Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 18
THE EIGHTEENTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Coloſſians, beginning at the midſt of the 14. verſe.
COLOS. Chap. 2. verſ. 14. 15.
14 Which was contrary to vsus, he euen tooke it out of the way, and fastened it vponupon the croſſe:
15 And hath ſpoyled the principalities, and powers, and hath made a ſhew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the ſame croſſe.
WE inſiſt yet (brethren) on the deſcription of God, and of the effectualnes of his power. Ye hauehave heard that he is deſcribed from his effects, the workes that hee hath wrought. The firſt effect and worke in which chiefly the effectualnes of his ſtrong power vttred it ſelfe, was the raiſing Coherence.of Ieſus Chriſt from the dead: not by remitting him any ſinne that he had done, becauſe he neuer ſinned; but ſimply he raiſed him by his power. The ſecond effect is, the raiſing of the Coloſſians, and generally of the Gentiles, when they were dead in ſinne, and in that vncircumciſion of the fleſh. But how? by forgiuing them their ſinnes: for there is no life, nor quickening of thee, but by the remiſſion of thy ſinnes. Firſt that guiltines muſt be taken away, before euer that ſpirit of life enter into thee. The third effect, that wee entred into the laſt day, and now this day, wee ſhall finiſh it, by Gods grace, and it is the quickening of the Iewes, who had alſo as great neede to be quickened, as the Gentiles had. And Paul confeſſeth his owne miſerie, and wants, naming himſelfe among the reſt. But how? by putting away the handwriting that was againſt them: for beſides the guiltines of ſinne, they had ſubſcribed to their own guiltines: for ſo oft as they vſed the ceremonies of the Law, ſo often did they ſubſcribe to their owne condemnation. So that before they could be quickened, it behooued that this handwriting ſhould be ſcraped out. It ſtanding, there was no forgiuenes to them: ſo their life is by taking away of this handwriting.
But to proceede: the laſt day we opened theſe words: Hauing put away the handwriting of the ordinances that was againſt vsus: That is to ſay, hauing put away the rites and ceremonies of the Law (for Chriſt by his death aboliſhed them all) the which rites were as an obligation or handwriting, ſubſcribed by the Iewes againſt themſelues, ſealing the guiltines of death and damnation for ſinne. Now to goe forward in the text as it followeth, as God will giuegive grace. Immediatly after theſe words (marke eueryevery word, for they hauehave weight) hee ſubioyneth, which was contrary to vsus: he repeateth it againe, but hee tooke it out of the way, that is the handwriting of rites that was contrarie to vsus, and made not for vsus: the Lord Ieſus took it out of the way. It lay in our way, and it was a ſure ſtumbling blocke to vsus, and we were not able to remoue it, nor to take it out of the way: but yet the Lord Ieſus, hee taketh it out of the middeſt of the way. So ye ſee there is nothing but a repeating of that, that was ſpoken before: howbeit in other tearmes; he ſaid before, which was againſt vsus: now hee ſaith, which was contrarie to vsus, al is one in effect. Repetition of a thing is not without cauſe: for the holy ſpirit neuer ſpeaketh any word in vaine. Thou and I may often ſpend words idly, but the holy ſpirit cannot waſte one iot or ſillable. The cauſe of this repetition is: Paul cannot forget the thing that he and the reſt had done againſt themſelues, and that that Chriſt did for them. O, if thou remembredſt the benefits of God, once telling thē ouer would Repetition not idle in Scripture.not ſerue thy turne! and it learneth thee neuer to forget that, that thou haſt done againſt thy ſelfe, and that which Chriſt hath done for thee. By that that thou haſt done, thou had deſt beene vndone, if this that Chriſt hath done had not beene done. Beſides this, it ſerueth for the greater certaintie of that that was done. He will force an aſſurance into thee, both that thou haſt ſubſcribed to thy owne death, and alſo that Chriſt hath taken away thy ſubſcription, that thou ſhouldeſt not doubt. Woe to that vaine doctrine of doubting, and woe to Doubting.the doubting Doctors. The dolts will bid thee doubt whether Chriſt hath taken away that ſubſcription: woe to ſuch Doctors! If wee will marke the words, ye ſhall ſee an oppoſition, that, that thou haſt done Iew or Gentile, it is againſt thy ſelfe: that, that Chriſt hath done, is for thee. This lets thee ſee, not only the Iew but the Gentile, that thou art more beholding to Chriſt then to thy ſelfe: thou ſubſcribedſt againſt thy ſelfe; and if the Lord proceede vponupon thy handwriting, thou ſhalt certainly dye. But Ieſus Chriſt hath put that ſubſcription of thine out of the way: ſo that if thou be thankfull thou ſhouldeſt louelove him