Looking Unto Jesus, Book 6 · Chapter 2 – Chapter 3
CHAP. II.
SECT. I. Of Chriſt's Indictment, and Judas's fearful end.
ABout ſix in the morning Jeſus was brought unto Pilate's houſe;John 18.28. Mat. 27.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. then led they Jeſus from Caiphas unto the Judgment-Hall, and it was early.— When the Morning was come, all the chief Prieſts and Elders of the People took council againſt Jeſus to put him to death; and when they had bound him, and led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Governour. Then Judas which had betrayed him, hanged himſelf. O the readineſs of our nature to evil! When the Iſraelites would ſacrifice to the Golden-Calf, they roſe up early in the Morning; if God leave us to our ſelves,Exod. 32.6. we are as ready to practiſe miſchief, as the fire is to burn, without delay. But on this Circumſtance I ſhall not long ſtay; the tranſactions of this hour I ſhall conſider in theſe two paſſages, Chriſt's Indictment, and Judas's fearful end.
In Chriſt's Indictment, we may obſerve, 1. His Accuſation. 2. His Examination.
In his Accuſation we may obſerve, 1. Who are his Accuſers. 2. Where he was accuſed. 3. What was the matter of which they do accuſe him.
1. His Accuſers were the chief Prieſts and Elders of the People; Mat. 27.12.the very ſame that before had judged him guilty of Death, are now his Accuſers before the temporal Judge: but why muſt our Saviour be twice Judged? was not the Sanhedrim, or Eccleſiaſtical Court ſufficient to condemn him? I anſwer,—He is twice judged; 1. That his Innocency might more appear; true Gold often tried in the fire, is not conſumed, but rather perfected; ſo Chriſt's Integrity, though examined again and again, by divers Judges wholly corrupt; yet thereby it was not hurt, but made rather more illuſtrious. 2. Becauſe his firſter judgment was in the night, and a ſentence pronounced then was not reputed valid; it is ſaid of Moſes, that he judged the People from the morning unto the evening; Exod. 18.13. John 18.31.for until night no judgment was protracted. 3. Becauſe, ſaid the Jews, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death. Theſe words had need of expoſition; we know Moſes's Law preſcribed death to the Adulterers, Idolaters, Blaſphemers, Man-ſlayers, Sabbath-breakers: but now the Romans (ſay ſome) had come and reſtrained the Jews from the execution of their Laws; others are of another mind; and therefore the meaning of theſe words, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, may be underſtood (ſay they) in a double ſenſe: 1. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to ſuch a death as the Death of the Croſs: Moſes's Law was Ignorant of ſuch a death; and the words following ſeem to favour this interpretation,John 18 32. that the ſaying of Jeſus might be fulfilled, which he ſpake, ſignifying what death he ſhould die. We read only of four ſorts of death that were uſed among the Jews; as ſtrangling, ſtoning, burning, and killing with the ſword: crucifying was the invention of Romans, and not of Jews.—2. That it was not Lawful for them to put any man to death at ſuch a time: on this day was celebrated the Jews Paſsover, which was in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt; ſo that now they had a cuſtome to deliver ſome from death (the caſe of Barabbas) but they could not now condemn any one to death; hence it was, that after Herod the Jew had killed James, he proceeded further, to take Peter; alſo yet during the dayes of unleavened Bread, he delivers him to be kept in Priſon,Acts. 12.14. intending (ſaith the Text) after Eaſter to bring him forth to the People. Pilate, a Gentile, was not tied to theſe Laws, and therefore they led Jeſus from Caiaphas unto the Hall of judgment, or unto Pilate's Houſe.
2. The place of the Accuſation was at the door of the Houſe; they would not go into the Judgment-Hall leſt they ſhould be defiled, John 18.28.but that they might eat the Paſsover. See what a piece of Superſtition and groſe Hypocriſie is here! they are curious of a Ceremony, but make no ſtrain to ſhed innocent blood; they are preciſe about ſmall matters, but for the weightier matters of the Law, as Mercy, Judgment, Fidelity, and the Love of God, they let them paſs; they honour the figurative Paſsover, but the true Paſsover they ſeize upon with bloody and ſacrilegious hands.
3. The matter of which they accuſe him. 1. That he ſeduced the People. 2. That he forbade to pay Tribute to Ceſar. 3. That he ſaid he was a King. How great? but withal, how falſe were theſe their accuſations? For the firſt, Chriſt was ſo far from ſtirring up Seditions, that he ſtrove and endeavoured to gather the People into one. O Jeruſalem, Mat. 23.37.Jeruſalem, how often would I have gathered thy Children together, even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, and ye would not? For the ſecond; inſtead of denying to pay tribute to Ceſar, Mat. 17.27. Luke 20.25.he paid it in his own particular; take twenty-pence out of the fiſhes mouth (ſaid he to Peter) and give unto them for me and thee; and give unto Ceſar the things that are Ceſar's (ſaid he to the People) and to God the things that are God's. For the third; inſtead of making himſelf a King, he profeſſeth that his Kingdom is not of this World; and when they would have made him a King, inſtead of flattering them,John. 18.36. John 6.15. he flieth from them; and that into the Wilderneſs; or into a mountain himſelf alone.—Thus much of the Accuſation,
2. For his Examination. Pilate was nothing moved with any of the Accuſations, ſave only the third: and therefore letting all the reſt paſs, he asked him only, Art thou the King of the Jews? Joh. 18.33.36.To whom Jeſus anſwered, My Kingdom is not of this World, &c. He ſaith not, my Kingdom is not in this World; but my Kingdom is not of this World; by which Pilate knew well that Chriſt was no enemy unto Ceſar: Chriſts Kingdom is ſpiritual, his government is in the very hearts and Conſciences of men, and what is this to Ceſar?— Hence Pilate uſeth a policy to ſave Jeſus Chriſt; they tell him that Chriſt was of Galilee; and therefore he takes occaſion to ſend him to Herod who was Governour of Galilee. But of that anon.
Ʋſe.How many Leſſons may we learn from hence; 1. Chriſt was accuſed, who can be free? The chief Prieſts and Elders of the Jews accuſed Chriſt; no wonder if thoſe that are chief and great amongſt us, accuſe poor Chriſtians: O there's a perpetual enmity between the ſeed of the woman, and the ſeed of the ſerpent; there is an everlaſting, irreconcileable, implacable enmity, and antipathy between Grace and Prophaneneſs, light and darkneſs, Chriſt and Belial: As it is reported of Tigers, that they rage when they ſmell the fragrancy of Spices; ſo it is with the wicked, who rage at the ſpiritual Graces of them that are ſincere for God.
2. Chriſt's Accuſers would not go into the Judment-Hall leſt they ſhould be defiled; the very prophane can learn to be ſuperſtitious in leſſer matters; how many amongſt us will make conſcience of outward Ceremonies (as of eating meats, obſerving dayes) but as for the weightier matters of the Law, Judgment and mercy, they leave them undone?
3. Chriſt is moſt falſly accuſed of Sedition, ſeduction, and uſurpation; it were indeed to be wiſhed, that they who take upon them the name of Chriſtianity, were guiltleſs of ſuch crimes; but let them look to it, who are ſuch: This, I am ſure, was Chriſt's Rule and Practiſe; Be ſubject to every conſtitution and authority of man, 1 Pet. 2.13. Rom. 13.2.for the Lord's ſake. If any dare to reſiſt the Power that is of God, they ſhall receive to themſelves damnation. Nor can we excuſe our ſelves, becauſe our Governours are not Godly; for all the Governours to whom Chriſt, and his Apoſtles ſubmitted themſelves, and to whom all thoſe ſtrict precepts of duty and Obedience related in the New Teſtament, were no better (for ought I know) than Tyrants, Perſecuters, Idolaters, and Heathen-Princes.
4. Chriſt is examined only of his uſurpation: Art thou the King of the Jews? the men of this world mind only worldly things: the Apoſtles ſo deſcribes them;Phil. 3.19. who mind earthly things. Pilate regards not Chriſt's Doctrine; but he is afraid leſt he ſhould aſpire the Kingdom; and concerning this, our Saviour puts him out of doubt; My Kingdom is not of this world. As Pilate and Chriſt, ſo Worldlings and Chriſtians are of different Principles, they mind earthly things; but our Converſation (ſaith the Apoſtle) is in heaven; our converſation (i.e.) the aim and ſcope of our hearts, in every action,Ver. 20. is only for heaven; whatſoever we do, it ſhould ſome way or other fit us for Heaven; we ſhould ſtill be laying in for heaven againſt the time that we ſhall come and live there; we ſhould have our thoughts and hearts ſet upon heaven: ſo it is ſaid of holy Mr. Ward, that being in the midſt of a Dinner very contemplative; and the People wondering what he was muſing about; he preſently breaks out, for ever, for ever, for ever; and though they endeavoured to ſtill him, yet he ſtill cryed out, for ever, for ever, for ever; Oh eternity! to be for ever in heaven with God and Chriſt, how ſhall this ſwallow up all other thoughts and aims? and eſpecially all wordly, careful, ſinful thoughts, aims, or ends?
2. Pilate having dismiſſed Jeſus, this hour is concluded with a ſad diſaſter of wicked Judas; then Judas which betrayed him, when he ſaw that he was condemned, Mat. 27.3.repented himſelf, &c. Now his conſcience thaws, and grows ſomewhat tender; but it is like the tenderneſs of a Boyle, which is nothing elſe but a new diſeaſe; there is a repentance that comes too late; Eſau wept bitterly, and repented him, when the Bleſſing was gone; the five fooliſh Virgins lift up their voices aloud, when the gates were ſhut; and in hell men ſhall repent to all eternity; and ſuch a repentance was this of Judas; about midnight he had recieved his mony in the houſe of Annas, and now betimes in the morning he repents his bargain, and throws his mony back again; the end of this Tragedy was, that Judas died a miſerable death; he periſhed by the moſt infamous hands in the world (i. e) by his own hands: he went and hanged himſelf. And as Luke, he fell headlong, and burſt aſunder in the midſt, and all his Bowels guſhed out. Mat. 27.5.In every paſſage of his death, we may take notice of God's Juſtice, and be afraid of ſin; it was juſt that he ſhould hang in the air, who, for his ſin, was hated both of heaven and earth; and that he ſhould fall down headlong, who was fallen from ſuch an height of honour; and that the Halter ſhould ſtrangle that throat, through which the Voice of treaſon had founded; and that his Bowels ſhould be loſt, who had loſt the bowels of all pity, piety, and compaſſion; and that his Ghoſt ſhould have its paſſage out of his midſt (he burſt aſunder in the midſt) and not out of his lips, becauſe with a kiſs of his lips he had betrayed his Lord, our bleſſed Jeſus.
