The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 51
THE LI. LECTVRE, OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
IOHN, CHAP. XXI.
verse 18 Verely, verely I ſay vntounto thee, When thou waſt yong, thou girdedſt thy ſelfe, and walkeſt whither thou wouldeſt: but when thou ſhalt be olde, thou ſhalt ſtretch out thine hands, and another ſhall gird thee, and leade thee whither thou wouldest not.
verse 19 And this ſpake Hee, ſignifying by what death hee ſhould glorifie God. And when He had ſaid thus, He ſaid to him, Follow Me.
THE laſt day (beloued Brethren) we heard, how the Lord in this third appearing, vntounto His Diſciples after His Reſurrection, when He dined with them, fedde them, and giuing them meat out of His owne hande, hee entered in conference with Peter: eſpecially, the ende of the conference Hee had with Peter, was to reſtore Peter to that dignitie of the Apoſtleſhip, from which h…e had fallen, and whereof hee had made himſelfe vnworthie through his apoſtaſie and threefolde deniall of his Lord and Maſter, Hee askes him one thing thriſe: Simon, the ſonne of Iona, loueſt thou Me? Peter anſweres and giues a threefold confeſsion: Lord, thou knowest that I louelove thee. The LORD anſweres againe, and giues a threefold abſolution, and pronounces the ſentence of his reſtoring againe three times: F…de, then ſayes the Lord, My Lambes, feede My ſheepe. This Hee does, to confirme him the better in his reſtoring: for when a man hath made a foule defection frō God, his heart is not eaſily perſwaded of grace againe, it will not be at one or two ſentences, it will not be a promiſe at one time, that will giuegive him an aſſurance of the fauour of God againe: therefore, to giuegive Peter the greater aſſurance of grace, Hee triples ouer the ſentence, and giues him three times that commiſsion, to feede His lambes and ſheepe. The laſt day, Brethren, as the Lord gaue the grace, we opened the meaning of theſe words, and laſt, of theſe words, My Lambes, my ſheepe: now only thus farre I adde for your conſolation: ye ſee all this louelove that Peter confeſſes toward the Lord Himſelfe, Hee turnes it ouer vponupon His Lambes, His Sheepe, and flocke, in a word, vponupon His Church. Marke it: The Paſtor or Miniſter will no ſooner profeſſe louelove to his Lord that placed him in that roome, but as ſoone the Lord will ſend him to the flocke & people: if thou louelove me, the Lord will ſay, louelove my people, the Lord will place His people in His own roome: looke what louelove any will beare to Him, He will hauehave it declared and vttered to His Saints, & more, He does it three times: ſo oft as Peter profeſſes louelove, ſo oft He ſends him to ye people: look how oft the Paſtor profeſſes louelove to Chriſt, as oft He will ſend him to ye people: if he ſay, I louelove thee, then He will anſwere, feede my Lambes: if He will ſay a thouſand times, He wil anſwere, feede my flocke, manifeſt it vponupon them that carie mine Image. This ſhewes the wonderfull louelove that God beares to His Elect: He will hauehave all that dutie that is due to Him, to be tranſlated vponupon His Church: ſo that whoſoeuer doe not their dutie to ye Church, I …ffirme & I ſay, profeſſe as they will, they hauehave no louelove to Chriſt, thou mayeſt ſtand vp, and bable, & vaunt of thy louelove to Chriſt: but I ſay, there is no ſuch louelove in thine heart, as thou profeſſeſt with thy mouth. If thou ſ…yeſt, thou loueſt God & doeſt not thy dutie to man, thou art a lyar, 1. Joh. 4.18.
