A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures, Text (3 of 9)

A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures · Text (3 of 9)

p. 87Secondly: No parties whatſoever were prejudiced or loſt by it; we loſt nothing by it, for we are ſaved by his 2death, and reconciled by his death, and Chriſt loſt nothing by it; ought not Chriſt to have ſuffered theſe things, and enter into his glory? Luk. 24. 26. The Captain of our Salvation is made perfect through ſufferings, Heb. 2. 10. You may ſee Chriſts glorious Rewards for his ſufferings in that, Iſa. 53. 10, 11, 12. And God the Father loſt nothing by it, for he is glorified by it; I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do, Joh. 17. 4. Yea, he is fully ſatisfied and repaired again in all the honour which he loſt by our ſinning: I ſay he is now fully repaired again by the ſufferings p. 88of Chriſt, in which he found a price ſufficient, and a Ranſom, and enough to make peace for ever. In the day of account, a Chriſtians great plea is, that Chriſt has been his Surety, and paid his debts, and made up his accounts for him.

Now from what has been ſaid laſt, a Chriſtian may Eccleſ. 11. 9. cap. 12 14. Math. 12. 1…. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 6. 10. Heb. 9. 27 cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet 4. 5.Eccl 11:9Matt 12:1Luke 16:3Rom 14:102 Cor 6:10Heb 9:271 Pet 4:5form up this ſecond plea to the ten Scriptures in the Margent, that refer either to the general Judgment, or to the particular Judgment that will paſs upon every Chriſtian immediately after death. O bleſſed Lord! upon my firſt believing and cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt, thou didſt juſtifie me in the Court of glory, from all my ſins, both as to guilt and puniſhment. Upon my firſt act of believing, thou didſt pardon all my ſins, thou didſt forgive all my iniquities, thou did'ſt blot out all my tranſgreſſions; and as upon my firſt believing, thou didſt give me the Remiſſion of all my ſins, ſo upon my firſt believing thou did'ſt free me from a ſtate of Condemnation, and intereſt me in the great Salvation. Upon my firſt believing, I was united to Jeſus Chriſt, and I was cloathed with the Rom 8. 1. Heb. 2 3.Rom 8:1Heb 2:3Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which covered all my ſins, and diſcharged me from all my tranſgreſſions; & remember, O Lord, that at the very moment of my diſſolution thou did'ſt really, perfectly, univerſally, and finally forgive all my ſins; every debt that moment was diſcharged, and every Score that moment was croſſed, and every Bill and Bond that moment was cancelled; ſo that there was not left in the book of thy remembrance one ſin, no not the leaſt ſin ſtanding upon Record againſt my ſoul: And beſides all this, thou knoweſt, O Lord, that all my ſins were laid upon Chriſt my Surety, and that he became reſponſible Heb. 7. 21. 22.Heb 7:21Heb 7:22for them all; he did dye, he did lay down his life, he did make his ſoul an offering for my ſins, he did become a curſe, he did endure thy infinite wrath, he did give compleat ſatisfaction, and a full compenſation unto thy Juſtice for all my ſins, debts, treſpaſſes: This is my plea, O Lord! and by this plea I ſhall ſtand: Well, ſaith the Lord, I allow of this plea, I accept of this plea, as juſt, p. 89honourable, and righteous, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. But

Seventhly: Conſider, that what ever we are bound to do, or to ſuffer by the Law of God; all that did Chriſt do, and ſuffer for us, as being our Surety and Mediator. Now the Law of God hath a double challenge or demand upon us; one is of active obedience, in fulfilling what it requires; the other is of paſſive obedience, in ſuffering that puniſhment which lies upon us, for the tranſgreſſion of it, in doing what it forbids. For as we are Created by God, we did owe unto him all obedience which he required; and as we ſinned againſt God, we did owe unto him a ſuffering of all that puniſhment which he threatned, and we being fallen by tranſgreſſion, can neither pay the one debt, nor yet the other; we cannot do all that the Law requires. (Nay of our ſelves we can do nothing,) neither can we ſuffer, as to ſatisfie God in his Juſtice wronged by us, or to recover our ſelves into life and favour again; and therefore Jeſus Chriſt, (who was God made man) did become our Surety, and ſtood in our ſtead, or room; and he did perform what we ſhould, but could not perform; and he did bear our ſins and our ſorrows; he did ſuffer and bear for us, what we our ſelves ſhould have born and ſuffered; whereby he did fully ſatisfie the juſtice of God, and made our peace, and purchaſed life and happineſs for us. Let me a little more clearly and fully open this great truth in theſe few particulars.

Firſt: Jeſus Chriſt did perform that active obedience 1unto the Law of God, which we ſhould (but by reaſon of ſin) could not perform; in which reſpect he is ſaid, Gal. 4. 4. To be made under the Law, that he might redeem them that were under the Law; So far was Chriſt under the Law, as to redeem them that were under the Law. But redeem them that were under the Law, he could not, unleſs by diſcharging the bonds of the Law in force upon us; and all thoſe bonds could not be, and were not diſcharged, unleſs a perfect righteouſneſs had been preſented p. 90(on our behalf, who were under the Law) to fulfill the Law. Now there is a two-fold Righteouſneſs neceſſary to the actual fulfilling of the Law; one is an internal Righteouſneſs of the Nature of man; the other is an external Righteouſneſs of the Life or works of man: both of theſe do the Law require. The former, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. which is the ſum of the firſt Table: And thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf, which is the ſum of the ſecond Table: the latter, Do this and live, Levit. 18. 5. He that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the Law, to do them, is Curſed, Gal. 3. 10. Now both theſe Righteouſneſſes were ſound in Chriſt; Firſt, the internal, Heh. 7. 26. He was holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparated from ſinners, chap. 9. 14. And offered himſelf without ſpot to God, 2 Cor. 5. 21. He knew no ſin. Secondly, External, 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth, Joh. 17. 4 I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do, Math. 3. 15. He muſt fulfill all Righteouſneſs, Rom. 10. 4. Chriſt is the end of the Law, for Righteouſneſs to every one that believeth. Now concerning Chriſts active obedience, to the Law of God theſe things are conſiderable in it.

Firſt: The univerſality of it, he did whatſoever his 1Father required, and left nothing of his Fathers will undone; he kept the whole Law, and offended not in one point. What ever was required of us, by vertue of any Law, that he did, and fulfilled. Hence he is ſaid to be made under the Law, Gal. 4. 4. Subject, or obnoxious to it, to all the precepts or commands of it. Chriſt was ſo made under the Law, as thoſe were under the Law, whom he was to Redeem. Now we were under the Law, not only as obnoxious to its penalties, but as bound to all the duties of it; that this is our being under the Law, is evident by that of the Apoſtle, Gal. 4. 2…. Tell me, ye that deſire to be under the Law; ſurely it was not the penalty of the Law they deſired to be under, but to be under it in reſpect of obedience; ſo Math. 3. 15. Here p. 91Chriſt tell you, That it became him to fulfil all Righteouſneſs, foreign, all manner of Righteouſneſs whatſoever; that is, every thing that God required, as is evident from the Application of that general Oxiome to the Baptiſme of John. But

Secondly: The exactneſs and perfection of it. He kept the whole Law exactly; as he was not wanting in matter, 2ſo he did not fail in the manner of performing his Fathers Will; there was no defects, nothing lacking in his obedience; he did all things well, what we are preſſing towards, and reaching forth unto, he attained; he was perfect in every good work, and ſtood compleat in the whole will of his Father. And hence it is, that it is Recorded of him, that he was without ſin, knew no ſin, did no ſin, which could not be if he had failed in any thing. But

Thirdly: The conſtancy of it. Chriſt did not obey by 3ſits, but conſtantly; though we cannot, yet he continued in all things which are written in the book of the Law, to do them. This Righteous One held on his way, he did not fail, nor was he diſcouraged; yea, when perſecution and tribulation did ariſe againſt him, becauſe of his doing the Will of his Father, he was not offended, but did always do the things which pleaſed his Father, as he told the Jews, Joh. 8. 29.

Fourthly: The delight that he took in doing the Will of his Father, Pſal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy Will, O my God; 4yea, thy Law is within my heart (or in the mid'ſt of my bowels, as the Hebrew runs,) by the Law of God we are to underſtand all the Commandements of God; there is not one Command which Chriſt did not delight to do. Chriſts obedience was without murmuring or grudging; his Fathers Commandements were not grievous to him; he tells his Diſciples, that it was his … to do the Will of him that ſent him, and to finiſh his work, John 4. 34. But

Fifthly: The vertue and efficacy of it, for his obedience, his righteouſneſs never returns to him void, but it p. 925always accompliſhes that which he pleaſes, and proſpers in the thing whereto he ordains it, and that is the making others Righteous, according to that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 5. 19. For as by one mans diſobedience, many were made ſinn…rs; ſo by the …bedience of one, ſhall many be made Righteous, 2 Cor. 5. 21. God made him to be ſin for us, who knew no …, that we might be made the Righteouſneſs of God in him; and accordingly we are, for of God he is made unto us Righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 1. 30.

