Exposition of John, Chapter 12 · Verse 17
Verſe 27. Now is my ſoul troubled, and what ſhall I ſay? Father ſave me from this houre, but for this cauſe came I unto this houre.
Followeth, to verſe 31. the third particular in this part of the chapter, wherein (to prevent ſtumbling at his death) it is made evident, firſt, by ſore exerciſe, and then by conſolation ſent from heaven, that it was the Will of God he ſhould ſuffer, and yet not ſink under it. His exerciſe is recorded, v. 27. his out-gate and conſolation, v. 28. unto which is ſubjoyned an expoſition of Gods purpoſe in this way of comforting of him, upon occaſion of the ſeveral thoughts of the people about it, v. 29, 30.
In this verſe his exerciſe is pointed out in theſe particulars. 1. That while he is preaching of his own death and ſuffering, trouble doth ſeize upon his ſoul in the midſt of his doctrine, and he is ſo overwhelmed, that he cannot get it hid, but muſt tell it out before all his hearers. 2. That he is ſo perplexed, that he knows not what to ſay. 3. That getting a vent in prayer, there is a conflict betwixt his averſeneſſe from this lot and exerciſe, and his ſubmiſſion to endure what his office called him unto. Now for clearing this ſoul-trouble of Chriſt, (which we finde very familiar to him, ch. 11.33. and 13.21. Mat. 26.38. and 27.46.) we would conſider. 1. The riſe and cauſe of it was thus, The Godhead hiding it ſelf from the humanities ſenſe, and the Father letting out, not only an apprehenſion of his ſufferings to come, but a preſent taſte of the horrour of his wrath due to man for ſin, he is amazed, overwhelmed, and perplexed with it in his humanity; And no wonder ſince he had the ſinnes of all the Elect laid upon him by imputation, to ſuffer for. And ſo this wrath is not let out againſt his perſon, but again their ſinnes which were laid on him. 2. Albeit Chriſts ſoul was here troubled, or jumbled, and puzzled, as the word imports: Yet we are not to conceive there was any ſin in this exerciſe of his,, though the like may be muddy in us. For we are like foule water, which being ſtirred, becomes like a puddle, but he was like clean water in a clean veſſel, which being never ſo often ſtirred and ſhaken, yet keeps ſtill clean and clear. 3. We are not to think it ſtrange that the Sonne of God ſhould be put to ſuch perplexities in this trouble, as not to know what to ſay; For, conſidering him as man encompaſſed with our ſinleſſe infirmities, and that this heavy weight of wrath did light upon him on a ſudden, it is no wonder it did confound all his thoughts as man. Theſe contrary deſires and debates of Chriſt, in his voluntary exinanition, were without all ſinful infirmitie; For in his deſiring the trouble to be removed, he teſtified that his holy and ſinleſſe nature did abhor to lie under wrath; and in his being willing to ſuffer, he cleares that in reſpect of his office and being our Surety, he denieth himſelf, and ſubmits to what his office required of him, and what his Father had appointed him to ſuffer, how much ſoever he abhorred it.
From this whole purpoſe in general, we may learn. 1. The ſad agonies of Chriſts ſoul, being under the burden of ſinne imputed to him, is a mirrour wherein we may read the bitter deſert of ſinne, what bitter wrath follows upon it; and how abominable it is, that produceth ſuch fruits. 2. We may h… in alſo read how impartial a Judge God is, and how impartial in craving and taking ſatisfaction for ſin; ſo that if his own beloved Sonne come betwixt ſinners and the ſtroke, he will not ſpare him, but let out ſuch ſad ſoul-trouble upon him. And this may make the ſinnes of the Elect bitter to them, that they did pierce Chriſt, and did make him a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with griefs. 3. This may alſo diſcover unto us what difficulty there was in the work of our Redemption, that it put the Sonne of God to ſuch preſſures, and perplexities, to carry thor…w under it. 4. Herein alſo ſhines forth the love of the Father, in giving his Son; and the Sonnes love in undertaking this hard task, and drinking this bitter cup, for their take who were living in enmity againſt him, and who cannot be profitable unto him. 5. Such as in the ſenſe of ſinne, and deſerved wrath, do flee to Chriſt, will finde him a tender Saviour, who is experimentally acquainted with all their ſinleſſe infirmities, and with all theſe tentations they are vexed with, though without ſinne; for, he hath drunk of that bitter cup. 6. Chriſt, in his own perſon, hath ſanctified trouble and diſtreſſe of minde to all his followers, as here is left upon record. 7. In this exerciſe we may reade, to whom it is we owe any true peace of conſcience we enjoy; even to him, upon whom the chaſtiſement of our peace was, and who endured this trouble, that we might reſt ſafely under his ſhadow. 8. The godly may alſo learn hence a good uſe of any trouble of mind that comes upon them; even to learn hereby ſomewhat of his bitter ſufferings for them, that ſo he may be more precious in their eyes. 9. We may read in this exerciſe and experience of Chriſt, how ſoon a good condition may be clouded, and how one may be well and have help near them, and yet not ſee it; for, Chriſt, while he is thus troubled, is ſtill the Sonne of God and beloved of him, and his out-gate is very near, yet for the preſent he is over-clouded, and taken up with nothing but perplexity and horrour. 10. Finally, this ſad trouble and exerciſe of Chriſt may point out, what will be the ſad lot of all the wicked, who have not Chriſt to ſatisfie for them; for, if this be done in the green tree, what ſhall be done in the drie? Luke 23.31.
