A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 105 (Question 27 cont.)
SERMON CV.
II. WE proceed to the Conſideration of the other part of Chriſt's Inchoative Bodily Death, viz. His Arraignment and Trail. And here we are to obſerve, that Chriſ… twice arraigned and tried: Once before … Eccleſiaſtical Council, and after that before the Civil Magiſtrate, both of theſe … … rically recorded by the Evangeliſts, … of them there was a great deal of … Diſgrace, and Death, that our Savi… derwent. We may therefore tabe a … view of them ſeverally.
1. In his Arraignment and Try… … the Eccleſiaſtical Council. Obſerve,
(1.) THEIR inſolent manner of … him from the Garden by the place of …. HE was led away by the rabble, Mat. … He is there brought bound, John 18.12. … they dealt by him, as by the moſt dang… Malefactor. To ſee the King of Glory … ed, and manacled, and led through … with the hours and cries, and … noiſe of a rout of miſereants, wi…h … greateſt ſcorn and triumph, barking as … like ſo many Dogs, and gaping upon … like ſo many evening Wolves, muſt … bitter to him.
(2.) HIS ſtanding thus bound before … Council, as a Criminal, there to be acc… the higheſt, and moſt capital Crimes … Malice and Cruelty could deviſe againſt … John 18.14. And that innocence itſelt … be thus diſgraced, that he who … harm, muſt be in the condition of the … nocent, ſtand to be charged with the … villanies, and have things caſt upon … the blackeſt die, muſt needs cut him … very heart.
(3.) THE manner of the proceſs … Council with him. And here let it in … be obſerved, that they had already co… and concluded upon his Death. Th… … unanimouſly reſolved, whether by … wrong, to take away his precious life; … ſo they uſe a legal proceſs againſt … other than as a cover for their mali… … cloak of their wickedneſs. And that … Death may have the greateſt ignominy … tend it, that was poſſible, they will … it about by open violence, but in a … pretended Juſtice: that he might … thought to die a Sacrifice to private … but be taken from the Earth as one not … to live. Which thing, thought it exp… height of their malice, yet was orde… infinite wiſdom to be for our Juſtication … Salvation. Chriſt muſt die by the … Juſtice, becauſe we had deſerved to die, … Jews will not kill him, but in a form … becauſe they would make his Death as … minious as poſſible. But let us purſue … in the particulars, and we ſhall ſee … … ventive their ſpite was, to find out … get ſomething againſt him, for which to … demn him. And here are three ſteps … took,
1. THEY begin with Examination. Job. … 19, to 23. And herein they dealt injuſtice and illegally with him. Examination … be proper upon an accuſation, in order … indictment, but firſt to arraign a perſon, and … to ſeek for the matter of it, is baſe: … now charges are to be made, and not … laid for men. In this Examination …erve.
1. THE things about which he was Examined, … His Diſciples, and His Doctrine, ver. 19. … Diſciples; thinking to make an argument … charring him with Sedition, for gathering …, and being followed by numbers, if he deſigned to make a change in the Go…ament: and his Doctrine, thinking to … him guilty to Hereſy, in bringing up …ew Doctrine, contrary to, and ſubverſive … the Tradition of the Fldors: and thus … would have made him as innovator … ſchiſmatick, both in Church and Com… wealth.
OUR Saviour's reply to this Examination. … which he wholly waves an anſwer to the …, and for the latter, he refers them to … publick teaching. He had taught openly, … if they could convince him of any thing …etical, let them alledge it. By which …wes he alledged againſt their illegal pro…eding, and how injurious it is to ſeek to …gle men in words, where there is no … of Charge againſt them.
THE abuſe offered him upon this Anſwer, … his own defence of it. ver. 22, 23. And when … thus ſpoken, one of the officers which … ſtroke Jeſus with the palm of his hand, … …anſwereſi thou the high Prieſt ſo? Jeſus … him, If I have ſpoken evil bear witneſs … the …vil: but if well, why ſ…teſt thou me? … abuſe was great; it was high injuſtice … Rulers ſuffered it: and it was un…dy dealing with Chriſt, and very re…ful. Hence the Scripture takes par… notice of it, Mich. 5.1. They ſhall … the Judge of Iſrael upon the cheek. For … of God to be baſely ſtricken in the … of the Council, by a ſordid fellow, a …emptible Officer; was a grievous thing, …lagant was his patience, that he did but …ly reprove him.