better then thy ſelfe: for the greateſt enemie that man hath is his owne ſelfe: And therefore ſhouldeſt thou not louelove him better then thy ſelfe? If thou doe it not thou ſhalt dye. But not to leaue the force of the word (for this word importeth a greater meaning then the other) the word of blotting The word foreign, putting out. The word foreign, to take out of the way.out was great indeede, ducere tranſuerſas lineas, is a great word; but to deſtroy the very tables, paper, and all, and to rent it aſunder, is more then both. Marke it; for it lets vsus ſee that his merciemercy is not halfed; he ſhewes not a peece of merciemercy vponupon vsus. Men will halfen their merciemercy towards others: but Ieſus Chriſt halfens not his merciemercy towards vsus, but he perfecteth it. If he once meant to ſhew merciemercy, he wil not leaue that work till he end it: and if he once meane to remit, he will not leaue off till he hauehave freely forgiuen: for that that he doth, he doth it perfectly, to his glorie and thy ſaluation. The Pope will make him to halfen his merciemercy. O vaine doctrine! doeſt thou halfen the merciemercy of the Lord? thou art a lyer; the merciemercy of The guilt of ſinne & the puniſhment both remitted in Chriſt.the Lord is perfect: ſo that when hee remitteth, hee remitteth both the ſinne and the puniſhment thereof.
Now to come to the words that follow. In the laſt words he ſheweth how the handwriting is taken out of the way. It was not after ſo light a manner, as a man would take an obligation and rent it: but before it could be rent, it behooued the Lord to be crucified. Well (who would be hanged for another mans obligation?) and he being crucified, he taketh that obligation and naileth it to the croſſe, and rents it aſunder. Now to make this plaine, when Ieſus Chriſt was crucified, he was not crucified alone, but many things were crucified with him; and many things that ſame very houre were nailed to the croſſe with him: This handwriting of thine, thy inditement that would hauehave condemned thee, thy ſinne originall, thy actuall ſinnes, the death that followeth thereon, and hell, euen all theſe were nailed to the croſſe with him: finally that curſe was crucified with him; all died together, hee died not alone: all depended vponupon his death, he died firſt, they followed. For brethren, the ſinnes of the world were laid vponupon Chriſt; and for that cauſe he came into the world, to take them of the back of the world, and to lay them on his owne backe, as is ſaid Eſai. 53. 5. The Lord laid on him all our iniquities, tumbled them on him: ſo that when Chriſt was lifted vp vponupon the croſſe, there was neuer ſuch a lift lifted vp. Take all the mountaines and lay them on one perſon, and there was a heauier burthen lying vponupon his backe. For the wrath of God was lying vponupon him: who felt it? the Iewes? Nay the Lord Ieſus felt the weight of that fierce wrath; and he hanging on the croſſe all hanged with him, thy malediction, thy obligation, thy death and curſe were on his backe and hung with him. Therefore Peter in his firſt Epiſtle and ſecond chapter, verſ. 24. ſaith, that he bare in his bodie our ſinnes, all hung with him. Now brethren, think ye that his burthen was light? That handwriting of the curſe of God for ſin, thy ſinne and eueryevery particular mans ſinne, that beleeueth or ſhould beleeue in him, their death and torments due to them, hauehave they eſcaped Chriſt crucified on the croſſe? No, no, all were laid on him, and al were crucified with him, and the ſame nailes that were driuen into his hands and feet, were alſo really beaten into thy ſinnes, and into that death due to ſinne, and they were driuen through hell, the laſt torment for ſinne. But who did this? The Iewes had little minde of this; no not of their owne obligation. Who was it then that crucified them? The Iewes nailed the Lord: but the Lord nailed them. The very death that Ieſus dyed was the nailes that were ſtriken thorow The Iewes nailed Christ on the croſſe: but he him ſeiſe nailed our ſinnes, the obligation, death and hell to that his croſſe.that obligation, and the ſins of all the beleeuers, to the vtter ouerthrow of all things that before had offended his father in the elect, or that ſhould offend him thereafter. For in that hee died, it was not for ſinne done before alone, but for ſinne alſo that after ſhould be done by any of his elect: for he is the mediatour that taketh away the ſinnes of the world for euer and euer: as he was the lambe of God that was ſlaine from the beginning. O then let neuer that powerfull death of Ieſus goe out of thy minde, as thou wouldeſt be ſaued, and hauehave comfort in the day of thy death! The Lord Ieſus in his death was the moſt bleſſed agent that euer was, the very death of Ieſus ſlew all the ſinnes in the world.
