The Fountain of Life, Sermon 22
Serm. 22.The TWENTY SECOND SERMON.Opens the third preparative act of Christ for his own death.
LUK. XXII.XLI, XLII, XLIII, XLIV.
And he was withdrawn from them about a stones cast, and kneeled down, and prayed; saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this Cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven, strengthning him. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood, falling down to the ground.
THE hour is now almost come, even that hour of sorrow, which Christ had so often spoken of. Yet a little, a very little while, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. He hath affectionately recommended his Children to his Father. He hath set his house in order, and ordained a memorial of his death, to be left with his people, as you have heard. There is but one thing more to do, and then the Tragoedy begins. He recommended us, he must also recommend himself by prayer to the Father, and when that is done, he is ready; let Iudas with the black guard come when they will.
This last Act of Christs preparation for his own death, is contained in this Scripture: wherein we have an account, First, Of his Prayer. Secondly, Of the Agony attending it. Thirdly, His relief in that Agony, by an Angel that came and comforted him.
First, The Prayer of Christ, in a praying posture he will be found when the enemy comes. He will be taken upon his knees. He was pleading hard with God in prayer, for strength to carry him through this heavy trial, when they came to take him. And this prayer was a very remarkable prayer, both for the solitariness of it, he withdrew about a stones cast vers. 41. from his dearest intimates. No ear but his Fathers shall hear what he had now to say. For the vehemency and importunity of it, these were those foreign Heb. 5.7. strong cries, that he poured out to God in the daies of his flesh. And for the humility expressed in it, he fell upon the ground, he rolled himself as it were in the dust, at his Fathers feet. And in divers other respects it was a very remarkable prayer, as you will hear anon.
Secondly, This Scripture gives you also an account of the Agony of Christ, as well as of his prayer: and that a most strange one; such as in all respects, never was known before in nature. It was a sweat as it had been blood, which [as] is neither an hyperbole, as some would make it. Nor yet a meer similitude of blood, as others fancy: but a real bloody sweat. For so (as) is sometimes taken, for the very thing it self. As Ioh. 1.1…. And as a worthy Divine of our own well notes, that if the Holy-Ghost had only intended it for a similitude,Mr. Ambrose look…ng to Jesus. or resemblance, he would rather have expressed it, as it were drops of water, than as it were drops of blood; for sweat more resembles water, than blood.
Thirdly, You have here his relief in this his Agony, and that by an Angel, dispatcht post from Heaven to comfort him. The Lord of Angels now needed the comfort of an Angel. It was time to have a little refreshment, when his face and body too, stood as full of drops of blood, as the drops of dew are upon the grass. Hence we note.
DOCT. That our Lord Iesus Christ,Doct. was praying to his Father, in an extraordinary Agony: when they came to apprehend him in the Garden.
To open and prepare this last act of preparation on Christs part, for our use; I shall at this time speak to these particulars. First, The place where he prayed. Secondly, The time when he prayed, Thirdly, The matter of his prayer. And Lastly, The manner how he prayed.
First, For the circumstance of place, where was this last, and remarkable prayer poured out to God? It was in the Garden,In locu… Gethsemane. Gr. foreign redunt villam vel praedium dictum Gethsemane Heb. St. Matthew tells us it was called Gethsemane, which signifies (as Pareus on the place observes) the Valley of fatness viz. of Olives, which grew in that Valley or Garden most plentifully. This Garden lay very near to the City of Ierusalem. The City had twelve gates, five of which were on the east side of it, among which the most remarkable were the fountain-gate, foreign quod sonat vallem pinguium, nempe olearum, quae nimirum istic uberius proveniebant Par.so called of the fountain Siloe. Through this gate, Christ rode into the City in triumph, when he came from Bethany. The other was the sheep-gate, so called from the multitude of sheep driven in at it for the Sacrifice; for it stood close by the Temple, and close by this gate was this Garden called Gethsemane: where they apprehendded Christ, and led him through this gate, as a sheep to the slaughter. Betwixt this Garden and the City, ran the brook Cedron, which rose from an hill upon the south, and ran upon the east part of the City, between Ierusalem, and the mount of Olives: and over this brook Christ passed into the Garden, Ioh. 18.1. to which the Psalmist alludes in Psal. 110.7. He shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up the head. For this brook running through the Valley of Iehosaphat, that fertile soil, together with the filth of the City, which it washt away, gave the waters a black tincture, and so, fitly resembled those grievous sufferings of Christ, in which he tasted both the wrath of God and men.
