Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 10

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 2 · Chapter 10

p. 333CHAP. X. Concerning the Teſtimony of the BLOƲD, the Second Witneſs on Earth.

THE next Witneſs which comes in order to be examined is the BLOUD: by which, I told you, we are to underſtand the Crucifixion and Death of the Lord Jeſus, with all the attendants of it. This is a Witneſs which the greateſt enemies of Chriſtianity cannot but confeſs was heard to ſpeak in his behalf. The ſtubborn Jews, who will be loth to grant that a voice from heaven declared him the Son of God, cannot deny that their forefathers imbrued their hands in his bloud. For in the Babylonian Talmud **Vid. Horae Hebr. in Matt. p. 3…9. & Tzemach David ad an. 3761.it is delivered as a tradition among them, that they hanged Jeſus foreign in the evening of the Paſſeover: and that a Crier went before him forty days, ſaying, He is to be carried forth to be ſtoned, for conjuring and drawing Iſrael to Apoſtaſy. If any one can ſpeak any thing for him to prove him innocent, let him appear. It is an hard matter p. 334to have any truth from theſe fabulous people, without the mixture of a tale together with it. When they cannot gainſay what we believe, that their Nation were the great Inſtruments of his death, they endeavour to find falſe reaſons for ſo villanous a Murther.

But they granting that his Bloud was ſhed by them, we ſhall ſoon prove it was for another cauſe; even that which is recorded in our Books. Which none ever undertook to confute, though they were put forth in the face both of Jews and Romans: who might long ſince have expoſed our Religion to ſhame, if Pontius Pilate could have averred out of the Records of the Court where our Saviour was judged, that things were not ſo as his Diſciples have related. And that this Bloud of his ſo ſhed, and upon ſuch an account as we have received, is of very great force to induce us to believe another World, and an eternall Happineſs there for us with Jeſus, I am now to demonſtrate; and ſhall eaſily make good, unleſs we will entertain ſuch low and ſlight thoughts of him, as no man can ſuffer to lodge in his mind, who attends to the Doctrine he preached, and all the p. 335arguments which prove him to be the Son of God. That alone indeed is ſufficient to juſtify all that he preached; particularly, that God by him will give Eternall Life to thoſe that obey him. If he be ſo nearly related to God, (as even his Bloudy Death, I ſhew'd in the former Treatiſe, proved him to be,) we may believe him when he ſays that, As the Father hath life in himſelf, ſo hath he given to the Son to have life in himſelf. But I ſhall wave this generall way of reaſoning, though undeniable; and offer ſome things more particular to every one's ſerious conſideration.

I. It is apparent by the whole ſtory, which it would be too long to relate, that to lay down his life was an act perfectly voluntary in our Saviour, who, if he had pleaſed, might have avoided it. He might have choſen whether he would have died or no: for no man (as he ſaid x. Joh. 18.) could take his life away, but he laid it down of himſelf; openly profeſſing, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. He need not have faln into their cruel hands, it is plain, unleſs he had freely conſented to it. And when they were about to apprehend him, p. 336many legions of Angels were ready for his reſcue, if he had pleaſed to lay his commands upon them. xxvi. Matt. 53. Nay, when he made the Souldiers feel his power, ſo that they went backward, and fell to the ground, (xviii. Joh. 6.) he could withall have eſcaped and gone his ways, as he had done at other times; when this reaſon alone is given why they did not apprehend him, as they attempted, becauſe his hour was not yet come: vii. Joh. 30. viii. 20. that is, He did not ſee it to be the fitteſt time for him to reſign up himſelf to their power.

Now it cannot enter into man's deliberate thoughts, that he would have ſo freely, without any conſtraint or reſiſtence, given up his life; eſpecially when by preſerving it he might have lived in great repute, eſteem and admiration of the people, yea, have been honoured for eſcaping out of the hands of his enemies; if he had not been ſure of ETERNALL LIFE and a greater glory in the Heavens, which he ſhould win by going ſo willingly out of this preſent world. He that ſaved others, could ſurely have ſaved himſelf, and ſpoiled their jeer; (xxvii. Matt. 42.) if his will had not been p. 337otherwiſe reſolved. He that raiſed Lazarus from the dead, could have more eaſily ſtruck all his oppoſers dead at his feet; if it had been his pleaſure. What ſhould make his will then thus bent upon death? What hindred the putting forth of his power for himſelf, which it is manifeſt he ſo often uſed for the benefit of others? What could move him ſo tamely, like a Lamb, to give his throat to the bloudy knife, and to hang ſo meekly upon an infamous croſs; if it were not the contemplation of an incomparable felicity which he hoped to obtain, by his Obedience to God, and bearing witneſs to the Truth?

All men of ſenſe cannot chuſe but look upon this as an undoubted Argument, that he himſelf ſtedfaſtly believed, and had good aſſurance of, the truth of what he preached. For who is there that can find in his heart to die, and die in ſuch a manner, ſo painfully and with ſuch ignominy, for that which he thinks in his conſcience is falſe, nay, does not know to be certain? It is next to an impoſſibility, that any man in his wits ſhould ſo far forget himſelf, as to be forward to throw away all he hath, againſt the p. 338ſtrongeſt inclinations and perſwaſions of nature, which abhors death, and moſt of all a cruell and diſgracefull death, merely to juſtifie a lie; which humane Nature is aſhamed of, without the help of torments to make it odious. There have been ſundry examples of raſhneſs and fooliſh boldneſs; but none can be produced, nor eaſily imagined, of ſuch an one as this. For what can a man propoſe to himſelf, who lays his life at the ſtake, to make good that which he believes hath no truth in it? What can he hope to get by ſuch a mad reſolved obſtinacy? No man attempts any thing without an end; much leſs will he expoſe his life to the leaſt hazzard, without a cauſe of ſome moment. What can you ſee then in this caſe weighty enough to be caſt into the balance againſt a man's life, which ſhould make him ſacrifice it freely, as our Saviour did? Riches, and all the Pleaſures they can provide for us, could be of no conſideration; becauſe they will doe a man no ſervice when he is dead, and our Saviour had no poſterity to whom to leave them. Honour and Fame alſo ſeem to be of as little value; for what ſatisfaction is it to be talkt of in the world, when we have left it, and hear nothing p. 339of what is done in it? Yet this is all that can be imagined to have any power in this buſineſs. One may poſſibly, you may fanſy, for to get a great Name in the world by being the Authour of a new Opinion or Sect, throw away his life; though he know that he doth but broach a lie. A ſtrange ſuppoſition this is, which a man in his right ſenſes, one would think, ſhould not be inclined to make. But ſince ſome have pretended it is poſſible, I ſhall briefly ſhew that it could have no hand in our Saviour's Sufferings. As will appear if we conſider, either the Circumſtances of his Death, or the quality of his Doctrine, or the manner of his Life.