Now to goe to the next verſe. To the end that they ſhould not doubt of the deſtroying of the hand-writing, the Apoſtle telleth them what more he did, when he was on the Croſſe, that ſeeing the greater thing they ſhould not doubt of the leſſer: for he that can doe the greater, he can doe the leſſe. What did he? He tooke all the diuels in hell, he diſarmed them, he ſpoyled them, and led them in a triumph like ſlaues, with their hands bound behind their backes, and hee mounted vponupon the croſſe, as vponupon a chariot, triumphing ouer them, and that is more. Now to vnderſtand this the better, we muſt vnderſtand there were two things againſt vsus (howbeit he ſpeaketh of the Iewes, yet all may be drawne to vsus generally) firſt there was thine owne hand, it ſtood vntaken away: then there were powers and principalities and diuels: there was not one diuell but he Two things against vsus all.was againſt thee, accuſing thee vponupon thine owne obligation. There is his obligation (ſaith he) how can he eſcape iudgement and condemnation? And they neuer ceaſe to accuſe thee, yea within thy owne conſcience, and they make it to condemne thee. Now what doth Chriſt? He taketh thy obligation and all that may be laid to thy charge, and aboliſheth it; and then hee turneth to the accuſers and fighteth with them, diſarmeth How vainly vaine men ſpeake of Christ crucified.thē, and leadeth thē captiue in a triumph. O would to God we could weigh ye merciemercy of God! O vaine bodie! it is but a word to thee, that Chriſt was crucified, as if thou werſt ſpeaking of a hanged man, ſo vainely thou ſpeakeſt of Chriſts croſſe. Then this I marke generally. I ſee Ieſus Chriſt, when hee was on the croſſe dying, hee was the moſt occupied that euer was in any action: thou when thou art dying, thou doeſt no more, but Ieſus Chriſt when hee was in dying hee wrought and ſought moſt buſily. So that the death of Ieſus was ordained for the aboliſhing and deſtroying the aduerſeſt powers in the world, thy ſinne and hell, and whatſoeuer was contrarie to thee and thy ſaluation. Brethren, the argument that the Apoſtle vſeth, is from the greater to the leſſe: he hath ſpoyled the principalities and powers; therefore concludeth he, be aſſured he hath taken thy obligation away. When thou heareſt this, doubt not but thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee; the one thing is the ſmaller, the other is the greater. When thou ſeeſt the diuell rageth not in the world, when thou ſeeſt his dominion empayred: An argument to aſſure vsus our ſinnes are pardoned, becauſe that Sathā and ſinne doe not raigne in vsus.make thy vantage of it, and ſay, O my ſinnes are forgiuen! For be ye aſſured, if there were not remiſſion of ſinnes, the diuell would raigne and rage: and therefore this reſtraining of him, is a ſure argument that thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee. For if thy hand writing were not rent, hee would raigne in thee, as hee raigneth in ſuch men as rage in their wicked luſts of adulteries and murthers. Thou that art exerciſed in thy pollutions and murthers, and ſuch like; thou haſt no warrant that thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee, for as yet the diuell raigneth in thee. Seeke therfore to this Lord Ieſus, and the vertue of his croſſe, that the diuell raigne not in thee. O miſerable is that creature whatſoeuer it be, that walketh in ſinne, whatſoeuer it be, thou maiſt be aſſured: for that handwriting of thy curſe, ſtandeth as yet againſt thee, and will condemne thee in that great day. It will be daſht in thy teeth to thy ſhame and confuſion for euer.
