The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 22
THE XXII. LECTVRE, OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST.
MATTH. CHAP. XXVII.
verse 50 Then Jeſus cryed againe with a loud voyce, and yeelded vp the ghoſt.
verse 51 And beholde, the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine, from the top to the bottome, and the earth did quake, and the ſtones were clouen.
verse 52 And the graues did open themſelues, and many bodies of the Saincts, which ſlept, aroſe,
verse 53 And came out of the graues, after his reſurrection, and went into the holie Citie, and appeared vntounto manie.
verse 54 When the Centurion, and they that were with him, watching Ieſus, ſaw the earthquake, and the things that were done, they feared greatly, ſaying, Truely this was the Sonne of God.
MARKE, CHAP. XV.
verse 37 And Ieſus cryed with a loude voyce, and gaue vp the ghost.
verse 38 And the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine, from the top to the bottome.
verse 39 Now when the Centurion, who ſtood ouer againſt him, ſaw that he thus crying, gaue vp the ghost, he ſaid, Truely this man was the Son of God.
LVKE CHAP. XXIII.
verse 46 And Ieſus cryed with a loude voyce, and ſaide, Father, into thine handes I commende my ſpirite. And when hee had thus ſaid, hee gaue vp the ghost.
verse 47 Now when the Centurion ſawe what was done, hee glorified God, ſaying, Of a ſuretie this man was juſt.
verse 48 And all the people that came together to that ſight, beholding the things that were done, ſmote their breaſts, and returned.
IOHN CHAP. XIX.
verse 30 Now when Ieſus had receiued of the vineger, hee ſaid, It is finiſhed, and bowed his head, and gaue vp the ghost.
WEE heard the laſt daye (vvelbeloued Brethren) the ſundrie voyces and ſpeaches vvhichwhich Ieſus Chriſt, vvhileſt Hee hung quicke on the Croſſe, and vvas nayled thorow handes and feete vttered in the audience of the vvhole people. The firſt two voyces vvere the voyces of pittie and merciemercy. The one of merciemercy, to one of the Thieues, that vvas crucified vvith Him, Verily (ſaies the Lord) this day ſhalt thou bee with mee in Paradiſe. The other of pittie, to His owne Mother, (vvho ſtood by, looking on Him, when as Hee hung vponupon the Croſſe in extreame paine) recommending her to IOHN, His welbeloued Diſciple. Other two voyces, were voyces of ſadneſſe, and heauineſſe of heart: The one an heauie complaint to His Father, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? The other proceeding from an extreame drought, that came of that ſenſe of wrath and paine which Hee felt during the time that Hee hung vponupon the Croſſe, I thirſt. The laſt two voyces vvere of joye, for it appeares well, that before the Lord gaue vp the ghoſt, comfort and joye returned to Him againe. And I am of this mind, that there are none, who are Gods owne, but before their departure out of this life, (ſooner or later) they will get a ſenſe of that joye which they are to paſſe vntounto immediatelie. The firſt voyce of joye, was, All is ended: As though Hee vvoulde ſaye, This w…ke is done, and ended, and nowe the ranſome of the redemption of man is payed to the leaſt farthing. Nowe the laſt voyce vvas vvhen Hee vvas immediatelie readie to render vp His ſpirite into the handes of the Father, ſayes, with a feeling of joy in the heart, Into thine hands, Father, J commend my Spirit. Now this day, we hauehave to ſpeake by His grace, Firſt, of His death, and the yeelding vp of His Spirit: Next, of thoſe wonders that fell out immediatly after the Lord had rendered the Spirit: and thirdly, we hauehave to ſpeake how the multitude were mooued when they ſawe theſe wonders. Novve as concerning His death, the words are but few. Iohn ſayes, When Hee had ſpoken, and cried with a loude voyce, Hee bowed downe His head, and He rendered His Spirit. The wordes are to be marked, Hee renders His Spirit, firſt, as it were, Hee tooke His ſoule in His owne Hande, and deliuered it in the handes of the Father, deſiring Him to keepe it well, to the day of His glorious reſurrection: for, Brethren, this is the difference betweene the godly, & vngodly in their death: as they differ, and are vnlike to other in their life: ſo eſpecially in their death. The vngodly caſt away the ſoule and life, and cares not where it goes: but woe is to them that doe ſo, they will neuer take vp ſuch a life againe, when they