The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 12
THE TWELFTH LECTVRE. OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST.
MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVII.
verse 24 When Pilate ſawe, that hee auailed nothing, but that more tumult was made, he tooke water, and waſhed his hands before the multitude, ſaying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man: looke you to it. verse 25 Then anſwered all the people, and ſaide, His blood bee on vsus, and on our children. verse 26 Thus let he Barabbas looſe vntounto them, and ſcourged IESVS, and deliuered him to bee crucified.
IOHN CHAP. XIX.
verse 16 Then deliuered hee him vntounto them to bee crucified. And they tooke IESVS, and led him away.
WEE hauehave hearde (Brethren) that Pilate the Romane Gouernour hath ſtriuen verie long againſt the importunitie and obſtinacie of the Iewes and High Prieſtes, to get the Lord Ieſus, whom his cōſcience tolde him was innocent, ſet looſe and at libertie, but all in vaine: for they are as earneſt to hauehave Him condemned, as Pilate was to hauehave Him abſolued. At the laſt, when they could preuaile nothing at the hands of Pilate, by any delation, or poinct of inditement againſt Ieſus, whether treaſon againſt Caeſar, or blaſphemie againſt GOD, they come more roundly to the matter, and come to the accuſation of Pilate, & lay treaſon againſt him, If thou let this man goe (ſay they) thou art not Caeſars friend: This is the greateſt temptation that euer Pilate got, hee had no God but Caeſar, he ſought for no honour but in this world, he ſaw no life but this life: therefore, hearing treaſon laide to his charge hee begins to faint & faile, and then quickly hee enters into judgement, and commeth out, and bringeth out Ieſus, and commeth to his tribunall, in a place called the Pauement, an open place, and there ſitteth downe to giuegive judgement againſt the innocent: yet hee hath a doubt in conſcience: yea, when hee is running to pronounce ſentence of damnation, hee ſayes, Behold your King, to moue them yet to ſuffer the innocent to eſcape, but hee preuailes not: for once getting Him vnderunder, Prieſtes and people beginne to ſhout in the eare of the miſerable man, ſo that hee could not heare his conſcience crying, Ieſus is innocent yet for all this, yet he hath a doubt & ſtirre in his conſcience, and ſayes, Shall I crucifie your King. They anſwere, We hauehave no King but Ceſar: Woe to them that made ſuch change, and they finde it in experience. Now, brethren, Iohn in his Goſpel, Chap. 19. verſe 16: he ſubjoynes that Pilate deliuered Ieſus in the hands of the men of warre, to be crucified, & that they receiued Him, and led Him to the place of execution, But Matthew, as ye heard read, reportes of ſome things that interueened & there are three thinges in ſpeciall (as he recordes) that paſſed before the leading of Ieſus to the place of execution: The firſt thing, Pilate by a ceremonie of waſhing his handes, cleanſes him of the innocent blood: and as hee disburthens himſelfe, ſo he burthenes the Iewes, as guiltie of the moſt innocent blood, that euer was, or ſhall be ſhed: And they are more glad to take on the burthen, than he is to lay it ouer on them: for with their own tongue they bound the blood of the innocent on their owne backe, ſaying, His blood be on vsus, and on our children: The ſecond thing that Matthew rehearſes, is, after that he hath exonered himſelfe, as he thought (a vaine thought▪ he was neuer quite of it, nor neuer ſhall be) when he thinkes he is exonered, then he goes quickly to worke, then hee begins to ſerue the foule and cruell appetite of the Iewes, hee lets looſe Barabbas, a foule murtherer: Then as Luke, markes, hee giues out the ſentence of condemnation againſt the innocent, then hee takes Him, and ſcourges Him the ſecond time, and laſtly, hee puts Him in the handes of the Burrio, this is the ſecond thing: yet there is one third thing: when they get Him, they lead Him not incontin…nt out of the Portes, to that filthie place of execution: but to ſatisfie the malitiouſneſſe of their heartes, they led Him to the common Hall againe, and there miſ-vſe the Lord of glorie. When all this was done, they leade Him out to the place of execution.
