found in their own hearts his kingly power that dominioÌ„ y t He hath ouer al creatures for what meaned y t exceeding joy y t they had after that He was taken out of their sight wheÌ„ they were returning to Jerusalem eueÌ„ this that Christ was entred in His kingdome that His kingdome power was effectuall into their soules what meanes these spiritual motions which are raised vp in the hearts of the godly this sadnes for sinne this vnspeakable joy this peace traÌ„quillity of coÌ„science this loue to God desire to see Him euen this y t the Lord Iesus is come into His Kingdome is now reigning in y e heaueÌ„s y t He hath established this Kingdome in our soules For the Kingdome of God sayes Paul is righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 therefore wheÌ„ y u findest any spiritual motioÌ„ in thy soule take it for a sure argument of Christs sitting at the right hand of God in His kingdome Now hauing spokeÌ„ of Christs Ascension let vs see what was the Apostles behauiour wheÌ„ they saw the Lord thus asceÌ„d whâ—t did they It is said that they worshipped Him next that they looked stedfastly toward heauen what moued theÌ„ to worship Him no question the sight of a wonderfull glory Majestie in Iesus because at this time they saw Him in an higher glory majesty than euer they did before therfore of necessity their worshipping of Him at this time
behoued to be in a greater humility w t greater reuereÌ„ce w t greater feruency thaÌ„ euer it was before Indeed they worshipped Him before knowing Him to be the Messias but their knowledge was but very mean sober but now they see know perfectly that He is the Lord of glory the glorious judge of the world therefore the worshipping of Him at this time behoued to be in greater reuereÌ„ce with greater perswasion boldnes than euer it was before The sight of that glorious majesty makes euer the creature in reuereÌ„ce to worship God the greater sight the greater reuerence The faithfull while they liue here in th' earth because by th' eye of faith in the mirrour of the Gospel they see the glory of the Lord therfore in humility they worship His majesty but because they see Him not clearly as He is but darkly and obscurely therfore their worshipping here is not like that worshipping y t shal be when they shal see Him face to face for when we shal see him as he is we shal worship Him with greater reuerence confideÌ„ce boldnes liberty than euer we did before for then vve shall be made like vnto Him that is vve shall bee made conformable to the image of His glory and vve shall shake off all this mortality corruption vvherewith th'Apostles vvere clad at this time vvheÌ„ they worshipped Him ascending to HeaueÌ„ So that that vvorshipping adoring of the Lord which the faithful shal giue Him in that great day wheÌ„ He desceÌ„ds from the HeaueÌ„s to judge the world shall surpasse exceedingly by many degrees that worship which the Apostleâ— gaue Him wheÌ„ they saw Him asceÌ„d into HeaueÌ„ for theÌ„ there shal be nothing to hinder them Now in the meane time while the Lord is ascending to Heauen as they worship Him so likewise they followe Him vvith their eyes and looked stedfastly toward heauen vvhere they saw Him ascending vvhich testifies plainly that their hearts were lifted vp to the Heauens together vvith Christ as Christ ascended so their hearts ascended vvere lifted vp to Heauen by the power veâ—tue of that same Ascention glorie of Christ in vvhome they beleeued for they that beleeue in Christ and are conjoyned to Him by faith of necessity must by that bâ—nd of faith be lifted vp together vvith Him to the Heauens for that soule that is linked to Him by faith caÌ„not be seuered from Him but it must follow Him vvhersoeuer He goes Mark this lesson wheÌ„ y e heart is lifted vp to Heauen it vvill lift y e eye of y e bodie to Heauen also y e sight sense of y e Ascension of Christ liftes vp the heart to Heauen for where there is in y e heart a sense feeling of y e power of Christs AscensioÌ„ of necessity both the soule th' eyes of the body must be lifted vp to Heauen And this lifting vp of th' eyes of the body proceeding froÌ„ the lifting vp of y e heart to Heauen this lifting vp of y e heart proceeding froÌ„ y e feeling of y e power of th'AsceÌ„sioÌ„ of Iesus which now y e faithfull find is a sure argumeÌ„t vndoubted warraÌ„â— to y e faithful y t one day th' eye y e heart y e soule y e body yea y e whole man shal be lifted vp to heaueÌ„ both soule body in y t great day wheÌ„ y e Lord appeares to judgemeÌ„t shal enjoy His glorious preseÌ„ce therfore y e godly haue great cause continually to be waiting looking for y t glorious apppearing of Christ happy art thou who art euer waiting for it for at y t glorious appearing thou shâ—lt be partaker of glory w t him to whoÌ„ with y e Father H. Spirit be all praise honor glory Amen THE LVI LECTVRE OF THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 20 And they went foorth and preached euerie where And the Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed Amen LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 52 And they Worshipped him returned to HierusaleÌ„ with great ioye verse 53 And were continuallie in the Temple praising and lauding GOD Amen ACTS CHAP. I. verse 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heauen as hee went beholde two men stood by them in white apparell verse 11 Which also said Yee men of Galile why stand yee gazing into heauen This Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen verse 12 Then returned they vnto Hierusalem from the mount that is called the mount of Oliues which is neare to Hierusalem beeing from it a Sabbath dayes journey verse 13 And when they were come in they went vp into an vpper chamber where abode both Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartlemew and Matthew James the sonne of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes and Iudas Iames brother verse 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplications with the women and Marie the mother of Iesus and with his brethren THE last day welbeloued BrethreÌ„ in Christ we entred into the history of Christs ascension to heauen We heard of the circuÌ„staÌ„ces of it The Lord led them out to Bethania to the mount of Oliues from the which place He asceÌ„ded vnto heaueÌ„ we heard of the coÌ„muning y t was betwixt Christ his disciples who asked of him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Jsrael The Lord reproues this their curiosity It is not for you to know the times the seasons which the Father has put in his owne power And then he tels what they ought to doe First they shuld be mindfull of the promise of y e H. Spirit Next they shuld look to their own calling to beare witnesse of him to the world Wee heard how before his Ascension he blessed them we heard of the manner of his Ascension it was very sensible and visible He went a little space from them and was taken vp and receiued in a cloude hee was taken out of their sight and carried vp to heauen This was done the â—oth th'Apostle themselues might be perswaded and also with greater boldnesse assurance perswade others of His Ascension We heard that wheÌ„ He was taken out of their sight He was placed at the right hand of God and exalted to that sublimitie of glory that all the creatures in heauen and earth are subdued to him And last wee hearde what was the behauiour of th'Apostles In the meane time they worshipped him and looked stedfastly to â—he heauens This day by Gods grace wee shall follow out put an end to this history In the words which wee haue read we wil sâ—e what falles out While the disciples are looking vp to the heauens two Angels are sent to them by Christ who partly reproues them and partlie comforts them We will see likewise what the disciples doe after this They
retuâ—ne to Hierusalem with great joy when they come there they goe vp to an vpper chamber but they stay not there but they goe to the Temple remain there continually praising lauding God and last they went out preached the Gospel euery where and the Lord gaue them a good successe for He wrought with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed Luke in th' Acts telles vs that while they looked stedfastly toward heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparell As they were worshipping Him the Lord sent incontinent from His Heauenlie Throne Legates Ambassadours And who were they eueÌ„ Angels two in number and in forme outward shape like to men therefore they are said to be two men and were clothed in white and glorious apparell Marke the lesson in a word Christ sits no sooneâ— down at the right hand of the Father but He makes His disciples whom Hee left in the earth behind Him not only to know y t He had a kingly power whereby He commands the very Angels themselues but also to know that singular care affection that Hee caried to them which He testifies by sending these Angels from heauen for their cause for their consolation This kingly power of Christ this care that He hath of His own continues eueÌ„ this day in the Kirk euery of y e faithful find the proofe experience of it to their great joy comfort Now let vs see what these Angels say to y e Apostles in their speech to them First they reprooue then they comfort them first they said Ye men of Galile why stand ye gazing vnto Heauen they reprooue them because they stood idly gazing looking to the heaueÌ„ whereas the Lord had coÌ„manded them to returne to Jerusalem that there they might wait for the Spirit that was promised them that hauing gotten the Spirit they might goe out to the world preach the Gospâ—l to euery creature as the Lord had commanded them This reproofe of th'Angels imports that they contented themselues too much w t idle looking gâ—â—ing that they were too vnmindfull of that great high calling whereunto the Lord had ordained them Of this reproofe we learn this lessoÌ„ it is not the Lords wil that any maÌ„ should be idle in the world nor that he content himselfe w t a bare idle contemplatioÌ„ of y e creatures of God No not of y e best of them it is not the Lords will y t we stand idly gazing vpon the very heauens whereunto the Lord hath ascended now is in glory No it is His will that all men all their dayes be painfully exercised in some calling wherein they may both glorifie God doe good vnto men Indeed it is true it is the Lords wil that men should alwaies haue their affectioÌ„s set aboue their hearts lifted vp to heaueÌ„ that they haue their eyes set vpon God vpon Christ vpon that glory which is to be reuealed but in the meane time while men are thus exercised they should be exercised likewise in some honest lawful calling Th' Apostle Paul by his practise lets vs see what should be the behauiour of a Christian While hee looked not to the things that are seene but to the things that are not seene 2. Cor. 4.18 While he choosed to remoue out of the body to go dwell with Christ 2. Cor. 5.8 While he minded not earthly things but had his conuersation in heauen from whence he looked for his Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Philip. 