A Golden Chain, Text 1 (6 of 13)

A Golden Chain · Text 1 (6 of 13)

p. 318T… …ch of the accusation. Now followeth Christs examination before …o…us Pilate: for when the Iewes had thus falsly accused him, then Pontius Pilate tooke him and brought him into the common hall, and asked him this question, Art thou the King of the Iewes? Now Christ beeing thus examined, made as Paul also testifieth,…. Tim. 6.12. a good confession. The summe thereof stands in foure heads. The first is, that he confesseth himselfe to be a King; not such an one as they accused him to be,Ioh. 18.36,37.John 18:36John 18:37 yet a true King. Whence we may learne diuers instructions: first, that eueryevery Christian man in the midst of his miserie and affliction, hath one that is most sufficient eueryevery way to defend him against all his enemies, the world, the flesh, and the deuill. For this King can doe whatsoeuer he will: and therefore when the legion of deuills would enter into a herd of swine, they could not without his leaue. And when the Centurions daughter was dead,Math 8.31. M…k. 5.41. Io…. 11 43.Matt 8:31 he but spake the word and shee arose. And when Lazarus was dead, and had lien in the graue foure daies, he but saide, Lazarus come forth, and he came forth bound hand and foote. Yea euen hell and death giuegive place to his word, and nothing can resist his power. And therefore he that is a true member of Christ, needes not to feare any enemies be they neuer so great or so many. And againe, as Christ is able, so is he readie and willing to saue and defend all that beleeue in him. For he it is that gaue his life for his subiects, which no King would doe, and shedde his blood for their redemption: which he would neuer hauehave done, if he had not desired their saluation. Secondly, p. 319whereas Christ is a mightie King, which can doe whatsoeuer he will, let all such among vsus that hauehave hitherto liued in ignorance, and by reason of ignorance liue in their sinnes, at length begin to come vntounto him, and doe him homage, and with penitent hearts fall downe before him: otherwise if they continue in their old rebellions, let them know whatsoeuer they be, high or low, that he hath a rod of iron in his hand to bruise them in pieces;Psal. 2.9. and 110.2.Ps 2:9Ps 110:2 their soules shall smart for it: as both Pilate, Caiphas, and the rest of the Iewes were with a full cup rewarded for crucifying the Lord of life. And if Christ cannot draw thee in this life from thy crooked waies, be sure at the houre of death he will breake thee in pieces like a potters vessell. This must we learne in regard of the first point, that he said plainely, He was a King.

Now follows the second part of his confession, namely that his kingdome was not of this world. Where he sets downe what kinde of King he is; he is no earthly king, his kingdome stands not in the power of men, nor in earthly and outward gouernment; but his kingdome is spirituall, and his gouernment is in the very hearts and consciences of men. His kingdome is not outward to be seene of men, but inward in the heart and …oule; and therefore it is onelyonly begunne in this life, and is continued and accomplished in the world to come in the kingdome of glorie: where Christ shall be all in all in the hearts and consciences of all the Elect. Now then, if this be so, howsoeuer Satan hauehave heretofore raigned in vsus, and made our hearts as it were his pallaces: yet now let vsus prepare a roome for Christ that he may come and dwell in vsus: let him rule our hearts, wills, and affections, that they may become conformable to his will: let vsus resigne our selues wholly to be ruled by him, that his spirituall kingdome may be in vsus. This kingdome in the heart and conscience is the pearle and hidde treasure,Math. 13.4….Matt 13:4 which when a man findeth, he sells all that he hath and buieth it. Let vsus therefore in the feare of God, esteeme it as the most pretious thing that may be, and so liue in this world, as that Christ may rule inwardly in vsus, by his word and spirit. And againe seeing this regiment of Christ is heauenly, and the full manifestation of it is reserued till the life to come: we must therefore vse this world and all things in it, as honour, wealth, ease, and libertie, as though we vsed them not.1. Cor. 7.3…1 Cor 7:3 As a trauailer vseth his staffe in his iourney; as long as it doth further him, so long he will carrie it with him; but when it hindereth him, then he casts it away: so must we vse the things of this life, namely as long as they are helps to further and make vsus fitte for the kingdome of heauen, but if they be any hinderance to this spirituall regiment of Christ, we must renounce them and cast them away, be they neuer so pretious to vsus.

The third point of Christs confession is, concerning the meanes whereby he gouerneth his kingdome: I came (saith he) into this world to beare witnesse of the truth, that is, to preach the Gospell and doctrine of saluation: and hereby he teacheth that the outward administration of his kingdome, stands specially in the preaching of the word, which is a principall ordinance of his, seruing to gather his Church from the beginning of the world to the ende thereof. And for this cause he hath in all ages set apart chosen ministers for the publishing of the doctrine of the Gospell. And hence it is manifest that the gift of p. 320prophecie, is the greatest gift that God bestowes on his Church for the building thereof. And therfore it ought to be most highly esteemed, as a most pretious iewell. And for this cause also the schooles of learning are to be reuerenced & maintained, & all other meanes vsed for the furthering of them; because they are vnderunder God the fountaines and welsprings of this gift of prophecie.

The last point is, concerning the subiects of Christs kingdome, expressed in these words, They which are of the truth, heare my voice. In which he sets down the true marke of his seruants and subiects, that they are hearers of that heauenly and sauing word which he reuealed from the bosome of his father. It may be alleadged the most wicked men vponupon earth, yea the deuils themselues may be hearers of the truth of Christ.Math. 13.9.Matt 13:9 Ans. There be two kind of hearers: one which heareth onelyonly the outward sound of the word with his bodily eares, and he hauing eares to heare doth not heare: the secōd, is he that doth not only receiue the doctrine that is taught with his eares, but also hath his heart opened to feele the power of it, and to obey the same in the course of his life. This distinction is notably set forth by Dauid, saying,Psal. 40.6.Ps 40:6 Sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldest not hauehave: but my eares hast thou pierced: whereby he insinuates as it were two kinds of eares: one that is deafe and cannot heare: and thus are the eares of all men by nature in hearing the doctrine of saluation: the other is a newe eare pierced and bored by the hand of God, which causeth a mans heart to heare the sound and operation of the word, and the life to expresse the truth of it. Now the subiects of Christs kingdom are such, as with the outward hearing of the word, hauehave an inward hearing of the soule, & grace also to obey: & therefore all those that make no conscience of obedience to the word of god preached vntounto them, are no lesse then rebels to Christ. We may perswade our selues that we are good subiects, because we heare the word & receiue the Sacraments, but if our liues abound with sinne, and if our hearts be not pierced through by the sword of Gods spirit, whether we be high or low, rich or poore, let vsus be what we will be, we are no right subiects indeed, but rebells & traytours vntounto the euerliuing God. It may be hereafter God will giuegive further grace; but as yet all impenitent persons, though liuing in the midst of Gods church, are no obedient and faithfull subiects: & therfore while we hauehave time, let vsus labour to performe in deede that which we doe in word professe.

Thus much of the examination and confession of Christ. Now followeth the third point concerning the pollicies which Pilate vsed to saue Christ: and they are three. First, when he heard that Christ was of Galilee, he tooke occasion to send him to Herod, thinking thereby to shift his hands of him, and not to shed his blood.Luk. 23.7.Luke 23:7 In which pollicie, though he seeme vnwilling to put Christ to death, yet herein he is a most vniust iudge: for hauing giuen testimonie of Christ, that he is innocent, he ought to hauehave acquitted him, and not hauehave sent him to Herod for further iudgemēt. In Herods dealing with Christ, we may obserue these points. The first, that he is wonderfully glad of his cō ming. Why so? the text saith,Lu…. …3.8. because he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and trusted to hauehave seene some signe done by him. Here marke how he reioyced, not in Christ because he was Christ, that is, his Messias and redeemer, but because he wrought myracles, signes, & wonders. p. 321And so it is among vsus at this day: it is a rare thing to finde a man that loueth Christ, because he is Christ: some louelove Christ for honour, some for wealth, & others for praise: that is, because they get honour, wealth, and praise by confessing his name. Againe, many professe Christ, onelyonly because it is the law and custome of their nation. But we must learne to be of this minde, to louelove Christ, because he is Christ, euen for himselfe, and not for any other sinister respect: & we must reioyce in Christ for himselfe, though we neuer hauehave profit nor pleasure, neither honour or wealth by him. And if we louelove him for wealth or pleasure, or for any other ende but for himselfe alone, when these things are taken away, then we shall vtterly forsake Christ in like manner. The second point is, that Herod desires Christ to worke a miracle. He can be content to see the works of Christ, but he cannot abide to heare his word, and to beare his yoke. Like to him are many in these daies, which gladly desire to heare the Gospel of Christ preached, onelyonly because they would here speach of some strange things, laying aside all care and conscience to obey that which they heare. Yea many in England delight to read the straunge histories of the Bible; & therefore can rehearse the most part of it, (and it were to be wished that all could doe the like:) yet come to the practise of it, the same persons are commonly found as bad in life &conuersation, yea rather worse then others. Let vsus therfore labour that with our knowledge we may ioyne obedience, & practise with our learning; & as well to be affected with the word of Christ, as with his works. The third point is, that Herod derides Christ, & sends him away, cloathed in a white garment. This is that Herod whom Christ called a foxe; who also when he heard Iohn Baptist preach, did many things,…uk 13.3…. and heard him gladly. How then comes Herod to this outrage of wickednes, thus to abuse Christ? Ans. We must know, that although Herod at the first hea…d Iohn preach, yet withall he followed his owne affections, and sought how to fulfill the lusts of his flesh. For when Iohn told him that it was not lawfull …or him to hauehave his brother Philips wife, he cast him in prison, and afterward …ut off his head for it: after which offence, he is growne to this height of impietie, that he now despiseth Christ, &can not abide to heare him. Where we learne, that as we are willing to heare Gods word preached, so withall we must take heede that we practise no manner of sinne; but make conscience of eueryevery thing that may displease God. Thou maist, I graunt, be one that feareth and fauoureth Iohn Baptist for a time, wallowing in thy olde sinnes: but after a while, yeilding to the swinge of thy corrupt heart, thou wilt neuer heare Iohn, nor Christ himselfe, but hate and despise them both. This is the cause why some which hauehave beene professours of religion heretofore, and hauehave had great measure of knowledge, are now become very loose persons, and can not abide to heare the word preached vntounto them; the reason is, because they could not abide to leaue their sinnes. Therefore that we may begin in the spirit and not ende in the flesh, let eueryevery one that calls on the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie.