Here's a warning-piece to all the world;Ʋſe. who would die ſuch a death for the pleaſure of a little ſin? or who would now ſuffer for millions of Gold, that which Judas ſuffered, and yet ſuffers in hell for thirty pieces of ſilver? Now the Lord keep our ſouls from betraying Chriſt, and from deſpairing in God's mercy through Chriſt. Amen, Amen.
I ſee one ſand is run, I muſt turn the Glaſs; now was the ſeventh hour, and what were the paſſages of that hour, I ſhall next relate,
SECT. II. Of Chriſt's Miſſion to Herod, and the Tranſactions there.
Luke 23.7.ABout ſeven in the Morning, Jeſus was ſent to Herod, who himſelf alſo was at Jeruſalem at that time. The reaſon of this was, becauſe Pilate had heard that Chriſt was a Galilean; and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, he concludes that Chriſt muſt be under his Juriſdiction:Ver. 8. Herod was glad of the honour done to him; for he was deſirous to ſee Chriſt of a long ſeaſon, becauſe he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have ſeen ſome Miracle done by him. That which I ſhall obſerve in this paſſage, is
Ver. 9.1. Herod's queſtioning of Jeſus Chriſt. 2. Chriſt's ſilence to all his queſtions. 3. Herod's deriſion; and Chriſt's diſmiſſion back again to Pilate.
Luke. 23.8.1. Herod, queſtioned with him in many words; what thoſe words were, are not expreſſed; only we have ſome conjectures from Luke 23.8. q. d. What! art thou he concerning whom my Father was ſo mocked of the Wiſe men? and for whoſe ſake my Father ſlew all the Children that were in Bethlehem? I have heard thou haſt changed water into Wine, and haſt multiplyed Loaves, whereon ſo many thouſands fed; come, do ſomething at my requeſt, which elſewhere thou haſt done without requeſt of any; come ſatisfie my deſire, work now but one Miracle before me, that I may be convinc'd of thy Divinity. I dare not deliver theſe words as certain truths, becauſe of that ſilence that is in Scripture; only we read that he hoped to have ſeen ſome Miracle done by him. Herod could not abide to hear his Word, and to bear his yoke: but he was well content to ſee the works and miracles of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Whatever his queſtions were, he anſwered him nothing: many reaſons are given in for this;Ver. 9. as, 1. Becauſe he enquired only in curioſity, and with no true intent or end;Prov. 26.4. Jam. 4.3. concerning which, ſaith the wiſe man, Anſwer not a fool according to his folly: And, ye ask and receive not (ſaith James) becauſe ye ask amiſs. 2. Becauſe Chriſt had no need of defence at all: let them go about to Apologize, that are afraid, or guilty of death; as for Chriſt, he deſpiſeth their Accuſations by his very ſilence. 3. Becauſe Herod had the year before put John the Baptiſt to death, who was that Voice crying in the Wilderneſs; now that Voice being gone, Chriſt, the Word, will be ſilent; he will not give a Word. 4. Becauſe Herod had been ſottiſhly careleſs of Jeſus Chriſt; he lived in the place where Jeſus more eſpecially had converſed, yet never had ſeen his Perſon, or heard his Sermons. It gives us to learn thus much; that if we neglect the opportunities of Grace, and refuſe to hear the voice of Chriſt in the time of Mercy, Chriſt may refuſe to ſpeak one word of comfort to us in our time of need; if we, during our time ſtop our ears, God will, in his time, ſtop his mouth, and ſhut up the ſprings of Grace, that we ſhall receive no refreſhment, no inſtruction, no pardon, no ſalvation. 5. Becauſe Chriſt was reſolved to be Obedient to his Father's Ordinance, he was reſolved to ſubmit to the doom of death with patience and ſilence; for this purpoſe he came into the world, that he might ſuffer in our ſtead, and for our ſins; and therefore he would not plead his own cauſe, nor defend his own innocency in any kind; he knew that we were guilty, though himſelf was not.
3. This ſilence they interpret for ſimplicity; and ſo, 1. They deſpiſed him. And, 2.Luke. 23.11. they diſmiſt him; And Herod with his men of war ſet him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and ſent him again to Pilate. They arrayed him with a white, glittering, gorgeous rayment: the word foreign, ſignifies gorgeous, bright, reſplendent, ſuch as Nobles and Kings uſed to wear: The Latines ſometimes render it, ſplendidam veſtem, and ſometimes candidam, or albam vestem, we tranſlate it a gorgeous robe; and the Ancients call it a white robe; in imatation whereof the Baptiſed were wont to put on a white rayment, which they called foreign; but whether it were white or no, I ſhall not controvert: The Original yields thus far, that it was a bright and reſplendent garment, ſuch as came newly from the fulling: many myſteries (if it be white) are found out here; ſome ſay, this held forth the excellency or dignity of Chriſt: White colour is moſt agreeable to the higheſt God; he many times appeared in white, but never in any other colour; and the Saints in heaven are ſaid to be cloathed in long white Robes: Rev. 4.4.and Peers, Kings, and Coeſars were uſually cloathed in white, ſaith Janſenius: Others ſay, this held forth the innocency of Chriſt, and that they were directed herein by Divine providence, declaring plainly againſt themſelves, that Chriſt ſhould rather have been abſolved as an innocent, than condemned as a malefactor.—But to leave theſe myſteries, the meaning of Herod was not ſo much to declare his excellency, or innocency, as his folly, or ſimplicity; certainly he accounted him for no other than a very fool, and ideot, a paſſing ſimple man. The Philoſophers (ſayes Tertullian) drew him in their Pictures, attired by Herod, like a fool, with long Aſſes ears, his nailes plucked off, and a book in his hand, &c. O marvellous madneſs! Oh the ſtrange miſtakes of men!Mat. 12.19. Mark 2.7. Mat. 12.24. John 8.48. in his life time they account Jeſus a glutton, a drinker of Wine, a Companion of Sinners: a Blaſphemer, a Sorcerer, and one that caſt out Devils through Belzebub, Prince of Devils: yea, and one that himſelf was poſſeſſed with a Devil. And now towards his death he is bound as a thief, he is ſtruck in the houſe of Caiaphas as an arrogant and ſaucy fellow, he is accuſed before the Sanhedrim of Blaſphemy; he is brought before Pilate as a malefactor, a mover of ſedition, a Seducer, a Rebel, and as one that aſpired to the Kingdom; he is tranſmitted unto Herod as a jugler to ſhew tricks; and now in the cloſe of all, he is accounted of Herod and his men of War, as a fool, an ideot, a bruit, not having the underſtanding of a man. But ſoft Herod; is Chriſt therefore a fool, becauſe he is ſilent? and art thou wiſe, becauſe of thy many words, and many queſtions? Solomon a wiſer man than Herod, is of another mind: In the multitude of words there wanteth not ſin, Prov. 10.19. Prov. 17.27, 28.but he that refraineth his lips is wiſe. Again, he that hath knowledg ſpareth his words, and a man of underſtanding is of a cool Spirit; even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wiſe: and he that ſhutteth his lips is eſteemed a man of underſtanding. Ah poor Herod, conſult theſe texts, and then tell me who is the fool? what? thou that ſpeakeſt many words, and queſtioneſt about many things which in time will turn to thy greater condemnation, or Chriſt Jeſus that was deeply ſilent to the worlds eternal Salvation? Paul was of another Spirit, and of another judgment concerning Chriſt, in him was knowledg; nor is that all, in whom was wiſdom and knowledg; nor is that all, in him were treaſures, and all treaſures of wiſdom and knowledg;Col. 2.3. In him are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledg; and yet that is not all neither, not only is wiſdom in him, but he is wiſdom it ſelf (for that is his name and title in the book of Proverbs) and yet by Herod and his Courtiers he is reckoned, arrayed, and derided as a meer ſimple man.
2. They diſmiſt him; in this poſture they ſent him away again to Pilate, to all their former deriſion they added this, that now he was expoſed in ſcorn to the boys of the ſtreets. Herod would not be content that he and his men of war only ſhould ſet him at naught, but he ſends him away through the more publick, and eminent ſtreets of Jeruſalem, in his white garment, to be ſcorned by the people; to be hooted at by idle perſons; And now was fulfilled the Propheſie of Chriſt, I was a deriſion to all my people, Lam. 3.14.and their ſong all the day.
Of this let us make ſome uſe. Was the eternal Word of God,Ʋſe. and the uncreated wiſdom of the Father reputed a fool? no wonder if we ſuffer thouſands of reproaches; We are made a ſpectakle unto the World, and to Angels, and to men; we are fools for Chriſt's ſake, ſaith the Apoſtle.—We are made as the filth of the world, 1 Cor. 4.2.10, 13.and are the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day. Chriſtians muſt wear the bage and livery of Jeſus Chriſt; we cannot expect to fare better than our Maſter, why then ſhould we deſpond? I never knew Chriſtians in better heart, than when they were ſtiled by the Name, of Puritans, Preciſians, Hypocrites, Formalists, or the like.
2. Let us not judg of men and their worth by their out-ſide garments; wiſdom may be, and often is clad in the Coat of a fool. As beggarly bottles oft-times hold Rich Wines; ſo poor robes contain ſometimes many precious Souls; in right judgment we ſhould look only to the mind, and ſoul, and inſide of a man, yea, to the hidden man of the heart: and for our ſelves, we ſhould look to the inward, and not to the outward adorning: men, and women eſpecially have rules for this, Your adorning let it not be that outward adorning, of platting the hair, and of wearing of Gold, or of putting on of apparrel, but let it be in the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible. 1 Pet. 3.3, 4.Oh what is it for a man to be cloathed in Gold, whiles his ſoul is wretched, and miſerable, and poor, and blind, and naked?
3. Let us admire at the condeſcention of Chriſt, who for our ſakes came down from Heaven to teach us wiſdom; and for us who were fools indeed, was content to be accounted a fool himſelf; yea, and if need had been, would have been ready to have ſaid with David, I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be baſe in my own ſight. I know this Doctrine is an offence to many;2 Sam. 6.22. 1 Cor. 1.23. Chriſt Crucified is unto the Jews a ſtumbling-block, and unto the Greeks fooliſhneſs. To tell natural men (ſuch as Herod, and his men of war) that this ſame Jeſus whom they mock, and ſet at naught, is the Son of God, and Saviour of the World,1 Cor. 1.26, 27. Ver. 25. they cannot believe; it is plainly evident, that not many Wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath called the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe; why this is the fruit of Chriſt's condeſcention, called the fooliſhneſs of God; wiſdom it ſelf was content to be counted a fool, that thoſe who are accounted the fooliſh things of the world, might be wiſe to Salvation.