Wee ſhall ſpeake of theſe thinges according to the rehearſall of Matthew: As for the firſt, Matthew ſayes that, When Pilate ſawe that hee could preuaile nothing at their handes, but that more tumult was made, hee cries for water, and waſhes his handes, and makes a proteſtation, I am innocent of the blood of this Iuſt man: And as he proteſts that he is cleane, hee turnes it ouer vponupon the Iewes, ſaying, See yee to it: ye ſhall giuegive an account for this dayes worke, it ſhall be the deareſt worke that euer ye wrought: They ſay, Let His blood be on vsus, and on our children. Firſt, wee ſhall marke ſomewhat on the part of Pilate, Secondly, on the part of the High Prieſtes, and the reſt of the Iewes. The Hiſtorie is very plaine. This miſerable man Pilate hath fought on a reaſonable ſpace: yea, a long time for the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, againſt the obſtinacie of the Jewes, at the laſt, when he is charged as guiltie of treaſon, when hee ſees, hee cannot preuaile, and findes him ſo ſtraited with ſo great incommodities, he is compelled to yeelde, and hee thinkes that this neceſſitie ſhould excuſe him for his part well eneugh. Brethren, this is the leſſon: Men commonly, and eſpecially, ſuch as Pilate was: men without God, naturall men, that ſee not another life, that ſee not another world, they will ſtriue, and they will ſtriue wonderfully through the inſtinct of nature, to keep a good cōſcience: but at the laſt if they be importunately ſtraited with great incommoditie, and feare of dangers, they will yeeld and giuegive ouer. Alas, nature, and all the benefites thereof is but a weake ground, at the laſt they will yeelde: and that good conſcience that they contended to keepe they bid farewell, and at the laſt they will yeelde to a miſchiefe: and when they hauehave done, they will thinke that neceſſitie, wherewith they were ſtraited: that importunitie of men that compelled them, will excuſe them for their doing ſufficiently: they will thinke, that albeit they put to their hand, to doe the moſt wicked action in the world, that that neceſſitie will disburthen them: This is the judgement of naturall men: But this is as true: What euer hee or ſhee be that perſeueres not to the end, ſhall neuer get the crowne. Take the ſentence: Albeit thou haſt begunne well, if thou go…ſt not on to the end, thou ſhalt nor get the crowne of glorie, and the Lord ſhall neuer account of thy former well doing, more than if thou hadſt neuer done a good action. Indeede, I grant, that neceſſity which is without the cōſent & forces & compelles men againſt their wils: As for example: When our bodies mooued with externall force and violence, without conſent, or voluntarie mouing of the members thereof hurteth another: I ſay, that neceſſitie excuſeth a man, but as for that neceſſitie, which for feare of inconueniences and great dangers to followe, makes a man conſent to an euill action, it excuſeth not. Some will ſay, I was ſore ſtraitted, and I behooued to doe, or die, I ſtroue ſo long as I might: and I ſawe I could not eſcape, if I had not done it: But I ſay, that kinde of neceſſitie, and com…ulſion, th…t drawes on an euill action vponupon thy conſcience, ſhal neu…r excuſe thee albeit all the King… of ye world ſhould threaten thee, & terrifie thee with the feare of torture, & if thou once conſenteſt, all that ſhall neuer excuſe thee: No, if we once conſent to an euill action, which may hurt the conſcience, wee ſhould rather ſuffer to be beheaded or hanged, & die ten thouſand deathes. The Lord of life, can and will giuegive thee life, if thou dieſt in his feare: but miſerable ſhall that life bee, that thou ſhalt liue, when thou haſt done againſt the Lord, and a good conſcience. Pilate calleth for water and waſheth his hands: then marke what hee ſayes, I am innocent of the blood of this iuſt man: See yee to it. Well, is this out of his owne mouth: both the ſpeaking and doing of Pilate teſtifieth, that Ieſus was