The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 1
THE FIRST LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST.
IHON CHAP. XVIII.
verse 1 WHEN IESVS had ſpoken theſe thinges, hee went foorth, with his Diſciples ouer the Brooke Cedron; where was a Garden, into the which he entred, and his Diſciples.
verse 2 And Iudas, who betrayed him, knew alſo the place: for IESVS oft times reſorted thither, with his Diſciples.
verse 3 Iudas then, after he had receiued a band of men, and officers of the high Prieſts, & of the Phariſes, came thither with lanterns, & torches, & weapons.
verse 4 Then IESVS, knowing all thinges that ſhould come vntounto him, went foorth, and ſaid vntounto them, Whom ſeeke yee?
verse 5 They anſwered him, IESVS of Nazareth. IESVS ſaid vntounto them, I am hee. Now Iudas alſo, who betraid him, ſtood with them.
verse 6 Aſſoone then as hee had ſaid vntounto them, I am hee, they went away backwardes, and fell to the ground.
VNTOUNTO this part of this GOSPELL (beloued in the LORD IESVS) the LORD hath done the office of a Prophet and Doctor, going about to inſtruct the people of the IEWES in the way of Life and ſaluation, and to inſtruct and comfort His owne Diſciples eſpecially in theſe laſt CHAPTERS. Nowe in the eighteenth and nineteenth CHAPTERS following, He doeth the office of a Prieſt. Ye know the LORD he is a King, a Prieſt, and a Prophet: He playeth the part of a Prieſt, in offering vp himſelfe: Hee offered vp none other ſacrifice than his owne bodie for the world, and for the redemption and ſaluation of mankind. As concerning his paſſion and ſuffering, which is rehearſed in theſe two CHAPTERS, the hiſtorie diuideth it ſelfe verie clearly: Firſt, wee hauehave his Paſſion and ſuffering in the Garden: Next, wee hauehave his ſuffering in the Hall of Caiaphas the high Prieſt: Thirdly, we hauehave his ſuffering before Pontius Pilate the Iudge: Fourthly, wee hauehave his ſuffering in the place of Execution, which is called Caluaria, or in Hebrewe GOLGOTHA, where he was crucified: And laſt, in the ende of the nineteenth Chap. we hauehave the laſt poinct of his ſuffering, ſtanding in his ſepulchre and buriall, which is the laſt part of his humiliation. Nowe this day wee ſhall ſpeake ſomewhat, as the time ſhall ſerue, of his ſuffering in the Garden.
In this firſt head of Chriſtes ſuffering in the Garden, firſt wee hauehave the part of Chriſt, offering himſelfe to bee taken and bound willingly, and of a ſet purpoſe: Next, we hauehave the part of Iudas, in comming out with a companie of men of warre againſt him, to the ſame Garden: hee knewe the place well enough, becauſe the Lord, with his Diſciples, were wont to reſort thither: In the thirde place, wee hauehave the communication betwixt the Lord and them that came with Iudas to take him: And fourthly, wee hauehave a fact of Peter, who will ſhew his louelove towards his Maſter, and his manhood, by cutting off the eare of Malchus, the high Prieſtes ſeruant: And laſt, the taking of Chriſt, offering himſelfe willingly, his putting into the hands of his enemies, and his binding. Theſe things are ſet downe in the firſt part of this hiſtorie, Of the Paſſion of the Lord, concerning his ſuffering in the Garden.
