bewail it in thy heart and say unto God O Lord thou art rich in Mercy thou canst deliver this poor wretched creature from the dunghill of sin So on the contrary if thou see a man live godlily glorifie God and say I beseech thee O Lord preserve those gifts which thou hast given to this man T is a lovely Treasure of Grace which thou hast committed to him but the Vessel frail and brittle and there are many Thieves lurking about it If thou look not to it t will quickly be all wasted and lost Lo this may we learn from Peters denyal 3. But specially it warneth all those that are Rectors of Churches not to presume nor to be proud It is very dangerous when a presumptuous man is put into the Office of a Minister For he knows not how to take pitty and compassion upon others He knows nothing but how to domineer terrifie punish c and to hunt feeble souls to despair by his outragiousness and so all his Ministry falls to the ground Hence it is that Paul by way of special commendation of Christ saith that he was such an high Priest that was able and did know how to have compassion on others Heb. 4. And therefore did he suffer Peter to fall that he might learn to shew pitty to others 4. This denyal of Peter is comfort and instruction to all sinners Comfort not to despair of pardon see Peter received again into favour after so great a fall Instruction to learn by his Example what course to take to get into favour again Of which more at large hereafter 5. It wanted not a Mysterie that Peter should deny his Master at his first entrance into the house of the high Priest and that at the provocation of a little girl For the first or chiefest profession in Princes Courts is to deny Christ that is to postpone and undervalue God and Christ Equity and Verity yea the salvation of their own souls too and only to mind and look after the things of this world This comes to pass especially when a man is brought in by a maid i e. by covetousness For that is the root of all evil 1 Tim 6. But whom that faithfull servant the fear of the Lord doth usher in he will cleave close to Christ in the Courts of Princes and in the midst of his worldly business as we see in David Daniel Hester Mordecay Joseph c. 6. To conclude He that reads the fall and denyal of Peter let him pray to the Lord that he never fall into the like Temptation as to deny Christ Let this weakness of Peter be our strength inasmuch as we know of him that after he had received the holy Spirit he would rather suffer himself to be cut in pieces than to deny Christ The high Priest then asked Jesus of his Disciples John 18.19 and of his Doctrine Jesus answered him I spake openly to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews alwayes resort and in secret have I said nothing Why askest thou me ask them which heard me what I have said unto them behold they know what I said And when he had thus spoken one of the Officers which stood by stroke Jesus with the palm of his hand saying Answerest thou the High Priest so Iesus answered him if I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil but if well why smitest thou me They that are of opinion that there was nothing acted in Annas's house except for honours sake they brought Christ first to him these refer all these things to Caiaphas who was the High Priest that year But whither it was he that did this or whither it was Annas that was High Priest the last year doth not much concern us we shall only consider the matter it self That High Priest then whoever he was whether Annas or Caiaphas he undertook to examine Christ by vertue of his Office and to convince him of his errour Christ stands bound before him and bears the pride of that wicked man as if he had been the basest and meanest of men He yields himself to be examined as if he had been the veryest Dunce that ever was Is not here patience even beyond patience Be not thou offended if proud silly fellows despise thee Christ did here lead the way by his example Two things principally the High Priest enquired after 1. His Disciples And was this such a crime in Christ Did that scurvy Priest know nothing else against him And doth he therefore turn his Accusation into Interrogatories Peradventure he would ask where his Disciples were why he chose them what he meant to do with them This Querie tended to convince him of raising sedition and going about to bring in Innovations 2. His Doctrine what it was and whence he had it whether it agreed with the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets q.d. Thou teachest far otherwise than Moses and the Prophets did Therefore thou art an Heretick and a Seducer and thou hast got thee Disciples to spread thy Heresie over all Iudaea Besides thou hast innovated a Baptism without our Authority In short thou dost all this yea although thou art not of the Tribe of Levi yet thou usurpest to thy self a power of preaching Thinkest thou that we will alway wink at it and never curb such insolency of manners and doctrine as we find in thee contrary to the custom and Rules of the Ancients Nay we have born with thee too long already Now thou shalt pay for alltogether Note here that t is not objected to Christ nor could it be objected against him that he was a Murtherer or a Thief or an Adulterer or an Extortioner but only that he did teach and take Disciples to him This is that above any other thing which the world doth lay to his charge that he never lets them alone but is still reproving them The world saith he hateth me because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil John 7. If Christ would have held his peace and not so continually have been finding fault the world could have born him But how can Truth be silent and not declare against falshood How is it possible that the Sun-should not shew what is fair and what is foul See our ingratitude for even for that very thing which the world hated in him was Christ most deserving the greatest honour and altogether praise-worthy for his teaching the Truth and chusing whom he pleased out of the world that they might not perish with the world was the highest favour he could shew But whereas this High Priest questioned Christ about his Doctrine and Disciples there was no hurt in all that It is rather the duty of the Ecclesiastical Power to take care that no false Doctrine be broacht abroad The Priest then made a fair pretence but his mind was quite contrary For he knew the things which Christ taught were true Besides he might have made a true
conjecture from the Signs Wonders which he wrought that he was sent of God as the blind man did If this man saith he were not of God he could do nothing John 9. The High Priest should not have questioned Christ for his Doctrine but said as Nicodemus Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher come from God John 3. But this prophane Priest doth not so but with a proud heart and stern countenance he chargeth him that he did preach and get Disciples to follow him For he thought that either Christ would be daunted with his big words and so recant and crave pardon for his fault or if he were stiff in his way that then he would defend it and himself and that in his defence he might happily speak something to be taken hold of the better to accuse him This is that which this reverend and godly Priest hunted so much after Our most meek Lord replies nothing concerning his Disciples of whom he then knew but little good For one had betrayed him another denyed him all deserted him But he would not lay open their faylings teaching us not suddenly to disclose the faults of others Concerning his Doctrine he answered and told them where and before whom he preacht it but not what it was that he did teach For he knew that the High Priest askt it to an ill intent A good Judge will enquire out the Truth not listen to every base report but this fellow sought only to defame him As to his Doctrine then Christ is not silent lest he should seem to repent what he had taught but he stands to maintain it teaching to assert the Truth constantly The Truth of his Doctrine he proved by a double Argument 1. That he did not preach it in hid-lock or in a corner but openly in the publick place He that doth evil hateth the light but he that doth the truth cometh to the light John 3. 2. He is contented to be tryed by his hearers I spake openly saith he to the world and in secret have I said nothing which I am ashamed of or would not have come to light And he did plainly charge his Apostles What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light Matth. 