3.20 contented hee himselfe thinke ye with this speculation Was he in the meane time idle had he not another calling Yes hee was very diligently exercised in the Ministry For sayes he we couet that both dwelling at home remoouing from home we may be acceptable to Him for we must all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill therefore knowing that terrour of the Lord we perswade men bring them vnto the faith 2. Cor. 5.9 10 11. So Paul wheÌ„ he was looking to heauenly things he was in the meane time diligeÌ„tly exercised in his Apostleship in bringing men to Christ eueÌ„ so it becomes euery faithfull man so to haue his heart his affections set vpoÌ„ heauen heauenly things y t in y e same meane time in some honest lawful calling he may be doing some good in y â— earth on the other part wheÌ„ he is busie labouring exercised in his calling he shuld haue his eyes lifted vp to God should haue his heart his affections conuersatioÌ„ in y e heauens for except that in all things which we do we haue y e Lord His glory before our eyes it is not possible y t we can do any thing well vprightly Then in a word ye see here y e Lord by these Angels coÌ„demnes idle speculatioÌ„ coÌ„templatioÌ„ without any exercise in any lawfull calling This serues to coÌ„demne these idle bellies y e Monks of y e Romane Kirk who coÌ„tent theÌ„selues w t bare idle speculatioÌ„ hauing no regard in y e meane time y t they may be exercised in any lawful calling wherin they may either glorify God or do good to meÌ„ yea they are so far froÌ„ doing good y t by y e coÌ„trary they hurt y e Kirk of God exceedingly by bringing in their dreames faÌ„tasies y t they haue deuised in their idle braines to corrupt peruert mens minds y e Lord neuer allowed nor blessed such a life y e Lord abhors such idlenes if y e Angels reproue y e Apostles for gazing to heaueÌ„ where they saw w t their eyes y e Lord Iesus to ascend which by appearaÌ„ce to maÌ„s judgment was a very good exercise to haue their hearts fixed on Christ their eyes vpoÌ„ y e place whither He ascended what wold y e Angels say to these idle belly gods who withdraw theÌ„selues froÌ„ all honest callings liue vpoÌ„ y e sweat of other meÌ„s browes vnder y e preteÌ„ce of spiritual exercise now after y e Angels haue reprooued y e Apostles next in y e 2. part of their speech they raise theÌ„ vp coÌ„forts theÌ„ while they say This Iesus which is taken vp froÌ„ you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene Him goe into heauen They comfort them by putting them in hope that Hee shal returne yea returne in glorie and such a glorie as they saw Him ascend vvith and so vpon hope of His glorious returning in that great daye they wil th'Apostles to comfort themselues against all trouble distresses that they might be subject vnto y e time of their remaining in y e earth Whereupon we may perceiue what is the ground whereupon the solide consolation of a Christian soule arises It arises euen
from the hope of the glorious returning of the Lord Iesus againe to Iudge the world There is nothing that furnishes such joy to the faithfull soule as this hope does Indeed it is true the Lord giues vs other grounds of consolation while we are heere namely He giues vs His Spirit to counsel guide vs through al the difficulties of our pilgrimage the joy that the faithfull finde in His presence is very great He giues vs Faith also to coÌ„fort vs whereby in some measure presently we feele the presence of Christ His spirituall graces in our soules but except with y e Spirit Faith we had a hope y t the Lord Iesus should returne againe in His own time in glory we could not haue solide joy consolatioÌ„ for if in this life only we hoped in Christ had no hope y t He would returne againe in glory raise our mortall bodies froÌ„ y e dead theÌ„ as y e Apostle saies of all men we were most miserable 1. Cor. 15.19 why shuld not y e hope of this returning coÌ„fort our soules make them to rejoyce for at His returning we look hope for y e glorifying of these our bodies for eternall life Paul sayes That froÌ„ the heauens we look for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto His glorious body Philip. 3.20.21 And when it shal be made manifest we shal be made like Him for we shall see Him as He is 1 Joh. 3.2 Yea we haue greater cause of joy comfort of the hope of His returning againe thaÌ„ all y e Apostles had of y e sight of His ascending to heauen in their preseÌ„ce for y e ascension of y e Lord albeit it was very glorious coÌ„fortable to theÌ„ yet it chaÌ„ged not their bodies nor made theÌ„ like His glorious body but His glorious returning again froÌ„ the heauens shall change both their bodies our vile corruptible bodies and make them conformable to His glorious body Now happie is y e man who earnestly lookes waits for the blessed glorious coÌ„ming againe of the Lord to judgement for y t hope shall comfort vphold him in all his troubles distresses Now come to y t disciples part we haue suÌ„dry things expressed what they doe y e first is after y e Angels reproued them for their standing gazing to y e heauens it is said They returned to Jerusalem with great ioy They take well with the reproofe they stay no longer gazing there but according to y e Lords directioÌ„ they go to Jerusalem to waite for y t Spirit which He promised to them they obey y e Lords coÌ„mandemeÌ„t they obey with great joy But what made them so to rejoyce This joy proceeded partly from y e sight of His glorious ascensioÌ„ into heaueÌ„ which they saw with their eyes partly froÌ„ y t which they heard by y e Angels of His glorious returning descending again out of y e heauens yet all this which both they saw heard would not haue wroght so great a joy in theÌ„ except y e Lord Iesus who was sitting in y e heauens at y e right hand of y e Father had bin effectuall in them had powerfully wroght this joy in their soules for this joy that y e holy Spirit works in y e hearts of y e Lords Elect is a sure argumeÌ„t infallible demoÌ„stratioÌ„ y t y e Lord Iesus is reigning in y e heaueÌ„s for the Kingdome of God is righteousnes ioy peace in the holy Ghâ—st Rom. 14.17 Now if ye will coÌ„pare this joy which at this time they