Now to come to the words, and firſt to Chriſtes part: It is ſaid, When IESVS had ſpoken theſe things, he went foorth, with his Diſciples, ouer the Brooke Cedron, where was a Garden, into the which hee entered, and his Diſciples. There is Chriſtes part: of verie purpoſe he caſteth himſelfe to that place, which Iudas knew, and where hee knew that hee was wont to reſort: of verie purpoſe hee went thither, becauſe the houre of his death was at hand. The time is well to bee noted when he doeth this, when he had ſpoken theſe things, that is, when …ee had ſufficiently inſtructed and comforted his Diſciples, and made that prayer for them, and recommended them to the Father, to keepe them in his abſence: then hee maketh himſelfe for death, and purpoſely he went to that place to be taken. Heere is a plaine leſſon offered vntounto vsus in the perſon of Chriſt: when hee had diſcharged a duetie, eſpecially to them who were concredite vntounto him, after that he had inſtructed them, and after that by prayer hee had commended firſt his owne ſelfe, and then all his own to God: then in ſecuritie and peace he goeth on to death: hee goeth not to die before he diſcharge a duetie to them that were committed vntounto him: then willingly he addreſſeth himſelfe to death. Yee knowe the leſſon. When a man or a woman hath diſcharged their calling faithfully towardes them that were committed vntounto them, and done their duetie to them to whom they are addebted, then in peace & reſt, and with a good conſcience they may offer vp themſelues at the pleaſure of God, to laye downe their life, and to die: therefore, whoſoeuer they be that would die in reſt and peace, (and alas, when ſhouldeſt thou hauehave reſt, peace, and quietneſſe to thy ſoule, if in the houre of death thou hauehave it not?) Let them take heed before they goe to die, that they hauehave diſcharged a faithfull duetie: and then hauing beene faithfull, when they goe to die, they may lie downe and reſt in peace, and in a good conſcience. But yee knowe againe one follie in this poinct, and this is the common faſhion of men, when they hauehave their health, before the Lord call on them they are ſo ſloathfull in diſcharging their duetie to them to whome they are indebted, that when the ſoule is to depart out of the bodie, they are moſt occupied with buſineſſe, and moſt troubled in making their Teſtament, and I know not what: Now make thy Teſtament before hand, and diſcharge thee of all thinges, and denude thine hand of all worldly affaires, that in that houre thy ſoule may reſt on God, and bee delited on heuenly thinges, and on that life which thou art going vntounto by death.
But to come forwards: It is ſaid, He went ouer the Brooke Cedron, with his Diſciples: This Brooke Cedron was a water, which ranne betweene Hieruſalem, and the Mount of Oliues, in a little and lowe valley: (Luke 2. Sam. 15.23.) and it was a little ſtreape that ran when it was raine, but in time of drought it was drie: Nowe heere was a Garden, into the which the Lord entered, with his Diſciples; to the ende, that euen as in the Garden (to wit, the Garden of Paradiſe) the ſaluation of mankinde was loſt through the fall of Adam and Eue; Euen ſo in a Garden, the ſaluation of mankinde ſhould begin to bee recouered. Chriſt began his agonie and paſſion in this Garden. There are ſundrie thinges concerning the ſuffering of Chriſt in this Garden of purpoſe omitted, and left out by Iohn, which is mentioned and ſet downe at large by the reſt of the Euangeliſts, by Matt. in his 26. chap. & 36. verſ. Mark. 14.37. Luk. 22.9. OnelyOnly Iohn ſpeaketh of his taking and binding in the Garden: the reſt ſpeake of that agonie and conflict that hee had with the wrath of his Father in the Garden. They who are deſirous to hauehave theſe things more at large, let them reade the reſt of the Euangeliſts: only I ſhall touch that battell & agonie that Chriſt had in his ſoule with the terrible wrath of his Father before any laide handes vponupon him. When he entereth into the gardē, the firſt thing he doth, he chooſed out three of his diſciples, Peter, Iohn, & Iames: & he calleth them aſide from the reſt, to the end, that as theſe thre were witneſſes of his glorie, in that his glorious Transfiguration vponupon Mount Tabor, when Moſes and Helias appeared vntounto him, Matt. 17.1. Euen ſo, the ſame three ſhould be witneſſes of his humiliation, and that dejection in the Garden: and hee commandeth the reſt to ſit downe together. So theſe he calleth apart, Peter, Iohn, and Iames, by name: and in their ſight, firſt he beginneth to enter into that combate, and he beginneth to ſhiner and quake, & to be exceedingly heauy: and he crieth out with a loude voyce in their audience, My ſoule is heauie on all ſides to the death. There beginneth he his agonie and conflict with the wrath of the Father for our ſins, wherewith he was burthened. After that, he went from theſe diſciples, about a ſtone caſt, and hee prayed to the Father with a loud voyce, ſaying, Father, if it be poſſible remoue from me this cup: that is, this cup of wrath & death, but not my will, but thy will be done. Thirdly, he goeth forward in that conflict & battell with the wrath of his Father: he feeleth the wrath of God to increaſe, & he crieth againe that they might heare, Father, if it be poſſible, remoue from me this cup. Then againe the battell increaſeth, & the agonie groweth, & then the third time he prayeth the ſame words, Father, take this cup frō me: that is, the cup of the heauy wrath of God: at the which time an Angell came from heauen, & comforteth him. Yet the battell holdeth on, and he is in a greater agony with his Father than euer he was in before, & he prayeth at greater length, and more ardently & vehemently than euer he did of before: So that in his agony the drops of purple blood fell downe from his face to the grounde: ſuch a thing was neuer ſeene, nor neuer befell vntounto anie man ſince the beginning of the worlde, as to ſweate blood: no man was euer vnderunder ſuch a terrible and horrible wrath of God, as Chriſt was for our ſinnes, and for the ſinnes of the whole world.