innocent: he confeſſeth, that he was going to condemne an innocent man: ſo I ſee, that the conſcience of the innocencie of Chriſt, neuer leaues Pilate: I doubt not, but hee would gladly hauehave wanted it. It is a maruell, that during all the time of the ſuffering of Ieſus Chriſt, the Lord will hauehave the innocencie of His deare Sonne to appeare in the beginning, in the mids, and in the ending thereof. All the time of His accuſation, Pilate preaches His innocencie, when it commeth to condemnation, the Iudge both by word and deed teſtifies that He was innocent: it is not a common perſon, that proteſtes this but the Iudge himſelfe: then againe, looke to the end of this worke, when Ieſus is lifted on the croſſe, then the Father frō the heauen teſtifies, that He was innocent, then the Centurion with the burrio & the men of warre, ſeeing the wonders, are compelled to ſay, this is the Sonne of God, and the people ſeeing this, goe home thumping on their breaſts, & ſay, alas: & ſo they had cauſe: ſo the innocencie of Ieſus Chriſt is declared all this whole time out of the mouth of the Iudge himſelfe, & of many others. What meanes all this? No doubt but ye Father herein had reſpect to ye honour of His Son, for indeede the moſt honourable death, is to die as an innocent, and if thou wouldeſt die honourably, die not as a guiltie perſon, but die innocently: And this was to aggreadge Pilates damnation, and the damnation of the Iewes: But brethren, there is another cauſe that pertaines more to vsus, and ſerues more to our comfort, euen, that we ſhould hauehave faith in this Mediatour the Lord Ieſus: for except He had died as an innocent, I would neuer lay my ſinne on Him: the thing that makes mee to beleeue, that Hee hath made ſatisfaction, is becauſe He ſuffered innocently, and had no ſinne in Himſelfe, Heb. 7.26. and as Peter ſayes, Hee bare our ſinnnes, becauſe I am perſwaded, He bare my ſinnes vponupon Him, I beleeue in Him: ſo this redounds to the comforte of the members of the Church of God. Yet I ſee more here, Pilate he hath not only the cōſcience of the innocencie of Ieſus, but this ſame very cōſcience, it makes him to turne to the Iewes, & to ſummond them before that terrible tribunall. See yee to it, ſayes he, I tell you, ye will giuegive an account of this dayes worke: ſo this is a citation of the Jewes before that terrible tribunall, and they hauehave found it, and ſhall finde it: No, Brethren, take heede, thou ſhalt neuer want ſummonding: let Kings, and them who are in authoritie, ceaſe to ſummound thee, let thine owne conſcience neuer ſpeake a worde to thee, nor charge thee, the Lord ſhall not let thee bee without a citation: if thy conſcience will not waken thee, He will waken the conſcience of a Turke or a Pagane, and he ſhall charge thee to appeare before that terrible Tribunall. Thou thinkeſt when thou ſleepeſt, and thy conſcience accuſes thee not, that all is well, no, the Lord ſhall raiſe vp the conſcience of a Pagane to ſummound thee, and I ſay to thee, albeit thou thinkeſt thou art at reſt, when thy cōſcience is ſleeping & wilt ſpend thy time, thou wilt eat & drinke be merrie & take thy paſtime, yet it is one of the moſt heauieſt judgements yt euer God laid on any: & then, whē He hath raiſed the conſcience of another man to warne thee, it is a ſore warning that if thou ſleepe on, and repent not▪ thou ſhalt be wakened, that thou ſhalt not get leaſure to ſay, God be mercifull to mee. This world knowes not what it is doing. Yet marke further, Notwithſtanding all this conſcience of ye innocencie of Ieſus: Alas, I ſ…e not this, that his owne conſcience accuſes him, or ſayes to him, Woe to thee, Pilate, thou art going an euill way, thou wilt make thy ſelfe guiltie of that innocent blood, that will burthen thee euerlaſtingly: his conſcience is buſier to accuſe the Iewes as himſelfe: hee ſhoulde not bee ſo buſie to accuſe the Iewes, as himſelfe: for if his conſcience had accuſed himſelfe ſharply, had he