Contemplations and Devotions, Part 3
III. Hee is apprehended in the Garden,Luk. 22.54. and thence led bound to the high Priests Hall.
IVdas will now no longer be a Follower but a Leader, though hee get but a Leiftenants place to the devill by the change; behold while hee yet spake, Luk. 22.47a company, and hee that was called Iudas, went before them: and now how soone (as David speakes) are his soft words, Psal. 55.22.become very swords, they are come with swords, Luk. 22.52.and staves to take him; so truely doth Iudas his kisse, prove one of Ioabs, in the end, a Stab, and that vnderunder the fift Rib 2. Sam. 20.10.too; so propheticall was that Proverbe of Solomons, the kisse of an enemy, is worse then the wound of a friend: when hee was kissed, hee complaines, Iudas betrayest thou, &c. Luk. 22.48But when he was wounded for vsus, by vsus, hee was dumbe, Esa. 53.7.and opened not his mouth. Israel had long before beene too busie, in borrowing the Philistines religion, and now it seemes they will make bold with their pollicie too, their old pollicie, of plowing against Sampson, with his owne Heifer, his owne familiar friend (as our Saviour himselfe complaines) like an vntamed Heifer hath lifted vp the heele against him; Sampson, Iud. 14.18. Psa. 41.9.Hos. 4.16.the true Nazarite, Iud. 1….is here againe taken, bound, abused, blind-folded: innocent Susanna (in resemblance, if not tipe) is here once againe by the enuious Elders, bathing in a bloody sweat, surprisd in the Garden, yet not with out some instance of that ever victorious selfe-armed maiesty of innocence, as of the heart-lesse selfe-betraying cowardise of guilt, with the least glimpse of which maiesty strucke too, through that thicke Cloud of his now faint agoniz'd yeelding, Luk. 22.forsaken poverty; how are they all with a breath, a word,Ioh. 18.6. a meeke one. I am hee, strucke all backe flat on the ground. And worthily O Lord are they turned backeward and put to confusion, Psal. 68.that seeke to doe thee evill, but doth not old Ely fall backe and breake his neck, 1 Sam. 4.at the taking of the Arke of God? and doe these fall and rise againe, that come thus bloodily to take the God of that Arke? the Arke of the Covenant? Here me thinks a rapture of devotion might take leave to chide a while with the earth it selfe, that did interpose, and not cleave a sunder to give way for such murderous miscreants, to drop downe quick to hell it selfe, Ps. 55.16(as David seemes to wish) whence they first tooke their accursed errand; why should it bee more kind to these, then before to Corah, and his accomplices, why should it not now (as then) bee ashamed of, and so swallow vp quick such a viperous reproachfull brood of hers, from the vpbraiding light; not staying, as then, their buriall till their death, they mutinied but against Moses: But behold a greater then Moses is here, one who is not comprehended by the Heaven of Heavens, and yet how malefactor-like apprehended by the worst, the very hell of earth, one before whom the Elders of Heaven cast downe their crownes, Reu. 4.10.gainst whom, though how bloodily doe these sonnes of earth lift vp their Swords? Hee that binds even Kings themselues in chaines, and Princes with links of iron: how ba…barously is hee here himselfe, bound and led away in cords of thraldome to death, and torture? he that leads Ioseph like a Sheepe, be side the waters of comfort, is (here) led himselfe like a Sheepe to the slaughter, Psa. 23.2.Esa. 53.7.and that into what flouds of blood and torments here, …ho would not have prayed (with David) Let the s…ntence of guiltinesse proceed against them: Psa. 41.8.and now that they lye downe, let them ris… vp no more, Psal. 55.16let death come hastily vponupon them, and let them goe downe quick into hell. What would flesh and blood in such a case have consulted with, but fire and sword, storme and tempest? here had beene a farre fitter place (in the eye of flesh:) for some of Eliah's fire from Heaven, 2 King. 1.10to have consumed from off the earth, this traiterous Captaine with his forces, to have made but one entire Holocaust of them all, to that their bloody fierie God Molech; 1 King. 12no, but hee is not of …hat fierie Spirit, his Miracles hey shall all speake his mercy, not one his fury; he is still (notwithstanding all heir worst of malice) not of Eliahs Spirit, but (as he… sometime was) in Eliahs vision,1 Kin 19.1… not in the fire or whirlewind, or earthquake; but in a soft and gentle voice. Friend wherefore art thou come, Mat. 26.50. Luk. 22.53.I taught daily in the Temple, and are yee now come with swords, &c. How much better then David, could hee have defied ten thousands, Psal. 3 6.had they hemm'd him in: 'twas from him, that David had both that confidence, 7and that defence: how easi…y could hee (as hee speakes himselfe) have comma…ded a Guard o… more then twelue legions of Angels, Mat 26.35.and how easily one A… gell armed with his command,2 King. 19. could destroy an host of men, Zenacheribs story wileasily confesse? But how then shall the Scriptures be ful…illed, which had said;Esay 53.7 hee shall bee led as a Sheepe to the slaughter, and as a Lambe dumbe before the Shearers. Triumph not then, yee blacke Guard of hell, of this your redeeming conquering captive; for did