To goe forward to this Text: When He hath reſtored him to the office of Apoſtleſhip, which by his deniall juſtly he had loſt, Hee giues him the office with a knot, as we ſpeak, & He forewarnes him in the entrie, that hee ſhall get no reſt in it and when he hath done all, what ſhall be his reward in the world: He telles him, Thou ſhalt be girded with cordes, in ſtead of a girdle, and then thou ſhalt be ledde away, whither thou wouldeſt not: that is, to a violent death, whereby thou ſhalt ſeale vp the Goſpell that thou haſt preached: then the Lord giues him, and he receiues the office of Apoſtleſhip with this p…emonition▪ that in the end of it he ſhall die the death. The Lord fore…arnes him to this end, that hee ſhould be on his preparation, to mak… him readie to d…e, & to enarme him againſt the death: for death comming vnawares is terrible, & will te…tifie ye proudeſt fleſh that liues: … this forewarning ſ…rues for ye enarming of him, forewarned, halfe armed, as the Prouerbe is: Preparation for death, meditation of that death, and of the life to come, is better and more ſteadable armour againſt death, than a jacke, or all the ſtrengths and caſtles in the earth. It is a terrible thing when death lights vponupon a creature ſuddenly, it dammiſhes the creature.
But to the purpoſe: In the perſon of Peter, I perceiue, That there is no man the Lord receiues to bee a Paſtor, a feeder of His flocke, or a Miniſter, but Hee takes him with this pr…monition: Make thee for death: that is a hard beginning: Prepare thee to ſhed thy blood for my ſheepe, and to ſeale that Goſpell, which thou haſt preached with thy blood: for why? a man that enters to feede the flocke of the Lord, hath not adoe with lambes only, ſillie and ſimple ſheepe, but hee muſt fight with Wolues: as hee muſt feede the lambes, ſo hee muſt fight with Wolues, Tygres, Beares, &c. that would deuoure the Lambes? Yea, ſometimes, it will fall out, that theſe whome they thinke to be Lambes, will manifeſt themſelues to be Wolues: yea, beſide this, it may be, that one of His owne flocke, ſhall ſtand vp and deuoure him in the end: and beſide this, what is the Deuill euer doing with him? Is he not euer going about the Folde, like a roaring Lyon, with the mouth of him euer wide open, ſeeking to ſwallow and deuoure not only the flocke, but alſo the Paſtor? ſo that he ſhould make him for death. It is true, Brethren, eueryevery Paſtor in the ende dies not a violent death, all are not hanged? beheaded or burnt: Some, yea, many die their owne naturall death, and in peace: the Lord honoures not eueryevery man with the gift of ſuffering for the Name of Chriſt? (it is an honour, get it who will) as He honoured Peter, and He requires not, that eueryevery man ſeale this doctrine with his blood in the end: but yet it is the Lordes will, that neuer a man enter ſo ſoone to the Miniſterie, but as ſoone hee make him for ſuffering, and that he preach ſo, that he be readie to ſeale vp eueryevery preaching with his blood. Away with the man, who when he enters, thinkes with himſelfe, that hee ſhall hauehave eaſe, and a quiet and a pleaſant life. It is true, againe: the Lord will not ſpeake now to eueryevery man face to face, forewarning him, and giuing to him a reuelation from Heauen now, as then Hee did to Peter, yet there is nothing more certaine than this: it is His will, that eueryevery man bee re…ie eueryevery houre to ſeale vp the Goſpell with his blood, if it ple…ſe the Lord to call him. Paul (Actes 21.) when hee was going …p to Ieruſalem, he got a fore-warning, That he ſhould be bound hand and foote, and ſo it fell out: but it was not fore-tolde him that hee ſhould die: yet hee ſayes, when the godly are ſtanding, weeping & lamenting, ſeeking to diſſwade him to goe vp, What doe ye weeping & grieuing mine heart? Why trouble ye me? I am ready, ſayes he, not only to be bound, but I am prepared to die for the Name of the Lord Ieſus. So howbeit hee got not the warning, yet he had this reſolution ſetled, to ſuffer. Now appertaines this nothing to you, who are the people? I ſaye to