The perfect, compleat Obedience of Chriſt to the Law, is certainly reckoned to us; that is an everlaſting truth: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandements, Math. 19. 17. The Commandements muſt be kept either by our ſelves, or by our Surety, or there is no entering into life; Chriſt did obey the Law, not for himſelf, but for us, and in our ſtead, Rom. 5. 18, 19. By the Righteouſneſs of one, the free-gift came upon all men unto juſtification of life; By the Obedience of one, many ſhall be made Righteons. By his Obedience to the Law, we are made Righteous; Chriſts Obedience is reckoned to us for Righteouſneſs. Chriſt, by his Obedience to the Royal Law, is made Righteouſneſs to us, 1 Cor. 1. 30. We are ſaved by that perfect Obedience, which Chriſt, when he was in this world, yeelded to the bleſſed Law of God. Mark, what ever Chriſt did as Mediator, he did it for thoſe whoſe Mediator he was; or in whoſe ſtead, and for whoſe good he executed the Office of a Mediator before God; this the Holy Ghoſt witneſſeth, Rom. 8. 3, 4. What the Law could not do, in that it was weak, through the fleſh. God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin, condemned ſin in the fleſh, that the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us. The word Likeneſs, is not ſimply to be referred to fleſh, but to ſinful fleſh, as Baſil well obſerves; for Chriſt was like unto us in all things, ſin only excepted: If with our juſtification from ſin, there be joyned that active Obedience of Chriſt, which is imputed to us, We are juſt before God, according to that perfect form which the Law requireth. p. 93Becauſe we could not in this condition of weakneſs, whereinto we are caſt by ſin, come to God, and be freed from Condemnation by the Law, God ſent Chriſt as a Mediator to do, and ſuffer what ever the Law required at our hands; for that end and purpoſe, that we might not be condemned, but accepted of God. It was all to this end, that the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us; that is, which the Law required of us, conſiſting in duties of obedience, this Chriſt performed for us: This expreſſion of the Apoſtle, God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin, condemned ſin in the fleſh; if you will add to it that of Gal. 4. 4. That he was ſo ſent forth, as that he was foreign, made under the Law; that is, obnoxious to it, to yield all the obedience that it doth require, compares the whole of what Chriſt did, or ſuffered; and all this, the Holy Ghoſt tells us, was for us, verſ. 4. He that made the Law as God, was made under the Law as God-Man, whereby both the obligations of the Law fell upon him, 1. Paenal. 2. Praeceptive. Firſt, The paenal Obligation to undergoe the Curſe, and ſo to ſatisfie Divine Juſtice. Secondly, The praeceptive Obligation, to fulfil all Righteouſneſs, Math. 3. 15. This Obligation he fulfilled by doing, the other by Dying; Mark, this double Obligation could not have befallen the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, upon any natural account of his own, but upon his Mediatory account only, as he voluntarily became the Surety of this New and better Covenant, Heb. 7. 22. ſo that the fruit and benefit of Chriſts voluntary ſubjection to the Law, redoundeth not at all to himſelf, but unto the perſons which were given him of the Father, Joh. 17. whoſe Sponſor he became; for their ſakes he underwent the paenal Obligation of the Law, that it might do them no harm, He being made a Curſe for us, Gal. 3. 13. and for their ſakes he fulfilled the praeceptive Obligation of the Law; do this, that ſo the Law might do them good. This the Evangelical Apoſtle clearly aſſerts, Chriſt is the end of the Law for Righteouſneſs, to every one that believeth, Romans 10. 4. Chriſt is the end of the p. 94Law, foreign, what end? why ſinis perfectiuus, the perfection and accompliſhment of the Law; he is the end of the Law for Righteouſneſs; that is, to the end, that by Chriſt, his active obedience, God might have his perfect Law perfectly kept, that ſo there might be a Righteouſneſs extant in the humane nature, every way adaequate to the perfection of the Law: And who muſt wear this Garment of Righteouſneſs, when Chriſt hath finiſhed it? Surely the Believer, who wanted a Righteouſneſs of his own; for ſo it follows, for Righteouſneſs to every one that believeth; that is, that every poor naked Sinner, believing in Jeſus Chriſt, might have a Righteouſneſs; wherein being found, he might appear at Gods Tribunal, but his nakedneſs not appears. But as Jacob in the Garment of his Elder Brother Eſau, ſo the Believer in the Garment of his Elder Brother Jeſus, might inherit the bleſſing, even the great bleſſing of Juſtification.

The only matter of mans Righteouſneſs, ſince the fall of Adam, wherein he can appear with comfort before the juſtice of God; and conſequently, whereby alone, he can be juſtified in his ſight, is the obdience and ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt, the Righteouſneſs of the Mediator; there is not any other way imaginable, how the Juſtice of God may be ſatisfied, and we may have our ſins pardoned in a way of juſtice, but by the Righteouſneſs of the Son of God, and therefore is his name Jehovah, Tridkenna The Lord our Righteouſneſs, Jer. 23. 6. This is his name; that is, this is the prerogative of the Lord Jeſus, a matter that appertains to him alone, to be able to bring in an everlaſting Righteouſneſs, and to make reconciliation for Iniquity, Dan. 9. 24. It is by Chriſt alone, That they who believe, are juſtified from all things, from which they cannot be Eccl…ſ. 11 9. cap 12. 14 Matth. 1…. 14. cap. 18. 2…. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 1…. 10. 2 … 10. Heb 9. 27. cap. 13. …7. 1 Pet. 4. 5.Matt 1:14Luke 16:3Rom 1:10Rom 1:2Heb 9:271 Pet 4:5juſtified by the Law of Moſes, Act. 13. 39.

Now from the active obedience of Chriſt, a ſincere Chriſtian may form up this third plea as to the ten Scriptures in the Margent, that refer either to the general judgment, or to the particular judgment that will paſs upon every Chriſtian immediately after death. O! bleſſed God, p. 95thou knoweſt that Jeſus Chriſt, as my Surety, did perform all that active obedience unto thy holy and righteous Law that I ſhould have performed; but by reaſon of the in-dwelling power of ſin, and of the vexing and moleſting power of ſin, and of the captivating power of ſin, could not. There was in Chriſt an habitual righteouſneſs, a conformity of his nature to the holineſs of the Law; for 1 Pet. 1. 19.1 Pet 1:19he is a Lamb without ſpot and blemiſh; the Law could never have required ſo much righteouſneſs as is to be found in him; and as for practical righteouſneſs, there was never any aberration in his thoughts, words, or deeds. H…b. 7. 26.The Prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. John 14. 30.John 14:30The Apoſtle tells us, That we are made the Righteouſneſs of God in him; he doth emphatically add that clauſe, foreign 2 Cor. 6. 21.2 Cor 6:21in him, that he may take away all conceit of inherence in us, and eſtabliſh the Doctrine of imputation: As Chriſt is made ſin in us by imputation, ſo we are made righteouſneſs in him by the ſame way. Auguſtines place which Beza cites is a moſt full Commentary; God the Father (ſaith he) made him to be ſin, who know no ſin, that we might be the Righteouſneſs of God, not our own; and in him, that is in Chriſt, not in our ſelves; and being thus juſtified, we are ſo Righteous, as if we were Righteouſneſs it ſelf. O! holy God, Chriſt my Surety hath univerſally kept thy Royal Law, he hath not offended in any one point; yea, he hath exactly and perfectly kept the whole Law of God, he ſtood compleat in the whole will of the Father; his active obedience was ſo full, ſo perfect, and ſo adaequate to all the Laws, demands, that the Law could not but ſay, I have enough, I am fully ſatisfied; I have found a Ranſom, I can ask no more. Neither was the obedience of Chriſt fickle or tranſient, but permanent and conſtant; it was his delight, his meat and drink; yea, his Heaven to be ſtill a doing the will of his Father. Aſſuredly; whilſt our Lord Joh. 4. 33, 34.John 4:33John 4:34Jeſus Chriſt was in this world, he did in his own perſon fully obey the Law; he did in his own perſon perfectly conform to all the holy, juſt, and righteous commands of the Law. Now this his moſt perfect and compleat obedience p. 96to the Law, is made over to all his Members, to all Believers, to all ſincere Chriſtians; it is reckoned to them, it is imputed to them, as if they themſelves, in their own perſons had performed it. All ſound Believers being in Chriſt, as their head and Surety, the Laws righteouſneſs is fulfilled in them legally, and imputively, though it be not fulfilled in them formally, ſubjectively, inherently, or perſonally ſutable to that of the Apoſtle, That the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us; mark, not by us, but in us; for Chriſt in our Nature R…m 8 4. foreign, which Beza well tenders, … legis, that the right of the Law might be fulfilled in us.hath fulfilled the right of the Law, and therefore in us, becauſe of our communion with him, and our ingrafting into him, God hath condemned ſin the fleſh of his Son, that, all that which the Law by a right could require of us, might be performed by him for us; ſo as if we our ſelves, had in our own perſons performed the ſame. The Law muſt have its right before a Sinner can be ſaved; we cannot of our ſelves fulfil the right of it: But here's the comfort, Chriſt our Surety hath fulfilled it in us, and we have fulfilled it in him. Certainly, whatſoever Chriſt did concerning the Law, is ours by imputation, ſo fully, as if our ſelves had done it. Do's the Law require obedience? ſaith Chriſt, I will give it. Do's the Law threaten Curſes? ſaith Chriſt, Math 3 15. cap. 5, 17, 18,Matt 3:15they ſhall be borne. The precept of the Law, ſaith Chriſt, ſhall be kept, and the promiſes received, and the puniſhments endured, that poor Sinners may be ſaved. Our Righteouſneſs and Title to eternal life do indiſpenſably depend upon the imputation of Chriſts active obedience to us; there muſt be a perfect obeying of the Law, as the condition of life, either by the Sinner himſelf, or by his Surety, or elſe no life, which doth ſufficiently evince the abſolute neceſſity of the imputation of Chriſts active obedience to us; the Sinner himſelf being altogether unable to fulfil the Law, that he may ſtand Righteous before the great and glorious God. Chriſts fulfilling of it muſt neceſſarily be imputed to him in order to righteouſneſs. There are two great things which Jeſus Chriſt did undertake for his redeemed ones; the one was to make full ſatisfaction to p. 97Divine Juſtice for all their ſins. Now this he did by his Blood and Death, the other was to yield moſt abſolute conformity to the Law of God, both in nature and life; by the one, he has freed all his Redeemed ones from Hell, and by the other he has qualified all his Redeemed ones from Heaven. This is my Plea O Lord, and by this plea I ſhall ſtand. Well, ſaith the Lord, I accept of this plea as honourable, juſt, and righteous, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

Secondly: As Jeſus Chriſt did for us, perform all that active obedience which the Law of God required; ſo he 2did alſo ſuffer all thoſe puniſhments which we had deſerved by the tranſgreſſion of the Law of God, in which reſpect he is ſaid, 2 Cor. 2. 22. To be made ſin for us, 1 Pet. 2. 24. Himſelf to bear our ſins in his own body on the Tree, 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſin, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God, Phil. 2. 8. To humble himſelf and to become obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs, Gal. 3. 13. To be made a Curſe, an Exceration for us, Ephe. 5. 2. To give himſelf for us an Offering and Sacrifice unto God, Heb. 9. 15. And for this cauſe he is the Mediator of the New Teſtament; that by means of Death, for the Redemption of the tranſgreſſions that were under the firſt Teſtament, they which were called might receive the promiſe of eternal inheritance. Now concerning the paſſive obedience, or ſuffering of Chriſt, I would preſent unto you theſe concluſions.