He ſaith, Hauing ſpoyled. The word is ſtripped, taken off all that cloathing of theirs. Of whom? no ſmall creatures, but of principalities and powers, that is, the diuels, of whom one is ſtronger then al the men in the world. He were able to deſtroy all liuing men: and there are millions of them. O if thou kneweſt them, thou wouldeſt feare continually! Thou wilt looke to a ſillie creature and wilt ſtampe vponupon it, but thou haſt enemies aboue thy head, and if thou ſaweſt them, thou wouldeſt take little thought of the enimitie of men: looke Epheſ. chap. 6. verſ. 12. This power of the diuel is restrained only in the beleeuers, for he rageth eueryevery day more and more fiercly in vnbeleeuers towards the end of the world, as Saint Iohn ſaith in the reuelation, becauſe his time is but ſhort.Then it followeth: before Chriſt was crucified, the diuels raigned as armed men, to the deſtroying of men. O how much be we beholding to Chriſt, that liue now in theſe daies, after this reſtraining of the power of the diuels! Now brethren, it is a thing that one might wonder at: will ye compare him and them together? The Iewes ſpoyled Chriſt of his clothes, ſetting him vp naked; what is he doing in the meane time? They are not ſo buſie in ſtripping him, as he is in ſtripping the diuels. They are ſtripping him, and he is ſtripping the Lords that raigned among them. And that yee may thinke the more of it, by the vertue of the ſtripping of him, and the pulling off of the clothes of him he pulleth off the armor of the diuels. If Chriſt had not been ſtripped, he had not ſtripped them; by the ouer comming of him, binding of him, he ouercommeth and bindeth the diuels: To learne you to account much of eueryevery particular poynt of the ſufferings of Chriſt; for there was no poynt of it without a power to ſlay ſinne, and to ſlay the diuell. The nakednes of Chriſt is ſtronger, then the armed diuell is. And ſo much for this part.
Then to ſee againe concerning theſe principalities, ſince Ieſus Chriſt hath ſuffered, what are they? Naked creatures: I may ſpeake it boldly, they are naked creatures, and this is to thy comfort. Thinke not but that thou muſt meete with him once, by day or night. It is his pleaſure to hauehave thy heart wrapped vp, and to lull thee a ſleepe. Then this is thy comfort, when thou haſt to doe with the diuell, thou haſt to doe with a naked creature, whom the Lord hath ſpoyled. But looke to this condition: if it be ſo, that thou be armed with the breaſtplate of faith: that thou be armed with Ieſus Chriſt. Haſt thou this? the diuell is but a naked bodie before thee. He may well tempt thee, but he ſhall not ouercome thee: yea, he ſhall not be able to dare thee: it ſhall paſſe the power of all the diuels in hell to doe thee harme. But if thou be naked and meete him without Chriſt, thou wilt meete with an armed man; he will draw thee here and there: and in very deede he raigneth like a Lyon in eueryevery infidels heart: howbeit his kingdome be impaired; yet if thou be an infidell, hee raigneth in thee like a Sathan in vnbeleeuers.wood roring lion, and hee will draw thee eueryevery way from one ſinne to another, till by ſinning he bring thee to deſtruction. Ye ſee daily examples hereof in ſuch miſerable creatures that Epheſ. 2. 1ſuffer on ſcaffolds. Fie on thee that ſuffereſt him to abuſe thee as he will; he will abuſe the murtherer to waſh his hands in the bloud of his brother; he will abuſe the harlot to commit whoredome; the oppreſſour to rage in oppreſſion, and ſo out of their open and horrible tranſgreſſions hee bringeth them to deſtruction. Such is the tyrannie of his kingdome. Fie on thee that knoweſt this, and yet ſuffereſt thy ſelfe to be abuſed with him. Well, well; ſeeke thy faith in Ieſus Chriſt to be clad with him, as euer thou wilt be free of this tyrannie of the diuel, of his tempting thee, and of his abuſing of thee to commit ſin euer at his pleaſure. Thus much for the victorie which the Lord getteth ouer theſe principalities and powers euen while hee is in crucifying.
