Contemplations and Devotions, Part 23
XXIII. The mourners at his death.Mat. 27.52.5…. Luk. 23.44.45.
The Sunne.
The Earth.
The Rockes.
The Dead.
The Vayle.
The Sunne is darkned, the Earth trembles.
THis evill and adulterous generation were ever itching after signes, Mat. 12.38.and they must be signes from heaven, Luk. 11.29.Shew vsus (say they) some signe from heaven; 1 Cor. 1.22.And what better signe can they have from heaven then this, that hee was both the world's Creator, who had then said of the heavens, let them be for signes, Gen. 1.14.and it's Redeemer too who had heere done what hee had before said, Behold I cloath the heavens with blacknesse, Esa 50.3.and make sackcloath their covering. If we looke into the Booke of Deuteronomy, wee shall often finde Moses calling heaven and earth to witnesse against Israel, Deut. 30.19 32.1.in case of breaking the covenant between God and them, and indeed what better witnesses, what witnesses so competent? the two properties of a good witnesse, are ability, and fidelity, ability to know what he speakes, fidelity to speak but what hee knowes, David gives his word for both, for ability, what such witnesse as the Sunne that goes about the earth, Psa. 19.6.sees all things, and nothing is h d from the heate thereof, for fidelity hee calls them the faithfull witnesses of heaven that cannot faile, and how fully doe they heere acquit themselves, and discharge their surety David of this his suffrage? the Covenant is here broken, the Arke and Author of the Covenant crucified; nor heavens, nor earth can dissemble it, the heavens ashamed in the behalfe of frontlesse man, put on a modest vayle of darknesse, the earth afraid in the behalfe of wilfull man, trembles with astonishment, the elements of nature cannot but suffer with the God of natu…e, and for the now vnnaturall prodigy and reproach of nature, man: the heavens before had in the floud, wept for the sinnes of man, but now they'le put on sadder blackes, and more inwardly though drily mourne, as despairing with all their teares, to drowne so mountaynous a sinne as this, the murther of their Maker; how ready, and addrest an instrument is every creature to Gods will, and glory, save man, who was made to no other end:Ios. 10.12. at that slaughter which sometime Ioshuah had vponupon Gods enemies; how like a glad and eager spectator doth the Sunne turne night into day, lest it might loose the sight (as't were) of any the least scene of that Tragedy? Againe, at this slaughter here of this our saving Ioshuah, by these enemies and fighters against God? Act. 5.39.how like a modest David doth it turne away it's eye from beholding such vanity, turning againe the day into night, hanging out against them Alexander like the last, and blackest flagge of it's defiance darknesse? the heavens (sayes David) declare the glory of God, Psal. 19.1.and (indeede) how well doe they here declare his glory by not declaring their own, this is he that spreads out the heavens as a curtaine, Psal. 104.1and therfore now they'le spread out a curtayne of darknesse betweene his naked body, and the immodest eyes of men. And (indeede) how pregnantly doe they heere, by turning day into night, condemne of prodigy and vnnaturalnesse this sinne of man, the destruction of his Maker? men goe about to put out the true light, Ioh. 1.4.9.the heavens will therefore put the day, and so vpbrayd with darknesse this their deed of darknesse; and no mervaile 'tis from that Sun of righteousnesse, Mal. 4.2.that this Sun of nature (as the Moone from it) borrowes all its light, how can it then but alike loose its light, when that hath lost his life? how should it but (Moone-like) labour in an eclipse, when such an earth of sinne hath interposed, and broke off the rayes of that eternall Sunne from embeaming this? yet was it not without so great a myracle in nature,Dionis. that a Heathen could at first sight say, either the world is ending, or the God of nature suffering; True, at Ioshuah's command the Sun stood still, Ios. 10.12.2 Reg. 20.10.and at Hezekiah's prayer, it went backward, but vtterly to loose its light (as here) as it seemes more free, here's neither command, nor prayer, so 'tis more myraculous, light is in nature more inseperable from the Sunne then motion, That a light should strike Paul blind in his way of persecution, 'twas much, but here's a persecution, and of the same sufferer too that strikes the light it selfe, the eye of heaven quite blind. But was it not the greater wonder that it did no more? May it not bee thought that therefore shall the heavens at the last day drop like wax, and guiltily shrinke and curle vp l ke parchment, Heb. 1 11.that did but wink onelyonly at these wretches, and not spit fire on them, as on those Captaines, 2 Reg. 1.10.and their fifties that came to take Eliah? Alas, no; the heavens were not faulty, 'twas our Saviour was not so fiery, let Eliah ride to heaven on a fierie Chariot, hee will not thither but on a bloudy crosse, the heavens know their