hauehave caſt it▪ awaye, not regarding where it goes to, but thinking lightly of it. No, let no man nor woman caſt away this life, or diſlodge this ſoule lightly: if the ſoule goe from thee lightly, and thou careſt not for it: better it were for thee, neuer to hauehave had a life, a ſoule, or a body. But againe, Brethren, The Lord Ieſus, as all His lifetime Hee is carefull for the ſoule that is lodged in an earthly tabernacle: ſo chiefly, in the moment, when it is to fllit, The godly, they will not let the ſoule flit out of the body, vntill they know that the hand of the Lord, is ſweetly looſing the ſoule, to keepe it, vntill the day of their glorious reſurrection. Brethren, it would be well marked, There is not one of the foure Euangeliſts, Matthew, Marke, Luke, or Iohn, but they note very preciſely the death of the Lord, and the yeelding vp of His Spirit. As for the circumſtances that fell out in His Paſſion: ſome will note one thing and leaue another. As for example, Theſe voyces that He vtters on the Croſſe, not one of the Euangeliſts hath them all, ſome hath one, and ſome another. But when it comes to the yeelding of the Spirit, they all in one harmonie note, The Lord gaue vp the Spirit. This is a thing not to be paſſed by, nor to be lightly looked on, and it lets vsus ſee, the death of our Sauiour, the ſeparation of His ſoule from His body, is ſo ſubſtantiall, and ſo needfull a thing both to Him to hauehave ſuffered, and vsus to knowe, that except the Lord had ſuffered the death, all the crucifying of Him inwardly & outwardly, all the reſt of His ſuffering had auailed vsus nothing, the ranſome of our ſinnes had not bene payed: for that was the curſe that was laide vponupon vsus, to pull our ſoule from our bodie: and as it was needfull that He ſhould ſuffer the death for vsus, ſo it is needfull to eueryevery one of vsus to knowe this, that my Sauiour died, and His ſoule was really ſeparated from His body, it is needfull that thou hauehave euermore the Lord Ieſus crucified before thee, and know that the ſoule was ſeparated from His bleſſed body: for grace and remiſsion of ſinnes is conquered thorow the death of the Mediatour: if thou haſt not Faith of the death of the Mediatour, it is vnpoſſible that thou canſt beleeue that thy ſoule ſhall come to Heauen. The Apoſt. Heb. 9. hath a notable compariſon, hee ſayes, When a man hath made a Teſtament, and his legacie, wherein hee leaues ſuch inheritance to any man: his Teſtament can neuer bee ſure, nor ratified, before the man be dead: and if he ratifie not the Teſtament with his death, it cannot bee ſure: for the man in this life may alter the Teſtament: But after that once he die, there it ſtands, it cannot be reuoked: Euen ſo ſayes the Apoſtle, The Heire of the world, Ieſus Chriſt hath made a Teſtament, and ſuch one as neuer man made, leauing ſuch goods and heritage to His Saints, as neuer man left, euen that heauenly Heritage, that exceeding Glorie, Now, ſayes the Apoſtle, If the Heire of the World, Ieſus Chriſt had not ſealed vp His Teſtament by His blood, it had neuer beene ſure, but His death interueening and cloſing it, then the Teſtament is ſure, & all the world is not able to alter one jote of it, to adde or diminiſh it. Woe be to him that will adde any thing to the Teſtament of Ieſus Chriſt: he is counted a villaine, who will adde to a mans Teſtament. Wilt thou adde or diminiſh any thing at thy pleaſure, from the Teſtament of Ieſus Chriſt. This Newe Teſtament is the beſt Teſtament that euer was: Let Worldlings bee content with the Teſtaments of their forefathers, yet count thou nothing at all, except thou get a part of the legacie left in His Teſtament. Woe bee to thee, albeit thou get Ea…ledomes and Kingdomes and great poſſeſſions left to thee by the Teſtament of thy forefathers, if thou getteſt not this Teſtament. Well, Brethren, this Teſtament can not be ratified, but by the blood of the Teſtator. How can I beleeue it, except I know that He died, and that the ſoule was as verily ſeparated from the body as euer the ſoule of man was: ſo when I conſider the death of my Sauiour, who hath made ſuch a Teſtament, I am ſo farre from that, to bee offended at that ſhamefull death, that the death is the ground of my ſaluation, and that in His death is all my glorie, & the aſſurance of my life is in the aſſurance of His death, and His ignominie and ſhame is my glorie.