FROM Examination, they proceed to that … was more orderly; tho' they manage …egularly as the former, and that was … Teſtimony againſt him. The legality …his proceeding was, that by God's Ap…ment, all matters depending in Judge…, were to be determined by ſufficient …mefies, Dour. 19.15. But we may ſee how …thlly they carried on this buſineſs in … …ner of their procedure. And here …ve.
1. THE right order of legal proceeding is, … alledge, and then to prove. There is no … …raigning a man, till there be ſome Crime charge him withal; and then it is to be …ed againſt him: Whereas they call … forth, ſet him bound before them and … ſ…k ſomething againſt him by Examination and when that fails, make an outcry, if … body could ſay ought againſt the Priſoner …he bar. So that he is firſt arraigned, and … a reaſon for it is ſought for. Mat. 26.59.
2. THEY not only ſought for witneſſes; but falſe witneſſes; ibid. And how malicious and wicked was this? God had commarded in his law, that the Judge ſhould carefully detect and puniſh falſe witneſſes, whereas theſe ſought for Knights of the Poſt, encouraged; and poſſibly feed them to ſpeak lies againſt their own Conſciences.
3. WHEN they could find none that would fairly bear, they are not ſo content, but ſeek further, ver. 60. Though many falſe witneſſes came, yet ſound they none. It intends not, that no falſe witneſſes did appear, but none ſo teſtifyed againſt him, that with any face, they might accept of it, or judge their Evidence ſufficient againſt him. Partly becauſe they were but ſingle; partly becauſe where there were more, they maniſeſtly diſagreed in the moſt material points of their evidence, and they were deſirous to carry all as fair as might be.
4. WHEN no witneſſes of the people could agree, two of his Judges give a falſe teſtimony againſt him. Mark 14.57, 58. It was had to tempt others, but worſe to add the debauching of their own Conſciences. And in this there was falſhood: Compare, Joh. 2.19. Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto them, Deſtroy this temple; and in three days I will raiſe it up. And diſagreement, Mar. 14.58. We heard him ſay, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. And yet the high Prieſt, who was Prince of that Council, puts Chriſt upon his defence, as if the Evidence had been good; ver. 60. And the high Prieſt ſtood up in the mids, and asked Jeſus, ſaying, Anſewerest thou nothing? what is it which theſe witneſs againſt thee? And what was this but oppreſting the innocent?
5. NOW let us obſerve our Saviour's Deportment. He bears all that they ſay, and is ſilent, returns never a word to all their calumnies…, but is dumb. This was foretold, Pſal. 38.12; 13, 14. They alſo that ſeek after my life, lay ſnares for me: and they that ſeek my hurt ſpeak miſchievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long; But I as a deaf man beard not, and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Now its needleſs to ſeek what reaſons of prudence Chriſt had to hold his peace, as becauſe he knew in their Conſciences he was innocent, and that it would be to no purpoſe to plead, where they were already reſolved: the true reaſon was, becauſe he ſtood now to ſuffer for ſinners, on whom lay the guilt of all the ſin, that they were able to charge him withal, and being now at God's bar, where he was guilty by imputation; he therefore pleads not. We have the reaſon, in Iſai. 53.6. All we like ſheep have gone aſtray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
3. WHEN this ſecond project failed, they go to a third, which they doubted not of: And that was, the high Prieſt's Adjuration, Mat. 26.6…. But Jeſus held his peace. And the high Priest anſwered and ſaid unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us, whether thou be the Chriſt the Son of God. And this is that which is wont to be called the Oath Ex Oj…cio. And this was not done for their own conviction and ſatisſaction, but to find matter againſt him. How far ſuch an Oath may be impoſed, I diſpute not. To be ſure, when a Priſoner is at the bar, and the witneſs cannot make the fact evident, much more when no fact can be produced agaiſt him, now to put him upon an Oath and a Curſe, to declare againſt himſelf, contradicts the very light of nature. Had the Prieſt done this for his light and teaching, it had not been ſo much, but to do it, for to lay a ſhare for the innocent, was abominable. Here obſerve.
1. THE Queſtion it ſelf; Whether He were the Chriſt the Son of God? The Jews acknowledged, both that Chriſt ſhould come, and that he ſhould be the Son of God, and were now in expectation of him, and ſo the Queſtion looks fair and laudable: but bad intentions ſpoil things that are materially good.
2. THE manner of propounding it: with the greateſt ſolemnity. And coming from ſuch a perſon, it had higheſt authority. The word, I adjure thee, is as much as, I charge thee upon thy Oath, as in the preſence of God and as thou wouldeſt not be accurſed, to ſpeak the truth.
