A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 104 (Question 27 cont.)
SERMON CIV.
IT fellows that are paſs from the … … tions of Chriſts Sp…rnael, to the … …s Bidely Death. And through the whole Life of Chriſt was full of Death. He being a M…n of Serres from his l…a cy, yet we are now upon the C… ſileration of the laſt tragical part of his Life. And here his i…ho…tive Bodily Death is obſerrable in two things viz. Her Breaſt, and His Arrog…nt … Trial. The former of theſe is his Arreſt, which may at preſeat be com…mplated by us.
THE Son of God in our mie… was not only to dye for us, but he was to dye as a Criminal, He fell into the hards of divine Juſtice, God would proceed againſt him as … Offender. And though he fell immediately upon him, in that part of his Death which was Spititual yet in that which was Redily, he made uſe of Men to be inſtrumental in it who, though as they were …luntary Agents in it, they did wickedly, yet, as God made uſe of them as inſtruments in executing of the Curſe on him, which he had undertaken. they fuinlled his determinate counſel in this aſtair. Hence that, Act. 2.35. Have being deli…red by the deter…inue …nſel and foreknowledge of God, ye … taker and by wicked hands have cra…ied and …in. He is therefore firſt Arrefied, in order to his Trial and Condemnation. And how great and grievous his Sufferings were on this account may now be inquired into; which will help us in the view of the wouderful Love which he hare to us miſerable Sinners. The Evangeliſts do all of them give us the Hiſtorical account of this matter, out of which we may, for our inſtruction gather a few Rom …; which I ſhall liſt under two heads, 1 How much thereout of his Suſteran…n this p…age of his Death? 2. How eminent…y … appeared 16 ni… in …is … …lantary …
1. THERE was no ſould … of Du… Arreſt that Chriſt under…. Not … that it was the firſt ſcene of his b… …ut alſo in regard to the high i…d… very grietous affronts that were … him in it, and the many ſer… … brought upon him: And therefore … him ever and a non typically brought … the Old-Te…iament making heavy … every of theſe paſſages, as of ſuch … were an heart breaking to him. On of … is …a, VſUs…d 69. and ſee more eſpeci… … hepro… heart broken mi… … ſaleſ eso…neſs: end I broked for … for ſome … p…ry, but there was nice; and for … but I … and nice. And if we would … c…ctive of them, we muſt look upon Perſua that ſuffered theſe things, … with our conſidering of what thing … were that he ſuffered. Now the Pe… the Son of God …n our nature and … a m… glorious Perſ…age; and we … that gererons and …ble Soals, whe aſtronts and c…tempes caſt upon … bitterly as, te…, they …rem …re bitter … than Death Itſelf. T…c…fider of a … ig to…le perſon, of a …did low ſp… dealt with, is c…mmratively but … 1 behold the King and Lord of Glory handled. will be a at conſideration … carry through all his ſufferiegs for … to heighten the … of the … which be undervent in theſe ſ…fferi… the Apoſtle pats an emphaſi, upon … 2.6, 7. If … in the …en of God, … it not … to be equil … God: … himſelf ſ…no reparation, …ced … the fire of a ſervant. and ous … …keneſs of men. Now we may … aggrerations of theſe Sufferings in … reſpects.
1. IN reſpect of Judas that Arch-Tro… Bet…er of …m: which made no … … tions to his Sufferings; and that … circumſtances than one, viz.
(1.) THAT ſuth an …ne as Judas …word the …ng…er in ſuch a deſign a … Jut…s, whom Chriſt had ſo much … and advanced, wh…m He had privi… be taken into his Family, had preter… to the Apoſtleſhip, had made him p… his ſecrets, had acquainted him wi… Geſpel-miracles, had advanced him to … Ambaſſadour of the glad ridings of … and ſent him forth to Preach the Go… Salvation, and empowered him to … Devils, and work many miracles in hi… and betrufied him to beSteward in hi… And that after all this was done for … ſhould betrary him, ſell him, and deli… into the hands of his enemies, and … the head of ſuch a noun. We have the miſt making bitter complaint, and … aggravating of this, in the perſon of …phel. Pſal. 55.12, &c. And this is referred in Pſal. 109.4. And 41.9. Yea mine … miliar friend in where I tru…ed, which … … bried. …th …ſt up his …eel g…ſt … …ch is applied to this by Chriſt himſelf, … 13.13.
