The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

It may perhaps run in mens minds to wish that our Saviour would have done as they said, seeing they promise to believe in him, if he could save himself from the Cross. But let men consider: first, that our Redemption had been hindered, if he had not died on the Cross, and besides being brought to that hour, as our surety, he could not come down till he had satisfied Gods justice: and further, he had denied to work Miracles in his life time, when they and Herod desired him to do it, because they were an adulterous generation, and cast off of God, who was now loth to have them convert, Isaiah 6. 10. Neither would they have repented though they had had their desire; and if Miracles would have satisfied them, he had done store of them in his life time, and in that kind, he had saved himself from the hands of a multitude that intended to kill him, as when they took up stones in the Temple to stone him; and it was more that he did, to rise from the dead, then to come down from the Cross; and yet they did not believe him. Again, in these reproaches we may observe, that wicked men do hate godly men, for the very goodness that is in them, and the true glory God hath stamped upon them, and the good they do: They do not upbraid Christ for any evil, no not for the evils they accused him of before, for they themselves knew he was innocent, but for the good he had done in saving others, and for his trust in God, and for his prayers to God.

It may perhaps runne in mens mindes to wish that our Sauiour would haue done as they said, seeing they promise to beleeue in him, if he could saue himselfe from the Crosse. But let men consider: first, that our Redemption had beene hindered, if he had not died on the Crosse, and besides being brought to that houre, as our surety, hee could not come downe till he had satisfied Gods iustice: and further, he had denied to worke Miracles in his life time, when they and Herod defired him to doe it, because they were an adulterous generation, and cast off of God, who was now loth to haue them conuert, Esay 6. 10. Neither would they haue repented though they had had their desire; and if Miracles would haue satisfied them, he had done store of them in his life time, and in that kinde, he had saued himselfe from the hands of a multitude that intended to kill him, as when they tooke vp stones in the Temple to stone him; and it was more that he did, to rise from the dead, then to come downe from the Crosse; and yet they did not beleeue him. Againe, in these reproches we may obserue, that wicked men doe hate godly men, for the very goodnesse that is in them, and the true glory God hath stamped vpon them, and the good they do: They doe not vpbraid Christ for any euill, no not for the euils they accused him of before, for they themselues knew hee was innocent, but for the good hee had done in sauing others, and for his trust in God, and for his prayers to God.