4. Let us ſearch whether Herod and his men do not keep a rendezvouz in our hearts; do not we ſet Chriſt at naught? do not we mock him, and array him in a gorgeous robe? whatſoever we do to one of the leaſt of his Saints, he tells us that we do it to himſelf, Matt. 25.40, 45. and have we not dealt thus with his Saints? have we not dealt thus with his Miniſters?2 King. 2.23. when Eliſha was going up to Bethel, there came little Children out of the City, and mocked him, and ſaid unto him, go up thou bald-head, go up thou bald-head. A reproach of bald-head, round-head, given to a faithful Eliſha, or Miniſter of Chriſt, proclaimes you as bad as thoſe little Children, yea, as bad as Herod, and his men of war; ſuch Herod's were a little before the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, ſome there were then that mocked the Meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his words, and miſuſed his Prophets, 2 Chron. 36. and 16.untill the wrath of the Lord aroſe againſt his people, till there was no remedy. O take heed of this ſin, baniſh Herod out of your hearts, or Chriſt will never lodg there: ruine without remedy will ſeize on thoſe ſouls, that Herod like mock the Meſſengers of God, what is it but to mock the Meſſenger, the Angel of the Covenant, even Chriſt himſelf? as Herod ſent Chriſt away, ſo let us ſend Herod away, and give him a diſmiſſion out of our doores.
The hour ſtrikes again, and ſummons Chriſt and us to another ſtation: let us follow him ſtill, as Peter did when he went into the high Prieſt's Palace, and ſate with the ſervants to ſee the end.Mat. 26.58.
SECT. III. Of Christ and Barabbas compared; and of the question debated betwixt Pilate and the Jews.
ABout eight in the morning our Saviour Chriſt is returned to Pilate; who propounded to the Jews, whether they would have Jeſus, or Barabbas let loſe unto them. Ye have a cuſtome (ſaith he) that I ſhould releaſe unto you one at the Paſsover, will ye therefore that I releaſe unto you the King of the Jews?John 18.39, 40. Then cryed they all again. ſaying, not this man, but Barabbas; now Barabbas was a Robber. It is ſuppoſed that in this paſſage Pilate indeavoured Chriſt's liberty,Mat. 27.18. He knew that for envy they had delivered him, and he ſaw that Herod had ſent him back again uncondemned, and therefore now he propounds this medium to reſcue him from their malice,Mat. 27.17. Whom will ye that I releaſe unto you, Barabbas or Jeſus, which is called Chriſt? In the proſecution of this paſſage, I ſhall obſerve, 1. Who this Barabbas was. 2. What is the difference betwixt him and Chriſt. 3. How they vote. 4. Pilate's quaere upon the vote. 5. Their anſwer to his Quaere. 6. His reply unto their anſwer. 7. Their reduplication upon his reply.
For the firſt, what was this Barabbas, but a notable Priſoner? Matth. 27.16. One that had made inſurrection, and who had committed murther in the inſurrection? Mark 15.7. One that for a certain ſedition made in the City, and for murther was caſt into priſon? Luke 23.19. one that was a robber or an high-way thief? John 18.40. one that was the greateſt malefactor of his time? and muſt he be taken, and Jeſus caſt? muſt he be ſaved, and Chriſt condemned?
For the ſecond, what the difference is betwixt him and Chriſt, let us weigh them in the ballance, and we may find; 1. Barabbas was a thief, and by violence took away the bread of the needy, but Chriſt was a feeder and ſupplyer of their needs. 2. Barabbas was an high-way thief, wounding them that travelled by the way; but Chriſt was the good Samaritan that healed ſuch, binding up their wounds, and pouring into them Wine and Oyl. 3. Barabbas was a murtherer, and had ſlain the living; but Chriſt was the Saviour, reſtoring life unto the dead. 4. Barabbas was a ſeditious tumult-raiſer, he made a certain ſedition in Jeruſalem; but Chriſt was a loyal tribute-payer, and his commands were, give unto Ceſar the things that are Ceſar's. 5. Barabbas was a bloody revenger, a man of blood, that hunted after blood; but Chriſt was a meek and quiet ſpirit, and what with ſweating, binding, buffetting, bleeding, was now become almoſt a bloodleſs Redeemer: light and darkneſs have no leſs fellowſhip, Chriſt and Belial no leſs diſcord; here's a competition indeed, the author of ſedition with the Prince of peace; a murtherous mutiniere, with a merciful mediator; a ſon of Belial with the Son of God.—
3. For their votes, they give them in us; Not this man, but Barabbas, John 18.40. Aug. trac. 15. in Johan. Leo. Serm. de paſſ.q. d. let us have him crucified who raiſed the dead, and him releaſed who deſtroyed the living: let the Saviour of the world be condemned to death, and the ſlayer of men be releaſed from Priſon, and have his pardon. A ſtrange vote, to deſire the Wolf before the Lamb, the noxious and violent before the righteous and innocent: here was the Prophetick parable of Jotham fulfilled, The trees of the forreſt have choſen the bramble, and refuſed the Vine;—
But there is ſomething more obſervable in this vote;Jud. 9.14. the Jews had a cuſtom not to name what they held accurſed; I will not make mention of their names within my lips; and ſurely this ſpeaks their ſpight,Pſal. 16.5. that they will not vouchſafe to ſpeak the Name of Jeſus; the cry is not thus, Not Jeſus but Barabbas; but thus, Not this man, not this fellow; but Barabbas; as if they meant firſt to murther his Name, and then his Perſon.
4. For Pilate's quaere upon the vote, What ſhall I do then with Jeſus,Mat. 27.22. which is called Chriſt? Pilate gives him his name to the full, Jeſus, who is called Chriſt; his name is Jeſus Chriſt. There is more pitty in a gentle Pilate, than in all the Jews; in ſome things Pilate did Juſtly, and very well; as firſt, he would not condemn him before his accuſations were brought in; nor then neither before he was convicted of ſome capital crime; and becauſe he perceives that it was envy all along that drove on their deſign, he endeavours to ſave his life by ballancing him with Barabbas; and now he ſees that they prefer Barabbas before Jeſus, he puts forth the queſtion, What ſhall I do then with Jeſus which is called Chriſt? q. d. I know not what to do with him, it is againſt my light to condemn him to death, who is of innocent life: I could tell what to do with Barabbas, for he is a thief, a mutiniere, a murtherer, a notable malefactor; but there is no ſuch thing proved againſt Jeſus, who is called Chriſt, What then ſhall I do with him?
5. For their anſwer to this quaere, And they all ſaid unto him, let him be crucified. Mat. 27.22.This was the firſt time that they ſpeak openly their deſign; it had long lurk'd within them that he muſt die a curſed death, and now their envy burſts, and breaks out with unanimous conſent, and cry, Let him be crucified. O wonder! muſt no other death ſtint their malice but the Croſs? other deaths they had in practiſe, as the towel, ſtoning and beheading; more favourable, and ſuitable to their Nation; and will they now pollute a Jew with a Roman death? Magna crudelitas, &c. a great cruelty; Beda.they ſought not only to kill him, but to crucifie him, that ſo he might dye a lingering death. The croſs was a gradual and ſlow death, it ſpun out pain into a long thred, and therefore they make choice of it, as they made choice of Jeſus; let him dye, rather than Barabbas, and let him dye the death of the Croſs, rather than any other ſpeedy, quick, diſpatching death.
6. Eor Pilate's reply unto this anſwer, Why? what evil hath he done? Mat. 27.23.he was loath to ſatisfie their demands, and therefore he queſtions again, What muſt he dye for; was it meet that he ſhould condemn one to death, and eſpecially to ſuch a death, and no crime committed? Come on (ſaith Pilate) what evil hath he done? Auguſtine upon theſe words. Ask (ſaith he) and let them anſwer with whom he converſed moſt,Aug. tract. 15. ſuper Job. let the poſſeſſed who were freed, the ſick and languiſhing who were healed; the leaprous that were cleanſed, the deaf that hear, the dumb that ſpeak, the dead that were raiſed, let them anſwer the queſtion, what evil hath he done? Sometimes the Jews themſelves could ſay,Mark 7.37. He hath done all things well, he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to ſpeak. Surely he hath done all things well; he ſtilled the winds, and calmed the ſeas; with the ſpittle of his mouth he cured the blind; he raiſed the dead, he prayed all night; he gave grace, and he forgave ſins; and by his death he merited for his Saints everlaſting life: why then ſhould he dye, that hath done all things well? no wonder if Pilate object againſt theſe malicious ones, What evil hath he done?
Ibid.7. For their reduplication on his reply, they cryed out the more, ſaying, let him be crucified. Inſtead of proving ſome evil againſt him, they cryed out the more; as Luke, They were inſtant with loud voices; Luke 23.23.they made ſuch a clamour, that the earth rang with it, the cry was doubled, and redoubled, Crucifie him, Crucifie him; twice Crucifie him, as if they thought one Croſs too little for him. O inconſtant favour of men! their Anthems of Hoſanna, and Benedictus not long ſince joyfully ſpoken, are now turned into jarring hideous notes, Let him be crucified. And now is Pilate threatned into another opinion,Ver. 23. Mat. 27.24. they require his judgment; and the voices of them, and of the Chief Prieſt prevailed; ſo it follows, and when he ſaw he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, why then Barabbas is releaſed unto them, and Jeſus is delivered to be ſcourged,
Ʋſe.I would not dwell too long on Pilate, the high Prieſts, and Jews, the application is the life of all.—Now then—
1. Give me leave to look amongſt our ſelves, is there not ſome or other amongſt us that prefer Barabbas before Jeſus? O yes! thoſe that liſten to that old mutinous Murtherer in his ſeditious temptations; thoſe that reject the bleſſed motions of Gods own Spirit, in his tenders and offers of Grace; thoſe that embrace the world with its pleaſures and profits, and make them their portion; all theſe chuſe Barabbas, and reject Jeſus Chriſt, little do we think that every wilfull act of ſin, is a ſedition, a mutiny againſt our ſouls, another Judas Galileus that ſtirs up all the paſſions of our mind againſt our Jeſus. I cannot but think what drawing, and ſoliciting of our ſouls is made by vertue and vice in our paſſage towards the other world: on the one hand ſtands vice with all her falſe deceits,Wiſd. 2.6, 7, 8, 9. and flatteries, her tempatations are ſtrong, Come let us enjoy the good things that are preſent, and let us ſpeedily uſe the creatures as in youth, let us fill our ſelves with coſtly Wine and Ointments, and let no flower of the ſpring paſs by us, let us crown our ſelves with roſe-buds before they be withered, let none of us go without his part of jollity let us leave tokens of our joyfulneſs in every place; for this is our portion, and our let is this. On the other hand ſtands Vertue, or Grace with all the promiſes of future happineſs, ſhe points at Jeſus,Prov. 8.11, 18, 19. and cries, O come unto Chriſt and live; Wiſdome is better than rubies, her fruit is better than Gold, yea than fine Gold, and her revenue than choice Silver; they that love Chriſt ſhall inherit ſubſtance, and he will fill them with treaſures, even with durable riches. But Oh how many thouſands, and ten thouſands that neglect this cry, and follow vice? what millions of men are there in the world that prefer Barabbas before Jeſus? if we proclaim it in our pulpits that Chriſt is the chiefeſt of ten thouſands, that he is fairer than all the Children of men, that he is the Standard-bearer, and there is none like to him: that if you will have but Jeſus Chriſt, you need no more; yet do not many of you ſay in your hearts, as Pilate here, What ſhall I do with Jeſus that is called Chriſt? or as the devils ſaid elſewere, What have we to do with thee Jeſus thou Son of God? nay, hath not many times the ſecret grudgings of your reluctant ſouls accounted the gracious offers of ſpeedy repentance to be but as a coming of Chriſt to torment you before your time? Why alas, what is this now but to prefer Barabbas before Jeſus? you that ſwear as the Devil bids, and as Chriſt forbids, you that prophane Sabbaths, that revel, drink to exceſs, or it may be to drunkenneſs, ſurely your vote goes along with the Jews, Not this Man, but Barabbas.