thee, Thou who wilt call thy ſelfe a Chriſtian man, & who haſt giuen vp thy name to Ieſus Chriſt, thou art as far indebted to ſeale vp thy profeſſiō with thy blood, if thou be charged, as the Paſtor is; otherwayes I will not giuegive thee a pennie for thy profeſſion: It had b…ene better thou had neuer taken that name, if thou bee not readie to ſeale it vp vvith thy blood. It is true, euerie one is not in verie deede marty…ed: but I ſaye to thee, There is a neceſſitie layed vponupon thee, that in ſome meaſure thou prepare thee to ſuffer the croſſe and death it ſelfe for Chriſtes ſake, and ſo that thou be a Martyre in thine owne mind and reſolution: And albeit thou eſchew death, yet of this bee aſſured, That thou ſhalt beare the burthen of affliction, either inwardlie or outwardlie: for vvhoſoeuer vvould liue godlie in Chriſt Ieſus, muſt ſuffer affliction. 2. Timoth. chap. 3. verſ. 11. and Act. chap. 14. verſ. 22. it is ſaide, Thorowe manie afflictions, wee must enter into the kingdome of God. This neceſſity is layd vpō vsus. It is the duetie (as we vſe to ſpeake) of eueryevery Chriſtiā man & woman, to ſuffer. Ther…fore Brethren, ſeeing this neceſſity is layed on vsus, That wee muſt ſuffer ſome affliction, we ſhould be prepared for it, yea, if it were to dy the death for the name of Ieſus. Let euerie one bee preparing themſelues, both Paſtor and people: for it may bee, that all eſtates bee ſooner put to try all than yee looke for, and that the Lord ſaye to the Paſtor, Thou hast beene preaching theſe manie yeeres, nowe ſeale it vp w…th thy blo…de: And to the people, Yee hauehave beene proſiſſing long, nowe ſuffer for it. There is my counſell, Suppoſe thou ſhedde not thy blood, yet looke that in the reſolution of thine heart thou bee a Martyr, thou bee headed, hanged, and that ſuffer all ſort of torment that euer any ſuffered, and ſtriue to get contentment to die at the pleaſure of the Lord. Hee knowes not vvhat a Chriſtian man meanes, who has not this reſolution. A foole thinkes that this hie calling is to get pleaſure eaſe, & delicacie: No, no, as CHRIST went out of the ports of Hieruſalem, bearing His owne croſſe to the place of execution, ſo He calles thee to goe foorth with Him, out of this world, bearing His reproach, Hebr. 13.13. Otherwiſe looke not to hauehave participation of His glorie. Yet let vsus marke the vvordes more narrowly. Now certainly will ye looke in to them, yee will ſee that Peters calling to th'Apoſtleſhip was wondrous ſtraite. Peter might hauehave thought, and ſaide with himſelfe, Seeing I am entring to be an apoſtle, I am entring to a glorious calling, I wil get honor enough, I was before a poore Fiſher, nowe I will get honour, eaſe, peace and reſt. The Lord anſweres, No Peter, it ſhall not be ſo. And this Hee declares by comparing his condition to come in his age, with his by-paſt condition in his youth: As if Hee had ſaide, The order of nature ſhall bee inuerted in thee, for vvhen thou vvaſt young, ere thou ſaweſt mee, thou gotteſt leaue to girde thy girdle about thee, to dreſſe thy ſelfe, and to walke where thou wouldeſt: That is, When thou waſt moſt able and ſtrong to beare the Croſſe, thou waſt ſpared, and thou diddeſt all thinges pleaſantly, & according to thy deſire; & when thou addreſſed thy ſelfe to the journey, thou girded thy ſelfe as thou pleaſedſt. Here He alludes to ye oriental people, who vſed to weare lōg ſide clothes: & therfore whē they wēt to any journey, behoued to truſſe thē vp, & to gird thē to thē. But after this it ſhal not be ſo: but whē thou ſhalt be old, & thorow age more vnable to ſuffer affliction, and to beare ye croſſe, then thou ſhalt be afflicted another ſhal gird thee: That is, Bind thee wt cords: & as thou went before where thou would, ſo now thou ſhalt be led whither thou wouldeſt not. Now Peter might hauehave ſaid, Suppoſe I ſuſtaine trouble in my age, yet thou wilt giuegive me a peaceable death in ye end. (There is no mā almoſt, whē he has ſpent his time in ye cō mō weale, but in his age he wil get leaue to be at reſt, & to dy peaceably) No, ſayes