A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 34
CHAP. XXXIV. Seven Signs of Chriſts Triumph.
THE Sixth Grand Remark is, the ſeven Signs of Chriſt's Glorious Triumph, over even his moſt Ignominous Death, at that Juncture of Time, when his State of Humiliation was at its loweſt Ebb, in its laſt Accompliſhment▪ As Chriſt's ſeven laſt words, had a kind of coincidency with his ſeven laſt Wonders, in ſome particular Branches: So likewiſe thoſe ſeven Signs of Chriſt's Triumph over Death, while yet he did Hang upon the Croſs, have an Happy Coincidency with both his laſt words, and his laſt Wonders; and therefore little more than a bare Narrative of them, need be added here, ſave only a Diſcourſe in brief, upon the firſt and the laſt of thoſe Seven, which have not been at all touched upon before: Theſe ſeven Signs are theſe, 1. The Title upon the Croſs of Chriſt, [Jeſus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,] Mark the Over-ruling Hand of Almighty God: That this very Title of Chriſt's Crime, ſhould ſtand unalterably in theſe very Terms, when the Chief Prieſts, &c. did uſe their utmoſt Indeavours for the Alteration of this Inſcription, John 19.19, 20, 21, 22. Though thoſe Prieſts could prevail with Pilate, to paſs the Sentence of Condemnation upon Jeſus, contrary to the conduct of his own Conſcience, yet can they not, (with all their Rhetorick, &c.) perſwade him to alter this Inſcription▪ But ſtands ſtiffer in this, without any yielding, than he had done in Condemning Chriſt, for popular Applauſe: But he, who pleaſed the People in that, will not pleaſe the Prieſts in this, ſaying, [what I have Written, I have Written,] it was as unalterable a Superſcription, as if it had been the Law of the Meeds and Perſians, a Decree not to be changed, Dan. 6.8. whereas indeed, it was the unchangeable Decree of Heaven, that it ſhould ſtand thus; for the Great God, (by whom all Men Live, Move, and have their Being, Acts 17.28.) Thus guided Pilate's (the proconſuls) Hand, and Governed his Heart both to write this Title, and to Ratifie this writing againſt the Prieſts Minds. And Pilate wrote this Title to the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin; that all People out of every Nation, (flocking to Jeruſalem at this Paſchal Feaſt) might be able to Read and underſtand it, in ſome or other of thoſe three Tongues; and of one Tendency, to wit, for the Honour and Glory of Chriſt Crucified; and not either for the Vindication of the Juſtice of the power Condemning, (which was not a little to Pilate's own prejudice, in his Reputation and Injuſtice) or for the Shame and Diſgrace of the party Condemned, as is uſual in other Superſcriptions, fixed upon Dying Malefactors: But this, (however it was intended, as an Accuſation to brand Chriſt falſly with the Calumny of uſurping an Earthly Kingdom) Aſſuredly tended much for his Glory, ſeeing he was indeed Jeſus the Saviour; and he was indeed a King, more eſpecially of the Jews, and the True Iſrael of God: Thus the Mouths and Hands of Wicked Men, are ſo overpow'red by the Omnipotent Jehovah, that all is turned to the Honour of Jeſus, which they deſign for his Diſhonour; and the very Title upon his Croſs, (deviſed to ſhew the Crime, for which he was Crucified) becomes no leſs than a Crown of Glory to Chriſt beſide: This Inſcription being written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, made an open and publick Proclamation, to all the Knowing and Learned Men, in all parts of the known World, that our Lord Dyed as a Faultleſs Man, and altogether Innocent, even in the Judgment of Judge Pilate himſelf, who had ſo oft Abſolved him before, and now could fix no Slanderous Superſcription upon his Croſs, ſave this that had ſuch a Divine and Convincing Truth in it, without any foul Reflection, or Real Fault at all.