had with all the joy y t euer they had before yea euen when y e Lord Iesus was walking with them in the flesh they enjoyed His bodily presence ye shal find y t this joy surpassed by many degrees all their preceeding joy whereby we may learne this lesson that neither y e bodily presence of y e Lord Iesus augments or perfectes y e joy of y e soule neither His bodily abseÌ„ce stayes or hinders any wise y t joy but y t all this joy which y e faithfull find proceedes from the effectual preseÌ„ce powerful operatioÌ„ of y e holy Spirit in the soule The grosse carnal Papists think they caÌ„not haue mater of rejoycing except in y e Lords Supper they haue y e body of Christ bodily locally present that is except y t with y e mouth of the body they eat deuoure swallow vp the very body flesh of Iesus Christ except that after that same manner they drinke His blood but vaine Papist thou deceiuest thy selfe for neither does the bodily presence furnish joy neither does the bodily abseÌ„ce hinder joy but all true joy that the soule finds proceedes from the effectuall presence operatioÌ„ of the Spirit Yet to speak something further of this purpose It would be narrowly considered what could be the cause ground of this joy of the Disciples for if we looke to it by the outward appearance they had litle matter or cause of rejoycing at this time when the Lord is gone froÌ„ them Indeede when the Lord Iesus was with them when He led them out into Bethania any man might thinke they had matter of rejoycing to follow such a gracious guide but now when He hath left the earth ascended to heauen left them behind Him what matter could they haue of so great joy in their returning to Jerusalem I answere notwithstanding they wanted now the bodily presence of Christ yet they wanted not matter of great joy for in stead of His bodily presence the Lord gaue them Faith Hope Faith apprehending taking holde of the Lord Iesus sitting in the heauens in glorie at the right hand of the Father Hope waiting constantly for His blessed glorious returning againe in the appointed time to Iudgement This Faith Hope that the Lord giues vs in this pilgrimage recompenses sufficiently the bodily absence of the Lord Iesus from vs if wee haue Faith Hope we haue euermore matter of rejoycing where Faith Hope is they bring euer with them patience joy euen in the mids of all afflictioÌ„s The Apostle Paul declares this by his own experience For the Gospels sake sayes he I suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I haue coÌ„mitted to him against that day 2. Tim. 1.12 There he lets vs see what made him to bee so patient vnder afflictions to wit the sense of the power of Christ which hee founde in his soule by faith by the which power hee was perswaded that Christ was able to keepe in the heauens that life which hee had committed vnto him and the hope that hee had of His glorious returning in that great day wherin the Lord should render
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
multitude of the wicked and persecuters of IESVS CHRIST in crucifying Him in taunting and scorning Him Doubtlesse there were in that companie some of the godlie who loued the LORD IESVS but seeing we haue heard nothing of them as yet therefore this daye wee shall speake somewhat in their behalfe Nowe what are they doing in the meane time They are standing afar off Some men many women who all that time had followed Him before standing to see that sadde spectacle yet with sadnesse they had joye no question And this is the first part of our TEXT which wee haue read out of MATTHEVV MARKE and LVKE After this wee enter into the Historie of Christs buriall But before we come to His buriall wee haue in the XIX CHAPTER of IOHN the Historie of the taking downe of His bodie from the Crosse So at this time by Gods grace wee shall speake of these two to wit Of the part of the godlie who loued Him and next Of the taking downe of that blessed bodie from the Crosse after it was dead Then to come shortly to the purpose It is saide And all his acquaintance stood afarre off There is the generall Then comes on the particular Manie women particular mention is made of them Manie women are standing afarre off looking on Wee heard of before in the XIX of IOHN vers 23. of three women chiefely Marie the Mother of Iesus and other two Maries together with His well-beloued Disciple IOHN and they were standing at that time when Hee hung quicke vpon the Crosse so neare hand Him that He speakes to them from the Crosse and they hearde Him So Brethren this standing afarre off at this time as I take it hath beene after the Lord had giuen vp the ghost when the women are returning home againe being loath to part companie with Him and as they were going home they turned about looked to Iesus hinging on the Crosse on Moūt Caluarie They stand first near thē turning home again they stand afar off No questiō it was y e loue they bare to the Lord that drue thē after him whē he went to be crucified y t same loue y t they bare to him was so tender entire y t it made them to stand look on him when he hung on the Crosse and y t loue they bare to y e Lord Iesus made thē to seuer frō the rest of the multitude and to gather themselues together and looke backe to Him where Hee was hanging For this is a sure thing Those that meete together in one faith and loue in the Lord Iesus of meere force they must meet together among themselues and be linked together by the band of loue in one bodie By the contrary those who meet not together in one faith in Iesus Christ their hearts will neuer be joyned in this world they will neuer meet to make one body they will neuer separate themselues from the multitude of this world No if it were all my kinred father and mother brother and sister