not his owne love to man, and mans debt to the Law, thus arrest, mannackle, lead him more then your, but now prost…ate, not word-proofe forces, how much easier thē Sāpson, Iud 15.could this Nazarite have broken your Philistine cords asunder: how easily could hee have done by you, what you had falsely bragd gainst him: have broken your bonds asunder, Psa. 2.3.and cast away your cords from him; as easily with a word, have throwne yee backe into earth againe, as hee had with award, either first made yee of it,Io. 18.6. or now throwne yee backe vponupon it. But if not Eliah's fire, yet in so iust a quarrell, let Peter at least strike with the Sworde: thou thy selfe (Lord) hadst but now asked for swords, and at that late muster of thy Apostles,Luk. 22 31.51. hadst thought two enough, and yet now but one is drawne, and that's too many: even Malchus, his enemies Eare shall prove the cong…uence of that his owne stile,Mat. 5.17. a Restorer and not a Destroyer, the heart deserued the blow, it fals but on the eare, and is that one blow too much, though in such a reskue? one eare too great a losse,Ephes. 2.14 though for such an Enemy? yes, …eter is bound and threatend to the peace,Mat 26.52. by this eternall Peace-maker: put vp thy sword, hee that strikes with the sword, shall perish by it. Who would not here have expected rather an allarme, …hen this so yeelding a retreat; nay a rest…ain…? had his pretended Vicar beene here in his steed, what fire, and blood, and slaughter, had the quarrell cost? how had Earth, Hell, and Purgatory, all three (in right of that his triple Crowne) beene pressed to the seruice? mee thinks I heare him vponupon the least pretence of such a cause, crying fight on Peter, thou can'st never fight in a better quarrell, God is with thee: what matter who, or how many be against thee? thou sayd'st, thou wouldst die with mee, Luk. 22.now shew thy selfe a man, both of thy word, and hands at once, now arise Peter, kill and devour; Act. 10.15.have I not set thee over the nations and kingdomes, to root, Ier. 1.10.pull downe, and destroy? Art not thou that Stone, which on whomsoever it fals, Luk. 20.it shall grind to powder? here's no such ma…ter, Esay 55.8.Gods wayes are not, as mans wayes, He therefore will not strike, lest hee loose the victory, hee came not to fight, but to conquer, and his weapon, 'tis not the Sword, but the Crosse, hee will therefore onelyonly let men see that (at strongest) they are but men, Psal. 9.20.while his enemies therefore are driven backe, they shall but fall, Psal. 9 3.not perish at his presence: But that they may know withall, that hee is that true Lion of the tribe of Iudah; thus magnanimously will he spare the prostrate;Reu. 5.5. let that his pretended Vicar trample on the necks of yeelding Emperours, heell not pursue, no not these his insultant Foes beyond a fall. But what, did that blow that strucke off Malchus his eare, strike out all their eyes too; else how could they see such a fall, such a cure, and not beleeue the Omnipotence, of that tongue and hand, that wrought them; hee that could thus with a word strike them backe vponupon the earth, Luk. 12.how could they thinke, but that it was the same that (as Esay had told them) should one day smite the earth it selfe with the rod of his mouth, Esay. 11.4.and that could with the breath of his lips, slay the wicked; how could they but beleeue those hands, able to reskue themselues, that could so with a touch restore his eare? how much easier had it ben to wound, then so to cure? But that gain & malice had wrought their hearts into a temper proof against the proofe of miracles themselues, either of them, wee see can doe it. Gaine in the Gadderens; Enuy in the Pharisees, they see their Swine drownd by those furious, yet to him both yeelding and intreating devils,Luk 8. and yet besought they him to depart their Coasts. Those see Lazarus raised by him, out of the Insatiate, Io. 11.44Prou. 30.16yet to him the yeelding graue, and yet gather they immediately a Councell, & conclude. If wee let him thus alone, all will beleeue in him: God only keepes the key of the heart, where hee locks, 'tis not in the power of miracle to open; the secret of the Lord is among them onelyonly that feare him, and to the mccke onelyonly, he will sh…w his wayes; 'tis not to all, no not to all that see them; 'tis hee onelyonly that opens that eye, that can see the wondrous things of his law. But O my blessed Lord and Saviour, that art the Lord of Hosts, and God of victory, that makest all thy Souldiers (in thee) more then Conquerers, Rom. 8.37.and yet for mee, becam'st here a Captive to thine owne Captives; what meanes this sudden change (Lord) but now if it be possible may this Cup passe: Mat. 26.39.And now againe how willingly do'st thou (in a sort) betray thy selfe into the hands of thy Murderers, with an, I am hee whom yee seeke, Iohn 18.5.and againe, if I be he, let these goe their way, hadst thou any worse enemies then these (Lord) to encounter with? (Alas) yes, thy Fathers wrath was a Cup farre more bitter, my sinnes enemies more dreadfull, arm'd with worse weapons then these their swords, and staves; those irons entred into thy very Soule, Psa 105.18these enemies of thine that here assault thee, cost thee not a word to resist, thou