Now Christ went not into this garden to hide or shelter himself from his enemies. No, that was not his end; for if so, it had been the most improper place he could have chosen: it being the accustomed place, where he was wont to pray; and a place well known to Iudas, who was now coming to seek him, as you may see, Joh. 18.2. And Judas which betrayed him knew the place, for Iesus oft-times resorted thither, with his Disciples. So that he repairs thither, not to shun, but to meet the enemy. To offer himself as a prey to the Wolves, which there found him, and laid hold upon him. He also resorted thither for an hour or two of privacy before they came, that he might there freely pour out his soul to God. So much for the circumstance of place where he prayed.
Secondly, We shall consider the time when he entred into this Garden to pray.Tunc, …emp… ingruente, jam nocte, postquam p…ractâ coena paschali & eucharistica eratiis actis h…mnum …eantasseat. Par. in Loc. And it was in the shutting in of the evening. For it was after the Passoever, and the Supper were ended. Then (as Matthew hath it Matth. 26.36.) Jesus went over the Brook into the Garden; betwixt the hours of nine and ten in the evening, as it is conjectured; and so he had betwixt two and three hours time, to pour out his soul to God. For it was about midnight that Iudas and the Souldiers came and apprehended him there. So that it being immediately before his apprehension, it shews us in what frame and posture Christ desired to be found: and by it he left us an excellent pattern, what we ought to do, when eminent dangers are near us even at the door.Oport…t theologum co…cionant…m mori. It becomes a Souldier to die fighting, and a Minister to die preaching, and a Christian to die praying. If they come they find Christ upon his knees; wrestling mightily with God by prayer. He never spent one moment of the time of his life idely; but these were the last moments he had to live in this world, and here you may see how they were filled up, and imployed.
Thirdly, Next let us consider the matter of his prayer, or the things about which he poured out his soul to God in the Garden that evening. And vers. 42. informs us what that was: He prayed saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. These words are involved in many difficulties, as Christ himself was when he uttered them. By the Cup, understand that portion of sorrows then to be distributed to him by his Father. Great afflictions, and bitter tryals are frequently expressed in Scripture, under the metaphor of a …up. So that dreadful storm of wrath upon the wicked, in Psal. 11.6. VponUpon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of th…ir cup. (i. e.) the punishment allotted to them by God for their wickedness. And an exceeding great misery. By a large, or deep cup. So Ezek. 23.32, 33. Thou shalt drink of thy Sisters cup deep and large, thou shalt be laughed to scorn, and had in derision; it containeth much. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation; with the cup of thy Sister Samaria. And when an affliction is compounded of many bitter ingredients, stinging and agravating considerations and circumstances, then it's said to be mixed. In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red. (noting a bloody trial) It is full of mixture, and he poureth out the same, but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them: (i. e.) they shall have the worst part of the Judgement for their share. Thus afflictions, and calamities are exprest by the metaphor of a cup, great calamities, by a deep and large cup. Afflictions compounded of many agravating circumstances, by a mixed cup. And from the effect it hath on them that must drink it, it's called a cup of trembling, Isai. 57.17. Thou hast drunken at the hand of the Lord, the cup of his fury, the dregs of the cup of trembling. Such a cup now was Christs cup. A cup of wrath, a large and deep cup, that contained more wrath than ever was drunk by any creature: even the wrath of an infinite God. A mixed cup. Mixed with Gods wrath and mans in the extremity. And all the bitter agravating circumstances that ever could be imagined. Great consternation, and amazement, this was the portion of his cup.
By the passing of the cup from him, understand his exemption from suffering that dreadful and horrid wrath of God, which he foresaw to be now at hand. For as the coming of the cup to a man doth in Scripture phrase note his bearing and suffering of evil, as you find it, Lam. 4.21. Rejoice and be glad O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the Land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and make thy self naked. Which is an ironical reproof of the Idumeans, the Jews deadly enemies, who wickedly insulted over them, when the cup was at their mouths, as if the Lord had said, you have laughed and jear'd at my people, when my hand was on them; you rejoyced to see their calamities. Well, make your selves merry still if you can: the cup shall pass through unto thee. Thy turn is coming: then laugh it thou canst. So on the contrary, the passing away of the cup notes freedom from, or our escaping of those miseries. And so Christs meaning in this conditional request is, Father, if it be thy will excuse me from this dreadful wrath, my soul is amazed at it. Is there no way to shun it? Cannot I be excused? O if it be possible spare me. This is the meaning of it. But then here's the difficulty, how Christ who knew God had from everlasting determined he should drink it, who had compacted and agreeed with him in the covenant of redemption so to do, who came (as himself acknowledges) for that end into the world. Ioh. 18.37. Who foresaw this hour all along; and professed when he spake of this bloody baptism, with which he was to be baptised; that he was straightned till it was accomplished, Luk. 12.50. How (I say) to reconcile all this with such a petition; that now when the cup was delivered to him, it might pass, or he be excused from suffering: this is the knot, this is the difficulty.