2. Give me leave to look on the love and mercy of God in Chriſt; our Jeſus was not only content to take our nature upon him, but to be compared with the greateſt malefactor of thoſe times; and by publick ſentence, yea votes and voices of the People, to be pronounced a greater delinquent, and much more worthy of death than wicked Barabbas. Levit. 14, 4, 5, 6, 7.O the love of Chriſt! we read in Leviticus, that in the dayes of the cleanſing of the Leper, the Prieſt was to take two Birds (or two Sparrows) alive, and the one of them muſt be killed, and the other being kept alive, muſt only be dipt in the blood of the Bird that was ſlain, and ſo it muſt be let looſe into the open field. Barabbas ſay ſome; but all Believers ſay we, are that live Sparrow; and Jeſus Chriſt is the Sparrow that was ſlain; the lot ſell upon him to dye for us; all our ſins were laid upon his ſoul: ſo that in this ſence Jeſus Chriſt was the greateſt ſinner in the World, yea, a greater ſinner than Barabbas himſelf, and therefore he muſt dye, and we being dipt in the Blood of Chriſt muſt be let looſe, and ſet at liberty! was not this love? he dyed that we might live; it was the voice of God as well as men, Releaſe Barabbas, every believing Barabbas, and crucifie Jeſus.
Another hour is gone, let us make ſtand for a while; and the next time we meet, we ſhall ſee further ſufferings.
SECT. IV. Of Chriſt Stripped, Whipped, Cloathed in Purple, and Crowned with Thorns.
ABout nine (which the Jews call the third hour of the day) was Chriſt ſtripped, whipped, cloathed with purple, and crowned with thorns; in this hour his ſufferings came thick. I muſt divide them into parts, and ſpeak of them ſeverally by themſelves.
1. When Pilate ſaw how the Jews were ſet upon his death, he conſented, and delivered him firſt to be ſtripped.Mat. 27.27. Then the Souldiers of the Governour took Jeſus into the common Hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of Souldiers, and they ſtripped him. They pulled of his cloaths, and made hm ſtand naked before them all; He that adorns the Heaven with Stars, and the Earth with Flowers,Gen. 3.21. and made coats of skins to cloath our firſt Parents in, is now himſelf ſtripped ſtark naked; I cannot but look on this as a great ſhame: it appears ſo by our firſt Parents Adam and Eve, who no ſooner had ſinned, and knew themſelves naked but they ſowed fig-leaves together, and made themſelves aprons. Gen. 3.7.If Adam was ſo aſhamed of his nakedneſs before his own Wife (who was naked too, as well as he) what a ſhame, and bluſh was it in the face of Chriſt, when in the common Hall in view of the whole band, or company of Souldiers, he ſtands all naked? My confuſion is continually before me, and the ſhame of my face hath covered me, Pſal. 44.15.ſaith David in the Perſon of Chriſt. It is reported, in the Eccleſiaſtical ſtory, that when two Martyrs, and holy Virgins (they call them Agnes, and Barbara) were ſtripped ſtark naked for their execution, God pitying their great ſhame and trouble, to have their nakedneſs diſcovered, made for them a veil of light, and ſo he ſent them to a modeſt, and deſired death; but our Saviour Chriſt, who choſe all ſorts of ſhame and confuſion, that by a fulneſs of ſuffering he might expiate his Fathers wrath, and conſecrate to us all kinds of ſufferings and affronts, he endured the ſhame of nakedneſs at the time of his ſcourging; ſee here a naked Chriſt, and therein ſee the mercy of Chriſt to us; he found us like the good Samaritan, when we were ſtripped, and wounded, and left half dead, and that we might be covered, he quietly ſuffered himſelf to be diveſted of his own robes; he took on him the ſtate of ſinning Adam, and became naked, that we might firſt be cloathed with righteouſneſs, and then with immortality; oh what a bleſſed uſe may we make of the very nakedneſs of Chriſt?
2. Pilate gave him to be ſcourged; this ſome think he did upon no other account, but that the Jews being ſatiated and glutted with theſe tortures, they might reſt ſatiſfied, and think themſelves ſufficiently avenged, and ſo deſiſt from takeing away his life. That he was ſcourged is without controverſie, for ſo the Evangeliſt relates, Then Pilate took Jeſus and ſcourged him: John 19.1.and that Pilate might give him to be ſcourged on that account is very probable, becauſe that after the ſcourging, he brings him out to the Jews, proclaming, I find no fault in him; and before his ſcourging,Ver. 6. Luke 23.15, 16. he ſpeaks it more expreſly, He hath done nothing worthy of death, I will therefore chaſtiſe him, and releaſe him. And it adds to this, that howſoever the cuſtome was, that thoſe that were to be crucified muſt firſt be whipped, yet if they were adjudged to dye, their ſtripes muſt be leſs, and if they were to be ſet at liberty, they muſt be beaten with more ſtripes; Hier. in Mattheum Tom. 9.And Pilate endeavouring to preſerve his life, they ſcourged him above meaſure, even almoſt to death.
In this ſcourging of Chriſt I ſhall inſiſt on theſe two things; 1. The ſhame. 2. The pain.
1. For the ſhame, it was of ſuch infamy that the Romans Exempted all their Citizens from it.Act. 22.25, 26. Is it lawful for you (ſaid Paul) to ſcourge a man that is a Roman?—And when the Centurion heard that, he went, and told the chief Captain, ſaying, take heed what thou doſt, for this man is a Roman; the Romans looked upon it as a moſt infamous puniſhment, fit only for theeves and ſlaves, and not for free-born or priviledged Romans; and the Jews themſelves would not ſuffer it above ſo many ſtripes, leſt a brother ſhould ſeem vile unto them;Deut. 25.2, 3. If a wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the Judge ſhall cauſe him to lye down,—forty ſtripes he may give him, and not exceed, leſt if he ſhould exceed, and beat him above theſe with many ſtripes, then thy brother ſhould ſeem vile unto thee. Whipping is ſo unworthy a puniſhment, that only children, bondſlaves, and rogues were uſed to be corrected therewith, eſpecially if they exceeded the number of forty ſtripes;2 Cor. 11.24. when Paul was thus uſed, he tells us, Of the Jewes five times received I forty ſtripes ſave one. Theophilact ſayes they would not exceed that number, leſt Paul ſhould have become infamous, and ever after uncapable of publick office, and hoping they might have regained him, they would not brand him with that note of infamy. O then if one ſtripe above forty was ſo infamous amongſt the Jews, what ſhame, what infamy was this, when ſo many ſcores, hundreds, and thouſands of ſtripes (as ſome reckon them) were laid on Jeſus Chriſt? and yet our Lord doth not diſdain to undergo them for our ſakes, he bears in his body thoſe wounds and ſtripes that we had deſerved by our ſins.
2. For the pain; this kind of puniſhment was not only infamous, but terrible; no ſooner the Souldiers had their commiſſion, but they charged, and diſcharged upon him ſuch bloody blows, as if he had been the greateſt offender, and baſeſt ſlave in all the World.Nicep. l. 1. c. 3. Nicephorus calls theſe whippers bloody Hang-men, by the fierceneſs of whoſe whipping many had dyed under their hands.Boſq. de paſſ. Domini. pag. 840. The manner of their whipping is deſcribed thus; After they had ſtripped him, they bound him to a pillar, whither came ſix young and ſtrong Executioners, Scourgers, Varlets, Hang-men (ſaith Jerome) to ſcourge him, and whip him while they could; whereof two whipped him with rods of thorns; and when they had wearied themſelves, other two whipped him with ropes or whip-cords, tyed and knotted like a carters whip; and when they were tyred, the other two ſcourged off his very Skin with wires, or little chains of Iron; and thus they continued, till by alternate and ſucceſſive turns they had added ſtripe upon ſtripe, and wound upon wound, latter upon former, and new upon old, that he was all over in a gore blood. Iſa. 53.5.The Scripture tells us, that He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, and bruiſed for our iniquities, the chaſtiſement of our peace was laid upon him, and with his ſtripes we are healed; he was wounded, bruiſed, chaſtiſed, whipped with ſtripes; if you would know with how many ſtripes? ſome reckon them to the number of the Souldiers, Six hundred and ſixty, or a thouſand ſtripes? others reckon them according to the number of the bones, compacted in mans body, which ſay Anatomiſts are two hundred and ſixty, and Chriſt having received for every bone three ſtripes according to the triple manner of his whipping, they amounted in all to ſeven hundred and eighty ſtripes; others reckon them to five thouſand, above the forty which the Jews were commanded not to exceeed in.—And the truth is, if the whole band of Souldiers were the whippers of Chriſt (as ſome would have it) I cannot ſee but his ſtripes might be more than ſo; when the Son of an Iſraelitiſh woman blaſphemed God, the Lord ſaid to Moſes, Levit. 24.14.Bring forth him that hath curſed without the camp, and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him; now Chriſt had ſaid before all the band, that he was the Son of God, which they called Blaſphemy; and therefore why might they not all (according to this Law) lay their hands upon him, and fall upon him if not with ſtones (which now was turned into whipping) yet with rods, whip-cords, and little chains?