ye Lord, when thou art an old man, thou ſhalt be hurried out, & die a violent death. And it would ſeeme, yt Chriſt diſſwaded Peter to be an Apoſtle, & to enter into ſuch a hard calling, where in his olde age, which requires to be freed frō trauell, & trouble, ſhuld be moſt afflicted, wheras in his youth he was freed frō afflictiō. There is an hard meeting, & calling of Peter to be an Apoſtle. I think many now would run aback frō the miniſtery, if they wiſt of ſo hard a meeting. Well, the day of trial is cōming. Marke ye leſſō. Whē the Lord calles a Paſtor, He will tell him ye worſt of it: Hee vſes no flattery in His calling: In ye firſt entry He wil lay before thee great croſſes & terrours: It may be thou get eaſe, reſt & cōmodity: but I aſſure thee, yt this wil be the cōferēce the Lord will hauehave with thee whē thou entreſt. Whē thou haſt ſerued me, looke for the croſſe for thy ſtipend, when thou haſt done all, make thee for death. Therfore ſay not, I will enter, becauſe I will get a good fat Benefice, & faire liuing, I will get peace & eaſe. It may be yt the Lord caſt theſe thinges to thee, & yt thou find thē, but propone not yt to thy ſelf, as a cauſe of thine entry: but ſay, I am entring to labour, to trouble, …o paine, & it may be, in ye end, whē I hauehave done al, I ſhall lay down my life: let ye be thy reſolutiō. In this there is great differēce betwixt God & ye Deuill: When ye Deuill calles one, in the beginning he promiſes thē riches, wealth, honour, & prefermēt: the villane will promiſe felicity & happines in this life: but in ye end, miſerably he deceiues thē, who truſted his flattery. Th'experiēce of the wretched catiues proues this: for neuer got they ſuch things as were promiſed, but miſery, terrour and horrour in the ende. But Chriſt calles men otherwayes, and ſayes, Aime not at mee, but by the croſſe, ſo long as ye are in this world, ye ſhall hauehave oppoſition, oppreſſion, and ſorrow: they ſhall bruiſe you, they ſhall treade you vnderunder foot. But in the meane time He promiſes, That in the middeſt of all their griefs, yea, in death it ſelfe, they ſhall finde comfort: for when Hee has ſaide to His Apoſtles, In the world yee ſhall hauehave ſorrowe. Hee ſubjoynes incontenent, But bee of good comfort, for I hauehave ouercome the worlde, Ioh. chap. 16. verſ. 33. The world ſhall not bee victorious ouer thee, thou ſhalt get a faire aduantage and outgate at the laſt, thou ſhalt get the victory. And in ye middeſt of their troubles, not only promiſes He, but alſo He will giuegive them a ſweeter taſte & ſenſe of inward joy, than all ye worldlings cā hauehave. When they are ſitting in the middeſt of all their glory, riches, and outward pleaſures, yea, in the very death, Hee furniſhes life, as Paul ſayes, 2. Cor 6 9. As dying but behold, we liue: yea, ſuch a ſweet life, as the naturall man neuer could thinke of. In thy death, the life of Ieſus Chriſt ſhall be moſt liuely. Thou needeſt not then to feare to ſuffer any extremity for Ieſus, ſeeing euer Hee has promiſed thee ſuch a vantage. Yet further I ſee heere this, not onlie out of this place, but alſo thorow the whole Scripture, & experience teaches it, That the prerogatiues & vantages of this life, liberty & preferment, ſtandes not well with Ieſus Chriſt: at the leaſt a Paſtor ſhoulde not laye his count to brooke thē both together. Peter, when he was a free man, and a Fiſher, going out and in at his pleaſure, hee knewe not vvhat Chriſt meaned. As ſoone as he comes to Chriſt, farewell vvith his freedome: hee put his girdle about him ere hee knewe Chriſt, but knowing Chriſt, he muſt be boūd with a corde, & hurled in bands: if any take this calling vponupon him, to enjoy the outward comforts & prerogatiues of this world, he deceiues himſelfe. Likewiſe Paul, Philip. 