And Laſtly, By this Title thus writ in thoſe three Tongues, our Lord hath Sanctified thoſe three Learned Languages upon his Croſs; ſo that the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, may be Holily Studyed, Learned and Improved by Holy Men, for which they ought not to be upbraided with Learning the Language of the Beaſt, &c.
The 2d Sign of Chriſt's Triumph over Death, was the Converſion of the Thief, it being the firſt Fruits of the Power and Efficacy of Chriſt's Death, before he was actually dead, and the price of Redemption was fully paid, that Vertue ſhould flow from Chriſt's Death, before he dyed, even ſuch Soveraign Vertue, as not only to Save this Penitent now; but alſo all the Old Teſtament Saints, before he was in the Fleſh, as the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World, Revel. 13.8. in God's Decree, and in the Types of the Law, this was the Antitypes Signal Triumph.
The Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Signs of Chriſt's Triumph over Death were, 3. The Suns Eclips, 4. The Rending both of the Vail, and of the Rocks, 5. The Earthquake, 6. The opening of the Graves▪ in all which Works, our Lord proclaimeth himſelf the Mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Sun of Righteouſneſs▪ (when he was even going down under the Earth, and ſetting from the Worlds ſight) had ſtill a Triumphant power over the Sun the Firmament; and could draw a Curtain of Darkneſs upon its Splendour at Noon time. And as he then did ſhew the ſigns of his Triumph over the Heavens, ſo much more at that time likewiſe, over the Earth; for then as Lord of the Temple, he comes ſuddenly into his Temple, in his Triumphant power, Mal. 3.1. And Rends the Vail of the Earthly Temple, from the top to the bottom; yea, and Extends his Rending power to the firmer Rocks of the Earth; nor is this all, but he ſhakes the very Foundation of the whoſe Globe of the Earth, ſhewing himſelf to be the Lord of it, as well as of Heaven; and cauſing both of them to do Homage to him, their Lord and Soveraign: For as the Heavens here, (like thoſe Seraphims, Iſa. 6.2.) covered their Faces with a Vail, being dazled with beholding his Inviſible Glory, (now dying o… …e Croſs) 1 Pet. 1.12.) So the Earth Trembled at his preſence, feeling even then the power of its Omnipotent Creator; Moreover, to ſhew more fully a ſign of his Triumph over Death and the Grave, his Death opened the Graves of others, before he went down into his own Grave: His Death was the Death of Death it ſelf, Hoſ. 13.14. and ſwallowed up the Grave in Victory, 1 Cor. 15.54, 55.
The Seventh and laſt ſign of Chriſt's Triumph was the Centurions Teſtimony, together with that of the Souldiers, &c. Matth. 27.54. Mar. 15.39. Luke 23 47.48. Now when the Centurion and many more People, ſaw the Wonders wrought by our Dying Redeemer, theſe wonders wanted not their Wonderful Effects; for 1. The Captain of the Guard, (this Centurion) was wonderfully wrought upon by thoſe wrought wonders, inſomuch, that he Glorified God, (by confeſſing the Truth) ſaying, This was certainly a Righteous Man, this was ſurely the Son of God: And 2. The Pagan Souldiers, (with their Captain) were convinced; that ſuch Wonders could not be wrought by one, that was only a meer Mortal Man; but as that Mighty Monarch and Pagan, Emperour Nebuchadnezar, ſaw ſomething of the Glory of the Son of God, Dan. 3.25. So thoſe poor Pagans, got ſome glimmerings of Chriſt's Glory, when the blind Prieſts, and Learned Rabbies of the Jews, were ſo ſtupified, that their Seared Conſciences, had no Senſe or Conviction at all; And 3. All the People that came together to that Sight, beholding the things that were done, Smote their Breaſts, and returned: Luke 23.48. They Smote their Breaſts, as the penitent Publican did, Luke 18.13. being now awakened by thoſe Wonders, and ſmitten with their own Guilt, in giving their conſent to the Crucifying of Chriſt; and ſo furious was this Reflection upon themſelves, that out of Revenge and Indignation againſt themſelves, (as 2 Cor 7 11.) They would have ſmitten their own Heinous ſin, could they but come at it, when they thus as by his Word; when he is pleaſed to ſpeak in, and by them; and cauſeth Providences, to become Ordinances to us, as here by thoſe works of Wonder: 2. There is much more hope of gaining poor Pagans, and ſuch as never yet had the means of Grace, and of winning them over to God and Godlineſs, than of convincing Learned Heads, that have wicked Hearts; and ſuch as have blown upon the Goſpel. 3. So free is Chriſt's Love, that while ſinners are giving Death to him, he is Handing out Life and Salvation to them.