II. The Circumſtances of his Death were ſuch, that if they be but a little examined, you will preſently find there is no place for this conceit. For (1.) it ſtands upon good record, that He himſelf knew of his death beforehand, and foretold it, with the manner of it: and yet was ſo far from endeavouring to avoid it, that he went of his own accord to the very place where he knew they would come to apprehend him. This is a plain declaration that he was no Impoſtour. p. 340For though you may fanſy a man tickled with ſo much vain-glory, that he will not ſtick to embrace death, when he cannot evade it, rather then unſay what he hath publiſhed, though he know it to be falſe: yet this is all that can with any colour be ſuppoſed. No ſuch perſon can be conceived willing to ſeek death, to offer himſelf to it, to go to the very place where he knows it waits for him, (when he may as well avoid it,) and deſignedly put himſelf into thoſe hands which it is apparent are reſolved to kill him. No; though fame be his deſign, yet the preſervation of his life, without all doubt, is his greater concernment: and if he can, he will enjoy both, his fame together with his life.

But if any body will be ſo extravagant as to fanſy, that He might intend to get fame, even by running himſelf into this danger; let him obſerve farther, (2.) what our Saviour met withall in his paſſage to his death, which would have ſtopt ſuch vain forwardneſs. For there was ſomething ſo dreadfull appeared to him in the way to his Paſſion, that when it approached he fell into an Agony. A great horrour ſeized on him, which declared p. 341how much Nature was againſt his proceeding. Whoſe ſtrong and violent inclinations would have prevailed againſt a fancy and vain humour; if he had not known that he was ingaged in a good Cauſe, and did not deceive the World. Such terrible apprehenſions as then preſented themſelves, would have made him take the opportunity of the night, and conſult for his ſafety; if he had been a Deceiver, and not very well aſſured that this was the way to everlaſting Life.

And then, if you conſider again (3.) that he was not haſtily hurried to the gibbet, but had a long time to weigh what he was about to ſuffer; it will ſeem incredible that he ſhould not repent of his obſtinacy, if he had been conſcious to himſelf of any falſhood. For though in a ſudden heat of mad zeal a man may be ſuppoſed ſo fooliſh, as to maintain an untruth with the hazzard of his life: yet the ſight of long-continued torments ſet a great while before his eyes, would make him in all likelihood confeſs the truth.

p. 342But (4.) that which quite overthrows this idle ſuppoſition is, that the kind of his death was ſuch as could procure him nothing leſs then glory and fame: there being nothing more infamous and reproachful then to die like a vile ſlave upon a Croſs. This he could not but foreſee would expoſe him to the ſcorn of all the World; did not ſomething elſe gain him more credit then this could do diſgrace. And ſo it proved afterward; notwithſtanding all the Miracles he had wrought, his Crucifixion was the laughter of the Gentiles, and a ſtumbling-block to the Jews. From whence we may conclude that, if we will but allow him to be a man of common ſenſe, he would not have taken this way of all other to procure fame. No courſe he could have thought of to propagate his Doctrine would have been more mad then this; if it were not taken, as in all reaſon it ought to be, for a token of his ſincerity and truth in what he preached: which would be publiſhed, he knew, to his immortall honour and glory in all the world.

But dying ſuch a death as he did, there could be no hope, it muſt be farther p. 343conſidered, (5.) that his Doctrine ſhould be ſo much as publiſhed by his followers, much leſs received by others; unleſs he were both ſure himſelf that it was the truth, and that he could make the truth of it appear to them. And then what would have become of all the glory, for which it is ſuppoſed he might be tempted to part with his life? All that he could doe to ſecure his Diſciples, that he preached nothing but the truth, and to incourage them alſo to preach Chriſt crucified, (which was a moſt odious and dangerous undertaking,) was to tell them that He would riſe again the third day, and appear alive to them. Now it is as manifeſt as the Sun, that, if he knew himſelf to be an Impoſtour, he could have no hope that God would raiſe him up again: and it is as manifeſt on the other ſide, that, if he did not riſe again, there was no hope that his Apoſtles would preach him, becauſe he had proved himſelf a liar: and if he was not preached by them, there could be no hope of glory and fame: and, conſequently, he would never have died in expectation of that, which, if he did but abuſe the World, he knew could not poſſibly attend upon his Name. For it is viſible, it muſt either p. 344have been buried in ſilence, or elſe remembred with reproach; He himſelf having blaſted it, by failing in the performance of his word.

But I have ſaid enough of this, and therefore ſhall conſider onelyonly one thing more, (6.) what it was that comforted our Saviour and ſupported his ſpirit upon the Croſs. Was it the hopes he had to be cried up by his followers, and magnified every-where, when he was dead and gone, for a man of an invincible ſpirit? No; He comforted himſelf with the thoughts of his own integrity: He humbly addreſſed himſelf in prayer to God: He relieved himſelf with the thoughts that he was his Father; to whom therefore he commends his ſpirit, and breathed out his Soul in a pious confidence that He would receive it, and glorify him in the heavens. For a little before he ſuffered, he lift up his eyes thither, as St. John teſtifies, and ſaid, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee, &c. I have glorified thee on earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to doe: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thy own ſelf, with the glory I had with thee p. 345before the World was. xvii. Joh. 1, 4, 5. And when the moment of his departure was come, and he was juſt expiring on the Croſs, He cried out with a loud voice, that all might hear him, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. And having thus ſaid, he gave up the ghoſt.

