A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
THE 5th Grand Remark is; Our Lord's ſeven laſt Words or Sentences which he uttered while he hung upon the Croſs. The Firſt was his Prayer for his Enemies, [Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,] this he prayed for them while he was Bleeding to Death by their Bloody Hands. His Face all ſwollen by their barbarous Blows and Buffets (ſo that his Viſage was marred more than any Mans', Iſa. 52.14.) His Shoulders all Torn by their brutiſh Laſhes and Scourgings, ſo that the Croſs (laid upon thoſe galled parts:) muſt needs notoriouſly pinch thoſe tender places. Yea while both his Hands, and both his Feet were pouring out his precious blood, at the four Wounds the Murderers had made with their Savage Nails in all thoſe Members, yet even then was his bleſſed Mouth opened to pour out this Pathetical Prayer for thoſe Monſtrous Miſcreants, which proved a Prayer ſo prevalent not only for the Converſion of the People (who were but the leſſer offenders herein) as before, but alſo for the Converſion of many Prieſts, who were the Capital Criminals, and Chief Ring-leaders in this Diabolical Dance and Deſign. Yet Chriſt ſo far prevailed by his Prayer here, that not only many thouſands of the People, Acts 2 41, &c. & 44. but alſo [a great company of the Prieſts became obedient to the Faith,] Acts 6.7. N. B. Note well; Oh the kindneſs of Chriſt to his Enemies even in the midſt of their Acting Enmity againſt him, yea their unparallelled Villany. Was there ever ſuch love to Enemies, as this of His! to be ſo kind to the unthankful and to the evil, Luke 6.35. Let us cry with David [This is not after the manner of Men O Lord God,] 2 Sam. 7.19. Theſe were more like the Bowels of God and not of Man, Hoſ. 11.8.9. I am God, and not Man: And becauſe our Lord was God as well as Man, therefore this matchleſs compaſſion was found in his Heart toward his Enemies.
The Second Sentence or Word Chriſt ſpake on the Croſs was [His bidding John to take Mary for his Mother,] John 19.26, 27. Oh marvellous filial compaſſion and commiſeration towards his Mother (now a Widow and very Poor) in the midſt of his own matchleſs miſery, yet cannot he forget her, but in the very height of his own Torments, hath his Mouth opened in her Remembrance, commanding his Beloved Diſciple to take care of his better Beloved Mother after his Deceaſe, ſeeing her Huſband Joſeph (the Carpenter) was then Dead, and her Son Jeſus (the Redeemer) was now Dying. John beholding Jeſus ſo careful and conſcientious in diſcharging his Duty to his Earthly Mother, while he was paying that prodigious price of the World's Redemption to the Juſtice of his Heavenly Father; N B. Note well; To ſhew that Duties, done in Obedience to the Firſt Table, ought not to Juſtle out the doing of Duties in Obedience to the Second. 'Tis Godly honeſty to pay Man his Due as well as God, &c.) Hereupon John takes that Holy Virgin to the beſt home he had, Accounting her the moſt bleſſed Depoſitum or matter of Truſt, the Richeſt Jewel that ever (as to perſons) he was betruſted with, verily expecting that every place, where ſhe came, would be bleſſed by, and better for her Abode in it. See more of this and of the firſt in Chriſt's carriages on the Croſs.
The Third Word Chriſt ſpake upon the Croſs was to the Penitent Thief, [This Day verily thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe, Luke 23 43. If the laſt words of Dying Saints be deemed Living Oracles. How much more the ſeven laſt Words of our Dying Saviour, his laſt Sayings and Sentences (who was the grand Prophet and Infallible Oracle of God's, Church) deſerve to be Writ in Letters of Gold, and to be laid up (as the Manna was) in the Golden Pot of a Sanctified Memory, that they may be retained by all the Godly in everlaſting remembrance.
