we mean that the Sacrifices of the chiefest Priest is now finished on the Cross it followes that all his disciples in imitation of their Master according to their several talents should offer likewise Sacrifices to their God in this sence all Christians are Priests to offer Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.9 not such as were in the old Testament i Pet. 2.9 but Spirituall Priests to offer mystical sacrifices which may be presented from all men as praises and prayers and other services of piety the same is most occurately taught us in the Epistle to the Romans Heb. i3 i5 16. in resemblance of the sacrifices of the ancient Law Rom. 12.1 for there was in them 1. The hallowed to God which to convert to profane use was held a nafarious Crime 2. It was to be a thing living as a sheep or goate or the like 3. It was to be holy that is clean for there were among the Hebrews animals clean and unclean 4. And then the thing hallowed to God was to be burn't that it might send forth an odour of sweetness The like properties must be found in our spiritual Sacrifices 1. Our bodies ought to be hallowed to God that we may use them to his honour not as our own but his to whom they are consecrated by Baptisme and who hath purchased them by his blood 2. They ought to be living sacrifices enlivened with the life of Grace and of the holy Spirit for whosoever are dead by sin are not fit Victimes for God but for the devils our God who is alwayes living and the everlasting fountain of life abhors the stinking oblations of dead carkasses who are profitable for nothing unless for dogs and fowles of the Aire We must then enbalm and preserve the life of the soul with our best and most religious actions that we may give a reasonable sacrifice to our God 3. We must be holy and clean for none shall ascend into the hill of the Lord Psal 24.3 4 or stand in his holy place but he that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully 4. And then we must be well pleasing and send up a sweet savour to our God to that purpose in the old Law they used to kill and burn the sacrifie and this is rightly performed in the spiritual Sacrifice when carnal concupiscence is truly mortified and burn't with the coales of charity nothing can sooner or more effectually destroy it then a sincere love to God for he is Lord and King of all the affections of the heart and rules them all whether Fear Hope Desire Hatred Anger or any other perturbation of the soul and love doth not yeild but to a greater so that when divine love doth possess and bear dominion over the inmost corners of the heart then carnal concupiscence gives place and being mortified it vanisheth to nothing Thence flaming desires and most pure prayers ascend to heaven like aromatical perfumes of precious spices this then is that perfect and acceptable sacrifice which God requires and the Apostle here exhorts with a most persuasive argument I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies c. By his mercy that is as if he had said by him that created you something when you were nothing By him that made you his servants and needed not your service and when your merits were unavaileable blest you with his own by him that made you to his own similitude and by this capable of his love and knowledg by him that made you his adoptive sons and co-heirs with his unigenit by him that made you members of his body whereof he was the head by him that offered himself a full and propitiatory sacrifice on the Cross to redeem you from servitude and wash you from all spots and wrinkles by him I beseech you to give to God in stead of dead beasts lively sacrifice in stead of their blood which was but a shadow and pleased not God of it self the acceptable sacrifice of the spiritual man framed by faith to godliness and charity 4. And then we are here further taught that we shall be crowned with Lawrels and Diademes of eternal happiness if we fight courageously under the banner of Christ against our spiritual enemies and never desist until we have obtained the Victory Christ gave not over until all was finished If God had given over at his second dayes work we had had no sin no seasons if at the fifth we had no being if at the sixth no sabbath but by proceeding to the seventh we are all we have all So Christ if he had stayd at his Circumcision or his Agony or his scourgings our redemption had been imperfect but by continuing to his crowning and his nayling and the piercing of his side on the Cross all was completed that was necessary for mans salvation 2 King 5.24 Naaman could not be cured of his leprosie but by washing in Jordan seven times less could not do it it is not enough for a man to begin or do some few acts of piety or religion unless he make a constant progress therein Are the Angels weary of looking on that face of God which they looked upon yesterday or are the Saints weary of singing of that Allelujah which they sung to Gods glory yesterday Is not that song which is their morning and evening sacrifice and which shall be their song world without end called still A new song Oh! then never be weary never give over performing thy duties to that God that never ceaseth to bless thee for he and he only that continues unto the end shall receive a Crown of life In vain did the perfidious Jews cry if he be King of Israel let him come down from the Cross and we will believe in him