Now follows the second pollicie of Pilate. For when he saw the first would not preuaile, then he tooke a new course: for he tooke Iesus into the common hall and s…ourged him, and the souldiers platted a crowne of thornes and pu… p. 322it on his head, and they put on him a purple garment,Ioh. 19.1.John 19:1 and said, Haile King of the Iewes, and smote him with their roddes. And thus he brought him forth before the Iewes, perswading himselfe that when they saw him so abased, and so ignominiously abused, they would be content therewith, and exact no greater punishment at his hands: thinking thus to hauehave pacified the rage of the Iewes and so to hauehave deliuered Christ from death, by inflicting vponupon him some lesser punishment. This pollicie is as it were a looking glasse, in which we may behold of what nature and condition all plotts and pollicies of men are, which are deuised and practised without the direction of Gods word. In it we may obserue two things: the first is, the ground thereof; which is a most silly, simple, or rather senslesse argument. For he reasoneth vsus:Luk. 23. 14, 15, 16.Luke 23:14Luke 23:15Luke 23:16 I finde no fault in this man, therefore I will chastise him and let him goe. A man would hardly hauehave thought, that one hauing but common sense, would hauehave made such a reason, much lesse a gre…t iudge sitting in the roome of God. But in him we may behold and see the ground of all humane pollicie which is beside the word of God, namely the foolish and blind reason of men. The second thing to be considered is, the proceeding and is…ue of this pollicie. Pilate must either whippe Christ beeing innocent; or put him to death: which are both sinnes and great offences. Now he maketh choice of the lesser, which is to whippe him, and is perswaded that he ought to doe so: whereas of two sinnes or euils, a man ought to doe neither. And in doing this, Pilate beginnes to make a breach in his conscience; and that is the fruit that all politicks reape of their deuis…s, which proceede by the light of their owne reason, without the word of God. By this example, we are admonished of two things: first, that before we enterprise any businesse, we must rectifie our iudgements by Gods word. Dauid was a most wise King, and no doubt, had withall a graue and wise counsell, but yet he preferred the word of God before all, saying,… …4. Thy tes…m…ies are my counsellers. Secondly, in our proceedings we must keepe an vpr…ght, pure, and vnblameable conscience, as Paul exhorteth Timothie to hauehave the mysterie of faith in a pure conscience;…. giuing vsus thereby to vnderstand, that a good conscience is at it were a chest or cupboard, in which we are to keepe and locke vp our religion, and all other graces of God, as the most pretious iewells that can be: and that if we suffer this chest to be broken vp, all our riches and iewels are gone.

But let vsus yet viewe the dealing of Pilate more particularly: he whippes Christ, puts on him a purple garment, puts a reede in his hand, sets a crowne of thornes vponupon his head, and causes the souldiours to mocke him, and spit in his face. Now in this that Christ standing in our roome, was thus shamefully abused, we must consider what was due vntounto eueryevery one of vsus for our sinnes, namely shame & reproch in this life, & in the life to come endles confusion. And we see the confession of Christ to be true which he made to Pilate, that his kingdome was not of this world; for if it had beene so, they would hauehave put a crowne of gold vponupon his head, and not a crowne of thornes, which nothing at all beseemed an earthly king: and in stead of a reede they would hauehave put a scepter into his hand: and in stead of buffetting and spitting on him, they would hauehave adored him, and fallen downe before him. Againe, whereas p. 323Chri… our head in this world, ware no other crown but one made of tho…ns, it serueth to teach all those that are the members of Christ, that they must not looke for a crowne of glorie in this life; because that is reserued for the life to come. And if we would then weare the crowne of glorie with Christ; we must here in this life weare a crown of thornes, as he did: for as Paul saith,2. Tim. 1.1….2 Tim 1:1 If we suffer with Christ, we shall also raigne with him: and that which was fully verified in Christ the head, must in some sort be verified in eueryevery true member of Christ.

Pilates third pollicie was this; when he sawe that neither of the two former would preuaile, he comes forth vntounto the Iewes, and makes an oration to this effect; that nowe was the feast of the passeouer, and that they had a custome that the Gouernour should then deliuer vntounto the people a prisoner whome they would: therefore he asked them whether he should let loose to them Barrabas, or Iesus which is called Christ: this Barrabas was a notable malefactour, that with insurrection had committed murther. And thus Pilate cunningly matcheth Christ with Barrabas, thinking that the Iewes would rather chuse him then Barrabas beeing a notorious malefactour, not worthie to liue on the face of the earth: and by this meanes he thought to hauehave deliuered Christ from death, though otherwise he accoūted him as a malefactour. The ground of this pollicie (as we see) is an old custome of the Iewes, that a prisoner should be let loose at Easter. And it may be the ende of this custome was, to increase the solemnitie of the feast. But whatsoeuer in trueth the ende was, the fact it selfe was but a prophanation of the time, and an abomination before the Lord: for Salomon saith,Prou. 17.15.Prov 17:15 He that iustifieth the wicked, &condemneth the iust, euen they both are abominatiō before the Lord. The like practise takes place with many in these daies, who thinke the Lords day neuer well spent vnlesse they may adde solemnitie thereunto, by reuel & riot, by frequēting of tauerns and alehouses. And furthermore, where Pilate matcheth Christ beeing innocent with Barrabas, and the people preferre him before Christ, hauing libertie to choose either; it shewes that God in his prouidence had appointed that Christ should not stand in his owne roome before Pilate, but in our roome and steade, as a Mediatour betweene God and vsus. And in this fact of the people we see howe sinne by degrees takes hold of men and that speedily. Who would hauehave thought that these Iewes, which a little before cried Hosanna, and spread their garments before Christ in the way, would euer hauehave preferred a murtherer before him? But it was the doing of the high priestes, the Scribes, and Pharises, who did animate and stirre them vp to this wickednes: and hereupon when they had yeelded first to to attach him, and then to accuse him, they are carried to an higher degree of impietie, namely to seeke his blood: and least he should escape their handes, they plunge themselues deeper yet preferring a wretched murtherer, euē seditious Barrabas before him. This must teach eueryevery one of vsus to take heede of the beginnings euen of the least sinnes; for the deuill is cunning, he will not plunge a man into the greatest sinnes at the first: but this manner is, by little and little to creepe into the heart: and hauing once possession thereof, by steppes to bring men to the height of sinne, and that with speede. We must therefore in the p. 324feare of God preuent sinne betimes, and at the first motion cut off all occasions hereof:2. Tim. 2.17.2 Tim 2:17 that which Paul saith of heresie, comparing it to a canker or gangrene, may be …aid of all sinne. The nature of the gangrene is to runne from one ioynt to another, from the toe to the foote, from the foote to the legge, from the legge to the thigh, til it hauehave wasted and destroyed the life of the bodie: so giuegive any sinne but an entrance, and it will soone ouerspread the whole man: and if the deuill may be suffered but to put one talent into thy heart, he will presently winde himselfe into thee, his head, his bodie and all. The Psalmist saith,Psal. 137.9.Ps 137:9 that he is blessed that taketh the children of the Babylonians and dasheth them against the stones; and as truely it may be said, blessed is the man that dasheth the head of his sinnes against the ground while they are young, before they get strength to ouermaster him.

Thus hauehave we seene the pollicies of Pilate: now followeth the absolution of Christ:Mat. 27.23.24. Luk. 23.14. 22. M…r. 15 14.Matt 27:23Matt 27:24Luke 23:14Luke 23:22 for when Pilate had vsed many meanes to deliuer him, and none would preuaile, then he absolues him, by giuing diuers testimonies of his innocency: for he came forth three times, and bare witnesse thereof: and last of all he testified the same by washing of his handes,Ioh. 18.38. & 19.4.John 18:38John 19:4 which rite signifieth properly the defiling of the handes before, but as yet Pilate had not defiled his handes, and therefore he vsed it as a token, to shewe, that Christ was innocent, and that he would not defile his owne hands with innocent bloode. There were three causes that mooued Pilate to absolue Christ. First he sawe that hee was a iust man, Mat. 27.19.24.Matt 27:19Matt 27:24as Saint Matthew noteth, and that the high priests and people had deliuered him vp of enuie, Mar. 15.10.Mark 15:10as Saint Marke saith. By this it is plaine, that a very Pagan or infidell may in some things goe beyond such as be in Gods Church, hauing better conscience, and dealing more iustly then they. Pontius Pilate was a heathen man and a Gentile, the Iewes were the Church and people of the liuing God: yet he sees plainely that Christ was a iust man, and therupon is mooued to absolue him: whereas the Iewes which should be men of conscience and religion, seeke his death. And thus a very Pagan may otherwhiles see more into a matter then those that be reputed of the Church. And this must admonish all such as professe the Gospell to looke vntounto their proceedings, that they doe al things with vpright conscience: for if we deale vniustly in our proceedings, we may hauehave neighbours, men of no religion, that wil looke through vsus, and see the gros…e hypocrisie of our profession, which also would be loath to doe those things which wee doe. The second cause that mooued Pilate to absolue Christ, was his wiues dreame: for when he was set downe vponupon the iudgement seate, shee sent vntounto him, saying,Mat. 17.19.Matt 17:19 HaueHave thou nothing to doe with that iust man: for I hauehave suffered many things in a dreame by reason of him. Dreames are of three sortes: naturall, rising from the constitution of the bodie: diabolicall, such as come by the suggestion of the deuill: diuine, which are from God. Some hauehave thought that this dreame was of the deuill; as though he had laboured thereby to hinder the death of Christ, and consequently our saluation: but I rather thinke it was occasioned by the things which shee had heard before of Christ, or that it was immediatly from God, as the dreames of Pharao and Nabuchodonoser, and serued for a further manifestation of Christs innocency. Here it may be asked, whether we may p. 325regard our dreames now, as Pilates wife did or no? Ans. We hauehave the bookes of the olde and newe testament to be our direction, as Esai saith:Isa. 8.10.Isa 8:10 to the lawe & to the testimonie, they must be our rule and guide. In these daies we must not looke to be taught by visions and dreames: yet shal it not be amisse to obserue this caueat concerning dreames, that by them wee may gesse the constitution of our bodies, and oftentimes at the sinnes whereunto we are inclined. The last motiue which caused Pilate to absolue Christ was a speech of the Iewes: for they said, that Christ ought to die by their law, because he said he was the sonne of God. And the text saith, when Pilate heard that, he was afraid. Ioh. 19.7,8.John 19:7John 19:8Marke how a poore Painym that knewe not Gods word, at the hearing of the name of the sonne of God is stricken with feare. No doubt hee shall rise in iudgement against many among vsus that without all feare rend the name of god in peeces by swearing, blaspheming, cursed speaking. But let all those that feare the Lord learne to tremble and be afraid at his blessed name.