He that ſhall impute all this alſo to vain-glory, we may rather conclude takes a pride in cavilling and contradicting; and hath loſt all ſenſe of the Nature of man, which finds no inclinations in it to be thus audacious. For how can he repoſe any hope in God, who at that very inſtant when he expreſſes it is committing the greateſt open affront unto him imaginable? Our Bleſſed Saviour was ever a devout worſhipper of him, and in all his ways acknowledged him: and therefore ſince he did thus ſeriouſly betake himſelf to him in his ſoreſt diſtreſs, it is apparent he was perſwaded of his own ſincerity and truth: which God the ſearcher of all hearts knew; to whom therefore he appeals, and was confident he ſhould live with him for ever, and be able to give Eternall Life to others.

p. 346III. But what need is there to inſiſt any longer upon ſuch conſiderations as theſe, when his Doctrine (which is the Second thing I mentioned) is ſo holy and pure, ſo heavenly and divine, that the conſtant preacher of ſuch things could not be guilty of ſo great an impiety, as to call the God of heaven at laſt to bear witneſs to a known untruth? No; it condemns leſſer lies to ſo ſevere a puniſhment, that to ſay, he was ſent of God with the words of Eternall life, nay, was the Way, the Truth, and the Life, when he knew he was not, deſerved, according to his own ſentence, the heavieſt condemnation.

To which if you add the manner of his Life, which was the laſt thing, it will compleat the Demonſtration. For it was ſo perfectly conformable to his Doctrine, that we cannot but think he believed it; and ſo could not die with a lie in his mouth. Particularly, it was ſo free from all covetous deſigns, and from hunting after the applauſe and praiſe of men; that it is incredible he ſhould ſeek that by death, which he had deſpiſed through the whole courſe of his life. If he was ſo p. 347thirſty of vain-glory, as to loſe his life for it; why did he not make it his buſineſs to win all he could of it, while he lived? Why did he not lay the foundation of his after-fame, by inſinuating himſelf, in the moſt diligent and men-pleaſing manner, into the favour of all the Jewiſh nation? and conform himſelf ſo perfectly to their humour, that they might have preſently made him their King? Nay, why did he not accept the offer, when the people intended to advance him to the throne? This had been a more likely way to honour and renown, if that was all his aim, then the lifting him up upon a Croſs. He might have hoped to build a laſting glory on the love of the Scribes and Elders of the people: whereas this infamous death, he could not but ſee, would make him ſo odious, that it would rob him of all mens good word, and quite fruſtrate the deſign of winning a reputation among men. This is a truth of which I preſume, by this time, the moſt ſuſpicious and unbelieving are convinced: who cannot but confeſs that the voluntary death of ſuch a perſon as this, and a death ſo horrid and ignominious, is a plain teſtimony of his ſincerity; and proves, beyond any reaſonable contradiction, that he did p. 348not invent his Doctrine himſelf, but believed it to be of God; and did not ſeek to gain any thing by it but immortall life and glory in the world to come.

VI. Now that we muſt needs be great gainers hereby as well as himſelf, will appear, if you conſider that he came into the world on purpoſe to doe mankind good, as the buſineſs of his whole life teſtifies. He went about doing good, and ſought all occaſions of obliging even the moſt ungratefull. He had compaſſion on every body he met withall, and never denied a cure to thoſe that begg'd it; though they were never ſo poor and contemptible. He imployed his Diſciples alſo, who attended on him, in the ſame charitable works, of healing all manner of diſeaſes, and eaſting out unclean ſpirits. He bad them go, and ſpeak peace unto every houſe into which they entred. And as for themſelves, he profeſſed the greateſt love imaginable to them, as they themſelves have recorded. He called them his Friends, and did not uſe them as Servants; nay, his Children, and at laſt his Brethren: which are all terms of much kindneſs and tenderneſs, which he ever expreſſed towards them. From whence p. 349I conclude that, unleſs he could have ſerved them better by his death then by his longer life, he would not have ſo ſoon and ſo willingly gone to the Croſs, and there left theſe dear Friends, for whoſe ſake he had hitherto lived more then his own. If he had not died for their ſake too, and been certain he ſhould thereby ſhew more love to them, and doe them better ſervice then any other way; he would have been as much inclined to ſtay ſtill with them, as they were to deſire it.

He ſaw how loth they were to part with him; and with what ſad countenances and troubled ſpirits they received the news. He was incompaſſed with ſighs and groans when he did but mention it; for ſorrow (as he ſpeaks xvi. Joh. 6.) had filled their hearts. Would not this have moved a heart leſs tender then his, to alter this reſolution, when it was in his power to ſtay longer with them? How could he endure to ſee their tears flow ſo faſt, when he was able to dry them up with the ſpeaking but one word, that he would not leave them? If he had not been ſure that he was going, as he told them, to his Father, and that it was on p. 350purpoſe to prepare a place for them, which ought to have made them rejoyce rather then weep, becauſe he would come again, and receive them to himſelf, that where he was, there they might be alſo; (xiv. Joh. 1, 2, 3, 28.) without all doubt his great love would have yielded to their prayers, and commanded his power to prolong their happineſs in his company. He ſhould be able, he verily believed, to doe greater wonders for them, and beſtow greater bleſſings upon them, if he did not hearken to their importunities; or elſe we cannot but think (if we meaſure him by our ſelves) he would have ſtill continued with theſe his dear Companions: eſpecially ſince none, as he profeſſed, could ſnatch him from their ſociety, but it was his own free choice to leave them.

V. And he earneſtly deſired them to believe as much, and to look upon his BLOUD as the Seal of a New Covenant, which contained better promiſes then the former, between God and men. So he ſaid, juſt before his death, when he ſpoke of the Repreſentation of it, This is my BLOƲD of the New Teſtament (or Covenant) which is ſhed for many for the remiſſion of ſins. xxvi. Matt. 28. And ſo p. 351the Apoſtles believed and ſpake of his BLOUD in the ſame terms; when by his reſurrection from the dead they ſaw that it was the BLOƲD of the Covenant, x. Heb. 29. and that he was moſt eminent for this above all other things, as the expreſſion is xiii. Heb. 20. where the Apoſtle calls him the Shepherd of the ſheep, foreign, who was great in the bloud of the everlaſting Covenant. Now this is one Article every body knows, (one of the promiſes contained in it,) that we ſhall as certainly have Eternall Life, as Iſrael in due time was brought to the poſſeſſion of the good Land God promiſed to their Fathers.