Nay rather because he was so he would not desert his place for by his perseverance his interest to the Kingdome was confirmed and the work of redemption was consummated in such a glorious manner that nothing could be deficient to the greatness of its merit or to enduce us to follow so noble a president to proceed in those actions that are pleasant and suitable to our temper is facil and not praise worthy but to persevere in laborious Agonies and sorrows and in such things as are against the dictates of our own natural and carnal affections is indeed difficult but very laudable Christ was so enamoured with his divine Father and long'd so earnestly for the redemption of man that all intervening Crosses seemed Cordials to him and all pains pleasures After his Example we find that Paul enumerating his own sufferings with those of his Co-Apostles breaks thus forth who is able to separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8. shall tribulation or distress shall anguish persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we
peace with all men but to live peaceably with those that are haters of peace And this is that Love the Wise man speaks of that many waters cannot extinguish Cant. 8.7 nor the floods drown it O duri durati obdurati nimis quos tunta flamma non emolliat Bern. As that deluge of sufferings could not quench the flaming charity of our Saviour so the rivers of persecution should not overwhelm Christian Love in his members A whiles after there issued out an imitating clemency flaming in the brest of S. Stephen the Proto-martyr which those showrs of stones could not quench but made him break forth into that sweet prayer Act. 7.60 Lord lay not this sin to their charge After him this divine virtue was propagated to divers holy Martyrs who burn'd with wonderful flames of charity notwithstanding the many torrents of sufferings and persecutions to overflow them I may ascend here from Christs Humanity to his Divinity great was his charity as man to his executioners but greater it was and is as God towards men who would war with him and if if they could pluck him from heaven and Crucifie him again Who can conceive the exceeding Love of God to men altogether wicked and unthankful God spared not the Angels in their offences 2. Pet. 2.4 neither was he so indulgent to them as to suffer them to repent but men sinning and blaspheming and being deficient in their services to him he often suffers and not only suffers them but in the mean time he feeds cherishes and supports them For in him we live Act. 17.28 move and have our being nay he accumulates many benefits upon them he adorns them with wit fattens them with riches prefers them to honors and sublimes them to Kingdoms and in the mean while he patiently expects their return from their wayes of wickedness and perdition Infinite are the presidents of Gods charity towards the wicked and enemies of his most Sacred Majesty 2. By this we are further taught to forgive received Injuries and to make our enemies our friends This remarkeable example of Christ should be a perswasive argument to draw us to it If he as well Pardoned as Prayed for his persecutors why should not a Christian do the same If God the Creator who is able both as Lord and a Judge to take a sudden revenge on sinners yet is pleased to invite them to favour and to offer them a free Pardon why should not a creature do the same But you will say It seems adverse to the rights of Nature that a man should suffer himself to be unjustly trampled and violated in words or deeds for we see brutish creatures who are led only by an Instinct of Nature sharply on the first sight to encounter and destroy their enemies And we have it experienced in our selves when by chance we espy an adversary our choler kindles our blood boyles and there naturally ariseth in us a thirst of revenge But he is altogether deceived who does thus reason and he confounds a just defence with an unjust vindication For to oppose an offered injurie no man forbids but to revenge it being done the Divine Law gain-saies for that appertains not to private men but to the publick Magistrate and because God is the King of Kings Deut. 32 35 Rom. 12 19 therefore he proclaims it Vengeance is mine I will repay Beasts which naturally rush upon their enemies cannot distinguish between Nature and the viciousness of Nature but man which is beautified with Reason should separate the Nature or Person which God created good from the Vice or Sin which is evil and an Abortive meerly proceeding from the Divel Love the Person but detest the injury imitate the Physic an who loves the Sick but loaths the Disease which that most holy Aesculapius of all souls hath taught us in the Gospel Mat. 5.44 Love your enemies do good to them that hurt you bless them that curse you c. pray for them that hate you and persecute you The reason why men stomack their enemies is because they are brutish and have a Community with Beasts But those that are Spiritual and can disband the Passions of the Soul will rather compassionate their enemies and by a Christian Affability win them to peace then plot their destruction To them the yoke of Christ is sweet and his burden feather-light and his commands not heavy but to the carnal and natural man they seem difficult and weighty through reason of the predominancy of their own corruptions and because the love of God is not