Thus much for the causes that mooued Pilate to absolue Christ: as also for the second part of Christs arraignment, namely his accusation. Now followes the third part, which is his condemnation: and that is twofold. The first by the Ecclesiasticall assemblie and counsell of the Iewes at Ierusalem, in the high priests hal before Caiphas. The tenour of his condemnation was this.Math. 26.66.Matt 26:66 He hath blasphemed, what hauehave we any more neede of witnesses, he is worthie to die? The cause why they saie not he shall die, but, he is worthy to die, Deut. 17.7,8,9.Deut 17:7Deut 17:8Deut 17:9is this. The Iewes had two iurisdictions, the one Ecclesiasticall, the other ciuill, both prescribed and distinctly executed by the commandement of God, till the time of the Machabees, in which both iointly together came into the handes of the priests: but afterward about the daies of Herod the great, the Romane Emperour tooke away both iurisdictions from the Iewes and made their kingdome a prouince, so as they could doe no more but apprehend; accuse, and imprison: as doth appeare by the example of Saul,Act. 9.7.Acts 9:7 who gate letters from the high priest to Damascus, that if hee found any either man or woman that beleeued in Christ, he might bring them bound to Ierusalem, and imprison them: but kill or condemne they could not.

By the fact of this Counsell wee learne sundrie points: first, that generall counsels and the Pope himselfe sitting iudicially in his consistorie may erre. If there were any visible Church of God at the time of Christs arraignment vponupon the face of the whole world, it was no doubt the Church of the Iewes. For Caiphas the high priest was a figure of Christ, the Scribes and Pharises sate in Moses chaire, and Ierusalem is called by Christ, the holy citie, Math. 4.5. and 27.53. Yet for al this that which was foretold is now verified, namely that the chiefe corner stone should be reiected of master builders. For by the generall consent of the counsell at Ierusalem, Christ the head of the Catholike Church and the redeemer of mankinde is accused of blasphemie, and condemned as worthie of death. Wherefore it is a meere dotage of mans braine to auouch, that the Pope cannot possibly erre in giuing a definitiue sentence in matters either of faith or maners. Neither can the Church of Rome plead priuiledge, for Ierusalem had as many prerogatiues as any people in the worlde could hauehave.Rom 9.3.Rom 9:3

p. 326Againe, by this we see there is no reason why we should ascribe to any man or to oecumenicall counsels themselues, absolute and soueraigne power to determine and giuegive iudgement in matters of religion, considering they are in danger to be ouertaken with notable slippes and errours.Mat. 23.20.Matt 23:20 And therefore the soueraignitie of iudgement is peculiar to the sonne of god, who is the only doctour and law-giuer of the Church: and he puts the same in execution in and by the written word. As for the speech of the papists calling the Scriptures a dumbe Iudge, it is little to be regarded: for the Scriptures are, as it were, the letter of the liuing God sent from heauen to his Church vponupon earth: and therefore they speake as plainely and as sufficiently vntounto vsus of all matters of faith, as a man can speake vntounto his friende by letter, so be it, we hauehave the gift of discerning. Yet doe we not barre the Church of God from all iudgement. For the ministeriall power of giuing iudgement both publikely and priuatly is graunted vntounto it of God: and that is to determine and giuegive sentence of matters in question according to the word as the lawyer giues iudgement, not according as he will, but according to the tenour of the law.

Thirdly wee learne, that personall succession is no vnfallible marke of the true faith, and of true pastours; vnlesse withall be ioyned succession in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles. For Caiphas held his office by succession from Aaron: and yet in publike assembly condemned the Messias spoken of by Moses and the prophets. Therefore the succession of bishops of Rome from Peter is of no moment, vnlesse they can prooue that their religion is the religion of Peter, which they can neuer doe.

And thus much of Christs first condemnation. The second was by Pontius Pilate, who sate in an other court as a ciuill iudge, and the tenour of his sentence was, that the Iewes should take him and crucifie him.Luk. 13.24.Luke 13:24 Here we must consider the reasons that mooued Pilate to determine thus: the first was, the impatience of the Iewes: he for his part was loath to defile his handes with innocent blood, but the Iewes cried,Mat. 27.25.Matt 27:25 his blood be vponupon vsus, and on our children: which according to their wish came vponupon them within fewe yeares after, and so remaineth still vntounto this daie. By which we are taught to take heede of imprecations against our selues, our children, or seruants, or any other creatures: for God heareth mens praiers two waies: either in mercy, or in his wrath and danger. If thou curse thy selfe, or any other, except thou turne vntounto the Lord by speedie repentance, he may heare thy praier in his wrath, and verifie thy curse vponupon thee to thy vtter confusion. The second reason that mooued Pilate to condemne Christ was, because he feared men more then God: for beeing deputie vnderunder Tyberius Cesar ouer the prouince of Iudea,Ioh. 19.12.13.John 19:12John 19:13 for feare of loosing his office, and of displeasing the Iewes, hee condemned Christ after hee had absolued him: whereby wee see, that it is a grieuous sinne to feare dust and ashes more then the liuing God. And therefore Saint Iohn saith,Reuel 21.8.Rev 21:8 that the fearefull shall hauehave their portion in the burning lake: that is, such as are more afraide of man then of God. And this sinne in Pilate wanted not his iust rewarde: for not long after he lost his deputie-shippe, and Cesars fauour, and fled to Vienna;Euseb. hist. lib. …. …7. where liuing in banishment, he killed himselfe. And thus God meetes with them that feare the creature more then the Creatour. p. 327That we may therefore auoid the heauie hand of God, let vsus learne to feare God aboue all: else we shall dishonour God, and shame the religion which we professe.

The proper ende of Christs condemnation set downe though not in Pilates will, yet in Gods eternall counsell was, that he might be the cause of absolution at the barre of Gods iustice vntounto all those whatsoeuer they are which shall come to life eternall. For we must still remember, that when Christ was condemned by mortall Iudges, he stood in our place, and in him were all our sinnes condemned before God. Therefore to conclude this point; if this were the ende of the counsell of God, to hauehave his owne sonne condemned by Pontius Pilate a mortall iudge, that we might not be condemned but absolued before Gods iudgement seate: let vsus all labour to hauehave this absolution sealed vp in our hearts by the testimonie of Gods spirit. For one day we must come to the barre of Gods iudgement: and if wee hauehave not an absolution by Christs condemnation at Pilates earthly barre, let vsus looke for nothing else but the fearefull sentence of condemnation at the celestiall barre of Gods iustice, to be vttered at the day of the last iudgement. If a man should commit such an heynous offence, as that he could no other way escape death but by the Princes pardon, he neither would nor could be at rest, till by one meanes or other he had obtained the same, and had gotten it written and sealed: which done, he would carrie it home, locke it vp safe and sound, and many times looke vponupon it with great ioy and gladnesse. Well, this is the case of eueryevery one of vsus: by nature we are rebells and traytours against God, and hauehave by our sinnes deserued tenne thousand deaths. Now our onelyonly stay and refuge is, that Christ the sonne of God was condemned for vsus: and therefore in Christ we must sue for pardon at Gods hands, and neuer rest till we hauehave the assurance thereof sealed vp in our hearts and consciences: alwaies remembring, that euer after we lead a new life, and neuer commit the like sinnes against God any more. It were a blessed thing if this would enter into our hearts: but alas, we are as dead in our sinnes as a dead carkasse is in the graue. The Ministers of God may teach this often vntounto vsus, and we may also heare the same: but satan doth so possesse mens hearts, that they seldom or neuer begin to beleeue or receiue it till it be too late. EueryEvery one can say, God is mercifull, but that is not enough: for Christ beeing most righteous was condemned, that thou beeing a wretched sinner mightest be saued: and therefore thou must labour for thy selfe, to hauehave some testimonie of thine absolution by Christs condemnation, sealed vp in thine owne conscience, that thou maist more assuredly say, God is and will be mercifull vntounto thee.

Hauing spoken of the whole arraignment of Christ, and of his passion in generall. Now let vsus proceede to the parts of the passion, which are three: Christs Execution, his Buriall, and his Descending into hell. This beeing withall remembred, that these three parts, are likewise three degrees of Christs humiliation.

Christs Execution is that part of his passion, which he bare vponupon the crosse, expressed in the words of the Creede, he was crucified, and died. In handling of it we must obserue fiue things: I. the person that suffered: II. the place where p. 328he suffered. III. the time when he suffered. IV. the manner howe he suffered. V. the excellencie of his passion. For the first, the person that suffered was Christ the iust, as Peter saith,2. Pet. 3.18.2 Pet 3:18 Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes, the iust, for the vniust: and againe,1. Ioh. 2.1.1 John 2:1 Christ Iesus the iust (saith S. Iohn) is the reconciliation for our sinnes. And in his execution, we shall hauehave manifest declarations of his righteousnes and iustice, consisting in two most worthie points. First, when he was vponupon the crosse, and the souldiours were nailing his handes and feete thereunto, and racking his bodie most cruelly, he praied, Father, forgiue them, they know not what they do. Luk. 23.34.Luke 23:34These souldiers were by al likelihood the very same that apprehended him, and brought him before Caiphas, and from thence to Pontius Pilate, and there platted a crowne of thornes and set it on his head, & buffeted him, and spitefully intreated him as we hauehave heard: and yet Christ speakes no worde of reuenge vntounto them, but with all patience in the very extremitie of their malice and iniurie, he praieth vntounto his father to forgiue them. Hence wee are taught that when iniuries are done vntounto vsus, we ought to abstaine from all affection of reuenge, and not so much as manifest the same either in word or deede. It is indeede a hard lesson to learne and practise: but it is our parts to indeauour to do it: and not onelyonly so, but to be readie for euil to doe good: yea, euen at that instant when other men are doing vsus wrong: euen then (I say) wee must be readie, if it be possible to doe them good. When as Christs enemies were practising against him all the treacherie they could, euen then he performeth the worke of a Mediatour, and praieth for them vntounto his father, and seeketh their saluation. Againe, whereas Christ praieth thus, Father, forgiue them, we gather, that the most principall thing of all that man ought to seeke after in this life, is the forgiuenesse of sinnes. Some thinke that happines consisteth in honour, some in wealth, some in pleasure, some in this, some in that: but indeed the thing which we should most labour for, is reconciliation with God in Christ, that wee may hauehave the free remission of all our sinnes. Yea this is blessednes it selfe, as Dauid saith, Blessed is he whose iniquitie is forgiuen, and whose sinne is couered. …sal. ….2.Here then beholde the madnesse of the men of this worlde, that either seeke for this blessing in the last place or not at all.