Mark Here in theſe laſt Words of our Lord to this Good Thief, that though Chriſt had promiſed Paradiſe to the Penitent in the General only, yet doth he perform more than had been either promiſed to him, or prayed for by him in particular as is aboveſaid. This Thief begged only a bare Remembrance in General, yet Chriſt grants him the high Advancement of Paradiſe, and that with Expedition, even that very ſame day, &c.
N. B. Note well; 1ſt, If ſo bad a Man proved (through Grace) ſo good a Penitent even at the laſt Gaſp, then ought we to deſpair of none, becauſe we know not whoſe Names are Writ in Heaven, Luke 10.20. we never looked into the Lamb's Book of Life, Rev. 13.8. The Election obtains Grace, Rom. 11.7. though it be not till the Eleventh hour of the Day (at the laſt Minute) Mat. 20.6, 9, &c. As many as God ordains to Life, do believe, Acts 13.48. This Giſt of God is given to them, Eph. 2.8. & Phil. 1.29. All thoſe whom God Predeſtinateth, he effectually calleth, &c. Rom. 8.30. Therefore ſeeing no mortal is of God's Privy Counſel to peruſe the Records of Eternal Predeſtination, that Man ſaid not amiſs who cried [dum Spiro Spero] while I breath, I hope, Grace may come [Inter pontem & fontem] betwixt the long Race of a Wicked Life, and the fatal ſtroke of final Death as here.
N. B. Note well; The 2d Note here is, If our Lord have ſuch a precious Promiſe of giving that Beatifical place of the Celeſtial Paradiſe to the vileſt of Sinners as this Thief was when becoming a Penitent; how much more are they Accepted of him, that fear God and Work Righteouſneſs, even the greateſt part of their Lives, &c. Acts 10.34, 35.
The Fourth Word Chriſt ſpake upon the Croſs was [Eli, Eli, Lamaſabacthani,] Mat, 27.46. or, Eloi, Eloi, &c. (after the Syriack-Tongue then in uſe) Mark 15.34. The occaſion whereof was this. Our Lord about the end of the three hours Darkneſs and a little before his own Death, being now under the full Weight of the Curſe due to our ſins (now burdening him as our Surety, Heb. 7.22.) and finding all ſenſible conſolation (both from Heaven and Earth) now withdrawn from his Humane-Nature, breaketh forth into this ſad Exclamation moſt heavily Repreſenting the deplorable caſe of his undertaken Surety-ſhip in the Words of the Pſalmiſt, [My God, my God, Why haſt thou ſorſaken me, Pſal. 22.1. and ſome ſay, that he being that Aijeleth Shabar or Morning Stag (the Title of that Pſalm) repeated alſo, ver. 2, 3. and ſo on to the end thereof, &c. Now were the Sufferings of our bleſſed Saviour's Soul, as well as of his Body come to their foreign or utmoſt extremity, as he became the deputed Surety to Satisfie God's Juſtice for Man's Sin. Now did the Wrath of God (due to all the Elect for their Sins) lye with the moſt Ineffable and Incomprehenſible weight upon the Humane Nature of our dear Redeemer, both in his Soul, and on his Body. Now ſuch and ſo unſufferable was his horrour hereby, inſomuch that his Humanity here cried out for the want and withdrawment of his Divinity, not as if he thought that his Divine Nature was now ſeparated from his Humane, but becauſe it now (as it were) ſlept, and did not manifeſt it ſelf with ſupplies of any ſenſible comforts. N. B. Note here; Though the Hypoſtatical Union had aſſuredly ſuch a ſtability as could not poſſibly Admit of either any Diſſolution, or any Deſertion, in reſpect either of God's Love, or of ſupporting Grace, or of Inherent Holineſs; yet was it not only poſſible but alſo neceſſary that the Mediator of Sinful Mankind, ſhould for a time be Deſerted of all ſenſible Comfort, and ſhould taſte of that moſt horrible bitterneſs accompanying ſuch a Deſertion, that ſo he might bear the puniſhment proportionably for our ſins, and feel the ſad effects of the Wrath and Curſe of God (due to us for them) in ſo high a degree and meaſure, as muſt be Equivalent to our Eternal Deſtruction, and fully ſatisfactory to Divine Juſtice for all our offences. N.B. Note well; Though God be full of Mercy, yet will he not ſuffer his Mercy to Juſtle out his Juſtice, (whereof he is full alſo) but will be merciful in a juſt manner, firſt his Juſtice muſt be ſatisfied, and