in them for nothing is impossible to Charity It beareth all things believeth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 hopeth all things endureth all things In holy Writ we find how the Patriarch Joseph in those times afore the Law Gen. 45 37 marvellously loved his brethren who as enemies fold him to the Midianites And how patiently David took the enmity of Saul who did much covet his destruction 1 King 4 yet when it was in his power to have killed him he would not And in the law of Grace S. Paul speaks of himself and Co-Apostles Being reviled 1 Cor. 4 12 we blesse being persecuted we suffer being defamed we pray and intreat There is a known Story not impertinent to this purpose in Petrus Damianus of a man whom another most traiterously had pulled out his eyes and this Accident had confined him to a Monastry where he lived a pure and unspotted life yielding all offices of charity according to the ability of his person It fell out this cruel creature who had done this mischievous act sickned of a languishing malady and found himself enforced to be carried to that same place where he was whom he had bereaved of sight His heart gave him He would never endure him but for revenge put out his eyes But contrariwise the blind man being better instructed upon his earnest suit was deputed to the service of the sick man and he most willingly dedicated to him all the functions of his body but the eyes which the other had pulled out and you would think him all eyes all hands all heart to attend this sick man so much consideration vigor diligence and affection he used And what should they here say who upon the least affront burn with a revengful spirit But it may be the objection of some If we return a benefit for an injurie a benediction for a curse the wicked would wax insolent and the robbers of Gods glory would become much bolder the just would be oppressed and virtue contemned But the case will prove otherwise for oft times a soft answer breaks the jaws of anger Prov. 15 and the patience of a good man begets an admiration in the persecutor and by a religious Alchymy converts an enemy to a friend neither are there wanting on the earth Political Magistrates whose care it is according to the severe cords of the Laws to bind
his humble and short Petition but behold a gracious return and grant Verily I say unto thee c. He begins his answer with a solemn word Amen or Verily a word which our Saviour used in any thing which tended to a serious concernment Aug. Tract 41 in Joan it hath the propriety of an oath and the reasons why he uses this importunate manner of speaking is because the thief might well doubt of the promise were it not for this earnest asseveration 1. In regard of his own person which could not seem any way worthy of so blessed a reward or so rich a blessing For who could imagin so bad a liver to pass so speedily from the Cross to a Kingdom 2. In regard of Christs present condition for then he was the miserable Character of poverty weakness and all sorts of humane Calamities And he might thus argue If he be not able whilest he lives to perform good offices for his friends how can he bestow them being dead This might have been his carnal reasoning 3. And then in regard of the thing promised Paradise which was then known to belong to the body only not to the soul So is the Etymologie of it according to the Hebrew An earthly Paradise It had been more credible if Christ had said To day thou shalt be with me in the place of Joy with Abraham Jsaac and Jacob. Therefore being so many scruples might occur unto this new convert Christ to remove them all confirms the the verity of his answer with this serious Protestation And his passage to Paradise was but short not a daies journey He does not say In the day of Judgment thou shalt be placed on the right hand with the Just nor does he say with the Millenarians after a thousand years sleep thy soul shall enjoy the pleasures of heaven nor doth he say Thou must first be refined in the Romish Purgatory or after some months or daies be beatified and that had been a happinesse beyond his expectation or merit but this day this very hour thou shalt transmigrate with me from the Tree of the Cross to the Joyes of Paradise Though it be Controverted by some what is here meant by Paradise yet it is the opinion of very Orthodox Divines That Christ the day after his death was with his Body in the grave and with his Soul triumphing on the infernal Spirits in hell but to neither of these can the name of Paradise be assigned the grave being but a gloomy receptacle for dead bodies where Christ's body only could be lay'd and under hell is intimated a place of torments But Paradise signifies a Garden of delight in the Terrestrial one there were flourishing Trees fruitful Waters Salubrietie of air and all the variety of deliousness that Adam could enjoy And in the Celestial one there are glorious and immortal Joyes frnitions of endlesse Beatitude an inaccessible light Seats and Mansions for the blessed The first was Local and Transient this is Spiritual and Eternal The joyes of the other were Corporal the Soul is Beatified in the latter by virtue of the Beatifical vision of God And this heavenly Paradise Christ promised the thief and that he would be with him and so he was according to his Divinity According to his Humane nature he was partly in the grave and partly in hell