The second testimonie of Christs righteousnesse giuen in the middest of his passion was, that he behelde his mother standing by, and commended her to the custodie of Iohn his disciple:Ioh. 19.John 19 whereby he gaue an example of most holy obedience vntounto the fifth commandement, which prescribeth honour vntounto father and mother. And this his fact sheweth, that the obseruing of this commandement standeth not in outward shew and reuerence onelyonly; but in a godly recompence, in procuring vntounto parents all the good we can, both concerning this and a better life. It often falls out that children be as it were Cains to father and mother: some raile on them, some fight with them; others see them pine away and sterue, and not releeue them. But all dutiful children must here learne, that as their parents hauehave done many duties vntounto them, and brought them vp: so they againe must in all reuerence performe obedience vntounto them both in word and deede: and when occasion is offered releeue them, yea in all they can, doe good vntounto them. Againe in this we may see what a wretched p. 329state is that which the Church of Rome calleth the state of perfection; namely to liue apart from the companie of men, in fasting and praying all the daies of a mans life: for hereby the bond of nature is broken, and a man can not do the dutie vntounto his parents which Gods lawe requireth, and Christ here himselfe practiseth, nor the duties of a member of Christ which are to be done to the whole Church, and to the rest of the members thereof.

The place where Christ suffered is called Caluarie or Golgotha, that is, the place of dead mens skulles, without the walles of Ierusalem. Concerning the reason of this name, men bee of diuers opinions.Iewish Rabbines. Cypr. lib. de re…urrect. August serm. 71. de temp. Hieron. epist. …aulae ad Marcellam. Some say it was so called, because Adam was buried there, and that his skull beeing there found gaue the name to the place. And this is the verie opinion of some ancient diuines, that Christ was there crucified where Adam was buried; but because it hath no certaine grounde, I leaue it as vncertaine. Others thinke it was called Caluarie, because the Iewes were wont to carrie out the bones of the dead men, and there to heape them togither, as in times past the manner was in the vauts of sundrie Churches in this land. And some others thinke it was called Golgotha or Caluarie, because theeues and murtherers, and malefactours were there executed, stoned, burned: whereby it came to passe that many skulls and bones of dead men were found there.

The time when Christ was executed, was at the Iewes passeouer, when not onelyonly the Iewes, but also many Proselytes of many countries and nations were assembled: and therefore this execution was not in a priuate corner, but openly in the viewe of the world. For as he was a Sauiour not to the Iewes onelyonly but also the Gentiles: so it was very requisite that his death should bee publike before all men both Iewes and Gentiles. As for the houre of the day, in which he suffered, there is some difficultie in the Euangelists:Ioh. 19.14. Mark. 15.23.John 19:14Mark 15:23 for S. Iohn saith, that he was condemned about the sixt houre of the day: and Saint Marke saith, he was crucified the third houre. Hence it may be demaunded, howe both these can stand togither. Ans. Howesoeuer the Iewes naturall daie beganne at euening, yet the arti…ificiall daie beganne at sunne-rising, and ended at sunne-setting: and it was diuided two waies. First, into twelue partes called twelue houres, whether the daies were longer or shorter. Secondly into foure partes or quarters, and eueryevery part contained three houres: as from the first houre to the third was one part called morning: from the third houre to the sixt, another part called the sixt houre: from the sixt houre to the ninth, the third part called the ninth houre: and from the ninth houre to the twelfth, the fourth part called euening. Nowe when Saint Iohn saith, Christ was condemned about the sixt houre: it must be vnderstood of the second quarter of the daie, called the sixt houre: and whereas Saint Marke saith he was crucified the third houre of the day, hee speakes of the lesser houres, twelue whereof made the whole day: and thus they both agree, for the third houre of the day and the beginning of the second quarter followe each other immediately. Againe it may be answered, that Christ was condemned at sixe of the clocke after the Romane account, which begins the day at midnight;A. G…ll. noct. art. lib. 3. c. 2. and crucified at three (which is nine of the clocke in the morning with vsus) after the Iewes p. 330account who begin their artificiall day, as I said, at the sunne rising.

The fourth and last point, is the order and whole proceding of Christs execution; which may be reduced to foure heades: the I. his going to execution, the II. his crucifying, the III. his death, the IV. the consequents of his death. Againe in his going to execution we may consider many points.

The first, that he is brought out of Ierusalem as a malefactour.Iosu. 7.24… Lev 21.14. Act. 7.58.Josh 7:24Lev 21:14Acts 7:58 For the old and ancient custome of the Iewes was to put those whome they iudged to be notorious offenders to death without their te…ts when they wandered in the wildernesse, and without the walls of Ierusalem, least they should any way be defiled with their blood. And this fell out by the speciall prouidence of God, that that might be fulfilled in Christ which was prefigured in the sacrifices of the old testament, when the bodies of beasts were not eaten of the priests, but burnt without the campe:Lev. 6.36. H…br. 13.12.Lev 6:36 therefore (saith the holy Ghost) euen Iesus that hee might sanctifie the people with his owne blood, suffered without the gates.

Hence may all Christians learne to knowe their owne estate and condition: first, in this worlde they must looke to be accounted the ofscouring of the earth, and the filth of the word, 1. Cor. 4.13.1 Cor 4:13as the Apostle saith, and wee must all prepare our selues to beare this estate. They that will be Gods children must not look to be better accepted of in the world then Christ was. Secondly by this eueryevery one of vsus must learne to bee content to vse this worlde, as straungers and pilgrimes; beeing eueryevery daie and houre and readie to leaue the same. For if Christ the sonne of God himselfe was brought out of Ierusalem, as not beeing worthie to hauehave his aboade there, then must eueryevery christian man looke much more for the like extremitie. And therefore it is not good for vsus to hauehave our hearts tied to the world, and to seeke alwaies to be approoued of the same: for that argueth that we are not like to Christ: but we must rather doe as poore pilgrimes in straunge countries; and that is onelyonly to looke for safe conduct thorough the miseries in this world, hauing in the meane season our hearts, wills, and affections set on the kingdome which is in heauen. The second thing is, that Christ was made to beare his owne crosse: for so it seemes the manner of the Romans was to deale with malefactours. And this must put vsus in minde of that notable lesson which Christ himselfe taught his disciples; namely, that if any man will be his disciple, hee must denie himselfe, take vp his owne crosse d…ily, and followe him: Luk. 9.23.Luke 9:23where by the crosse we must vnderstand, that portion of affliction, which god hath alotted to eueryevery one of his children: for there is no child of God to whome he hath not measured out as it were some bitter cup of miserie in this life. And therefore Paul saith, Nowe reioice I in my suffering for you, and fulfill the rest of the fu…ferings of Christ in my fle…. Colos…. 1.24.By Christs sufferings he meaneth not the passion of Christ, but the sufferings of the bodie of Christ, that is, the Church whereof Christ is the head. Moreouer we must suffer as he did, & that daily: because as one day followeth another, so one crosse comes in the necke of another. And whereas Christ beares the crosse that was laid on him by the handes of the souldiers, it must teach vsus not to pull crosses vponupon our selues, but waite til God lay them on vsus; and when that time comes we must willingly bend our shoulders, stoope downe, and take them vp; whether they be in bodie or in soule: and that eueryevery daie if it be Gods will so long p. 331as we liue: and by this shall we most notably resemble our Sauiour Christ.

Thirdly, when Christ had carried his crosse so long til he could carrie it no longer, by reason of the faintnesse of his bodie, which came by buffets, whippings, and manifold other iniuries, then the souldiers meeting with one Simō of Cyrene a stranger, made him to beare the crosse: where we are put in mind,Luk. 23.…6.Luke 23:6 that if we faint in the way and be weari…ed with the burden of our aff…ctions, God will giuegive good issue,Mat. 11.28.Matt 11:28 and send as it were some Simon of Cyrene to helpe vsus, and to be our comforter.

The fourth point is, that when Christ was carrying his owne crosse, and was nowe passing on towards Golgotha, certaine women met him, and pitying his case wept for him: but Christ answered them and said, Daughters of Ierusalem, weepe not for me, but for your selues, and your children, &c. Luk. 23.27.Luke 23:27By this we are first of all taught to pitie the state of those that be in affliction and miserie, especially those that be the children of God: as the Apostle exhorteth vsus, saying,Hebr. …3.3.Heb 3:3 Remember them that are in bondes, as though you were bound with them: and them that are in affliction, as though you were afflicted with them. In this lande by Gods especiall blessing we hauehave enioied the Gospell of Christ with peace a long time, whereas other countries and churches are in great distresse: some wallowe in palpable ignorance and superstition: others hauehave libertie to enioy the Gospell and want teachers: and some hauehave both the word and teachers & yet want peace, and are in continuall persecution. Nowe when we that hauehave the Gospel with peace doe heare of these miseries in our neighbour churches, wee ought to bee mooued with compassion towards them, as though wee our selues were in the same afflictions. Secondly, whereas Christ saith, Weepe not for me, but for your selues, he doth teach vsus to take occasion by other mens miseries to bewaile our owne estate: to turne our worldly griefes into godly sorrowe for our sinnes, which causeth vsus rather to weepe for our offences, thē for our friends, although euen this may also be done in a godly maner. When a man by bleeding at the nose is brought into danger of his life, the Phisitian lets him bloode in another place, as in the arme, and turnes the course of the blood another waie to saue his life: & so must we turne our worldly sorrowes for losse of goods or friendes, to a godly sorrowe for our offences against God: for as S. Paul saith;2. Cor. 7.10.2 Cor 7:10 Godly sorrowe causeth repentance vntounto saluation, not to be repented of: but worldly sorrow causeth death.