then he lets out his Mercy in Accepting Satisfaction from our Surety in his ſhort Sufferings, whereas the rigour of his Juſtice might have exacted it from our ſelves in our Everlaſting Damnation. N. B. Note Well; Here Chriſt cries out, as one forſaken of God, becauſe of the Intolerable Anguiſh and Agony of his Soul. This might as well conſiſt with the perſonal Union of the two Natures, which gave way to this as it did to the Torture and Death of his Body. N. B. Note well; That the Union with the Divine Nature did firmly remain is plainly evident, by his promiſing Paradiſe to the Penitent Thief, as he was the Great God juſt before, he cries out as a Dying Martyr and as a Man in our ſtead forſaken of God for Sin, yet was it not the out-cries of Deſpair, ſeeing he ſtill truſted in God, ſaying, [My God, my God,] when in moſt Horrour by God's Wrath both upon his Soul and Body, ſo that though his Holy pure Nature (through the ſenſe of matchleſs Torture) could not rationally but cry out of God's forſaking him, yet there remained a Pious perſuaſion ſtill, both of the perſonal Union of the two Natures, and of the neceſſity and commodity of his unparallelled Paſſion: The Divine Nature was no more departed from the Humane at this time, than is the Soul of Man departed from the Body in Sleep, at which time it acts not, nor manifeſts. its Indwelling in the Body. His Exclamation of being Deſerted here was not abſolute but comparative only, his preſent caſe (wherein he felt nothing but confuſion by bearing the Curſe of God for Man's Sin) compared with that Glory which he had in common with the Father before the World began, John 17.5. and all the Ages of the World, he ſtill held that Glory till the Fulneſs of time came, for his ſtate of Humiliation, the ſad Cataſtrophe whereof, he was now Accompliſhing, yet without the leaſt murmuring at, or quarrelling with the Father for Impoſing upon him ſuch a prodigious puniſhment.
N. B. Note well; Objection, Some may ſay, How could this Suffering of Chriſt (which was but for a ſhort time) be a full Satisfaction to God's Juſtice for our Sins, ſeeing we have deſerved Eternal Suffering, the Demerit of our Sinning?
Anſwer, Beſide the proportion and equivalency betwixt the Sufferings of our Redeemer, and our own perpetual deſtruction (as is aboveſaid) ſeeing never any ſorrow and ſuffering were like his in their own Nature, never any was ſo forſaken of God, ſo Aſſaulted by Devils, and ſo Tortured and Taunted by Wicked Men as Chriſt was, who yet was Innocent, and deſerved not the leaſt of theſe ſufferings, therefore they muſt be meritorious in their own Nature, though they were not everlaſting: Beſide this (I ſay) the Dignity of the Perſon thus ſuffering ought duely to be conſidered: 'Twas not any mere Man, no nor an Angel that ſuffered thoſe unſufferable Sufferings, but it was the Eternal Son of God, though not in his Godhead, yet in his Manhood, which he Aſſumed, that the ſame Nature, which had ſinned might alſo ſuffer as a Surety in our ſtead: Now we muſt look upon the perſon of this Son of God, his Deity, Majeſty, Mercy, Juſtice, Obedience, &c. to be all Infinite and Eternal; This made that which he ſuffered to be of an Ineſtimable, Value and Vertue, and of no leſs force and worth than if Divine Juſtice had been ſatisfied by Eternal-Torments upon us, yea even upon the whole World: For as the Death of David (who was reckoned more worth than ten thouſand Deaths of his People, 2 Sam. 18.4.) or the Death of any Prince (being but a Man, yea a ſinful Man) is of more eſtimation than the Death of a whole Army of Common Soldiers, becauſe he is the Prince: How much more ſhall the Death and Sufferings of the Son of God (the Prince of Princes, yea the Prince of Life and of Glory, Dan. 3.25. Rev. 1.5. &c. Not Finite but every way Infinite and without Sin) be of more value and reckoning with the Father, than the Sufferings of all the World: and though the time of the Son of God's Sufferings was but ſhort, yet had they more Intrinſick worth (from the worthineſs of the Sufferer) with his Father, than if all the People in the World ſhould have ſuffered for evermore.