untill the third day upon which he ascended in a glorious and triumphant manner into heaven But according to the Divine as he was God he had an Ubiquitary Being he was then and alwayes in Heaven Paradise and all places Ioh. 3.13 Therefore very proper were the words of our Saviour when he saith not This day thou shalt be with me in my Kingdom because that day Christ was not to receive his Kingdom that is a perfect felicity of Body and Soul till after his Resurrection when he was to have a body glorious immortal impassible subject to no servitude or infirmity neither was the thief to enjoy this fellowship until the general day of Judgment but in Paradise because that day there was a community of glory to his soul and those of all true Saints And this is the perfect and essential felicity belonging to the Heavenly Paradise Neither doth Christ say We shall be there for he was then and before that time there according to the superiour portion of his soul but thou shalt be with me there that is even thy Soul shal also really be where now actually my divine Soul is .i. In the blessed joyes of Heaven Learn hence O man 1. How great and admirable is the mercy and liberality of Christ towards all his servants He being opprest with sorrows might not have heard the Religious thief but his charity had rather be insensible of his own torments then not to give ear to a miserable sinner confessing his delinquencies He was silent altogether at the maledictions and revilings of the Priests and Souldiers but to the humble clamours of a poor penitent he could not choose but give a gracious Audience He was silent at their Execrations because he was Patient and he was open-cared to the thief's Petition because he was Merciful Those that serve Temporal Lords do labour much but the rewards of their services are commonly far short of their expectations and we might observe many who have spun out their times in the Courts of Princes return home in their declining age either meer Mendicants or unregarded But this Holy Prince and President of true Liberality received nothing from this Penitential servant but a few good words and desires of serving him and behold what a Boon he confers upon him that very day he granted him a free pardon of all the sins he had committed in the whole course of his wicked life Then he prefers him to Abrahams â—â—som to a Quire of Saints anâ— Angels Patriarchs and Prophets were made his Associats and he himself made partaker of that Heavenly happinesse which is Undefinable and Eternal We read that the Roman Emperors gave vast treasures sometimes whole Provinces and Kingdoms to their Minions but this Prince bestowed on his new favourite more then they could either reach or conceive Neither was this goodness of Christ peculiar to this poor delinquent his Apostles deserted their small vessels their nets and cottages to serve him and then he appointed them Princes over the earth he subjected to their commands Divels Serpents Psal 44.2 3 Mat. 10 8 Principalities and Powers and all sorts of Diseases And he promises to all that shall leave their nearest relations for his sake and part with their dearest enjoyments for his service a hundred fold that is a reward incomparably greater then those particulars to wit Spiritual joys and blessings in this world and life Eternal in that to come We might reflect our thoughts on what great things the Lord wrought for Martyrs and Confessors of former ages how they came to honour by ignominy to riches by poverty to greatness by the
the last day 1. The uncertainty of its time It was the policy of Julius Caesar never to acquaint his Army aforehand with the time of their march that they might be ready on all occasions and such is the wisdom of our God that he hath concealed this day from us that we might alwayes stand upon our guard and be ready 2 No time is secure As no place no Sanctuary can exempt us from deaths approach it may come to us in the Church in the Street in our beds c. so no time can priviledge from its arrest in the night as well as in the day in youth as well as in old age 3. Sometimes when men least think of it it comes Whilst the Crocodile sleeps the n = * A kind of a Rat. â—cknewmon getteth in and â—eateth his bowels whilest the Theban Centinel was nodding Gen. Epiâ—ninondas came and thrust him through 4. All the time alotted before that day is little enough for so great a work We have scarce time to learn how to live well saith the Philosopher but we are streightned with time to learn the art of dying well saith the Divine 5. Thy Preparation for will be no Acceleration of the day Our death will not be the nearer but sweeter the blow will not come the sooner foreseen Premeditati mali malis ictas but it will be the easier thy life and death will be the more comfortable 6. That day will be most dismal and Exitial to all unprepared persons like that of the man whom when the King came in found without a wedding garment who was bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness Mat. 22.13 Oh! that any or all of these Considerations might awaken our security and keep us from sleeping in those sins which will deprive us of Eternal life LORD We admire the deepness of the riches of thy mercy and goodness who wouldst condescend to be thus ignominiously tortured between two grand Malefactors for our sakes How thou didst abase thy self for our pride and humble