Firſt: That the ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt were free and voluntary, and not conſtrained or forced. Auſtin ſaith, that Chriſt did ſuffer quia voluit, & quando voluit, & quomodo voluit, Joh. 10. 17. I lay down my life, ver. 18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again, Gal. 2. 20. Who gave himſelf for me. Chriſts ſufferings did riſe out of obedience to his Father, Joh. 10. 18. This Commandement have I received of my Father, and Joh. 18. 11. The Cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it? And Chriſts ſufferings did ſpring and riſe out of p. 98his love to us, who loved me, and gave himſelf for me, Gal. 2. 20. ſo Ephe. 5. 25. As Chriſt loved the Church, and gave himſelf for it. And indeed, had Chriſts ſufferings been involuntary, they could not have been a part of his obedience, much leſs could they have mounted to any thing of merit for us. Chriſt was very free and willing to undertake the work of mans Redemption; when he cometh into the world, he ſaith, Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldeſt not, but a body haſt thou prepared me; Then ſaid I, H…b. 1…. 5.Lo, I come to do thy Will O God, It's the expreſſion of one overjoy'd to do the Will of God; So Luk. 12. 50. I have a Baptiſme to be Baptiſed with, and how am I ſtraitned till it be accompliſhed. There was no power, no force to compel Chriſt to lay down his life, therefore it is called the offering of the body of Jeſus, Heb. 10. 10. Nothing could faſten Chriſt to the Croſs, but the golden link of his free Love. Chriſt was big of love, and therefore he freely opens all the pores of his body, that his blood may flow out from every part, as a precious Balſom to cure our wounds. The heart of Chriſt was ſo full of love, that it could not hold, but muſt needs burſt out through every part and member of his body into a bloody ſweat, Luk. 22. 44. At this time it is moſt certain, that there was no manner of violence offered to the body of Chriſt; no man touched him, or came near him with Whips or Thorns, or Spears, or Lances. Though the Night was cold, and the Ayre cold, and the Earth on which he kneeled cold, yet ſuch a burning love he had in his breaſts to his people, as caſt him into a bloody ſweat. 'Tis certain that Chriſt never repented of his ſufferings, Iſa. 53. 11. He ſhall ſee of the travail of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied. It is a Metaphor that alludes to a Mother, who though ſhe hath had hard labour, yet doth not repent of it, when ſhe ſees a Child brought forth. So though Chriſt had hard Travel upon the Croſs, yet he doth not repent of but thinks all his ſweat and blood well beſtowed, becauſe he ſees the Man-child of Redemption is brought ſorth into the world. He ſhall be ſatisfied, the Hebrew p. 99word foreign ſignifies ſuch a ſatiating as a man hath at ſome ſweet repaſt, or banquet. And what do's this ſpeak out, but his freeneſs in ſuffering.

But here ſome may object, and ſay, that the Lord Jeſus, Obj. when the hour of his ſufferings drew nigh, did repent of his Suretyſhip; and in a deep paſſion, prayed to his Father to be releaſed from his ſufferings: Father, if it be poſſible, let this Cup paſs from me, (and that three times over,) Math. 26. 39, 42, 44.

Now to this Objection I ſhall Anſwer, firſt more generally; Anſw. and ſecondly, more particularly.

Firſt, in the general: I ſay that this earneſt prayer of 1his doth not denote abſolutely his unwillingneſs, but rather ſets out the greatneſs of his willingneſs; for although Chriſt as a man, was of the ſame natural affections with us, and deſires, and abhorrences, of what was deſtructive to nature, and therefore did fear and deprecate that bitter cup which he was ready to drink; yet as our Mediator and Surety, and knowing it would be a Cup of Salvation to us, (though of exceeding bitterneſs to himſelf) he did yield and lay aſide his natural reluctancies as Man, and willingly obeyed his Fathers will to drink it, as our loving Mediator, as if he ſhould ſay, O Father, whatſoever becometh of me, of my natural f…ar, or deſire, I am content to ſubmit, to the drinking of this Cup, thy Will be done. But

Secondly, and more particularly I Anſwer, that in 2theſe words of our Lord there is a two-fold voice. 1. There is vox natur…, the voyce of nature; Let this Cup paſs from me. 2. There is vox officii, the voyce of his Mediatory office; …leſs, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

The firſt voyce (… this Cup paſs) intimates the velleity of the inferiour part of his Soul; the ſenſitive part proceeding from unnatural abhorrency of death as he was a Creature. The latter voyce (Nevertheleſs, not as I will, but as thou wilt) expre… the full and free conſent of his will, complying with the will of his Father in that grand p. 100everlaſting deſign of bringing many Sons unto glory, by making the Captain of their Salvation perfect through ſufferings, Heb. 2. 10.

It was an Argument of the truth of Chriſt, his humane Nature that he naturally dreaded a diſſolution. He owed it to himſelf as a Creature, to deſire the conſervation of his being, and he could not become unnatural to himſelf, For no man ever yet hated his own Fleſh, Ephe. 5. 29. Phil. 2. 8. But being a Son, he learned ſubmiſſion, and became obedient to the death, even the death of the Croſs; that ſhameful, cruel, curſed death of the Croſs; the ſuffering whereof he owed to that ſolemn Aſtipulation, which from everlaſting paſſed between his Father and himſelf, the third perſon in the bleſſed Trinity, the Holy Ghoſt being witneſs. And therefore, though the Cup was the bittereſt Cup that ever was given man to drink, as wherein there was not death only, but wrath, and curſe: Yet ſeeing there was no other way left of ſatisfying the juſtice of his Father, and of ſaving Sinners, moſt willingly he took the Cup, and having given thanks (as it were) in thoſe words, The Cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it: Never did Bridegroom goe with more chearfulneſs to be Married to his Bride, than our Lord Jeſus went to his Croſs, Luk. 12. 20.

Though the Cup that God the Father put into Chriſts hand, was bitter, very bitter, yea, the bittereſt that ever was put into any hand, yet he found it ſweetned with three Ingredients. 1. It was but a Cup, it was not a Sea. 2. It was his Father (and not Satan) that mingled it, and that … in all the bitter Ingredients that were in it. 3. It was a gilt, not a Curſe, as to himſelf; The Cup which my … giveth me; he drank it, I ſay, and drank it … every drop, leaving nothing behind for his Redeem… of Love and Salvation; in the Sacramen… Cup of his own Inſtitution, ſaying, This Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood, for the Remiſſion of ſins; This … in remembrance of me, 1 Cor. 11. 25. Math. 26. 28. Thus (my Friends) look upon Chriſt as Mediator p. 101(in which capacity only, he covenanted with his Father for the Salvation of man-kind;) and there was not ſo much as a ſhadow of any receding from, or repenting of what he had undertaken. But

Secondly: As the ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt were very free and voluntary, ſo they were very great and hainous; 2what agony, what torment was our Saviour wrackt with? how deep were his wounds, how weighty his burden, how full of trembling his Cup, when he lay under the Mountains of the guilt of all the Elect? How bitter were his Tears, how painful his Sweat, how ſharp his encounters, how dreadful his Death? who can impute how many Vials of Gods inexpreſſible, inſupportable wrath Chriſt drank off; in that 53. of Iſa. you may read of deſpiſing, rejected, ſtripes, ſmilings, wounds, ſorrows, bruiſing, chaſtiſement, oppreſſion, affliction, cutting off, putting to grief, and pouring out of his ſoul to death; all theſe put together, ſpeaks out Chriſt to be a very great ſufferer; he was a man of ſorrows, as if he were a man made up of ſorrows, (as the man of ſin, as if he were made up of ſin) as if He were nothing elſe: He knew more ſorrows than any man, yea, than all men ever did; … Iniquity (and conſequently the ſorrows) of all men met in him, as if he had been their center, and he was acquainted with griefs; he had little acquaintance elſe, grief was his familiar acquaintance, he had no acquaintance with laughter; we read not that he laughed at all, when he was in the world; his other acquaintance ſtood afar off, but grief followed him to the Croſs, from his Birth to his Death; from his Cradle to the Croſs; from the Womb to the Tomb; he was a man of ſorrows, and never were ſorrows like his; he might ſay, Never grief or ſorrow like mine: 'Tis indeed impoſſible to expreſs the ſufferings and ſorrows of Chriſt; and the Greek Chriſtians uſed to beg of God, foreign, that for the unknown ſufferings of Chriſt, he would have mercy upon them: Though Chriſts …rings are abundantly made known, yet they are but little known; eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, p. 102nor hath it, or can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what Chriſt ſuffered, who hath known the power of Gods wrath? Chriſt Jeſus knew it, for he underwent it, his whole life was made up of ſufferings; He was no ſooner born, but ſufferings came trooping in upon him; He was born in an Inn, yea, in a Stable, and had but a Manuger for his Cradle. As ſoon as his Birth was noiſed abroad, Herod, under a pretence of worſhiping of him, had a deſign to murder him, ſo that his ſuppoſed Father was fain to flye into Aegypt to ſecure his life; he was perſecuted before he could (after the manner of men) be ſenſible of perſecution; and as he grew up in years, ſo his ſufferings grew up with him; Hunger and Thriſt, Travel and Wearineſs, Scorns and Reproaches, falſe Accuſations and Contradictions ſtill waited on him, and he had not where to lay his head, 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſins. This is the wonderment of Angels, the happineſs of fallen man, and the torment of Devils, &c. that Chriſt hath ſuffered. The Apoſtles words look like a Riddle, Chriſt hath ſuffered; as if he ſhould ſay, read thou if thou canſt what he hath ſuffered; as for my part they are ſo many, that in this ſhort Epiſtle I have no mind to Record them; and they are ſo grievous, that my paſſionate love won't ſuffer me to repeat them, and therefore I content my ſelf thus abruptly to deliver them. Chriſt hath ſufferd; Chriſts ſufferings were unſpeakable, His ſufferings were unutterable; and therefore the Apoſtle ſatisfies himſelf with this unperfect broken ſpeech, Chriſt hath ſuffered. O what woes and lamentations, what crys and exclamations, what complaints and ſorrows, what wringing of hands, what knocking of breaſts, what weeping of eyes, what wayling of tongues belong to the ſpeaking and hearing of this doleful Tragedy? Even in the Prologue I tremble, and at the firſt entrance I am as at a non-plus, that I know not with what woful geſture to act it, with what moanful voice to pronounce it, with what mournful words, with what pathetical ſpeeches, with what emphatical phraſes, p. 103with what interrupted accents, with what paſſionate compaſſionate plaints to expreſs it. The multiplicity of the plot, and the variety of the acts and ſcenes is ſo intricate, that my memory falls to compriſe it; the matter ſo importent, and the ſtory ſo excellent, that my tongue ſail… to declare it; the cruelty ſo ſavage, and the maſſacre ſo barbarous, that my heart even fails to conſider it. Wherefore I muſt needs content my ſelf (with the Apoſtle here) to ſpeak, but unperfectly of it, and thinks this enough to ſay, Chriſt hath ſuffered; and well may I think this enough, for behold, what perfection there is in this ſeeming imperfect ſpeech. For

Firſt, To ſay indefinitely, he ſuffered without any limitation 1of time; what is it but to ſay that he always ſuffered without exception of time? And ſo indeed the Prophet ſpeaks of him, namely, That he was a man of ſorrows, Iſa. 53. 3. His whole life was fill'd up with ſufferings. But

Secondly: To ſay only he ſuffered, and nothing elſe; what is it, but to ſay, that he patiently ſuffered; he never 2reſiſted, never rebelled, never oppoſed? He was led as a Sheep to the ſlaughter; and as a Lamb dumb before the Sheerer, ſo opened he not his mouth, Act. 8. 32. Iſa. 53. 7. And when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he ſuffered, he threatned not, 1 Pet. 2. 23. But

Thirdly: To ſay preciſely he ſuffered, and no more; what is it, but to ſay that he freely ſuffered, that he voluntarily 3ſuffered? Chriſt was under no force, no compulſion, but freely ſuffered himſelf to ſuffer, and voluntarily ſuffered the Jews to make him ſuffer, having power to quit himſelf from ſuffering if he had pleaſed. I lay down my life, no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again, Joh. 10. 17. But of this before.