More particularly, from the words and context, Learn. 1. As ſinne hath infected both ſoul and body of the Elect, and chiefly the ſoul, where it hath its chief ſeat: So Chriſt, to expiate this ſinne, did ſuffer unſpeakable ſorrows and trouble in his ſoul, as well as torture in his body; for, my ſoul is troubled, ſaith he. See Iſa. 53.10. 2. Albeit ſome ſufferings of the body be very exquiſite and painful, and Chriſts, in particular, was ſuch; yet ſad trouble of mind is far more grievous then any bodily diſtreſſe: As Chriſt alſo found, who ſilently bare all his outward troubles, but muſt cry out of the other, now is my ſoul troubled. 3. Sad trouble of minde is very hard to conceal and ſmother from the knowledge of others, nor have they cauſe to complaine of extremity, who get it hid: And they who get their exerciſe hid, ought to acknowledge Chriſt; who was put to proclaime his trouble before a multitude, that theirs might be more eaſie. And on the other hand, when any are driven to that extremity, that they muſt cry out of ſoul-trouble, they may finde this exerciſe, ſanctified on Chriſts perſon, who in the midſt of a multitude, muſt interrupt preaching, and cry out, now is my ſoul troubled. 4. Albeit Chriſt be God over all, bleſſed for ever; yet it pleaſed him in going through his ſufferings, ſo to abaſe himſelf, as to wreſtle with horrour, fears, & perplexities under them, and to fight with the weapons he hath left for Saints in like caſes; that ſo he may be a faithful and merciful high Prieſt, and may aſſure them of ſucceſſe, who in the like caſe, make uſe of the like means; For, whereas upon Chriſts former doctrine, of his ſufferings, and the duty of his followers to ſuffer, any might be ready to think that it was eaſie for him to ſpeak of trouble and beare it, in reſpect of others; Therefore he lets them ſee, that he had the ſame exerciſe, trouble, perplexities and fears about it (though without ſinne) that Saints have, and that he uſed the ſame weapons of prayer, wreſtling, and ſubmiſſion, that are left unto them. 5. A ſpecial mean for raiſing trouble in a tender minde, is their thinking much upon it, which doth beget and waken it; for, ſo was it with Chriſt while he is thinking and preaching of his ſufferings, trouble ariſeth: Now is my ſoul troubled, ſaith he. And albeit Chriſt was ſinleſſe in ſo doing, yet it is our ſinne oft-times to beget trouble, by our muſing upon it. 6. There is a vaſt difference betwixt the moſt exact comprehenſion of trouble in the judgement, and the experimental feeling thereof in the ſenſes; The one may be without ſo much vexation and trouble as the other will produce. This alſo appears in Chriſts exerciſe, who though he underſtood perfectly what his ſufferings ſhould be, and had reſolved upon them; yet when he came to feele trouble, it raiſeth all this perplexitie. And however Chriſt went beyond us in this, that he met with all he reſolved upon, which made it thus heavy; whereas we are oft-times diſappointed in our apprehenſions, and get leſſe then we look for; And ſo the trouble it ſelf is oft-times eaſier then the exerciſe and apprehenſion of it; Yet this experience of Chriſts may learn all, never to truſt their own reſolutions for trouble, but to make ready for it, if God ſend it on, as another thing to preſent ſenſe and feeling then any thing they could imagine. 7. How ſtout ſoever the hearts of men be, yet when the Lord lets out trouble for ſin, it will damp them, and put them to a non-plus in all their reſolutions, that they ſhall not know what to do or ſay; for, if the great teacher of his Church, who hath much to ſay for our counſel and comfort in ſuch caſes; if he, I ſay, under this cloud, be ſo puzzled, as he is put to what ſhall I ſay? what may others expect? 