3. OUR Saviour anſwers directly to it, and comments upon it: Mat. 26.64. Jeſus ſaith unto him, Thou haſt ſaid: nevertheleſs I ſay unto you, Hereafter ſhall ye ſee the Son of man ſuting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. q.d. I am the Chriſt, and though you believe it not now, yet you ſhall be experimentally convinced of it ere long. Why he anſwered to this, and not to the other Queſtion, was, becauſe this was the very truth, that he came into the world, to bear witneſs unto; as he after told Pilate. And it was God's ſingular Providence, that the very thing which they found him guilty for, was the great Goſpel truth on which man's Salvation depends. So that Chriſt dyed a Martyr to men, when he was made by God an offering for ſin. But thus we ſee, that their malice ceaſed not, till they had wrought their deſire, and gained what they ſought for. And thus far we have this proceſs in his Tryal.
4. WE have an account of his Condemnation before this Court. Mat. 26 65, 66. Then the high Prieſt rent his clothes, ſaying, he hath ſpoken blaſphemy what further need have we of witneſſes? behold now ye have heard his blaſphemy. What think ye? They anſwered and ſaid, He it guilty of death. And that in an orderly and ſolemn proceſs.
1. THE high Prieſt, who was Chief Judge of this Court, declares his reſentment of Chriſt's Anſwer. And that,
(1.) IN Geſtures: the moſt ſolemn, and to Chriſt the moſt diſgraceful: He rent his Clothes A ſolemnity frequently uſed among thoſe Eaſtern Nations, upon two accounts; to expreſs extraordinary grief, or to teſtify hi… indignation at ſomething that is ſaid or done, uſually on the heating of ſome exe… blaſphemy. And the end of doing it, … ſtir up the indignation of others, and … the perſon moſt odious and abomirable. It was now lawful for the high Prieſt to do it on the firſt account; what he might do … the latter, is not expreſt in Scripture: … for ſuch a perſon ſo to do, was the gre… ignominy that he could caſt.
(2.) IN Words: Where, firſt as a Judge … declares his opinion, and declares it blaſp… a capital Crime, and that for which a … was, by their law, to dye. And we are … obſerve, that which he calls blaſphemy, is his ſaying, that he was Chriſt; which was … blaſphemy in their eſteem, if he were Chriſt; …aiphas did not doubt, hut that he who was Chriſt, was the Son of God. And the… he calls for the ſuffrages of the reſt of the Council, or asks their concurrence of … with him.
2. THE Council with one accord, was … guiley, ver. 66. And this was the fur… they could proceed, the power of Life and Death being taken away by the Romans: but thus they prepare him for a farther … and Sentence; and vote a concurrence … proſecute him to Death. And how g…t Suffering was this? For him who had done no ſin, to be voted a chief Sinner, by ſuch it pretended to the greareſt ſanctity? For the Son of God to be voted a blaſphemer ag… God, and that by the Prieſts and Elders of the then viſible Church?
5. WE may obſerve what was conſe… upon this Condemnation. Mat. 26.67, 68. … did they ſpit in his face, and buffetted him, and others ſmote him with the pa…es of their … Saying, Propheſy unto us, thou Chriſt, who it be that ſmote thee? Where there was a … ble indignity put upon him, viz. Cracby, and Mockery. Cruelty, they buffer and ſ… him with their Hands, and Mockery was i… terwoven into the whole; yea, the M… ry itſelf was great Cruelty, as it was … ed againſt ſuch an one; the vileſt of … could not be more vilely affronted and … ed. They ſpit in his Face, even the very … lers and Judges; a very uncivil part of … in Authority; it was a cuſtom to exp… Contempt and Abhorrence. Numb. 12.… They buffered him, i. e. ſmote him with their double fiſts: and the ſervants did this. … 14.65. And no wonder when their … ſet them an example. Thus was ous … ous Redeemer abuſed, knockt up and dom, and every baſe fellow get a blow at bat Yea, not thus content, they alſo blind fold … &c. Thus they make a ſcoff at his Propher cal Office; thou Chriſt: q.d. Thou that wouldeſt perſwade us that thou art Chriſt, the Son of God, and thou that wouldeſt … thy ſelf a Propher, tell us, &c. As if the… cred Office of a Prophet were of no be… uſe than to ſerve the plays, and ſarca… …ltations of a company of rakehells. And yet to all this we find him not making any reply but he hare it with admirable patience, though his holy Soul deeply resented it. Hence that complaint, Iſai. 50.6. I gave my … to the ſmutters, and … to them that pack off the burn I mix … and ſpiting. And how much of Death was … all this? An ing…cus mind, that roads or heats it, cannot but ſay, that the Lord of Life was barbarouſly dealt with. But this is not enough: There are ſome leſſons that we are to learn hence alſo. Every ſyllable & circumſtance of Chriſts Sufferings hath a peculiar reſpect to every Believer. And there are theſe three Leſſons here to be learnt.