Abraham, you reade xv. Gen. 7. had the word of God for it, that he would give his poſterity the Land of Canaan, into which he had brought him out of Chaldaea. And when he made ſo bold as to ask how he ſhould know that this was true, you find (ver. 9, 10, 11.) that God paſſed this promiſe into a Covenant, which was made by the bloud of ſundry beaſts: whoſe bodies being divided, and the halves laid one againſt another, a ſmoaking furnace appeared and a lamp of p. 352fire, (repreſenting a Divine Preſence,) which paſſed between thoſe pieces, (ver. 17.) according to the cuſtom in thoſe days of making Covenants, by the parties going between a beaſt ſo out aſunder. In like manner our Bleſſed Lord and Saviour promiſed more then once or twice the Kingdom of Heaven to all his followers, moſt earneſtly intreating them to believe it. And leſt they ſhould doubt of it, he proceeds at laſt of his own accord to ingage himſelf to beſtow it, by entring into a ſolemn Covenant with them. Which was ratified, not by the bloud of beaſts, and the cutting their bodies in pieces; but by his own moſt precious bloud, and by ſuffering nails to be thruſt through his own fleſh: that he might confirm us in the belief of his promiſe of an eternall inheritance. ix. Heb. 15.

VI. And great reaſon there is we ſhould be confirmed by it in this belief. For what could he doe more to aſſure us he meant as he ſpake, then to ſeal it with his bloud? The Apoſtles juſtly took this to be foreign, an eminent teſtimony or WITNESSE to the truth of that which he preached. So you p. 353reade 1 Tim. ii. 6. He gave himſelf a ranſome for all, foreign, a teſtimony in due time. That is, He became the price of our Redemption, and, like the Paſchal Lamb, his bloud ſaves us from the deſtroyer, and aſſures us God will bring us to our Eternall Reſt; of which we cannot reaſonably doubt, ſince his giving himſelf thus to die for us is an evident teſtimony of God's great love to men, and of his will (which he ſpake of before ver. 4.) to ſave all men; by pardoning their offences, and bringing them to Eternall life for Jeſus his ſake. His bloudy death was an unqueſtionable Witneſs, as St. John here calls it, of the truth of his promiſe; which he confirmed and ſealed in this ſolemn manner, by dying on the Croſs to verify it. And this he did at that very time, or ſeaſon, which was moſt fit and proper for ſuch a buſineſs: (juſt when the Prophets ſaid he ſhould doe it:) for in thoſe days (as we reade ii. Luk. 38.) they looked for redemption in Jeruſalem.

And he could not ſatisfie their expectation by any better means then this: which p. 354was illud Teſtimonium, as Eraſmus renders it, that Teſtimony, that remarkable Witneſs which none can juſtly queſtion. For it is taken by all for certain, that He doth not intend to deceive, qui morte ſuâ fidem facit, who ſeals what he ſaith with his bloud. This foreign Teſtimony, I may adde, or WITNESS to the truth of what he preached, was moſt properly his own Teſtimony. There were ſundry others; but none, while he was on earth, ſo peculiarly his as this: which was all he could doe to juſtify himſelf and his Doctrine. The Voice from heaven was a Witneſs, as you have heard; but that was the teſtimony of the Father. His Doctrine was a Witneſs; but he ſaith of that, it is not mine, but his that ſent me. vii. Joh. 16. His Works or Miracles were a Witneſs, as he ſays v. Joh. 36. but in the ſame place he adds, that they were the works which his Father gave him to finiſh; and xiv. 10. My Father doeth the Works. But as for his moſt precious BLOUD, it was that, and that alone, whereby He himſelf witneſſed the truth to us. For this cauſe he came into the world, as he tells Pilate, xviii. 37. and it was a free act of his own: for which reaſon he is ſaid to give himſelf for us, and to lay p. 355down his life; there being none, as I ſaid before, that had power, without his conſent, to take it away from him. And therefore it may well be called foreign, That teſtimony, whereby He more peculiarly witneſſed, that this was the will of him that ſent him, that every one who ſaw the Son, and believed on him, ſhould have everlaſting life. This he preached all his life, and he juſtified it to be true by his Death. When they would have had him revoke what he had ſaid, and deny that he was ſent upon this meſſage by God, he maintained it to the laſt drop of his bloud. Which was as much as could be done for the verifying of his Doctrine, and aſſuring the World that he ſincerely publiſhed the will of Heaven. For who can doe more then die for the truth which he aſſerts?

But he having thus atteſted by dying, that which God the Father had witneſſed before in his life-time by voices from heaven, by ſigns and wonders, and ſuch like things; it pleaſed the ſame Father Almighty to give a more illuſtrious teſtimony to Him, and to the truth of his Doctrine, then ever had been given either in his life or at his death: and that was by p. 356his Reſurrection from the dead. Which is commonly in the Holy Scriptures aſcribed to him, and made his work; (ii. Act. 24, 32. i. Epheſ. 17, 20. &c.) and evidently proved all that I have ſaid, and more too. For it ſhewed, that as he was not a deceiver of others, ſo he was not deceived himſelf. God hereby bad all the World believe what he had preached; and no longer make any doubt of that which he had teſtified, even by his own BLOUD, to be his heavenly Truth. But of this more in its proper place.