To all theſe Seven ſigns of Chriſt's Triumph, may be added the double ſign, which the Wound (made in his Dead Body upon the Croſs, by the Souldiers Spear, John 19.34.) powred forth, even the Water and Blood, as a Twofold Witneſs, that not only he was now Really Dead; but alſo that he was the Grand Sacrifice which had now Expiated the ſins of the World, and now had paid the full price for ſinful Mans Redemption according to that Eternal Covenant, made betwixt the Father and the Son, before the Foundation of the World: Though the Teſtimony of the Centurion, &c. be Recorded by all the three former Evangeliſts; and not by John, yet this Teſtimony is Recorded by John only, and by none of the other, ſo neceſſary it is to compare all the four Evangelists together, for compleating the whole Account of the Life and Death of our Dear Lord. And this Evangeliſt John, aſſures us of this great Truth, as being an Eye-witneſs of this double Witneſs in the blood and Water, John 19.34, 35. No more than what he ſaw with his Eyes, doth the declare to us, 1 John 1.3. He ſaw one of the Souldiers, pierce the ſides of Chriſt, (after he had given up the Ghoſt) with a Spear, and forthwith came there out Blood and Water, which the ſame Author in his firſt Epiſtle, calls the two things that bore Record or Teſtimony upon Earth. This is he that came by Water and Blood, not by Water only, but by Blood alſo, 1 John 5.6. Here was the foretold Fountain opened Zech 13.1… even the ſides of our Saviour, to waſh away Man's ſin and uncleanneſs. The God of Nature hath in ſuch Wiſdom, qualified the Natural Heat of Man's Heart, that nor only the Lungs are ſo placed, as to blow cool Air upon it; but alſo it is Situated as in a Veſſel of water, (called the Pericardium) for the Farther cooling of it; and this is a Received Rule, among all Learned Naturaliſts, that if this Pericardium, (or skin of water about the Heart) be pierced, it is impoſſible for the Heart, (which is the pr… mum vivens & ultimum Moriens, the firſt part that lives, and the laſt that dies in Mankind) ſhould preſerve life in it any longer: So that this Wound the Souldier gave our Saviour in his ſide, was a moſt manifeſt witneſs of the Death of Chriſt; and as the Water and Blood did Repreſent the two Goſpel-Sacraments, (Baptiſm and the Lord's Supper) which did properly flow from the ſides of Chriſt, (all the other five Mock-Sacraments, in the Romiſh Church, flowed only from the ſides of Antichriſt) ſo they Reſembled the two Grand Graces, the Water had the Reſemblance of the Grace of Sanctification, and the Blood of the Grace of Juſtification: Theſe two Graces, this beloved Diſciple would not have divided each from other; Therefore he ſaith, that Chriſt came by both, not by Water only, but by blood alſo: To ſhew, that we are both Sanctified and Juſtified, by the Death of our Dear Jeſus; the water of our Sanctifying grace, waſhes us from the filth of ſin; and the Blood of Juſtifying Grace, cleanſeth and purgeth us from the guilt of ſin: And ſeeing we are but in part, and not throughly Sanctified; (for there is ever ſome remaining Corruption uncleanſed, Joel 3.21, &c.) and 'tis only carryed on gradually, and (as it were) by Inches, therefore the main matter of the Joy of our Salvation, conſiſteth more in our being Juſtified; becauſe the grace of Juſtification, is one gracious Act, changing our