if they loue not the Lord Iesus mine heart and his shall neuer bee linked together in this worlde nor in the worlde to come Hee that loueth not the Lord Iesus as Paul saies 1. Corin. Chap. 16. let him be Anathema maran-atha that is cursed for euermore But hee who loues the Lord Iesus and meetes with mee in Him let him bee what hee will let him bee in the vtmoste corner of the worlde mine heart and his is linked together and there is a conjunction which neuer shall bee separated neither in the Heauen nor in the Earth it shall last for euer Brethren when I consider this multitude heere standing looking vpon Him when Hee hung vpon the Crosse I thinke I see an image of the whole worlde for it is a worlde of people who are standing about Him there are Gentiles there are Jewes and the false adulterous kirke there are Priestes Pharises Elders blinde guides of the people a prophane multitude enemies of all sorts And as there are manie enemies to Christ So there is a sillie handfull of godlie men and women gathered together looking vpon that sadde spectacle who resembled the true Kirke militant heere vpon the face of the earth And as in all this multitude like drawes to like The vvicked and the vngodlie ranke themselues together The Priests ranke themselues together The souldiours ranke themselues together and also the godly ranke themselues together and looke vpon that sadde spectacle their Lord crucified Well this is common to all all are standing looking to CHRIST hanging on the Crosse vpon the toppe of the Mount Caluarie Jewe and Gentile wicked and godlie all are looking But in looking there is a great difference There are some delighting their eyes vvith the spectacle there are some feeding the malice of their heartes and drinking the blood of IESVS CHRIST the Priestes the Pharises and the Elders But the godlie are looking on vvith sadnesse of their heartes And I doubt not but as with sadnesse so also they are looking on Him vvith joy by faith in His glorious resurrection There are manie this same houre who haue their eyes fixed on Christ both Turkes and Paganes and the true Kirke and the false Kirke but one cause mooues not all Take heede therefore howe thou lookest either to His Crosse or to His glorie looke that thy soule bee set on Him and see that by looking vnto Him thou preasse to bee partaker of the fruite of His death and resurrection for if thou lookest to Him for the fashion or in malice as the Turkes doe and the Pagans and the Papistes enemies to His Crosse thou shalt perish better had it bene to thee neuer to haue heard of Iesus or neuer to haue seene Him Further this would be well considered We see if we haue a friend whō we loue well if he betaken out to a shamefull death there was neuer such a shamefull death as this we will thinke shame of him and he will thinke shame that his friendes shoulde see him in that estate Who would thinke but that the acquaintances of Iesus should haue thought shame of Him to haue conuoyed their friend to such an ignominious death and to haue seene Him so shamefully demained So that Brethren when I cōsider this matter well I perceiue that those His familiars and acquaintance haue seene further into Christ than men women doe commonly No doubt but the friends of Christ who came to see Him hanging in ignominie sawe life in that death they sawe glory in His ignominie otherwise they had neuer come to see Him hanging in ignominie And no doubt they felt a sweete perfume flowing from that Sacrifice It was the sweetest smelling Sacrifice that euer was offered All the perfume and incense that euer was offered passed not vp with such a sweete smell in the nosethrilles of the Father as that one blessed sacrifice did And as it smelled sweetly in the nosethrilles of the
sees wherefore and for what end thou art come to that meeting whether it be to feede thine eares and to take delectation in hearing of new things or to take pastime to see and be seene or to eschew the shame of the world or whether thou commest to reape profite and to be edified of that thou hearest and to get life of that Crosse and death of Christ for therein stands thy life and this should be the end of thy meeting with Gods children Thâ—n seeing the eye of the Lord is set on euery soule therefore it becomes euery one of vs to striue to approue our heartes to the Lord so that euery one of vs may saye to the Lord for this ende am I come O Lord to be partaker of the fruit of the death of Iesus Christ Woe to them who come for another cause or sinistrous respect and come not to be edified for the Gospell shall neuer be a worde of life to them but a sauour of death vnto death If it worke not life in thee and if the Spirit worke not life by the preaching of the Crosse it shall be the power of death to thy soule Brethren we haue heare the first part Now we haue to speake of the second part The taking of His bodie downe from the Crosse before His buriall The taking downe of the body of the Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of lords comes of a râ—quest made to Pilate and made not by His friends but by His enemies I see this this miserable people of the Iewes were spoyled of all power as they had no power to hang any so they had no power to take any downe from the Crosse or from the gallowes without the leaue of the Magistrate they were spoyled of all power by the judgement of God therefore they behooued to haue recourse to Pilate they were slaues yet they would not acknowledge the true King of glorie who might haue made them free I see heere a commendable thing in the Romane policie As it was not lawfull to hang any without the command and licence of the Magistrate so they who were hanged might not be taken without the licence of the Iudge There