Fourthly: To ſay plainly he ſuffered; what is it, but to ſay that he Innocently ſuffered, that he wrongfully ſuffered? 4for had he been a Malefactor, or an Offender, it ſhould have been ſaid, that he was puniſhed, or that he p. 104was executed; but he was full of Innocency, he was holy and harmleſs; and ſo it follows in that 1 Pet. 3. 18. The juſt for the unjuſt. But

Fifthly: To ſay peremptorily he ſuffered, what is it but to ſay that he principally ſuffered, that he exceſſively 5ſuffered: To ſay he ſuffered, What is it but to ſay he was the cheif ſufferer, the arch ſufferer? and that not only in reſpect of the manner of his ſufferings, that he ſuffered abſolutely ſo as never did any; but alſo in reſpect of the meaſure of his ſufferings, that he ſuffered exceſſively beyond what ever any did. And thus we may well underſtand, and take thoſe words, He ſuffered. That lamentation of the Prophet, Lam. 1. 12. (is very applicable to Chriſt.) Behold and ſee if there be any ſorrows like unto my ſorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fiorce anger. Now is it not enough for the Apoſtle to ſay that Chriſt hath ſuffered; but will you yet ask what? But pray Friends be ſatisfied, and rather of the two, ask what not? for what ſufferings can you think of, that Chriſt did not ſuffer. Chriſt ſuffered in his Birth, and he ſuffered in his Life, and he ſuffered in his Death; he ſuffered in his Body, for he was diverſly tormented; he ſuffered in his Soul, for his Soul was heavy unto death; he ſuffered in his Eſtate, they parted his Rayment, and he had not where to reſt his head; he ſuffered in his good Name, for he was counted a Samaritan, a Devilliſh Sorcerer, a Wine-bibber, an Enemy to Caeſar, &c. He ſuffered from Heaven, when he cryed out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? He ſuffered from the Earth, when being hungry, the Figtree proved fruitleſs to him: He ſuffered from Hell, Satan aſſaulting and encountering of him, with his moſt black and horrid temptations: He began his life meanly and baſely, and was ſharply perſecuted; He continued his life poorly and diſtreſſedly, and was cruelly hated: He ended his life wofully and miſerably, and was moſt grievouſly tormented with Whips, Thorns, Nails, and (above p. 105all) with the terrors of his Fathers wrath and horrors of helliſh agonies.

Ego ſum qui peccavi: I am the man that have ſinned; but theſe Sheep, what have they done? ſaid David, when he ſaw the Angel deſtroying his people, 2 Sam. 24. 17. And the ſame ſpeech may every one of us take up for our ſelves, and apply to Chriſt, and ſay, I have ſinned, I have done wickedly; but this Sheep, what hath he done? yea, much more cauſe have we than David had, to take up this complaint. For

Firſt: David ſaw them dye, whom he knew to be Sinners, 1but we ſee him dye, who (we knew) knew no ſin, 2 Cor. 5. 21. But

Secondly: David ſaw them dye a quick ſpeedy death, 2we ſee him dye with lingering torments; He was a dying from ſix to nine, Math. 27. 45, 46. Now in this three hours darkneſs, he was ſet upon by all the powers of darkneſs with utmoſt might and malice; but he foyled and ſpoiled them all, and made an open ſhew of them (as the Roman Conquerors uſed to do) triumphing over them on his Croſs, as on his Chariot of State, Col. 2. 15. attended by his vanquiſhed Enemies, with their hands bound behind them, Ephe. 4. 8. But

Thirdly: David ſaw them dye, who (by their own confeſſion) 3was worth ten thouſand of them; we ſee him dye for us, whoſe worth admitteth no compariſon. But

Fourthly: David ſaw the Lord of glory deſtroying 25mortal men; and we ſee mortal men deſtroying the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2. 8. O how much more cauſe have we then to ſay as David, I have ſinned, I have done wickedly; but this Innocent Lamb, the Lord Jeſus, what hath he done, what hath he deſerved, that he ſhould be thus greatly tormented. Tully, though a great Orator, yet when he comes to ſpeak of the death of the Croſs, he wants words to expreſs it. (Quid dicam in crucem tollere,) What ſhall I ſay of this death, ſaith he. But

Thirdly: As the ſufferings of Chriſt were very great, ſo the puniſhments which Chriſt did ſuffer for our ſins, p. 1063theſe were in their kinds, and parts, and degrees, and proportion, all thoſe puniſhments which were due unto us, by reaſon of our ſins, & which we our ſelves ſhould otherwiſe have ſuffered: Whatſoever we ſhould have ſuffered as Sinners, all that did Chriſt ſuffer as our Surety and Mediator, (always excepting thoſe puniſhments which could not be endured without a pollution and guilt of ſin…) The chaſriſement of our peace was upon him, Iſa. 53. 5. (And including the puniſhments common to the nature of man, not the perſonal ariſing out of imperfection, and defect, and diſtemper. Now the puniſhments due to us for ſin, were corporal, and ſpiritual. And again, they were the puniſhments of loſs, and of ſenſe; and all theſe did Chriſt ſuffer for us, which I ſhall evidence by an induction of particulars.

Firſt: That Chriſt ſuffered corporal puniſhments, is 1moſt clear in Scripture: You read of the Injuries to his Perſon, of the Crown of Throns on his Head, of the ſmiting of his Cheeks, of ſpitting on his Face, of the ſcourging of his Body, of the Croſs on his Back, of the Vinegar in his Mouth, of the Nails in his Hands and Feet, of the Spear in his Side, and of his crucifying and dying on the Croſs, 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who himſelf, in his own body on the Tree bare our ſins, 1 Cor. 15. 3. Chriſt dyed for our ſins, according to the Scriptures, Rev. 1. 5. And waſhed us from our ſins in his own Blood, Col. 1. 14. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood, even the forgiveneſs of ſins, Math. 26. 28. For this is my Blood of the New Teſtament, which is ſhed for many for the remiſſion of ſins. Chriſt ſuffered deriſion in every one of his Offices.

Firſt: In his Kingly Office: They put a Scepter in his Hand, a Crown on his Head, and bowed their Knees, 1ſaying, Hail King of the Jews Matth. 27. 29.

Secondly: In his Prieſtly Office: They put upon him a gorgeous white Robe, ſuch as the Prieſts wore, Luk. 223. 11.

Thirdly: In his Prophetical Office: When they had blindfolded him, Propheſie, ſay they, who it is that ſmiteth p. 1073thee, Luk. 22. 64. Sometimes they ſaid, Thou art a Samaritan, and haſt a Devil, Joh. 8. 48. And ſometimes they ſaid, He is beſide himſelf, why hear ye him, Mark. 3. 21.

And as Chriſt ſuffered in every one of his Offices, ſo he ſuffered in every member of his Body; in his Hearing by their reproaches, and crying, Crucifie him, Crucifie him. In his ſight by their Scoffings, and ſcornful geſtures. In his Smell, in his being in that noyſome place G…lgotha, Math. 27. 33. In his Taſt, by his taſting of Vinegar mingled with Gall, which they gave him to drink, Math. 27. 133. In his Feeling, by the Thorns on his Head, blows on his Cheeks, ſpittle on his Face, the Spear in his ſide, and the Nails in his Hands; he ſuffered in all parts and members of his body from head to foot: His Head (which deſerved a better Crown than the beſt in the world) was Crowned with Thorns, and they ſmote him on the head. Oſorius writing of the ſufferings of Chriſt, ſaith, That the Crown of Throns bor'd his head with ſeventy-two wounds. To ſee that Head (before which, Angels caſt down themſelves and worſhiped (as I may ſay) Crowned with Throns, might well amaze us. To ſee thoſe Eyes that were purer than the Sun, put out by the darkneſs of death: To ſee thoſe Ears, which hear nothing (to ſpeak to capacity) but Hallelujahs of Saints and Angels, to hear the Blaſphemies of the multitude: To ſee that Face which was fairer than the Sons of men (for being born and conceived without ſin, he was freed from the contagious effects of it, 2Deformity, and was moſt perfectly beautiful, Pſal. 45. 2. Cant. 5. 10.) to be ſpit on by thoſe beaſtly wretched Jews. To ſee that Mouth and Tongue, that ſpake as never man ſpake, accuſed for falſe Doctrines, nay Blaſphemy. To ſee thoſe Hands, which freely ſwayed the Scepter of Heaven, nayled to the Croſs. To ſee thoſe Feet, like unto fine braſs, Rev. 1. 15. nayled to the Croſs for mans ſins. Who can behold Chriſt thus ſuffering in all the members of his Body, and not be ſtruck with aſtoniſhment. Who can ſum up the horrible abuſes that were put upon Chriſt by his baſe Attendants. The Evangeliſt p. 108tells us, that they ſpit in his Face, and buffeted him; and that others ſmote him with the palms of their hands, ſaying, Propheſie unto us, thou Chriſt, who is he that ſmote thee? Math. 26. 67, 68. And as Luke adds, many other things Blaſphemouſly ſpeak they againſt him, Luk. 22. 65. What thoſe many other things were, is not diſcovered, only ſome antient Writers ſay, That Chriſt in that night ſuffered ſo many, and ſuch hideous things, that the whole knowledge of them is reſerved only for the laſt day of judgment. Mallonius writes thus, After Caiphas and the Prieſts had ſentenc'd Chriſt worthy of death, they committed him to their Miniſters, warily to keep till day, and they immediat…ly threw him into the Dungeon, in Caiphas houſe; there they bound him to a ſtony pillar, with his hands bound on his back, and then they fell upon him with their palms and fiſts. Others add, That the Souldiers, not yet content, they threw him into a filthy, durty puddle, where he abode for the remainder of that night; of which the Pſalmiſt ſeems to ſpeak, Thou haſt laid me in the loweſt pit, in darkneſs, and in the deeps, and I ſink in the deep myre, where there is no ſtanding, Pſal. 88. 6. Pſal. 69. 2. But that you may clearly ſee what horrible abuſes were put upon Chriſt by his Attendants: Conſider ſeriouſly of theſe particulars.