State of Wrath at one inſtant, into a State of Favour with God; and ſpreading a Mantle, (as it were) to cover out of God's ſight, the Multitude of our black ſins (paſt, preſent, and to come) by the Red Robes of our Redeemers Righteouſneſs, imputed to us: So that this blood and water, hold forth both the imputed and the imparted Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and what our Lord hath joyned together, that let no Man put aſunder: No Man can be truly made partaker of that Righteouſneſs, which is imputed, unleſs he have alſo that which is imparted, our Sanctification, is a bleſſed Evidence of our Juſtification: We have not need of the blood only, but of the water alſo: And tho' this Apoſtle in 1 John 5.8. make three Witneſſes on Earth, the Spirit, Water, and Blood; yet he ſaith, theſe three agrees in one; for Gods Spirit, doth witneſs with our Spirits, that we are truly Juſtified and Sanctified by Chriſt, Rom. 8.15, 16. And this is highly Remarkable, that theſe Kill-Chriſt's can do nothing againſt him, but as God had Decreed, they may kill him, and wound him when killed; but the leaſt bone in this Paſchal Lambs Body, they cannot break, as it is written, Exod. 12.46. Numb 9.12. No more can Satan or his Imps, break the leaſt bone of Chriſt's Myſtical Body his Church. Let us now take a general proſpect of the Death of our Dear Redeemer; and make ſome profitable Inferences, from the Sundry Circumſtances thereof.
The 1. Inference is; Oh! What an heinous Evil, an only Evil, Ezek. 7.5. a very bitter thing▪ Jer. 2.19. is ſin, that could by no poſſible means admit of any proportionable Expiation or Commenſurate ſatisfaction for it; but either by the Death of the Son of God, the ſinners Surety, or by enduring the Eternal Flames of Hell in the ſinners themſelves, every Man, as well as the firſt Man Adam, hath eaten. the Forbidden Fruit of Sin; and the Divine Doom for that Crime of High Treaſon, againſt the Great God of Heaven, (the King of Kings) is dreadfully Denounced in the open Court of the Holy Scriptures; to wit, that the Sinner ſhall ſurely Die, either by himſelf, or or by his Surety: There is an infinite offence in every Act of ſin, as it is acted againſt the Authority of an Infinite God: And ſhould the ſinner live for ever upon Earth, he would ſin for ever againſt Heaven; therefore Eternal Torments are appointed, for that Eternal principle of ſinning in the faln ſinner, to ſatisfie Divine Juſtice. And ſuch ſuitable ſatisfaction thereunto, the Higheſt and moſt Glorious of all the Created Angels in Heaven, (much leſs any Mortal Man, or the Mightieſt Monarch upon Earth) could not poſſibly undertake to make: No, it muſt be only the only Son of God, that could pay down the full price of our Redemption.
The 2. Inference is; Oh! what a ſad caſe is this, that of all Impenitent Ones and Unbelievers, who have no intereſt in the Death of this Son of God, who Dyed as the Son of Man, to ſatisfie the Juſtice of God, from the ſins of Men: Theſe cannot ſay, that Chriſt dyed for us, as Gal. 2.20, &c. He gave his Life a Ranſom for many, Matth. 20.28. But for none ſuch as theſe; and therefore they are like, (unleſs they Repent and Believe) to bear the Eternal Wrath of God, (yea, and it may be of Man for a while too) in themſelves, which our Dear Redeemer hath born upon the Croſs, for all True Penitent and Believing Perſons.