The fift point is, that when Christ was brought to the place of execution, they gaue him vineger to drinke mingled with mirrhe and gall:Mar. 15.23.Mark 15:23 some say it was to intoxicate his braine, and to take away his senses and memorie. If this be true, we may here behold in the Iewes a most wicked part, that at the point of death when they were to take away the life of Christ, they for their partes had no care of his soule. For this is a dutie to be obserued of all magistrates, that when they are to execute malefactors they must hauehave a speciall regard to the good and saluation of their soules. But some thinke rather that this potion was to shorten and ende his torments quickly. Some of vsus may peraduenture thinke hardly of the Iewes, for giuing so bitter a potion of Christ at the time of his death: but the same doth eueryevery sinner that repenteth not. For whensoeuer wee sinne, we doe as much as temper a cup of gall, or the poison of aspes, p. 332and as it were giuegive it to God to drinke: for so God himselfe compareth the sinne of the wicked Iewes to poyson, saying,Deut. 32.…,23.Deut 32 There vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the vines of Gomorrha, their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters be bitter, their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruell gall of aspes. And for this cause we ought to thinke as hardly of our selues as of the Iewes, because so oft as we commit any offence against God, we doe as much as mingle ranke poison, and bring it to Christ to drink. Now afterward, when this cup was giuen him he tasted of it, but dranke not, because he was willing to suffer all things that his father had appointed him to suffer on the crosse, without any shortening or lessening of his paine.

Thus we see in what manner Christ was brought …orth to the place of execution: Now followeth his crucifying. Christ in the prouidence of God was to be crucified for two causes: one, that the …igures of the old testament might be accomplished and verified. For the heaue-offering lifted vp and shaked from the right hand to the left, and the brasen serpent erected vponupon a pole in the wildernesse, prefigured the exalting of Christ vponupon the crosse. The second, that we might in conscience be resolued,Gal. 3.13.Gal 3:13 that Christ became vnderunder the law and suffered the curse thereof for vsus, and bare in his owne bodie and soule the extremitie of the wrath of God for our offences. And though other kinds of punishments were notes of the curse of God, as stoning and such like; yet was the death of the crosse in speciall manner aboue the rest accursed, not by the nature of the punishment, not by the opinions of men, not by the ciuill lawes of countries and kingdomes, but by the vertue of a particular commandement of God,Deut. 21.23.Deut 21:23 foreseeing what maner of death Christ our redeemer should die. And hereupon among the Iewes in all ages this kind of punishment hath beene branded with speciall ignominie, as Paul signifieth when he saith,Philip. 2.8. Num 25.4. … …am. 21.6.Phil 2:8Num 25:4 He abased himselfe to the death, euen to the death of the crosse: and it hath beene allotted as a most grieuous punishment to most notorious malefactours. If it be said that the repentant thiefe vponupon the crosse dyed the same death with Christ and yet was not accursed, the answer is, that in regard of his offences he deserued the curse and was actually accursed, and the signe of this was the death which he suffered, and that in his owne confession: but because he repented, his sinnes were pardoned, and the curse remooued. It may further be said, that crucifying was not knowne in Moses daies, and therefore not accursed by any speciall commandement of God in Deuteronomie. Answ. Moses indeede speakes nothing in particular of crucifying, yet neuerthelesse he doth include the same vnderunder the generall. For if eueryevery one which hangs vponupon a tree be accursed, then he also which is crucified; for crucifying is a particular kinde of hanging on the tree. Lastly it may be alleadged, that Christ in his death could not be accursed by the law of Moses, becavse he was no malefactour. Answ. Though in regard of himselfe he was no sinner, yet as he was our suretie he became sinne for vsus, and consequently the curse of the law for vsus, in that the curse eueryevery way due vntounto vsus, by imputation and application was made his.

Furthermore Christ was crucified not after the manner of the Iewes, who vsed to hang malefactours vponupon a tree binding them thereto with cords, and p. 333that when they were dead, but after the vsuall maner of the Romanes;Psal. 22.17.Ps 22:17 his bodie being partly nayled to the crosse, and partly in the nayling extreamely racked, otherwise I see not but that a man might remaine many daies togither aliue vponupon the crosse. And here we hauehave occasion to remēber that the Papists who are so deuout and zealous towardes crucifixes are farre deceiued in the making of them. For first of all, the crosse was made of three pieces of wood, one fastened vpright in the ground to which the bodie & back leaned,Iren. l. 2. c. 4…. Aug. l. 50. homil. 3. the second fastened towards the top of the first ouerthwart, to which the hāds were nailed: the third fastened towards the bottome of the first, on which the feete were set and nailed:Author libr… de passione inter opera Cypriani. whereas contrariwise popish caruers and painters fasten both the feet of the crosse to the first: secondly the feete of Christ were nailed asunder with two distinct nailes, and not nailed one vponupon another with one naile alone as Papists imagine, and that to the very bodie of the crosse: for then the souldiers could not hauehave broken both the legges of the theeues, but onelyonly the outmost: because one of them lay vponupon the other.

Let vsus now come to the vse which may be made of the crucifying of Christ. First of all here we learne with bitternesse to bewaile our sinnes: for Christ was thus cruelly nailed on the crosse, and there suffered the whole wrath of God, not for any offence that euer he committed, but beeing our pledge and suretie vntounto God, he suffered all for vsus: and therefore iust cause hauehave we to mourne for our offences, which brought our Sauiour Christ to this lowe estate. If a man should be so farre in debt that he could not be freed, vnlesse the suretie should be cast into prison for his sake; nay, which is more, be cruelly put to death for his debt, it would make him at his wits end; and his very heart to bleed. And so is the case with vsus by reason of our sinnes;Math. 6.….Matt 6 we are Gods debters, yea bankrupts before him, yet hauehave we gotten a good suretie, euen the son of God himselfe, who to recouer vsus to our former libertie was crucified for the discharge of our debt. And therefore good cause hauehave we to bewaile our estate eueryevery day, as by the prophet it is said,Zach. 12.10….Zech 12:10 They shall looke on him whome they hauehave pearced, they shall l…ment for him as one mourneth for his owne sonne: they shall be …orie for him as one is sorie for his first borne. Looke as the blood followed the nailes that were stricken through the blessed hands and feete of Christ, so should the meditation of the crosse and passion of our Redeemer be as it were nayles and speares to pierce vsus, that our hearts might bleed for our sinnes: and we are not to thinke more hardly of the Iewes for crucifying him then of our selues, because euen by our sinnes we also crucified him. These are the very nayles which pierce his hands and feete, and these are the speares which pierce through his side. For the losse of a little worldly pelfe, oh how are we grieued! but seeing our transgressions are the weapons whereby the sonne of God was crucified, let vsus (I say it againe and againe) learne to be grieued for them aboue all things, and with bleeding and melting hearts bow and buckle vnderunder them, as vnderunder the crosse.

Secondly, Christ saith of himselfe,Ioh. 3.…4.John 3:4 as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes, so must the sonne of man be lifted vp: the comparison is excellent and worthie the marking. In the wildernes of Arabia the people of Israel rebelled against God, and thereupon he sent fierie serpents among them, which stung p. 334many of them to death: now when they repented, Moses was commanded to make a brasen serpent, and to set it vponupon a pole, that as many as were stung might looke vntounto it and recouer: and if they could but cast a glaunce of the eye on the brasen serpent, when they were stung euen to death, they were restored to health and life. Now eueryevery man that liueth is in the same case with the Israelites; Satan hath stung vsus at the heart, and giuen vsus many a deadly wound, if we could feele it, and Christ who was figured by the brasen serpent was likewise exalted on the crosse, to conferre righteousnesse and life eternall to eueryevery one of vsus: therefore if we will escape eternall death, we must renoūce our selues, and lift vp the eyes of our faith to Christ crucified, and pray for the pardon of our sinnes: and then shall our hearts and consciences be healed of the wounds and gripes of the deuill: and vntill such time as we hauehave grace to doe this, we shall neuer be cured, but still lie wounded with the stings of Satan, and bleeding to death euen at the very heart, although we feele no paine or griefe at all. But some may aske how any man can see him crucified now after his death? Ans. Wheresoeuer the word of God is preached, there Christ is crucified, as Paul saith,Gal. 3.2.Gal 3:2 Oh foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth, to whome before Iesus Christ was described in your sight, and among you crucified? meaning that he was liuely preached among them. We neede not to goe to wodden crosses, or to golden crucifixes to seeke for him; but where the Gospel is preached, thither must we goe, and there lift vp our eyes of faith to Christ, as he is reuealed vntounto vsus in the word; resting on him and his merits with all our hearts, and with a godly sorrow confesse and bewaile our sinnes, crauing at his hands merciemercy and pardon for the same. For till such time as we doe this, we are grieuously stung by Satan, and are eueryevery moment euen at deaths dore. And if we can thus behold Christ by faith, the benefits which come hereby, shall be great: for as Paul saith, the old man, that is, the corruption of our nature, and the bodie of sinne that raigneth in vsus, shall be crucified with him: for when Christ was nailed on the crosse, all our sinnes were laid vponupon him; therefore if thou dost vnfainedly beleeue, all thy sinnes are crucified with him, and the corruption of thy nature languisheth and dieth as he languished and died vponupon the crosse.

Thirdly, we must learne to imitate Christ: as he suffered himselfe to be nayled to the crosse for our sinnes, so answerably must eueryevery one of vsus learne to crucifie our flesh, and the corruption of our nature, and the wickednesse of our owne hearts, as Paul saith,Gal. 3.24.Gal 3:24 They that are Christs, hauehave crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof. And this we shall doe, if for our sinnes past we waile and mourne with bitternesse, and preuent the sinnes to come into which we may fall by reason of the corruption of our natures, by vsing all good meanes, as praier and fasting, and the word of God preached, and by flying all occasions of offence. We are not to destroy our bodies or to kill our selues, but to kill and crucifie sinne that liueth in vsus, and to mortifie the corruption of our nature that rebels against the spirit. Christianitie stands not in this, to heare the word of God, and outwardly to professe the same, and in the meane season still to liue in our sinnes, and to pamper our owne rebellious flesh; but it teacheth vsus alwaies to hauehave in readines some speare or other to wound sinne, p. 335and the sword of the spirit to cut downe corruption in vsus, that thereby we may shew our selues to be liuely followers of Christ indeede.