What! Did he now repent of the bargain? Was all he said before but a flourish, before he saw the enemy? Doth he now begin to wish his bargain dry? and that he had never undertaken such a work, is that the meaning of it? Nothing less. No, no, Christ never repented of his engagement to the Father. Never was willing to let the burden lie on us, rather than on himself. There was not such a thought in his holy and faithful heart: but the resolution of this doubt depends upon a double distinction. Which will clear his meaning in it.
First, You must distinguish of prayers. Some are absolute, and peremptory; and so to have prayed that the cup might pass, would have been chargeable with such absurdities as were but now mentioned: others are conditional, and submissive prayers, if it may be, if the Lord please. And such was this, if thou be willing, if not I'le drink it. But you will say Christ knew what was the mind of God in that case. He knew what transactions had of old been betwixt his Father, and him; and therefore though he did not pray absolutely, yet it's strange he would pray conditionally it might pass. Therefore in the
Second place, you must diftinguish of the natures according to which Christ acted. He acted sometimes as God, and sometimes as man. Here he acted according to his humane nature. Simply expressing, and manifesting in this request the reluctancy it had at such sufferings. Wherein he shewed himself a true man, in shunning that which is destructive to his nature.
As Christ had two distinct natures, so two dictinct wills. And (as one well observes) in the life of Christ there was an intermixture of power, and weakness: of the divine glory, and humane frailty. At his birth a star shone, but he was laid in a manger. The Devil tempted him in the wilderness, but there Angels ministred to him. As man he was deceived in the figtree, but as God he blasted it. He was caught by the Souldiers in the Garden, but first made them fall back. So here, as man he feared, and shunned death; but as God-man he willingly submitted to it.
It was (as Deodati well expresses it) A purely natural desire, meer man,Deodati A…rot. in Matth 26.39. by which for a short moment he apprehended and shunned death and torments; but quickly recalled himself to obedience, by a deliberate will, to submit himself to God. And besides that, this desire was but conditional, under the will of God, accepted by Christ: but from the comtemplation of which, he was a while diverted, by the extremity of horrors: therefore there was no sin in it, but only a short conflict of nature, pesently overcome by reason, and a firm will. Or a small suspension, quickly overcome by a most strong resolution. Finally this sacred deliberation in Jesus was not made simply, or in an instant, but with a short time, and with a counterpoise, which is the natural property of the soul, in its motions and voluntary actions.
In a word, as there was nothing of sin in it, it being a pure, and sinless affection of nature: so there was much good in it, and that both as it was a part of his satisfaction for our sin, to suffer inwardly such fears, tremblings, and consternations: And as it was a clear evidence that he was in all things made like unto his brethren, except sin. And Lastly, as it serves notably to express the grievousness and extremity of the sufferings of Christ, whose very prospect, and appearance at some distance was …o dreadful to him.
Parker de desce…si lib. 3. p. 192, &c.If the Learned Reader desire to see what is farther said on this point, let him read what the judicious, and learned Parker in his excellent book de descensu hath collected upon that case.
Fourthly, Let us consider the manner how he prayed, and that was,
First, Solitarily. He doth not here pray in the audience of his Disciples, as he had done before; but went at a distance from them. He had now private business to transact with God. He left some of them,Tristitiae mede lam quaerit in praecibus; quibus ut liberius vacare possit, modicum s…cedit. at the entring into the Garden; and for Peter, Iames and Iohn, that went farther with him than the rest; he bids them remain there, while he went and prayed. He did not desire them to pray with him, or for him; no, he must tread the wine-press alone. Nor will he have them with him, possibly left it should discourage them to see and hear, how he groaned, sweat, trembled, and cried, as one in an agony, to his Father. Reader, there are times, and cases, when a Christian would not be willing the dearest and most intimate friend he hath in the world, should be privy to what passes betwixt him and his God.