1. WE ſhould learn to ſee our own faces in the God. We are taught out men: by Chriſts miſeries. When we are amazed at the Providence that ſuffered all theſe indignities to be …ffered to the Son of God, then ſee how neceſſary it was for us, and what our ſon deſerved. When we ſee Him bound, and let Priſoner, to be tried for his life, think, it was becauſe we were Priſoners of Juſtice, ſervered with chains of Guilt, to be dragged to God's Tribunal When we ſee a while … …ll ſetting upon Him reſolving his Death, remember, we were children of death, and deſerved to have the whole Creation, implacably ſet to ruine us. When we ſee Him ſmitten for ſpeaking in his own vindication, conſider how we were bereit of any plea for our ſelves at God's bar. When we obſerve what multitudes came in to accuſe Him, rembember, we had made the whole Creation witneſſes of our ſins; and every creature we ever had to do with, is able to teſtify againſt us. When we ſee Him dumb to all that was abuſively imputed to him, think, it was becauſe he knew that I, in whoſe place be ſtood, was guilty; and he bare the charge of my ſins, that they might not fall upon me to my condemnation. When we ſee Him … guilty in the Church, and charged with blaſphemy, think, we had ſinn'd againſt the Covenant of God, and had been blaſphemers of his Name. When we conſider how the ſigh Prieſt rent his Garments, conſider, how excerable and abominable out ſin was. When we obſerve all the abuſes that followed, let it put us in mind how we deſerve to be made the ignominy and contempt of the whole Creation.
2. LET us view the great Love of God and Chriſts to us in this affair. Had he not born incomparable Love to wretched ſinners, he had never ſtooped to this. The Man Chriſt was deeply ſenſible of affronts and injuries: experie…cing not only the rage of men, but alſo the wrath of God in all this. God himſelf putting Him to ſhame and diſgrace; and yet his Love to us carried him through it, with invincible patience. Thoſe ſetters that manacled him thoſe affronts and contumelies that were caſt upon him, thoſe bruiſes and won, d…and ſprittings inde… …, ſhould all make him lord tim… … to us: and that which ma… … him. ſhould reader him ….
3. LET they neſpro we … us to a none thereoffaire … taken could it …. We may …, that we deſerved them, when He who is worth ten thouſand of us, deſerred … of them. Remenaires that, as it puts a glory into our Surſerings, when they are for …. ſo it cannot but put life into our because and make us with all alacrity endare all that can come in that way, to think that it is not Him, who for nor ſakes, exdured ail the contradiction of finners, are to be muſt vi…ely hardled by the wors;t of men.
6. WE may here take borice of one chiervabie paſſage attending … this Arreig… …. and Trail of Chriſt, and which added … to his Sufferiags, viz. Peter's deman of have: which is taken notice of by all the Evargefiſts; and ſets before us a very awful example of ſinful intimity in the beſt. And bere briefly obſerve.
1. HOW much Peter had to have hope inrefrace this ſall. He was without double a gadly man. He had fath, Luk. 21.31. Chriſt had called him to Diſcipreſhip, and A…ileſh … by which he had highly honoured …. He had made an evnine at proſc…oc of Chriſt and was the moſt forward of the Diſciples in it. Mat. 16.16. Ye…, he had more apparent Teſtimonies of his endeared lore and fidelity to his Lord, when many went away; yea he profeſſed, Job. 8.69. And we believe and are ſure that thou … that Chriſt the Son of the li…ng God. When the muſt tude …irefied Him, he drew his Sweed in His dure …. J…h. 18.10. Yea, when the reſt …, he could not leave, but followed Chriſt at a diſtan…. … ſee the event. Mar. 20.50. But Peter … afer…y unto the high Prieſts pal…e and went in, end ſat with the ſervants to ſee the end. He had alſo been ſufficiently forewarned of this very ſin, both in generall: ver. 21. and in particular, ver. 24. Which ſhould have put him on avoiding the Temptation, and yet, when it comes to the ſhock he s…w…nded.