sould nothing be done to a guiltie person but by the authoritie of the Iudge God in His judiciall Law gaue not only Lawes concerning the lifting of men vpon the crosse but also of y e taking down of them froÌ„ the crosse It is wel to be marked who it is that giues the aduise that the Lord with the other two should bee taken downe from the crosse to put an ende both to their paine and their ignominie It is not one of His disciples it is not Peter nor Iohn nor Matthew they are not so bold they durst not presume it No it was His enemies that crucified Him that interponed their request for Him Was this a benefite they did to Him Certainely this was a benefite they did to Him to take Him downe from the crosse yet they doe it not to benefite Him for any pitie they had on Him for they thought that Hee was liuing but the Lord had giuen vp the Ghost When thy friendes will not make a suite for thee the Lord will raise vp thine enemies to doe thee good He cannot only make thy friend doe thee good but thy foe also If thou bee the Lordes He can make them who would wish thee woe to doe thee good if thou be the Lords the fire the water and the sworde which otherwise would deuoure thee shall benefite thee the Lord against all mens expectation shall doe thee good if thou bee the Lords thou shalt not want reliefe Now what was the summe of their request They besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken downe That is that they might bee put out of paine and that they might make an end of them for they thought they were quicke Now whether this request was vpon a custome vsed amongst them or not the Text declares not but it seemes except the feast of the Passeouer had interueened that same time that they would not haue bene carefull of them but would haue suffered them to hang whilst they had yeelded vp y e Ghost The other two were quicke in paine when the Lord yeelded vp the spirit I note this When thy enemies doe thee a good turne they doe it neuer of loue These might haue dispatched the Lorde and the two Thieues with lesse paine than to haue broken their thies They had taken their liues sooner from them if they had beaten out their braines So when thy enemie benefites thee and does thee anie good turne bee sure he does it not of purpose to doe thee good as we coÌ„monly speake If he giue thee a bit he will giue thee a buffet with it Soure and bitter is the benefite of the enemie Indeede it is true that the Lord who makes all thinges to worke for the best to them that loues Him will dispose their doings otherwise and make them to worke thy good And therefore haue thine eye set vpon the Lord and He shall make the malice and bitternesse of thine enemie to turne to thy comfort There is another thing to bee marked The Lord had ordained that there should not bee one bone broken of CHRIST and so it was fore-tolde Nowe will yee see the force of the word and prouidence of God The force of the worde and prouidence of God appeares the more clearelie by this opposition which is made to His ordinance The Iewes requested to haue His bones broken and Pilate gaue commandement to breake them But is there any bone broken notwithstanding their sute and Pilates commandement No not one This lets vs see That if God haue ordained said any thing it lies not in the hands of any man to disanull it If God shall say There shall not be one bone of my anointed broken great Caesar and al the Kings of the earth the king of Spaine and the Pope and all their adherents shall not be able to doe the contrary So in the middest of all feare and danger let vs depende vpon the prouidence of God and saye Lord if thou hast saide otherwise than these mens intentions are I will not bee affraide for them I know they are not able to do any thing without thy prouidence and so Lord I leane onely on thy prouidence and am content with thy will So in these miserable dayes we are to leane to God and to depende on His prouidence and wee shall see the vaine enterprises of men vanish away like smoake and we shall see the wicked to bee made spectacles to all the worlde Let vs see what moued the IEVVES to make this request Was it pittie that mooued them No They had no pittie of Him Was it obedience to the commandement of God who commaÌ„ded that an hanged man should be cut down y t same day because he was accursed Deu. 21.22.23 No it was a vaine
they thought Hee was stollen away Yet the Lorde Iesus supplies their weaknesse and to the emptinesse of the graue Hee subjoynes the saying of the Angell The Lord is risen from the dead Then the lesson is this Againe seeke the Lorde Art thou sicke in bodie He will supplie thy weaknesse Art thou weake in faith seeke the Lord as certainlie as He supplied the faith of these women Hee shall supplie thy faith And if thou wilt not beleeue for one testimonie Hee will testifie againe and I testifie Hee will neuer leaue thee if thou once aimest to seeke Him yea Hee will heape testimonie vpon testimonie till Hee confirme thee and bring thee to perfection Nowe Brethren followes heereafter a faire description of this Angell In MATTHEVV first he is described from his looke countenance The looke and his eyes glaunced as ye see flashes of fire Then hee is described from his rayment Hee is cladde with faire bright rayment white like the snowe Hee hath fierie eyes and his rayment is like white snow Last of all hee is descriued from the effect that followed on his sight But on whome Not on the women but on the strong men of warre for assoone as they saw him they were not able to looke vpon him but fell downe as dead they might not sustaine to beholde him and his glorious countenance Now as this great Earthquake which was joyned with his comming downe from Heauen vvas a visible signe of the presence