VPON THE HISTORY OF THE PASSION, AND ASCENSION Beginning at the eighteenth Chapter of the Gofpell, according to S. IoHN, and from the 16. verfe of the 19. Chapter thereof, containing a perfect Harmonie of all the foure Euangelifts, for the better vnderstanding of all the Circumftances of the LORDS death, and Refurrection. PREACHED BY THAT reuerend and faithfull feruant of God, Mr. ROBERT ROLLOCKE, fometime Minifter of the Euangell of IESVS CHRIST, and Rector of the Colledge of EDINBVRGH. [EPISTLE DEDICATORY.] TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THEIR MOST LOVING FRIEND IN THE LORD, MASTER WILLIAM SCOT, OF ELIE, GRACE IN THIS LIFE, AND EVERLASTING GLORY IN THE LIFE TO COME. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL,-Albeit that the true knowledge of Christ crucified, of all other, be the most worthy and excellent; and albeit that in him be the only and full matter of man's gloriation, yet few there be who strive to know him as they should, and to make him the matter of their rejoicing. For, to speak nothing of the Gentiles, who count the preaching of Christ crucified to be foolishness, or of the Jews, who count it a stumbling-block, 1 Cor. i. 23; or of the Turks, who will not acknowledge him to be their Redeemer; even they who have been baptized in Christ, and profess outwardly his Word and true doctrine, if they remain in nature, and be not prevented by the Spirit of adoption, whereby they may see their own misery, their sins, and the terrors of the wrath of God for sin, in the meantime that they profess Christ, they in heart scorn the cross of Christ, his wounds, and his blood, they account the knowledge thereof of little value; yea, they will prefer to it the knowledge of anything here beneath, and they will seek the matter of their gloriation not in it, but either in them 1 i. c. Guided, conducted, by going before. In this sense, well-known from its occurrence in our translation of the Scriptures, (see Ps. xxi. 3,) prevent is repeatedly found in this Epistle Dedicatory. selves, or else in the creatures of God, which in themselves are but transitorious shadows. The natural man will never think that he can find greater things in Christ crucified, than he will find, if he obtain the object which most he desires, likes, and longs for. The ambitious man will not think that he can get greater honour than to be called the son of a king or emperor; he will not refuse with Moses to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, that he may be called the son of God, Heb. xi. 24. The sensual man cannot think that he can find any greater pleasure than in his sinful lust, and he will never choose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin. The covetous man can never think that any greater happiness can be, than here on earth to have gold, silver, and treasures; he will never, with Moses, esteem the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Only that man whom God prevents by his Spirit, and calls effectually from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light,' will account duly of the cross of Christ, and will say with the Apostle, God forbid that I should rejoice but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, Gal. vi. 14; and I decreed not to know anything, save Jesus Christ and him crucified, 1 Cor. ii. 2; that man will call it the supereminent knowledge of Jesus Christ, Phil. iii. 8; and he only will make Christ crucified to be the matter of his gloriation; for he will see that God in him, as in a storehouse, hath placed all treasures, and that in him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Col. ii. 9. He will thirst to be woompled' in the wounds of Jesus, and washed in the blood of Jesus; yea, that man will see that God hath manifested in Christ our Saviour, and in his death and resurrection, his glorious properties more clearly, than in the work of our creation, or any other of his works whatsoever; (for he is called the brightness of the glory, and the engraved form of the person of the Father, and the image of the invisible God, Heb. i. 3.) And that man will see that there is nothing which the soul of man inlakes,2 stands in need 1 i. e. Enwrapped, folded. Wympil is another form of the same verb. 2 i. e. Is deficient in. of, or can desire, but he will find it in Christ. Wouldst thou see the glorious properties of God? Consider first his power. Albeit in the work of creation his power appeared to be incomprehensible and omnipotent, when by his word he formed all things of nothing, and called these things that are not, and made them to be; yet in the work of the redemption he manifested greater power; for notwithstanding Satan, the power of darkness, the sins of the elect, which Jesus bore, death and the grave were against him, yet powerfully he raised Jesus from death, Eph. i. 19; there is a great power. And whereas in the creation he formed to Adam a spouse out of his own rib, in the redemption he formed the Church of God out of the blood of Christ; there he gave life, in commanding that to be which was not; here he gives life, not by life, but by death, and by the death even of his own Son. Albeit in the work of creation, great, and more than wonderful, doth his wisdom appear, in making this glorious and beautiful fabric, and in making all things, even contraries, to agree in such an harmony; yet in the work of redemption, God, by finding out a way which no creature, neither man nor angel, could invent, how that justice and mercy could stand together, hath showed greater wisdom; his wisdom is such that the angels admire and desire to look in it, 1 Pet. i. 12. Albeit great anger and wrath did the Lord utter many times against sinners, as in the old world by the flood, and on Sodom and Gomorrah by raining from heaven brimstone and fire, he destroyed man, woman, young, old, rich, and poor, without exception; yet more clearly was his anger against sin seen, when, for the sins of the elect, he spared not his own well-beloved Son, on whom they were laid, but made his wrath so fearfully to pursue him, that he cried, My soul is very heavy, even unto the death, Mark xiv. 34; and, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matt. xxvii. 46. And albeit great love did the Lord show toward men, and gave many testimonies thereof, in giving them life, and breath, and all things, Acts xvii. 25; in making his sun to shine on them, his rain to fall on them, giving them fruitful seasons, and filling their hearts with food and gladness, Acts xiv. 17; yet never such love |