Now thus farre for the death of the Lord Ieſus, Now come to the conſideration of theſe wonders that fell out immediately, as He gaue vp the Ghoſt: The Ʋaile of the Temple rent aſunder, from the toppe to the bottome, The earth quaked: Such things neuer fell out in all the deathes of men in the world: No, not in the deathes of all the Kings in the world: The ſtones were clouen, the graues of the dead did open. Theſe are the foure wonders that are noted to hauehave fallen out immediatly, when the Lord gaue vp the Ghoſt. Brethren, the Lord in His death, Hee was euen in the extreamitie of His humiliation, Hee was weakned, made of no reputation the Lord of glorie was tread vponupon by the feete of death, death ſtamping on Him, He could not be further humbled: there is nothing ſo ignominious as death: except it be ſanctified: it is terrible and ignominious, ſo that if it be not ſanctified in the death of the Lord Ieſus: it is but a curſe to thee, & a vengeance from Heauen: yet for all this caſting downe of Him, His heauenly Father leaues Him not, but in His greateſt humiliation the Father giues the greateſt tokens of His glory, and He teſtifies that He was not only innocent, but that He was the Lord of glory, & yt Godhead neuer left Him in that ignominious death, nor neuer ſhall leaue Him, albeit it kept the ſelfe cloſe, y• He might ſuffer that ignominious death, becauſe it was not expedient that Hee ſhould vtter His power: yet yt Godhead in His death wrought ſuch wonders, that He teſtifies before the Iewes that yt ſame man which hung there was the Lord of glorie and the Lord of life. Will yee come further, that albeit that miſerable people had not a tongue to ſpeake, and would not giuegive a teſtimonie of the glory of CHRIST, the dumbe and ſenſleſſe creatures, who had not mouth, nor tongue, nor life, will not bee ſilent, but will doe their homage to the Lord. Fye on thee, and woe is thee, that euer thou got ye mouth or tongue: the dumbe creatures in their kinds do homage to their God, & glorifies Him, & ſhames all the world, & they ſhame all ye diſciples: for al were offēded at Him now. So now ye earth and the rockes ſhame them all: fye on them. The Lord as Hee came riding to Ieruſalem, like a glorious King, to giuegive them a ſhew of His glorie, Luke 19. When the diſciples cryes, Hoſanna, Bleſſed be he that comes in the Name of the Lord, the Phariſes were angrie at it: they were offended to ſee the Lord glorified. Then Ieſus anſwered, if theſe would holde their tongue, the ſtones would cry: Theſe ſtones & ſenſleſſe creatures ſhall cry and glorifie Me, there ſhould not be a wall in Ieruſalem, but they ſhould hauehave cried: if the diſciples and the multitude had holden their tongue: and if men had their tongue, and glorifie not God, the ſtones ſhall riſe vp, and ſhame them, and glorifie Him. Now the mouth of the people is cloſe, and not one of the diſciples cried, Hoſanna: yet the earth forgets Him not, ſhee cries in her owne manner, Hoſanna: the rockes cry: the vaile of the Temple cries, Hoſanna whilſt it rent aſunder. Well, Brethren, bleſſed is the ſoule ye hath a mouth to glorifie God: woe to thee that hath gotten a tongue to glorifie the Lord, & does it not: if the Lord in humiliation was glorified by the dumbe creatures, can Hee want His glory now in Heauen? if thou glorifieſt not God, another ſhal glorifie Him: if no man ſhall glorifie Him, the ſea, the earth, the ſunne, & the moone ſhall glorifie Him: & thou, albeit thou were a King, ſhalt be thruſt in Hell to thine euerlaſting ſhame. Now Brethren, there is not one of theſe foure wonders, but particularly they would be cōſidered: & firſt, The renting of the vaile of the Temple. The vaile of ye Temple was a faire wall, ouergilt wt fine gold there was neuer a thing ſo glorious outward in this world, as yt Temple, vpō ye which hang a glorious Tapeſtrie wrought curiouſly: it diuided