thy self on earth to advance us to glory Teach us Lord who are but dust and ashes to be lowly-minded and never to exalt our selves before or against thee least by our pride we be excluded with the Angels out of Heaven or with Man out of Paradise But among all thy Attributes we most extol thy Mercy which was so transcendent to this poor penitent thief whom thou didst rescue from the jaws of hell through thy infinite Merits It had been enough O God if thou hadst but promised him to be with thee for where had been ill with thee or where had it been well without thee but thou hast crowned him with bliss and glory in the highest heavens By this we are taught Lord not to despair of thy Clemency for though Cherubins keep thy Paradise and thy gate of Mercy be guarded by Angels yet thou hast opened the door of it to as very sinners as our selves Though we have sinnes more numerous then the sands of the sea or the stars of the firmament yet is thy mercy more and above measure No stains or guilts can make us so vile but thy Sons blood can wash them off David Peter Magdalen Paul and this good thief were cured by the power of that mercie and virtue of that blood But because Lord we are too prone to presume of thy mercy which is so eminent over al thy works we therefore entreat thee to keep us from carnal security from a Lethargy in sin and the delayes of all religious duties When ever we fall into sin do thou Lord by thy Grace raise us up to a newness of life to a true and timely repentance lest we sleep and lie in our iniquities until we feel the horror of eternal death Raise us with David from the sin of wilfulness with Peter from those of infirmity with Paul from those of ignorance Thou calledst this penitent but once and he obeyed thy voice repented and was saved but Lord how often are we called how often wouldst thou have gathered us as a hen doth her chickings under thy wings but we would not O grant then that me may be either allured by thy mercies or terrified by thy judgments or converted by thy Word or won by thy Spirit that we may hate sin and forsake it love thee and never leave thee until thou hast brought us to that heavenly Paradise where thy Saints and Angels sing daily Halalujahs to thy blessed Name Grant this Father of Mercies and God of Grace even for his sake who suffered with sinners and dyed for our sins Jesus Christ The Third Word JOHN 19.26 27 He saith unto his mother Woman behold thy Son and to the Disciple Behold thy Mother A Question is here to be discust Why S. John did affirm the three women to have stood near the Cross of the Lord when S. Mark 15.40 and S. Luke 23.49 write they stood afar off But this is soon salved S. Aug. lib. 3 de Consen Evang. they may be said to have stood afar off in relation of the guard and souldiers who did even touch the Cross near because they could easily hear Christ Or they may be said to have stood afar off at the instant of Crucifixion the multitude hindring them but when his suffering began to be completed many giving way they might make a nearer approach The sum of the words is this Being I am now to pass from this loathsome world to my glorious Father and knowing thee to be destitute of all humane assistances I commend thee to my most loving Disciple John he shall be to thee a Son and thou shalt be to him a Mother The command was most pleasing to them both and S. John speaks of himself in the following words and from that hour the Disciple took her home But S. John was one of them who by his Masters mandate had relinquished father and mother all relations and possessions to follow Christ how comes he now having forsaken his own to take the charge of another mother Mat. 4.22 The resolve is easie The Apostles that they might follow Christ dismist father and mother as they were a hindrance to the preaching of the Gospel either in regard of carnal affection or worldly commodity but in what concerned their care and solemn duty they left them not and upon that account the Virgin Mary was committed to him having no other visible worldly support God without mans assistance could by the administration of Angels have procured her a livelyhood and protection but it was our Saviours pleasure to have it done by John as well in regard of an honour to him as a love to her God sent Elias to be fed by a widow not that he could no longer feed him by Crows as formerly but by this action he seemed to vouchsafe a blessing to the widow so it pleased the Lord to recommend his mother to this Disciple S. Aug Serm.
above and this is not to be found in the Athens of the world but in the most Divine Academie of Gods Spirit Jam. 1.5 the Treasure and fountain of all true knowledg who gives liberally to all and reproacheth none Thither only we must make our humble addresses for this holy Gemme and not desist in our Prayers untill we have by our teares and cryes undeafed the eares of the Almighty 1 ANd now O God of all pity and Patience we are confounded to consider thy great goodness in suffering that extremity of thirst and pain for us on the Cross enable us to bear patiently all afflictions Corporal or spiritual and to submit our wills to thine in sickness as in health in woe as in wealth in death as in life 2. Make us to thirst after the Kingdom of heaven and its righteousness teach us to prize the salvation of our soules above all earthly possessions for they are spiritual