Now in all this meane time, he is not forgetfull of his diſciples, whō he brought with him to be witneſſes of his ſuffering, he is ay going to them, & from them, to hold them waking, & doe what he could doe, they are ay ſleeping, the Deuill is buſie with them, that in the ſuffering of CHRIST (they beeing then ſleeping) they ſhould beare no witnes of the ſuffering of Chriſt, the Deuill was as buſie to caſt them in a ſleepe, as the Lord was buſie to hold them waking, to beare witneſſe of that agonie & conflict. I will not inſiſt in this matter, reade thereof in Matth. 26. & in Luke 22. & in Marc. 14. and yee ſhall get this Hiſtorie at large: only we hauehave thus farre of the ſuffering of Ieſus Chriſt in the garden: firſt, how heauie … weightie a thing ſinne is, all this was not for his ſinne, but for our ſinnes, for the ſinnes of the world: Next, ye ſee how heauie a thing the wrath of God is, that followeth on ſinne, for as Ieſus Chriſt tooke on his backe the burthen of our ſinnes, ſo did he alſo the weight of the wrath of God, and the puniſhment that followeth vponupon ſinne: if ye know not this, ye know nothing of Chriſt. Thirdly, yee ſee the greatneſſe of the louelove of CHRIST to man, that firſt tooke on his backe ſo heauie a burthen of ſinne, and ſecondly, ſo heauie a burthen of wrath, and all for mankinde. If CHRIST had not ſuffered, neuer a man had beene ſafe, but theſe burthens had preſſed them downe to hell, neuer a ſoule had beene ſaued from Adam to the end of the worlde: Looke then what louelove hee hath ſhewed to vsus: and laſt, this agonie & ſuffering in the garden letteth vsus ſee that the Sonne of God, as he is verie God, ſo he is very man alſo, and that he hath the body of a man, & the ſoule of a man, for this ſuffering in the garden was eſpecially in the ſoule: in this battell the ſoule of Ieſus Chriſt was eſpecially ſet on by the wrath of the Father. There was none, touching the body of the Lord at this time, but the wrath of the Father was fighting with the ſoule. But to leaue this, and to marke the purpoſe of IOHN, his purpoſe is onelyonly to let you ſee, that when Ieſus Chriſt died, he died with a great willingneſſe and readineſſe, that willinglie hee goeth to death, and is not drawen out againſt his will, but knowing that IVDAS would come with a companie of men of warre to that place where hee was wont to walke and pray, of ſet purpoſe that hee ſhould be taken▪ hee reſorted thither. So this is the purpoſe of IOHN, to let vsus ſee that IESVS CHRIST offered vp a voluntarie Sacrifice for the ſinnes of the world, for except He had offered vp a voluntarie ſacrifice, His ſuffering had not bene obedience to the Father, He had not bene as is ſaid, Phil. 2.8. obedient to the Father. So the Lord died, and hee died to be obedient to the Father, that is, Hee died willingly at the good will and pleaſure of the Father. And if He had not bene obedient, His ſacrifice had neuer beene a ſatisfaction for the ſinnes of the worlde, and then what good had the ſacrifice of CHRIST done to mee, or thee, or to anie man: and therefore hereupon is our faith grounded, that we know the LORD IESVS, not onelyonly died, but alſo, that Hee died willingly; and ſo willingly, and with ſuch a readineſſe to pleaſure his Father, and to ſatisfie the wrath of the Father, as no tongue of man nor Angell can expreſſe. And when euer thou ſettleſt thine heart on the death of CHRIST, looke that thine heart ſettle it on a willing and obedient death: for if thou thinke not that Hee died willinglie and chearefullie for thee, thou canſt hauehave no comfort.
