13. For Christ's binding, the Evangelist tells us, that the Band, and the Captain, and the Officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, [Greek or Hebrew] they bound his hands with cords; a Type of this was Samson, whom Delilah bound with ropes; so they bound him with ropes or cords, foreshowing hereby that he must die, they never using to bind any with ropes or cords, but those whom undoubtedly they purposed to crucify: Some add the Circumstances of this binding, that they bound him with three cords, and that with such violence that they caused blood to start out of his tender hands; certainly they wanted no malice, and now they wanted no power, for the Lord had given himself into their hands. Binding argues baseness: It is storied of Alexander, that when some Arrow that was shot into him, was to be drawn out, his Physicians advised to bind him; for that the least motion (as they said) would do him hurt; but he answered† Kings were not fit to be bound, the power of a King was ever free and safe; And David in his Lamentation over Abner, said, Died Abner as a Fool dieth? thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put in fetters, 2 Sam. 2.33, 34. Fools and Slaves were accustomed to be bound, and so were Thieves; they that open their hands to receive others goods, it is fit their hands should be bound, and tied up; but is our Saviour numbered amongst any of these? O yes! In that same hour said Jesus to the multitude, are ye come out as against a Thief, with Swords and Staves? he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant: O wonderful condescension of Christ! O admirable exinanition! he that was eminently just, is reputed a thief; he that was equal with God, is become a Servant; he that was stronger than Samson, and could have broken his cords from off his arms like a thread, he is bound with cords, and as a poor Lamb, he continues bound for the slaughter; and thus began our Liberty and Redemption, from slavery, and sin, and death, and cursings.
13. For Christ's binding, the Evangelist tells us, that the Band, and the Captain, and the Officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 they bound his hands with cords; a Type of this was Samson, whom Dalilah bound with ropes; so they bound him with ropes or cords, foreshewing hereby that he must die, they never using to bind any with ropes or cords, but those whom undoubtedly they purposed to crucifie: Some add the Circumstances of this binding, that they bound him with three cords, and that with such violence that they caused blood to start out of his tender hands; certainly they wanted no malice, and now they wanted no power, for the Lord had given himself into their hands. Binding argues baseness: It is storied of Alexander, that when some Arrow that was shot into him, was to be drawn out, his Physitians advised to bind him; for that the least motion (as they said) would do him hurt; but he answered† Kings were not fit to be bound, the power of a King was ever free and safe; And David in his Lamentation over Abner, said, Died Abner as a Fool dieth? thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put in fetters, 2 Sam. 2.33, 34. Fools and Slaves were accustomed to be bound, and so were Thieves; they that open their hands to receive others goods, it is fit their hands should be bound, and tied up; but is our Saviour numbred amongst any of these? O yes! In that same hour said Jesus to the multitude, are ye come out as against a Thief, with Swords and Staves? he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant: O wonderful condescention of Christ! O admirable exinanition! he that was eminently just, is reputed a thief; he that was equal with God, is become a Servant; he that was stronger than Samson, and could have broken his cords from off his arms like a thred, he is bound with cords, and as a poor Lamb, he continues bound for the slaughter; and thus began our Liberty and Redemption, from slavery, and sin, and death, and cursings.
- 1John 18.12.
- †Non decet vinciri regem, cum libera sit regis & semper salva potestas. Bern. Serm. de Pas. Mat. 26.55. Phil. 2.7.