10. True he spake many things to his Disciples alone yet for no other reason but because others could not bear them Christ would have all that he taught should be published and made known to every one that none might excuse their ignorance Hence that of Paul If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4. Christ indeed doth speak openly to the world for now also doth Wisdom cry in the streets Prov. 8. so that none can find any shift for their ignorance For it is most certain that he taught in the Synagogues and Temple of the Jews where all use to meet And not only in the Temple and Synagogues but in the Ships and mountains and fields too Luke 6. Matth. 5. He preacht publickly in the greatest concourse of men So that they have no excuse at all left them If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin John 15.22 Thus far Christ sheweth in his answer where and to whom he spake It remained only that he should say something of his doctrine but that wretched Priest deserved not to hear it Christ therefore doth make no other answer here but that he appealed to his auditors and calls them to witness what he said a sure sign that he was clear in the truth of what he said False Teachers will not do so their own conscience would flie in their face and tell them that their doctrine would not endure the light Hereticks appeal not to their books or to their hearers but seek to maintain their errours by their slye and crafty wiles They can trust neither to their writings nor auditors But saith Christ Why askest thou me Ask them that heard me q.d. It is necessary that he should be examined whose fact is plain that he hath done but how he did it doth not yet appear So it was needfull that Joshua enquire of Achan what he had done That he had sinned was found out by lott but wherein he sinned was not yet known Josh 7. But I whose case thou now statest to refer wholly to doctrine did use to speak openly I taught not heresie but the truth I call my hearers to witness I did nothing in hugger mugger I am not ashamed to shew my face Why dost not thou ask them that heard me or why dost thou condemn before thou hearest and why dost thou ask me whom thou dost not think fit to be believed If it be an offence to teach then all that expound the Law are transgressors But if I have taught that which is not true yet thou oughtest not to judge thereof according to thine own suspition and malice nor receive information from my false accusers but from them that use to hear me I do therefore appeal to my hearers because by the Law and custom of Judicature it is not allowed in a legall proceeding that a man should be his own witness Ask them that heard me They can tell what I said I am not so much afraid or ashamed of my doctrine but that I dare refer my self to any that heard it Yea I fear it so little that I know what I have preach't will pass for current among my very adversaries Mark it he doth not say ask my Disciples or my friends but he appeals in generall to his hearers as if he had said I except none I fear not what any of them can say Here you see how confident the Truth is Truth only can say I fear no man No other doctrine is so perfect as to say so of it self besides that which God hath revealed by his Word Christ by this his answer did closely strike the conscience of that lend high Priest Why askest thou me saith he as if he had said why dost thou make such a fair pretence when thou dost not seek after the truth but to cavill with me But why dost thou ask that which thou dost already know I appeal to thy own conscience That hath answered for me long since A terrible word indeed when God shall produce our own conscience for a witness against us So he toucht the consciences of the ungodly Priests in the case of the woman taken in adultery when he said He that is without sin let him cast a stone first at her John 8. How truly and modestly did Christ answer hitherto But what followed What else but what usually proceeds from disdainfull persons Instead of an answer he had a cuff on the ear But it is better to take a box on the ear from an open enemy then a kiss on the lips from a false friend John saith one of the officers struck Jesus with the palm of his hand Let heaven and earth here tremble and stand amazed at the patience of
hold his tongue but reproves him that smote him or rather courteously admonished him If I have spoken evil saith he bear witness of the evil Christ might have said How else should I answer thou base parasite What should I say or do more Wouldst thou have me fall down and kiss the toe of thy grand Idol this high Priest and call him the light of the world I answered to what he askt me what wouldst have more thou naughty man Thus I say and more sharply might Christ have rounded up this vise varlet But for our pattern he answers him very mildly and that with a forked argument which might have pinnioned and bound this fellow hand and foot Christs meaning is thus either I have spoken well or ill this thou thy self must confess If evil thou oughtest to shew wherein But if well thou shouldest not beat me contrary to Law and Equity Christ said not this out of anger or passion Nor did this contradict what he said at another time of turning the other cheek Matth. 5. For if you rightly consider that word you will find that Christ did fully and perfectly follow his own doctrine For that great command of patience is to be observed not so much in the bodily ostentation as in a hearty preparation and readiness to suffer and is thus to be understood If any man injure reproach or wrong thee thou shouldst be so far from rendring evil for evil or to revenge thy self that thou shouldst sooner and more readily suffer more wrong and pass by greater injuries This is to turn the other cheek to the smiter In this sense is Christs word to be taken Did he revenge himself In no wise Did he revile again No by no means Peter saith When he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. Thou hearest his defence but not his recrimination thou hearest his advice but not his reproach If I have spoken well why smitest thou me I will not strike thee again I will not avenge my self on thee but I warn thee that thou repent lest worse things befall thee from God Thou beatest me on whom thou wast not able to lay thy band Thou beatest me now whom thou didst admire before John 7. Thou beatest me who art no Judge Thou beatest and misusest me who never wronged thee in all my life Thou gettest nothing by this thy misusage of me but thy own condemnation Christ then did here shew his gentleness three waies First in that he avengeth not himself when he might easily have done it Secondly not being angry Thirdly in that he did admonish instruct and repay good for evil to him Here then in the first place our rashness is reproved who are ever greedy of revenge even for the smallest wrongs done to us Forgetting what is written The wayes of them that remember injuries tend to death Eccl. 10. Again Forgive thy Neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest Eccl. 28.2 First then let us learn to bear wrongs patiently inasmuch as we are not the first nor they only who have been sufferers Secondly learn we to be silent in sufferings lest we murmur against God And whereas Christ took all things patiently besides this blow there is reason for it First he held not his peace now because that servant should not think that the Truth was to be smothered by outward persecution Secondly that he might think that it was lawfull for him and such as he was to do what they list to the poor Thirdly That he might not think that Princes were not to be reproved by the Word of God whereas the Word of God spares none for it is judge of all alike By this therefore he would teach us to bear our cross patiently yet so as that we conceal not what may tend to the salvation of our persecutors As also that we should never approve of an unjust cause though we suffer in bearing witness against it but to be instant in season and out of season and rebuke them that offer violence and be alwayes ready nevertheless to bear what our enemies shall inflict on us What hath hitherto been spoken concerning that blow and Christs answer was plainly foretold by Isaiah I hid not my face saith he from shame and spitting Isa 50. Again I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair Again I have set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed c. So Micah chap. 5.1 They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a Rod upon the cheek Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high Priest John 18.24 Mat. 26.57 John 18.18 where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled And the servants and Officers stood there who had made a fire of coals for it was cold and they warmed themselves and Peter stood with them and warmed himself And another maid saw him Mat. 26.71 and said unto them that were there This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth They said therefore unto him John 18.25 Art not thou also one of his Disciples And another said Luke 22.58 thou art also of them And again he denyed with an oath Mat. 26.72 saying Luke 22.58 Man I am not I do not know the man Mat. ibid. And after a little while Luke 22 58. about the space of an hour after Luke 22.59 came unto him they that stood by saying Surely thou also art one of them for thou art a Galilean Mar. 14 70. John 18.26 and thy speech bewrayeth thee One of the servants of the High Priests being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off saith did I not see thee in the garden with him Then began he to curse and to swear Matth. 