3.7. Ere he knew Chriſt, a Gentle-man (folke thinke, a Miniſter cannot be a Gentle-man) a citizen of Rome, an Hebrew, a Phariſe according to his ſect, & in his zeale going beyond all men, and in his righteouſneſſe he was vnrebukable, according to the Iuſtice of the Law: but when he comes to Chriſt, what became of all theſe? he leaues all, renounces & quites them, he counts them for Chriſts ſake to be damage & doung. So, I ſay againe: I ſee not, how the aduantages, liberties, & theſe outward prerogatiues, can ſtand well with the Lord Ieſus. Indeed ye Lord ſome times caſts theſe things in great abundance & affluence to His owne: and then if it pleaſe God▪ why mayeſt thou not brooke them: for the Miniſter hath as good right to theſe earthly things, as another: for the Lord ſanctifies them to their vſe: but in the meane time take the counſell of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 7.31. Vſe them, as though thou vſed them not: Settle neuer thine heart on them, let them neuer be thy chiefe reſpect, in paine of thy life, & if they come in compariſon with Chriſt, take Pauls counſell and experience alſo: count them all damage and loſſe, and count them hurtfull to thee: yet a degree further, count them but doung, loath them, ſpit at them, as at dirt: if they ſeeme to ſeparate thee from Chriſt, ſhake them off thee, denude thine hand of them: I ſay, albeit it were thy life, if it hinder thee from Chriſt, away with thy life, giuegive it to any Tyrant, Perſecuter, if it hinder thee, that thou cāſt not brooke Chriſt wt it: for if thou giueſt thy life for Chriſt indeede, He ſhall be aduantage to thee, not only in the time of thy life, but chiefly, in the houre of death, as Paul ſayes of himſelfe, Philip. 1.21. Now, Brethren, take heede, all theſe earthly things, as liberties, riches, nobilitie, kinred, glory, honour of the worlde, and fauour of men, theſe thinges can ſtand thee in ſtead only, ſo long as thou leaueſt thy riches, thy nobilitie, albeit thou wert come of Kings, can be ſteadable no longer: but if thou bee laide on thy backe, on thy death bed, at the houre of thy death, what will they helpe thee then? Nothing, but thou wilt diſdain them al: No, they ſhal not hold thy life one houre: thē all theſe aduantages in earth cānot be aduātage in ye houre of death: in heauē or earth no aduātage to any in ye hour of death, but Ieſus, who has ouercome death: if yu hauehave Ieſus, ô yt joy yu ſhalt find in death: & by the contrarie, How terrible a departure will they find, that hauehave not Chriſt Ieſus. This miſerable generatiō will not know this, vntill they feele it by ſad experience. There were two thieues hanged with Chriſt, but both got Him not to bee aduantage in death: therefore let men, whē they are liuing, & wholeſt, hauehave Chriſt before their eyes, & ſeeke to be acquainted wt Him in their life, that they may hauehave Him to be aduantage in their death. Yet one thing further, ere I leaue theſe things, I thinke all yōg men yt hauehave health, habilitie & ſtrength of body, to run & ride, raſh here & there, that hauehave libertie to paſſe & repaſſe at their pleaſure, may learne a leſſō at Peter. Peter, when hee was young, hee might hauehave done what hee pleaſed: he thought hee was a happie man: for the word importes, when hee makes mention of his former condition which hee had before he knew Chriſt: for when he was young, and had libertie, he was free from Chriſt: for he knew not Chriſt, before Chriſt knew him: ſo Peter in his youth a free man, a young ſtrong man, he was alſo free from Chriſt: fooliſh, vaine young men, eſteeme themſelues to be happie, if they hauehave health, ſtrength, habilitie & freedome to liue as they pleaſe, albeit they bee without God and free of Ieſus Chriſt: alas, that is a miſerable freedome, when thou art free heere in earth, if thou be free from Chriſt alſo, that is miſerable: for if thou be not a bond-ſeruant to Chriſt, albeit thou wert a King, a Ceſar, thou art but a ſeruant to ſinne, & a ſlaue to the deuill. Paul Rom. 6.20. ſayes, When ye were the ſeruants of ſinne, ye were freed from righteouſneſſe: if thou be not the ſeruant of Chriſt, thou art a ſlaue to the Deuill, and ſinne: for of need force, thou ſhalt either be the ſeruant of Chriſt, or els, thou ſhalt be a greater ſlaue than a horſerubber. Let neuer a man glorie in a libertie, that he may