8. As Chriſt, by his perplexitie till he had nothing to ſay, hath purchaſed an open mouth to his people in their addreſſes to God; So when any of them are perplexed, they ought not to be diſcouraged at it, but ſhould look to him who hath taſted of that cup for their comfort and behoof. Therefore is it left on record, that he was put to what ſhall I ſay? not asking counſel at any by this queſtion, but teſtifying his real perplexity. 9. Prayer is the ſpecial mean of relieving troubled and perplexed ſouls, which will finde out a vent and outgate to perplexity, if there be any to be found under, or in heaven; Therefore Chriſt betaketh himſelf to this remedy. And whoſoever do neglect it, and betake themſelves to carnal ſhifts, will prove Phyſicians of no value, and will heal their own wounds ſlightly, or prove miſerable comforters, and adde to their own ſorrows. 10. As God doth not break off his relations to his people, when he plungeth them under ſad exerciſes and perplexities, but continueth ſtill a Father; ſo it is the duty of Saints, to hold faſt this intereſt, and to make uſe of it in prayer; and it may be cleaved unto, in the midſt of great perplexities; For, in this Chriſt hath caſt us a copy, who in all this agony, pleads with God as his Father, and teacheth Saints, that they have warrant to do the like. 11. Albeit Chriſts wreſtling betwixt the inclination of his holy nature, and his obligation by his office, was free of ſinne as hath been cleared; Yet his experience of this exerciſe may teach Saints, that he will be very tender of their ravings in their feavers, and that he will pity them when they are toſſed betwixt inclination and conſcience of duty, betwixt a willing ſpirit and weak fleſh, and when the fleſhes word is firſt out, and the Spirits word followeth after it, to correct it; for, here he hath come as neare us in this exerciſe as might be without ſinne, that he might ſympathize with us in it. 12. Were our diſtreſſe and perplexities never ſo great, yet it is our duty to beleeve the power of God, that he is able to deliver them out of them all, if he pleaſe; for, Chriſts prayer, ſave me from this houre, o…, this ſad ſit of trouble, doth import that he beleeveth God could do it, if he would. 13. The ſenſe of wrath is inſupportable to humane fleſh, and ſinleſſe nature will abhor to be under the wrath of God, above any o…her ſad lot; for, both theſe are imported in this prayer of Chriſt, ſave me from this houre, as is before explained. 14. Saints ought not to be diſcouraged, when the ſtrength of exerciſe and tentation doth overturn their reſolutions for a time; but they are to expect, that after they are laid by, they may yet recover and acquit themſelves as becometh; for, herein Chriſt hath paved a way, though without ſinne, who after his holy inclination would have declined his work, yet continues reſolute to undertake it. 15. It is the duty of Saints, not to lean much to their own inclinations, eſpecially under exerciſe, how innocent ſoever they ſeeme to be; But they ought to reckon that uſually their inclinations and choice are different from what is their duty, and the Will of God concerning them. For ſo much doth Chriſts exerciſe teach us, who though he without ſinne deſired to decline wrath, yet he quits that deſire, becauſe the thing deſired was inconſiſtent with that to which God had called him. 16. The conſcience of our duty, and of our obligation to God not to neglect it, ought to moderate our deſires concerning our own ſafeties; for, ſo doth Chriſt recal his former deſire with this, But for this cauſe came I unto this houre. That is, this calling to ſuffer, this was laid upon me, and I have undertaken it, and therefore will not now decline it. 17. Chriſt commends his love unto his people; in that he would decline nothing that his office and calling required ſhould be done for them, how much ſoever he abhorred it in his ſinleſſe nature: Therefore after he had teſtified his abhorring this cup, yet for our ſake he ſubmits to drink it.