The 3. Inference is; Oh! how Hateful and Sinful, Rom. 7.13. ſhould ſin be to every Soul, that coſt our Saviour ſo much unparallel'd Sufferings, to ſatisfie for it, ſurely could we but take a view of ſin, as it lay on our Saviour's Back with ſuch weight, as to ſqueeze out his very Hearts blood out of▪ his Body, we ſhould then hate it with a perfect Hatred, for Torturing him whom our Souls love. Nature teacheth us to avoid that Wound, which is hardeſt to Cure, and moſt Mortal to Life; therefore do we guard, (to our utmoſt) our Heads and Hearts, with holding our Hands betwixt them and the Blows: And ſhould not Grace teach us to avoid ſin, which makes the worſt Wound in the World, as it wounds the Soul, and ſo hard to Cure; that the Son of God muſt be killed before the Soul, (Stab'd by ſin) can be Cured: No leſs than the warm Blood of Chriſt on the Croſs, can be a Salve Soveraign, and ſufficient enough to heal that Incurable Sore: They are fools that think it an eaſie thing, which Chriſt found ſo coſtly to Reconcile ſinful Man unto an Holy God.
The 4. Inference is; Oh! that we could do to the Curſed Body of ſin, (ſo called, Rom. 6.6. Col. 2.11.) what thoſe Curſed Kill-Chriſts, did to the Bleſſed Body of our Saviour: As they did to him, ſo ſhould we do to ſin: We ſhould 1. Apprehhend it in its places of Retirement, knowing its Haunts, as Saul did David's: 2. When Apprehended, bind it Hand and Foot▪ that it may not break out into any more Misbehaviour. 3. Lead it, (bound with Hands behind) away to be Judged in the Court of Conſcience: 4. Arraign it at that Bar, not with falſe Witneſſes, but true ones, whereof we need not want great Store, when Proceſs and Pleading againſt it, are impartially managed, Oh! what black large and long Bills of Inditenient may be drawn up againſt ſin; for doing us Miſchief, Imprimis, at ſuch a time and place. Item, in ſuch a day and duty, and a Thouſand Items to follow that to the end. 5. Condemn it therefore, ſaying with Saul, that which hath done this Deed, ſhall Die, though the Lot fall on my Son Jonathan, my peccatum in Delicijs my beſt beloved ſin: 6. Then ſpit in its face, the time would fail to Deſcant upon all, 7. Crown it with Thorns, 8. Beat it, Buffet it, and Scourge it, yea, let it be ſtripped, as well as ſtriped. 9. Nail it to the Croſs ſo faſt, that it may never ſtir Hands or Feet more, but be Crucified:
The 5. Inference is; Oh! that we could behold the Man, how this God-Man Chriſt Jeſus, dyed with his Arms ſpread on the Croſs, as the place of his Birth was an Inn. which entertains all that come to it, with great Gates wide opened: So this was the poſture of his Death, ready to Imbrace all that come by Faith and Repentance, and ſuch as do ſo come, he will in no wiſe caſt them out, John 6.37.
The 6. Inference is; Oh! how ſhould our Conſciences bleed, to behold Chriſt bleeding to Death upon the Croſs, conſidering theſe following Motives, as Firſt, that we were thoſe Hard-hearted Jews, and our Sins were the Nails which faſtened our ſweet Saviour to his ſuffering, that worſt of Deaths, (the moſt Accurſed, Shameful, Painful, Lingring, and moſt expoſed Death) upon the Croſs; where he was Hanged thereon, as our Surety in our ſtead: Though thoſe that beheld him then, did moſtly Taunt and Deride him, while he was in Crucifying, (as above) yet may not we do ſo, when we behold Chriſt Crucified before our Eyes, in his Word and Sacraments, Gal. 3.1. 1 Cor. 2.2: We muſt mourn over him, whom we have pierced, Zech. 12.10. and behold him with bleeding Hearts and not Crucifie to our ſelves, the Son of God afreſh, and put him again to an open ſhame, Hebr. 6.6. How much ſorer puniſhment are ſuch Sentenced to be worthy off, Hebr. 10.29. &c. It was we who Eat the ſowr Grapes, (the forbidden Fruit) and our Saviours Te…th are ſet on edge therewith, &c.