(2.) THAT he did this …nterily. The … to it …oſe from himſelf. Ja…es in…d knew of the i…reterate malice which … Prieſts and Elders hare againſt Chriſt, … they did not prepoſe any ſoilicirations him, to draw him ever to them, in a con…ty againſt his Lord, but he offered him… Seedy unto them, and made the firſt …ſ…l it a bargain with them about it. 1.26.12, 15. Had he been drawn into … Temptation, of great offers, and im…ty, it had not been ſo much, though … alſo had been horri…le ingratitude: but … notwithſtanding all the O…gentions laid … him by the peculiar t…u… of his …, be …ll go and contrive … his own … how he might betray a Perſon, whom his own Conference, he knew to be inno…, into the … of murderers; for this …her wa…ds upon refi…tion, con…fied Mat. …3.4. T…added to Chriſt grief; and this t…e that … in the perſon of …, …kes his …plain…, Pſal. 1….7, 8. …, and … usher … and vanity. … it th… … of the villages: … ſecret places dothing murder the inn…cent: …es are pr… ſet againſt the poor.
(3.) THE co…temp…s Pr… than be ſet …. He …t only bi…ly ſold the Lord of …, but he alſo ſet a very low, and inte… …l…e upon Him when he ſold Him; it … thirty p…ces, Mat. 26.15. This was the … that was put upon the Lord Jeſus …, and that by J…as, who had ſeen and … ſo m…h of …s tranſcendent excel …: and i… with w…at refi… our Sa… himſelf ſpeaks of it in the pr…ph…y, … 11.12, 1…. and I ſe…d … th…, if ye … good give … my fri…e; and if not for…: ſo they w…ghed for my … pie… of …. And the Lord … C…ſt … the p…tter: a g…d…y pr… t…t … at …f that: And I to…k …, and … them to the … in … Lord. He was fold for next to notl…i…geſe thirty … were in pr…b…bilityld …, …els which was a…o…d anty Co… in uſe …ng them, and according to which, …all …s under a Talent, were wont to be rated, … the…r ſhekels were of two ſorts, there … the common ſhekel…, which we…ghed two …, and the ſhekel of the Sanctuary, …ch was twice as much as the other; if ſuppoſe they were the former, it was … ſeven ſhillings & ſix pence; if the lat… three pounds fifteen ſhillings, of Engliſh …. And we ſhall find that this juſt … was in the Law to be reckoned as the … of a ſlave, E…od. 21.32. If the on ſhall … …an ſervant, or a …ai… ſervant, he ſhall …to their maſter thirty ſhekels of ſilver, the on ſhall he ſtoned. So that in this … the great Rede…ner of mankind, was reputed as a Va…let, and his Lite was ſold, as a diſregardable thing. And how vile an igrominy was herein caſt upon him?
(4.) THE …ſe hyprocriſy that he pr…iſed in betraying of Chriſt. He was to bring them to him, and to give them a ſign, by which they might not be miſtaken, and ſeize another inſtead of him; and the way in which he is to be diſcovered, is by a trayterous kiſs. A pretence to the greateſt friendſhip, muſt be a cloak to cover the falſhood which he uſed. It was horrid and helliſh policy, that they muſt have ſuch a guide as Judas, to lead them the way, who knew his reſorts, and where to find him out; who alſo knew his perſon, ſo that they might be ſure not to be miſtaken in the dark: And it was a cunning deceit, that he ſhould come as a friend to detain him, leſt otherwiſe they might be ſuſpected, and He make his eſcape in the night. Chriſt alſo took ſpecial notice of this, and thereupon upbraids him with it. Luk. 22.28. But Jeſus ſaid unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiſs? And of this paſſage the Pſalmiſt complains, as a Type of Chriſt. Pſal. 55.20, 21. He hath put ſerth his hands againſt ſuch as be at peace with …im: he hath … his covenant. The words of his mouth were ſ…ther then butter, but war was in bi…eart: his words were ſ…ſter them oyl, yet …o…e they drawn ſwords.