Now to come to Iudas part: Iudas knoweth the place where the LORD was: hee knoweth the Garden well enough, becauſe IESVS oftentimes was wont to reſort thither with his diſciples, and Judas was one of them: for manie times hee was there with the reſt of his diſciples, and hee knewe, that commonly the LORD was wont to reſort thither with his diſciples, and on this hee taketh occaſion to betray Him: and when hee hath gotten a band of men of warre, and the ſeruants of the high Prieſtes, and Phariſes, hee as a Captaine to them, and they as a guarde with ſwordes and ſtaues enter within the Garden to take the LORD IESVS.
Well, Brethren, it is the acquaintance and familiaritie that Judas had with CHRIST, and with the place where He was vvont to reſort, that was the occaſion of the betraying of the Lord. If Iudas had not bene acquainted with Chriſt, Iudas had not come to this place to take Him. It is familiaritie that makes traitours: hee that will betray a man, muſt be a domeſticke & a houſhold man to him. Will euerie man betray Chriſt? No: not euerie man, hee that will betray Chriſt, muſt be one that knoweth Him, and His trueth in ſome meaſure. Then thou that knoweſt Chriſt, take good heede to thy knowledge, and to thy familiaritie, take good heede that knowledge of Chriſt be in ſinceritie, and that thou be not an Hypocrite, but bee a friend indeede, and not outwardly, otherwiſe, if thy knowledge be but in hypocriſie, and if thy friendſhip bee coloured, thou ſhalt bee a traitour, and in the ende thou ſhalt make apoſtaſie with Judas, from Ieſus Chriſt. What is the cauſe that men become Apoſtates and traitours, and after that they hauehave profeſſed and ſubſcribed, they fall away from Ieſus Chriſt? what? but becauſe they were neuer true nor ſincere friends to Ieſus Chriſt: All was but diſſimulation, and ſhall end in perſecution of Ieſus Chriſt, and his members, and they ſhall end in deſtruction, as Iudas did: for after that hee had once made apoſtaſie from the Lord, and betrayed his Maſter, hee neuer tooke reſt till he hanged himſelfe. If ye will marke well, ye wil find in the companie of Iudas two rancks & ſorts of men: The firſt is a band of men of warre of the Romane Deputies, that was one part of the guarde: The other was the officers and miniſters of the high Prieſt, they make out the other part. Then the third guarde is partly of Gentiles, & partly of Iewes. How came they? They came with lanterns & weapons & lights on a naked man with feare of warre: they needed not. What needed all this companie▪ the Lord Ieſus beeing a naked man in the Garden, not minded to fight: What needed Iudas to bring ſuch a guard with him? The Spirit of God marketh in this Narratiue, that Iudas in doing this, had an euill conſcience, through his euill doing.
The man that taketh an euill or a wicked deede in hand, will thinke that hee can neuer get men enew to doe it with him, hee ſhall feare for no cauſe: if yee ſhould guarde him with all the worlde, ſcarcely ſhall hee be in ſecuritie: for hee wantes that peace of GOD. Paul to the Philippians calles it that peace that paſſes all vnderſtanding, and that guardes the heart of man: for peace is nothing, but a good conſcience, and hee who wantes this good conſcience which is the inward guarde, that man can neuer bee ſaued with an outwarde guarde: if all the worlde ſhould ſtand about that man, hee will euer bee in feare, and albeit hee were in the mids of an armie, he will tremble and quake, but a good conſcience will reſt in peace: as Dauid ſayeth, Although I were helmed about with ten thouſand men, yet would I not be afraid, for I know aſſuredly that thou wilt bee with mee. That heart is well guarded that hath a good conſcience, for it will hauehave peace inwardly, and will not ſeeke that outward guarde. The ſame thing is ſet out in the manner of his comming, hee commeth with lanternes, and hee commeth with lights, and in the night. This comming in the night manifeſteth▪ that he had an euill conſcience: for he that doeth euill, hateth the light. What needed all this company? Was not the Lord Ieſus dayly going in and out in Hieruſalem? And was He not daylie teaching in the Temple? & yet they layed not an hand vponupon him. The verie ſeaſon and time of his out-cōming, teſtifieth, that he had an euill conſcience in doing of it, and therefore he came not in the day light. Hee that hath an euill conſcience feareth the Sunne, hee dreadeth the light, and hee ſeeketh to execute his purpoſe in the night. The night maketh an euill man impudent. All theſe things manifeſt vntounto vsus, that Iudas had an euill conſcience, but it was not well wakened, but when it was wakened, then he deſpaired, and he had Hell in his ſoule, and got no reſt, till he had hanged himſelfe.