of God accompanying Him so that terrible countenance white rayment were also visible signes of that same presence of GOD accompanying Him when hee came to the graue The Majestie of GOD shined in his face rayment the same presence made the men of vvarre to fall downe as dead Whereto vvas all this To glorifie honour that great commission that the Angell had Why should not the ambassadour of a glorious King be glorious Why should not His looke his countenance His rayment and all be glorious But yet againe all this is for the vvell of the poore women In all this the LORD regarded them for euen as the terrible earthquake vvas to prepare their heartes to receiue the ambassage reuerently Euen so vvas the bright countenance and shining rayment of this Angell Novve to speake something of the signes of the presence of God that He hath vsed since the beginning to set out His inuisible glorie No all the Angels in Heauen had neuer povver to get accesse nor apprehend y t inaccessible light It is true the great God hath no neede to borrovv either light from the fire-flash or vvhitenes frō y e snovv or hue or hotnes from the fire to set foorth His glory for all the beauties in all the creatures are not to be cōpared to y t glory that is in Him The fire had neuer y t glance to set forth His glory c. yet it hath pleased y e Lord for our capacitie submitting Himselfe to our infirmitie by those things y t are most glorious exquisite in Nature to set out represent His incomprehensible glory He takes as it vvere a darke shadovv thereby to let vs see His shining glory therefore Brethren take vp y e lesson When euer the Lord vtters His Majestie by outward signes of His creatures hold not altogether thine eye fixed on y e outward signes as though His Majesty extended y e selfe no further as though there were no greater glory in Him than in them as though He vvere no vvhiter than the snow nor brighter than the fire for the visible creature cannot fully expresse the glory of the Creator but by the eye of Faith thou shouldest pierce into that inward light and incomprehensible glory whereinto GOD dwells blessed for euer which is represented by the beautie of these outwarde signes Therefore when Hee sets out His brightnesse by the brightnesse of the Sunne when thou seest the Sunne shining thou shouldest say with thy selfe I cannot abide the brightnesse of this Sunne therefore what brightnesse is in y t God that made it and if by the eye of Faith thou lookest thorow the glorie of all the creatures to the infinite glorie of the Creator thou shalt haue a faire vantage for thou shalt no sooner looke vpon His glorie by the eye of faith but assoone shall the Lord by the beames of His infinite glorie and by a marueilous light shine in thine heart for as the Apostle sayes 2. Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse is Hee which hath shined in our hearts And I doubt not but these poore women looking to the glory of the Angell who was an Ambassadour of Iesus they saw and considered how glorious Iesus was who sent him and so they found the glory of the Lord shining in their soule afterwards which made them to rejoyce with a joy vnspeakable and glorious Now to end shortly it is said That for feare of Him the keepers were astonished and became as deade men The men of warre are standing about the graue when His Angell comes but when they see the Angell the earth did not shake so fast as they did they shake and fall downe deade as it were in a trance these men were stout before and it is likely that they had bragged before that all the world should not get Him out of the graue for they were acquainted with tumultes of warre and they had seene as many terrible sights as any men yet for all their stoutnesse they looke not so soone to the Angels face and rayment but assoone they fall downe dead Wel thou art a stout man if thou wilt say All the deuils in Hel shal not smite thee nor affright thee thou thinkest thou wilt out-face all the world this Land is full of such foolish braggers who will say they will not bee afraide to meete the Deuill but one blencke of the face of that Majestie of GOD will cause them fall downe as dead to the ground Will yee weigh this matter aright It is not onely the outwarde sight of the Angell that astonishes these men for if it was the sight of the Angell why fell not the women downe Why were they not astonished the women stood still and the Angel spake to them and they to him so there must be another cause of this terrour and what was the cause They were great sinners sinne did reigne in them without repentance they had an euill conscience they were enemies to Iesus Christ and therefore at the sight of the Angell when the light of GOD enters in and wakens their consciences they are stricken with exceeding terrour and feare The children of God who haue their consciences purged from the guiltinesse of sinne vses not to be stricken with such terrour at the sight of God but rather receiue joy thereby It is true The presence of the Majestie of God is terrible in it selfe and the Angells themselues can not behold it in the owne brightnesse yet