26.74 saying I know not this man of whom ye speak Mar. 14.71 And immediatly while he yet spake the Cock crew Luke 22 60. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter And Peter remembred the word of the Lord Jesus how he had said unto him Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice Mar. 14.30 And he went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 Christ is led bound to Annas from him he is carried prisoner to Caiaphas Among that sort of people the Trurb is ever in bonds For none dare say any thing to them but what they like and love to hear The wickedness of Annas is seen in that he did not release Christ after he had made a sufficient and full answer but suffered him to be manicled yea and bound him over to a greater and more potent Adversary Mark saith expresly chap. 14.53 that in the house of Caiaphas the chief Priests and the Elders and the Scribes were assembled earnestly expecting every moment when Christ should be brought prisoner before them This was the ground of their meeting that very Night when they should have thought of eating the Paschal Lamb in remembrance of their deliverance from
day dead unto sin for sin or from sin and the third day we shall live in his sight God would not put off withhold or defer his Mercy and Favour his goodness Grace love and compassion towards man too long but hastened with all speed to discover his thoughts of peace to him First that he might make it known that he was a God that did not delight in the death of him that died but that rather he would have all men come to the Knowledge of the Truth that they might be saved Ezek. 18.32 chap. 33.11 Wisd 1.13 1 Tim. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 Secondly God sought after and found man out so suddenly before he had any thought in his heart to seek after or return to God Isa 65.1 to teach us that he is found of them that sought him not and that man hath no will or power to turn to God till God first bestow his Grace and give him wherewith he may so do that he cannot as of himself think a good thought that he cannot so much as believe in God but by the gift of his Grace Eph. 2 8. Psalm 49. That no man can quicken his own soul that none should glory in the sight of God as if he had not received what he hath 1 Cor. 1.29 4.7 53. As God doth first prevent man with his Grace to hide pride from him and keep him from boasting that he may have all the glory and praise unto himself so doth he bestow sufficient grace upon all that every mouth may be stopped and all left without excuse And this will plainly appear if we look back to the beginning For God came to Adam with the tender of the Seed before he knew his Wife or had begoteen either Son or Daughter and made the promise to him generally in terms at large indefinitly and indeterminatively without limitation or restriction not confining it to one nor denying it to another God did not say The seed of the Woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent for Abel or Seth when they are born but not for Cain 54. And if that Doctrine must he received as true and Orthodox viz. That all men are guilty of original sin quatenus considered in Adams loynes Representing them in himself as a publike person which Doctrine may yet be questioned then it will as well follow on the other hand that the Promise made by God unto Adam should extend and reach unto all his posterity he then having them all Representatively in himself when the promise was made to him which promise was made without any personal limitation but to Adam indefinitely and consequently to all mankind in general 1 Cor. 15. â—2 And thus the Apostle seems to make the Plaister as large as the Sore As in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive See also Rom. 5.15,16,17,18,19 Where sin aboundeth Grace did superabound Rom. 5.20 where the love of God in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ is fully vindicated from the diminishing aspersions which some cast on it by limiting and curtailing of it My endeavour and design is to acquit and clear the most Righteous and Holy God from being active or impulsive consenting unto approving of or having any hand in the sin of man Let the soul that sinneth bear his own iniquity and let the sin and guilt be laid at his door that doth the evil let not God be charged with it but let every one of us humble our selves under his Mighty Hand that must lift us up and deliver us in his due time 1 Pet. 5.6 55. Again The evidence of this Truth will be yet further cleared up if we consider how God expostulated the matter with Cain He doth not fall upon him with any hard speeches calling him Reprobate Cast-away c. but meekly reasons it out with him Where is thy brother If thou dest well shalt thou not be accepted Whence we may conclude that Cains murder did not proceed from any predestinate or impulsive Act of Reprobation but from his own voluntary Inclination to the suggestion of Satan by whom he was begotten a son of murder in resigning his Will to the Will of the wicked one Iohn 8.44 who was a Murtherer from the beginning and begat Children of his own nature like himself 56. Now if God had so irrecoverably reprobated Cain from all Eternity as some say he did and all other unrepenting wicked men as well as he then there had been no place for acceptation of Cain let him have done never so well or else God should make a shew of one thing and intend the clean contrary of which blasphemous Imputation God forbid that any should be guilty But whereas God told Cain plainly that if he had done well he might have been accepted it is manifest that there was Grace enough given in the Promise as a publique stock and laid up in Adam as a common person in whom all Mankind then was so that one as well as another might freely take of it for there is no Respect of persons with God to inrich supply and enable himself sufficiently to do the Will of God And to this the Scriptures bear witness Isa 55. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without money and without price John 7.37 Jesus stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely John 3.14,15,16,17 and chap. 12.47 I came not to judge or condemn the world but to save the world Mar. 16.15 Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature c. Every Creature whosoever will What more plain 57. Nay Cain himself when he was reproved by God had not the impudence to answer or reply that it was not so much his fault that he killed his brother nor could he help or avoid what he did for he was reprobated and rejected left to himself and denyed grace to withstand the temptation and resist the Devil No he had no such plea for doubtless his Father and Mother did conceal the Promise no more from him being the first born and a man from the Lord as his mother thought then from Abel And therefore he takes shame to himself laies his hand upon his mouth bewails his condition confesseth that his felly and sin not Gods reprobating Act had brought this misery upon him he doth not he durst not so much as once offer to open his mouth against God Yea The worst of men have acknowledged their destruction to be of themselves and in their very torments have justified God and condemned themselves as Solomon sets forth and describes their wofull complaint They repenting and groaning for anguish