Nowe I goe forwarde to the communication betwixt the Lord and the Guarde: Ihon ſaith, The Lord knowing all things that ſhould happen vntounto him, and that were to come vntounto him, he commeth forward, he fleeth not away, he hideth not himſelfe, he is not drawne out of an hole, as men who hauehave done an euill fact, but vnrequired hee commeth foorth vntounto them, and vponupon his owne free motiue hee offereth himſelfe vntounto them: then he tarrieth not till they beginne to talke, but firſt the Lord ſpeaketh, & ſaieth, Whom ſeeke ye? and they anſwere (not knowing him by the face) they ſay, IESVS of Nazareth. Hee anſwereth, not denying himſelfe, I am hee: hee confeſſed himſelfe. Will ye marke theſe thinges: when hee ſaieth, hee knewe all thinges that ſhould come vntounto him, Iohn would let you ſee that the Lord Ieſus willingly and wittingly offered Himſelfe vntounto the death. This taking and laying hands vponupon Him, commeth not of hap-hazard: No, the Lord knew well enough all the things that ſhould come to Him: He is taken wittingly: and as He is taken wittingly, ſo is Hee taken willinglie: and Hee is readier to offer Himſelfe to bee taken, than they are to take Him.
But to come to the wordes: Hee ſaieth, Whome ſeeke yee heere? and when they ſaye, IESVS of Nazareth, then Hee anſwereth, I am hee. Theſe wordes doe teſtifie, that wittinglie and willinglie Hee offereth Himſelfe to bee taken. And if yee marke, yee ſhall ſee in His anſwere ſuch mildneſſe as is vnſpeakeable: Hee beginneth not to ſpeake in wrath: and when they ſaye, IESVS of Nazareth, Hee giueth not an anſwere ſcornefullie: So that as Hee offereth Himſelfe willingly, ſo yee ſee alſo ſuch a mildneſſe in Him, when Hee is taken, (euen as the Scripture ſpake) as Hee had beene a Lambe. So that ye ſee that neither in word nor deede, he vttereth anie thing to hinder his obedience to his Father: this then is the thing that IOHN recommendeth vntounto vsus, and letteth vsus ſee, euen that Ieſus Chriſt was willing to die. And this leſſon we ſhould all learne, if it ſhall pleaſe GOD to call anie of vsus to ſuffer for Ieſus Chriſtes ſake, that we ſuffer with ſuch willingneſſe and pleaſure, that we run to death, and embrace it with our armes: let this mildneſſe vtter it ſelfe in all thy doings: away with that ſcorning: if thou would be like Ieſus Chriſt, die in peace, & willingly; looke not to the inſtrument, nor the Hang-man who putteth handes in thee, but lift thine heart to the God of heauen, and ſay, O LORD, ſeeing that it is thy will that I die, mine eye is on thee, and as IESVS CHRIST offered himſelfe willingly, to bee a ſacrifice for the ſinnes of the world: euen ſo am I willing to obey thy will: It is noted that Iudas was amongſt the reſt, and no queſtion the eye of the Lord is on him, but neuer a worde he ſpeaketh to him. Now I thinke that this ſtanding of Judas is mentioned, to let vsus ſee two things, the firſt is, that patient ſuffering of Ieſus Chriſt, he beginneth not to vpbraide him, and to ſpeake angrie wordes to him, or to looke to him angrylie. Some would hauehave thought, that the LORD ſeeing Iudas, might hauehave ſaide to him, Well Traitour, art thou there who haſt betrayed mee: No: hee giueth him not an angrie looke, hee is euen a verie Lambe, as the Prophet ſpeaketh of him: a Lambe without anger either in looke or in worde, but in ſuffering he vſeth ſuch a mildneſſe and patience as is wonderfull: Next, to let vsus ſee that impudencie of the traitour Iudas, how durſt he face the Lord IESVS whome hee betrayed? a traitour is ay impudent and ſhameleſſe, hee hath ay an hard heart, and then a braſen face to the man whome he hath betrayed. Ye ſee how dangerous a thing it is once to harden the heart againſt Chriſt, and once to beginne to doe euill againſt conſcience: if thine heart beginne once to be indured, thou ſhalt not come backe, whilſt thou commeſt to extreame induration, and at laſt, to perdition. Iudas could neuer come backe, after that once his heart was hardened againſt the Lord, but paſt forward, till he came to that finall induration and hardneſſe of heart. Therefore farre be it from vsus once to beginne to harden our heartes againſt the LORD: If thou beginneſt once, thou ſhalt grow in hardneſſe, till thou commeſt to that finall induration. Lord ſaue vsus from that ſinne, the hardneſſe of heart againſt the trueth, and againſt Ieſus Chriſt. It is to bee feared, that theſe men, vvho vvith the betrayers of Ieſus Chriſt hauehave ſet