Now followeth that glorious triumph and progreſſe, which he maketh in the ſight of God and the Angels. The words are theſe, He made a ſhew of them openly: in the originall, he led them thorough openly, thorough the world, they looking on this ſide and that ſide. This manner of ſpeech is borrowed from Orators that hauehave vſed to ſet out glorious triumphs of Emperours in ſuch ſpeeches: it is taken from them and giuen to Chriſt: and no wrong done. Ye know the Romane Emperours, when they triumphed, they vſed to be honoured with many points of honour, and to be briefe, the manner of their triumph was The Romanes triumph.this: The Emperour himſelfe was mounted on hie in a glorious Chariot, and all the people aſſembled and ſtood gazing on him: and then the Captiues were brought before him, their armour taken from them, and their hands bound: they were led formoſt, and the Emperour followed. The Apoſtle alludeth to the ſame manner, in this triumph of Ieſus Chriſt. But to come to eueryevery word, he ſaith he led them thorough, as it were thorough a companie of men and women. The diuels are led thorough thē: but this is that, that is to be wondred at; Chriſt is led to the croſſe bearing his own croſſe like a ſlaue, and the Chriſts triumph.people are gazing on him, and hee is made a mocking ſtocke: he is raiſed vp vponupon that ſhamefull croſſe, & dieth that ſhamefull death. The Apoſtle turneth this ouer and ſaith, it is the diuell that is led in chaines; it is the Lord Ieſus that triumphes, and they are in chaines: he goeth forward in glorie, and they goe in ſhame. This ſame turning ouer letteth thee ſee, that by When the diuell thought to triumph ouer Chriſt, he triumphed ouer him.that leading him out to the croſſe ſo ſhamefully; he was ſhaming the diuels of hell, and leading them captiues in ſuch ſort, that if he had not been ſhamed, he could not hauehave ſhamed the diuels. In his ſhame he ſhameth the diuels. Indeede it had bin a ſmaller matter if by his glorie he had ſhamed them: but this is marueilous, that with the ſhame wherewith they ſhamed him, he ſhamed them. Ye may ſee againe, it is for our conſolation to ſee the diuels deiected. I ſhewed you before that ſince that very houre that Chriſt ſuffered, the diuels are naked: now as they are naked, ſo they are ſhamed, and they are without power: and ſo thou haſt a great vantage ouer them. The diuell bluſheth when he ſeeth thee, his head hangs downe. The daſtard dares not looke vp to heauen; when thou haſt to doe with him, thou haſt to doe with a ſhamed creature, that is aſhamed to looke thee in the face: they are ſhamed creatures. O but note the condition! If thou be glorious in Ieſus Chriſt, if thou come out honourably in him, comming out in his glorie, the diuels will be aſhamed to looke on thee, they cannot abide the ſight of thee. The very glance of thee wil ſtrike them blindfold. Indeede they may well puſh at thee, but they dare not come ſo neere thee to hurt thee: but if thou come out againſt them, without the glorie of Chriſt, in the ignominie of thy owne nature, if thou werſt a King (thou art but a confounded creature in thy owne nature) he ſhall caſt vp his face, and he ſhall be glorious aboue thee (for he is a principalitie) and he will oppreſſe thee: So bleſſed is that man, and that ſoule that is clad with Ieſus, and hath his faith in him: for he ſhall ouercome the diuel & find ſtrength in the day of temptation. Caſt Gorgons head, or Meduſas: ſo many as did looke on it were turned into ſtones, as Poets fainevp Ieſus Chriſt as it were Gorgonis caput, the diuell dare not look vponupon thee: but if thou appeare in thy own nature, without Chriſt, lying in thy ſtink, he will boldly and fiercely ſet on thee. He will caſt vp his face & aſſaile thee mightily, & he ſhall not leaue thee till he deſtroy thee: for there is no merciemercy or pitie with him, he is more cruell thē a Tiger. Well, ſeek to Chriſt, as ye would be ſaued, and ſtand faſt in the day of temptation.
He led them through (ſaith he) openly. That is, in the ſight of God, his Angels, and all the world, and theſe that ſtood about the croſſe. What auailes a triumph that is done in ſecret? The glorie of this triumph ſtood in that, that it was done ſo openly. I tell thee his croſſe was no more open then his triumph was; his glorie was as open as his ſhame. But thou wilt ſay, who was this? all the Iewes and the nations about, ſaw him crucified ignominiouſly: who ſaw this triumph? alas, if they had had eyes they might hauehave ſeene it. Whereto tended his death? but to the vanq…ng of the diuell: ſo the fault was not in the croſſe, bu… in them that they ſaw not. If there were no more but that title, Ieſus of Nazareth King of the Iewes, which Pilate would not alter, if they had taken heede to that title, they might perceiue hee was triumphing. But howbeit they all ſaw it not, yet I doubt not but there were ſome ſecret ones that ſaw it: both God and his Angels ſaw it; and Paul looking back againe to the croſſe, he ſeeth that triumph. There is none of vsus, but when we looke backe to the croſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, wee ſee in the croſse a triumphing King, ſitting in a triumphing chariot, this is Pauls ſight, and it is the ſight of eueryevery faithfull ſoule. They ſee it and they feele it daily, and out of my ſight it ſhall neuer goe, nor out of thy ſight that beleeueſt in the Lord Ieſus.
