4. The submission and resignation of faith. Make sure of heaven, and for other things, let God order them as he pleaseth : Mat. vi. 33, 'Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.'
5. The prudence of faith. Settle your mind as to present necessities; and for future contingencies, leave them to God's providence.
SERMON UPON JOHN XIX. 34-37.
But one of the soldiers ivWi a spear pierced Ms side, and forthiuith came thereout blood and water. And he that saiv it bear record, and his record is true ; and he Jcnoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things loere done, that the scriptu7^e shoidd be fulfilled, a bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. — John xix. 34-37.
I HAVE taken occasion upon these opportunities to go over the story of Christ's passion b)^ several paragraphs. This paragraph treateth of the things which happened between the death and burial of Christ : and the main thing offered therein is that notable circumstance that liappened immediately after Christ's death, the flowing of water and blood out of Christ's side. In the words you have —
1. The occasion of this circumstance, ver. 31-33, ' The Jews there- fore, because it was the preparation, tliat the bodies should not remain upon the cross upon the sabbath-day (for that sabbath-day was an high day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs.'
2. The circumstance itself, ' But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water.'
3. A solemn attestation of it, ver. 36, ' For these things were done that the scriptures should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.'
4. The ends of God's providence, which are two — the fulfilling of the prophecies of scripture, confirmed by the citations of many places.
[1.] That Christ should die without breaking of a bone, ver. 36, * A bone of him shall not be broken.'
[2.] That yet his body should be pierced with a spear, ver. 37, ' Again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they have pierced.'
I shall go over these circumstances in my accustomed method, with brief observations or hints of meditation.
First, The occasion of the words, which was the niceness and scru- pulosity of the Jews, that the dead bodies might not hang upon the
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34 SERMON UPON JOHN XIX. 34-37.
cross upon the sabbath-day, especially that high sabbath of the passover. Therefore they go to Pilate to hasten the death of the malefactors by breaking their legs ; which is readily granted, and accordingly executed upon the two thieves, but not upon Christ, because he was dead already. I shall not stay on the occasion, only observe —
1. That superstition is fuller of ceremony than mercy. We find the Jews very tender in the lesser points of the law. They made no conscience of spilling innocent blood, yet by no means would put the price of blood into the treasury. They made no conscience of bringing Christ to the cross, but are zealous not to have him hang there on the great sabbath of the passover ; as if God would accept their eating the typical lamb, when they had slain the Shepherd of the flock and of the church.
2. That the worst of men are usually very solicitous about external worship. The wicked Jews, that crucified the Lord of life, would not have the passover profaned with an unseemly spectacle. Every man must have somewhat of religion, or else conscience will not be quiet ; and externals are very easy. We find it in our carnal people, that with much reverence observe the externals of the sacraments ; though they altogether neglect the obligation of them. They are as zealou.-^ for the supper as the Jews for the decency of the passover, and yet are false and faithless in their allegiance to Christ; like madmen, tear the bond, and yet prize the seal.
3. From their going to ask leave of Pilate for the additional punish- ment, we learn that malefactors are not to be taken out of the hands of justice. Every degree of punishment and torment is left to the magistrate, and not to the malice of the executioner or the fury of the multitude : Dent. xxv. 2, 3, * And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed : lest if he should exceed,^ and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.' Therefore the judge was to be present when the malefactor was beaten, that they might not receive more or less stripes than the law awarded.
4. From Pilate's grant observe, that when once a man giveth up himself to please men, there is no end of compliance. Pilate, by the importu- nity of the Jews, is first drawn to scourge Christ, and then to crucify him, and now to sign an order for breaking his legs, a torment unusual, and contrary to the custom of the Eomans. When we are tempted to serve men, we have need consider the issue. The first temptations are modest and plausible, but afterwards more servile and odious. It is good to break off at first, unless we mean to keep time and pace with every lust of men.