their faces againſt Chriſt, & His true religion, & againſt their natiue countrey, and goe forwarde in ſuch induration and obſtinacie of heart, that they ſhall come to that part of Iudas. And it is a rare thing to ſee a man who hath gone ſo farre forwarde in induration, come euer backe againe to grace. Now wee hauehave the effect that followes on this word that Hee ſpeakes, I am hee: for theſe wordes are no ſooner ſpoken, (albeit they be few and gentle) but they are all amazed, tremble, and fall downe backward to the ground. It is an admirable thing, that one word (and that ſo mildly ſpoken) ſhould hauehave wrought ſuch an effect: for it is ſuch a worde, as they woulde hauehave wiſhed for. It is verie wonderous, that ſuch a gentle word ſhoulde as a whirle-winde, or as a flaſhe of fire, ſo hauehave ſtrucken them. No queſtion, this is to let them ſee, that the Lord needed not to hauehave beene taken with them, except it had beene His owne will: No, it was not poſſible for them to touch one haire of His head: for Hee ſaith Himſelfe in the 10. Chap. and 18. verſ. of this Goſpell, No man taketh my life from me, I hauehave power to lay it downe, and to take it vp againe. So the Lord, by this wonderfull effect of that word, I am hee, will let them knowe, that they had no power to lay hands on Him, if it had not bene His owne will. And no doubt, He hath had a reſpect vntounto them, howbeit they were enemies to Him, yet Hee wiſhed thē well. And by the ſtriking of them to the grounde, Hee woulde let them ſee, that if they encountred with Him, they would die: and He will let them ſee His power, that He might cauſe them to repent, or elſe to make them vnexcuſable: and to let them ſee, that Hee was the Lord of Glorie, and that they put hands to the Lord of Glory, and ſlew the Lord of Life. Wee may gather of the effect of this worde, that if ſuch a ſober and gentle worde, comming out of the mouth of Ieſus Chriſt, did driue them vponupon their backes, and caſt them to the ground, what if Ieſus Chriſt had ſpoken an angrie word? what force woulde that hauehave had? If the bleating of a Lambe had ſuch a force, what force ſhall the roaring of a Lion hauehave? Where ſhall the wicked ſtand? And if the voyce of the Lord Ieſus, humbly and like a Lambe, ſtanding before them Himſelfe alone, and ſpeaking with ſuch gentleneſſe, had ſuch effect, as to throwe them downe vponupon the grounde, what effect ſhall that roaring, full of wrath and indignation, at that Great day: not out of the mouth of a Lambe, nor of an humble man, Ieſus of Nazareth: but out of ye mouth of a lion, out of ye mouth of Ieſus Chriſt, the Iudge, ſitting in His Glorie & Majeſtie, & ſaying to ye wicked, Away yee curſed to that fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his angels, Mat. 25.41. What effect then ſhall that voyce hauehave? Whither ſhall that voyce driue them? And further marke: If that voyce had ſuch an effect, beeing no threatning, nor boaſting, but gentle and milde; nowe what effect ſhall this voyce hauehave, whereby Hee threatneth the worlde, by His ſeruantes, with His judgementes? If the milde ſpeaking had ſuch a force, what effect ſhall theſe terrible threatninges hauehave againſt the wicked? for it is another thing vvhen Chriſt threatneth in wrath, and vvhen Hee ſpeaketh meekelie. Nowe, as certainlie as this vvorde that Chriſt Himſelfe ſpake, vvrought ſuch an effect: As certainelie alſo the vvorde of Ieſus Chriſt, vvhichwhich Hee putteth into the mouth of His faithfull Teachers and Paſtors, heere in this vvorld, ſhall bee effectuall, either to thy life, or to thy death: and as certainelie the ſame vvorde ſhall hauehave effect to driue the vvicked men vponupon their backes: as Zacharie ſaieth, Chap. 1. verſ. 4.5.6. When the men are dead that hauehave ſpoken that vvorde, after it hath beene ſpoken, it ſhall bee founde liuing: and that ſame voyce ſhall hauehave effect vvhen vvee are dead. It is true (ſayeth the LORD) my Prophets died with your fathers: but my voyce, which I put into their mouthes, died not with them: and your fathers knewe, that that worde which I did put into their mouthes, was liuing, and neuer left them, vntill it brought on judgement vponupon them. The LORD graunt, that euerie ſoule may reuerence the vvorde of IESVS CHRIST: for it ſhall bee founde, that either it vvas ſpoken to thy ſaluation, or to thy damnation: And, Heauen and Earth ſhall vaniſhe awaye, before one jote of that Worde paſſe awaye vvithout its owne effect.