ye moſt holy place, called the Sanctuarie, wherein the Lord gaue His preſence, & it was ye type of that heauenly Sanctuary, wherein Ieſus Chriſt entred by His blood, it got the name from the office & vſe, it was called a vaile, a couering, becauſe it hid the Sanctuarie from the ſight of the people, & of the Prieſts: only the High Prieſts excepted who entred in it once in the yeere, and that not without blood: No, for his life hee durſt not enter in it without blood. Nowe when the LORD giues vp the Ghoſt, this Vaile cleaues in twaine▪ and in a manner he makes an anſwere to the voyce of the Lord. Wilt thou who haſt life, reaſon, mou…h, and tongue, anſwere Him, He will make the vaile to anſwere Him. The Lord ſaide a litle, before He gaue vp the Ghoſt, Conſummatum eſt: All is ended, the ceremonies of the Law of Moyſes are ended: the ſh…ddowes are away: there is no more vſe of that vaile. When the vaile heares this, The vaile ſayes, Amen, it is true my Lord, & here for my part, I giuegive ouer my office, and I giuegive the ſight of the Sanctuarie to the people, and ſhall not hide it any mo…e: for Ieſus Chriſt hath opene… vp the Vaile, and pulled it downe, and mad… an entrie to the Sanctuarie by His blood. Well, this is the preaching of the Vaile to the Iewes. But heard they this? Take the High Pri…ſtes any h…ed to this lang…age of the Vaile? No, they were neuer buſier in the Ceremonies, than after they heard this ſpeech: They ſaw the Vaile rent, but they tooke no leſſon by it, there is a wonderfull induration, Paul 2. Cor. 3. tells the cauſe, There was another vaile laide on their heartes, ſo that they could neither ſee not heare. It was harder to rent that vaile, than an hundreth vailes of ſtone. Lord keepe vsus from that reprobate ſenſe: alas, that wee ſhould not take heede to this: The earthly vaile rent aſunder at the voyce of the Lord, but the vaile of their heart could not b…e rent, neither for the voyce of the Lord, nor yet for the wonders. This is the leſſon: EueryEvery one of vsus ſhould take heede to our heart: after that once a man bee giuen vp to a reprobate ſenſe, as this people was: after that once thou beginneſt to doe againſt thy knowledge, either in manners, or in religion: after that once thou beginneſt to doe againſt: conſcience, thou wilt do the contrarie of all that it biddes thee▪ thy conſcience telling thee, when thou art going to murther, to harlotrie, to oppreſſion, to anger thy God, all is wrong doe it not: yet thou wilt trampe on the belly of thy conſcience. In the firſt Chapter to the Romanes yee may read the end of this, As thou wilt not heare thy conſcience, and the voyce of God, the Lord catches thy conſcience from thee, and caſts thee ouer to a reprobate ſenſe: ſo that thou art paſt feeling, that it were better to ſpeake to a ſtone, than to thine heart, and when I ſpeake to that piller, it ſh…ll rather rent than thine heart. Wouldeſt thou ſee a wonder: The Papiſts would bring in wonders, but bring in a man who is regenerate that is a wonder: yea, it is a great wonder, to alter thine hard and ſtonie heart, than to cleaue the hardeſt rocke that euer was. Let mee ſee an regenerate man, from whom that ſcroofe is taken away: it is a greater wonder to ſee a regenerate man from whome that ſcroofe is taken away, than that all the rockes ſhould rent. This for the firſt wonder: now followes the ſecond. The Earth quakes: No doubt, but with the quaking of the earth, there was a ſore dinne, whilſt the ſoule of the Lord ſeparated from the body. O! what a thing was it to draw the ſoule of the Sauiour of the world from the body: No, the renting of the rockes was nothing in reſpect of that drawing of the ſoule of the Mediatour from the body: The Earth is holden vp by the mightie hand of the Lord: and when it ſhakes, the mightie hand of the Lord ſhakes it. When the Lord begins to ſhake His arme, all the mountaines ſhakes: it is no jeſting for if Hee hit thee, Hee will bruſe thee in pieces, although all the world were about thee. What is miſerable man doing, that will not knowe the power of the Almightie God: This ſhaking meanes a threatning to this people: and the earth threatens to ſwallowe them all vp, for their indignitie they wrought to their Lord their Maker. If thou diſhonoureſt thy Maker, the earth ſhall open and ſwallow thee vp, as it did Core, Dathan and Abiram ▪ who withſtood Moyſes: No, it is a wonder that the earth ſhould beare men. No, I proteſt, I would not wonder ſo much, if the earth opened and ſwallowed ſome men, as I wonder that the Lord in His long ſuffering patience ſpares them, and holds His hand and Iudgement off them. It is a wonder that the houſes fall not downe on the blaſphemers, and the chambers, where they commit their filthineſſe ſhould not ſmoother them▪ But Hee ſhall cauſe an heauier thing fall on the body and ſoule, than a thouſand mountaines were tumbled on them: thou doeſt nothing but heapes vp wrath, as the Apoſt. ſayes, againſt the day of wrath. No, wrath, and heauie wrath ſhall be heaped on them. So the earth threatens th…m, for the indignitie they did to their Lord. Yee ſee, that after the earth quaked, it will ſwallow vp townes and people: but ſhee ſwallowes them not vp now, but the earth vomites them out, as not worthie to beare them in her bellie No, ſhe thought them ouer bitter to be within her, who had diſhonoured her Creator: but afterward looke what came on them. The earth will reuenge that foule thing done to her Lord: the land of Iudea ſpued them out, and the earth will not let that curſed kinde hauehave a foot-breadth of her. O! what is it to hauehave battell with the Creator, when He begins to arme the earth or any creature againſt thee, we would thinke that this ſhaking of the earth ſhould hauehave mooued them, yet t…ey take no thought for it. At the voyce of the Lord the earth did ſhake, but did the Prieſts and the Scribes ſhake? Are they mooued at the dinne and ſhaking of the earth? So againe, I ſay there is nothing ſo vnmooueable: No, not the earth, as thine hardened heart will be at all the denunciations that will come from Heauen, or Hell: ſaue thy ſelfe from a reprobate ſenſe, or elſe thou ſhalt neuer bee wakened, till thou bee thruſt into hell, where thou ſhalt bee tormented vvith endleſſe vexation without any hope of comfort. This for the ſecond wonder. Nowe let vsus come to the clieuing of the Mountaines. This followes on the former: as the earth opened to ſwallow them, ſo the mountaines cloue to tumble vponupon them: The mountaines will not ſuffer them to diſhonour their maker. What mooued this, the Iewes? Euen as much as the other two. No queſtion it was a great and terrible noyſe, when the mountaines cloue. Woe to a ſenſeleſſe heart: The mountaines may clieue, and ſhiuer and quake, but if thy ſoule bee giuen to induration, the ſtones & mountaines ſhall bee mooued, and broken, but thine heart ſhall neuer breake. Woe againe to a ſenſeleſſe heart, which is not mooued at the word of God: that Scepter of yron (whereof ye reade, 2. Pſal.) ſhall light on thee, & bruiſe thee in pieces: Therfore, caſt away that vaile frō thine heart, and ſtriue to keepe light in thy ſoule & conſcience, and walke in ſobriety, till thy God call on thee, and then thou ſhalt ſee a bleſſed ende. Nowe wee come to the laſt wonder which was wrought. The graues doe their duetie: they forget not their maker: but in their manner, they glorifie their Lord God, and honour Him: yea, death it ſelfe, with the graue, doe Him homage and honour. But miſerable man will not honour Him: The graues laye open from three a clock after noone (for about three a clock the Lord gaue vp the ghoſt,) and they lay open all that day & all that night, & all the daye following, and the next night till the morning that the Lord riſes: and then the