euer ſaid, Thus I am cleane of the blood of this juſt & innocent one? By the contrary, it had vrged out another confeſſion & ſentence, There is nothing but damnation for me, for the cōdemning of the innocent. What ſhould hauehave bene the cauſe of this? He vvas bu… a ſilly naturall man, & his conſciēce was wrong informed concerning that thing: & hee thought himſelfe well enough, ſeeing he had ſtri…ē ſo long, & yeelded thorow neceſſity. All this ſluggiſhnes of his conſciēce came of a wrong information, he knew no better. The more thou knoweſt, the better informed conſciēce thou haſt. Striue ay to get knowledge. Alas, that blindnes that man lyes in by nature, that makes thee think, that ſin is no ſin: that is deceit. Striue ay to get a cleare mind, & a well informed conſcience, whereof thou ſhould excuſe thee, and whereof to accuſe thee. Get this out of the word of God, which is the only rule of our life & of all our actiōs, from that light that comes from Heauen, for the light of nature will beguile thee, and it will ſay, that thou art bleſſed, when the malediction of God is vponupon thee, and it wil ſay, Thou doeſt well, when thou doeſt euill: Therefore, get that light that comes from Heauen to make thee to ſee. This for Pilates part. Now let vsus come to the part of the Iewes: Their part is far worſe. This is a great deformitie, vvhen theſe vvho hauehave the Oracles of God, are warned by Turkes and Paganes: This is to turne the vp-ſide of the vvorlde downe. Looke howe readie Pilate is to laye off the burthen from himſelfe vponupon the Iewes; as readie are they to laye it both vponupon their owne backes, and vponupon their poſteritie. If this exoneration of himſelfe vvhen hee disburthens himſelfe of the blood of Ieſus, teſtifies, that hee had a conſcience of His blood that vvas innocent: It muſt followe, if the Iewes vvere readie to take on this burthen, then they had no ſight of His innocencie, neither vvere they touched therewith in conſcience: and therefore, like blinded bodies, ſeeing nothing, vvith an imprecation, they tranſlate the burthen from Pilate, and laye it vponupon themſelues. Ignorance is euer temerarious: the blinder the bodie is, the more raſhly vvill it endanger it ſelfe. A blind bodie vvithout knowledge, will run it ſelfe ſpeedily & without remorſe into Hell, and will take on ſuch a burthen that it ſhall neuer bee able to laye it off againe. What meanes all this running ſo ſpeedilie in vvicked courſes, but that men vvant conſcience, and their owne corruption hath blindfolded them: Is there anie man that hath light, that will run on to their death, to daſh themſelues on the ſworde to deuoure them? It is a miſerable thing to want the light of the ſoule: ſo the Iewes ſaw not with whome they had to doe they had no conſcience, as Pilate had, and therefore beeing through malice and appetite of reuenge, incenſed againſt the Lord Ieſus: blindfolded, they regard not what imprecations they vtter, for they ſaw not Hell: or els if theſe Iewes had a light of conſcience, they did ſo raſhly againſt Ieſus with knowledge, which is moſt likely: thē it followes, that they were marueilous malitious: as ignorance is hardie, ſo is malitiouſneſſe more hardie, albeit ſuch a man ſhould ſee, yet againſt the light, his malice will make him to runne ouer the bellie of his conſcience. Yee knowe the voyces of prophane men, Ere I were not reuenged of him, I had rather be in Hell: this commeth of malitiouſneſſe, to get the ſoule ſpirit within him ſatisfied: but if thou felt one twitch of Hell, thou wouldeſt recant theſe wordes: for it would cauſe thee ſhoute, and ſqueele hiddeouſly: & I incline to this judgement, that this wicked action is more to be aſcribed to malice than ignorance: the Iewes and the High Prieſtes had the word of God, and the Prophets, whereby they might hauehave knowne the Meſsias. When I read of the Prophets that ſpeake of induration in the time of Ieſus Chriſt, I ſay, it hath come of an hardneſſe