2. IN reſpect of the Chief Prieſts, and Rulers of the People, this alſo greatly added to the reproach of Chriſts Sufferings. This aſſault that was made upon him, when he was Arreſted, was …t done only by their countenance of, or connivance at it, which yet had been a vile affront offered him, but it was by warrant and authority from them. See, Joh. 18.3. Judas then having received a hand of men, and …f…ers from the chief Prieſ…s and Phariſees, cometh thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons. If it had been only a popular tumult and fury, ariſing and deriving meerly from the rabble, though it had been troubleſome, yet it had not been ſo ignomini…us, but when all this was done by Order and Warrant granted from thoſe who were in chief Authority, and ſo was authorized by them; this I…flected all the diſgrace upon Chriſt that could …e & rendred him in account or eſteem of the Law, a man guilty of ſome horrible Crime, and not worthy to live or draw his breath among men. It did give men to ſuſpect and believe, that he was to be accounted the worſt of men; He was in this very act of theirs, declared to be one reputed as a publick enemy both to Church and State, as a notorious and intollerable diſturber of them both: for both Civil and Eccleſiaſtical Powers ſig…ed the Warrant, and commiſſioned Judas and his Accomplices to ſeize him after this manner; and they were ſuch alſo as prefeſſed themſelves to be the people of God, and carried our with an earneſt zeal for his Glory.
3. THE manner of his being A…ſied, … the actions accompanying of it; repreſented Him as one looked upon as a Thief, and a great Malefactor, and one that was unworthy to live: And hence, there was not only the greateſt violence uſed in this act, but it was performed after the moſt diſgraceful manner; as will appear in ſeveral paſſages attending of it, viz.
(1.) THE Quality and Number of the Company that came at Attendants and Aſſ…ants in it. They are ſaid to be a great multitude, Mat. 26.47. It is true, there were Officers, and a hand of men, Joh. 18.3. Yea, there were Chief Prieſts, and Captains of the Temple, and Elders, as, Luk. 22.52. whoſe coming was not to put any reſpect on him in this ſeizure, but to ſhew their own inveterate malice; but there were gathered together all the rabble, and raſkally multitude, filling of the ſtreets with tumult and uproar, as they were wont to do, when an Officer goes to hale ſome drunkard, or debauched perſon before the Magiſtrate. He was ſet upon by the very ſeam of the City, and this is very intollerable conrumely in man's account. And we have Chriſt repreſented in David, as taking an affectionate notice of it, Pſal. 22.12, 13. Many bulls have compaſſe! me: ſtrong bulls of Baſhan have beſet me round. They gaped upon me with their months, as a ravening, and a rearing …ion. Pſal. 69.12. They that ſit in the gate, ſpeak againſt me; and I was the ſong of the drunkards. And the more, becauſe they were ſuch whom he had ſhewn ſo much kindneſs unto. Hence that moan, Pſal. 35.11, &c.
(2.) THE Time when they choſe to come and ſeize him; it was late at night: And thereupon they come with Lanterns and Torches, to make the greater rout, and greater diſcovery of their ſpleen againſt him, Joh. 18.3. Thieves are wont to wake and do their pranks in the Night time, and to lie hid all the Day, leſt they ſhould be ſeen & taken. Herein therefore they acted as thoſe that were in purſuit of ſome Felon or ſeditious Perſon. And ſo alſo our Saviour reſents this action, and accordingly expoſtulates with them about it, Mat. 26 55. Are ye come out as againſt a thief with ſwords and ſtaves for to take me?
(3.) THE Proviſion that they come furniſhed with, for the taking and ſecuring of him: they went armed with ſwords and staves. Mat. 26.44. Likely, the band of men came in their military equipage, but the rabble that were gathered up in their going, every one ſnatching up ſomething that he found next at hand, to appear in the more hoſtile way againſt him, as though he had been are that went about to raiſe ſome inſurrection, or make a tumult or riot among the People: they go as provided againſt a common enemy. And this alſo is part of Chriſt's expoſtulation, Mat. 26.55.
(4.) THEIR Dealing with him in this ſeizure, was alſo full of violence and inſolence,
For,
[1.] THEY all ſell upon him at once, … with many hands they lay hold of him. M… 26.5…. They reſolve to make ſore of … poſſible. They were afraid leſt by any … he ſhould eſcape away from them, … upon him as a dangerous perſon, and th… fore they rudely clap in, and beſet him … as ſo many bees, encompaſſing him on … hands, as a company of ravening wo…es … had gotten their prey in their paws. And of this alſo we have that complaint, P… 22.16. For dogs have compaſſed me, the … of the wicked have exc…ſed me; they … my hands and my feet.
[2.] THEY hind him. Joh. 18.12. They counted they could not ma…e too ſ…e of … and thought it not enough they had hi… … their hands, and had ſo ſtrongly g…d… him with ſo many armed men, but muſt … put gins and manicles upon him: wherein alſo they treated him as a Robber, o… away Slave. It was contrary to the … yea and looked upon as a caſting the … diſgrace that could be upon a man, to … him; and for that reaſon it was a thing that free men were exempted from by law … cuſtom, before ſuch time as they had been … and condemned. Act. 22.25. And is … bound him with thongs, Paul ſaid unto the … turion that ſtand by, It is lawful for you to ſo… a man that is a Roman, & uncondemned? It … therefore an act of great contempt & deſ…, and carried with it horrible indignity.