Firſt: They ſpit in his Face, Math. 26. 67. Now this was accounted among the Jews, a matter of great infamy and reproach, Numb. 14. And the Lord ſaid to Moſes, If her Father had ſpit in her Face, ſhould ſhe not be aſhamed ſeven days. Spitting in the face, among the Jews, was a ſign of anger, ſhame, and contempt, Job. 30. 10. They abhor me, they flye far from me, and ſpare not to ſpit in my Face. The face is the table of beauty or comlineſs, and when it is ſpit upon, it is made the feat of ſhame. Spitting in the face, was a ſign of the greateſt diſgrace that could be put upon a perſon; and therefore it could not but be very bitter to Job, to ſee baſe Beggars ſpit in that Face that was wont to be honoured by Princes: But this we are not to wonder at, for there is no indignity ſo baſe and ignominious, p. 109but the choiceſt Saints may meet with it, in and from this evil world. Afflicted perſons are ſacred things, and by the Laws of Nature and Nations, ſhould not be miſuſed and trampled upon, but rather pitied and lamented over: But barbarous Miſcreants, when they have an opportunity, they will not ſpare to exerciſe any kind of cruelty, as you ſee by their ſpitting in the very Face of Chriſt himſelf. I hid not my Face (ſaith Chriſt) from Iſa. 50. 6. 2.Isa 50:6Isa 50:2ſhame and ſpitting, thou I was ſairer than the Children of men, Pſal. 45. 2. yet I uſed no Mask to keep me fair, though I was white and ruddy, the chiefeſt among ten thouſand, Cant. 5. 10. yet I preſerved not my Beauty from their naſty ſpittle. O that, that ſweet & bleſſed Face of Jeſus Chriſt, that is ſo much honoured and adored in Heaven, ſhould ever be ſpit upon by beaſtly wretches in this world.

Secondly: They ſtruck him, Joh. 18. 22. One of the Officers which ſtood by, ſtruck Jeſus with the palm of his 2hand, ſaying, Anſwereſt thou the high Prieſt ſo? Becauſe our Saviour gave not the High-Prieſt his uſual titles, but dealt freely with him, this impious Apparitor, or Serjant, to curry favour with his Maſter, ſtrikes him with his hand, with his rod ſay ſome, with his ſtick ſay others; like Maſter, like Man. O that that holy Face, which was deſigned to be the object of Heaven, in the beholding of which, much of the Celeſtial glory doth conſiſt; that that Face which the Angels ſtare upon with wonder, like Infants at a bright Sun-beam, ſhould ever be ſmitten by a baſe Varlet in the preſence of a Judge. Among all the ſufferings of Chriſt, one would think that there was no great matter in this, that a vain Officer did ſtrike him with the palme of his hand; & yet if the Scriptures are conſulted, you will find that the Holy Ghoſt layes a great ſtreſs upon it. Thus Jeremy, He giveth his Check to him that ſmiteth him, he is filled full with reproach, Lam. 3. 30. Chriſt did patiently and willingly take the ſtripes that vain men did injuriouſly lay upon him; he ſuſtained all kinds of vexations from the hands of all kinds of ungodly ones. Thus Micah ſpeaking of Chriſt, ſaith, They ſhall ſinite the Judg p. 110of Iſrael with a rod upon the cheek, Mica. 5. 1. Hngo, by this Judge of Iſrael, underſtandeth our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who was indeed at his paſſion contumeliouſly buffeted and ſmitten with rods upon the cheek, Math. 26. 67. By ſmiting the Judg of Iſrael with a rod upon the cheek, they expreſs their ſcorn and contempt of Chriſt. Smiting upon the face, the Apoſtle makes a ſign of great reproach, 2 Cor. 11. 20. If a man ſmite you on the face, there is nothing more diſgraceful (ſaith Chryſoſtom) than to be ſmitten on the check, Chriſt. Hom. 82. in Joh. c. 18. And the diverſe reading of the original word do's fully evidence it. He ſtruck him with a rod, or he ſtruck him with the palm of his han foreign. Now the word foreign, ſay ſome, refers to his being ſtruck with a rod, or club, or ſhoe, or plantofle; others ſay, it refers to his being ſtruck with the palm of mens hands: Now of the two, it is generally judged more diſgraceful to be ſtruck with the palm of the hand, than to be ſtruck with either a rod, or a ſhooe; and therefore we read the Text thus, He ſtruck Jeſus with the palm of his hand, that is, with open hand, or with his hand ſtretched out.

Some of the Ancients commenting on this cuff, ſay, Let the Heavens be afraid, and let the Earth tremble at Chriſts Cryſoſt…m Hom. 81. in John c. 18.John 18patience, and this Servants impudence. O ye Angels! how were ye ſilent? how could you contain your hands, when you ſaw his hand ſtriking at God? If we conſider him Aug. in Trall. 13.(ſaith another) who took the blow, was not he that ſtruck him, worthy to be conſumed of fire, or to be ſwallowed up of Earth, or to be given up to Satan, and thrown down into Hell. Bernard ſaith, that his hand that ſtruck Chriſt, was Ber. ſer. de paſ. vinc. Serm. de paſ. Ludo de vita Chriſti.armed with an iron glove: And Vincentius affirms, That by the blow, Chriſt was felled to the Earth: And Ludovicus adds, that blood guſhed out of his mouth, and that the impreſſion of the Varlets fingers remained on Chriſts cheek with a tumour and wan colour. If a Subject ſhould but lift up his hand againſt his Soveraign, would he not be ſeverely puniſhed? but ſhould he ſtrike him, would it not be preſent death? O what deſperate madneſs, and wickedneſs p. 111was it then to ſtrike the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, whom not only men, but the Cherubims, and Siraphims, Rev. 17. 16.Rev 17:16and all the Celeſtial powers above adore and worſhip? Heb. 1. 6. Thoſe Monſters in that Math. 26. 67. did not only ſtrike Chriſt with the palm of their hands, but they buffeted him alſo. Now ſome of the Learned obſerve this difference betwixt foreign and foreign, the one is given with the open hand, the other with the fiſt ſhut up; and thus they uſed him at this time; they ſtruck him with their fiſts, and ſo the ſtroke was greater and more offenſive, for by this means they made his face to ſwell, and to become full of bunches all over. One gives it in thus, by theſe blows of their fiſts, his whole head was ſwollen, his face became black and blew, and his teeth ready to fall out of his jaws. Very probable it is, that with the violence of their ſtroaks, they made him reel and ſtagger, they made his mouth, and noſe, and face to bleed, and his eyes to ſtartle in his head.

Now concerning Chriſts ſufferings on the Croſs; I ſhall only hint at a few things, and ſo cloſe up this particular concerning Chriſts corporeal ſufferings; take me thus.

Firſt: The death of Chriſt on the Croſs; It was a bitter death, a ſorrowful death, a bloody death; the bitter thoughts of his ſufferings put him into a moſt dreadful agony, Luk. 22. 24. Being in an agony, he prayed more earneſtly, and his ſweat was as great drops of blood falling to the ground. The Greek word that is here uſed foreign, ſignifies a ſtriving or wreſtling againſt, as two combatants or wreſtlers do ſtrive each againſt other. The things which our Saviour ſtrove againſt, was not only the terrour of death, as other men are wont to do, (for then many Chriſtians and Martyrs might have ſeemed more conſtant and couragious than he) but with the terrible juſtice of God, pouring out his high anger and indignation upon him, on the account of all the ſins of his choſen that Iſa 53 4, 5, 6.Isa 53:4Isa 53:5Isa 53:6were laid upon him, then which nothing could be more dreadful. Chriſt was in a vehement conflict in his ſoul, p. 112through the deepeſt ſenſe of his Fathers wrath againſt ſinners; for whom he now ſtood as a Surety and Redeemer, 2 Cor. 5. 21. And for a cloſe of this particular, let me ſay, that Gods juſtice which we have provoked, being fully ſatisfied by the ineſtimable merit of Chriſts paſſion, is the ſureſt and higheſt ground of conſolation that we have in this world; but for the more full opinion of this bleſſed Scripture, let us take notice of theſe following particulars.

Firſt: His ſweat was as it were blood: Some of the Antients 1looks upon theſe words only as a ſimilitude, or figurative hyberbole, it being a uſual kind of ſpeech to call a vehement ſweat a bloody ſweat; as he that weeps bitterly is ſaid to weep tears of blood; but the moſt and beſt of the Antients underſtand the words in a literal ſenſe, and believe it was truly and properly a bloody ſweat, and with them I cloſe. But ſome will object and ſay, it was (ſicut guttae ſanguinis,) as it were drops of blood. Now to this I anſwer.

Firſt: If the Holy-Ghoſt had only intended that ſicut for a ſimilitude or hyperbole, he would rather have expreſt 1it as it were drops of nature, than as it were drops of blood; for we all know that ſweat is more like to water than to blood. But

Secondly: I anſwer that ſicut, as in Scripture-phraſe, doth not always denote a ſimilitude, but ſomtimes the 2very thing it ſelf, according to the verity of it. Take an inſtance or two inſtead of many: We beheld his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father; and their words ſeemed to them as it were idle tales, and they believed them not; the words in the original foreign, are the ſame. Certainly Chriſts ſweat in the Garden was a wonderful ſweat, not a ſweat of water, but of red goreblood. But

Secondly: He ſweat great drops of blood, clotty blood iſſuing through fleſh and skin in great abundance. foreign, 2foreign, clottered or congealed blood. There is a thin faint ſweat, and there is a thick clotted ſweat; in this p. 113ſweat of Chriſt, blood came not from him in ſmall dews, but in great drops, they were drops, and great drops of blood, craſſy and thick drops: Some read it droppings down of blood, that is blood diſtilling in greater and groſſer drops; and hence it is concluded, as preternatural; for though much may be ſaid for ſweating blood in a courſe of Nature, according to what Ariſtotle affirms, Ariſt. … 3. de hiſt. Animal. c. 29 Auguſt. h. 14. de civit dei. c 24.and Auſtin ſaith, that he knew a man that could ſweat blood, even when he pleaſed; & it is granted on all hands, that in faint bodies, a ſubtile thin blood like ſweat may paſs through the pores of the skin; but that through the ſame pores craſſy thick & great drops of blood ſhould iſſue out; it was not, it could not be without a miracle: Certainly the drops of blood that fell from Chriſts body, were great, very great, yea, ſo great, as if they had ſtarted through his skin to out-run the ſtreams and rivers of his Croſs. But

Thirdly: Theſe great drops of blood did not only di…llare, drop out, but decurrere, run down like a ſtream ſo 3faſt, as if they had iſſued out of moſt deadly wounds; They were great drops of blood, falling down to the ground: Here is magnitude and multitude; great drops, and thoſe ſo many, ſo plentious, as that they went through his Apparel, and all ſtreamed down to the ground; and now was the time that his garments were dyed with crimſon red; that of the Prophet, though ſpoken in another ſenſe, yet in ſome reſpect may be applyed to this. Wherefore art thou red in thy Apparel; and thy garments like him that treadeth the Wine-fat? O what a ſight was here! his Iſa. 63. 2.Isa 63:2head and members are all on a bloody ſweat, and this ſweat trickles down, & bedecks his garments which ſtood like a new firmament ſtudded with ſtars, portending an approaching ſtorm: Nor ſtays it there, but it falls down to the ground. Oh happy garden, that was watered with ſuch tears of blood! Oh how much better are theſe rivers than Abana, and Pharpar, rivers of Damaſ…us, yea, then Bernard.all the waters of Iſrael; yea than all thoſe rivers that waters the Garden of Eden? ſo great was Scanderbegs ardor in Battel, that the blood burſt out p. 114Bucholeer.of his lips; but from our Champions, not lips only, but whole body burſt out a bloody ſweat: Not his eyes only were Fountains of tears, or his head waters, as Jeremy wiſhed, but his whole body was turned, as it were, into Jer. 9 1.Jer 9:1Rivers of blood. A ſweet comfort to ſuch as are caſt down for that, that their ſorrow for ſin is not ſo deep and ſoaking as they could deſire.