and induration of heart: And when I ſee the wordes of the Apoſtles, that ſay, O ſtiffe necked people, I thinke that they put their owne fingers in their eyes, that they ſhould not ſee. The Lord ſaue vsus from malitiouſneſſe, and namely from ſuch malitiouſneſſe as is not without knowledge: when a man ſees, and will pull out his eyes. Compare the Iewes with Pilate: now Pilate ſinneth, hee k…lled himſelfe in the end, and the Lord made his owne hands to be his burrio▪ No doubt, he ſinned, who can excuſe him? he ſinned malitiouſly he had a conſcience, & goes againſt it malitiouſly. But Brethren, to ſpeake the trueth, it was not ſo much malice that puſhed him forward, as great infirmitie and feare for firſt, he feares to be accuſed of treaſon againſt Ceſar: it was no maruell to ſuch a man to feare, who had no God, but Ceſar: …hen hee ſaw appearance of great tumult to riſe amongſt the Iewes. What neceſſitie was laide on them to hauehave the blood of the innocent So I ſee nothing in them but malice, if it were but in this reſpect, that the ſinne of the Iewes weigheth downe the ſinne of Pilate, and their damnation is a thouſand times greater. What had this man? He had nothing but nature: The contrauenſion of the light of nature will neuer make vp the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which gets no merciemercy: but come to them. They had the light of nature, and the light that commeth from Heauen: they had the worde of GOD amongſt them, they contraueened an heauenly light that came downe from Heauen, and was wrought into their heartes by the Spirit. Steuen ſayes in the 7. Chapter, and 51. verſe of the Actes of the Apoſtles, Yee hauehave alwayes reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt, as did your fathers, ſo doe you, that is not a naturall light but a light that came from aboue. There were ſome of theſe men who ſinned malitiouſly againſt the Holy Spirit. What maruell was it then, that they got no grace to repent: for of all ſinnes the ſinne againſt the Holy Spirit, is the moſt dangerous: they that commit this ſinne, hauehave no grace to repent, & therefore no mercy to them, the Lord ſtrikes their ſoules with impenitencie: ſo that ſoule is euerlaſtingly hardened: and ſo beeing ſtrucken with impenitencie they got neuer grace to ſay, God bee mercifull to me. Seeing then their ſinne againſt Chriſt, was ſo great, ſeeing it was not ſo much of ignorance, as of malice: it was not only againſt the light of nature, but alſo againſt the illumination of the Holy Spirit: what maruell was it, that ſuch a terrible Iudgement ouertooke them, as neuer lighted on any nation. The Iewes found this innocent blood in experience laide to their charge. Ioſeph that ſaw all theſe thinges with his eyes, writeth, what heauie vengeance and judgement fell vponupon Jeruſalem & the Iewes: for he teſtifies, that there was ſlaine at the ſiege of Ieruſalem eleuen hundreth thouſand, beſide ninetie thouſand that were tane captiues: thereafter the towne was lamentably deſtroyed and ſacked. So the blood of the innocent neuer left them: & theſe yt remaine, yet feele the judgement of the blood of the innocent: for according as they deſired yt His blood ſhould be vponupon them & their poſteritie: ſo the wrath of God came vponupon them to the vttermoſt 1. Theſſ: 2.16. It is a wonder that a Iew ſhould be ſafe, & if ye heare of a Iew to be conuerted, thinke it to be a great merciemercy. Now to apply this ſhortly to vsus, if it were but this terrible example of vengeance which folowed the Iewes, it ſhould terrifie to the end of the world, all ſoules to take on the blood of the innocent, take on one, & take on all: if thou takeſt on the blood of one ſeruant of God, thou ſhalt take on all the innocent blood from Abel, to that man whom thou haſt ſlaine. Fye vponupon foule butchers who are more meete to be butchers dogges, than men. What care they to waſh their handes in innocent blood. But I ſay to thee, if euer thou getteſt