immortal and precious these but transitory and subservient if we seek thee in the first place who art All in All no blâ—ssings whether corporall spirituall or eternal can be wanting to us for every good and perfect gift proceeds from thee above Iam. 1.17 O Father of lights The sixth Word JOHN 19.30 It is finished THIS implies no more in sound construction then that the wonderful work of the Passion is now consummated and completed for the Father enjoyned the Son two weighty offices or works one of preaching the Gospel the other of suffering for man of the first the Lord formerly said That he had finished the work which he gave him Joh. 17.5 6. and manifested his name unto men The other injunction is intimated in these words O my Father if this Cup may not pass away from me Mat. 26 42. except I drink it thy will be done Now he had fully exhausted that bitter cup of his Passion nothing remained but his dissolution and so with an inclining head he gave up the Ghost But being neither our Saviour nor S. John explained what was Finished occasion is given us to make such mysticall applications of the Word as may be fruitfull to our souls Aug. â—om in â—cum One of the Fathers affirmes That in this place is meant an impletion of the Prophecies foretold of Christ Esay 7. Mick 2. and that all those predictions were true as his conception of a Virgin his Nativity in Bethlehem Numb 23. the apparatition of a new Starr Psal 71. the Adoration of Kings the Preaching of the Gospell Isay 61. His Miracles his riding upon an ass Esay 35. Psal 21.68 Esa 53. Jer. 11. Zach. 12. And his whole Passion is described by parts by David in his Psalmes Esay Jeremy Zachary and others and this the Lord himself being to pass to his sufferings spake Behold Luck 18. we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished which is also here averred that their Testimonies might he verrified and received as the dictates of the Holy Ghost 2. Another of the Fathers understands here Chrysost that the power which was permitted to Men and Angels against Christ was now consummated at his Death and to this effect he speaks to the Chief Priests and Captains of the Temple and the elders that were with him this is your hour Lu. 22.53 and the power of darkness now his laborious peregrination now the condition of his mortal life according to which he hungred and thirsted and was weary and obnoxious to injuries wounds and to death it selfe is fully ended and determined 3. Another makes this Construction Now the chiefest Sacrifice was Consummated that in which all the Sacrifices of the old Law as it were types and shadowes did rest and into which they run as Rivolets into the main Ocean or as the stars when the Sun appeares with his glorious rayes see no stars at all so those typical oblations all vanished at the presence of this Son of Glory when he was to be immolated Concerning these prefigurations one speaks thus Lord thou hast attracted all things to thy selfe Leo Serm. 8. de possion dom for the vaile of the Temple being rent the holy things of the most holy departed from the unworthy Priests that the figure might be turned into the truth Prophecy into manifestation and the law into the Gospel and a little after the variety of carnal sacrifices now ceasing the oblation of thy body and blood have made one perfect and entire sacrifice For in this Sacrifice the Priest is God-man according to his Hypostatical union Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck Psal 109.4 The Altar was the Cross which by how much the more base it was before by so much the more illustrious and noble it was made after Christs death the Sacrifice was the Lamb of God innocent and immaculate of whom the Prophet said That he was brought as a sheep to the slaughter Isa 53.7 and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so he openeth not his mouth The fire of the Holocaust was his immense charity Cant. 1.8 which did so flame in his brest that the floods of persecutions could not extinguish it the fruit of the Sacrifice was the redemption of Mankind the expiation of the sins of all the sons of Adam for Isa 1.29 behold he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world But here is the difference between the sacrifices under the Law and this of the Gospel there it was the Office of the Priest to kill and to prepare the Sacrifice but here Christ was both Priest and Sacrifice not that he layd violent hands on himself but because he willingly yielded to the slaughter for Gods glory and the propitiation of our sins their reconciliation was obtained by the blood of beasts Col. 1.20 here peace is made through the sacred blood of Christ Jesus not his as he claimes all the beasts of the forrest all the cattell upon a thousand hills Psa 50.10 and all the foules of the Mountains to be his not his as he is Lord and proprietary of all by Creation so all blood in his no nor his as the blood of all the Martyrs was his which is a neer relation and Consanguinity but his so as it was the blood of his Cross the precious blood of his body the seat of his soul the matter of his Spirits and the knot of his dear life 4. We may further understand in this place that at the death of Christ a great battell was finished between him and the Prince of this world of which he intimates in those words Now is the judgement of this world Jo. 12.31 now shall the Prince of it be cast out but this battell was judiciall not military the encounters were in litigations not armes for the devill did strive with the Son of God about