VII. Let us now conſider, that thoſe perſons whom our Saviour bad all men hear, becauſe they were ſent by him, as he was by the Father, have told us, (and the event proved it true,) that this BLOUD was ſhed to make peace; as you reade ii. Eph. 14, 15. That is, to reconcile Jews and Gentiles together, between whom there had been very long differences, ſo that of twain they might become one new Man; and both ſerve him in the ſame Religion, and partake of the ſame privileges. What force there is in this to prove the right we have to Eternall Life you will ſoon ſee, when I have p. 357noted, that the intention of God to bring all the World to ſhare alike in his divine favour and love, which had been ſo much incloſed in the Jewiſh Nation, was notably proclaimed by the rending of the veil of the Temple in twain, juſt when the veil of our Saviour's fleſh was torn, and he yielded up the ghoſt, xxvii. Matt. 50, 51. This was a plain indication, as Photius **Epiſt. cxxv., the famous Patriarch of Conſtantinople, hath truly obſerved, a Symbol and Preſignification, to uſe his words, of the overthrow and deſolation that was coming upon that Temple, and the Worſhip therein celebrated. How could it be otherwiſe conſtrued, when that place wherein their moſt holy rites were performed, and their moſt venerable myſteries kept from the eyes of the vulgar, was now laid open and expoſed foreign, as his words are, to common view and profanation?

This was a preface, as he calls it, to the utter ſubverſion and extinction of the reſt of their Ordinances, and their legall Worſhip. The conſequence of which was, as he likewiſe notes, that the knowledge and ſervice of God according to the Law, which had been ſo long circumſcribed p. 358and ſhut up in one city and country, being to be aboliſhed; that worſhip which by the Paſſion of our Saviour was revealed, was to be eſtabliſhed, and ſpred to the uttermoſt parts of the Earth. And therefore the rending of the veil did as good as proclaim to all the world, and cry with a loud voice, ſaying, Come hither and behold the inviſible things. Come foreign to the ſight of the divine Myſteries, from whence you have been ſo long excluded. Here is free leave for you all to enter, who have as much right as any to that which before was inacceſſible.

And ſince this moſt holy place was a type of Heaven, (God commanding Moſes to make all things according to the pattern in the Mount,) the ſhutting up of this from the people, and hiding the things contained in it, by a veil drawn before their eyes, was an acknowledgment that by the legall worſhip there was no entrance into the heavens; but the way was unpaſſable by thoſe that ſtuck onelyonly to its rites and ceremonies. And therefore the tearing of this veil by the death of Chriſt ſignified as plainly, that the obſtacle was removed; and preached to the world, as with the ſound of a trumpet, p. 359that every one of us, by his BLOUD, may hope to come thither. For He that emptied himſelf for this very cauſe, as the ſame Photius writes, and took upon him our fleſh, and ſuffered all things for our ſake, Chriſt, I mean, our God, hath opened a new paſſage into the kingdom of heaven, by his life-giving death. Which both diſſolved that old Religion, (as the very ſame thing you ſee foreſignified,) and introduced ſuch an one as will certainly bring us into the high and holy place, whether Jeſus our forerunner is entred for us.

And that this tearing of the veil in ſunder was the effect of our Saviour's paſſion and precious BLOUD-ſhedding, is viſible from the relation which the Evangelicall ſtory makes of this Prodigy. So I call it, becauſe you reade that it was not rent from the bottom to the top, as it would have been if the Earthquake (as ſome may be prone to ſuſpect) had been the cauſe of it; but from the top to the bottom. xxvii. Matt. 51. This evidently ſhews, it was an hand from above that made this breach: which following immediately upon our Saviour's giving up the ghoſt, was as ſenſible a token that it p. 360depended upon no other cauſe but that. The moſt impious are not able to deviſe any other reaſon of ſo ſtrange an accident. Which could have no naturall cauſe, (as an Earthquake may,) but proceeded from a foreign (as Photius his phraſe is) Divine vengeance, which gave the veil this ſtroke, and cut it quite in two; as an indeleble proof that it was the BLOUD of an innocent perſon which they now had ſhed. And indeed the Earthquake, there mentioned, was ſo far from being the cauſe of this rent, that it followed after it: that Power from on high which firſt ſlit the veil, next of all ſhaking the earth, and cleaving the rocks in ſunder.

To which I think it may be fit to adde, that the Jews themſelves tell us, the gates of the Temple uſed, after this, to open of their own accord forty years before its deſtruction **Tzemach David ad an. 3785.. Which made R. Jochanan ben Zaccai cry out, O Temple, Temple, why doſt thou affright thy ſelf? I know that thou ſhalt be deſtroyed in the end; for Zachariah propheſied of thee, Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy Cedars: xi. 1. Which new prodigy, confeſſed by many of their Writers, together p. 361with the extinction of the Lamp that uſed to burn there, was a witneſs that God was going away from that place, and intended no longer to dwell in it; but would ſhew his Glory, which for many years had heretofore filled that houſe, to all the Earth.

Now then, if the Partition-wall was thus broken down through the BLOUD of Jeſus, and all laid open and common, that we might enter upon the poſſeſſion of the Divine promiſes as well as others; it is certain, by the Witneſs of this BLOUD, that there is an Heavenly Inheritance for us, for Earthly there is none. Either we muſt obtain Eternall Life by him that died for us, or nothing at all. For there is no land of Canaan, nor any thing like it, given to us Gentiles, who are now called to inherit the promiſes. We have no aſſurance of any worldly purchaces; no portion of money, vine-yards, olive-yards, or other goods of that nature, aſſigned to us, as there was to the ancient Iſraelites. But quite contrary, they that enjoyed the very firſt-fruits of the Divine Love, were told that every one who would live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer perſecution; and take up their croſs, p. 362and forſake all, if they would be his followers. Accordingly we have examples of thoſe who ſold their lands, and when they had done, gave away the price of them: ſo far were they from thinking of any temporall rewards. Undoubtedly then, the Bleſſing which Jeſus purchaſed for us by his BLOUD, whereby he laid waſte all former incloſures, can be nothing elſe but great Poſſeſſions in another World; where we have the promiſe of an eternall Inheritance. This we ought to expect with the moſt aſſured confidence: for we cannot make any doubt of it, unleſs we will look upon the BLOUD of Jeſus as more ineffectuall then the bloud of bulls and goats, whereby they held the Earthly Canaan.