coena finita supper being ended but coena facta supper being made or made ready when it was set before them on the table Whence it is that almost all are of opinion he washed their feet before the institution of the Eucharist and it is very probable it was so for it becometh us to come neat and clean unto the Sacrament But by John it seems this washing was after the institution of the Sacrament For he continueth the History after the washing of their feet which should not be interrupted till Judas was cast out of fellowship If then the Sacrament was instituted afterward it would follow from the History that Judas did not take the body and blood of Christ with the rest of the Apostles which some affirm Luke 22 But the History of Luke doth not admit this where it is plainly said that Judas his admonition followed the institution of the Sacrament I list not to contend about this It is sufficient we know that Christ did wash his Disciples feet whether it was before or after the receiving of the Sacrament it matters not Let us give heed to the History it is worth our taking notice and it requireth a diligent Auditour and a desirous Spectator For 1 That which Christ did here is very beautiful and to be admired 2. The words of the Evangelist himself are most prudent for he doth not simply shew what was done but he sets it out with words of weight and gravity to make the more impression And 1. Before he proceeds to what Christ did he first nameth the Traytor that thereby we might either prize the greatness of Christs love and humility who shewed those things even to an enemy and traytor which another man would scarce disclose to a brother or a friend It is the greatest love that can be to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us 2. Or else he nameth the traytor that thereby we may see how that wretched man fell from one sin to another as being now the very reall and proper slave of Satan yea he still went on to greater sins till at last he fell into the bottomless pit John had before call'd him a thief who did use to pick his Masters purse And a little after the other Evangelists shew that he had taken money of the Jews to betray Christ But here is an aggravation of his sin in that he obstinately resolv'd with himself to accomplish this wickedness and not hearken to any courtesies or Counsell which indeed was a most devillish thing Therefore it is remarkably said that the Devil had cast it into his heart The ungodly wretch presently listened to this Charmer He scorned to hear the admonition of Christ as all wicked men do I am come in my Fathers Name saith Christ and ye receive me not John 5. if any come in his own name him ye will receive 1. Here we see that the design and purpose of the Devil is to destroy not only men but Christ himself too if he could 2. We see also who it was principally that did shed the blood of Christ even the Devil himself he could not endure to see him on the earth where his Kingdom is He was afraid he should be thrust out of his Kingdom He first made use of the Council of the Pharisees to bring about this murther and theft then the malice of the traytor lastly the hands of sinfull men But this not without Gods permission who had decreed from Eternity to redeem mankind by the blood of his innocent son 3. Observe here that the nature and work of the Devil is to inspire and suggest evil as God by his Spirit doth inspire good things into the hearts of Believers An example of the Devils suggestion we have in Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5. That wicked one is accustomed to it and knoweth how to hinder as much as may be all good 1 Thess 2. and to further all evil Gen. 3. Know therefore that all offences and sin come from the Devil and not from God as Hereticks teach The Devil I say inspired all sinners from the beginning of the world to disobey God What the Devil can do is notoriously seen in Judas and the Jews Him he instigated and drew on to betray his own Master them he enticed to destroy their own Messiah and King Let us pray then that God by his Grace would shut and keep all such diabolical insinuations out of our hearts For that wicked one will perswade us to nothing that is good After this the Evangelist mentioneth the Power and Knowledge of Christ 1. First lest any should think that Christ was not God because Judas could betray him As he was God in the beginning so he continued even when he was betrayed and crucified 2. Again He speaketh of Christs power that from the commendation of so great power and sublimity the work of his deep humility might become the more admirable and praise-worthy Thus Paul when he was about to extoll the humility and obedience of Christ he begins with his sublimity Phil. 2. Who being in the form of God c. We can never rightly prize the humiliation of Christ unless withall we consider his high estate Neither can any man so well esteem of his love till he consider upon whom and to what unworthy persons he did bestow it Now the infinite height of Christ is set forth in three words 1. The first is this Knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands or that he was Lord of all even of the Devil and wicked men and yet would as it were lay by this his power for the love he bare to men or rather would hide it and so become weak and low so weak as not to help the godly yea so low as to suffer the wicked to vent their rage upon him without restraint great humiliation indeed and great love and all this that he might succour poor helpiess man Or thus knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands i. e. he knew that the salvation of mankind depended upon him It was at his pleasure whether man should be saved or perish He did know and indeed acknowledge that to save men was a gift given him of the Father therefore he doth manfully and couragiously set about that work And we have great consolation from these two words that the Father hath given all things to Christ and that into his hands to wit Justification forgiveness of sins Life Salvation Redemption Judgement Resurrection Kingdom c. Whereby we also are put in mind to know and give good heed to what God hath given us what he hath committed or commanded to us 2. The second word that expresseth Christs Highness is that he came out from God All creatures are from God by creation but Christ came from God by Eternal generation So that t is all one as if he had said knowing that he was
in the use of Temporal things For those things which were given only to be used in these the world place their love and confidence Christ by reproving this falsity bare witness to the Truth 2. The Jews erred in a wrong understanding of the Law The Gentiles were deceived by their Idolatry 3. Christ in reprehending bearing down both their errors did bear witness to the Truth Well then might he say that therefore he came to that end was he born For this cause saith he I became man for this purpose am I now here that errour iniquity may be destroyed that truth and righteousness may raign This I do and this I will do it is and ever shall be my business to beat down keep under and crush the Devil that God alone may be exalted and Raign If thou therefore art a child of Truth if thou dost love the Truth if thou desirest nothing but the Truth thou wilt hear my Voyce with joy and gladness For I am Truth it self and can speak and teach nothing but the Truth Which thing we that are Christians and are of the Truth do not only believe it but are also the thing it self The Voyce of Christ is Truth which abideth for ever yea though Moses Jupiter Mahomet Hereticks and Antichrist die nay Tyberius and Pilate too yet this liveth for ever Therefore every one that is of the Truth heareth my Voyce Hereby teaching us who they be that belong to his Kingdom He doth not say every one that truly is or hath truly a being for the Devil and wicked men have truly a being but he saith he that is of the Truth A lye is that which is not or is not manifest Adam is not the World is not He then that is of Adam of man or of the World is of a lye He is of the truth that loveth the constant truth that seeketh the everlasting Good that thirsteth after Righteousness and eternal Life This is he that heareth my Voyce this is he that belongeth to my Kingdom and one that subjecteth himself to my Government Christ therefore is no Lord and King to those who covet Riches aspire to the Honours of this world and hunt after pleasures Nor is he their King who are mutinous and raise seditions but he is their King who thirst for Righteousness earnestly breath after the Celestial Joy and willingly hear and obey the Truth From all which it is plain and evident that Christ had not at all offended against Caesar When Christ had given so high a commendation of the truth Pilate being somewhat moved and taken therewith and as an Ethnick to whom such things were somewhat uncouth he asked Jesus what was Truth An excellent question indeed if it had proceeded from his heart and that he had been in earnest For what is more profitable and pleasant to search after then the truth All the world invocateth the truth as we read 1 Esdras 4. Yea wicked men themselves though they be lyars and false yet will press others to speak the truth and would not be cheated and deceived Much more beautifull is truth in spirituall things But Pilate did not ask this question heartily but as it were scornfully and disdainfully as if he had said Dost thou broach any other truth then what your High Priests and our Priests teach Thou hast said enough and more then enough there 's no need of any more at this time I came not hither to hear a Sermon There are other matters in hand We have more Irons in the fire Wicked men loath nothing more then the Word of God and those