N. B. Note well; Now when Chriſt had cried, [Eli, Eli, &c.] out of the 22 Pſalm (wherein this Agony was foretold, a worſe Agony than that in the Garden, which only ſqueezed clods of Blood out of his Pores, but this exhauſted his very Soul out of his Body) even theſe words of his Dying Speech were wreſted: Some ſay, by the Ignorance of the Souldiers, not underſtanding the Syriack tongue. I rather judge, the miſtake was by the Malice of the Prieſts, who miſ-interpret his cry, as if he now made Elias his Patron, when forſaken of God: [Some of the Spectators ſtanding by, and hearing this cry of Chriſt, ſaid, [This man calleth for Elias] Mat. 27.47. that they might ſill up the meaſure of their Mocking him top full and running over; They add this Taunt to a Tortured Jeſus over and above the redundancy of Mocks aforementioned, As if he had now turned his Back of truſting in God, and prayed to Elias for his Patronage.
N. B. Note well; 1ſt, No wonder if the Servants of Chriſt be ſlandered in their ſufferings, and rendered Ridiculous, ſeeing our Saviour himſelf was thus ridiculed for his Prayer to God in the Anguiſh of his Soul, &c.
N. B. Note well; 2d, The practice of the Papiſts in praying to Saints, &c. is a Ridiculous practice even in the common Reaſon of thoſe Prophane Wretches, who made a Mock of Chriſt's calling on Elias, ſuppoſing he had done ſo.
N. B. Note well, 3d. The Devil by his Inſtruments labours to run down diſtreſſed ones into Deſpair, as Chriſt here, of whom they ſaid [Let him alone, let us ſee whether Elias will come and take him down,] Mat. 27.49. Mark 15.36. Thus Inſolently do they Inſult over a dying Jeſus, telling him, (to drive him into Deſpair) that he was now forſaken both of God and Man as to any help, &c. whereas his Prayer was not Deſpair but a Conflict, wherein he called not upon any Man, but upon his God, &c.
The Fifth of Chriſt's laſt Words upon the Croſs was [I thirſt,] John 19.28. N. B. Note well, Some of Chriſt's laſt ſayings are recorded by one Evangeliſt, and ſome by another: Therefore ought we to compare all the Evangeliſts together, to compleat the Hiſtory of Chriſt's Death, ſeeing this ſaying is Recorded by the Evangeliſt John only.