bodies of the Sainctes alſo arole, by vertue of His reſurrection, and went into the Citie. The graues will tell the miſerable people, that the Lord Ieſus had looſed the bandes of the graue by His death. By death He ſlew death: with her owne ſword He ſlew her, as wee ſpeake. Shee would teach them, that the bodies in that Great day ſhall riſe vp by the vertue of that reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt. This queſtion may bee asked. What became of thoſe bodies which aroſe & went into the City? Did they lay them down againe in the graue, or aſcended they to Heauen? I will not bee curious in this purpoſe: But in my judgement, they were taken vp to the heauēs with Ieſus Chriſt, to be an argumēt of our reſurrection & going to the heauens. This was a faire leſſon: but this miſerable people was not moued. Woe to a ſtonie & ſenſeleſſe heart: the graue may open, but nothing will open a ſenſeleſſe ſoule. Therefore, I beſeech you ſtriue to get a ſoft and mollified heart. The voyce of Ieſus made the earth to quake, the rockes to rent, the graues to open, the deade to riſe: but the voyce of the LORD opened not their heartes: then He opens the graues: It is an eaſier thing to raiſe a dead body out of the graue, than to raiſe thy ſoule, if it bee once ha…dened: it is more wonderfull to raiſe a deade ſoule, and to ſee that ſoule get a ſenſe of Heauen, than to ſee all the bodies of the Church-yard riſing.
Nowe to compare theſe wonders, There are two of them, The firſt and the laſt that teach this people: The other two, the ſecond and the third that threatens them. The quaking of the earth, and the renting of the rockes threaten a damnage and deſtruction to them: and in this temperature of His wonders: As the power of God, ſo the wiſdome of God appeares wonderfully: He threatens this people for the indignitie, that they had done to the LORD of glorie, with Hell and death, yet Hee holds vp His handes. O! how vnwilling He is to ſtrike, but if He light on thee, Hee will cauſe thee ſqueele: He is ayming: Hee is ſhaking that terrible arme, and threatning them: in the meane time the Lord is remembring His merciemercy, and teaches them by wonders, to looke yet if they will take a leſſon, to repent of all the indignitie that they had done: Hee threatens them with the one hand, and offers merciemercy with the other, to ſee if they will repent. This is the dealing of the Lord Hee warnes them, and He ſayes. Yet I will not ſwallow thee vp with the earth, and I will not let the rockes tumble downe on thee, to deuoure thee, yet repent: for there is g…ace for thee, if thou turneſt. Brethren, no man ſhall goe to Hell, without aduertiſement to ſtand, to the end, that if thou wilt not repent, when the Lord begins to put hand in thee, and to rent thee, thy mouth may be cloſed, that thou canſt not ſay: Lord▪ I got no warning, all excuſes ſhall be put away. Alas, will not men learne for all this ſhaking of the mountaines. Lord ſhake theſe hearts of ours, & the Lord be merciful to all ſinful ſoules, & to ſenſleſſe creatures, leſt whē they ſhall cry Peace, & all things are ſure enough, thē ſudden iudgement approach & the wrath come & ouertake them. Now come to ye laſt thing & I ſhall end. Are there none yt are moued at all at theſe wonders? Amongſt ſo many hundreths & thouſands is there not one moued? yes there are ſome moued, & who are theſe? are the high Prieſts moued? No, not a whit, is there any of ye reſt of ye order of ye Prieſts moued? Not, They continue blinde and dumbe. Are the Phariſes, and the Scribes, or the Elders mooued? No: They are not mooued; but the more they heare, their heartes are the more hardened. Who are then mooued at theſe vvonders? It is an Ethnicke bodie, a Captaine of men of vvarre vnderunder PILATE, and a Pagane, vvho neuer once knewe GOD, yet vvhen hee ſees this, and hearde the voyces, hee ſaies, Of a ſuretie this man was