things that tend to their good and salvation here they stand upon thorns and think long ere they be at liberty 1. Pilate should have been warmed and encouraged by Christs Word But he was no more moved then if he had offered Gold or most Orient Pearls to a blind man he was as blind as a beetle the Sun was darkness to him He whose understanding is darkened cannot discern the splendor of Truth which darts the rays of its lustre into the minds of the godly Pilate indeed was not worthy to hear an answer to his question He heard enough if he would have believed it 2. But Christ would no longer linger out his Passion And what need was there to enquire what was truth Lo Christ that stood there present was and is the Truth Whatever Idolatrous Priests trifle about Vertue or the Jewish High Priests teach concerning fleshly righteousness they are all but lyes nothing but Christ and the Gospel only is Truth and what follows and is drawn by consequence from the Gospel But Pilate having not received an answer to his mind went out to the Jews again He supposed that the Laws of Caesar would have served his turn and that he needed no other knowledge of the truth Secondly He perceived that this did not much concern the case in hand Thirdly He saw the Jews were in haste and t was no time to talk any longer with Christ For the Jews were afraid lest Christ should mollifie the mind of the Judge with his words which they knew were very efficacious and penetrating Lastly He had now learned by experience that there was nothing in Christ whereby he might defend himself if he were put to death and complaint thereof should be made to Caesar against him for his unjust punishment for the Prince of all just men and the King of Righteousness had put on Righteousness for a Brest-plate and true Judgement for an Helmet and equity for an invincible Bâ—…kler that no man could by any means catch him in his words Therefore he who first went forth that he might hear some Accusation against him doth now go out to excuse Jesus before his Accusers I find saith he no fault in this man Here we find again a civil Righteousness in Pilate For 1. Although there were rich and potent men on one hand from whom he might hope for gain or fear some loss but Christ was all alone a poor man quite cast off by all his friends from whom he saw no ground to expect any advantage or fear any detriment yet he takes Christs part against the Jews which is the duty of a Righteous judge though such be rare to be found Whence it is that the Princes of the Jews are so often reproved for not judging the cause of the Fatherless Isa 1. Therefore Moses would have such Judges that hated covetousness Exod. 23. For bribes will make men blind Hence it is that Judges are so often call'd upon to fear the Lord Be instructed ye that judge the earth serve the Lord in fear Psalm 2. 2. Pilate doth not only take his part and stand for Christ but he doth clearly confound his Adversaries by proclaiming him guiltless and that after he had throughly examined the whole business although they had bound him as a Felon and one that deserved to die 3. He doth plainly prove them lyers
Vagabonds upon the earth like Cain Gen. 4. And no doubt but ye have felt the smart of it long since how sorely this blood of Christ hath lain upon you But now 1659. years and opprest you and your Children now more than these fifteen hundred years Nor shall you ever have rest and quiet till ye be converted and turn to him and acknowledge your iniquity After Pilate had washt his hands and thought himself whiter than the snow then he gives sentence against Christ to put him to death He thought it a small matter to adjudge a poor mean man to die He thought no body would revenge his blood but he found it otherwise at last What matter is it if a godly man hath no man to take his part or none to revenge his quarrel so long as he hath God to avenge his wrong Vengeance is mine saith he I will repay Deut. 32. Thus Barabbas the Robber is let go without any punishment but innocent Jesus is whipt and judged to death even the death of the Cross The just for the unjnst So those sons of men Whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword did prevail and get the day because they stifly stood it out and held on their clamour so long till at last he was delivered to them to be crucified And so he that gives life to all bare the sentence of death for us For in the righteous Judgement and Court of God this sentence of death was due to us But Christ took it upon himself Thus I say He to whom the heavenly Father had committed all Judgement John 5. And who shall call to the Heavens from above and to the earth that he may judge his people Psalm 50. 2 Pet. 2. At whose Judgement the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken and the firmament shall pass away with fervent heat Hell shall give up its dead and every creature shall tremble he it this day set at naught and despised as the vilest fellow in the world and condemned to die But wo and alas 1. How were the hearts of his Disciples and the rest of his friends overcharged with sadness and grief when all hope of life was taken away and they heard that their faithfull Master their Lord and Helper was condemned by a most unrighteous Judgement 2. On the contrary what a frantick fit of jollity and howling exultation were these mad dogs put into when they had at last prevailed with the Judge by their importunate clamours to grant them their most abominable and horrid request which he had so often denyed them before when the wicked Judge delivered up Jesus the Saviour to the cursed and most cruel will of those who thirsted so much after his blood 3. How did the hopeless sadness of his friends and the furious mirth of his foes torture and afflict this meekest Lamb now in the midst of Wolves 1. Here we see Christians what we must have expected at Gods Judgement day even the Sentence of Eternal Death if Christ had not took pity on us and taken it upon himself 2. We see what little confidence we are to put in the World when Pilate who had hitherto so often stood in defence of Christ now to gratifie and please the Iews doth crucifie him without any other cause in the world So Herod heard Iohn willingly yet cut off his head at last Mark 6. This unrighteous Sentence Christ took and accepted of to free us from the most just Sentence of damnation and to teach us not to fear the unrighteous judgement of the World Let us alwayes remember this Judgement that we may with all our might and whole hearts give thanks to our Lord Christ who would be condemned to death for us and be delivered to the will of the wicked Iews yea he delivered himself that we might be able to stand before the Judgement of God And they took off the purple from him Mar. 15.20 and put his own cloaths on him and led him out to crucifie him And he bearing his cross went forth John 19.17 And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name Mat. 27.32 who passed by coming out of the Countrey the father of Alexander and Rufus Mark 15.21 and they laid hold upon him Luke 23.26 him they compelled to bear his cross Mat. ibid. and they laid the cross on him that he might bear it after Iesus And there followed him a great company of people and of women which also bewailed and lamented him And Iesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children For behold the dayes are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are the barren and the Wombs that never bare and the paps which never gave suck Then shall they begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us For if they do these things in a green Tree what shall be done in the dry Luke 23.27 Dearest Brethren and friends of God you who wait to hear the end of the saving crucifying of the blessed Lord and beloved Jesus the good God imprint in your hearts the memory of this great suffering that thereby you may not only be more strengthened in your Faith but also animated and encouraged in patience to undergo the like if need so require Amen Invocate the Lords mercy and with most fervent minds pray for all Iews Pagans Hereticks sinners and sinneresses that God the Father and Creator of all would bestow his Grace and Mercy upon all men whereby they may be converted from unbelief to the Faith and from a wicked life to godliness O thou most high God remember this so infinite Passion and be not angry with us for ever These things I thought good to premise to stir up your minds and make ye more attentive to those things which now follow We have heard first what our Lord suffered before finall sentence was past upon him We have heard secondly what that sentence was to wit that he should be crucified Now thirdly we shall hear next how that sentence was put in execution Here then let us give all attention not so much with the ears of our body as of our mind The next thing to be done is to open the Veins of the Fountain of living Waters that that precious balsam which pierceth and softeneth the hearts of all the godly may flow out After that wicked sentence was pronounced those truculent and bloody Wolves took that meekest Lamb Jesus to rend him in pieces and destroy him utterly a thing which they had long desired and now at last had obtained So that what Christ had foretold was now fulfilled to wit that the world should rejoice in his sufferings Ioh. 15. Then is the world glad when it may do what it listeth without controul when there is none to reprove it when it hath those that rebuke it under its own power they took Christ