Fourthly, by this wee may learne that the wrath of God against sinne is wonderfull great, because his owne Sonne bearing our person, and beeing in our place, was not onelyonly crucified, and racked most cruelly, but also bare the whole wrath of God in his soule: and therefore we must leaue off to make so little account of sinne as commonly we doe.

Fifthly, whereas the person crucified was the sonne of God, it sheweth that the louelove of God which he bare vntounto vsus in our redemption is endlesse; like a sea without banke or bottome, it can not be searched into: and if we shall not acknowledge it to be so, our condemnation will be the greater.

Sixtly, in this that Christ bare the curse of the law vponupon the crosse; we learne that those that be the children of God, when they suffer any iudgement, crosse, or calamitie, either in bodie or in minde or both, doe not beare them as the curses of God, but as the chastisments of a louing father. For it doth not stand with the iustice of God to punish one fault twise: and therefore when any man that putteth his whole confidence in God, shall either in his owne person, in his good name, or in his goods feele the heauie hand of God, God doth not as a iudge curse him, but as a father correct him. Here then is condemned the opinion of the Church of Rome, which hold, that we by our sufferings doe in some part satisfie the iustice of God: but this can not stand, because Christ did make a perfect fatisfaction to the iustice of his father for all punishment. And therefore satisfaction to God made by man for temporall punishment is needlesse, and much derogates from Christs passion.

In the crucifying of Christ, two things specially must be considered: The manner of the doing of it, and his continuance aliue vponupon the crosse. Touching the manner, the spirit of God hath noted two things. The first, that Christ was crucified between two theeues, the one vponupon his left hand, the other vponupon his right; in which action is verefied the saying of the Prophet Esai,Esai 53.6.Isa 53:6 He was numbred among the wicked: and the Iewes for their parts doe hereby testifie, that they esteemed him to be, not some common wicked man, but euen the captaine and ringleader of all theeues and malefactours whatsoeuer. Nowe whereas Christ standing vponupon the crosse in our roome and stead, is reputed the head and prince of all sinners, it serueth to teach eueryevery one of vsus that beleeue in him, to iudge our selues most vile and miserable sinners, and to say of our selues with Paul, that we are the chiefe of all sinners.1. Tim. 3.3…,1 Tim 3:3 The second thing is, that Christ was crucified naked: because he was stripped of his garments by the souldiours when he was to be crucified. The causes why he suffered naked, are these. First, Adam by his fall brought vponupon all mankind death both of bodie and soule, and also the curses of God which befall man in this life: among which this was one, that the nakednesse of the bodie should be ignominious; and hereupon when Adam had sinned, and saw himselfe naked,Gen. 3.….Gen 3 he fledde from the presence of God, and hid himselfe euen for very shame. Christ therefore was stripped of his garments, and suffered naked, that he might beare all the punishment and ignominie that was due vntounto man for sinne. Se…ondly, this came to passe by the goodnesse of God, that we might hauehave a remedie p. 336for our spirituall nakednesse, which is, when a man hath his sinnes lying open before Gods eyes; and by reason thereof he himselfe lieth open to all Gods iudgements. Hereof Christ speaketh to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea, saying,Rev. 3.17.Rev 3:17 Thou saiest I am rich, and encreased with goods, and hauehave neede of nothing, and knowest not how thou art wretched, miserable, blinde, and naked. So when the Israelites had committed idolatrie by the golden calfe, Moses telleth them that they were naked, Exod. 32.25.Exod 32:25not onelyonly because they had spoiled themselues of their earings, but especially because they were destitute of Gods fauour, & lay open & naked to all his iudgements for that sinne. And Salomon saith, Where there is no vision, there the people are made naked, that is, their sins lie open before God;Prov. 29.18.Prov 29:18 and by reason thereof they themselues are subiect to his wrath and indignation. Now Christ was crucified naked, that he might take away from vsus this spirituall nakednesse; and also giuegive vntounto vsus meete garments to cloath vsus withall in the presence of God, called white rayment, as Christ saith,Rev. 3.18.Rev 3:18 I counsell thee to buie of me white rayment, that thou maist be cloathed, and that thy filthie nakednesse doe not appeare: Rev. 7.14.Rev 7:14and, Long white robes dipped in the bloode of the Lambe, which serue to hide the nakednesse of our soules. What these garments are, the Apostle sheweth when he saith, All that are baptized into Christ, hauehave put on Christ. Gal. ….27. Eph. 4.…4.Eph 4:4And, Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holinesse. Our nakednesse maketh vsus more vile in the sight of God, then the most loathsome creature that is, can be vntounto vsus; vntill we hauehave put on the righteousnesse of Christ to couer the deformitie of our soules, that we may appeare holy, and without spot before God. Thirdly, Paul saith,…. Cor. 5. 1, 2,3. We know if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, we hauehave a building giuen of God, &c. For therefore we sigh, desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen, because if we be cloathed we shall not be found naked. Where it is like that the Apostle alludeth to the nakednesse of Adam after his fall; and therefore giueth vsus another reason why Christ was crucified naked, namely that after this life hee might cloath all his members with eternall glorie.

If this be so, that a part of our reioycing stands in the glorious nakednes of Christ crucified, there is no reason why we should be puffed vp with the vanitie of our apparell. It should rather be an occasion to make vsus ashamed, then to make vsus proude. The theefe may as well bragge of the brand in his hand, or of the fetters on his heeles, as we may of our attire; because it is but the couering of our shame: and therefore should put vsus in mind of our sinne and shamefull nekednesse.

Aug. serm. 119. de tempore.The aboad of Christ vponupon the crosse, was about the space of sixe houres. For the death of the crosse was no suddaine but a aaProducta …ors. Mat. 19.14.Matt 19:14lingering death. And in this space of time there fell out fiue notable euents. The first, that the souldiours hauing stripped Christ of his garments, deuided them into foure parts, and cast lottes for his coate, because it was wouen without seame. And by this appeares the great louelove of Christ to man, who was not only content to suffer, but also to loose all that euer he had, euen to the garments on his backe to redeeme vsus; teaching vsus answerably that if it please god to call vsus to any triall hereafter, we must be content to part withall for his sake, that we may p. 337winne him. Againe, in these souldiours we may behold a picture of this world: when they had nayled Christ to the crosse, they will not loose so much as his garments, but they come and deuide them and cast lottes for them: as for Christ himselfe, the Sauiour and redeemer of mankinde, they regard him not. And thus fareth the world; it is a hard to finde a man to accept of Christ, because he is Christ his redeemer: but, when gaine comes by Christ, then he is welcome. Esau that esteemed nothing of his fathers blessing, made great account of his brothers pottage. The Gaderenes made more account of their swine, then of Christ: for when they heard that they were drowned, they beseech him to depart out of their coasts. Nay so bad is this age, that such as will be taken to be the speciall members of Christ, doe not onelyonly with the souldiours strippe Christ of his garments, but more then this, they bereaue him of his natures and offices. The church of Rome by their transubstantiation strippe him of his manhood: and by making other priests after the same order with him, which doe properly forgiue sinnes, strippe him of his priesthood: and of his kingly office, by ioyning with him a Vicar on earth, & head of the Catholike church, and that in his presence: whereas all deputiships and commissions cease in the presence of the principall. And when they hauehave done all this, then they further load him with a number of beggarly ceremonies; and so doe nothing else but make a aaFic…m Christum.feigned Christ, in stead of the true and alone Messias.

The second euent was, that Christ was mocked of all sorts of men. First, they set vp the cause written why he was crucified,Math. 27.…7. 38,39.Matt 27:7Matt 27:38Matt 27:39 namely, This is the King of the Iewes: then the people that passed by reuiled him, wagging their heads at him, and said, Thou that destroiest the temple and buildest it in three daies, saue thy selfe, &c. Likewise the high Priest mocking him, with the Scribes and Pharises & the Elders, said, He saued others, let him saue himselfe. The same also did one of the theeues that was crucified with him, cast in his teeth. Behold here the wonderfull strange dealing of the Iewes: they see an innocent man thus pitifully and grieuously racked, and nayled on the crosse, and his bloode distilling downe from hands and feete: and yet are they without all pitie and compassion, and doe make but a mocke and a skoffe at him. And in this we may plainly see how dangerous and fearefull their case is, who are wholly giuen vp to the hardnesse of their owne hearts: and we are further admonished to take heede how we giuegive our selues to iesting or mocking of others. And if any man thinke it to be a light sinne, let them consider what befell the Iewes for mocking Christ. The hand of God was vponupon them within a while after, and so remaineth to this day.2. King. 2.23. 24.2 Kgs 2:232 Kgs 2:24 Little children wickedly brought vp, when they saw Elisha the man of God comming, they mocked him, and saide, Come vp thou bald pate, come vp thou bald pate: but Elisha looked backe on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two wilde beares came out of the forrest and tare in pieces two and fourty of them. Iulian once a Christian Emperour, but after an Apostata, did nothing els but mocke Christ and his doctrine, and made ieasts of sundry places of Scripture: but being in fight against the Persians, was wounded with a dart (no man knowing how) and died scoffing and blaspheming. And such like are the iudgements of God, which p. 338befall mockers and scorners. Let vsus therefore in the feare of God learne to eschew and auoid this sinne.