juſt: And more hee ſaies, Truely this was the Sonne of GOD. Is there anie moe? Yes: A bande of men of vvarre: Not of the IEVVES, but ſuch as had liued on robberie, vvithout the feare of GOD, they feared greatly, and ſaide alſo, Truely this man was the Son of GOD. Who of the IEVVES is mooued? Not the Scribes, and the Phariſes, and the reſt of the Order, they are nothing moued: but the ſillie multitude, vvho cryed before, Crucifie him, nowe they goe home, ſmiting on their breastes, and crying, vvoe to them for that dayes labour: but there vvas neuer a motion in the Priestes, or in anie of the Princes or Phariſes▪ or Scribes. It is a vvonderfull thing, to ſee that they vvho had judgement and vnderſtanding, and who had read all the prophecies of the MESSIAS to come, gotte no ſenſe: yet a ſillie multitude gettes ſome ſight and ſenſe. Woulde yee knowe and poinct out a ſenſeleſſe creature, vvho vvill not bee mooued neither by vvorke nor vvorde: It is ſuch a man, as hath this vvorldly wiſedome: Such a man, as hath knowledge, and yet does againſt his knowledge and conſcience: for all that theſe Priestes and Phariſes did, vvas both againſt knowledge and conſcience: They repined againſt the Holy Spirit, and againſt their conſcience, they crucifie Ieſus. Whoſoeuer thou art, who opponeſt thee to the brightnes of the Goſpell, thou crucifieſt the Lord of glory: and as it ſhalbe layed to the charge of the high Prieſts and Phariſes, and of Pilate, and Herode, in that Great daye, that they crucified IESVS CHRIST: So it ſhall bee layed to thy charge, and thou ſhalt bee as guiltie of His blood, as they. Woe to that ſoule which vvill reſiſt that word and the Holy Spirite. Woe ſhall bee to the great men in this land, vvho againſt conſcience conſpires againſt CHRIST, Religion, and their natiue Countrey, for vvrath and vengeance remaineth for them, if they leaue not off this vnhappie courſe: The King of SPAINE, and all their aſſociates ſhall not bee able to holde vengeance off them, that ſhall one daye bee heaped vponupon their heads. The LORD ſaue vsus from induration, and neuer ſuffer vsus to repine againſt Light, nor to ſcrape it out of our ſoule and conſcience.
I ſee heere further: The LORD gettes moe friendes in His death, than in His life: The Centurion, and the men of vvarre, they curſe the time that euer they vvere employed in that ſeruice: The multitude, vvho bad crucifie Him, thorowe blindneſſe and ignorance; nowe they repent the time that euer they did it, and they returne homewardes, knocking vponupon their breaſtes. That immaculate Lambe, that precious Sacrifice, hanging thus on the Croſſe, Hee caſt ſuch a ſweete ſmell on the earth, and on the people, that they vvho vvere His enemies, goe awaye mourning. This falles out often times in the Martyres, for ſome people goes out with them, who woulde eate them: and yet the LORD IESVS makes their death to caſt ſuch a ſweete ſmell, that it is effectuall to mooue manie thouſandes to mourne, and to bee conuerted: So that it is founde to bee true, that the bloode of the Martyres is the ſeede of the Kirke. And they who woulde hauehave ſwallowed them before in their death, pitties them, and become their friendes, thorowe the ſweete ſmell, which they felt comming from their death, and would goe home mourning, that euer they were enemies vntounto them, and were inſtrumentes of their death.
Therefore, let the enemies of the trueth perſecute the Sainctes of GOD, and His Trueth, with Fire and Sworde, as they pleaſe; They ſhall gette no vantage, and they ſhall not gette this Light quenched: for there ſhall ſuch a ſweete ſmell ariſe out of the aſhes of the Sainctes, which in deſpight of the enemies farre moe ſhall bee wonne to IESVS CHRIST by their death, than euer was wonne to Him by their life: To Him, therefore, vvith the Father, and the Holie Spirite, bee all Honour, Praiſe, and Glorie, for euermore:
AMEN.