offices and seasons, Psa. 104.19and the Sunne it's going downe, and are as addrest and ready as the Centurion's servants; but hee to shew his mercy did not end, no, not with his life; the Sunne shall but warne, not harme them, it shall not vtterly set in a cloude, Eph. 4.26.or goe downe vponupon his wrath, whereas the Egyptians darknesse lasted three dayes, this shall but last three houres: if at Ioshuah's valour, then the Sunne stood still amaz'd, no mervaile if at this greater myracle of his mercy it be quite struck blinde with astonishment. And (indeed) how happily to vsus did hee here bring (and that how much) light out of this darknesse. Here in this darknes was it, that all those darsome shadowes of the ceremoniall law vanisht, and were lost; they began in darknesse on Mount Sinay, and here againe they end in darknes on Mount Caluary; nor is this darknesse thus a figure of a buriall onelyonly, but of a birth too, as it is a shrowd, or grave of that ceremoniall darknesse, so is it an ominous figure of the inward darknesse of their with-holden mindes, wherein these heart-vayled Iewes have ever since grop'd even at noone-day; 2 Cor. 3.15.nor doth the Heaven thus better figure the buriall, then the earth the death of that law of ceremonies; onelyonly whereas the mountaine alone at itsExod. 18.18 birth, travail'd with its throes, and tremblings, here at its death, the whole earth hath its convulsions, shakeing fits, and pangs of dissolution; so may this staggering of the earth too bee a pregnant, and threatning figure of the Iewes now giddy tottering Synagogue and nation, ready to be shaken over the whole earth. And (alas) how should the earth but thus shake and stagger, when as this it's true Atlas, hath his shoulders thus torn with whips, bruis'd with the crosse, loaden with a double burthen, either so much heavier then the earth it selfe, mans sin, and Gods wrath; no, but that's not it neither,Iob 26.7. for hee hangs the earth (saies Iob) on nothing, it needs no other Pillar but his word, and with it hath he layd (saies the Psalmist) the round world so sure, Psa. 104.5.that it cannot bee mov'd at any time; true, all naturall earthquakes are but partiall, otherwise the earth could not still bee the worlds center, which in nature must bee ever immoveable, no wind or breath can move the whole earth at any time, but that of his word who first made it, and to that 'tis but as the dust of the ballance; Esa. 40.15.but as the drop of the bucket, as the least word of his mouth made it of nothing, so the least breath of his nostrills could as easily have blowen it back againe into that nothing whereof hee made it, as thus have shaken it out of his place, tremble then thou earth at the presence of the Lord (saies David) at the presence of the mighty God of Iacob, Psa. 114.7.but why then doth it thus tremble at his absence, when the glory of Israel is departed? was it to shake from off her weary bosome such a murderous, vpbraiding, burdenous brood of hers; or doth it shake thus in a iust derision of those scornefull wretches that here shake their empty heads at its almighty Maker? or by sucking into its enriched veines, the quickning blood of life it selfe, is it now growne animate, and motive? or being so made red earth, is it become another Adam, and now a falling? or doth it feare the fall of that insupportable burthen of our sinnes, from off the weary shoulders of the complaining bearer, might crush it againe into it's wonted nothing? Why h…p yee so yee hills, Psa. 68.16.114.6.what ayle yee that yee skip like Rammes, and thou earth that thou tremblest? hee that makes the question findes (elsewhere) the best answere to it,Psal. 18.7. the earth trembled and shooke, the foundations of the hills moved, and where shaken because hee was wroth; 'tis no other then Gods wrath at mans sinne that shakes the earth, that darkens the heavens, that threatens the foundations of the world, Psal. 18.15.that discomposes the whole course of nature,Rom. 8.22. the whole creature travailes, and groanes vnderunder the weight of sinne (sayes the Apostle;) how ever with Salomons foole wee make it but our pastime, Prov. 14.9.'tis sinne that curs'd the earth at first, that drown'd it after, that shakes it here, and shall burne it at last; not …arth, nor heaven could beare it without a curse, not earth without the curse of thornes, not heaven without this (here) of the tree; he was made a curse for vsus. How instructive and exemplary are the lowest, the vnworthiest of the creatures to vsus, if obseru'd; the dull heavy earth had before taught its issue man, the lessons of a fixed constancy, a low'ly humility, a fruitfull pregnancy, an ingenious gratitude in returning heavens influence of raines and dewes, in the incense of mists & vapoures, these are not enough vnlesse it here read him a lecture too of feare, and reverence, how to worke out his saluation with feare and trembling, Phil. 2.12.how to entertaine his Saviours passion with a trembling compassion.