desire that the title should be altered Thus wickedness is loath to be seen when it doth wickedly but would fain palliate and cloak its naughtiness But Pilate had not respect to their infamy and disgrace but to his own safety when he set up that Title and therefore would not change it But if he did write that Title contrary to their intention yet nevertheless our Jesus Christ of Nazareth would have been King not only of the Iews but of all other people besides For he had not his Kingly Name from Pilates inscription but from the will and calling of the Father who anointed him thereunto But as those things which Christ had spoken concerning his Kingdom did still continue so spoken so what Pilate had written remained still written And truly Pilate among so many errours of fickleness and cowardize yet in this one thing he did well not to alter the Title For there could be no truer title written on the cross of Christ then this It concerns us to make good use of that title T is not enough to write it on our walls unless we write it also in our hearts Wherefore if any misery or misfortune trouble thee remember that Jesus is thy King and thine Avenger and thou shalt not want relief or comfort If thou art a sinner consider that Jesus is he who saved his people from their sins and thou wilt be incouraged against thy sins c. It follows in the Text. Then the Souldiers when they had crucified Jesus John 19.23 took his Garments and made four parts to every Souldier a part and also his coat now the coat was without seam woven from the top thorowout They said therefore among themselves Let us not rent it but cast Lots for it whose it shall be that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my Rayment among them and for my Vesture they did cast Lots And sitting down they watched him there Mat. 27.36 These things therefore the Souldiers did When our most holy Lord was suffering on the cross the Souldiers just as hangmen use to do hale and pull his cloaths off him and because they had power given them to put him to death when he was condemned they had leave also to take his cloaths when he was dead although it may be supposed that Christs cloaths could do those Souldiers but little good so that they divided them rather out of a custom to satisfie their lusts then for any advantage they made of them Thus our Lord Jesus was so proscribed and all that he had openly set to sale as an offender and guilty person that he could not so much as dispose of his own cloaths to his dearest friends who would carefully have laid them up and kept them charily as a great Treasure But when his body was brim full of reproaches revilings and abuses he was content that the hangmen should have his cloaths for their pains All which was done 1. That the Scriptures might be fulfilled Psaâ—… 22. For David plainly foretold this that it should so be Not only the more remarkable things of Christ but also the smallest Circumstances were foretold of him in the Scriptures that by all alike we might be led into the very truth it self and be kept from errour by one as well as by another And truly it is a great Testimony to our faith that the Prophesies of all the Prophets were so clearly and plainly fulfilled in our Nazarite The Jews are never able to find out any other man in all the world in whom the whole Scripture doth so meet and agree 2. This division of Christs cloaths was to signifie and set forth a Mysterie and to shew how it would be in time to come For 1. The Garments of Christ do signifie the holy Scriptures which heady and rash Hereticks rent and tear into divers and various senses For wicked men will take nothing out of the Scripture but what will serve their turn best and are content to hold the Truth of God by parts and parcels and so the Devil will own and keep to Scripture Mat. 4. if he may be allowed to pick and chuse as he lift And whereas the Lord had more than one Garment it signifieth the many volumes of the Scriptures with which the Word of God is clad The seamless coat doth fitly set forth one intire inviolable Catholick Faith which those heretical souldiers could not rent cut and abolish yet they would cast lots for it Hereticks do not deny Faith and the Gospel but they do so play with the Scripture and darken it with such obscure words dead and dallying glosses that one can hardly find and know Christ by it Or more properly thus The four parts of Christs cloaths signifie the Church which is parted into four parts extending to the four parts of the world and yet is and ever will be but one The seamless coat which was not divided signifieth the unity of all the parts which is bound about with the girdle of Charity If this Unity be once dissolved the rent is still made wider and the Schism waxeth greater as Augustine saith But lots are cast for this coat for all men have not faith All run indeed but one receiveth the prize 1 Cor. 9. Hereticks endeavour to rend this Unity and thereby cut themselves off from the Church but yet the Unity of faith still hath and ever will be the same 2. The Garment of Christ is his humanity which is distributed and preached over the four parts of the world and is and hath been so published and divulged that wicked men are not able to conceal or hide it any longer 3. Christs cloaths are temporal goods and these also he doth freely bestow upon wicked men yea he doth suffer them to snatch them off and scrape and rake them to themselves But spirituall things he doth bequeath and give to the godly and with them he doth bestow himself also upon them 4. The Saints and good men are the Garments of Christ who cleave and keep close to Christ as 't is prophesied of them As the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man So have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel Jer. 13.11 By the parting of Christs rayment the nature and property of the world is signified and how it doth deal with the godly in this life For good men seem to lye open wholly to the will and pleasure of evil men in this world but for all that Christs coat is rent that is although the godly are derided and tossed up and down in the world yet they are not destroyed nor totally rooted out The Evangelist doth emphatically add this in the case These things therefore the souldiers did with which word he shutteth up and concludeth all that they did The Souldiers saith he did these things and what more they should do they could not well tell They had crucified his body and taken the prey but the Power of God
the Word of God they could not destroy And whom may those souldiers who did crucifie Christ and yet strove might and main who should wear his cloaths whom I say do they more properly signifie than those wicked and ungodly high Priests who were more truly souldiers than high Priests For they neglected to search interpret expound and open the Scriptures they sleighted prayer and works of piety they cast off the cure and care of souls they give themselves to nothing but to raise and foment war to maintain their great vast estates and large possessions and most superfluous wealth they shed blood and make nothing to mingle all things and stain them with war and slaughter They divide Churches and Benefices among themselves which ought to be for the maintenance of those that preach the Word and they have not every man one but some two three yea ten Benifices apeice Now they cast lots that is they chop and change fell give to their Kindred and infinite other monstrous things they do to the subversion of Laws Justice Gospel and all honesty Christ looks on all the while and saith nothing but he will not always hold his peace These things saith he hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtst that I was altogether such a one as thy self but thou art much mistaken I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psalm 50. Let every man therefore look to it how he doth dispose the goods of the Church the cloaths of Christ c. It follows Luke 23.35 Mar. 15.29 Mat. 27.40 And the people stood beholding And they that passed by reviled on him wagging their heads and saying Ah thou that