Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

R beynouc, that brought fuch bloodieand grieuouspaises vpon him. Alto thinke it avery fhame for thce tocarrie thyhead to hcauen with haughtie lookes,to wallow in thy pleafures, and to draw the innocent bloode ofthy poore brethrenby oppreßïon and deceit,for vehomeChrift fweatwater and blood,and take anoccafion fromChrifls agonie,tolay alide the prideofthy heart,cobe afhamed of thy felfe, togrieue inheart, yea euen to bleede for thine ovvne offences,caflingdowne and humbling thy felfe withEzra, fay- Ezra,. ing,O my God , I am confounded and afhamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee,my God: for mine iniquities are increafed, and my trefpaffe is growne via into heauen,&c. When thou readefl chatChrift was taken and bound, thinke that thyveryGraves brought him into the power ofhis enemies, and were thevery bonds wherewith be was tied: thinke that thou fhouldeft haue beene bound in the veryfame manner vnles he had beene a furetieand pledge for thee : thinke alfo that thou in the felfe fame manner artbound and tiedwith the chaises oFthineovine Gnnes,ancí that by nature thywill, afteóhons,and whole fpirit is tied and chained to the will ofthedeuill, fo as thou canft doe nothing but that whichhewilleth:laflly,thinke andbeleeue that thebonds ofChrilt ferne topurchafe thy l}bertie from hell,death, and damnation.When thou heareftthat he was brought beforeAnnas andCa- iaphas,thinke it was meet,that thy furetie and pledge who was to fuffer the condemnationdueveto thee, fhould by the highpriefl as by the mouthof God,be condemned : and wonder at this, that the verycoef entiall and e- ternall Tonne ofGod,euen thevery foueraignejudgeof the world,f}ands to be iudged,and that by wicked men; perfwading thy felfe that this fogreat confufion comesofthy finnes. VVhereupon beeing further amazedat thy fearefulleftate,humble thy Idle induftand afhes,andprayGod foto foften thy (ionic heart,that thou maiftturne to him , and by true faith layhold on Chrift,who bath thus exceedinglyabafed himfelfe,that his ignominie may be thyglorie,and his arraignment thy perfe6t abfolution.VVhen thou rea- deft that Barrabas the murderer,was preferredbefore Chrifi, though heex- ceededboth men andangels in holines; thinke it was tomanifefl his inno- cencie,and that thyvery (finnes pulled vpon him this fhameful reproch;and in that for thycaufe he was efleenied worfe then Barrabas, thinkofthy felfe as a molt haynous and wretched finner, and (as Paul faith) theheadofall finners.VVhen thou readefl that hewas openly and judicially condemned to thecurled deathof thecrofle,confider what is the wrath and furieofGod againft Gnne,and whatis hisgreat and infinite merde tofinners: and inthis fpeaaclelooke vpon thy felfe,andwith gronesofheartcric out,and fay,O good Çod,whatfetteft thou heart before mine eyes? heuen I hauefinned,I am guiltieand worthicofdamnation. VVhence comes this chaunge,that thybleffed tonne is in my roome,bur ofthy vnfpeakable merde ? VVretch that I am,how haue I forgotten my felfe,and thee alfo my God ? O Tonne of God, how longhaft thouabafed thy rare for me ? Therefore giue megrace, OGod,that beholdingmine owneeftate in the perfon ofmy Sauiour thus E a con-

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