runne, or ride, doe this or that, except that, with that freedome he find himſelfe bound as a ſeruant to Chriſt, & except he can ſay in his heart: albeit I be free, yet, Lord Ieſus, I am thy bond-ſeruant: for Peters condition, when hee was in the chaines and bands, led out to die the death for Chriſt, was better than when he was a yong man, following his owne luſt & pleaſure: there is no happineſſe but in Ieſus Chriſt, all theſe earthly liberties will not make thee happy, if thou be not boūd to Chriſt in his ſeruice: they only are truely free, whō the Sonne makes free, Ioh. 8.36. And the Apoſtle ſayes: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is libertie, 2. Cor. 3.17. But I goe forwarde: Hee ſayes, Thou ſhalt bee ledde whither thou wouldeſt not. This is a marueilous thing. Theſe wordes would import, that hee died not willingly for the Lord; but he vvas drawne contrary his will to the tormēt. How can this be? The vvords may import a compariſon, to vvit, That one ſhall leade thee, not ſo much where thou wilt, as where he will, for thy will ſhalbe ſubject to the will of the perſecuter & tormēter. I anſwere. Indeed it is true, when Peter ſuffered for his Lords ſake, he ſuffered not ſo vvilingly, but in the meane time for there was a battell vvithin him, & he found ſomthing that made reſiſtance to yt obediēce: firſt there vvas nature, vvhichwhich naturally abhors death: there is nothing more terrible to nature, than this diſſolution & parting & ſeuering of the ſoule & body: & therfore Chriſt Himſelf, who ſet Himſelfe in all reſpects to be obedient to ye Father, hauing our nature, abhorred death, & prayed, ſaying, Take this cup frō me. So I ſay, it was no maruel yt nature in Peter abhorred frō death & vvold hauehave declined yt death in ſome meaſure. There vvas another cauſe more in Peter than was in Chriſt: Chriſt had nature, but it was holy: Peter beſide this common nature, had ſome remaining corruption: And whoſoeuer has it (as all men ſauing Chriſt Ieſus has it) they will find, that whē they are bent to giuegive obedience to God in any thing, it vvill rebell▪ and make ſome reſiſtance: & when thou faineſt vvould obey Him, & lay downe thy necke to die for Chriſt, it will draw thee aback. Againe, the beſt yt liues, vvill vtter the vvords of th'Apoſtle, I doe not the good thing which I would: but the euill, which I would not, that I doe. Rom. 7.19. Therefore, Brethren, learne this leſſon at Peter, All the godly from the beginning, & all the Holy Martyres, what euer they hauehave bene, that hauehave died for the Name of the Lord Ieſus, their obedience has not beene altogether perfect: No, it is a vanitie to thinke, that the Martyres died vvithout all feare: I ſay, The beſt of them in their death found ſome horrour and infirmitie: And I ſaye, The victorie that they got vvas by an inwarde battell in their ſoule: and as they vvere victorious, by yeelding themſelues outwardly to the death; ſo they vvere victorious in their ſoules. This is comfortable. When thou ſeeſt that the Saincts feared & abhorred death, if thou findeſt the like feare in thee, yet bee not ouer much caſten downe: Thou wilt ſay, Shall I ſuffer death in the fire? ſhall I bee burnt quicke, and bee dammed, as the Martyres hauehave beene vvith ſundry ſortes of tortures? Alas, I am not able to abide it. And no queſtion, there will be an horrour in thine heart, when thou thinkeſt of this, but eſpecially when thou commeſt to the act of ſuffering, then all ſuch infirmitie, ſuch feare & dread ſhall riſe, and get vp in thy ſoule: But let this be thy comfort in the Lord, vvhē thou findeſt this, that this feare ſhall not hinder thine obedience, and ſay, There is nothing that befalles to me, but that which befalles to the beſt ſeruants of God, I am not alone, ſuch infirmitie, ſuch dread and feare as I hauehave, Peter had, and the beſt Saincts of God had: and howbeit they had them, yet their obedience was not hindered thereby. And ſo as Peter and the reſt got the victory, notwithſtanding of feare and dread, thou wilt giuegive mee the victory vvith