VIII. And now let us once more look upon the BLOUD of Jeſus, as the bloud of a Sacrifice; whereby all Covenants were anciently ſealed, and without which there could be no entrance, no not for the High-prieſt himſelf, into the Holy place where God dwelt. Thoſe inſpired perſons, whom, as I ſaid before, our Saviour bids all men hear and reverence, frequently call his Death by this name. And common reaſon alſo leads us to have p. 363the ſame thoughts of it. For if it was not the BLOUD of the moſt precious and acceptable Sacrifice which He offered upon the Croſs, how could it put an end, as it hath done, to all the old Sacrifices, which had ſtood ſo long by God's appointment; and make all the bloud that was afterward offered of no force at all for their preſervation from ruine? That it did ſo, is manifeſt by the experience of near ſixteen hundred years. And the Hebrew Writers themſelves confeſs, that the ſcarlet tongue, (as they call it) that is, the liſt of that colour and figure, which was hung between the Scape-goat's horns, or, as others will have it, at the door of the Temple, and always uſed to turn white, according to that in Iſaiah 1.18. would never alter for forty years before the deſtruction of the Temple, but ſtill continued red on the great day of Expiation. Which if it be true, (as we have their own faith for it,) was a ſhrewd token, that their moſt excellent Sacrifices were now able to doe them no ſervice; and that their Sins were of ſo deep a dye, having crucified the Prince of life, that nothing in the old Religion could purifie them. In vain did they expect to hear that tongue ſpeaking peace p. 364to them, which was wont to publiſh good tidings; for it ſtill lookt as red as bloud, and told them there was no hope for them but in Jeſus, who alone could make their crimſon ſins as white as wool.

By his bloudy Death they might ſue out a pardon of thoſe very crimes which they had committed againſt himſelf. For it being a Sacrifice, was for the remiſſion of Sins: or elſe the World had been in a worſe caſe then it was before, now that all other Bloud to cleanſe them was quite taken away. And there was no reaſon to doubt but God was perfectly well pleaſed and ſatisfied with this one Sacrifice of his; elſe he would not have raiſed him from the dead, nor admitted him into the heavens, where, as He himſelf hath ſince declared, he appears in the preſence of God, and by virtue of his Sacrifice makes perpetuall interceſſion for us. Now this plainly infers (as hath been ſaid before) the hope of Eternall Life. For if there be remiſſion of ſins, then we are reſtored to the ſtate of innocence again. We are put into the ſtate and condition of the ſons of God; and there is nothing to hinder our being re-poſſeſſed of Paradiſe and the Tree of Life. To which we not p. 365being reſtored in this World, it remains that we be admitted to it and re-inſtated in it in another.

IX. Unto all which let the conſideration of the time be added when our Saviour ſuffered: for that is not without its inſtruction in this buſineſs, but contributes ſomething to the confirmation of our faith. It was at the Feaſt of unleavened Bread, (as they themſelves cannot deny,) a ſolemn time appointed by God to be obſerved at their departure out of Egypt; when they were ranſomed by a mighty hand, and purchaſed to be God's peculiar people, and began their journey towards the Land of Canaan, which he had promiſed to their forefathers. At this Feaſt, it is well known, a Lamb, immaculate and pure, was ordered to be ſlain; whoſe bloud was that which ſaved them from the ſtrokes of the Angel of Death, who deſtroyed the Egyptians. Now our Lord, the Lamb of God without ſpot and blemiſh, the Lamb of God that takes away the ſins of the world, (as St. John Baptiſt teſtified,) being ſlain at this very time, and hanging on the Croſs after the ſame faſhion wherein the Paſchall Lamb was wont to be killed; it p. 366was a Teſtimony clear enough, to thoſe that obſerved and laid things together, that his BLOUD was their ranſome from a greater ſlavery, and was ſhed to deliver them from eternall death and deſtruction; and, after they had travelled a while through the wilderneſs, as I may call it, of this world, and overcome there all difficulties and temptations, would procure their entrance into a better and more glorious Reſt then that wherein they were.

The Holy man who writes the Epiſtle to the Hebrews proves unanſwerably, (chap. iv.) that the Reſt into which Joſhua brought the Children of Iſrael, was not all that good men expected, and which God intended to beſtow upon them. For if that great Captain had brought them to their finall Reſt, there would not have been mention made by the inſpired Pſalmiſt, many years after their ſettlement in Canaan, of another Reſt, which, as the words there are, remaineth for the people of God. Now who can pretend to be the Captain of their Salvation, to conduct them thither, but onelyonly our Bleſſed Saviour? whoſe Name is the ſame with that of the ancient Joſhua p. 367or Jeſus; who was baptized at that very place where they entred into their Reſt in the promiſed Land; to whom the heavens there opened, and God the Father ſpake by an audible voice, and the Holy Ghoſt fell down in a viſible ſhape; who at laſt, after many promiſes and aſſurances that he would bring them to the heavenly Country, was offered at that very time when their forefathers began their travells to their reſting-place; and hereby ſealed what he had promiſed by his bloud, as God the Father ſealed to it by divers acts of his, that He was a Lamb without ſpot, an offering and a ſacrifice to him of a ſweet-ſmelling ſavour.

Well might St. Paul call him our Paſſeover that is ſacrificed for us. 1 Cor. v. 7. For it is as viſible that he was ſlain for the ſalvation of mankind, as that the Paſchall Lamb was ſlain for the preſervation of Iſrael: and that as the deſtroying Angel paſſed over thoſe houſes where he found the bloud of that Lamb upon the door-poſts, and ſpared the lives of the inhabitants; ſo all thoſe Souls that are ſprinkled with the bloud of Jeſus (i. e. believe on him) ſhall be delivered by him from periſhing, and preſerved to p. 368eternall Life. Which Salvation he procured by offering himſelf freely as our Paſſeover; that is, for the like end (but as much excelling as Eternall life doth temporary) for which the Paſchal Lamb was ſacrificed. And he made his ſacrifice the more remarkable, by offering it at that very time when the other was offered, and when they themſelves expected it. For ſome of the Jews ſay expreſly, which adds much weight to this obſervation, that on the ſame day of the month Niſan Iſrael ſhall be redeemed in the days of the Meſſiah, Vid P. Fagium in xii. Exod. 13.Exod 13on which they were redeemed when God wonderfully brought them out of the land of Egypt.

