Take Up the Cross

And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
— Leviticus 20:10

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
— Matthew 7:1-5

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
— Job 5:12-13

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
— John 3:17

The Woman Taken in Adultery, by Joseph Hall.

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
— John 8:1-11

What a busy life was this of Christ’s? He spent the night in the Mount of Olives; the day, in the Temple: whereas, the night is for a retired repose; the day, for company. His retiredness was for prayer; his companiableness was for preaching: all night, he watches in the Mount; all the morning, he preaches in the Temple. It was not for pleasure, that he was here upon earth: his whole time was penal and toilsome. How do we resemble him, if his life were all pain and labour, ours all pastime?

He found no such fair success, the day before: The multitude was divided in their opinion of him; messengers were sent and suborned to apprehend him: yet, he returns to the temple. It is for the sluggard or the coward, to plead a lion in the way: upon the calling of God, we must overlook and contemn all the spite and opposition of men. Even after an ill harvest, we must sow; and after denials, we must woo for God.

This Sun of Righteousness prevents that other; and shines early, with wholesome doctrines upon the souls of his hearers.

The auditory is both thronged and attentive: yet not all with the same intentions. If the people came to learn, the Scribes and Pharisees came to cavil and carp at his teaching.

With what a pretence of zeal and justice yet do they put themselves into Christ’s presence! As lovers of chastity and sanctimony, and haters of uncleanness, They bring to him a woman taken in the flagrance of her adultery.

And why the woman, rather? since the man’s offence was equal, if not more; because he should have had more strength of resistance, more grace not to tempt. Was it out of necessity? Perhaps, the man, knowing his danger, made use of his strength to shift away, and violently brake from his apprehenders. Or, was it out of cunning? in that they hoped for more likely matter to ac cuse Christ, in the case of the woman, than of the man; for that they supposed his merciful disposition might more probably incline to compassionate her weakness, rather than the stronger vessel. Or, was it rather out of partiality? Was it not then, as now, that the weakest soonest suffers; and impotency lays us open to the malice of an enemy? Small flies hang in the webs, while wasps break through without control. The wand and the sheet are for poor offenders; the great either outface or out-buy their shame. A beggarly drunkard is hauled to the stocks, while the rich is champered up to sleep out his surfeit.

Out of these grounds, is the woman brought to Christ: not to the Mount of Olives, not to the way, not to his private lodging; but to the Temple: and that, not to some obscure angle; but into the face of the assembly.

They pleaded for her death. The punishment, which they would onwards inflict, was her shame; which must needs be so much more, as there were more eyes to be witnesses of her guiltiness. All the brood of sin affects darkness and secresy, but this more properly; the twilight, the night is for the adulterer. It cannot be better fitted, than to be dragged out into the light of the sun, and to be proclaimed with hootings and basons. O the impudence of those men, who can make merry professions of their own beastliness; and boast of the shameful trophies of their lust!

Methinks, I see this miserable Adulteress, how she stands confounded amidst that gazing and disdainful multitude; how she hides her head; how she wipes her blubbered face and weeping
eyes.

In the mean time, it is no dumb show, that is here acted by these Scribes and Pharisees. They step forth boldly to her accusation; Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

How plausibly do they begin! Had I stood by and heard them, should not have said, “What holy, honest, conscionable men are these? What devout clients of Christ? With what reverence they come to him? With what zeal of justice?” When he, that made and ransacks their bosom, tells me, All this is done, but to tempt him, Even the falsest hearts will have the plausiblest mouths: like to Solomon’s Courtesan, their lips drop as a honeycomb, and their mouth is smoother than oil; but their end is bitter as wormwood.

False and hollow Pharisees! He is your Master, whom ye serve; not He, whom ye tempt: only in this shall he be approved your Master, that he shall pay your wages, and give you your portion with hypocrites.

The act of adultery was her crime: to be taken in the very act, was no part of her sin, but the proof of her just conviction; yet her deprehension is made an aggravation of her shame. Such is the corrupt judgment of the world. To do ill troubles not men, but to be taken in doing it: unknown filthiness passes away with ase; it is the notice that perplexes them, not the guilt. Bat, O foolish sinners, all your packing and secresy cannot so contrive it, but that ye shall be taken in the manner: your conscience takes you so; the God of Heaven takes you so and ye shall once find that your conscience is more than a thousand witnesses, and God more than a thousand consciences.