destroyest the Temple of God and buildest it in three days save thy self If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross Likewise also the chief Priests mocking him among themselves with the Scribes and Elders of the people said He saved others himself he cannot save If he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross if he be the Christ the chosen of God let him save himself that we may see and believe him He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him For he said I am the Son of God Hitherto you have had Charity and Patience to hear what punishment and pain the innocent and most meek Lamb hath suffered Now you hear that after and above all that was foretold he is here set upon and assaulted in his sufferings with revilings reproaches mockings evil speakings c. for when they could no longer buffet and spit upon him they invade and vex him with their taunting tongues The world will omit nothing that may add affliction to the Elect of God for they are not of the world therefore doth the world hate them Christ had many taunts jeers and scoffs cast on him in Caiaphas's house and yet there is no end of them Here first whilst he hangs on the Cross they raise and invent a new and that so devilish a scorn of him that a greater and more bitter one could hardly be imagined First Therefore observe here who it was that did this Secondly How and wherefore they did it 1. First I say they were the chief Priests that did this 2. The Scribes 3. The Elders 4. The Souldiers 5. The Thieves 6. All the people that went by the Cross And what Inhabitant was there in Jerusalem that did not do it the Elect only and Believers excepted Is it not a great fearfull and unspeakable misery that so many men both of high and low degree should so bitterly so inhumanely so venomously so odiously mock him who never did or said any thing in the least that was ridiculous or to be laughed at but did rather both do and say all things most praise worthy and deserving the highest commendations But thus and no otherwise doth the Power of darkness do 2. See now why and wherefore they do thus inhumanely deride Christ in his greatest extremity for this mocking doth comprehend all those things of which he was accused at first both before Caiaphas and before Pilate and Herod And they were four viz. 1. He is mocked and reviled for that which they had objected against him concerning the destruction and building again of the Temple which although in Truth he did never say as they alledged yet he must hear it for they tell him of it without any pitty and now too in his greatest distress when he was at the point of death But however O ye mad Jews as ye have most hatefully upbraided him so it must and was to be done and now it is accomplisht and was so long since In three days the Temple of his body was reared up again which ye destroyed and not he What pardon then can you expect or what admission can ye look for when ye shall see the Temple of God built again within three days in the resurrection of the body 2. He is flouted at for being the Son of God as if therefore he had not been the Son of God because he was crucified But that he is so was sufficiently proved both in himself and by many thousand men whom he cured either in body or soul or both 3. They laugh at him about his being a King and concerning the Kingdom of Israel But do what ye can this is he that was and is King of Israel nor have all your scoffs and taunts detracted or abated one jot of his royal Majesty and Dignity Yet God forbid that he should have come down from the Cross to shew that he was able to make it good This is that which the devil did long for and would have been glad to see and that which Christ could easily have done if he would but he would gratifie neither you nor that wicked and subtile serpent for by his descending from the Cross the whole salvation and redemption of man had been hindred But if thou wouldst O Jew be assured by some token only that he is the King of Israel indeed consider either his former Miracles with the agreement of the Scriptures and times or else look for him on the day of his Resurrection then thou shalt see something more thou shalt then see him spring and mount out of the grave like a Conqueror which certainly is much more than if he had now come down from the Cross 4. They jeer at him for saying that he was Christ and the true Messias which is most true that he was still is and ever will be And that which he did many ways prove to be true both in your own Country and in all the world besides so that never any did or ever shall do the like From this Christ it is that we are called Christians nor are we ashamed of the name And whereas ye say that he healed and saved others you do thereby plainly confess that he is the Saviour So that out of your own mouth
the bitterness and impiety of the Jews hearts For as Vineger is but degenerate Wine so the Jews had degenerated from what they were at first My noble Vine how art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me Jer. 2. Again I looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes Isa 5. It is to be admired in those ministers of the Lords death yea in that Divine Counsell by which all these things were ordered that they should do every thing so regularly and so exactly as if they had sworn to fulfill all Prophesies in him And therefore it is here said That the Scripture might be fulfilled to wit that which saith They gave me Gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave me Vineger to drink Psalm 69 Hence we learn how the world dealeth with the godly in their extremity and distress ' For at this very day Christ cryeth and complaineth in the poor and those that are destitute of the like succour and assistance I thirst but the world doth give nothing but Vineger scoff at contemn reproach revile the afflicted Therefore it follows But others said Let be let us see whether Elias will come to save him The rest should have reproved those mockers which offered Vineger to Christ when he was in that distress and did so earnestly desire a little drink But there was not one to rebuke them Nay what these do with Vineger the rest do with bitter words Both sorts wounded Christ So unequally is Christ dealt with in this world But it lasteth but an hour c. Of the sixth Word WHen Jesus therefore had received the Vineger John 19.30 he said It is finished There were many things yet to be fulfilled as Death the opening of his side his Burial the Destruction of Hell which were also foretold in the Scriptures But inasmuch as they were how about to be finished therefore he saith It is finished There was the Resurrection Ascention and sending the holy Spirit yet behind But those belong to the Conquest not to the Contest They are the Laurels not the labours of the battel Christ then by this sixt word doth exceedingly fulminate and appale the Devil which yet makes most for our Consolation The meaning is all one as if he had said The sense Thou wicked soulhunter thou dost here spread thy net in vain thou shalt catch and carry away nothing but shame and confusion Hitherto thou hast done what in thee lieth to destroy me But now and hence-forward none of all thy cheating tricks shall avail any thing against me thy thousand weapons and wiles shall not hurt me thou hast bent thy bow thou hast sown the tares of envy thou hast planted the thorne of ingratitude thou hast stirred up the fury of the people thou hast blinded the Judges encouraged the Executioners thou hast spit thy venome and done the worst thou canst The Disciple by thy instigation hath betrayed his God his Friends have despised him the Souldiers crucified him Thou hast shot all thy Darts now thy Quiver is empty Thou hast opened the pit which thou hast digged but shalt fall into it thy self Thy wickedness shall come down upon thine own pate Thou shalt not only get nothing by me but shalt also lose many millions of souls by me I will be many a thousand out of thy way thy Power shall be weakened thy Kingdom wasted Iniquity shall come to an end My Wisdom shall overcome thy malice For lo whatsoever the Father hath determined praised be God is now accomplished I have fully suffered whatever the Law and the Prophets did foretell all that is necessary and may conduce to the Salvation of man The Sacrifice is offered the Types fulfilled the shadows are fled away The Fathers command is finished The Scripture is sulfilled The power is at an end which thou hast used or rather abused over men The rage and violence of the Jews against me is at an end Righteousness it perfected it is come up to the height greater then which cannot possibly be imagined Justice and Love is compleated it is raised to the highest pitch The Sacrifice by which alone God could be pacified is now perfectly finished Finally