The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 10
THE TENTH LECTVRE, OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST.
IHON, CHAP. XIX.
verse 10 Then ſaide Pilate vntounto him, Speakest thou not vntounto mee? Knowest thou not that I hauehave power to crucifie thee, and hauehave power to looſe thee?
verse 11 IESVS anſwered, Thou couldest hauehave no power at all againſt mee, except it were giuen thee from aboue: therefore, hee that deliuered mee vntounto thee, hath the greater ſinne.
IN this whole Hiſtorie of the ſuffering of IESVS CHRIST vnderunder Pontius Pilate, we ſee a continuall ſtrife betwixt the Iudge Pilate, and the accuſers. Pilate laboures by all meanes to get the innocent ſet free: The Hie Prieſts be ye contrary endeuour themſelues to get Ieſus Chriſt crucified. Pilate ſeekes, if it had beene poſſible, to followe his conſcience: they ſeeke by all meanes the contrarie, to harden the heart of Pilate. The laſt words as yee heard, the Iewes roſe, and ſaide, Wee hauehave a law, by the which hee ought to die, becauſe hee made himſelfe the Sonne of God: Theſe wordes of theirs are ſo farre from that, that they take away the conſcience of Pilate, that by the contrarie, by theſe words the conſcience of Pilate is more wakened than before, and he begins to feare IESVS CHRIST, and humbles himſelfe more than euer hee did, yea, in ſuch ſort, that when as hee heares tell, that IESVS was the Sonne of GOD, hee demaundes of Him, Whether Hee was the Sonne of GOD, or no? but hee receiues no anſwere: for the LORD IESVS had concluded to ſuffer in all patience, and to obey the Heauenly will of His Father. Now in this Text that we hauehave read, we hauehave heard how Pilate in anger ſpeakes to Ieſus, thinking that Hee had not knowne him, and that Hee gaue him not his due honour, and ſaies, Knowest thou not, with whom thou haſt to doe? and that I hauehave power to crucifie thee, and I hauehave power to looſe thee? The Lord anſweres, No, thou would hauehave no power, except it were giuē thee frō aboue: he therefore, who hath deliuered mee vntounto thee hath the greater ſinne. In the firſt part of this Text, wee hauehave the conference betwixt Pilate and Ieſus. To ſpeake of this demand of Pilates, ye may ſee by his wordes that the warning that he got a little before, that Ieſus was the Son of God, that feare & reuerence of Ieſus Chriſt, wherwith the heart was touched, it was but vaniſhing. Wee may marke heere the inſtabilitie of Pilate: firſt, hee hath no feare of IESVS, and then of a ſuddaintie hee is mooued with a reuerence and feare: and laſt, this reuerence is ſcarcelie entered into his heart, when it euaniſhes away: and beeing angrie againſt CHRIST, hee falles out in blaſphemie againſt GOD. And this is no newe thing, for wee ſee this ſame in men now adayes: Yee will ſee men who hauehave liued verie looſely, taking their paſtime, and vponupon a ſuddaintie yee ſhall ſee them hauehave a kind of repentance and reuerence, but ere ye looke about you, all ſhall euaniſh. This is too plentifull in great men and ſmall. The ground is this, the heart was neuer truely renued, but in the meane time of the fained repentance the heart was full, of the gall of bitterneſſe, as Peter ſpeaketh to Simon Magus. The reuerence or repentance, was but like a ſcroofe of honey rubbed on venome, and then when the venome breakes out, the ſcroofe goes away, as the morning dew before the ſunne. Then, if thou wouldeſt hauehave the feare of God to abide in thine heart, thou muſt alwayes be deluing and digging downe into the heart, there is an infinite deepeneſſe of malitiouſneſſe in it. Therefore, hee who would hauehave ſtabilitie, let him ſee, that that ground be honeſt and good, and be not content with the dregges, looke that the heart be ſound. There is nothing ſo deceitfull as the heart of man, Ierem. 17.9: it will not onelyonly beguile another man, but it will be guile a man himſelfe, and if that fraud bide in thee, it will not leaue thee, till it bring thee to deſtruction.