They, that complain of the act, urge the punishment; Now, Moses in the Law commanded us, that such should be stoned. Where did Moses bid so? Surely the particularity of this execution was without the book: tradition and custom enacted it; not the law. Indeed, Moses commanded death to both the offenders; not the manner of death to either. By analogy, it holds thus: it is flatly commanded, in the case of a damsel betrothed to a husband, and found not to be a virgin; in the case of a damsel betrothed, who being defiled in the city, cried not: tradition and custom made up the rest; obtaining out of this ground, that all adulterers should be executed by lapidation. The ancienter punishment was burning; death always, though in divers forms. I shame to think, that Christians should slight that sin, which both Jews and Pagans held ever deadly.

What a mis-citation is this! Moses commanded. The law was God’s, not Moses’s. If Moses were employed to mediate betwixt God and Israel, the law is never the more his. He was the band of God, to reach the law to Israel; the hand of Israel, to take it from God. We do not name the water from the pipes, but from the spring. It is not for a true Israelite, to rest in the second means; but to mount up to the supreme original of justice. How reverent soever an opinion was had of Moses, he cannot be thus named, without a shameful undervaluing of the royal law of his Maker. There is no mortal man, whose authority may not grow into contempt; that of the ever-living God cannot but be ever sacred and inviolable. It is now with the Gospel, as it was then with the Law: the word is no other than Christ’s, though delivered by our weakness; whosoever be the crier, the proclamation is the King of Heaven’s. While it goes for ours, it is no marvel, if it lie open to despite.

How captious a word is this! Moses said thus, what sayest thou? If they be not sure that Moses said so, why do they affirm it? And if they be sure, why do they question that, which they know decided? They would not have desired a better advantage, than a contradiction to that received Lawgiver. It is their profession, We are Moses’s disciples; and, We know that God spake to Moses. It had been quarrel enough, to oppose so known a prophet. Still, I find it the drift of the enemies of truth, to set Christ and Moses together by the cars; in the matter of the sabbath, of circumcision, of marriage and divorce, of the use of the law, of justification by the law, of the sense and extent of the law, and where not? But they shall never be able to effect it: they two are. fast and indissoluble friends, on both parts, for ever; each speaks for other, each establishes other: they are subordinate; they calls not be opposite: Moses faithful as a servant; Christ, as a Son. A faithful servant cannot be but officious to the Son. The true use we make of Moses is, to be our schoolmaster to teach us, to whip us unto Christ; the true use we make of Christ is, to supply Moses. By him, all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. Thus must we hold in with both, if we will have our part in either : so shall Moses bring us to Christ, and Christ to glory.

Had these Pharisees, out of simplicity and desire of resolution in a case of doubt, moved this question to our Saviour, it had been no less commendable, than now it is blameworthy. Ọ Saviour, whither should we have recourse, but to thine oracle Thou art the Word of the Father, the Doctor of the Church.

While we hear from others, “What say Fathers What say Councils?” Let them hear from us, What sayest thou?

But here, it was far otherwise: they cane not to learn, but to tempt; and to tempt, that they might accuse. Like their father the Devil, who solicits to sin, that he may plead against us for yieldance, fain would these colloguing adversaries draw Christ to contradict Moses, that they might take advantage of his contradiction. On the one side, they saw his readiness to tax the false glosses, which their presumptuous doctors had put upon the law, with an, I say unto you: on the other, they saw his inclination to mercy and cominiseration in all his courses, so far as to neglect even some circumstances of the law, as to touch the leper, to heal on the sabbath, to eat with known sinners, to dismiss an infamous but penitent offender, to select and countenance two noted publicans; and hereupon they might perhaps think, that his compassion might draw him, to cross this Mosaical institution.

What a crafty bait is here laid for our Saviour! Such, as he cannot bite at, and not be taken. It seems to the impossible, he should avoid a deep prejudice, either to his justice or mercy: for thus they imagine; “Either Christ will second Moses, in sentencing this woman to death; or else he will cross Moses, in dismissing her unpunished. If he command her to be stoned, lie loses the honour of his clemency and mercy: if he appoint her dismission, he loses the honour of his justice.” Indeed, strip him of either of these, and he can be no Saviour.

O the cunning folly of vain men, that hope to beguile wisdom itself!

Silence and neglect shall first confound those men, whom, after, his answer will send away convicted.. Instead of opening his mouth, our Saviour bows his body; and, instead of returning words from his lips, writes characters on the ground with his finger. O Saviour, I would rather silently wonder at thy gesture, than inquire curiously into the words thou wrotest, or the mysteries of thus writing: only, herein I see thou meantest to shew a disregard to these malicious and busy cavillers. Sometimes, taciturnity and contempt are the best answers. Thou, that hast bidden us Be wise as serpents, givest us this noble example of thy prudence. It was most safe, that these tempters should be thus kept fasting with a silent, disrespect, that their eagerness might justly draw upon then an ensuing shame.