I ſhall not contend about the number of his ſtripes; but this is certain, that the ſouldiers, with violence and unrelenting hands, executed their commiſſion; they tore his tender fleſh, till the pillar and pavement were purpled with a ſhower of blood; and if we may believe Bernard, They plowed with their whips upon his back, and made long furrows, and after that they turned his back upon the pillar, and whipt his belly and his breaſt, till there was no part free from his face unto his foot. A ſcourging able to kill any man, and would have killed him, but that he was preſerved by the Godhead to endure, and to ſuffer a more ſhameful death.
We may read here a Lecture of the immenſe love of God in Chriſt to us poor Gentiles; he is therefore whipped that he might marry us to himſelf,Ʋſe. and never reject us, or caſt us off: we read of a Law in Moſes, that if a man took a wife, and hated her, and gave occaſions of ſpeech againſt her, and brought an evil name upon her undeſervably; that then the Elders of the City ſhould take that man, and chaſtiſe him, Deut. 22.18, 19.—and ſhe ſhould be his wife, he might not put her away all his dayes. There is a great myſtery in this ceremony; for that man (ſay ſome) was Chriſt, who by his incarnation betrothed unto himſelf the Gentile Church, but he ſeems to hate her, and to give an occaſion of a ſpeech againſt her, and to bring an evil report upon her, as Into the way of the Gentiles ye ſhall not go, and into the City of the Samaritans ye ſhall not enter; Mat. 10.5. Mat. 15.26.and it is not meet to take the Childrens bread, and to caſt it unto dogs. And now he is accuſed before the Elders, now he is whipt and chaſtiſed, and commanded by his Father to take her to his wife, and not to put her away all his dayes. I know there is much unlikeneſs in this myſtery, for Chriſt was not whipt for calling the Church adulterous, that indeed was chaſt; but he was whipt to preſent the Church as a chaft Virgin to his Father, that indeed was adulterous, Oh he loved the Church, and gave himſelf for it; Eph. 5.25, 27.—that he might preſent it to himſelf a glorious Church, not having ſpot, or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh; this was the meaning of Chriſt's whipping,Iſa. 53.5. The chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and with his ſtripes are we healed. Come then, and let us learn to read this love-letter ſent from Heaven in bloody characters, Chriſt is ſtripped who cloathed the Lillies of the Field; Chriſt is bound hand and foot, his hands that multiplied the Loaves; and his feet that were weary in ſeeking the ſtragling ſheep; Chriſt is ſcourged all over, becauſe all over we were full of wounds, and bruiſes, Iſa. 1.6.and putrifying ſores, and there was no way to cure our wounds, but by his wounds, our bruiſes, but by his bruiſes, our ſores, but by his ſores; O read, and read again, Chriſt is whipped, belly, back, ſide, from his ſhoulders to the ſoles of his feet, the laſhes eating into his fleſh, and cutting his very veins, ſo that (as ſome ſay with much confidence, though I know not with what truth) the gaſhes were ſo wide that you might have ſeen his ribs, and bones, and very inwards; what, was there ever love like unto this lov…? had he not been God as well as man, he could never have had in his heart ſuch a love as this; O it was a divine love, it was the love of a Jeſus, a love far ſurpaſſing either the love of men, or women, or of Angels.
3. They put upon him a Purple Robe, or a Scarlet Robe. John calls it Purple, John 19.2. Mat. 27.28.and Matthew Scarlet; howſoever ſome difference may be, yet becauſe of their likeneſs, they are put ſometimes one for another, They put upon him a Scarlet robe, it is in the Original a Scarlet Cloa… it was a looſe ſhort garment, at firſt uſed only by Kings or Emperors,foreign. and the colour of it was ſuitable to Chriſt's condition, for he was now purple all over, as well within it, as without it; his body and his garment were both of a deep dyed ſanguine colour. Some out of Zachary, Zach. 3.3.where it is ſaid that Joſhua was cloathed with filthy garments, conclude the old, ragged, thred-bare filthineſs of his robe; ſo that every thing ſhall have its office and ſeveral ſhare in his abuſe; the colour and the manner of the garment flouts his Kingdom; the bareneſs, his outward eſtimation with the people; the raggedneſs, his late ſcattered retinue; the fulledneſs, his ſtained, ſpotted life, as they pretended, ſaying, He was a Friend of Publicans and Sinners—but out of this darkneſs the Lord can bring light, he hath his myſteries wrapt up in the malice of his enemies; for both on his garment, and on his thigh was written a myſtery; and in this ſence,Rev. 19.16. what other is his garment but the embleme of his humanity? and what is his ſcarlet garment, but the embleme of his wounded body? that as he ſpake of the woman, She anointed him aforehand unto his burial; John 12.7.ſo Pilate in the myſtery cloaths him aforehand unto his bloody death.
4. They platted a Crown of Thorns, and put it upon his head; Mat. 27.29.a goodly Crown for the King of Kings, we read of many ſorts of Crowns, as of the Triumphal, Laurel, Naval, Mural, &c. but never till this did we read of a Crown of Thorns; a Crown it was to delude him, and a Crown of Thorns to torment him; in this we may read both his pain and ſhame: 1. For his pain, it boared his head ſaith Oſorius with ſeventy and two wounds; Bernard ſpeaks of many more, mille puncturis, &c. Ber. Serm. de paſſ. Dom.I know not what ground they have to number them; but certainly many wounds they made, and the rather may we ſay ſo; becauſe that after they had put it upon his head,Mat. 27.30. they took a Reed and ſmote him on the head: (i.e.) they ſmote him on the head to faſten the Crown of Thorns upon him ſurer, and to imprint it deeper, till as ſome think it pierced his very Skull. 2. Nor was it only pain, but ſhame; when Jotham put out his parable to the men of Sechem; Judg. 9.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.The Trees (ſaid he) went out on a time to anoint a King over them, and they ſaid unto the Olive-Tree, reign thou over us, but the Olive-Tree ſaid unto them, ſhould I leave my fatneſs, wherewith by me they honoured God and Man, and go to be promoted over the Trees? And the Trees ſaid unto the Fig-Tree, come thou and reign over us, but the Fig-Tree ſaid unto them, ſhould I forſake my ſweetneſs, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the Trees? Then ſaid the Trees unto the Vine, come thou and reign over us, and the Vine ſaid unto them, ſhould I leave my Wine, which cheareth God and Man, and go to be promoted over the Trees? Then ſaid all the Trees unto the Bramble, come thou and reign over us; and the Bramble ſaid unto the Trees, if in truth ye anoint me King over you, then come and put your truſt in my ſhadow, and if not, let fire come out of the Bramble, and devour the Cedars of Lebanon. As Jotham put out this parable in ſcorn of Abimilech, ſo the Souldiers in ſcorn put on Chriſt's head this Bramble Crown: q. d. Come, thou ſayeſt, thou art King of Jews, and therefore we will make thee a Crown of Bramble, King of Trees; by which means they proteſt againſt Chriſt as a feigned fabulous King, as if he were no fitter to be King of Jews, than the Bramble was to be King of all the Trees in the forreſt.
Ʋſe.How many leſſons might we draw from hence? they put upon his head a Crown of Shame, of Death, of Torture; who came to give us a Crown of Victory, of life, of glory. 2. Our ſins cauſed the Earth to bring forth Thorns, and Briers, and our Saviour muſt wear them, both to take away our ſins, and in the iſſue to take away ſins curſe, Thorns, or Bryers, or whatſoever. 3. From the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot, we were full of ſin, and Chriſt accordingly muſt ſhed his Blood from head to foot; their Whips did not reach his head, their nails could not pierce it without an end of torture;Iſa. 1.5. but now they draw blood from it, with Thorns; the whole head is ſick, ſaith the Prophet of us; and the whole head of Chriſt is bruiſed with Thorns to cure our ſickneſs. 4. Chriſt is not crowned with Thorns without a Propheſie, or a Type; here he is a true Lilly among Thorns; Cant. 2.2. Gen. 33.13.here he is as Iſaac's Ram tyed faſt by the head in Thorns; he was ever intended to be a ſacrifice, and a ranſome for our ſins, and to that purpoſe he was caught in a thicket, he was crowned with Thorns. 5. O what a ſhame is it for any of us to crown our heads with Roſe-buds, (as the wanton worldings could ſay) afo…e they are withered, to ſpend our time in vanity, Folly, Sin, when Chriſt our Lord had ſuch a grove of Thorns,Mat. 10.24, 25. growing on his ſacred head? The Diſciple is not above his Maſter, nor the Servant above his Lord, it is enough for the Diſciple to be as his Maſter, and the Servant as his Lord; if our Lord and Maſter was crowned with Thorns, ſurely the Members of Chriſt ſhould not be ſoft, delicate, and effeminate, wholly ſenſual, or gi…n up to pleaſures.Baruch. 6.7. 6. As every bird ſitteth upon the Thornes in the Orchard, ſo let us draw near, and make our neſts in theſe bleſſed Buſhes; let us abandon all the colours of other Captains, as the World, Fleſh, and Devil; and let us keep cloſe to the royal Standard of our King; under theſe Throns we may find ſhelter againſt all our enemies; from theſe Thorns we may undoubtedly gather Grapes, even a vintage of ſpiritual joy and gladneſs.
Now the hour ſounds again, and calls us to go forth, and to behold King Jeſus with the Crown wherewith he was Crowned in the Day of his eſpouſals. And this we ſhall do the next hour.
SECT. V. Of Chriſt brought forth, and ſentenced.