Peter. This aduertiſes vsus thus farre. Neuer man ſuffered martyrdome by his owne ſtrength. And if Peter had beene giuen ouer to his owne ſtrength, hee vvoulde not hauehave ſuffered more than Judas: And if Steuen had not bene ſuſtained with the ſight of Heauen, to hauehave holden vp his heart▪ hee vvoulde not hauehave ſuffered the death. Paul teaches vsus, Philip. chap. 1. verſ. 29. As faith is the gift of God, ſo it is the gift of God to ſuffer affliction. It is giuen to you, ſaies he, to ſuffer. And therfore he ſaies to Timothie, (2. Epiſt. chap. 1. verſ. 8.) Be partaker of the afflictions of the Goſpel. But howe? By your owne ſtrength? No: but by the power of God. And therfore, whoſoeuer would hauehave this ſtrength, let him beg it of the Lord. Whenſoeuer it ſhall pleaſe God to ſay, Goe to the ſtake: then euer ſay, Lord giuegive me ſtrength, & I ſhall ſuffer. Therefore, as night & day we ſhould be vponupon this reſolution, to ſuffer for Chriſt; ſo ſhould we night & day be earneſt in prayer: and if thou findeſt the power of God by prayer to bee conueyed to thine heart, thou needeſt not to feare: for that power will prop it vp, & vphold it in th'extremity of death & martyrdome. So euer be in prayer, ſaying, Lord giuegive me ſtrenth: and if thou get once a piece of this power, thou ſhalt wonder at it.
Now Iohn in the next verſe he joynes ye meaning of theſe words of the Lords to Peter, leſt any mā reading or hearing, ſhould doubt of the meaning, This ſpake hee, ſayes Iohn, ſignifying by what death hee ſhould glorifie God. Hee meanes, that hee ſhoulde die a violent death, hee ſhould not get leaue to die his owne naturall death in peace: but that hee ſhould die violently vponupon the ſcaffolde. The Papiſtes vponupon theſe wordes, gather, That Peter was crucified, & that ye Lord meant, yt he ſhould be hanged: but the words beare no ſuch thing. Thou ſhalt ſtretch out thine hands. What neceſſity is there here to import crucifying, or hanging, more than heading? or any one death more than another? What death it was, it is not certaine: it is farre better not to meddle with it, than to beleeue mens fables. Only the words of ye Lord import, yt he died violently. But what death ſoeuer it was, it is not much to edification. Yet this is not to bee paſſed by, but wel to be marked, That whē He is ſpeaking of his death, He ſayes not after this māner, He ſignified what death he ſhould die: no, but by what death he ſhould glorify God: a thing more worthy of marking, He ſtiles & defines ye death & martyrdome of Peter to be a glorifying of his God. Brethren, the death of all the godlie and Saincts, whatſoeuer kinde of death it bee, whether it bee in peace, their owne naturall death, or a violent death, whatſoeuer kind of death it bee, it may bee defined after this manner, to bee a glorifying of God. And bleſſed are they that die in the LORD, Bleſſed are they that die in faith in the LORD IESƲS: that is, as PAVL ſayes, ſleepes in Him, 1. Theſſal. chap. 4. verſ. 14. So I ſaye, The death of euerie godlie man and woman, glorifies their God. Yet we muſt vnderſtand, That the death of theſe who ſuffer martyrdome, and ſeales vp the trueth of Chriſt with their blood, that death eſpeciallie gettes this praiſe, and this ſtile, That it glorifies GOD after a ſpeciall manner. Marke it well▪ Martyrdome properly is called, The glorifying of God, becauſe in it eſpecially is the matter of the glorie of God. Aboue all other deathes of men in the worlde, in the death of the Sonne of God Ieſus Chriſt, was greateſt matter of the glorifying of His Father: and therefore, aboue all other deathes, the death and croſſe of Chriſt gettes this ſtile of the glorifying of GOD, Joh. Chap. 12. verſ. 28. When the LORDE has ſtriuen vvith the feare of death, looke howe Hee conſiders vvith Himſelfe, Lord glorifie thine owne Name: that is, Bee thou glorified in my death. Next, after Chriſts death, the death of the Martyres ſerues moſt for the glorie of God: and therefore, next after Chriſtes death, the death of the Martyres brookes this ſtile. Therefore ye ſee in this place, Iohn ſpeaking of the martyrdome of Peter, calles it, The glorifying of GOD. And Paul to the Philippians, ſpeaking of his death, ſayes, that the Lord ſhould be magnified in his death, Philip. chap. 1. verſ. 20. And all to this end, To encourage vsus chearefullie to go to death for Chriſts ſake What knowes anie of vsus, but wee may bee charged with martyrdome, whether it be Miniſter, or anie of the flocke? And I affirme to you, that if the Lord call any of you to die for the Goſpell, if ye denie Him, Hee will denie you. Theſe are His owne wordes, Matth. 