Furthermore if we shall indifferently consider all the mocks and scornings of the Iewes, we shall finde that they can not truly conuince him to the least sinne; which serueth to cleare Christ, and to prooue that he was a most innocent man, in whose waies was no wickednes, and in whose mouth was found no guile: and therefore he was most fit to stand in our roome, and suffer for vsus which were most vile and sinnefull. And here by the way a question offereth it selfe to be skanned. S. Matthew saith,Math. 27.44.Matt 27:44 The theeues which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth which the Scribes and Pharises did. S. Luke saith,Luk. 23.39.Luke 23:39 that one of the theeues mocked him. Now it may be demanded, how both these can be true? Ans. Some reconcile the places thus; that the Scripture speaking generally of any thing,Syn…chdoche. by a figure doth attribute that to the whol, which is proper to some part onelyonly; and so here doth ascribe that to both the theeues which agreeth but to one. Others answer it thus: that at the first both of the euill doers did mocke Christ, and of that time speaketh Matthew: but afterward one of them was miraculously conuerted, then the other alone mocked him, and of that time spake S. Luke. And this I rather take to be the truth. But what was the behauiour of Christ, when he is thus laden with reproch? In wonderfull patience he replies not, but puts vp all in silence. Where we are taught, that when a man shall raile on vsus wrongfully, we must not returne rebuke for rebuke, nor taunt for taunt: but we must either be silent, or els speake no more then shall serue for our iust defence. This was the practise of the Israelites, by the appointment of Hezekias, when Rabshakah reuiled the Iewes, and blasphemed the name of God; the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the kings commandement was, answer him not. So Hannah beeing troubled in minde,… King. 1….36. praied vntounto the Lord, and Hely marked her mouth, for shee spake in her heart, and her lippes did mooue onelyonly, but her voice was not beard, therefore Hely thought shee had bin drunken, and said, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy drunkennesse from thee. Such a speech would hauehave mooued many one to very hard wordes: but shee saide,…. Sam. ….14. Nay, my lord, but I am a woman troubled in spirit, I hauehave drunke neither wine nor strong drinke: but hauehave powred out my soule before the Lord. This is a hard lesson for men to learne; but we must indeauour our selues to practise it, if we will be followers of Christ, and ouercome euill with good.

The third thing that fell out in the time of Christs crucifying, was the pitifull complaint, in which he cried with a loud voice, El…, El…, lamasabacthani, that is,Math. 27.46.Matt 27:46 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? In the opening of this cō plaint many points must be skanned. The first is, what was the cause that mooued Christ to complaine? Ans. It was not any impatience or discontentation of mind, or any despaire, or any dissembling, as some would hauehave it: but it was an apprehension and a feeling of the whole wrath of God, which seazed vponupon him both in bodie & soule. The second, what was the thing whereof he doth complaine. Ans. That he is forsaken of God the father. And from this point ariseth another question. How Christ beeing God, can be forsaken of God? for the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost are all three but one p. 339and the same God. Ans. By God we must vnderstand God the father the first person. According to the common rule, when God is compared with the Sonne or the holy Ghost, then the father is meant by this title, God; as in this place: not that the father is more God then the Sonne, for in dignitie all the three persons are equall: but they are distinguished in order onelyonly, and the father is first. And againe whereas Christ complaineth that he was forsaken, it must be vnderstood in regard of his humane nature, not of his godhead. And Christs manhood was forsaken, not that his godhead and manhood were seuered, for they were euer ioyned togither from the first moment of the incarnation: but the godhead of Christ, and so the godhead of the father did not shewe foorth his power in the manhoode, but did as it were lie a sleepe for a time, that the manhood might suffer: when a man sleepeth, the soule is not seuered from the bodie, but lieth as it were dead, and exerciseth not it selfe: euen so the godhead lay stil, & did not manifest his power in the manhood, & thus the manhood seemed to be forsaken. The third point is, the manner of this complaint; My God, my God, saith hee: these wordes are wordes of faith, I say not of iustifying faith, whereof Christ stood not in neede: but hee had such a faith or hope, whereby he did put his confidence in God. The last wordes, why hast thou forsaken me? seeme at the first to be wordes of distrust. Howe then (will some say) can these wordes stand with the former: for faith and distrust are flat contraries? Ans. Christ did not vtter any speech of distrust, but onelyonly make his mone and complaint, by reason of the greatnes of his punishment: and yet still relied himselfe on the assistance of his father. Hence wee learne first that religion doth not stand in feeling but in faith: which faith wee must hauehave in Christ, though we hauehave no feeling at all: for God oftentimes doth withdrawe his grace and fauour from his children, that hee may teach them to beleeue in his mercy in Christ then, when they feele nothing lesse thē his merciemercy. And faith and feeling cannot alwaies stand togither; because faith is a subsisting of things which are not seene, & the ground of this hoped for, and we must liue by faith, and not by feeling. Though feeling of Gods mercy be a good thing, yet God doth not alwaies vouchsafe to giuegive it vntounto his children: and therefore in the extremitie of afflictions and temptations, wee must alwaies trust and rely on god by faith in Christ; as Christ himselfe doth when he is as it were plunged into the sea of the wrath of God. Secondly, here wee may see how God dealeth with his children: for Christ in the sense and feeling of his humane nature was forsaken, yet had he sure trust and confidence in God, that caused him to say, My God, my God. God will oftentimes cast his deere children into huge gulfes of woe and miserie, where they shall see neither banke nor bottome, nor any way to get out: yet men in this case must not despaire, but remember still that that which befell Christ the head, doth also befall his members. Though Christ him-selfe at his death did beare the wrath of God in such measure, as that in the sense and feeling of his humane nature he was forsaken: yet for all this he was the sonne of God, and had the spirit of his father, crying, My God, my God. And therefore though we be wonderfully afflicted either in bodie or in minde, so as we hauehave no sense or feeling of Gods mercy at all, yet must we not despaire and thinke that we are cast-awaies, but p. 340still labour to trust and rely on God in Christ, and build vponupon this that we are his children, though wee feele nothing but his wrath vponupon vsus; against mercy cleauing to his merciemercy. This was Dauids practise: In the day of trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord: my sore ranne and ceased not in the night: my soule refused comfort. I did thinke vponupon God and was troubled: my soule was full of anguish: Psal. 77.2.3.Ps 77:2Ps 77:3and so he continueth on, saying,vers. 10,11,12, &c. Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer? and will he shewe no more fauour? hath God forgotten to be mercifull? but in the ende he recouereth himselfe out of this gulfe of temptation, saying, Yet I remember the yeres of the right hand of the most high: I remember the workes of the Lord, certenly I remember the wonders of olde. Wherefore this practise of Christ in his passion, must then be remembred of vsus all, when God shall humble vsus either in bodie or soule, or both.

The fourth thing which fell out when Christ was on the crosse was this: after Christ knew that all things were performed, and that the scriptures were fulfilled;Ioh. 19.…8.John 19:8 he said, I thirst, and then there standing a vessel full of vineger, one ranne and filled a sponge therewith, and put it about an hyssop stalke, and put it to his mouth: which when he had receiued, he said, It is finished. The points here to be considered, are foure. The first, that Christ thirsteth. And we must knowe that this thirst was a part of his passion; and indeede it was no small paine,I…d. 4.19. as we may see by this: when Sisera was ouercome by Israel, and had fled from his enemies to Iaels tent, he called for a little water to drinke, being more troubled with thirst, then with the feare of death at the hand of his enemies. And indeede thirst was as as grieuour to men in the East countrie, as any torment else. And hereupon Sāpson was more grieued with thirst, then with feare of many thousand Philistims.Iud. 15.18.Judg 15:18

Againe, whereas Christ complaines that he thirsteth; it was not for his own sake; but for our offences: and therefore answerably we must thirst after Christ and his benefits, as the drie & thirstie land where no water is, doth after raine: and as the hart brayeth after the riuers of water, so must we say with Dauid,Psal. 143.6. & 9….1.Ps 143:6Ps 9:1 My soule panteth after thee, O Lord, and the benefits of thy death.

The second that a sponge full of vineger tied vponupon an hyssop stalke, was reached to Christ vponupon the crosse. Now it may be demanded, how this could bee, considering the stalke of the hyssop is not past a foote long. Ans. As the tree of mustard seed with the Iewes is farre greater and taller then with vsus, in so much that the birdes of lieauen build their neasts in it: so it may bee that hyssop groweth much longer in those countries then with vsus. Or, as I take it rather, the hyssop stalke was put vponupon a reede, and by that meanes the sponge was put vp to the mouth of Christ.Mat. 35 36.

The third point is, that Christ drinketh the vineger offered: but when? Not before all things were finished that were to bee done on the crosse. And by this he shewes his exceeding care for our saluation. He laid aside al things that would turne to his own ease, that he mightfully work our redemptiō, & sulfil the will of his father who sent him into the world for that end. The like care …ust eueryevery one of vsus hauehave to walke dutifully; and, as it were, to goe with tho…ugh-stitch in our particular callings, that God may be glorified by vsus. Whē Abrahams seruant came: to Bethuel to get a wife for Isaac, meat was set before p. 341him, but he said, I will not eate before I hauehave said my message: Gen. 24.13.Gen 24:13so likewise wee must first see Gods glorie procured in our affaires, and then in the second place, if commodity or praise redound to vsus, we must afterward take it.

The last point is, that when Christ had drunke the vineger, he said, It is finished. Which words may hauehave a double sense: one, that such things as were figured by the sacrifices of the old testament are accomplished; the other, that nowe vponupon the crosse hee had finished his satisfaction to the iustice of his father for mans sinne. And this of the twaine I rather think to be his meaning. If it be said, that the buriall and resurrection and ascention of Christ, &c. which are very necessarie to mans redemption, were not yet begun, the aunswere is, that the workes of Christs priesthood which followe his death serue not to make any satisfaction to Gods iustice for sinne, but onelyonly to confirme or apply it, after it is made and accomplished on the crosse. And if this be so, that Christ in his owne person accomplished the worke of redemption, and made a full and perfect satisfaction for vsus, as these words import, It is finished, then humane satisfactions to gods iustice for sinne are altogither superfluous.

The fifth euent that fell out when Christ was vponupon the crosse was, that hee cried with a loud voice, and said, Father, into thy handes I lay downe my spirit, that is, I commend my soule as being the most pretious thing which I hauehave in this world into thy custodie, who art a most faithfull keeper thereof. These wordes are taken by Christ out of the Psalmes: for when Dauid was in danger of his life by reason of Saul, and had no friend to trust, he makes choise of God to be his keeper,Psal. 31.5.Ps 31:5 and said, Into thy handes, O Lord, do I commend my spirit. Nowe our Sauiour Christ being in the like distresse, both by reason of the Iewes, who eueryevery way sought his final destruction & confusion, & especially because he felt the full wrath of God seazing vponupon him, doth make choice of Dauids words, and apply them to himselfe in his distresse. And by his example was are taught not onelyonly to reade the generall history of the bible, but also to obserue the things commanded and forbidden, and to apply the same vntounto our selues, and to our particular estates and dealings whatsoeuer: thus the prophet Dauid saith, In the roll of the booke it is written of me, that I should doe thy will, O my God!Psal 40.Ps 40 How can this be? for no part of Scripture penned before the daies of Dauid saith thus of him. True indeede; but as I take it, Dauids meaning is, that he read the booke of the lawe, and found generall precepts and commandements giuen to Kings and Princes, that they should keepe all the ordinances and commandements of God: which, he beeing a King, applyes particularly to his owne person, and thereupon saith, In the volume of the booke it is written of me, &c. And this dutie is well practised by the people of God at this day; for the Psalmes of Dauid were penned according to the estate of the Church in his time: and in these daies the Church of God doeth sing the same with the same spirit that Dauid did, and doth apply their seueral estates and conditions.