Secondly, It was an humble prayer, that's evident by the postures into which he cast himself. Sometimes kneeling, and sometimes prostrate upon his face. He creeps in the very dust, lower he cannot fall; and his heart was as low as his body. He is meek and lowly indeed.
Thirdly, It was a reiterated prayer, he prays, and then returns to the Disciples, as a man in extremity turns every way for comfort; so Christ prays, Father let the cup pass, but in that the Father hears him not: though as to support, he was heard. Being denied deliverance by his Father, he goes and bemoans himself to his pensive friends; and complains bitterly to them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death. He would ease himself a little by opening his condition to them; but alas, they rather increase, than ease his burden. For he finds them asleep, which occasioned that gentle reprehension from him. Matth. 26.40. What could you not watch with me one hour. What, not watch with me? who may expect it from you more than I? could you not watch, I am going to die for you, and you cannot watch with me? what! cannot you watch wi…h me one hour? alas, what if I had required great matters from you? What! not an hour, and that the parting hour too! Christ finds no ease from them, and back again he goes to that sad place, which he had stained and purpled with a bloody sweat: and prays to the same purpose again. O how he returns upon God, over and over, as if he resolved to take no denial! but however considering it must be so, he sweetly falls in with his Fathers will. Thy will be done.
Fourthly and Lastly, It was a prayer accompanied with a strange and wonderful agony: so saith vers. 44. and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood, falling down to the ground. Now he was red indeed in his apparel as one that trod the wine-press:Non fuit sud…r diaphoreticus, sed crassus & gramosus. Dux quident indigna mortis metu adeo concussus in animo fuit, ut sanguineum sudorem toto corpore fudit. Thuan. Lib. 11. it was not a faint thin dew▪ but a clotted sweat foreign clodders of blood falling to the ground. It is disputed whether this sweat were natural, or preternatural. That some in extremity have sweat a kind of bloody thin dew is affirmed. I remember Thuanus gives us two instances that come nearest to this, of any thing I ever observed or heard of. The one was a Captain, who by a cowardly, and unworthy fear of death, was so overwhelm'd with anguish, that a kind of bloody dew or sweat stood on all his body. The other is of a young man, condemned for a small matter to die, by Sixtus the 5. who poured out tears of blood from his eyes;Iuvenis ob levem causam, a Sixto 5. ad mortem dam…atus, pre doloris vehementia, lacrimas cruentas fudisse, & sangui…em pro sudore; to…o corpore mittere vis…s est. Thuan. Lib. 80. and sweat blood from his whole body.
These are strange and rare instances, and the truth of them depends upon the credit of the relator: But certainly for Christ, whose body had the most excellent crasis and temperament, to sweat clotted blood, or globs of blood as some render it; and that in a cold night, when others needed a fire within doors to keep them warm. Ioh. 18.18. I say for him to sweat such streams through his garments, falling to the ground on which he lay, must be concluded a preternatural thing. And indeed, it was not wonderful that such a preternatual sweat should stream from all parts of his body, if you do but consider what an extraordinary load pressed his soul at that time: even such as no meer man ever felt, or was able to stand under. Even the wrath of a great and terrible God, in the extremity of it. Who (saith the prophet Nahum, cap. 1.6.) can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire; and the rocks are thrown down by him.
The effects of this wrath, as it fell at this time upon the soul of Christ in the garden, is largely and very emphatically exprest by the several Evangelists who wrote this tragedy. Matthew tells us his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, Matth. 26.38. The word signifies beset with grief round about.foreign r…dequaque tristis. Beza. And it's well exprest by that phrase of the Psalmist, Psal. 116.3. The sorrows of death compassed me about, the pains of Hell got hold upon me. Mark varies the expression, and gives it us in another word no less significant and full.foreign medici vocant horripilationem. foreign gravissimè angebatur. Bez. foreign. Mark. 14.33. He began to be sore amased and very heavy. Sore amazed, it imports so high a degree of consternation and amazement, as when the hair of the head stands up through fear. Luke hath another expression for it, in the text; he was in an agony. An agony is the labouring, and striving of nature in extremity. And Iohn gives it us in another expression, Joh. 12.27. now is my soul troubled. The original word is a very full word.foreign …nde tartarus quia terret omnia. And it is conceived the Latines derive that word which signifies Hell, from this by which Christs trouble is here expressed. This was the load which oppressed his soul, and so straightned it with fear, and grief, that his eyes could not vent or ease it sufficiently by tears: but the innumerable pores of his body are set open, to give vent by letting out streams of blood. And yet all this while, no hand of man was upon him. This was but a praelude as it were, to the conflict that was at hand. This bloody sweat in which he prayed, was but as the giving or sweating of the stones before a great rain. Now he stood as it were arraigned at Gods bar, and had to do immediately with him. And you know it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The uses of this follow in this order.