all things are now made ready Sin is at an end Everlasting Righteousness shall now take place The Law is at an end the Gospel shall now succeed Man is now redeemed and reconciled unto God Nothing hath been omitted all things have been vigorously executed nothing could hinder or withhold me from finishing the Mysterie of mans Redemption An end is now put to thy Kingdom The Kingdom of Christ and of God shall now begin Henceforth thou shalt not be so formidable nor shalt thou have such power upon earth The people that dwell in Sion shall not fear thee O Ashur The children also shall take up Rods they shall whip and scourge thee they shall be so strengthened by Faith in me that they shall be nothing afraid of thy temptations yea they shall tear thee all to pieces and spurn thee for it is finished 1. By this Word of Christ is our Faith confirmed against all Hereticks and Antichrist himself 2. Hereby also may we Triumph over all adversity whatsoever For if we be tempted with any lust of sin if death if hell rush upon us we may say Why ragest thou thus why art thou so mad Dost not hear that Victory is at hand and that all things are finished For however we may now be sensible of those things yet they are as a Serpent without poyson as a Bee without a sting Therefore we may boldly say Death where is thy victory Thou art swallowed up c. 1 Cor. 15. 3. Whereas heretofore we were by the Law we were very uncertain whither we should go and what should become of us after this life Nay we were most sure to be hurled into Hell now by this consummation we are ascertained that we shall be received into Heaven if so be we are graffed into Christ by Faith But Christ said that all things were finished in the same sense as the Lamb is said to be slain from the beginning of the world Not that he was then manifestly slain but that Christ being once slain his death and blood was sprinkled backward and forward even to Adam and to the end of the world Thus also is our salvation finished not fully yet and indeed but in Hope Man is begun to be justified and healed But mean while being justified and healed the sin which yet remains in his flesh is not imputed to him because of Christ who being without any sin and now become one with man intercedeth for him to the Father Rom. 5. So that there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. Now after that word It is finished let not the Jews expect any other who shall do more then what Christ hath done already Of the seventh Word AS Christ was now about to
who should guard me as their Generall with their Swords in this my necessity and would hazard their lives for me Or 2. If I sought a worldly Kingdom the Angels themselves would defend me from the violence of the Jews But I have no need of the help of Angels or men My own right hand is able to supply me with ayd sufficient Here the weakness of a worldly Kingdom is seen which hath no strength of it self but all from its Subjects and Officers and if these fail a King is but in an ill case But if they do list themselves under him they may prove false and betray him many wayes But the Kingdom that is from above is sufficient of it self and needs not the help of any From all this Christ concludeth that his Kingdom is not from hence as if he had said Thou mayst certainly assure thy self by this Argument that my Kingdom is not worldly or earthy What ever thou or thy Caesar hath shall be in no danger for me I covet nothing of yours I care not for all the glory and riches of the world which you so highly esteem These things were spoken to Pilate but they do as much concern us 1. For if Christs Kingdom be not from hence Why then O Christian dost thou seek after the Riches and Honours of this world 2. If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then Christians must expect to suffer in the world so long as they have the peace of their consciences in Christ John 16. Wonder not then that the godly meet with so much trouble in the world A good man in all his afflictions should comfort himself with this word saying My Kingdom is not from hence 3. If Christs Kingdom be not from hence they are much mistaken then who place the Kingdom of Christ in outward things and the Elements of the world The Kingdom of God saith he is within you Luke 17. Which is not so to be understood as if this lower world were not created by God or did not belong unto God as having nothing to do with it as Manichaeus was of opinion For it is certain that all the ends of the earth are his the sea is his and he made it c. Psalm 95. But however Christ put a clear difference between his Kingdom and the kingdom of the world yet the name of King did stick in Pilates stomack For he was never wont to hear in all the dubblings of honour amongst their Princes that ever any did usurp the Royal Title And he conceived that this Title ought not to be given to any without Caesars consent and approbation Therefore he saith Art thou then a King notwithstanding thy Kingdom be not of this world He stickles much at the Title King this he could not bear For he saw it would follow that if his Kingdom were not from hence it must be from somewhere else Let the Kingdom be whence it will a Kingdom it was and would be Wherefore by way of conclusion he infers upon him Art thou therefore a King The question had been better put thus where is then thy Kingdom Where is that other world thou talkst of He might perhaps have had an answer to this question that might have done him some good But he asked not after any of these things he was afraid of his own kingdom and office Christ therefore doth undauntedly answer him Thou sayst that I am a King as if he had said what need I tell thee when thou thy self sayest it Is it not enough that thou sayest it thy self which is all one as if he had plainly said I am I grant that I am a King Christ doth Emphatically repeat the name King to shew us that he did not repent him nor was he ashamed of his Celestial and Spiritnal Kingdom but had rather that by all means it should be known to Caesar himself as well as to all men For inasmuch as the salvation of us all doth depend on this Kingdom it ought not to be denyed or concealed And it is a sweet comfortable word for Christ to say that he is a King He is truly a King as it is said I have set my King c. Psalm 2. Again Thou madest him to have Dominion over the works of thy hands Psalm 8. Wherefore if thou sinnest do not presently despair for thou art not without the Kingdom of Christ till thou ceasest to be the work of God Hence saith the Wise man Though we sin we are thine Wisd 15. He will acknowledge thee for his possession if thou wilt acknowledge him to be thy Lord. But that Pilate might not further be offended at the Title of King Christ proceedeth to explain his Kingdom yet more fully as if he had said Pilate understand this business well and lay aside all suspition of a worldly Kingdom and Tyranny Thus stands the case I will not deny that my Kingdom is altogether and wholly Spiritual whether before thee or before Caesar himself Only know this that t is not my purpose to molest any with Arms or to Raign in State like other Kings but only to raise up and establish the truth of God upon earth To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I might bear witness unto the Truth I say I came for that end and was born for that cause and not to fight with the Sword but that I might teach and preach the Gospel and the Truth of God which is his power to salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1. And as I publish the Gospel so I rule by the Gospel in the hearts of Believers over Sin Death and the Devil that for sin I might bestow Righteousness for Death Life for the Cross Joy and Heaven instead of Hell These are the Tenures or customary Holds and Priviledges of my Kingdom of which none can be partaker but he that heareth my Voyce and believeth with his heart I do not endow my followers with Riches Cities and other Fee farms Manours c. but through my Word I bestow upon them Joy Peace Life and Heaven it self My Gospel is the Scepter of my Kingdom And what prejudice are these to the Roman Emperour Would Caesar have none born would he have no man come into the world that should bear witness unto the Truth Would it be any stain to his honour if any of his Souldiers should hear his voyce that is a witness of the Truth Who would not utterly detest and abhor him that should harbour such a thought in his breast The very Name of Truth is am able yea the Nature of man it self agreeth to this that the Name of Truth is most honourable and though arrant knaves hate the thing yet never any had the face to dislike or find rault with the Name of Truth 1. And truly Christ testified the Truth with a witness For the Testimony of Truth is the confusion of falshood The world was mistaken