ABout ten Chriſt was brought forth and ſentenced. 1. For his bringing forth, I ſhall therein obſerve theſe particulars. As—
1. We find Pilate bringing forth Jeſus out of the common Hall, and ſhewing this ſad ſpectacle to all the People;John 19.5. Then came Jeſus forth, wearing the Crown of Thorns, and the purple Robe, and Pilate ſaith unto them, behold the Man: he thought the very ſight of Chriſt would have moved them to compaſſion; they had laſh'd him almoſt unto death, they had moſt cruelly divided thoſe azure channels of his guiltleſs Blood, they had cloathed him with Purple, crowned him with Thorns; and now they bring him out by the hair of the head (ſay ſome) and expoſe him to the Publick view of the ſcornful company, Pilate crying unto them, Behold the man, q. d. Behold a poor, ſilly, miſerable, diſtreſſed man, behold I ſay, not your King, to provoke you againſt him, nor yet the Son of God, which you ſay he makes himſelf to be; but behold the man, a mean man, a worm, and no man; behold how he ſtands disfigured with wounds, behold him weltring and panting, in a crimſon river of his own gore blood; and let this ſufficient, yea, more than ſufficient puniſhment ſuffice to ſatisfie your rage, what would you have more? if it be for malice that you are ſo violent againſt him, behold how miſerable he is; if for fear, behold how contemptible he is: As for any fault whereby he ſhould deſerve his death, I find no fault in him; he is a Lamb without ſpot, a Dove without gall; O come and behold this man, I can find no fault in him. Some Doctors affirm that while Pilate cryed out behold the man, his ſervants lifted up the purple robe, that ſo all might ſee his torn, and bloody, and macerated body; he ſuppoſed his words could not ſo move their hearts, as Chriſt's wounds, and therefore ſaid he, Behold the man; as if he had ſaid again, Look on him and view him well, is he not well paid for calling himſelf King of the Jews? now ſee him ſtript, and whipt, and crowned with thorns, and ſcepter'd with a reed, anoynted with ſpittle, and cloathed with purple; what would you more?
2. We find the Jews more inraged againſt Jeſus,John 19.6. When the chief Prieſts and Officers ſaw him; they cryed out ſaying, crucifie him, crucifie him. The more Pilate endeavours to appeaſe them, the more were the people enraged againſt him; and therefore they cry away with him, away with him; crucifie him, crucifie him. Ver. 15. Jer. 12.8.Now was fulfilled that propheſie of Jeremy, My heritage is unto me as a Lion in the forreſt, it cryeth out againſt me. The Naturaliſts report of the Lion, that when he is near to his prey, he gives out a mighty roar, whereby the poor hunted beaſt is ſo amazed and terrified, that almoſt dead with fear he falls flat on the ground, and ſo becomes the Lions prey indeed: And thus the Jews (who were the heritage of the Lord) were unto Chriſt as a Lion in the forreſt, they hunted and purſued him to his death, and being near it, they give out a mighty ſhout, that the earth rung again, Away with him, away with him, crucifie him, crucifie him. O ye Jews, children of Iſrael, ſeed of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, is not this he concerning whom your fathers cryed, O that thou wouldſt rent the heavens, Iſa. 64.1.that thou wouldſt come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy preſence? How is it that you ſhould deſpiſe him preſent, whom they deſired abſent? How is it that your cry and theirs ſhould be ſo contrary? The Panther (ſay they) is of ſo ſweet a ſavour, that if he be but within the compaſs of ſcent, all the beaſts of the field run towards him, but when they ſee his ugly viſage they fly from him, and run away; ſo the Jews afar off feeling the ſweet ſavours of Chriſt's Oyntments, they cryed, Draw me, Cant. 1.2.we will run after thee, come Lord Jeſus, come quickly; but now in his paſſion, looking on his form, they change their note, He hath no form, or comelineſs, there is no beauty, Iſa. 53.2.that we ſhould deſire him, away with him, away with him.
3. We find Pilate and the Jews yet debating the buſineſs; Pilate is loath to pronounce the ſentence, and the chiefeſt of the Jews provoke him to it with a threefold argument. As—
1. They had a law, and by their law he ought to dye, John 19.7. Ejus abſolvere, cujus eſt condere legem.becauſe he made himſelf the Son of God; thus the Doctors of the Law do accuſe the Author and Publiſher of the Law, but they conſider not the rule concerning Laws, He may lawfully aboliſh, who hath power to eſtabliſh; nor did they conſider that this Law concerned not himſelf, who is indeed, and in truth the Son of God: the Text tells us, that Pilate hearing this argument, was the more afraid. Pilate (ſaith Cyril) was an heathen idolater, and ſo worſhipping many Gods, he could not tell but that Chriſt might be one of them, and therefore in condemning Chriſt, he might juſtly provoke all the Gods to be revenged of him. This was the meaning of Pilate's queſtion, Whence art thou? what is thy Off-ſpring? of what Progenitors art thou ſprung? And from thence forth Pilate ſought to releaſe him.
2. The Jews come with another Argument, they threaten Pilate, John 19.12.If thou let this man go, thou art not Ceſar's friend; a forcible reaſon, as the caſe then ſtood; it was no ſmall matter to be accuſed by ſo many audacious impudent men of high treaſon againſt Ceſar, and therefore under this obligation Pilate ſeems to bend and bow; whom the fear of Chriſt's Divinity had reſtrained, him the fear of Ceſar's frown provoked to go on to ſentence and condemnation. Oh he was more afraid of man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, than of God himſelf, who made the heavens, and framed the world. Matth. 27 24.And yet before he gives ſentence, he takes water; and waſheth his hands before the multitude, ſaying, I am innocent of the blood of this juſt perſon, ſee ye to it.
3. In reference to this they engage themſelves for him, which was their laſt argument,Matth. 27.25. His blood be upon us, and our children, q. d. act thou as Judge, let him be condemned to dye, and if thou feareſt any thing, we will undergo for thee, let the vengeance of his blood be on us, and on our children for ever. Thus far of the firſt general.
John 19.13.2. For the ſentence it ſelf, When Pilate heard that,—he ſate down in the judgment ſeat, in a place that is called the pavement, becauſe erected of ſtones; but in the Hebrew Gabbatha;—This word ſignifies an high place, and raiſed above; it was ſo on purpoſe, that the Judges might be ſeen of men when they pronounced ſentence. And here Pilate ſitting down, he gave the doom. What was the form, or manner of the ſentence is a great queſtion amongſt Divines.Chriſoſt. 1 Cor. ſer. ult. de Elecmoſ. Chryſoſtom is of mind, that he pronounced no form at all, but only delivered Jeſus unto them to be crucified, Mark. 15.15. John 19.16. Others cannot yield to this, for to what end (ſay they) ſhould he then ſit down upon the judgement ſeat? and yet amongſt themſelves they cannot agree on a form;Anſel. de paſſ. Anſelme gives it thus, I adjudge Jeſus of Nazareth to that ignominious and ſhameful Death of the Croſs. Vinc. de paſſ.Vincentius thus, I condemn Jeſus, ſeducing the people, blaſpheming God, and ſaying that he was Christ the King of the Jews, to be faſtened to the Croſs, and there to hang till he dye. Many other forms are brought in by others, but that of Luke is I am ſure moſt authentick.Luke 23.24, 25. And Pilate gave ſentence, that it ſhould be as they required: and then he delivered Jeſus to their will. Here's a ſentence indeed, a delivery of Jeſus not to his own, but to his enemies liberty; to the boundleſs bonds, and all the poſſible Tortures of their own wills, and wiſhes. O unjuſt ſentence! Give me not over to the will of my adverſaries, Pſal. 27.12.cryes David; the will of malice is an endleſs wheel, it cares not how long it ſpins out pain, and therefore they cryed, Crucifie him, Crucifie him, let him be crucified. Amen, (ſayes Pilate) do what you pleaſe, Crucifie him, and Crucifie him as often as you will, it ſhall be as you require, Lo now I deliver him to your own will.
We cannot ſhake this tree without ſome fruit; from this ſight of Chriſt, and ſentence of Pilate, we may learn ſome good.—
Ʋſe.1. From this ſight of Chriſt, as he was preſented by Pilate to the people, we may learn remorſe: not any of us who have crucified Chriſt by our ſins, but we are called on at this time, to behold the man; ſuppoſe we ſaw him with our bodily eyes; ſuppoſe we had the ſame view of Chriſt as the Jews had, where he was thus preſented; ſuppoſe we ſaw him in the very midſt of us, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe, and the cane or reed held in his right hand; ſuppoſe we heard the voice of Pilate ſpeaking to us, as he did to the Jews, Behold the man; ſuppoſe we ſaw the purple robe lifted up, that we might ſee all under, how his body was torn; and that ſame voice from Heaven ſhould come to us,Acts 2.37. ſaying, This ſame is he whom ye have buffetted, ſcourged, crowned, crucified by your ſins: were not this enough to prick us in our hearts, and to make us cry, Men and brethren what ſhall we do? Oh we look at the inſtruments, and we cry, Fie on Pilate, fie on the Souldiers, fie on the Jews; but we look not on our ſins, ſaying, fie on them. Could we but reallize our ſins as the principal of theſe ſufferings of Chriſt, methinks our hearts ſhould break in very pieces: conſider, yeſterday in the midſt of our Markets ſo many lies were told, and ſo many oaths were ſworn; and this day ſo ſoon as the day-light ſprang, ſo many acts of prophaning the Lords day were committed by us; little did we think that all this while we had been ſtripping Chriſt naked, whipping Chriſt with rods, or little chains, cloathing Chriſt with a Purple-Scarlet Robe, platting a Crown of Thorns, and putting it on his head, ſceptring him with a reed, and ſaluting him in ſcorn, Hail King of the Jews. Men, Brethren, and Fathers, be not deceived, Chriſt is mocked, ſcorned, and thus abuſed by you when you ſin; your ſins thus dealt with Chriſt, and in God's acceptation your ſins thus deal with Chriſt even to this very day. Never ſay, it was long ſince Chriſt was crucified, and he is now in Heaven, for by your ſins you crucifie again the Lord of glory, you put him again to open ſhame; you ſtrip him, and whip him, and torment him afreſh. Oh look on him whom you have pierced! Pilate thought that if the Jews would but ſee the man, Behold the man, their hearts would have molified, and ſhall not I think as well of you? it is a bleſſed means to make ſin bitter, and to breed in our hearts remorſe for ſin, if we will but hearken to this voice of Pilate, Behold the man.
2. From the ſentence of Pilate, that Chriſt ſhould be crucified, as the Jews required, we may learn the deceitfulneſs of our hearts, in making ſelf the end, and aim of our particular callings. Pilate as Judge ſhould have glorified God in doing juſtice; but when he hears the Jews cry, If thou let him go, thou art not Ceſar's Friend, he then looks to himſelf, and his own intereſts. Judges can have their ends in the very place of judicature: nay, is not this the very common ſin of Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Tradeſmen, of all ſorts of callings; come, what is it you aim at in your ſeveral places? is it not to be great, and rich, and high, and honourable? ſay truly, is it in your hearts to ſay, that by this calling my chief aim is to glorifie God, and to ſerve my generation with all faithfulneſs; and theſe two ends I prefer before all worldly advantages whatſoever? O then what a bleſſed reformation would be amongſt us? if it be not thus, what are you but as ſo many Pilate's, that if you were but threatned into a ſentence, you would rather condemn Chriſt than your ſelves of enmity againſt Ceſar; ſuch would be the cry, Let Chriſt be crucified, and ſelf advanced.