Inference 1.
Did Christ pour out his soul to God,Infer. 1. so ardently in the garden, when the hour of his trouble was at hand? Hence we infer, that prayer is a singular preparative for, and relief under the greatest troubles.
'Tis sweet, when troubles find us in the way of our duty. The best posture we can wrestle with afflictions in, is to engage them upon our knees. The naturalist tells us, if a Lyon find a man prostrate, he will do him no harm. Christ hastned to the garden to pray, when Iudas and the Souldiers were hastning thither to apprehend him. O when we are nigh to danger, it's good for us to draw nigh to our God. Then should we be urging that seasonable request to God, Psal. 22.11. Be not far from me for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Wo be to him, whom death or troubles finds a far off from God. And as prayer is the best preparative for troubles; so the choisest relief under them. Griefs are eased by groans. The heart is cooled and disburdened, by spiritual evaporations. You know it is some relief if a man can pour out his complaint into the bosom of a faithful friend, though… he can but pity him: how much more to pour out our complaints into the bosom of a faithful God, who can both pity and help us! Luther was wont to call prayers the Leaches of his cares and sorrows: they suck out the bad blood. It's the title of Psa. 102. A prayer for the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed; and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. It's no small ease to open our hearts to God. When we are as full of grief as Elihu was of matter, let us say as he did, Job. 32.19, behold, Lord, my heart is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst as new bottles. I will speak that I may be refreshed.
To go to God when thou art full of sorrow, when thy heart is ready to burst within thee, as it was with Christ in this day of his trouble; and say, Father, thus, and thus the case stands with thy poor child. And so, and so it is with me. I will not go up and down whining from one creature to another, it's to no purpose to do so; nor yet will I leave my complaint upon my self: but I will tell thee Father, how the case stands with me. For to whom should children make their moan, but to their Father? Lord I am oppressed, undertake for me. What thinkest thou Reader of this? Is it relieving to a sad soul? Yes, yes, if thou be a Christian, that hast had any experience this way; thou wilt say there is nothing like it. Thou wilt bless God for appointing such an Ordinance as prayer, and say, blessed be God for prayer. I know not what I should have done, nor how in all the world I should have waded through the troubles I have past, if it had not been for the help of prayer.
Inference 2.
Infer. 2.Did Christ withdraw from the Disciples to seek God by prayer? Thence it follows, That the company of the best men, is not alwaies seasonable.
Peter, Iames and Iohn, were three excellent men, and yet Christ saith to them tarry ye here, while I go and pray yonder. The society of men is beautiful in its season, and no better than a burden out of season. I have read of a good man, that when his stated time for closet prayer was come; he would say to the company that were with him, whatever they were; Friends I must beg your excuse for a while, there is a friend waits to speak with me. The company of a good man is good, but it ceases to be so when it hinders the enjoyment of better company. One hour with God is to be preferred to a thousand daies enjoyment of the best man on earth. If the dearest friends thou hast in the world intrude unseasonably betwixt thee and thy God, it's neither rude nor unmannerly to bid them give place to better company. I mean to withdraw from them as Christ did from the Disciples, to enjoy an hour with God alone. In publick and private duties, we may admit of the company of others to join with us, and if they be such as fear God, the more the better; but in secret duties Christ and thee must whisper it over betwixt your selves. And then the company of the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend that is as thine own soul, would not be welcome. When thou prayest enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, Matth. 6.6. It is as much as if Christ had said, see all clear. Be sure to retire in as great privacy as may be. Let no ear but Gods hear what thou hast to say to him. This is at once a good note of sincerity, and a great help to spiritual liberty, and freedom with God.
Inference. 3.
Did Christ go to God thrice upon the same account,Infer. 3. thence learn, That Christians should not be discouraged, though they have sought God once and again; and no answer of peace comes. Christ was not heard the first time. And he goes a second; he was not answered the second, he goes the third, and last time, yet was not answered in the thing he desired, viz. that the cup might pass from him, and yet he hath no hard thoughts of God, but resolves his will into his Fathers. If God deny you in the things you ask, he deals no otherwise with you, than he did with Christ. O my God (saith he) I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not, and in the night, and am not silent. Yet he justifies God, but thou art holy. Psal. 22.2. Christ was not heard in the thing he desired, and yet heard in that he feared. Heb 5.7. The cup did not pass as he desired, but God upheld him, and enabled him to drink it. He was heard as to support, he was not heard as to exemption from sufferings, his will was exprest conditionally, and therefore though he had not the thing he so desired; yet his will was not crossed by the denial. But now when we have a suit depending before the throne of grace, and cry to God once and again, and so answer comes. How do our hands hang down? and our spirits wax feeble!