Now, let vsus marke the wordes of Pilate, Knoweſt thou not that I hauehave pow…r to crucifie thee, and to abſolue thee. Brethren, wl at els is this, but to claime to himſelfe an abſolute power, either to ſlay the innocent, or to let Him goe free, as he pleaſes: this is ſuch a power, as only the God of Heauen hath: Hee hath not giuen this power to no creature, neither to man, nor Angell, this is only proper to the great God. We ſee by the example of Pilate, that this is naturall to Magiſtrates and Princes, to thinke that their power cannot bee reſtrained or limitated by any lawe, to ſlay, or ſaue by the lawe, but to doe with the lawe: as they pleaſe. Albeit Princes or Iudges will ſeeme to be verie modeſt, and to claime nothing, but that which is right, and agreeable both to Gods Lawe, and mans lawe. Pilate ſaid a litle before, I will not crucifie Chriſt, becauſe he is innocent: yet for all this modeſtie: prouoke them once, make them angrie once, they ſhall vtter ſuddenly in wrath, what they thinke and eſteeme of their power, they will then blaſpheme, and & ſay that their power is abſolute.
Experience may teach this, that of all men in the world, the eſtate of Princes, Iudges and Potentates is moſt dangerous. The more that a man hauehave of power, of riches, or of the goods of this worlde, his eſtate is more dangerous. There is nothing more dangerous, than to put a ſword or a ſcepter in the hand of a naturall man: for, Brethren, to put power in the hands of a naturall man, is as much as to put the ſword in the hands of a mad man. Paul the third Chapter to Titus, and third verſe, calles a naturall man a mad man, albeit hee were neuer ſo diſcreete, he is mad. Wee were all madde, ſayes Paul, as they are. A mad man will ſlay others, and laſtly, hee will ſlay himſelfe in the ende, and ſo ſhall hee who hath power, if hee be no more but a naturall man.
Would to God, that Princes and Magiſtrates, would take heed to this, it is required that all eſtates be renued by the Spirit. Woe is to the King, and to the ſubject, the rich and the begger, who is not borne againe. In the Euangell according to John, Chriſt ſayes to Nicodemus, Except a man bee borne againe, hee ſhall not ſee the Kingdome of GOD. But it is moſt requiſite that theſe men who are ſet in high roomes, and hauehave gotten all the pleaſures in the world at their will, that they bee renued: for without ſanctification, all outwarde thinges will make thee worſe: As great riches, and honours, as great tentations to make thee to forget GOD. All thy pleaſures ſhall bring to thee as great diſpleaſure: yea, they ſhall worke damnation to thee in hell, except the LORD giuegive thee His Spirit. There was neuer a King ſo wiſe, great and high, but if hee got not regeneration, hee ſhall kill himſelfe with that ſame power he got in his hand.
So let vsus all ſeeke this regeneration, and chiefly Kings, who thinke, & will ſay, Who ſhould be renued but poore ſillie perſons: they thinke it lawfull for themſelues to commit all vncleanneſſe, fornication, blaſphemie, &c. and to ſell themſelues to all ſinne: No, if thou, who haſt gotten honour be not renued, thy damnation ſhall farre exceede the damnation of the begger.
Let vsus weigh the words: This is a marueilous thing Pilate ſtood vp before and proteſted that Chriſt Ieſus was innocent: Nowe hee ſtands vp againe, and ſayes, That hee hath power to doe with him what he pleaſed. How can theſe ſtand? what can be gathered of theſe two voyces: Euen this, that notwithſtanding of His innocencie, hee might crucifie Him: for it is as much as this, Ieſus, for all thine innocencie I hauehave power to crucifie thee.