But O my blessed Lord, and Saviour, what becomes the while of the faces and hearts of men? when the heavens are faine to teach the one shame, the earth, the other feare? the Sunne asham'd to looke on this dismall spectacle of their cruelty winks, the earth affraid to bee made but the stage to it shrinks, and shrugs to bee rid o'nt; and doe men yet goe on in despight of both? how well may the heuaens, and earth say to vsus, as the children each to other in the market place: wee have mourned to you, Mat. 11.17.and you have not wept) shall thy dea…h (Lord) darken the eye of the seeing Sun, and shall it not wet the eye of the doeing Sinner? how doth the Sun of nature sute it selfe to the Sun of righteousnesse in being thus blinded? and shall not my more interessed eyes sorrow with such company? without which they can neither sorrow to see, nor see to sorrow? without which they had eternally sorrowed in vtter darkenesse: before that last day (Lord) thou hast told me, the Sun shall be turned into darkenesse, Mat. 24. Mar. 13.and the Moone into blood, and so wert thou before this last day of thy life: turne me so too (Lord) before my last day into that darkenesse of sorrow,1. Cor. 15.15. Ioh. 1.4.9.8.2. that blood of martirdome, that daily martirdome of Pauls, mortification: thou often callest thy selfe (Lord) light, and how truely doth it here appeare thou art so? at thy birth thou brought'st light into the world, the night was then turned into day, a light shone vntounto the Sheepheards watching ouer their flockes by night, Luk. 2.8.11.and though 'tw…re night, yet the Angell tels them this day is borne to you, &c. Then was fulfilled that of the Psalme, the night shineth as the day; so, at thy death againe did I thou take the light away with thee that day is here turned into night, here is fulfilled that of the Prophet,Amos. 5.8. then shall I cause the Sun to goe downe, at noone, and I will darken the earth in the cleare day: in as much then (Lord) as it appears that (both in thy birth and (here) at thy death againe) thou art the light that lightens every one that comes into the world; Ioh. 1.9.even so come (Lord Iesu) come quickly into my darke, benighted heart. Turne its night of ignorance into a day of true light, and if at any time thou leavest it for a time (as here thou dost the world) turne then as here my day into night, a night not of sinne, but sorrow, let heavinesse endure that night, and no joy come vntill the morning, that morning when thou that day-spring from an high shalt againe visit mee; Luk. 1.78.thou shewedst thy selfe Lord to the Israelites by a cloud, Exo. 16.10. Mat. 2.and to those Wise men but by a starre, and here to the Iewes if by the Sun, 'tis but by its darkenesse, not lighit how much more graciously, more gloriously do'st thou vouchsafe to shew thy selfe to mee in the bright Sunshine of thy Gospell? how much more inexcusable I, if I walke not, if I delight not in this thy greater light? 1 Ioh. 1.here (I see Lord) what thou meanest by those thy frequent acclamations to the heavens and the earth for audience. Give eare O Heavens, and heare O earth &c. Deut. …2. Chap 33.And well (Lord) maist thou thus startle and vpbra…d deafer man by the Heavens and the earth's thinner-eard attention, they heare thy groanes not without sorrow, trembling, and compassion, whilst men that cause them slight them, with either, an Idols or an Adders eare, Esa. 44.that cannot or that will not heare; shall the earth tremble more on which, then I for, and by whom thy blood was shed; shall corrupt Foelix tremble at Pauls preaching of iudgement, Act. 24 25.and shall not I at thy suffring of execution? shall Balthazar quake so with enter-feering knees & ioynts at the hand writing vponupon the wall and not I at thy hands here writing thy last will and testament in blood vponupon the Crosse?Dan 5.6. who am I that am but a clod of that earth that here thus trembles, spurnd to dust by eueryevery foot, and then scatterd by every wind, that I should not quake, and tremble with that whole, whereof I am the weakest part; for that head, whereto I am the vnworthiest member? how much otherwise have I vnmade my selfe from what, and whereof thou first mad'st mee, if I tremble not with the earth (here) of which, and at thy death by whom I was made.