Job 6.4 The poyson of Gods arrows drinketh up my spirit and also for the superiour faculties of the soul in a regenerate man as there My Soul doth magnifie the Lâ—rd and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luke 1.47 And then lastly of inferiour creatures it is taken two wayes too of living creatures The God of the Spirits of all flesh Num. 16.22 and of creatures without life other then a metaphorical life as of the wind often Ezâ—k 1.21 And of Ezekiels wheeles the spirit of life was in the wheeles Now in this place the Spirit of Christ may be taken either for his soul which is the substantial form of the body or for life it self because spiration is a sign of life and they that breath live and when the leave off to breath they leave off to live If by the spirit we understand his soul this caveat must be had we must not imagine that danger impending to it by leaving the body as is usual to dying men who commend their souls in pensive supplications because they go to the Tribunal of the Great Judg to receive glory or punishment Such a commend his soul needed not because it was blest from its creation as well in regard of its personal conjunction to the Son of God as because it left the body in a glorious triumph being a terrour to whole Legions of devils So that in this sense the words imply no more then that his soul which was formerly in the body as in a Tabernacle should be deposited in the hands of his father until he be restored when the time of restoring should come but it is more credible that by the spirit is here understood the corporal life as the meaning may be this I do now deliver the spirit of life by which I do leave off to breath and leave off to live and this spirit this life Father I commend to thee that thou mayst shortly regive it to my body for with thee nothing perisheth but all things live who by calling those things which are not givest them a being and those things which do not live givest them a life And this construction is most agreeable to the Psalmist Pull me out of the net Psal 31.4 that they have laid privily for me for thou art my strength into thy hands I commend my spirit Where by spirit is meant life for he humbly beseecheth the Almighty not to suffer him to perish by the malice of his enemies but that he would preserve his life the like is evidenced out of those Apostolical words Heb 5.7 Who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared These words cannot be referred to his prayer in the garden as some interpret for these Mark 14. the Lord prayed not with a loud voice neither was he nor would he be heard that he might be safe from death but to shew that he had a natural desire not to die thereby demonstrating himself to be a true man whose nature abhors death but they rather signifie that he desired not to be swallowed up by death and that he might only taste of it and so return to life And in that he was heard for he was not long detained in the black vaults of the grave but had a speedy and a glorious resurrection So that here the Lord was not troubled for his soul for he knew that to be safe as being beatified from its creation by a vision of God face to face but he was solicit ous concerning his body which seemed by the sting of death to be disappointed of life and therefore prayes that it might not long remain under its tyranny and in that his request was fully obtained Here then we may satisfy those Hereticks such as the Cerdonites the Euticheans the Manicheans were which brought Christ upon the stage to play a part and say he was born and lived and dyed in Phantasmate in apparence only and representation and not really For if he dyed not where is the contract between him and his father that Christ ought to suffer all this and so enter into his Glory is that contract void and of none effect where is the ratification of that contract in all the Prophets wherefore doth Esay say Esay 5 3.4 9 Surely he hath born our sorrows and he made his grave with the wicked in his death where is the consummation and the testification of all this doth not the Gospel here say And he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost immediately after this his last prayer is that fabulous God forbid in vain had we all been created if we had not a regeneration in his true death Christ truly dyed so as was contracted so as was prophecied so as was related But this I may boldly affirm that he did not die so as other natural men dye for there is this distinction between them Christ dyed because he would dye other men admitted to the dignity of Martyrdome are willing to dye but they dye by the torment of the executioners they cannot bid their souls go out and say I will dye as he did I lay down my life for my sheep 〈◊〉 10.15 17 18. sayes he No man taketh it from me I lay it down of my self And De facto he did lay it down he diddye before thetorments could have extorted it from him Many crucified men lived many dayes upon the Cross the theeves were alive long after Christ was dead and therefore Pilate wondered that he was already dead his soul did not leave his body by force Mar. 15 44. but because he would when and how he pleased Besides Christ was not subject to the law of death which appertained only to them who