Who will ſ…and vp and ſay, that hee hath power ouer an innocent man, to ſlay, but only hee who is a murtherer: So Pilate in effect profeſſes himſelfe to be a murtherer, for it is as much as hee ſaid, I am a murtherer, & will take thy life from thee, albeit thou be an innocent. Is not this a great madneſſe to a Magiſtrate, who is placed in power aboue others, to call himſelfe a murtherer? The ground of this, is pride againſt God in the heart: a proud man is euer a mad man, for pride is againſt God, & it makes a man mad: and therefore as the heart is proud, ſo the mouth is fooliſh: the moſt proud man is the moſt fooliſh in talking: Looke and conſider the proud man when thou heareſt him ſpeake, and thou wilt ſay: Yonder man is a fooliſh man. And this proceedes of the Lords juſt and wiſe diſpenſation: the proud man in his heart diſhonoures the Majeſtie of GOD. (Thou who art proud haſt adoe with God, and not with thy fellowes) Therefore the LORD in His juſt Iudgement will cauſe thy mouth to ſpeake to thy ſhame to accuſe thy ſelfe: Hee will cauſe thee who art a proude King call thy ſelfe a murtherer to ſhame thy ſelfe, and to be reuenged of thy proud heart. Thus much for Pilates demand: which containes a blaſphemie againſt that Majeſtie: and therefore IESVS will not let him goe away vnreprooued: Hee ſayes to him, Well, Thou wouldſt hauehave no power ouer me, except it were giuen thee from aboue: as for them who hauehave put mee in thine hands, woe is to them. their ſinne is the greater, & their damnation the more: to wit, the Prieſts & the Iewes. There are two partes of this anſwere: The firſt concernes the Majeſtie of GOD, the ſecond concernes the High Prieſtes, and the Iewes: for the LORD hath adoe with two ſorts of perſons: for there was two ſortes of perſons who put Him in the handes of Pilate: The firſt was GOD: The next was the Iewes▪ who deliuered Him to be condemned: As for GOD, Looke what Hee ſpeakes of him, and howe reuerently, Thou wouldeſt hauehave no power, except it were giuen thee from aboue: As for man, Hee accuſes him of ſinne. Nowe let vsus examine eueryevery part of theſe: Thou wouldeſt hauehave no power ouer me, except it were giuen thee from aboue: Thou glorieſt too much of thy power, as though it were of thy ſelfe, and not of GOD: for if thou forgetteſt that heauenlie prouidence, without the which nothing can come vntounto mee: But I tell thee, Pilate, if thou ſhouldeſt hauehave had power ouer me, if it were not giuen thee: this is ſpoken for two reſpects: Firſt, becauſe all ſuperiour power is of God: Next, in this reſpect becauſe when a man hath gotten power ouer others, hee can doe nothing to them, nor ſtirre an haire of their head, but by the prouidence of God: Pilate was ignorant of both theſe, he beleeued he had his power of Ceſar only, but Chriſt lettes him know that there was one higher than Ceſar, from whome he had his power: hee was ignorant of Gods prouidence, hee vttered him to be a blaſphemer of God: & therefore the Lord hearing this blaſphemer, albeit Hee held His tongue before, now He ſpeakes when He heares His Father diſhonoured: for all His ſuffering was for the honour of His Father: therefore He will now reprooue Pilate: how far are we from thus doing, we are cleane contrarie to this: the very ſillieſt of vsus all, if wee heare any thing tending to our owne reproach, then there is ſuch anger in vsus, that we cannot be pacified: but who is angrie to heare God diſhonoured: Where ſhall the Lord finde a zealous man in this Land, few in Court, or Councell hath that zeale: they vvho are greateſt blaſphemers, & greateſt enemies to God, by conuoyes are moſt aduanced: the zeale of God is out of the hearts of men for the moſt part ſo that by all appearance, certainely a judgement ſhal light vponupon this Nation, for albeit we were created & redeemed for Gods glorie, yet we hauehave no care of it, all that is away: vvherefore ſerues our creation, it had bene better we had neuer bene created, if wee ſet not our ſelues to glorifie Him. Yet to weigh the wordes better, we ſee this plainely, albeit a man be in the handes of a ſuperiour power, whether he be an innocent man, or wicked, yet he is in the hands of God: & there is not a King in the world that is able to open his mouth againſt a man, but by the ſpeciall diſpenſation of God: ſo that the life, or the death of the man hangeth not ſo much on the ſentence of the King, as it doth on the decree of God, the life of man hanges more on that decree of His, than all the decrees of Kings. There is great blindneſſe and beaſtlineſſe in vsus, that we ſee not that prouidence: therefore now and then the Lord will let men ſee, and feele, that the life and death of men hanges not ſo much on the ſentence and decree of the Prince▪ as on that eternall decree & ſentence of God. 1. Sam. Chap. 14. When Saul had giuen