4. IT alſo added greatly to his affliction, and was a piece of Death is him, that … juncture his Diſciples forſook him and ſ…d …, M…. 26.56. It is true, at the firſt one of … began to ſhow his great zeal, and … tantly drew his Sword; and began … about him; but very quickly his ſpirit … fainted, and miſ…gave him; and all of … one after another deſerted him: he … expoſed to ſcorn, and rage, and abuſe … his deadly haters. And there is not ſo … as one appears to own his cauſe, or ſtand … for him; ſo that whiles his enemies … vents itſelf againſt him, all his friends … run away, and he is deſerted, to beard himſelf alone; herein they diſcovered … fear and cowardize, in that the de…f … be ſeen to take his part, yea, and this ſhame too; as is pointed unto, Iſai. … He is deſpiſed and rejected of men, a … ſorrows, and acquainted with grief: and … as it were our faces from him; he was deſ… and we eſteemed him not. Chriſt was … expoſed to ſuffer all manner of igno… and abuſe; and none of his friends … acknowledge him, but reckon it both … rous and reproachful for them ſo to do: … that he was here at once, both perſecantly his enemies, and deſerted by his friends: … it was no little part of the bitterneſs of … cup, and augmentation of his ſorrow, the they thus dealt by him. Hence he is … moans himſelf, Pſal. 69.8. I am b… … ſtranger unto my brethren, and an alien … others children. And Pſal. 80.20. And … 88. act. 38.11.
WE ay obſerve … eminently his Love diſ…vered itſelf in that be … all this. Here two things,
HE was voluntary in it. Whatſoever …lence was uſed againſt him, yet he … expoſed himſelf to it. For,
(1.) IT is certain, that be could with greateſt … have eſcaped out of their lands He … often done it before, when his time … not come. He could have avoided the …; he knew that Judas knew it, and … come hither after him. He had the …tage of the Night to make a ſecret re…, had he had a mind to it: nay be could … tailed them to the ground with a word, … as threw them there: in which he … ſpecimen of what he was able to have … Job. 18.6.
(2.) IF he had needed them, all the Angels … a his command. And he could have … them in to his help: and one of them … been more than enough to have dealt … all that rabble; whereas for a word …, he could have called in were than … …gi…s. Mat. 26.…3. All God's Angels …; the Heavenly Hoſt acknowledge … be their Lord, and they worſhip him.
(3.) HE restrained his Diſ…a…les from help…, and reb…ked him who …tempted it. … 26.52. And he gives the reaſon why … ſo, ver. …4. becauſe nothing which the … had revealed, and God had there… …iſed for his people, ſhould be in the … withſtood by him. He was engaged to … fathers will, and reſolved to do it ….
HE …en… out to them, and readily re… … up into their hands, … what … with him. He ſtood ſtill, he made … at all. Job. 1….4. J…ſus there… … all things that ſhould … up … f…rth, and ſaid unto them, …. Though he told them of the… ſin, … …ied how vilely and …pt…nch…ully … …ied to him, without any reaſon, yet … ſtands them not, but ſuffers them to … on, bind, and carry him away, and … and to him, whatſoever they ſaw …. And what greater evidence could he … of his voluntarineſs and readineſs in it? … this voluntarineſs of his, he expreſ…ed … …derſal Love to us. Which that we … underſtand, we may endeavour to get … …ght conception of theſe things. The … labour under great miſtakes, when … this Hiſtory. When they obſerve …ts that were offered to our Lord … a Chriſt, and all the abuſes and wrongs, … he ſuffered from them, who was an … Perſon, and a great Benefaction who … their diſeaſes, and relieved their … and went up and down doing good, … b…wels relent, and the… p…ty Chriſt, … are f…ll of anger at this cruel, in humane, …eful people, and charge them high: and now they think they have ſhown their zeal for, and love to Chriſt in…icie…t…y: whereas theſe are but carnal affections flowing from carnal conceptions … things. But let us obſerve, that though the wickedn…ſs of theſe inſtruments appeared in all this yet Infinite Wiſdom, and Severeign Providence ordered it all for the bringing about of our recovery from Hell, and deliverance from Condemnation. Here then obſerve,
(1.) THAT God's E…, together with the reſt of Mankind, were f…llen under G…, and ſo expoſed to the righteous Judgment of God. In this condition Chriſt found all his, when he came into the world on their account. Iſai. 1….6. All we like ſtory have … aſtray: we have turned every … to his …, and the Lord herb … him the iniquity of as all. Sin is a Tranſgreſſion of the Law, which hath den…ed a curſe againſt all that are found breakers of it. By ſin therefore, all Adam progeny are becomme men of Death. The Law condemns them, and they are … guilty, Rom. ….12.