wentst dumbe before these Shearers, and but a word to over throw,Esa. 53. they went backeward and fell to the ground, when the wicked came to eate vp thy flesh, Luk. 22.they stumbled and fell: Psa. 27 2.But (alas) those other enemies of thine, of mine, my sinnes, how many words, and wounds, and drops, both of blood and sweat, how many groanes, both of compassion and complaint did they cost thee?Heb. 5.7. They were strong cryes (saies thy Apostle) thou offerdst vp to him, who was able to deliver thee: Thy parents (O Lord) sought thee, and so did Herod too,Luk. …. Mat. 2. and so doe these thy Murderers: Herod sought thee in the multitude, these in the Garden, but thy parents in the Temple, it lyes not then (Lord) I see so much in seeking thee, as in seeking thee aright: O let mee seeke thee then in thy Temple,Esa. 56.7. thy house of Prayer, that place where thine honour dwelleth, not in the Garden of pleasurous sensuality, not in the multitude of popular cusstome: so I shall but seeke thee, as Ioseph did his brethren, Gen. 37.vntill I loose my selfe; thine owne parents while they sought thee in the multitude, found thee not, though they sought thee three dayes together, and that sorowing,Luk 2.48. and therein too how much appeares the greatnesse of thy love, when thou wer… about thy Fathers busines, and found though by thine own mother, thou answerest her with a how is it that yee sought mee: But when thou wert about my busines, and found though by thy Murderers, thou answerest with an,Ioh. 18. I am hee whom yee seeke, as if more glad to bee found for my safty by thy Murderers, then for thine owne by thy mother; thou carest not to loose thy selfe, that thou mightst find mee. O let mee not sticke then, to leaue, to loath, to loose my selfe in seeking thee, it is thine owne way, as well in promise, as practise, hee that will loose his life for my sake shall save it; Luk. 14.26.let mee not then with Peter, make flesh mine arme, or thinke a sword a defence enough to save mee, but trusting rather to the arme, then the sword, wher I dare not expect thine arme to guid it, let mee not dare strike with the sword, lest I perish by it, Mat. 26.52.without that arme of thine (Lord) Goliah's sword turnes edge,1 Sam 27. and with it Sauls sword never returnes empty; 2 Sam. 1.22rather let Peter by the sword of the Spirit, thy word,Ephes. 6. cut off mine eare with Malchuses; when with his, it shall harken to the counsell of the vngodly: Psal. 11.And doe thou (O Lord) restore it (as here) by the touch of thy grace, an eare inclin'd, and swift to heare, Iam. 1.19. Rev. 2.29.what thy Sp rit sayes vntounto the Churches, that I follow Davids Lanthorne, Iohn 18.3.and not Iudases, making thy word, and not the wages of iniquity, Ps. 119 105.a Lanthorne to my feet, Psa 119.105.and a Light vntounto my path. But canst thou (Lord) bestow thy mercies, thy miracles on Malchus? and lay thy healing finger on him, who came to lay violent hands on thee? Why should I then so much more wrong thy mercy, by despairing, then by sinning, as to think that I can be so sinfull, but that thou canst bee much mo…e mercifull, if I can be sorowfull? Is not thy mercy above all thy workes, how much more then above all mine or the devils either in mee? bee my sinnes mountaines, Mat 17.20.thy finger is able to remove them into that Sea of thy blood, thy hand is not shortned that it cannot save, nor is thine eare heavy that it will not heare; Esa. 59.1.how much rather then will that hand bind vp my broken heart, Psa. 51.then restore that his contumacious eare? art thou still so miraculously mercifull to one so murderously malicious, as to heale him, who came to wound thee? It lies not then I see in the sin, but in the Sinner, to shut out thy importunate mercy; 'tis his impenitence in the sinne, not thy impatience at it, that excludes it, bee it never so great, nor doth the mercy of this thy miracle, or rather the miracle of this thy mercy (for to such a one mercy it selfe had beene a miracle) more, teach me faith and hope then art thou thus mercifull to Malchus? Charity is then (I see) as infinite, as eternall, as boundlesse, as 'tis endlesse; as it (beyond both faith and hope) shall have no end, no not in heaven, so hath it no limits, neither here on earth; when Malchus his eare is restored by miracle: what enemie can hunger, that wee may not feed, what iniury, what enemy, what malice doth not the large armes of charity imbrace? this is the vertue wherein I cannot presse too neere thee: I will not strive too much, to imitate thee, either in the face of thy maiesty,Gen. 3. with Lucifer, or braines of thy wisedome with Adam, Ier. 29.or arme of thy power with Nebuchadnezar, or finger of thy miracles with Magus, Act. 8.but in the bowels of thy mercy, those let mee not spare to put on,Luk. 6.3.6. to be merciful, as thou my heauenly father art mercifull; of all other vertues, Charity hath no right hand, error's all her extreame, 'tis defect; what excesse shee hath, 'tis not in her owne degrees, but her obiects, faith overreaches, and hath credulity, as well as infidelity, and fo ha…h hope security, as well as despaire; wee read of being wise overmuch, and iust overmuch too, but no where of being overmuch mercifull, mercy hath no excesse, but error.