Nowe in that Christ commends his soule into the handes of his father, hee doth it to testifie that he died not by constraint, but willingly: and by his own practise he doth teach vsus to do the like, namly to giuegive vp our own soules into the hands of god: & because this dutie is of some difficultie, we must obserue p. 342three motiues or preparatiues which may induce vsus to the better doing of it. The first is, to consider that God the father of Christ, is the creatour of our soules, and therefore he is called the father of spirits. And if he be a creatour of them, then is he also a faithfull preseruer of them. For sure it is, that God will preserue his owne workemanship. Who is or can be so carefull for the ornament & preseruation of any worke as the craftes-master? and shall not God be more carefull then man? Wherefore S. Peter exhorteth vsus to committe our soules vntounto God, as vntounto a faithfull creatour. The second motiue is this: wee must looke to be resolued in our consciences, that …od the father of Christ is our father: eueryevery man for himselfe must labour to hauehave the assurance of the pardon of his owne sinnes, and that the corruption of his soule bee washed away in the blood of Christ, that he may say, I am iustified, sanctified, and adopted by Christ. And when any man can say thus, he shall be most desirous and willing to commit his soule into the handes of God. This was the reason which mooued Christ to lay down his soule into the handes of God, because he is his father. The third motiue or preparatiue is, a continuall experience & obseruation of Gods louelove and fauour towards vsus, in keeping and preseruing him; as appeares by Dauids example,Psal. 31.5.Ps 31:5 Into thy hands (saith he) I commit my soule: for thou hast redeemed me, O thou God of trueth.

The time when we are specially to commend our soules into the hand of God, is first of all the time of any affliction or danger. This was the time whē Dauid commended his soule into the hands of God in the Psalme before named. We knowe that in any common danger or perill, as the sacking of a citty, or burning of an house, if a man hauehave any pretious iewell therein, he will first fetch that out, and make choise of a faithfull friende, to whose custodie he will commit the same: euen so, in cōmon perils and daungers we must alwaies remember to commit our soules as a most pretious iewell into the handes of God, who is a faithfull creatour. Another more speciall and necessarie time of practising this dutie, is the houre of death, as here Christ doth, and Steuen, who when the Iewes stoned him to death, called on God, and said, Lord Iesus receiue my spirit. And as this dutie is very requisite and necessarie at all times, so most especially in the houre of death; beca…se the danger is great by reason that Satan will then chiefely assault vsus, and the guilt of sinne will especially then wound the conscience. Lastly, at al times we must commit our soules into Gods handes: for though we be not alwaies in afflictio…, yet we are alwaies in great danger: and when a man lieth downe to rest, he knoweth not whether he shall rise againe or no: and when he ariseth, he knoweth not whether hee shall lie downe againe. Yea, at this very houre we knowe not what will befall the next.

And great are the comforts which arise by the practise of this dutie. When Dauid was in great danger of his life, and his owne people would hauehave stoned him, because their hearts were vexed for their sonnes and daughters which the Amalekites had taken;1. Sam. …0.6. it is said hee comforted himselfe in the Lord his God. And the practise of Paul in this case is most excellent:2. Tim. ….…. for the which cause (saith he) I suffer those things, but I am not ashamed: for I knowe whome I hauehave beleeued, and I am perswaded that hee is able to ke…pe that which I hauehave committed p. 343vntounto him again…t that day. This worthie seruant of God had committed his life and soule into Gods hand: and therefore he saith, In all my sufferings I am not ashamed: where we see, that if a man hauehave grace in his life-time to commit his soule into Gods hand, it will make him bold euen at the point of death. And this must be a motiue to cause eueryevery man daily and hourely to lay downe his soule into the handes of God, although by the course of nature he may liue twentie or fourtie yeares longer. But howsoeuer this dutie be both necessarie and comfortable, yet few there be that practise the same. Men that hauehave children are very carefull and diligent to bring them vp vnderunder some mans tuition; & if they hauehave cattel, sheep, or oxen, they prouide keepers to tend them: but in the meane season for their owne soules they hauehave no care: they may sinke or swimme or doe what they will. This shewes the wonderfull blindnes or rather madnesse of men in the world, that hauehave more care for their cattell, then for their owne soules: but as Christ hath taught vsus by his example, so let eueryevery one of vsus in the feare of God, learne to commit our soules into the hand of God.

Againe, in that Christ layes downe his owne soule, and withall the soules of all the faithfull into the hands of the father, we further learne three things. The first, that the soule of man doth not vanish away as the soules of beasts and other creatures: there is g…eat difference betweene them: for when the beast dieth, his soule dieth also: but the soule of man is immortall. The consideration whereof must moooue eueryevery man aboue all things in this world to be careful for his soule: if it were to vanish away at the day of death as the soule of beasts doe, the neglect thereof were no great matter: but seeing it must liue for euer, either in eternall ioy, or else in endlesse paines and torments, it stands vsus vponupon, eueryevery man for himselfe, so to prouide for his soule in this life, that at the day of death when it shall depart from his bodie, it may liue in eternall ioy and happinesse. The second, that there is an especiall and particular prouidence of God, because the particular soule of Christ is committed into the hands of his father, and so answerably the soules of eueryevery one of the faithfull are. The third, that eueryevery one which beleeues himselfe to be a member of Christ, must be willing to die when God shall call him thereunto. For when we die in Christ, the bodie is but laid asleepe, and the soule is receiued into the hands of a most lo…ing God and mercifull father, as the soule of Christ was. Lastly, whereas Christ surrendring his soule into his fathers hands, calls it a spirit, we note, that the soule of man is a spirit, that is, a spirituall, inuisible, simple essence without composition created, as the angels of God are. The question whether the soule of a childe come from the soule of the parents as the bodie doth come from their bodies, may easily be resolued. For the soule of man beeing a spirit, can not beget another spirit, as the angels beeing spirituall doe not beget angels: for one spirit begetteth not an other. Nay which is more, one simple element begetteth not an other, as the water begetteth not water, nor aire begetteth aire: and therefore much lesse can one soule beget an other. Againe, if the soule of the child come from the soule of the parents, then there is a propagation of the whole soule of the parent or of some part thereof. If it be saide, that the whole soule of the parents is propagated, then the parents p. 344should want their owne soules and could not liue. If it be said that a part of the parents soule is propagated: I answere… that the soule being a spirit or a simple substance cannot be parted: and therefore it is the safest to conclude, that the bodie indeede is of the bodie of the p…rents, and that the soule of man while the bodie is in making, is created of nothing:He… 11.…. and for this very cause God is called the father of spirits.

Thus much of the crucifying of Christ: nowe followeth his death. For hauing laid downe his soule into the hands of his father, the holy Ghost saith, he gaue vp the ghost: Luk ….46.to giuegive vsus to vnderstand, that his death was no fantasticall but a reall death, in that his bodie and soule were …euered as truely as when any of vsus die. In treating of Christs death we must consider many points. The first, that it was needfull that he should die, and that for two causes. First, to satisfie Gods iustice: for sinne is fo odious a thing in Gods sight, that he will punish it with an extreame punishment: therefore Christ standing in our roome must not onelyonly suffer the mi…eries of this life, but also die on the crosse, that the very extremitie of punishment which wee should hauehave borne, might bee laid on him: and so we in Christ, might fully satisfie Gods iustice: for the wages of sinne is death. Secondly, Christ died that he might fulfill the trueth of Gods word which had said, that man for eating the forbidden fruit should die the death. Gen. 2.17.Gen 2:17The properties of Christs death are two: the first, that it was a volū tarie and willing death: the second, that it was a cursed death. For the first, whereas I say Christs death was voluntarie, I meane that Christ died willingly, and of his owne free accord gaue vp himselfe to suffer vponupon the crosse. Howsoeuer the Iewes did arraigne, and condemne, and crucifie him, yet if hee had not willed his own death, and of his free accord giuen himselfe to die: not the Iewes nor all the whole worlde could euer hauehave taken away his life from him He died not by constraint or compulsion, but most willingly: and therefore hee saith,Ioh. 10.18. Math. 27.46. Luk. …3.46.John 10:18Matt 27:46Luke 3:46 No man taketh my life from me, but I (saith he) lay it downe of my selfe: I hauehave power to lay it downe, and hauehave power to take it againe. And our Sauiour Christ gaue euident tokens hereof in his death, for then Iesus cried with a loud voice, and gaue vp the ghost. Ordinarily men that die on the crosse, lāguish away by little & little, & before they come to yeeld vp their liues they loose their speech,Isa. 18.14.Isa 18:14 and onelyonly rattle or make a noise in the throate: but Christ at that very instant when he was to giuegive vp the ghost, cried with a loud voice: which sheweth plainely, that he in his death was more then a conquerour ouer death. And therefore to giuegive all men a token of his power, and to shewe that he died voluntarily, it pleased him to crie with a loud voice. And this made the Centurion to say that he was the Sonne of God.Ma…. 15.39. Againe, Christ died not as other men doe; because they first giuegive vp the ghost, and then lay their heads aside: but he in token that his death was voluntarie, first laies his head aside after the manner of a dead man, and then afterward giues vp the ghost.Ioh. 19.30.John 19:30 Lastly, Christ died sooner then men are wont to doe vponupon the crosse, and this was the cause that made Pilate wonder that he was so soone dead. Now this came to passe not because he was loath to suffer the extremitie of death:Mar. 1….44.Mark 1:44 but because he would make it manifest to all men that he had power to die or not to die. And indeede this is our comfort that Christ died not for p. 345vsus by constraint, but willingly of his owne accord.