The more unwillingness they saw in Christ to give his answer, the more pressive and importunate they were to draw it from him. Now, as forced by their so zealous irritation, our Saviour rouseth up himself, and gives it them home, with a reprehensory and stinging satisfaction; He, that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her as if his very action had said, “I was loui to have shamed you; and therefore could have been willing, not to have heard your ill-meant motion: but since. you will needs have it, and by your vehemence force my justice, I must tell you, there is not one of you but is as faulty, as she whim ye accuse: there is no difference, but that your sin is smothered in secresy; hers is brought forth into the fight. Ye had more need, to make your own peace by an humble repentance, than to urge severity against another. I deny not, but Moses hath justly from God imposed the penalty of death, upon such heinous offences; but what then would become of you? If death be her due, yet not by those your unclean hands: your hearts know you are not honest enough to accuse.

Lo, not the bird, but the fowler is taken. He says not, “Let her be stoned;” this had been against the course of his mercy: he says not, “Let her not be stoned;” this had been against the Law of Moses. Now he so answers, that both his justice and mercy are entire; she dismissed, they shamed.

It was the manner of the Jews, in those heinous crimes that were punished with lapidation, that the witnesses and accusers should be the first, that should lay hands upon the guilty; well doth our Saviour therefore choke these accusers, with the conscience of their so foul incompetency. With what face, with what heart could they stone their own sin, in another person?

Honesty is too mean a term. These Scribes and Pharisees were noted for extraordinary and admired Holiness. The outside of their lives was not only inoffensive, but saint-like and exemplary. Yet that all-seeing eye of the Son of God, which found folly in the angels, hath much more found wickedness in these glorious professors. It is not for nothing, that his eyes are like a flame of fire. What secret is there, which he searches not? Retire yourselves, O ye foolish sinners, into your inmost closets; yea, if you can, into the centre of the earth; his eye follows you, and observes all your carriages: no bolt, no bar, no darkness can keep him out. No thief was ever so impudent, as to steal in the very face of the Judge. O God, let me see myself seen by thee, and I shall not dare to offend.

Besides notice, here is exprobration. These men’s sins, as they had been secret, so they were forgotten. It is long, since they were done; neither did they think to have heard any more news of them. And now, when time and security had quite worn them out of thought, He, that shall once be their Judge, calls them to a back-reckoning. One time or other, shall that just God lay our sins in our dish, and make us possess the sins of our youth. These things thou didst, and I kept silence; and thou thoughtest I was like unto thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thee. The penitent man’s sin lies before him for his humiliation; the impenitent’s, for his shame and confusion.

The act of sin is transient; not so the guilt: that will stick by us, and return upon us, either in the height of our security, or the depth of our misery, when we shall be least able to bear it. How just may it be with God, to take us at advantages; and then to lay his arrest upon us, when we are laid up upon a former suit!

It is but just, there should be a requisition of innocence in them, that prosecute the vices of others. The offender is worthy of stoning, but who shall cast them? How ill would they beconte hands, as guilty as her own! What do they but smite themselves, who punish their own offences in other men? Nothing is more unJust or absurd, than for the beam to censure the mote, the oven to upbraid the kiln. It is a false and vagrant zeal, that begins not first at home.

Well did our Saviour know, how bitter and strong a pill he had given to these false justiciaries; and now he will take leisure, to see how it wrought. While therefore he gives time to them to swallow it and put it over, he returns to his old gesture of a seem ing inadvertency.

How sped the receipt? I do not see any one of them stand out with Christ, and plead his own innocency; and yet these men’, which is very remarkable, placed the fulfilling or violation of the law only in the outward act. Their hearts misgave them, that if they should have stood out in contestation with Christ, he would have utterly shamed them, by displaying their old and secret sins and have so convinced them by undeniable circumstances, that they should never have clawed off the reproach: And, therefore, when they heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, they went out one by one, beginning at the eldest even unto the last.

There might seem to be some kind of mannerly order, in this guilty departure: not all at once; lest they should seem violently chased away by this charge of Christ; now their slinking away one by one may seem to carry a shew of a deliberate and voluntary discession. The eldest first: the ancienter is fitter to give, than take example; and the younger could think it no shame, to follow the steps of a grave foreman.