Now our Saviour made good his word, which he had often paſſed, that he would give them his very fleſh to eat; whereby they might feaſt with him, as they had done that day on the Paſchal Lamb. He gave them alſo his very bloud to drink; which was the price of their redemption, that which ſaved them from the deſtroyer, and overcame thoſe enemies which oppoſed their entrance into the Eternall Reſt. For his fleſh, (as he ſpeaks vi. Joh. 55.) being offered on the Croſs, was meat indeed, and his bloud drink indeed. That p. 369is, the moſt perfect food and excellent nutriment; which hath a power to give (not a temporary, as the Paſchal Lamb did, but) an Eternall life, to thoſe that partake of it by a lively faith in him. Some of the Jews themſelves thought there was ſome greater Myſtery in the Paſſeover then the commemoration of their deliverance out of Egypt; and ſay expreſly, that then God communicated his Divinity to men. They are the words of R. Judah **apud Maſ…um in v. Jeſh. 1…., By the Sacrifice of the Paſſeover God joyns men ſo cloſely to himſelf, that they are one with him, as light is with a candle. Which had little truth in it, till Chriſt our PASSEOVER was ſacrificed for us; when the myſtery was explained, and he invited all men to come and eat of his fleſh, and drink of his bloud, and thereby have ſuch a fellowſhip with him in his death, that he might communicate to them his life. For foreign, as Clemens Alex. ſpeaks **L 11. Paedag. cap. 2., This is to drink the bloud of Jeſus, to partake of the Lord's immortality.

And ſo our Lord explains himſelf, when he adds, in the next words, (ver. 57.) p. 370As the living Father (who, being the authour of life, can give it again to the dead,) hath ſent me, and I live by the Father: (ſhall riſe again, though I give my fleſh to be ſlain:) ſo he that eateth me (believeth on me though crucified) ſhall live by me; that is, be raiſed again to life by me, as I by the Father. For he gave his fleſh, (as he ſays at the beginning of this diſcourſe ver. 51.) that is, delivered it to be made a bloudy ſacrifice, for the life of the world, i. e. that all mankind might have remiſſion of ſins, and eternall life. Which he will as certainly give to thoſe who do not refuſe to participate of this Sacrifice by believing in him, as the Father of life raiſed him from the dead to live for evermore. Theſe words ſeemed hard to ſome of his Diſciples, ver. 60. who could not underſtand that there ſhould be ſuch virtue in his fleſh as to give life unto the world. But our Lord tells them, there was no cauſe of being offended at this diſcourſe; for if they would but ſtay a while, they ſhould be convinced that he did not aſcribe too much to it: ver. 62. What and if ye ſhall ſee the Son of man aſcend up where he was before? That is, p. 371What will you ſay, if you behold me raiſed up from the dead, and aſcend into heaven, where I was before I took this fleſh? Will you not then confeſs that my Death (which is meant by his giving his fleſh to them) had an exceeding great virtue in it, being ſo acceptable to God as to be thus highly rewarded? Will it then ſeem incredible to you, that I ſhould obtain thereby a power to raiſe the dead, and to give eternall Life? This, ſure, will be a convincing argument that I have not ſaid too much of my BLOUD, nor promiſed greater things then it can doe for you. You will then, if you conſider it, joyn your ſelves heartily to me, though now you are ready to fly off; and not think my Croſs ſuch a ſcandall, that it ſhould hinder you from being Chriſtians.

X. And that will be one of our next works, in the following Chapter, to ſhew the power of Chriſt's Reſurrection to perſwade us, that by his Death He will give life to the world. Let us firſt onelyonly briefly conſider, that there are ſome other Circumſtances, beſides this now mentioned, which declare there was ſomething exceeding p. 372remarkable in the Sufferings of Chriſt on the Croſs, to procure him great glory. For we find that Nicodemus, one of their Senatours, who durſt not publickly own our Saviour while he was in great ſavour with the people, came, now that he was crucified and expoſed to ſcorn, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight, (xix. Joh. 39.) to honour his Corps withall. Which would be a ſtronger argument of the thorough conviction already wrought in his mind, if there be any truth in the conjecture of a learned Man **Jac. Al…ing Schi…. l. w. p 26., that theſe ſpices were intended not to embalm him, but, as the manner was upon great occaſions, to burn at his funerall. Thus far he is certainly in the right, that the honour of having ſweet ſpices burnt at their funerals appertained to no other perſons but onelyonly their Kings, (2 Chron. xvi. ult.) and the Head of all the Doctours, the Naſi, as they called him, of their Academies. And he notes likewiſe truly out of Joſeph ben Gorion, that when the funerall pomp of Herod the Great was carried forth, fifty of his ſervants are ſaid to have ſcattered all the way they went thoſe very things which Nicodemus brought, viz. Myrrh and Aloes, and all other ſweet p. 373ſpices. But whether we can hence conclude that Nicodemus now honoured him by theſe as the King of Iſrael, and the Prince of all the prophets, I cannot tell; becauſe the Evangeliſt (ver. 40.) ſeems to tell us, that the uſe they made of theſe ſpices was to imbalm his body, which they wound in linen cloaths, with the ſpices, as the manner of the Jews was to bury. Yet this we may ſafely conclude, that he would never have put himſelf to ſo great a charge, and laid out ſo much upon his dead body, if he had not ſeen ſomething which convinced him that this was that King of Iſrael, who would give him a reward, for his love and open confeſſion of him, in his heavenly Kingdome. There was nothing to move him to ſuch an expence, upon ſuch an hated perſon, but onelyonly a perſwaſion that Jeſus was what he pretended; and an aſſured hope that by this fleſh, which now lay dead, the World ſhould be reſtored to life.