Then we complain with the Church, Lam. 3.8. When I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer, thou coverest thy self with a cloud, that our prayers cannot pass through. Then with Ionah we conclude we are cast out of his sight. Alas! we judge by sence, according to what we see and feel, and cannot live by faith on God, when he seems to hide himself, put us off, and refuse our requests. It calls for an Abrahams faith, to believe against hope, giving glory to God. If we cry, and no answer comes presently, our carnal reason draws a headlong, 'hasty conclusion; sure I must expect no answer. God is angry with my prayers. The seed of prayer hath lain so long under the clods, and it appears not, surely it's lost, I shall hear no more of it.
Our prayers may be heard, though their answer be for present suspended. As David acknowledged when he cooly considered the matter, Psal. 31.22. I said in my hast, I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication, when I cried unto thee, No, no, Christian; a prayer sent up in faith according to the will of God, cannot be lost; though it be delaid. We may say of it as David said of Sauls sword, and Ionathans bow; that they never return empty.
Inference 4.
Infer. 4.Was Christ so earnest in prayer that he prayed himself into a very agony? Let the people of God blush to think how unlike their Spirits are to Christ, as to their prayer frames.
O what lively, sensible, quick, deep, and tender apprehensions and sense of those things about which he prayed had Christ? Though he saw his very blood starting out from his hands, and his cloaths died in it; yet being in an agony he prayed the more earnestly. I do not say Christ is imitable in this. No, but his fervour in prayer is a pattern for us, and serves severely to rebuke the laziness, dulness, torpor, formality, and stupidity that is in our prayers. How often do we bring the Sacrifice of the dead, before the Lord! How often do our lips move, and our hearts stand still? Oh how unlike Christ are we! his prayers were pleading prayers, full of mighty arguments, and ferverous affectations. O that his people were in this more like him!
Inference 5.
Was Christ in such an agony before any hand of man was upon him?Infer. 5. meerly from the apprehensions of the wrath of God, with which he now contested; then surely it's a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, for our God is a consuming fire.
Ah what is divine wrath! that Christ so staggered when the cup came to him. Could not he bear, and dost thou think to bear it? Did Christ sweat clots of blood at it, and dost thou make light of it. Poor wretch, if it staggered him, it will confound thee. If it made him groan, it will make the howl, and that eternally. Come sinner, come, dost thou make light of the threatnings of the wrath of God against sin? Dost thou think there's no such great matter in it, as these zealous Preachers make of it? Come look here upon my text which shews thee the face of the Son of God standing as full of purple drops, under the sense and apprehension of it, as the drops of dew that hung upon the grass. Hark how he cries, Father if it be possible let this cup pass. O any thing of punishment rather than this. Here what he tells the Disciples. My soul saith he is sorrowful, even to death: amazed, very heavy. Fools make a mock of sin, and the threatnings that lie against it.
Inference 6.
Did Christ meet death with such a heavy heart,Infer. 6. let the hearts of Christians be the lighter for this, when they come to die. The bitterness of death was all squeez'd into Christs cup. He was made to drink up the very dregs of it: that so our death might be the sweeter to us. Alas, there's nothing now left in death that's frightful, or troublesom beside the pain of disolution, that natural evil of it. I remember it's storied of one of the Martyrs, that being observed to be exceeding jocund, and merry when he came to the stake; one asked him what was the reason his heart was so light when death (and that in such a terrible form too) was before him? O said he, my heart is so light at my death, because Christs heart was so heavy at his death.
Inference 7.
Infer. 7.To conclude, what cause have all the Saints to love their dear Lord Jesus with an abounding love. Christian, open the eyes of thy faith, and fix them upon Christ, in the posture he lay in the garden, drencht in his own blood: and see whether he be not lovely in these his dyed garments. He that suffered for us more than any creature could or did, may well challenge more love than all the creatures in the world. O what hath he suffered, and suffered upon thy account! it was thy pride, earthliness, sensuality, unbelief, hardness of heart that laid on more weight in that day that he sweat blood.