Iames and Salome with other women And the next company of women whose names are not expressed nor registrate Wee hearde of their returning home againe from the graue of the Lord how they come to the place where the XI Apostles were lurking with some other disciples who loued the Lord We heard of y e preaching that the first company makes then the preaching of the secōd company their preaching all testifying that the Lord Iesus was risen Wee heard last what effect this preaching wrought in the heartes of the XI Apostles to wit they thought it all but follie fables a fained report beleeued it not It is an hard matter to beleeue y e report of Christ of His Passion glorious resurrection Thus far we heard the last day Now to come to the Text y t we haue read We haue first another effect which this report wrought howbeit it wrought not faith yet it had its own effect in 2. disciples at least Peter Iohn they are wakened by it to seeke to the graue of y e Lord to see if it was so as the women reported Well then the report of the women is not altogether fruitles at the least it wakens some of them vp to run to the graue to see if it was so as the womē had reported This testifies clearly y t euen al the time y t these Apostles lay lurking like cowards yet all that time there remained in them a seede of faith a seede of godlinesse a sponke of loue toward their Master Christ Indeed it was smoothered with the drosse of the corruption of nature but yet it was not quite put out and therefore assoone as these women come and make report of the Resurrection of Iesus Christ the seed begins to waken and drawe spirits and makes them to run to see if it was true y t He was risen For it is true that they who once haue gotten faith in Christ in whose heart this seede is once sowne howbeit for a time they will fall in a slumber yea in an heauy sleepe that seed will be so holdē down that it will not be seen to y e world yea they that haue it wil not feele it thēselues yet it is sure that true seed of faith sowne once in the heart wil neuer be clean put out extinguished altogether It is true it will be for a time lying dead in the heart without life or motion The Lorde will bee lying in thee without working for a time and taking a shape and fashion as the birth in the mothers vvombe does as the Apostle sayes Galath Chap. 4. vers 19. vntill Christ bee formed in you And all this time Hee lyes vvithout vvorking the man vvill seeme then to bee but dead but assoone as that vvorde soundes vvhich is the vvorde of Life the vvorde of the Crosse and of the Resurrection of Iesus then that man who appeared to be dead vvill take life and Iesus who appeared to be dead in thee vvill be quicke Howbeit they vvill not haue faith yet it vvill stirre them vp to seeke Christ and inquire vvhether it bee so or not In the Historie of the Actes Chap. 17. vers 11. yee maye reade a vine example of this There vvere certaine of the IEVVES in a Towne called Berea and they vvere in the same estate they had no thought of Iesus but vvere enemies vnto Him yet notwithstanding there was some good seede vvithin them And therefore they are saide to bee more Noble than the IEVVES at Thessalonica Now the Apostle PAVL comes in amongst them and beginnes to preach CHRIST then that little seede beginnes to stirre and they beginne to bee vvakened and they are thereby mooued to reade the olde Testament to see if it vvas true that PAVL preached or no And then they finding it to bee so as PAVL had spoken manie of them beleeued in CHRIST Wee haue our lesson heere It is not good to be hastie in judgement bee loath to condeme anie howbeit thou see men fall and lye long yet judge not too hastilie of them for who knowes if there bee a sponke in their heartes which neither thou nor they themselues knowe of but trie whether the seede bee or no And thou shalt trie it by this thing Speake of the Death Passion and Resurrection of CHRIST vnto them if after long speaking there bee no vvakening certainlie that is a verie euill token that there is no good in that heart if hee bee in such a deadlie sleepe that nothing vvill vvaken him that is a faithlesse heart and an heart full of gall and bitternesse and replenished vvith iniquitie But if there bee some quickening although it vvere neuer so little yea suppose hee beleeue not and yet hath a readinesse to heare and saye this LORDE open mine eyes to see and mine heart to beleeue And if this bee founde in him that is a good heart and that birth shall come foorth in its owne time for as the birth is not perfected in an instant in the mothers wombe so faith is not perfected at the first but it growes by little little Nowe when they are wakened what doe they They runne to the graue They went not faire and softlie but they ranne to the graue Nowe certainlie this running must needes proceede of some motion in the heart some motion behooued to stirre them vp Yee see what motion mooued Marie Magdalene to runne home she was in displeasure because shee mist the bodie of the LORD for shee thought it had beene stollen awaye It cannot bee displeasure that mooued them to runne No doubt it was joye in their heartes which made their heartes light and the light heart made the feete speedie And if thou haue joye it will cause thee to runne and seeke Him But from whence came this joye I see no matter of joye but in these tidinges which they hearde But howe coulde they haue joye seeing they beleeued them not I answere to this They woulde haue beleeued and faine woulde haue had it so and that vvas the thing which they moste desired And yee knowe that vvee heare that thing vvhich vvee vvoulde faine haue come to passe vvee vvill haue joye to heare of it and our delight vvill bee to see if it bee so And so suppose there vvas not a full faith in them yet there vvas a bowing and an inclination to faith And it is a strange thing to bowe the heart for it will bee as hard to bow the heart as to bowe a strong Oake So the least bowing to yeelde to the report of Iesus is wonderfull and there shall followe an vnspeakeable joye which passes all vnderstanding The least conception of that joye will bee greater than thou wilt haue yea and make thee a King or a Queene Seeke euer to that Heauenlie affection for the Beast hath this earthlie affection then seeke thou after the Heauenlie or thine estate shall bee worse than the Beastes one daye So when the