N. B. Note well; Wherein is obſervable, 1ſt, The Occaſion of our Saviour's ſo ſaying, [I Thirſt,] no wonder, that he now cried out of thirſt, if it be well conſidered, how we find not any refreſhment he took after the Paſchal Feaſt and his Inſtitution of the Lord's Supper, no mention is made of any Meat or Drink offered to him, after that his laſt Supper any where, by any Hand, ſave only the Vinum Myrrhatum, the Wine mingled with Myrrhe, which he refuſed, Mark 15.23. as is above ſaid with the Reaſons of that Refuſal; N. B. Note well; Adding thereto only this here, Chriſt received willingly all the other Evils and Injuries offered him, As to be Taunted, to be Buffeted, to be Scourged once and again, to be Stripped as well as ſtriped, and to be Cloathed with a Fool's Coat, yea to be Crowned with Thorns, and to be Crucified upon the Croſs, &c. for all theſe things pertained to Man's Salvation, and were fore-ordained and fore told that the Surety for Man's Sin, and the Saviour of the World ſhould ſuffer as the Price of our Redemption, but his Drinking this Bitter Drink, was an Arbitrary Action and not neceſſary for our Ranſom, therefore he received it not. Now ſeeing he had received nothing to refreſh his Nature ſince the Paſſover-Evening and conſidering well withal, how he had been ſpent with his Agony and bloody Sweat, in the Garden before his Apprehenſion, and when Apprehended, with the Toil they put him to in Toſſing him from place to place, all the Night long, (not ſuffering him the leaſt Refreſhing Slumber all that time) and the next Morning, with their Turmoiling him ſtill from Pilate to Herod, and back to Pilate again; and when Condemned, how was he ſtill more ſpent with his Renewed Buffets and Scourges, with bearing his Ponderons Croſs from the City, to Golgotha; but moſt of all, with his Hanging on the Croſs in unparallel'd pain, for ſix Hours together, &c. No wonder, (I ſay) that our Saviour, (ſo ſpent over and over again, and void of all Refreſhings) ſhould now cry, [I Thirst.]
N. B. Note well; The 2d. Obſervable, is the Proviſion that is made for quenching his Thirſt, upon this ſad occaſion, We muſt ſuppoſe here, that the Sacrifice of the World was now a Roaſting in the Fire of the Father's Wrath; and therefore no wonder if he were dry, and cryed [I Thirſt,] but behold thoſe Monſtrous Miſcreants, (when our Lord could have been content to quench his Thirſt with a Cup of cold Water) do deny him that cheap kindneſs, of the common Element; and Barbarouſly gave him only ſour Vinegar to Drink, Matth. 27.48. Mark 15.36. and John 19.29. Whereas it is a frequent favour to dying Malefactors, that ſome Refreſhing Drink is granted to them; yet ſuch was the Juſtice of God, and the Malice of thoſe Men, as Chriſt muſt not have Water, but Vinegar to Drink, N. B. Note well; Theſe Monſters had once given him Vinegar mingled with Gall, Matth. 27.34, &c. This they did at Golgotha, before he was Nailed to the Croſs; and then he received it not, for Reaſons before Related: And now again they give him Vinegar, (when he was juſt upon the point of breathing out his laſt, after his ſix Hours hanging upon the Croſs) which now he did receive, John 19.29, 30. When he had nothing now to do, but to Die, [knowing that all things, (ſave Death) was now Accompliſhed,] ver. 28. for fullfilling that Scripture, Pſal. 69.21. They gave me Gall to Eat, and Vinegar to Drink: N. B. Note well; And why did he drink this Vinegar of ſowr Affliction; but that he might purchaſe for us, the priviledge of Drinking full Draughts of the Wine of Conſolation; yea, even New Wine with him, in his Father's Kingdom, Matth. 26.29. [They filled a Spunge with Vinegar, and put it upon Hyſop,] John 19.29. both the Spunge and the Hyſop, ſignifie, Chriſt cleanſing our Souls from the guilt and filth of Sin, Pſal. 51.9. & Hebr. 9.14, &c.
Inferences from hence are, 1. Oh! How ought we to love this Lord Jeſus, who was content to Drink the bitter; that we might Drink the Sweet, he Thirſted, that we may not cry out of Thirſt in Hell, as Dives did, begging a drop, &c. No Conſolation, no not ſo much as a Cup of cold Water, muſt be given to him; while he was purchaſing all kinds of Conſolation for us, ſuch as are Strong, Spiritual, and Eternal, &c. 2. If Chriſt cry, [I Thirſt.] for us; How much more ſhould we all cry we Thirſt] eſpecially, ſeeing he hath pronounced them Bleſſed, that Thirſt after him, and promiſeth to ſatisfie them, Mat. 5.6. Yea, makes open Proclamation, for all ſuch to come in freely for Satisfaction, Iſa. 55.1, 2. John 7.37. &] Revel. 22.17. 3. Our Lord did thus Thirſt here, that he might quench our Thirſt with living Waters, John 4.10, 14. that we may, (after an hearty Draught thereof) never Thirſt any more after any of the Vanities of the World, or Villanies of Sin: 4. He Thirſted, that we may Drink better Drink, as we do daily, &c.