In the laſt words he taketh vp in one word, the triumphing He cōpares Chriſts triumph with the Romanes triumphes.ouer them: ye know the greateſt glorie of victorie, when men triumph ouer their enemies, is to be ſet aboue them; and al the Romane Emperours neuer got ſo great glorie, as when they got a triumph. But all is nothing to this glorie of the triumph of our Ieſus: for he getteth the greateſt honour, he getteth the triumph, which is worthily called a triumph. What is his triumph? The Romanes got their triumph when they had oppreſſed men moſt vniuſtly, and ſo it was but a tyrannie: but the Lord Ieſus triumpheth not, becauſe hee oppreſſeth this or that man; but he triumphs becauſe hee oppreſſed principalities and powers, that is, the diuels. Neuer a Caeſar ouercame the diuell; but the diuell ouercame them, when they were in their greateſt royaltie; ſo that the diuell was leading them to hell faſteſt, when they triumphed moſt vniuſtly: but Ieſus Chriſt triumpheth after a iuſt victorie. The ſpoyling of them was moſt iuſt, and ſo it paſſeth all the triumphes of all the Romane Emperours and Caeſars. Their Chariots are not to bee compared with that croſſe of Ieſus. So wouldeſt thou triumph with Ieſus Chriſt, and after a iuſt conqueſt? Alas, alas, ſeeke not to triumph ouer men, ouer this or that King, this bodie or that; ouer poore tenants to ſhed their bloud, to wring thy hands in their heart bloud as thou wilt. O villaine, villaine, ſtay! let not that King of Spaine, that ſlaue ſubiected to that beaſt of Rome reioyce, in that by his crueltie he triumphs ouer many nations. O thou wilt call thy ſelfe a Chriſtian King! learnedſt thou of Chriſt to oppreſſe thy neighbour countries? No, if thou werſt a Chriſtian King, thou wouldeſt learne to oppreſſe the diuell, that raigneth ouer thee. But to leaue them and to ſpeake of this victorie of Chriſt: thou that wouldeſt hauehave a true triumph, ſeeke to hauehave the victorie ouer the diuel, that ſeeketh to triumph ouer thee, and that in Ieſus Chriſt: for without him there is no true victorie.
To end in a word: ye would marueile, if you looke to this writing of this Apoſtle, and I doubt not, that mē in this world, that know not what Ieſus and his croſſe meane, would ſcorne all this language: for the wiſedome of God is fooliſhnes to this world. What is this he is telling? He is ſpeaking of an ignominious croſſe of Chriſt: and againe, he is ſetting him vp as it were a Caeſar. There was neuer an Oratour that ſpake more highly of an Emperour, then hee doth, ſpeaking of the croſſe of Ieſus Chriſt. He is making a glorie of an ignominie; and a Chariot of a gallowes; a triumph of a man that is hanged. Brethren, this ſame ſpeech of the Apoſtle (would to God we could ſee as he ſaw, it is a triumphing ſpeech of a triumph) teſtifieth plainly, that hee felt in his heart the power of the croſſe and A triumphing ſpeech in the Apoſtle of Chriſts triumph.death of Ieſus Chriſt, as he ſaith, Galath. 6. 14. God forbid that I ſhould reioyce but in the croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Christ, It teſtifieth that his heart was full of the power of God, and of the death of Chriſt; and that the obligation was cancelled, and the diuell vndone; and by this effectuall feeling, the mouth and the heart are opened. Alas, alas, he would not hauehave compared the croſſe of Chriſt with the triumph of Emperours, if his heart had not felt the vertue of the croſſe of Chriſt. O then, ſeeke a ſenſe of the death of Chriſt, and the power of it! otherwiſe reade not theſe words; for thou wilt ſcorne the Goſpell. Againe I ſay, thou wilt ſcorne the Goſpell, if thou finde not the vertue and power of the death of Chriſt in ſome meaſure ſenſibly in thy heart; yea and the wiſer thou art, thou wilt euer account it the greater follie. Therefore as euer thou wilt account of it, and ſpeake of the croſſe of Chriſt to thy ioy, ſeeke to feele ſenſibly the power of that death of Chriſt: for it is not like a common death. In the death of the man Ieſus Chriſt what was there? There was the life of the Sonne of God that quickened the death of the man. So that it is more powerfull then all the liues of Angels or men that are, or that euer will be. So all tendeth to this: ſeeke to finde the power of that death, that thou maiſt reade it with ioy, and heare tell of it with ioy. And certainly, if thou ſhalt feele the power at the hearing and ſpeaking of it, if thine hart ſhal leape for ioy: it is argument for thee, that Ieſus Chriſt hath triumphed ouer death to thy ſaluation. To this Ieſus, with the Father and the holy Spirit, be all glorie and honour for euer and euer,
Amen.