But nowe let vsus ſee vvhat they doe after they are fallen downe vponupon the grounde: Leaue they off? No, no, they riſe againe, and the LORD IESVS ſtandeth ſtill, and letteth them riſe againe: and vvhen they are riſen, they ſpeake nothing: but Hee ſpeaketh firſt, and Hee ſaieth, Whome ſeeke yee? and they ſaye, IESVS of NAZARETH. And Hee anſwereth, I am hee. Nowe this is a ſtrange thing: Who can thinke, that theſe men, vvho founde ſo great a power proceeding out of the mouth of the LORD IESVS CHRIST finding ſuch force, ſhoulde hauehave medled with Him againe. But left they Him for all this? No: but they get vp againe, and purſue Him, and take Him, and binde Him. It is an hard matter, to bee giuen ouer to a reprobate ſenſe: that is, to want feeling, when the Lord taketh out of the ſoule in His judgement all ſight & ſenſe, that perſon is miſerable: and if thou be once ſtrucken with that ſenſeleſneſſe of the ſoule, albeit thou be throwne downe vponupon thy backe, thou ſhalt get vp againe, like a drunken man, and fight againſt the Lord▪ and that man is worſe than any beaſt, horſe, or mule: for once ſtrike a Horſe downe, & he hath a feeling therof, and he will beware of the like perill againe: But a man, who ſhould hauehave reaſon, after that the Lord hath once ſtrucken him with ſenſeleſſeneſſe, there is no beaſt ſo ſenſeleſſe as he is: and as hee is ſenſeleſſe, ſo he ſhall not leaue off from euill doing: and hee ſhall compt no more of the power of God, than of a flee: for they feele not the hand of God, they are ſo aſtoniſhed: and they will vp againe, after they are caſten downe▪ and they will aſſaye His power againe, and will not leaue off till His wrath deſtroy him. Striue therefore, euer to keepe the ſoule in a ſenſe and feeling and let not that miſerable ſcroofe to goe ouer thy ſoule: but hauehave ſtill a feeling of the power of God, and mercy of God in thy ſoule, and alwayes hauehave a wakened conſcience: for if thine heart come to that extreame ſenſeleſſeneſſe, thy ſoule ſhall ouer-grow with ſuch a fatneſſe, that thou ſhalt hauehave no more ſenſe, than a dead ſtocke: and thou ſhalt bee like an Oxe fedde to deſtruction: thou ſhalt neither hauehave feeling of merciemercy, nor of judgement. To ende with this: ye ſee that Ieſus Chriſt, albeit he was but himſelfe alone, a ſimple man to looke to, and without armour: yet Hee prouoketh them, and ſpeaketh to them firſt: Hee diſchargeth them to ſtirre Him, vntill firſt they entered into a conditiō with Him, That His diſciples ſhould paſſe free, there is not ſuch a thing that one of them could hauehave power to put out their hand to take Him. And if there were no more but this, that they had no power to ſtirre him, they might ſee more in Ieſus Chriſt, than in a common man: they might ſee power in Him to keepe Himſelfe: yet their ſenſeleſſeneſſe is ſo great, that they cannot ſee this. The Lord keepe vsus in ſenſe and feeling of Him, that when He hath adoe with vsus, wee may feele Him, and ſee Him, that our conſcience may bee wakened, and our hearts mollified, through Ieſus Chriſt: to whom, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all praiſe and honour for euermore, AMEN.