grace it is a wonder: fye vponupon the butchers of Scotland: No, if the Lord would waken thy conſcience to torment thee, & preſent to thee the ſight of Him of whoſe blood thou haſt ſhed, it would bee ſo terrible, that it would make thee to curſe the time that euer thou did it, & one day fearefully without comfort it will torment thee: when will theſe bloodie men leaue off ye ſheading of innocent blood, in this bloodie & barbarous nation: o… all nations it is the moſt barbarous and bloodie. Aboue all things dip not thine hands in the blood of Ieſus Chriſt. Thou who ſheadeſt innocent blood, & is a perſecuter of the ſeruants of Ieſus Chriſt, and who reſiſteſt the trueth, thou wilt ſay, If thou hadſt bene in Chriſts dayes, thou wouldſt not hauehave cōſented to His death, but thou who ſayeſt ſo, if thou hadſt fallen in theſe dayes, thou hadſt malitiouſly bene partaker of the death of Chriſt, & hadſt put handes in Him, thou wanteſt nothing but time: I will tell you, who is it that ſheds the blood of Ieſus Chriſt, & takes His blood on them, what euer he or ſhe be that will reſiſt this knowne trueth of Ieſus Chriſt, and perſecute the profeſſours thereof, I affirme, they are as guiltie of the blood of Chriſt, as the Iewes & the High Prieſts were, and that ſame blood ſhall bee laide to their charge in the great daye of the Lord▪ Read ye not in the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, Chap. 6. and 10. of them who hauehave repined, & hauehave begun to caſt off that heauenly power, & ſo goe like dogges to their vomite, & ſpues out the light they had receiued, they are as guiltie of the blood of Chriſt, as Pilate, & trampe the blood of the Couenant vnderunder their feete. Woe to them that reſiſt the Goſpell, woe to the apoſtate Lordes of this Land, for thus reſiſting the light: there is no light but this, to leade thee to heauen. I denounce woe to them if they continue, the treaſure of wrath, and woe ſhall bee heaped on them, they ſhall be as guiltie as Iudas, or Pilate, or the Iewes: haſtie & ſudden ſhall be their judgement, except the Lord preuent them with repentance, they & their poſteritie ſhall be curſed, & vnderly a terrible vengeance: Woe to their friends, who will joyne with them: Separate thee frō them, as thou wouldeſt ſee ſaluation: Away out of Babylon. Yee would thinke this a light worde, Let his blood bee vponupon our head: As they wiſh the blood of the innocent to light on them, ſo it neuer leaues them, nor ſhall neuer leaue ſo many of them as repented not, the blood of the innocent ſhall lye vponupon their backes euerlaſtingly. This ſhould learne vsus to take good heed to our wordes: it was but a worde to caſt off the God of glorie, and to take on a Tyrant: They got Caeſar to be their King, and he ſpoyled them: Take good heede to thy words, for thou who vſeſt againſt thy ſelfe imprecations and curſings, and wilt ſay, God plague mee, Gods vengeance light vponupon mee, I giuegive my ſoule to the Deuill, if this or that be not. Well, haſt thou giuen thy ſoule to the Deuill, he ſhall get it: haſt thou taken a curſe vponupon thy ſelfe, thou ſhalt bee curſed: it is a wonder that the earth ſhould not open to ſwallowe ſuch men. The Lord makes theſe thinges to come to paſſe: nowe and then Hee makes the curſed creature that vſes ſuch ſpeaches to bee a terrible example. And if thou be a prophane perſon, who wilt ſay, I giuegive my ſoule to the Deuill, I ſaye, and if the Deuill get thee not then, and thou be not thruſt into Hell, but getteſt repentance, it is a wonder. Such is the judgement of God, that oft times He will let no reuerſion be, except that earneſtly thou ſeeke for grace and merciemercy, the Lord, I ſay, ſhall make that worde which thou ſakeſt to hauehave no reuerſion, wilt thou, or wilt thou not: but like as thy foule mouth ſpake it, ſo thou ſhalt bee giuen to the Deuill: for there is nothing more effectuall to a mans deſtruction, than the wordes which proceede out of his owne mouth.