out the ſentence that Ionathan ſhould die, & that for breaking of an vnlawfull law, it lay not in his hands to ſlay him: & then in Chap. 15 when hee ordained that Agag ſhould liue, the Lord ſtirred vp the ſpirit of Samuel, and hewed him with a ſword. The Lord will let vsus ſee, that the ſentence of Kings makes not a man to die, or liue, but His eternall decree. This is not to be paſſed by: Ieſus warneth Pilate of two things: Firſt, that he hath his authoritie not of Ceſar, He ſends him to the heauens aboue Ceſars throne, to Gods Throne: Next, vvhatſoeuer hee did in his office and authoritie, hee did it by the diſpenſation of God. So vvee hauehave firſt this leſſon: to wit, it appertaineth vntounto Princes to knowe, that the authoritie vvhichwhich they hauehave, it is of GOD: Monarches ſhoulde vnderſtande, that they hauehave that power of GOD, and ſo ſhoulde inferiour Magiſtrates, how beit they ſhould acknowledge the ſuperiour. Knowe yee not howe Nabuchadonezer learned, that all the power was of God, he was ſent foorth like a beaſt, to liue ſeuē yeeres among the beaſts, to learne this leſſon, that all the power hee had was of God, Dan. 4. Next learne, howbeit Princes hauehave gotten that power of God, yet God will not denude Himſelfe of power ouer them: but He ſo rules them by His providence, that they cānot ſtirre without His will. Then Princes ſhould looke to God, ſeeing they can doe nothing without His bleſſed prouidence, Eſa…. 10. When Aſſur boaſted, that he had done all things by his own hands, & his own wiſedome, ye Lord is more angrie at him for not acknowledging of his power to be from God in that perſecution, than Hee is for the perſecution it ſelfe. He pronounces the ſentence againſt Him, What art thou but an axe or a ſawe, in the hands of the ſawer? It is a vaine thing for a king, to aſcribe power to himſelf, & not to God: woe is him! it is a ſore thing to match with God. Then againe, when Ieſus was in the hands of Pilate, denied He the power of Pilate? No, He acknowledges his power, but He acknowledged it vvas of God, and therefore He willingly ſubmits Himſelf vntounto it. Wherefore, all ſubjects ſhould learne this leſſon: When they looke to their Princes, or to their ſuperiours, not to looke ſo much to the man as to God, who hath armed him with that power: he is fooliſh that thinks not that the power yt the Magiſtrate or Prince hath gottē, is of God: & this ſhould be the groūd of obediēce, vvhē I ſee the image of God in him, whē I ſee him armed vvith ye power of God, I ought to obey him for the conſcience of God. Then a game: marke in Ieſus Chriſt, vvhen Pilate the earthly Iudge hath to doe vvith Him, Hee lookes not ſo much to Pilate, as to His Father. Ieſus Chriſt all this time when He is pulled here and there, ſets not His eye ſo much vponupon men, as vponupon His Father, and vponupon His prouidence. This teaches a leſſon vntounto all men, but chiefely to them vvho fall into the handes of men of authoritie and power. They ought not ſo much to ſet their eyes vppon this or that man, as vponupon God and acknowledge, albeit it were in the middeſt of all torments, it is not man that deales vvith me, it is not ſo much any perſon deales with me, as it is my God. The King hath not an hand to moue, or a word to ſpeake againſt me, if my God giuegive it not to him: he who is in the handes of men, and lookes not to this, is worſe than a beaſt. This is a chiefe point, whereby thou glorifieſt God, to acknowledge His prouidence, in ſuffering or in torment▪ none can hauehave conſolation, but hee who ſeeth this, there is the matter of conſolation, and patience in torments, to ſee, that when hee is in the hands of a Tyrant, hee is in the handes of a mercifulll Father, and to ſay, Albeit theſe torments bee ſore and grieuous, and albeit men deale with mee, it is my Father that deales with mee in merciemercy. Let thee bee torne and rent, yet acknowledge this, thou ſhalt finde joy that ſhall exceede all thy torments: Looke to the Martyres, So, Brethren, it is no ſmall comfort to a man, for to ſet his eyes alwayes vponupon God, and eſpecially when hee is into the handes of a Iudge or Tyrant. Nowe thus farre the Lord hath giuen an anſwere to Pilate: and hath challenged the glorie of that Majeſtie. Would to God, we could learne that leſſon, to defend the glorie of God, which is blaſphemed in this world. Come to the other part it is in reſpect of the High Prieſtes: they were the inſtruments of God, working by his prouidence, to put Chriſt in his handes: Pilate, thou glorieſt ouer me, but woe is to them who hauehave put mee into thine hands. Woe is to them who put an innocent man in the handes of a Tyrant. Marke this: There is nothing ſpoken of Pilate, that hee ſinned, albeit hee ſinned, but Hee ſpeakes of the ſinnes of the Iewes, and of the High Prieſtes, this lets vsus ſee, that