Chriſts blood is put in Scripture (by a Synecdoche of the part) for all the ſufferings which he underwent for the ſins of the Elect, eſpecially his bloody death with all its concomitants, ſo called. Firſt, Becauſe death, eſpecially when it is violent, is joyned with the effuſion of blood: If we had lived in the days of our Fathers, we would Math 23. 30.Matt 23:30not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets: And ſo again, Pila…e ſaid, I am Innocent of the Math. 27. 24.Matt 27:24blood of this juſt perſon, that is, of his death. Secondly: Herein reſpect is had to all the Sacrifices of the Law, whoſe blood was poured out when they were offered up. H…b. 9. 22.Almoſt all things are by the Law purged with blood; and without ſhedding of blood, there is no remiſſion; ſo that the blood of Chriſt is the Anti-type aimed at in the blood of thoſe Sacrifices that were ſlain for Sinners ſins. But

Secondly: As the death of Chriſt, on the Croſs, was a bitter death, a bloody death, ſo the death of Chriſt on the Croſs, was a lingring death: It was more for Chriſt to ſuffer one hour, than for us to have ſuffered for ever; but his death was lengthened out, he hung three hours on the Croſs, he dyed many deaths before he could dye one; from the ſixth hour till the nineth hour (that is, from twelve, till three in the Afternoon) there was darkneſs over Math. 27. 45.Matt 27:45all the Land: About twelve when the Sun is uſually brighteſt, it began now to darken; And this darkneſs was ſo great, that it ſpread over all Luk. 23. 44.Luke 23:44the Land of Jewry; yea, ſome think over all the world; ſo we tranſlate it in Luke, And there was darkneſs over all the Earth, to ſhew Gods diſlike of their horrid cruelty: He would not have the Sun give light to ſo horrid an act; the Sun as it were, hid her face, p. 115that ſhe might not ſee the Sun of Righteouſneſs ſo unworthily, ſo wickedly handled. It was dark: 1. To ſhew the blindneſs, darkneſs, & ignorance of the Jews in crucifying the Lord of glory. 2. To ſhew the deteſtation of the fact. 3. To ſhew the …vileneſs of our ſins. This darkneſs was not a natural Eclipſe of the Sun; for firſt it cannot be ſo total, ſo general: Nor Secondly, It could not be ſo long, for the interpoſed Moon goeth ſwiftly away. Certainly this was no ordinary Eclipſe of the Sun, ſeeing the Paſſover was kept at the full Moon, when the Moon ſtands right oppoſite to the Sun on the other ſide of the Heaven, and for this cauſe cannot hinder the light of Exod. 10. 12.Exod 10:12the Sun; but a ſupernatural work of God coming to paſs by Miracle, like as the darkneſs in Aegypt. The Moon being now in the full (it being the mid'ſt of the Lunar monethmonth, when the Paſſover was killed) and ſo of neceſſity the body of the Moon (which uſeth to Eclipſe the Sun by its interpoſition, and being between us and the Sun) muſt be oppoſite to, and diſtant from the Sun, the diametrical breadth of the Hemiſphere, the Full Moon ever riſing Suid. in vi…ae. 5. Dion.at the Suns ſetting; and therefore this Eclipſe could never be a natural Eclipſe. Many Gentiles, beſides Jews, obſerved this darkneſs as a great Miracle. Dionyſius the Areopagite (as ſuidas relates) could ſay at firſt ſight of it, Amos 8. 9.Amos 8:9Either the World is ending, or the God of Nature is ſuffering of this darkneſs. Amos long before had Propheſied; And it ſhall come to paſs in that day, that I will cauſe the Sun to go down at Noon, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day. The opinion of Authors, concerning the cauſe of this darkneſs, are various; ſome think that the Sun by Divine power, withdrew and held back its beams; others ſay, that the obſcurity was cauſed by ſome thick Clouds which were miraculouſly produced in the Ayre, and ſpread themſelves over all the Earth: Others ſay, that this darkneſs was by a wonderful interpoſition of the Moon, which at that time was at full; but by a Miracle interpoſed it ſelf betwixt the Earth and Sun. Whatſoever was the cauſe of this darkneſs, it is certain that it continued p. 116for the ſpace of three hours as dark as the darkeſt Winter Math. 27. 46.Matt 27:46Nights.

About three (which the Jews call the nineth hour) the John 19. 28 30.John 19:28Sun now beginning to receive his light, Jeſus cryed with a loud voice, Eli, Eli Lama ſabachthani, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? And then that the Scripture might be ſulfilled, he ſaid, I thirſt; and when he Luk. 23. 46.Luke 23:46had received the Vinegar, he ſaid, It is finiſhed; and at laſt, crying with a loud voyce, he ſaid, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit; and having ſaid thus, he gave up the Ghoſt. Chriſts words were ever gracious, but never more gracious than at this time: You cannot find in all the books and writings of men, in all the Annals and Records of time, either ſuch ſufferings, or ſuch ſayings as were theſe laſt words and wounds; ſayings John 19. 30.John 19:30and ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt. And having ſaid thus, he gave up the ghoſt; or as John relates it, He bowed his head, and gave up the ghoſt: Chriſt would not off the Croſs till all was done that was here to be done; Chriſt Emiſit n…n amiſit Ambroſe.bowed not becauſe he was dead, but firſt he bowed, and then dyed; that is, he dyed freely and willingly without conſtraint; and he died chearfully and comfortably, without murmuring or repining. O what a wonder of love is this, that Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Author of life, the Fountain of life, the Lord of life, that he ſhould ſo freely, ſo readily, ſo cheerfully lay down his life for us, &c.

About four in the Afternoon he was pierced with a Spear, and there iſſued out of his ſide both blood and water. John 19. 34.John 19:34And one of the Souldiers with a Spear pierced his ſide, and forthwith came thereout blood and water: Out of the ſide of Chriſt, being now dead, there iſſues water & blood, ſignifying that he is both our Juſtification & Sanctification.

Thus was fulfilled that which was long before foretold: Zach. 1…. 10. 1 J…. … Zach. 12 1.Zech 1:10Zech 1:1Zech 12:1They ſhall by water and by blood: Thus was there a Fountain op…ed to the houſe of David, and the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem (even to all the Elect) for ſin, and for uncleanneſs. The Souldiers malice lived when Chriſt was dead. p. 117The water and blood forthwith iſſuing out as ſoon as 'twas pierced with a Spear, did evidently ſhew that he was truely dead. The Syriack paraphraſe, ſaith he, pierced his rib, that is the fifth rib, where the pericardium lay. It is very likely that the very Pericardium was pierced; now the Pericardium is a film or skin, like unto a Purſe, wherein is contained clear water to cool the heat of the heart. The blood, ſaith one, ſignifies the perfect expiation of the ſins of the Church, and the water, the daily Ambroſe on Luk. ….waſhing and purging of it from the remainder of her corruption. Water and blood iſſued ont of Chriſts ſide, ſaith another, to teach us that Chriſt juſtifieth none by his merit, but ſuch whom he ſanctifieth by his Spirit. Chriſt was pierced with a Spear, and water and blood preſently iſſued out of his ſide, that his Enemies might not object that he roſe again, becauſe he was but half dead on the Croſs; and being ſo taken down, he revived, to teſtifie the contrary truth: John ſo ſeriouſly affirmeth the certainty of his death, he being an eye-witneſs of the ſtreaming out of Chriſts blood as he ſtood by Chriſts Croſs. O Gates of Heaven! O Windows of Paradiſe! O Palace of Refuge! O Tower of ſtrength! O Sanctuary of the juſt! O flouriſhing Bed of the Spouſe of Solomon! Me-thinks I ſee water and blood running out of his ſide more freſhly than theſe golden ſtreams which ran out of the Garden of Eden, and watered the whole world. But here I may not dwell, &c.

But to ſhut up this particular, about five (which the Jews call the eleventh, and the laſt hour of the day) Chriſt was taken down and Buried by Joſeph and Nichodemus. But

Thirdly: As the death of Chriſt on the Croſs was a 3lingring death, ſo the death of Chriſt was a painful death; this appears ſeveral ways.

Firſt: His Legs and Hands were violently racked and pulled out to the places fitted for his faſtenings, and then 1pierced through with Nails; his Hands and Feet were nailed; which parts being full of ſinnews, and therefore p. 118very tender; his pains could not but be very acute and ſharpe.

Secondly: By this means he wanted the uſe both of his 2Hands and Feet, and ſo he was forced to hang immoveable upon the Croſs, as being unable to turn any way for his eaſe; and therefore he could not but be under very dolorous pains.

Thirdly: The longer he lived, the more he endured; 3for by the weight of his body, his wounds were opened and enlarged; his Nerves and Veins were rent and torn aſunder, and his blood guſhed out more and more abundantly ſtill: Now the invenomed Arrows of Gods wrath ſhot to his heart; this was the direful Cataſtrophe, and cauſed that vociferation and out-cry upon the Croſs, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? The Juſtice of God was now inflamed and heightned to its full foreign Rom. 8. 32. God ſpared not his Son; God would not abate one farthing of the debt. But

Fourthly: He dyed by piece-meals, he dyed by little 4and little, he dyed not all at once; he that dyed on the Croſs, was long a dying. Chriſt was kept a great while upon the rack; it was full three hours betwixt his affixion and expiration; and certainly, it would have been longer, if he had not freely and willingly given up the Ghoſt. I have read that Andrew the Apoſtle was two whole days on the Croſs, before he dyed; and ſo long might Chriſt have been a dying, if God had not ſupernaturally heightened the degrees of his torment. Doubtleſs when Chriſt was on the Croſs, he felt the very pains of Hell, though not locally, yet equivalently. But

Fourthly: As the death of Chriſt on the Croſs was a 4painful death, ſo the death of Chriſt on the Croſs was a ſhameful death. Chriſt was in medio poſitus, he hung between two Thieves, as if he had been the principal Malefactor. Math. 27. 38.Matt 27:38Here they placed him, to make the world believe that he was the great ring-leader of ſuch men. Chriſt was crucified in the mid'ſt as the chief of Sinners, p. 119that we might have place in the mid'ſt of Heavenly Angels; the one of theſe Thieves went railing to Hell, the Zach. 3 7.Zech 3:7other went repenting forth right to Heaven, living long in a little time.