Secondly, That Chriſt Dyed the baſeſt of Death's, to teach us the Deſert of our ſins, for which we all deſerve to Die the worſt kind of Deaths, as he did for us; whereby he hath not only purchaſed a more Calm, Quiet, and Comfortable Death, that we may die in our Neſts, (as Job ſaith) chap. 29.18. that is, at my own Home, and upon my own Couch or Reſting-place: But alſo he Sanctified all ſorts of Death to his Saints, whether they be Hanged, Drowned, or Burned, whether they be ſawn aſunder, or ſlain with the Sword, &c. Heb. 11.37. Our Lord and ſinleſs Saviour, deſerved to die the beſt of Deaths; yea, not to die at all, ſeeing Death is the Wages of ſin. Rom. 6.23. Where no ſin is found, there no Death is due: Yet as he became the ſurety for ſinful Man, ſo the worſt of Deaths (due to us) himſelf dyed for us: He dyed in a ſhameful place, to purchaſe a better place for us to die in, he died in the Field, that we may die in our Houſes; he dyed in that baſe place of Skulls, that we may die in the beſt Room of our Dwellings; and he dyed on his Croſs, that we may die in our Beds, and that among our Friends, and with Eaſe and Comfort: For Chriſt's dying among his Enemies, and with utmoſt Extremity and Deſertion, hath purchaſed it for us. But ſuppoſe any Saints be brought to die a Dolorous, and violent Death, (as their Lord did; and as many Martyrs in all Ages have done, and ſtill daily do) and tho' they muſt ſay therein, as the Penitent Thief ſaid upon the Croſs, [we indeed are juſtly in this ſame Condemnation; for we Receive the due Reward of our Deeds;] Luke 23.40.41, yet hath our Saviour. by ſuffering the bittereſt of Deaths, ſo Sanctified all ſorts of ſuch ſhameful and painful Deaths to his Saints, that there is not one Dram, no, nor ſo much as a Grain, (though Deſerted Souls do find a Scruple) of the Poiſon of the Wrath of God therein: Naturaliſts do relate, that the Beaſts of the Field dare not drink of the Fountain, untill the Unicorn come firſt to dip in his Horn; which ſucks up all the Venom out of the Waters, and then the Beaſts dare drink moſt freely: So our Saviour by his Curſed Death, hath ſ…ked up all the Curſe of every ſort of Death, into himſelf, he hath drunk up the bitter part of the Cup, leaving only the ſweet for us: Inſomuch that all who die in the Faith, Hebr. 11.13. (though they be drown'd in Water, on burn'd in the Fire, &c.) yet do they die in the Favour of God, though they die by the Frowns of Men: Therefore ſhould our Conſciences be greatly concerned, and our Hearts bleed freely, melting kindly into Tears, and Tenderneſs while a bleeding Dying Jeſus is ſet before our Contemplations: Oh! how melting ſhould be our Meditations upon Chriſt's Death: 'Tis a Rule in Phyſick, that Diverting the Circulating courſe of the Blood, is the beſt Expedient for Curing any exceſſive bleeding in any part, as bleeding a Vain in the Arm, ſtops immoderate bleeding at the Noſe: Would to God we could thus correct our exceſſive Weepings for Loſſes and Croſſes, by Diverting that over-free, (becauſe a Natural) iſſue, by giving a due Vent to our Weeping over our Dear Redeemer, thus Dying, and bleeding to Death for ſaving our Souls, and making ſatisfaction for our ſins.
Laſtly, Learn hence to love the Lord Jeſus, our Jonah, as that Prophet Jonah could not endure the Eaſt-wind to blow, and the Sun-ſhines Heat to beat upon his Head for himſelf; yet could be content to be caſt over board into the Sea to be Drowned, for ſaving the Ship and its whole Crew. So our Lord would not turn ſtones into Bread, nor come down from the Croſs, when he could have ſo done to ſave himſelf; yet turns water into Wine for us, and is content to be Crucified for ſaving his Church and Children: Our Jonah is caſt overboard, then Juſtice is calm, the Storm ceaſeth, &c.