Much more might be ſaid, but the hour ſtrikes again; Pilate is now riſen, the Court diſſolved, and Jeſus is delivered into the hands of the Jews for execution. How that went on, the next hour will ſpeak; only God prepare your hearts to hear devoutly, and to conſider ſeriouſly, what Jeſus the great Saviour of the World hath ſuffered for you.
SECT. VI. Of Chriſt's crucifying, with its appendices.
ABout Eleven, they prepare with all ſpeed for the execution: in the revolution of this hour we may obſerve theſe ſeveral paſſages. As 1 Their taking off the robe, and cloathing him again with his own rayment. 2. Their leading him away from Gabbatha to Golgotha. 3. His bearing the Croſs with Simon's help to bear it after him. 4. His comforting the women who followed weeping after him as he went. 5. Their giving him Vinegar to drink mingled with gall. 6. Their crucifying, or faſtening him on the Croſs, whereon he dyed.
1. The Evangeliſt tells us, They took the robe off from him, Mat. 27.31.and put his own rayment on him; Origen obſerves, They took off his robes, but they took not off his Crown of Thorns; what ſerved their intereſt, they purſued ſtill, but nothing of mitigation or mercy to the afflicted Son of Man. It is ſuppoſed this ſmall buſineſs could not be done without great pain; after his ſore whipping his blood congealed, and by that means ſtuck to his ſcarlet mantle; ſo that in pulling off the robe, and putting on his own rayment, there could not but be a renewing of his wounds.
2. They led him away. Some ſay they caſt a Rope or Chain about his neck,Mat. 27.31. by which they led him out of the City to Mount Calvary, and that all along the way, multitudes attended him, and a Cryer went before him, proclaming to all hearers the cauſe of his death; namely, that Jeſus Chriſt was a Seducer, Blaſphemer, Negromancer, a Teacher of falſe Doctrines, ſaying of himſelf that he was the Meſſias, King of Iſrael, and the Son of God.
3. He bore his Croſs. So John relates; before it bears him, he muſt bear it;John 19.17. and thus they make good their double cry, Crucifie him, Crucifie him; firſt Crucifie him with it as a burthen, and then crucifie him with it as a Croſs; thoſe ſhoulders which had been unmercifully battered with whips before, are now again tormented with the weight of his Croſs. As a true Iſaac bears the wood for the ſacrifice of himſelf; or Ʋriah-like, he carries with him the very Inſtrument of his own ſad death. O the cruelty of this paſſage! they had ſcarce left him ſo much blood or ſtrength as to carry himſelf, and muſt …e now bear his heavy Croſs? yes, till he faint and ſink, ſo long he muſt bear it, and longer too, did they not fear that he ſhould dye with leſs ſhame and ſmart than they intended him:Matth. 27.32. Mark 15.21. which to prevent they conſtrained one Simon a Cyraenean to bear his Croſs after him. How truly do they here again ſwallow the Cammel, and ſtrain at a Gnat? the Croſs was a Roman death, and ſo one of their abominations, hence they themſelves would not touch the tree of infamy, leſt they ſhould have been defiled, but to touch the Lords anointed, to Crucifie the Lord of Glory, they make no ſcruple at all; but why muſt another bear the Croſs, but to conſign this duty unto man, that we muſt enter into a fellowſhip of Chriſt's ſufferings?Mat. 16.24. 1 Pet. 2.21. If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his Croſs, and follow me.—And therefore Chriſt hath ſuffered for us, leaving us an example that we ſhould follow his ſteps.
4. He comforted the woman, who followed weeping after him as he went along. And there followed him a great company of people and of Women, Luke 23.27, 28.which alſo bewailed and lamented him; but Jeſus turning to them, ſaid, Daughters of Jeruſalem weep not for me, but weep for your ſelves, and for your Children. In the midſt of his miſery he forgets not mercy; in the midſt of all their tortures and loudeſt out-cryes of contumely, of blaſphemy, of ſcorn, he can hear his following friends weeping behind him, and neglect all his own ſufferings to comfort them, Weep not for me. He hath more compaſſion on the Woman that follow him weeping, than of his own mangled ſelf, that reels along, fainting and bleeding unto death: he feels more the tears that drop from their eyes, than all the blood that flows from his own veins: we heard before that ſometimes he would not vouchſafe a word to Pilate that threatened him, nor to Herod that entreated him, and yet unaskt how graciouſly doth he turn about his bleſſed bleeding face to theſe weeping women, affording them looks, and words too, both of compaſſion and of conſolation, Daughters of Jeruſalem weep not for me, but for your ſelves.—and yet obſerve, he did not turn his face to them until he heard them weep; nor may we ever think to ſee his face in glory, unleſs we firſt bathe our eyes in ſorrow. It is a wonder to me that any in our age ſhould ever decry tears, remorſe, contrition, compunction; how many Saints do we find both in the Old and New Teſtament, confuting by their practiſes theſe groſs opinions? the Promiſe tells us, that They that ſow in Tears ſhall reap in Joy; he that follows Chriſt,Pſal. 126.5, 6. or goeth forth weeping, bearing precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſs come again with rejoycing, bringing his ſheaves with him.
But what's the meaning of this, Weep not for me? may we not weep for the death of Chriſt?Deut. 34.8. Acts 8.2. do we not find in Scripture that all the People wept at the death of Moſes? that all the Church wept at the death of Stephen? that the Woman lamented the death of Dorcas? and if all Chriſt's actions be our inſtructions (I mean not his miraculous, or meritorious, but his moral ones) did not Chriſt himſelf weep for Lazarus, and for Jeruſalem? nay, is he not here weeping ſhowers of blood all along the way? and may not we drop a tear for all thoſe purple ſtreams of his? O what's the meaning of this, Weep not for me, but weep for your ſelves?
I anſwer, the words are not abſolute, but comparative. Chriſt doth not ſimply forbid us to weep for our friends, but rather to turn our worldly grief into godly ſorrow for ſin as ſin. Chriſt herein pointed the women to the true cauſe and ſubject of all their ſorrow, which was their ſins; and thus we have cauſe to weep indeed. Oh! our ſins were the cauſe of the ſufferings of Chriſt, and in that reſpect, Oh that our heads were fountains, and our eyes rivers of tears! Oh that our tears were as our meat and drink! Oh that we could feed with David on the Bread of tears, and that the Lord would give us plenteouſneſs of tears to drink! Oh that the Lord would ſtrike (as he did at Rephidim) theſe rocky hearts of ours, with the rod of true remorſe, that water might guſh out! Oh that we could thus mourn over Jeſus whom we have pierced, and be in bitterneſs for him, Zach. 12.10.as one that is in bitterneſs for his firſt-born!
Mat. 27.34.5. No ſooner he was come to the place of Execution, but they gave him Vinegar to drink mingled with Gall: in that they gave him drink it was an argument of their humanity; this was a cuſtom amongſt Jews and Romans, that to the condemned they ever gave wine to drink:Prov. 31.6. Give ſtrong wine unto him that is ready to periſh, and wine unto thoſe that be of heavy heart. But in that they gave him Vinegar mingled with Gall, it was an argument of their cruelty and envy.Theophil. in Mar. Theophylact ſpeaks plainly, that the Vinegar mingled with Gall was poyſonous and deadly, and therefore when Chriſt had taſted it, he would not drink, chuſing rather the death of the Croſs, to which he was deſtinated by his Father, than any poyſonous death.
Ʋſe.Ah brethren, are not we apt to think hardly of the Jews for giving Chriſt ſo bitter a potion at his time of death? and yet little do we think that when we ſin we do as much. See but how God himſelf compares the ſins of the wicked Jews to very poyſon;Deut. 32.32, 33. For their wine is of the wine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah, their Grapes are Grapes of Gall, their cluſters ar… bitter, their Wine is the poyſon of Dragons, and the cruel venome of Aſpes. In this reſpect we may think as hardly of our ſelves as of the Jews, becauſe ſo oft as we ſin againſt God we do as much as mingle rank poyſon, and bring it to Jeſus Chriſt to drink.
6. They crucified him, (i.e.) they faſtened him on the Croſs; and then lift him up.Mat. 27.35. A great queſtion there is amongſt the Learned, whether Chriſt was faſtened on the croſs after it was erected, or whiles it was lying on the ground? I would not rake too much into theſe niceties, only more probable it is that he was faſtened to it whiles it lay flat on the ground, and then as Moſes lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderneſs, ſo was the Son of man lifted up. We may expreſs the manner of their acting, and his ſufferings now,John. 3.14. as a learned Brother hath done before us; Now come the Barbarous inhumane hangmen, Herle contem. plat. on Chriſts paſſ.and begin to unlooſe his hands, but how? alas 'tis not to any liberty, but to worſe bonds of nails: then ſtript they off his gore-glewed cloaths, and with them queſtionleſs not a little of his mangled skin and fleſh, as if it were not enough to crucifie him as a thief, unleſs they flea him too as a beaſt; then ſtretch they him out as another Iſaac on his own burthen, the Croſs; that ſo they might take meaſure of the holes, and though the print of his blood on it gave them his true length, yet how ſtrictly do they take it longer, than the truth? thereby at once both to crucifie and rack him? that he was thus ſtretcht and racked upon his croſs, Pſal. 22.17. Ver. 14.David gives more than probable intimation, I may tell all my bones; and again, all my bones are out of joynt; which otherwiſe how could it ſo well be as by ſuch a violent stretching and diſtortion? whereby it ſeems they had made him a living anatomy; nor was it in the leſs ſenſible, fleſhly parts of his body, that they drive theſe their larger tenters, whereon his whole weight muſt hang; but in the hands and feet, the moſt ſinewy, and conſequently the moſt ſenſible fleſhly parts of all other; wherein how rudely and painfully they handle him, appears too by that of David, they digged my hands and my feet, they made wide holes like that of a ſpade, as if they had been digging in ſome ditch: the boyſtrous and unuſual greatneſs of theſe nails we have from venerable antiquity; Conſtantine the great is ſaid to have made of them both an Helmet and a Bridle—How ſhould I write on, but that my tears ſhould blot out what I write, Coloſ. 2.14.when it is no other than he that is thus uſed who hath blotted out that hand-writing of ordinances that was againſt me?
But the hour goes on, and this is the great buſineſs of the worlds redemption, of which I would ſpeak a little more; by this time we may imagine Chriſt nailed to the croſs, and his croſs fixed in the ground, which with its fall into the place of its ſtation gave infinite torture by ſo violent a concuſſion of the body of our Lord. That I mean to obſerve of this crucifying of Chriſt, I ſhall reduce to theſe two heads. viz. the ſhame and pain.