If you ask me the names of theſe two Thieves, who Q.were crucified with Chriſt, I muſt anſwer, That although the Scripture nominates them not, yet ſome Writers give them theſe names, Diſmas and G…ſmas; Diſmas the happy, and Geſmas the miſerable Thief, according to the Poet:

Geſmas damnatur, Diſmas ad aſtra levatur; That is

When Geſmas died, to Dives he was ſent:

When Diſmas died, to Abraham up he went.

Well might the Lamp of Heaven withdraw its light, and mask it ſelf with darkneſs, as bluſhing to behold the Sun of Righteouſneſs hanging between two Thieves; He ſhall be an Apollo to me, that can tell me which was the greater, The blood of the Croſs, or the ſhame of the Croſs, Heb. 12. 2. It was a mighty ſhame that Sauls Sons were 2 Sam. 21. 6.2 Sam 21:6hanged on a Tree. O what a ſhameful death was it for Chriſt to hang on a Tree between two notorious Thieves But

Fifthly and laſtly: As the death of Chriſt was a ſhameful 5death, ſo the death of Chriſt was a curſed death; Curſed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. The death on Deut. 21. 23.Deut 21:23the Tree was Accurſed above all kinds of death; as the Serpent was Accurſed above all Beaſts of the field, both for Gen. 3. 14.Gen 3:14the firſt tranſgreſſion; whereof the Serpent was the inſtrument, the Tree the occaſion. Since the death of any Malefactor might be a Monument of Gods Curſe for ſin, it may be queſtioned, why this brand is peculiarly ſet upon this kind of puniſhment; that he that is hanged, is Accurſed of God? To which I Anſwer, that the reaſon of this, was, becauſe this was eſteemed the moſt ſhameful, the moſt diſhonourable and infamous of all kinds of death, and was uſually therefore the puniſhment of p. 120thoſe that had by ſome notorious wickedneſs provoked God to pour out his wrath upon the whol Land, and ſo were hanged up to appeaſe his wrath, as we may ſee in the hanging of thoſe Princes that were guilty of committing Numb. 25. 4.Num 25:4Whordom with the Daughters of Moab; and in the hanging of thoſe Sons of Saul in the days of David, when 2 Sam. 21. 6.2 Sam 21:6there was a Famine in the Land, becauſe of Sauls perfidious oppreſſing of the Gibeonites; nor was it without cauſe that this kind of death was both by the Iſraelites and other Nations eſteemed the moſt ſhameful and accurſed; becauſe the very manner of the death did intimate, that ſuch men as were thus Executed, were ſuch execrable and accurſed wretches, that they did defile the Earth with treading on it, and would pollute the Earth if they ſhould dye upon it; and therefore were ſo truſſed up in the Ayre, as not fit to live amongſt men; and that others might look upon them as men made ſpectacles of Gods Indignation and Curſe, becauſe of the wickedneſs they had committed, which was not done in other kinds of death: And hence it was that the Lord God would have his Son, the Lord Chriſt, to ſuffer this kind of death; that even hence it might be the more evident, that in his death, he bare the Curſe due to our ſins, according to that of the Apoſtle. Chriſt hath Redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, being made a Curſe for us; for it is written, Curſed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. The Gal. 3. 13.Gal 3:13Chaldee tranſlateth, For becauſe he ſinned before the Lord, he is hanged. The Tree whereon a man was hanged, the Stone wherewith he was ſtoned, the Sword wherewith he was beheaded, and the Napkin wherewith he was ſtrangled, they were all Buried, that there might be no evil memorial of ſuch a one, to ſay, This was the Tree, Sword, Stone, Napkin, wherewith ſuch a one was Executed. This kind of death was ſo execrable, that Conſtantine made a Law that no Chriſtian ſhould dye upon the Croſs; he aboliſhed this kind of death out o… his Empire. When this kind of death was in uſe among the Jews, it was chiefly inflicted upon Slaves, that either p. 121falſly accuſed, or treacherouſly conſpired their Maſters death: But on whomſoever it was inflicted, this death in all Ages, among the Jews, hath been branded with a ſpecial kind of ignominy; and ſo much the Apoſtle ſignifies, when he ſaith, He abaſed himſelf to the death, even to the Phil. 2. 2.Phil 2:2death of the Croſs. I know Moſes's Law ſpeaks nothing in particular of Crucifying, yet he doth include the ſame under the general of hanging on a Tree: and ſome conceive that Moſes in ſpeaking of that Curſe, ſore-ſaw what manner of death the Lord Jeſus ſhould die; and let thus much ſuſſice concerning Chriſts ſufferings on the Croſs, or concerning his corporal ſuffering….

I ſhall now in the ſecond place ſpeak concerning Chriſts 2ſpiritual ſufferings; his ſufferings in his Soul which were exceeding high and great. Now here I ſhall endeavour to do two things: Firſt, To prove that Chriſt ſuffered in his Soul, and ſo much the rather, becauſe that the Papiſts ſay and write, That Chriſt did not truly and properly, and immediatly ſuffer in his Soul, but only by way of ſimpathy and compaſſion with his body to the Myſtical body; and that his bare bodily ſufferings were ſufficient for mans Redemption. 2. That the ſufferings of Chriſt in his Soul were exceeding high and great; for the firſt that Chriſt ſuffered in his Soul, I ſhall thus demonſtrate.

Firſt: Expreſs Scriptures do evidence this, Iſa. …3. 1When thou ſhalt make his Soul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his Seed, &c. Joh. 12. 27. Now is my Soul troubled, and what ſhall I ſay? Father ſave me from this hour; but for this cauſe came I unto this hour, Math. 26. 37. 38. He began to be ſorrowful and very heavy. (Theſe were but the beginings of ſorrow) he began, &c. Sorrow is a thing that drinks up our ſpirits, and he was heavy, as ſeeling an heavy load upon him, v. 38. My Soul is exceeding ſorrowful, even unto death. Chriſt was as full of ſorrow as his heart could hold; every word is Emphatical, My Soul; his Pſal. 6…. 1. 2.Ps 6:1Ps 6:2ſorrow pierced his Heaven-born Soul. As the Soul was the firſt Agent in tranſgreſſion, ſo it is here the firſt Patient p. 122in affliction. The ſufferings of his body, were but Chriſts Soul was beleagured, or compaſſed round, round with ſorrow, as that word foreign. ſounds. 26 Math. 28Matt 28the body of his ſufferings; the ſoul of his ſufferings, were the ſufferings of his Soul, which was nòw beſet with ſorrows, and heavy as heart could hold. Chriſt was ſorrowſul, his Soul was ſorrowful, his Soul was exceeding ſorrowſul, his Soul was exceeding ſorrowful unto death; Chriſts Soul was in ſuch extremity of ſorrow, that it made him cry out, Father, if it be poſſible, let this Cup paſs; and this was with ſtrong cryings and tears: To cry, and to cry Heb. 5. 7.Heb 5:7with a loud voyce, argues great extremity of ſufferings, Mark. 14. 33. Mark ſaith, And he began to be amazod, foreign.and to be very heavy: or we may more fully expreſs it thus, according to the original. He begun to be gaſtred with wonderſul aſtoniſhment, and to be ſatiated, filled brim full with heavineſs; a very ſad condition. All the ſins of the Elect, like a huge Army, meeting upon Chriſt, made a dreadful on-ſet on his Soul, Luk. 22. 43, 44. 'Tis ſaid, He was in an Agony. That's a conflict, in which a poor Creature wreſtles, with deadly pangs, with all his might, muſtring up all his faculties and force to grapple with them, and with-ſtand them. Thus did Chriſt ſtruggle with the Indignation of the Lord, praying once and again with more intenſe fervency; O that this Cup may paſs away; if it be poſſible let this Cup paſs away, while yet an Luk 22 42, 43.Luke 22:42Luke 22:43Angel ſtrengthened his outward man from utter ſinking in the conſlict. Now if this weight that Chriſt did bare, had been laid on the ſhoulders of all the Angels in Heaven, it would have ſunk them down to the loweſt Hell; it would have crackt the Axel-tree of Heaven and Earth: It made His blood ſtartle out of his body in congealed cloddered heaps: The heat of Gods fiery Indignation, made his blood to boil up till it ran over; yea, Divine wrath affrighted it out of its wonted Channel. The Creation of Ge…. 1.the world coſt him but a word; he ſpake and the world was made; but the Redemption of Souls coſt him bloody ſweats, and Soul-diſtraction. What conflicts, what ſtruglings with the wrath of God? the powers of darkneſs; what weights? what burdens? what wrath did he undergoe, p. 123when his Soul was heavy unto death; beſet with terrors, as the word implies, when he drank that bitter cup, that cup of bitterneſs? that cup mingled with curſes, which made him ſweat drops of blood? which if men or Angels had but ſip'd of, 'twould have made them reel, ſtagger, and tumble into Hell. The Soul of Chriſt was over-caſt with a Cloud of Gods diſpleaſure. The Greek Church ſpeaking of the ſufferings of Chriſt, calls them foreign, unknown ſufferings. Ah Chriſtians! who can ſpeak out this ſorrow? The ſpirit of a man will ſuſtain P…ov. 18. 11.his infirmity, but a wounded ſpirit, who can bear? Chriſts Soul is ſorrowful; but give me that word again, his Soul is exceeding ſorrowful; but if that word be yet too low, then I muſt tell you, That his Soul was exceeding ſorrowful, even unto death: not only extenſively, ſuch as muſt continue for the ſpace of ſeventeen or eighteen hours, even until death it ſelf ſhould finiſh it; but alſo intenſively, ſuch, and ſo great, as that which is uſed to be at the very point of death, and ſuch as were able to bring death it ſelf, had not Chriſt been reſerved to a greater and heavier puniſhment; of this ſorrow is that eſpecially ſpoken, Behold Lament. 1. 12.Lam 1:12and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Many a ſad and ſorrowful Soul hath, no queſtion, been in the world; but the like ſorrow to this was never ſince the Creation; the very terms, or phraſes uſed by the Evangeliſts ſpeaks no leſs. He was ſorrowful and heavy ſaith one, amazed, and very heavy ſaith another; in an Agony ſaith a third; in a Soul-trouble ſaith a fourth. Certainly the bodily torments of the Croſs were much inferior to the Agony of his Soul; the pain of the body, is the body of pain: Oh but the very ſoul of ſorrow, is the Souls ſorrow; and the very ſoul of pain, is the Souls pain.