2. WHAT were the leading temptations or …: but falling into this ſin. He …ad an …vereaning opinion of himſelf, truſting in his own ſaith, and co…tiding in his need purpoſes, and ſuppoſing himſelf more reſo… then any of his fellows, ver. 33. Peter og… wered and ſaid unto him, though all men ſhall be eſſended becauſe of thee, yet with I never be offended. Yea, he purſiſted in this …, notwithſtanding the kind warn … him by Chriſt, ver 3….37. Jeſus … I ſay unto thee, that this … crow, thou ſhall done met…re. … him, …. If middle with thee … deny thee. … I know the … I have counted the …, and can … undergo it. And to this … in drawing his … the company, without any order or command, thinking thus to purſue his former reſolution; wherehy he expoſed himſelf to the greater danger afterwards. And after this, he very ind…ſorcerly follows into the very Palace, and thruſt himſelf among the crowd of Chriſt's bitters eremics, where he had all reaſon to expect to meet with the moſt opprobrious and ſcurrulous l…guage; and on any ſuſpicion of him, to be affronted not a little, in this concourſe of ſo many, who were maliciouſly ſet againſt Chriſt, and all his followers.
3. THE immediate provecations offered him, on which this ſin foll…ed, viz his being queſtioned by ſome, about the relation he have to Chriſt, as being one of his diſciples and followers. The inſtruments of it are ſet forth; the two firſt are ſaid to be maids, Mat. 26.69, 71. The third was the Company that ſtood by, ver. 72. though begun by a kinſman of Malchus, Joh. 18.26. The matter of the tempration was, they ſpake reproachfully of Jeſus, and there were none to ſpeak for him, a…d he lo…k'd to be laugh'd to ſcorn it he ſhould take his part, a…d ſo is aſhamed of his Maſter. He might alſo be afraid of being called in queſtion for reſiſting of lawful Anthority, and making or a riot in drawing of his Sword.
4. Tuk a ma…ſelf, with the aggravations of …. And they are eſpecially two; viz. the …erations of it: he did it thrice following. v…a, as often as the temptation was offered, ſo often be acted in it. And all this was contrary to his knowledge, and therefore his conſcience was ſtunned: And then the gradations of it: he roſe higher & higher every time; be roſe from the poſitive to the ſuperiative; firſt a bare denial, and then he proceeds to an Oath, and finally to curſing and ſwearing.
5. HIS Repentance is alſo recorded: And that both as to the occaſions leading; two whereof are recorded. viz. the Cook's arriving; which was a remembrancer to him of Chriſt's prediction; and then there was a gracious Cook, which Chriſt caſt upon him, which reached his Soul, and ſet home the conviction. Luk: 27.61. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Power: and Peter remembred the word of the Lord, him be had ſaid unto him, Before the cook crow thou ſhalt every we thrice. And the event. Now be is led to a ſoaking repentance; he bethinks himſelf, and gce; forth from the …, and bitterly bewails his folly.
NOW this Circumſtance was no little addition to the Suffering of our Saviour; His beart was with Peter, as once Eliſha's was with Gebazi. And it muſt needs increaſe his affliction, that Peter ſhould by his denial, ſhew himſelf aſhamed of him; that ſo dear a Diſciple ſhould abjure him, and at ſuch a time, and in ſuch a place, where he gave occaſion to his bitter adverſaries to caſt ſo much the more contempt upon him, by throwing in his diſh, that even his own Diſciples & Followers were aſhamed of him, and refuſed to own him. And this he complains of, Pſal. 38.11. My lovers and my friends ſtand aloof from … ſore: and my kinſmen ſtand afar off. And from this Example of Peter we may learn,
1. THAT inberent Grace will not ſecure … from falling under temptation, unleſs we … the aſſiſting Grace of Chriſt added unto it.
2. THAT carnal conſidence, w…fully exp… the …eſt of god's people, to falling into ſome …. It makes them bold and daring, and pre… tuo…, and unwatchful, &c.
3. THAT if good men begin to fall, they … fall a great way. One ſtep leads to another; one ſin puſheth us on to the next. What need then of watchfulneſs?
4. THAT Chriſt is a great ſufferer, by the ſcend alous ſins of his own. It is more repen… ful to him, for a Peter to deny him, than … others to blaſpheme him.
5. THAT Chriſt hath a pity for his … when they do by their ſins diſhonour and grace him. He could not but give Peter a look, and it was a tender one.
6. THAT the apoſtacies of God's Children Coſt them bitter ſorrow. Chriſt brings the… out of them, by ſoaking repentance. When therefore he gives that, it is a token of his ſavour to them.
[JANUARY 39. 1696.]