were derived from Adam by carnal and sinful generation he being miraculously conceived of a virgin by the overshadowing of the holy Ghost and being he was not involved in a general rebellion and so had not incurred Gods displeasure it follows that he was not involved in the general penalty and so needed not to have dyed by the rigour of any law as we must And then when out of his own pleasure and to advance our salvation he would dye yet he dyed so as that though there were a disunion of body and soul which is truly death yet there remained a nobler and faster Union the Hypostatical Union of the Godhead to his body and soul to this I add death hath that dominion over men that they have no power to raise themselves from it Christ had for even in spight of death he retained in Almighty power and delivered his body and soul by a Victorious and Triumphant Resurrection So then as it is true Christ Jesus dyed else none of us could live so he dyed not as others dye not by the necessity of any law not
the patience to learn the following Article he might hear of his Triumphant Ascension into heaven and sitting there in Majesty and power on Gods right hand all the consolation of a Christian consists in this principally that after a troublesome warfare here he shall be carried to Abrahams bosome the Celestial Paradise to the durable Jerusalem to his Masters joy to an inheritance immortal undefiled reserved in the heavens to a rest from his labours and to behold the glory of God O how it behoves each man then to secure his interest in those felicities and daily and hourly commend his soul to that God that made it We are all careful enough when death approaches to put our houses in order and dispose of our temporals but few take a thought for that which is spiritual We had rather with King Asa seek to the Physitian then to the Lord 2 Chr. 16. when seized with sickness or with the Pharisees tithe mint and cummin and leave the weighty Matters of the Law undone but so we do but present God with maim not perfect with dead not living sacrifices Nothing can enter into the Kingdom of heaven but what is pure and immaculate and therefore our chiefest care should be if we desire to have admission there to prepare our souls by true faith and timely repentance without which our prayers and tears will nothing avail for without holinesse no man shall see the face of God He made our souls spirits let us not then make them carnal by feeding on corrupt lust He made them immortal let us not murder them with our sins and deprive them of eternal life He made them noble and after his own image let us not make them brutish and earthly by doting on the pleasures and vanities of this transitory world For what shal it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul TO thee therefore O thou Father of our Spirits do we make our humble addresses that thou wouldst be pleased to be a Protector of our souls and bodies both here and to all eternity Thou art our Rock and our Fortresse therefore for thy Names sake defend and guide us We have no confidence in saints or Angels for thou hast charged the best of them with folly but in the multitude of thy mercies for thou alone hast redeemed us O Lord God of truth Thou that didst shew thy power in weakness and shake the foundations of the earth when suffering on thy Cross make us to tremble through the horror of our sins and to fear thy judgments for them which we justly merit As thou didst then cleave the Rocks and rend the vail of thy sanctuary so melt our stony hearts with the beams of thy grace that they may receive the impressions of thy favors and that we may enter into the Holy of Holies above which thou hast prepared for thy chosen The height of our love is but to lay down our lives for our dearest relations but thou didst depose thy precious life for thy enemies that rebelled against thee Lord who by thy active and passive obedience wouldst leave nothing undone or unsuffered for our salvation O teach us to obey thy word to embrace thy metions to practise what thou commandest Let our wills be wholly resolved into thine and make us conformable to thee as thy saints and angels in heaven are We confess Lord that the wages of sin is deaeth and that we justly deserve to be reduced to our first nothing but O let not death which is the work of the divel have dominion over thy creatures who are the work of thine own hands Before we receive a summens to our end we pray thee furnish us with all requisite graces that we may be clothed with the wedding garment of holinesse and righteousness to meet thee the sweet Bridegroom of our souls Let us not commend unto thee foul sinful spouses but clean and sorrowful spirits for thou despisest not Lord humble and contrite hearts At the hour of death Lord speak comfortably to our souls and seal in our hearts by thy holy Spirit the pardon of all our sins Assist us with thy presence against all the assaults of our spiritual adversaries for if thou wilt be with us we shall neither fear nor feel any evil though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death And grant that though our souls and bodies be separated by death for a short space they may be re-united at thy great day and by vertue of thy Resurrection be raised to live in thy ever blessed eternity Grant this for his sake who lived and dyed and rose again for our salvation Jesus Christ Amen FINIS