Secondly: That which Chriſt aſſumed, or took of our nature, he aſſumed to this end, to ſuffer in it; and by ſuffering, to ſave and redeem it. But he took the whole nature of man, both body and ſoul; ergo, He ſuffered in p. 124both, firſt the aſſumption is evident, and needs no proof, that Chriſt took upon him both our ſoul and body; the Apoſtle aſſures us, where he ſaith, That in all things it became Heb. 2. 17.Heb 2:17him to be like unto us, therefore he had both body and ſoul, as we have. Secondly: Concerning the propoſition, viz. That, what Chriſt took of our nature, He took it by ſuffering in it properly and immediatly to Redeem us. Now this is evident by that bleſſed word, where the Apoſtle ſaith, Chriſt took part with them that he might deſtroy, verſ. 14, 15.through death, him that had the power of death, that is the Devil; and deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their life time ſubject to bondage. Hence I reaſon thus, that wherein Chriſt delivered us, he took part with us in; but he delivered us from fear of death: Ergo, he did therein communicate with us. Now marke, This fear was the proper and immediate paſſion of the Soul, namely, the fear of death, and God's anger. And the Text giveth this ſenſe, Becauſe the fear of this death kept them in bondage, but the ſear only of the bodily death, doth not bring us into ſuch bondage, witneſs that Song of Zachery; That we being delivered from the hands of our Enemies, Luke 1. 74.Luke 1:74ſhould ſerve him without fear; this then is a ſpiritual fear, from the which Chriſt did deliver us: Ergo, He did communicate with us in this fear; for the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 2. 18.Heb 2:18In that wherein he ſuffered, and was tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted. Certainly that fear which fell on Chriſt, was a real fear, and it was in his Soul, and did not ariſe from the meer contemplation of bodily torments only, for the very Martyrs in the encountering with them have feared little. Aſſuredly there was ſome great matter that lay upon the very Soul of Chriſt, which made him ſo heavy, and ſorrowſul, and ſo afraid, and in ſuch an Agony.

But if you pleaſe, take this ſecond Argument in another form of words, thus; What Chriſt took of ours, that, He in ſuffering offered up for us, (for His aſſuming of our Nature, was for this end, to ſuffer for us in our Nature,) but he took our Nature in Body and in Soul, and he delivered p. 125our ſouls as well as our bodys; and the ſins of our ſouls did need his Sacrifice, as well as the ſins of our bodys; and our ſouls were Crucified with Chriſt as well as our bodys. Mens mea in Chriſto Cruciſixa eſt, ſaith Ambroſe. Surely, if our whole man was loſt, then our whole man did need the benefit and help of a whole Saviour; and if Chriſt had aſſumed only our fleſh, our body, then our ſouls adjudged, adjudged to puniſhment, had remained under tranſgreſſion without hope of pardon. Several ſayings of the Ancients doth further ſtrengthen this Argument, take a taſt of ſome. Si totus homo periit, totus beneſi…io ſalvateris indiguit, &c. If the whole man periſhed, Auguſt. …ont. Feli…i n. c. 13.the whole man needed a Saviour. Chriſt therefore took the whole man body and ſoul; if he had taken only fleſh, the ſoul ſhould remain addict to puniſhment of the firſt tranſgreſſion, without hope of pardon. By the ſame reaſon, Chriſt muſt alſo ſuffer properly in ſoul, becauſe not by taking our ſoul, but by ſatisfying in his ſoul, our ſoul is delivered.

Suſcepit animum meam, Suſcepit corpus meum. Ambroſe.Ambroſe.

He took all our paſſions, or affections, to ſanctifie them Dama…cene. H…b. 5. 9.all in himſelf; but Chriſt was Sanctified and Conſecrated by his death, and ſo doth he conſecrate us. For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified: Heb. 10. 14.Heb 10:14Ergo, By his offering of our ſoul, and ſuffering in our ſoul, hath he conſecrated our ſoul and affections.

Suſcepit affectum meum, ut emanduret: He took my affection to amend it, &c. Now he hath amended it; in that he conſecrated it by his offering (Heb. 10. 14.) I…llud pro nobis ſuſcepit, quod in nobis amplius p…riclitabatur: He hath taken that for us, which was moſt in danger for us, &c. that is, our ſoul as he expoundeth it, de incarnat, c. 7. But Chriſt hath not otherwiſe delivered us from the danger, but by entring into the danger for us; this danger of the ſoul, is the fear and feeling of Gods wrath.

p. 126Thirdly: Chriſt bore our ſorrows, Iſa. 53. 4. Now what ſorrows ſhould we bear, but the ſorrows due unto us for our ſins; and ſurely theſe were not corporal only, but ſpiritual alſo, and thoſe did Chriſt bear in his ſoul. The ſame Prophet ſaith, ver. 10. He ſhall make his ſoul an offering for ſin: Ergo, Chriſt offered his Soul, as well as his Body. Again, Our Saviour himſelf ſaith My Soul is Math. 26. 38.Matt 26:38very heavy unto death. Certainly it was not the bodily death which Chriſt ſeared, for then he ſhould have been weaker than many Martyrs, yea, than many of the Romans, who made no more of dying, than of dining; therefore Chriſts Soul was verily and properly ſtricken with heavineſs, and not with the beholding of bodily torments only, as ſome dream. But

Fourthly: That whereby Adam and we ever ſince do 4moſt properly commit ſin, by the ſame hath Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, made ſatisfaction properly for our ſin; but Adam did, and we all do properly commit ſin in our ſouls, our bodies being but the inſtruments: Ergo, Chriſt, by, and in his ſoul, hath properly made ſatisfaction. Firſt: The truth of the propoſition is confirmed by the Apoſtle. As by one mans diſobedi…nce, we are made Sinners, ſo by the Rom. 5 19.Rom 5:19obedience of one, many ſhall be made Righteous: Chriſt then ſatisfied for us by the ſame wherein Adam diſobeyed. N…w Adams ſoul was in the tranſgreſſion as well as his body, and accordingly was Chriſts very ſoul in his ſufferings and ſatisfaction, and Chriſt obeyed; that is, in his ſoul; for obedience belongeth to the ſoul, as one obſerveth upon thoſe words of the Apoſtle, Phil. 2. 8. He became obedient unto death even the death of the Croſs: Who Agatho Epiſt. ad Conſtantin. upon Phil. 2. 8.Phil 2:8doth not underſtand (ſaith the ſame Author) that obedience doth belong to the humane will.

That there is a kind of dying in the ſoul, when it is pierced with grief, beſides the death of the ſoul, either by ſin or damnation is not diſagreeing to the Scripture. Sim…on ſaith to Mary, A ſword ſhall pierce through thy ſoul: Luk. 2 35.Luke 2:35Look as then the body dyeth, being pierced with a ſword, ſo the ſoul may be ſaid to dye or languiſh, when it is p. 127pierced with grief; what elſe is Crucifying, but dying? Now the ſoul is ſaid to be Crucified, as is evident by that paſſage of the Apoſtle; I am Crucified to the World, when as yet his body was alive. So Ambroſe doubts not to ſay, Gal. 6. 14.Gal 6:14Mens mea in Chriſto Crucifixa eſt, My ſoul was Crucified Amb…oſe, lib. 5. … Luc.in Chriſt, that is, Chriſt in His Soul was Crucified, which he calleth our ſoul, becauſe he did aſſume our ſoul and body; or elſe where he ſaith, Mea eſt voluntas, quam ſuam dixit, Ambr…ſe, lib. 2. de ſid. c. 3.&c. It is my will, which he calleth his; it is my heavineſs, which he took with my affections; yet was it properly and perſonally Chriſts Soul and Will, but ours by community of nature.

Secondly: For the Aſſumption. 1. Howſoever it be 2admitted that the body is the inſtrument of the ſoul, both in ſinning and ſuffering, yet the concluſion is this, That becauſe ſin is committed in the ſoul principally and properly, therefore the ſatisfaction muſt be made in the ſoul principally and properly: If this concluſion be granted, we have that we would; for the bodily pains affecting the ſoul, are not the proper paſſions of the ſoul, neither is the ſoul ſaid to ſuffer properly, when the body ſuffereth, but by way of compaſſion and conſent. 2. We grant that in the proper and immediate ſufferings of the ſoul, the body alſo is affected: As when Chriſt was in his Agony in the Garden, his whole body was therewith ſtirred and m… and that it did ſweat drops of blood: But it is one thing when the grief beginneth immediatly in the ſoul, and ſo affecteth the body, and when the pain is firſt infli…ted upon the body, and ſo worketh upon the ſoul, there the ſoul ſuffereth properly and principally, of which ſufferings we ſpeak here neither properly nor principally, which is not the thing in queſtion. 3. It is not the reaſonable ſoul that is affected with the body, for it is a ground in Philoſophy (that the ſoul ſuffereth not) but only the ſenſitive part: But the grief that we ſpeak of, that is ſatisfactory for ſin, muſt be in the very reaſonable ſoul, where ſin took the beginning, and ſo Ambroſe ſaith upon thoſe words of Chriſt, Ambroſe de Incarnat. cap. 7.My Soul is heavy to death; Ad rationabilis aſſumptionem p. 128animae, &c. naturae humanae refertur affectum: It is referred to the aſſumption of the reaſonable ſoul, and humane affection.

Pride, Ambition, Infidelity began in Adams ſoul, and had their determination there; in the committing of thoſe ſins, the body had no part; indeed with the ear, they heard the ſuggeſtion of Satan; but it was no ſin, till in their minds they had conſented unto it: Wherefore, ſeeing the firſt ſin committed, was properly and wholly in the ſoul, for the ſame the ſoul muſt properly and wholly ſatisfie.

Becauſe ſin took beginning from Adams ſoul, the ſatisfaction alſo muſt begin in Chriſts Soul, as Ambroſe ſaith, Inciplo in Chriſto vincere, unde in Adam victus ſum. Ambroſe. lib 4. in Luc.I begin there to win in Chriſt, where in Adam I was overcome: Then it followeth, that the ſufferings of Chriſts ſoul took beginning there, and were not derived by ſimpathy from the ſtripes and pain of the body. We infer then, that therefore Chriſts Soul had proper and immediate ſufferings, beſides thoſe which proceeded from ſimpathy with his body, and all Chriſts ſufferings were ſatisfactory: Ergo, Chriſt did ſatisfie for our ſins properly and immediatly in his ſoul.

But if you pleaſe, take this fourth Argument in another form of words, thus, The puniſhment which was pronounced againſt the firſt Adam, (our firſt Surety) and in him againſt us; that ſame did Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, (our next and beſt Surety) bear for us, (or elſe it muſt ſtill lye upon us to ſuffer it.) But the puniſhment threatned and denounced againſt Adam, for tranſgreſſion, was not only corporal, reſpecting our bodyes, but ſpiritual alſo, reſpecting our ſouls. There was a ſpiritual malediction due unto our ſouls, as well as a corporal, &c.

Look as God put a Sanction on the Law and Covenant of works made with all of us in Adam, that he and his ſhould be liable to death, both of body and ſoul (which Covenant being broken by ſin, all Sinners became obnoxious p. 129to the death both of body and ſoul) ſo it was neceſſary that the Redeemed ſhould be delivered from the death of both, by the Redeemers taſting of death in both kinds, as much as ſhould be ſufficient for their Redemption. O Sirs, as ſin infected the whole Man, ſoul and body, and the Curſe following on ſin, left no part nor power of the mans ſoul free; ſo Juſtice required that the Redeemer, coming in the room of the perſons Redeemed, ſhould feel the force of the Curſe both in body and ſoul. But