Yea, ſuch power there was in his Death to affect mens hearts, that not onelyonly the Centurion confeſſed him to be a righteous man, but all the people who were come together to that ſight, beholding the things that accompanied his ſufferings, p. 374were prickt in their conſciences, and ſmote their breaſts. xxiii. Luk. 47, 48. They could not, that is, but expreſs their ſorrow for this horrid fact of ſhedding his BLOUD, and dread the diſmall conſequences of it. Inſomuch that, Gem. Sanh. c. vi.though it was forbidden by the Conſtitutions of the Sanhedrin to make any lamentations for a malefactour; yet they were not able on this occaſion to forbear it. Their own Writers tell us, that it was a part of the honour they did to a deſerving perſon, when his funerall was carried out, to accompany him with ſighs and groans and tears, and beating themſelves, and ſuch like tokens of their inward grief for his loſs. With which the Holy Scripture agrees, when it names this as part of the Curſe of God upon Jehojakim, that none ſhould ſo much as ſigh at his buriall, nor make the uſuall lamentation, ſaying, Ah my Brother! Ah Lord! or Ah his glory! xxii. Jer. 18. From whence it is likely they paſſed a Decree, that when any perſon ſuffered by a publick ſentence for a crime, none ſhould preſume to grace him with any ceremony, nor uſe the leaſt outward ſign of heavineſs, though in their hearts they might mourn for him. But this Decree and Cuſtome ſettled by the Authority of their p. 375ſupreme Court, the eſteem which our Saviour wone to himſelf, even when he hung upon his Croſs, forced the people to break. Their affection to him was ſtronger then all Laws; and they could not contain themſelves when they ſaw what teſtimonies heaven gave of his innocence and vertue; but did him publick honour even at the very place of execution. Though he ſuffered as the higheſt and vileſt offender in the world, yet the honeſt-hearted ſpectatours were not onelyonly inwardly troubled in their breaſts at the ſight, but beat or knockt them alſo; and ſhewed thereby, that they were not afraid to own him as a moſt Excellent perſon, whoſe death they ought to accompany with the bittereſt lamentations.

And ſo much may ſuffice concerning the Teſtimony of his BLOUD; which no man can hear ſpeak a word, but he muſt needs think, that which got him ſuch honour among the people in the midſt of his ſhame and the reproach of the Croſs, obtained a far greater glory for him with God in the heavens, who beſt knew how to value his obedience.

p. 376O wonderfull Paſſion, Proclus Homil. xi.the Expiation of the World! O Death, the cauſe of Immortality, and the origin of Life! O deſcent into Hell, the bridge by which thoſe who were dead paſſed into Heaven! O Noon, which hath revoked the Afternoon-ſentence againſt us in Paradiſe! O Croſs, the cure of the fatall Tree! O Nails, which wounded Death, and joyn'd the world to the knowledge of God! Great was the victory which He that was incarnate for us obtained on the day of his paſſion. He grappled with death, when he was dead. Hell and the grave this day ignorantly ſwallowed a deadly morſell. To day death received him dead, who always lives. To day the chains were looſed which the Serpent made in Paradiſe. The Thief this day made a breach on Paradiſe, which had been guarded by the flaming ſword ſome thouſands of years. This day our Lord broke the gates of braſs, and cut the bars of iron in ſunder.

Which of the great Men, that ancient times boaſt of, are comparable to him? All the juſt fell under the power of death, and none could conquer it. Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, are all turn'd to duſt and aſhes. The memory of Joſeph, in whom the Jews glory, p. 377lay in his dry bones, which they carried out of Egypt with them. Moſes is extolled by them to the skies, but there is not ſo much as his tomb to be found. Such as theſe, and ſo many, death devoured and ſwallowed them all down. But at laſt it ſwallowed one, and againſt its will vomited up the whole World. Who now triumph over it, and cry with a loud voice, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.

His Paſſion is our impaſſibility: S. Athanaſius foreign. p. 598.His Death is our immortality: His tears, our joy: His buriall, our reſurrection: His Baptiſm, our purification: His ſtripes, our healing: His chaſtiſement, our peace: His reproach, our glory. How much are we indebted to him, who from firſt to laſt conſulted our happineſs? For he deſcended, Id. foreign, &c. p. 1002.that he might make way for our aſcent. He was born, that he might make us friends with the Ʋnbegotten. He took on him our infirmities, that we might be raiſed in power, and ſay with St. Paul, I can doe all things, through Chriſt which ſtrengthneth me. He took on him a corruptible body, that this corruption might put on incorruption. He put on mortality, that it might be changed into immortall. In fine, p. 378He was made Man and died, that we who die as men might be deified, and death might no longer reign over us.

O bleſſed and life-giving Croſs of our Saviour, which triumphed over death, and deſtroyed him that had the power of it, which is the Devil! O divine Word, and true Wiſedom of the Father! thou haſt overcome the Devill, when he thought he had been a conquerour **Auguſt. de Trinitate, L. 13. c. 15. Caet. ex Athanaſio p. 1022.. O Lover of men, and gracious Lord! thou haſt both redeemed us that were captives, and freed us, by thy own death, who were ſervants of ſin. O Son of God, the true Peace-maker! thou haſt both given us the adoption of Sons, and reconciled us to thy Father; having deſtroyed the enmity by thy fleſh. O rich Saviour, and true King! who becameſt poor, that we by thy poverty might be made rich; and haſt given to us the Kingdom of heaven. O Creatour and former of all things, the Word of the Father! for thou haſt created us again; we are thy workmanſhip created unto good works. O Light indeed, the brightneſs of the Father! for thou haſt inlightned us that were in darkneſs, and haſt brought us that were blind to ſee the light. O Likeneſs and reall Image of the Father! for thou haſt formed us who were loſt, and p. 379again reſtored the image of God in us. O God, the Word and Life indeed! for thou haſt quickned us who were dead, and renewed us that were corrupted, and cloathed us with immortality. O thou Power indeed, the arm, the right hand of the Father! for thou haſt both looſed the bands of death, and broken the priſon-doors in pieces.

God forbid that we ſhould glory, Ib. pag. 1028.ſave in the Croſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. To this let us adhere; let us walk worthy of this. And thus living and believing, we ſhall know alſo his aſſumption into the heavens, and his ſeſſion on the right hand of the Majeſty on high. We ſhall behold the ſubjection of Angels to him, and his coming again with glory. Which Angels have foretold; which Saints ſing of in their hymns; and which when we all ſee, we ſhall rejoyce and be exceeding glad in Chriſt Jeſus. By whom be glory and dominion to the Father, world without end, Amen.