1. For the ſhame, it was a curſed death, curſed is every one that hangeth on a tree. Gal. 3.13.When it was in uſe, it was chiefly infflicted upon ſlaves that either falſely accuſed, or treacherouſly conſpired their Maſters death: but on whomſoever it was inflicted, this death in all Ages among the Jews hath been branded with a ſpecial kind of ignominy; and ſo the Apoſtle ſignifies when he ſaith, He abaſed himſelf to the death, Phil. 2.8. 2 Sam. 21.6. Deut. 21.23.even to the death of the croſs. It was a mighty ſhame that Saul's ſons were hanged on a tree, and the reaſon was more ſpecially from the Law of God; For he that is hanged is accurſed of God: I know Moſes's Law ſpeakes nothing in particular of crucifying, yet he doth include the ſame under the general of hanging on a tree; and ſome conceive that Moſes in ſpeaking that curſe, foreſaw what manner of death the Redeemer ſhould dye.
2. For the pain, it was a painfull death; that appears ſeveral wayes; As— 1. His legs and hands were violently racked, and pulled out to the places fitted for his faſtening, and then pierced through with nails. 2. By this means he wanted the uſe both of his hands and feet, and ſo he was forced to hang immovable upon the croſs, as being unable to turn any way for his caſe. 3. The longer he lived, the more he endured, for by the weight of his body his wounds were opened and enlarged, his nerves and veins were rent and torn aſunder, and his blood guſhed out more and more abundantly ſtill. 4. He died by inch-meal (as I may ſay) and not at once, the croſs was a death long in dying, it kept him a great while upon the rack, it was full three hours betwixt Chriſt's affixion and expiration, and it would have been longer if he had not freely and willingly given up the Ghoſt; it is reported that Andrew the Apoſtle was two whole dayes on the Croſs before he dyed, and ſo long might Chriſt have been, if God had not heightened it to greater degrees of torment ſupernaturally.
I may add to this, as above all this, the pains of his ſoul whiles he hanged on the croſs, for there alſo Chriſt had his agonies, and ſoul conflicts, theſe were thoſe foreign, thoſe pains, or pangs of death, from which Peter tells us Chriſt was looſed.Acts. 2.24. The word foreign properly ſignifies the pains of a woman in travel; ſuch were the pains of Jeſus Chriſt in death;Iſa. 53.11. Pſal. 116.3. the Prophet calls it, The travel of his Soul: and the Pſalmiſt calls it the pains of Hell, The ſorrows of death compaſſed me, and the pains of Hell gate hold upon me. The ſorrows, or cords of death compaſſed his body, and the pains of Hell gate hold upon his ſoul; And theſe were they that extorted from him that paſſionate expoſtulation,Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? he complains of that which was more grievous to him, than ten thouſand deaths, My God, my God, why haſt thou withdrawn thy wonted preſence, and left my ſoul (as it were) in pains of Hell?
Ʋſe.And now reflect we on the ſhame and pain! O the curſe and bitterneſs that our ſins have brought on Jeſus Chriſt! when I but think on theſe bleeding veins, bruiſed ſhoulders, ſcourged ſides, furrowed back, harrowed temples, digged hands and feet, and then conſider that my ſins were the cauſe of all; methinks I ſhould need no more arguments for ſelf-abhorring! Chriſtians! would not your hearts riſe aganſt him, that ſhould kill your Father, Mother, Brother, Wife, Husband, deareſt Relations in all the World? O then how ſhould your hearts and ſouls riſe againſt ſin? ſurely your ſin it was that murthered Chriſt, that killed him who is inſtead of all relations, who is a thouſand, thouſand times dearer to you than Father, Mother, Husband, Child, or whomſoever;Job 42.6. one thought of this ſhould methinks be enough to make you ſay, as Job did, I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes; Oh what's that croſs on the back of Chriſt? My ſins; Oh what's that Crown on the head of Chriſt? My ſins; Oh what's that nail in the right hand, and that other in the left hand of Chriſt? My ſins; Oh what's that ſpear in the ſide of Chriſt? My ſins; Oh what are thoſe nails and wounds in the feet of Chriſt? My ſins. With a ſpiritual eye I ſee no other engine tormenting Chriſt; no other Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiaphas condemning Chriſt; no other Souldiers, Officers, Jews or Gentiles doing execution on Chriſt, but only ſin: Oh my ſins, my ſins, my ſins!
John 3.14, 15.2. Comfort we our ſelves in the end and aim of this death of Chriſt; As Moſes lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderneſs, ſo muſt the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have eternal life. The end of Chriſt's crucifying is the material buſineſs: and therefore let the end be obſerved as well as the meritorious cauſe; without this conſideration the contemplation of Chriſt's death, or the meditation of the ſtory of Chriſt's ſufferings would be altogether unprofitable; now what was the end? ſurely this?John 12.32. 1 Pet. 2.24. Chriſt lifted up, that he might draw all men unto him; Chriſt hanged on a Tree, that he might bear our ſins on the Tree; this was the plot, which God by ancient deſign had aimed at in the crucifying of Chriſt, and thus our faith muſt take it up; indeed our comfort hangs on this; the intent, aim, and deſign of Chriſt in his ſufferings is that welcome news, and the very Spirit of the Goſpel: O remember this! Chriſt is crucified, and why ſo? that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have life everlaſting.
We are now at the height of Chriſt's ſufferings, and the Sun is now in his meridian, or height of aſcent,Mat. 27.45. I ſhall no more count hour by hour; for from the ſixth hour till the nineth hour (that is from twelve, till three in the afternoon) there was darkneſs over all the Land. But of that, and of the conſequents after it, in the next Section.
SECT. VII. Of the conſequents after Chriſt's crucifying.
THe particulars following I ſhall quickly diſpatch. As thus.—
1. About twelve when the Sun is uſually brighteſt, it began now to darken. This darkneſs was ſo great that it ſpread over all the Land of Jewry; ſome think, over all the World,Luke 23.44. ſo we tranſlate it in Luke, And there was a darkneſs over all the Earth; and many Gentiles, beſides Jews, obſerved the ſame as a great miracle. Dioniſius the Areopagite (as Suidas relates) could ſay at firſt ſight of it,Suid. in vita. Sa Dion. Either the World is ending, or the God of Nature is ſuffering. This very darkneſs was the occaſion of that Altar erected in Athens, and dedicated unto the unknown God. Of this propheſied Amos, And it ſhall come to paſs in that day that I will cauſe the Sun to go down at noon, Acts 17 23. Amos 8.9.and I will darken the Earth in a clear day.
The cauſe of this darkneſs is diverſly rendered by ſeveral Authors; ſome think that the Sun by Divine power with-drew, and held back its beams. Others ſay,Hier. in Mat. 17. Orig. tract. 35. in Matth. Dioniſ. Epist. 7. ad Policarpum. that the obſcurity was cauſed by ſ…me thick clouds which were miraculouſly produced in the air, and ſpread themſelves over all the earth. Others ſay, that this darkneſs was by a wonderful interpopoſition of the Moon, which at that time was at full, but by a miracle interpoſed it ſelf betwixt the Earth and Sun. Whatſoever was the cauſe, it continued for the ſpace of three hours as dark as the darkeſt winters night.
2. About three (which the Jews call the nineth hour) the Sun now beginning to receive his light, Jeſus cryed with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, Lamaſabachthani, my God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me?—And then, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, Matth. 27.46. John 19.28, 30. Luke. 23.46.he ſaid I thirſt.—And when he had received the vinegar, he ſaid it is finiſhed.— And at laſt crying with a loud voice, he ſaid, Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit, and having ſaid thus, he gave up the ghoſt. I cannot ſtay on theſe ſeven words of Chriſt which he uttered on the croſs; his words were ever gracious, but never more gracious than at this time; we cannot find in all the Books and Writings of men, in all the Annals and Records of time, either ſuch ſufferings, or ſuch ſayings, as were theſe laſt words and wounds, ſayings and ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt.John 19.30.—And having ſaid thus, he gave up the ghoſt. Or as John relates it, He bowed his head, and gave up the ghoſt: He bowed, not becauſe he was dead, but firſt he bowed, and then dyed; the meaning is, he dyed willingly without conſtraint, cheerfully without murmur; what a wonder is this? life it ſelf gives up his life, and death it ſelf dyes by his death; Jeſus Chriſt who is the Author of life, the God of life, layes down his life for us; and death it ſelf lyes for ever nailed to that bloody croſs in the ſtead of Jeſus Chriſt. And now we may ſuppoſe him at the gates of Paradiſe, calling with his laſt words to have them opened, that the King of glory might come in.
3. About four in the afternoon he was pierced with a ſpear, and there iſſued out of his ſide both blood and water. And one of the Souldiers with a ſpear pierced his ſide, and forthwith came there out blood and water. How truly may we ſay of the Souldiers,John 19.34. that after all his ſufferings they have added wounds? they find him dead, and yet they will ſcarce believe it, until with a ſpear they have ſearch'd for life at the well-head it ſelf, even at the heart of Chriſt: And forthwith there came out blood and water; this was the Fountain of both Sacraments, the Fountain of all our happineſs,Zach. 13.1. The Fountain opened to the houſe of David, and to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem for ſin and for uncleanneſs. There are three that bear-witneſs on earth (ſaith John) the Spirit, and the Water, 1 John 5.8.and the Blood. Out of the ſide of Chriſt being now dead; there iſſues water and blood; ſignifying that he is both our juſtification, and ſanctification. Phyſitians tell us, that about the heart there is a film or skin like unto a purſe, wherein is contained clear water to cool the heat of the heart, and therefore very probable it is, that, that very skin (or pericardium) was pierced through with the heart, and thence came out thoſe ſtreams of blood and water.—O gates of Heaven! O windows of Paradiſe! O Palace of refuge! O Tower of ſtrength! O Sanctuary of the Juſt! O flouriſhing bed of the Spouſe of Solomon! methinks I ſee water and blood running out of his ſide more freſhly, than thoſe golden ſtreams which ran out of the garden of Eden, and watered the whole world. Here if I could ſtay I might lengthen my Doctrine during my life; oh it were good to be here; it were a large field, and a bleſſed ſubject.
4. About five (which the Jews call the eleventh, and the laſt hour of the day) Chriſt was taken down, and buried by Joſeph and Nicodemus. But enough, I muſt not wear out your patience altogether.
Thus far we have propounded the bleſſed object of Chriſt's ſuffering and dying for us: our next work is to direct you (as formerly) in the art or myſtery, how you are to look unto him in this reſpect.