(2.) HENCE … trial and …, they are …, and dragged before God. Tr…. For God's J…d…ment is orderly. He firſt tries, before he condemn. He did ſo by Adam, and …, and the …pen…, before he paſt their doom upon them. Gen. 3. So that God's Elect, being Sinners, were in danger of being laid held of, and faſt bound as priſ…ers of Juſtice, to anſwer as Criminals, at the great Bar.
(3.) IN …is Warrent, they were chargeable with all manner …f the v…leſt …. There is no kind of ſin, but they have it … their nature Original Sin is a body of Death, to which belong all the members: Nay, there is ſcarce any ſin to be named, but ſ…e of Chriſt's redeemed, have actually, and ſcandalouſly fallen into. I am ſure, when the Apoſtle reckons up a number of the m…ſt bateful, he finds ſome of his converted Co…iath…ans, to have been under the guilt of them, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11 … that the …nrighte… ſcall … the kingdom … deceived neither …, nor…id l… ters, … themſelves …, nor … ex…er…s … inherit the kingdom of God And ſuch were …, but ye … are … None of the …, and by the Spirit of our God.
(4.) HENCE they deſerved to … Warrant ſerved …, and is … with the greated … and …. It was … to tha… their due, to be purſ…d as …, and … P…ſ… … and the … and ſtaves, and tumult, and to be dragged to …, as a company of runaway ſlaves: ſhame and conſuſ… of … to them. Pa…. 9.8.
(5.) THE Lord Jeſus Chriſt, … S…ty, … be… … this …. This was one part of our grieſs, which if we be delivered from, he muſt undergo in our name. Iſai. 53.4. For, though he was innocent in himſelf, and deſerved none of this treatment from men, yet, being in our place, all that guilt which was before ours, now became his, and was tranſlated on him; and if we go free he muſt undergo it. 2 Cor. 5.21. For he hath made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might he made the rightcouſneſs of God in him.
(6.) HENCE, not meetly man's unrighteouſneſs, but mainly God's rightcouſneſs is to be eyed in this. Chriſt muſt not only die, but it muſt be in a legal proceſs. He muſt not be violently cut off, but in form and courſe of Law; and though men covered their malice with pretences of equity, yet God in infinite Wiſdom ordered it, that one might die, and the whole nation of God's Elect eſcape This made him to reſign himſelf, not becauſe men …oodlly deſired his Death, but becauſe God righteouſly appointed it. Therefore he ſubmitted to be numbred with Tranſgreſſors, Iſai. 53.12.
USE. LABOUR we then, to ſee our ſelves in this Glaſs, and look upon Chriſt as Suffering our part in this Tragedy. And how vile ſhould this render us in our own eyes, and how admirably lovely ſhould it make Jeſus Chriſt unto us? When we look upon Him in our thoughts under this horrible diſgrace, it ſhould make Him appear honourable and adorable to us. Think then in your reflection upon this ſtory; I was the curſed Caitiff, that deſerved to be laid hands upon, and to be made a very ſcorn of men, to have been purſued with hue and cry, laden with chains and fetters, and brought forth to be made a ſpectacle of ſcorn and diſdain: but behold, the Son of God, in pity and tender compaſſion to me, though he did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth, willingly offered himſelf to the contempt, and reſigned himſelf uo to have his precious hands manicled, and feet fettered; to have a vile rout fall upon him in fury, and bring him to the bar, that I might be juſtiſyed, and my Soul ſet at liberty. What inſuperable Love was this, that would endure to be betrayed by Judas, ſold as a Slave, laid hold on by wicked hands, forſaken of his friends, and led in triumph by his vileſt enemies? And let all that have believed in him, take encouragement from hence, to anſwer their own Conſciences, when they give them trouble, and acknowledge all the freedom you have from the fears of divine arreſt, to this humbled Saviour, who thus underwent it is your ſtead.
[DECEMBER 22. 1696.]