O wonderful power of Conscience! Man can no more stand out against it, than it can stand out against God. The Almighty, whose substitute is set in our bosom, sets it on work to accuse. It is no denying, when that says we are guilty: when that condemns us, in vain are we acquitted by the world. With what bravery, did these hypocrites come to set upon Christ! with what triumph, did they insult upon that guilty soul! Now they are thunderstruck with their own conscience, and drop away confounded; and well is he, that can run away furthest from his own shame. No wicked man needs to seek out of himself for a judge, accuser, witness, tormentor.

No sooner do these hypocrites hear of their sins from the mouth of Christ, than they are gone. Had they been sincerely touched with a true remorse, they would have rather come to him upon their knees, and have said, “Lord, we know and find, that thou knowest our secret sins. This argues thy Divine Omniscience. Thou, that art able to know our sins, art able to remit them. O pardon the iniquities of thy servants. Thou, that, accusest us, do thou also acquit us.’ But now, instead hereof, they turn their back upon their Saviour, and haste away. An impenitent man cares not how little he hath, either of the presence of God, or of the mention of his sins.. O fools! if we could run away from God, it were somewhat; but while ye move in him, what do ye? whither go ye? Ye may run from his mercy, ye cannot but run upon bis judgment.

Christ is left alone. Alone, in respect of these complainants; not alone, in respect of the multitude. There yet stands the mourn. ful Adulteress. She might have gone forth with them; nobody constrained her to stay but that, which sent them away, stayed her, Conscience… She knew her guiltiness was publicly accused, and durst not be by herself denied; as one, that was therefore fastened there by her own guilty heart, she, stirs not, till she may receive a dismission.

Our Saviour was not so busy in writing, but, that he read the while the guilt and absence of those accusers. He, that knew what they had done, knew no less what they did, what they would do. Yet, as if the matter had been strange to him, He lifts up himself, and says, Woman, where are thy accusers?

How well was this sinner, to be left there! Could she be in a safer place, than before the Tribunal of a Saviour? Might she have chosen her refuge, whither should she rather have fled? O happy we, if, when we are convinced in ourselves of our sins, we cau set ourselves before that Judge, who is our Surety, our Advocate, our Redeemer, our Ransom, our Peace.

Doubtless, she stood doubtful betwixt hope and fear; hope, in that she saw her accusers gone; fear, in that she knew what she had deserved and now, while she trembles in expectation of a sentence, she hears, Woman, where are thy accusers? Wherein our Saviour intends the satisfaction of all the hearers, of all the beholders: that they might apprehend the guiltiness, and therefore the unfitness, of the accusers; and might well see, there was no warrantable ground of his further proceeding against her.

Two things are necessary for the execution of a malefactor; evidence, sentence; the one from witnesses, the other from the judge. Our Saviour asks for both. The accusation and proof aust draw on the sentence; the sentence must proceed upon the evidence of the proof; Where are thy accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?

Had sentence passed legally upon the Adulteress, doubtless our Saviour would not have acquitted her; for, as he would not intrude upon others’ offices, so he would not cross or violate the jus tice done by others. But now, finding the coast clear, he says, Neither do I condemn thee.

What, Lord! Dost thou then shew favour to foul offenders? Art thou rather pleased, that gross sins should be blanched, and sunt away with a gentle connivancy? Far, far be this from the perfection of thy justice. He, that hence argues adulteries not punishable by death, let him argue the unlawfulness of dividing of inheritances, because in the case of the two wrangling brethren thou saidst, Who made me a divider of inheritances? Thou declinedst the office; thou didst not dislike the act; either of parting lands, or punishing offenders. Neither was here any absolution of the woman from a sentence of death, but a dismission of her from thy sentence; which thou knewest not proper for thee to pronounce. Herein hadst thou respect to thy calling, and to the main purpose of thy coming into the world; which was neither to be an arbiter of civil causes, nor a judge of criminal, but a Saviour of Mankind; not to destroy the body, but to save the soul.

And this was thy care in this miserable offender; Go, and sin no more. How much more doth it concern us to keep within the bounds of our vocation, and not to dare to trench upon the functions of others ! How can we ever enough magnify thy mercy, who takest no pleasure in the death of a sinner? who so camest to save, that thou challengest us of unkindness for being miserable; Why will ye die, O house of Israel?

But, O Son of God, though thou wouldst not then be a judge, yet thou wilt once be. Thou wouldst not, in thy first coming, judge the sins of men; thou wilt come tojudge them, in thy second. The time shall come, when, upon that just and glorious Tribunal, thou shalt judge every man according to his works. That we may not one day hear thee say, Go, ye cursed, let us now hear thee say, Go, sin no more. John viii.

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