10.33. Therefore, ſeeing euerie one of vsus, if wee bee Chriſtians, are bound to ſuffer: No, not a Miniſter onelie, but the ſobereſt of you all, lad and laſſe. Wee hauehave this encouragement to ſuffer Martyrdome, that our death ſhall glorifie God after a ſingular manner. It is no matter vvhat become of thee, if thou getteſt that honour to glorifie God: for bee aſſured, if thou doe ſo, thou ſhalt be partaker of His glorie. When the conference is done, the Lord appearantly riſes vp, for the time of this conference they were ſitting together, And the Lord ſayes to Peter, Followe thou mee. The meaning is this, as though He would ſay, Well Peter, I hauehave forewarned and enarmed thee againſt this death: in tokē of this, follow thou me: for he giues him this as an vndoubted ſigne of his croſſe & death yt was to come. No, Brethrē, they that will follow the Lord, muſt take vp his croſſe, and followe Him. And therefore bids Hee Peter follow Him. Well, theſe wordes are hard to fleſh and blood. But here is the great comfort, We hauehave Chriſt to follow, He goes before vsus, When we goe to the croſſe to martyrdome, Hee goes before vsus. To goe to death, vvithout Chriſt going before vsus, of all thinges it is moſt terrible and fearefull: But to goe to death, following Chriſt, there is great matter of conſolation: for vvhen Hee is before vsus, and if vvee followe vvith His croſſe vponupon our backes, vvee ſhall finde, that the death of Chriſt has taken away the bitterneſſe of death. Whoſoeuer ſhall followe Chriſt, ſhall neuer taſte the bitterneſſe of death. But if thou beareſt thine owne croſſe, thou dieſt for thine owne ſinne, as a Malefactor, a Thiefe, a Murtherer, &c. Woe is thee, for the ende of that death is th'extremitie of Hell. It ſtands not onelyonly in a ſhamefull, ignominious, and comfortleſſe departure, and in the ſundring of the ſoule from the bodie, it ends not there, but thereafter ye ſoule muſt be thruſt into Hel, to be tormēted for euer. But whē we hauehave Chriſt going before vsus, bearing our croſſe, ſuffering for our ſins, & thē we following Him, bearing His croſſe, Hee dying firſt, takes away the bitterneſſe of death, and makes our death an entrie to life euerlaſting. There is a comfort that Peter gettes in death: ſo that death is made ſweet to him, and a port to life euerlaſting. Brethren, ye muſt vnderſtand, That Chriſt goes before vsus, not onelie in His death, but in His Reſurrection and life: for at this time Hee vvas riſen. So PETER followes Him in His Reſurrection. There is a double comfort, Wee followe IESVS CHRIST not onelie in His death, but alſo in His Reſurrection, to raiſe vsus to life againe: for it is by vertue of that life of IESVS CHRIST, that vvee riſe to life, after our death. Whereto intendes all this? Euen to encourage vsus to ſuffer Martyredome, and ſeale the Goſpell with our blood, if it ſhall pleaſe the Lord to call vsus: and happie art thou if the Lord ſhall honour thee, ſo that Hee will hauehave thee to beare His Croſſe, & to ſuffer as an innocent, who for a thouſand of thine own ſinnes art worthy of an ignominious death, & deſperate departure: for if He goe before thee, if He beare thy Croſſe, the bitterneſſe of death is taken from thee, becauſe the guiltineſſe of thy ſinne is forgiuen. Now, the Lord furniſh vsus ſtrength & courage, that we ſhame not His cauſe, if it ſhall pleaſe Him to call vsus to ſuffer for the Name of Ieſus, To whome with the Father, and Holie Spirit, be all praiſe and glorie, for euer. AMEN.