albeit Pilate ſinned, yet they ſinned more, and their damnation is greater than his: hee that beginnes miſchiefe, the wrath of God ſhall eſpecially ouertake him, and if there were no more but the example of Iudas, it may tell vsus this, that Iudas was the firſt that beganne this worke, Iudas put Him firſt in the handes of the High Prieſt: On whome ſtrikes the wrath firſt? What befell to Iudas? Whilſt the Lord Ieſus is ſo handled, the traitour Iudas is put to the torture, and the Lord rents the ſoule of him in pieces: the miſerable Catiue to be free of that torture, he hangs himſelfe: Did the wrath of God light firſt vponupon Iudas, who was the firſt traitour: the wrath of God lightes firſt vponupon the traitours, yet the Jewes are ſleeping, they thought they were free of judgement, but ſtill the wrath proſecutes them to induration. Thinke yee that theſe traitours are free of wrath, No, no, the dolour and vengeance in its owne time ſhall ouertake them, and they ſhall not hauehave a worde to ſpeake. The Papiſtes, when they hauehave caught a Chriſtian, who confeſſeth Ieſus Chriſt, when they hauehave tryed Him, they will put Him into the handes of the Emperour, or King of Spaine, they will waſhe their handes as cleane of the blood of the innocent, and who tooke his life, but the King of Spaine? O! but the wrath of GOD perſecutes them, and all the blood of the innocent lies vponupon them, becauſe they deliuered them into their handes to bee tormented by them. The judgement of that Antichrist, and of that accurſed crue, ſhall bee heauier than the judgement of the Kinges, who execute their malice. I denounce this IN THE NAME OF GOD: and therefore, let eueryevery man and woman beware that they be not partakers in the murther of the innocent: yea, if the Hangman knowe that hee is innocent, (albeit hee thinkes howſoeuer the matter goes, he is free) let him not touch him. Reade yee not in the Hiſtorie of the three Children, Sidrach, Meſach, and Abednego, who being taken and caſten into the hote fierie fornace at the commaundement of Nebuchadnezar the King, that the men that caſt them into the fornace were ſlaine with the flame of the fire? Yea, if it were but in a thought, take heede thou conſent not to the death of the innocent.
Nowe to ende in a worde: Yee ſee heere, when Ieſus ſpeakes of His Father, and of His doinges, Hee blames Him not, but Hee ſpeakes in all ſubmiſſion of Him: but when Hee ſpeakes of the Iewes, who were inſtruments of this worke of God: Hee rebukes them ſhamefullie, and imputes ſinne vntounto them. This is a wonder, and yet it is the worke of God, and they are inſtrumentes ruled by God: yet the Lord is Holy, and they are vnholy and wicked, Act. chap. 2. verſ 23. They crucified Him with wicked ha…des: now the Lord was cleane, and the Iewes handes were vnholie. Howe was this? The cauſe was, becauſe in all this doing there was not ſuch a thing as that anie of theſe wicked inſtrumentes looked vntounto God: they are ſatisfying the affection of their heartes, and drinking vp the innocent blood maliciouſly. Marke this: Whatſoeuer thou doeſt in this worlde, whether thou goeſt out or in, eateſt or drinkeſt, ſet alwayes thine eyes vponupon the Lord, and doe it all to His pleaſure, and ſaye vvith thy ſelfe, I doe this to pleaſure and to glorifie thee, O Lord, And I aduertiſe thee, that albeit thou doeſt anie thing agreeable in it ſelfe to the vvill of GOD, yet if thine heart bee not ſet vponupon GOD in the doing, that vvorke is vnholie in thine hand. There is nothing to ſanctifie thy ſoule, if thine eye be not ſet vponupon GOD: for vvhen the eye of the ſoule is ſet vponupon the LORD, there commeth light downe from Him, that ſanctifieth the heart. And this is it in a vvorde that I vvoulde ſaye: Bee neuer at the ende of an euill thing: if thy conſcience tell thee in thine eare, that thou art at an euill turne, doe it not: I appeale you, when yee doe anie thing in ſecret, if your conſcience vvill not ſaye, O catiue, that vvhichwhich thou doeſt vvill bring thee to deſtruction? Manie men in this Lande, thinke themſelues neuer vvell, but vvhen they are at an euill turne: But I forewarne thee, as thou vvouldeſt bee ſafe, and finde merciemercy at that Great day, to holde thine handes cleane from all euill turnes: and chiefelie, from the blood of the innocent. Whatſoeuer thou doeſt, looke that thou hauehave a vvarrande of that reuealed vvill of GOD. And thinke it not enough to bee an executer of the decree of GOD: but ſee thou bee aſſured of this reuealed will. And yet more: Be not an Hypocrite in thy doing, but doe all thinges vvith ſinceritie, and not for mans cauſe, but for GODS cauſe, that thou mayeſt be partaker of that euerlaſting glorie vvith IESVS: To vvhome, vvith the Father, and the Holie Ghoſte, bee all Praiſe, Honour, and Glorie, both nowe, and foreuer, AMEN.