Well, Pilate is lying in ſecuritie, and hee thinkes himſelfe well enough: when he hath once disburthened himſelfe, he ſits downe, and giues out ſentence, and abſolues a ſeditious vagabonde, He letteth Barabbas looſe vntounto them. Woe to them, who will abſolue a ſeditious lowne, and a murtherer. The next thing is more woefull, he begins to giuegive out the ſentence againſt the innocent, he comes on and ſtrikes Him, hee ſcourges Him: this is the ſeconde time, and when hee hath done, hee giueth Him into the handes of the Jewes, to ſatisfie their wicked appetite. As long as thou haſt a wakened conſcience, and ſo long as it telles thee, This is good, and this is euill, thou wilt not goe ſo boldly and forwardly in euill. (Well is that bodie who hath a wakened conſcience, ſuppoſe it terrifie thee, and holde thee waking) But after it bee once lulled in a ſleepe and ſecuritie, then thou runneſt on, as the arrowe doeth out of the bow, to a miſchife: there is nothing to holde thee, but thou runneſt ſwiftly to miſchiefe. Epheſ. 4.19. After they once loſt feeling, they ranne out to all wantonneſſe, commiting all vncleanneſſe, with griedineſſe. There was neuer any creature ſo griedy of any thing in the world, as men who liue without conſcience will be of filthineſſe. As thou wouldeſt keepe thy ſelfe, ſo keepe feeling in thy conſcience, & count it more precious than all thinges in the worlde. Nothing can guarde thy ſoule from Sathan, but the approbation of a feeling conſcience. Thou wilt come out with thy Pearles, and with decked cloathing: but if thou want this conſcience, thou art a preye to the Deuill. Fy on theſe men, who lye in ſuch a ſenſeleſneſſe, ſhame and confuſion ſhall light vponupon them. Was there euer ſuch a dead and ſenſeleſſe Generation as this? It is a token that Hell is ouer-taking them, ſeeing they lye all in ſuch a ſenſeleſſe ſecuritie. Marke notes a word here that would bee conſidered, Chap. 15. verſ. 15. Pilate did this, to gratifie an euill people: hee would not diſpleaſe the Jewes. This is the common faſhion of Princes, to ſeeke to be populare, to ſeeke the fauour of the people. Looke that a Prince ſeeke not by euill meanes the fauour of the people: for he will hang an innocent man, and let a murtherer goe free, for the fauour of the people: thou buyeſt it too deare, with the loſſe of the fauour of God. Woe be vntounto the man, though he were a King, that miſchieuouſly falles abacke from the Trueth, and ſo looſes the fauour of God, for the fauour of Idolaters. But will yee come on yet? Got Pilate the fauour of the people? No: they perſecuted him to the death, they delated him to the Emperour, and hee was baniſhed: and for feare of greater ſhame, hee put handes in himſelfe, and ſlew himſelfe. Yea, if he were all the kings in the world, who ſeekes to gratifie a wicked people in an euill cauſe, namely, in Idolatrie, and if the LORD hauehave not mercy on him, that ſame people ſhall be his deſtruction. The Lord graunt Kinges and Princes to ſee that howbeit they hauehave the fauour of the people by vnlawfull meanes, and want the fauour of God, that all the fauour of the people that they can hauehave, without Gods fauour is nothing: that they may ſeeke Gods fauour aboue all things. And the Lord be mercifull to our King for Chriſtes ſake: To whom be all Honour and Glory, foreuermore.
AMEN.