The 6th Of the laſt words of Chriſt upon the Croſs was, [It is Finiſhed,] when Jeſus therefore had received the Vinegar, he ſaid, it is finiſhed, John 19.30. Then had he no more work to do or Suffer, not to Deſcend into Hell, either in Soul or in Body, as ſome Romanists ſay. As the Vinegar was the laſt bitter Doſe he received from the wicked Hands of thoſe Villains: So the Receit thereof, was the laſt bitter part of his Unparallel'd Paſſion: The firſt time of their offering him Vinegar, (before he was Nailed to the Croſs) he received it not; but only Taſted thereof, and did not drink it up, for he left the reſt, wherein his Redeemed muſt pledge him of the ſame bitter Cup, filling up the meaſure of the Afflictions of Chriſt, Col. 1.24. but here he drinks all off, to ſhew, that he took the whole Curſe for Sin, into himſelf; ſo that now N.B. Note well; our Sufferings by Afflictions for our Sinnings againſt God, come not in the Nature of a Curſe, but of a Cure: They are more Medicinal, than Penal; and there is rather a Spiritual Remedy, than any Divine Vengeance now in them; they come now all out of Divine Faithfulneſs, as David ſaith, [I know, that out of thy very Faithfulneſs, thou O God, doth Afflict me,] Pſal. 119.75. As if he had ſaid, [Lord, thou wouldſt not be Faithful to my Soul, unleſs thou hadſt thus and thus Afflicted my Body.] The ground of our being Afflicted, is now offended love; and the end thereof, is fuller Embracements, Jer. 31: 18.20. All our Sorrows and Sufferings, as they come to us through the Sufferings of Chriſt, (as through a Colature, Sile or Strainer) they leave the Curſe behind them there; our Dear Redeemer drank up all that Vinegar, leaving none of it for us; it was our Saviour ſolely, that fully ſatisfied God's Juſtice for Man's Sins, by his Meritorious and Mediatory Sufferings, and left not the leaſt part thereof unſatisfied, for us to ſatisfie by any Sufferings of ours: The Lord looked upon the Travel of his Soul, and was ſatisfied with all our Souls, Iſa. 53.11. N. B. Note well; So that if Inquiry be made, what muſt be the Antecedent to this Relative, [It] in this ſaying of our Dying Saviour, [it is finiſhed] the Anſwer in general muſt be, that full Satisfaction to God's Juſtice for Man's ſin, was now fully ſatisfied, when our Redeemer received this laſt bitter Potion of the Vinegar, all the parts of his unparallel'd Paſſion, were now Accompliſhed, ſave only his commending his Spirit into his Father's Hands, he had nothing now to do, but to Die; and to give up the Ghoſt: N. B. Note well; But more particularly, what is ſaid to be finiſhed here, muſt have a beginning, and an Intervening midle, as well as end or finiſhing: Now the beginning of Chriſt's Paſſion, was at the beginning of his Incarnation when he Diveſted himſelf of that Divine Glory, (which he had with the Father, before the World was, John 17.5.) and puts on him the the Form of a Servant, Phil. 2.6, 7. in his Humane Nature; and the Intervening Midle from his Cradle to his Croſs, was a continued Series of Suffering, all his Life long, both in the Private, and in the Publick part thereof, his whole life was indeed, (as is above ſaid) but a lingring Death; he was deſigned by bloody Herod to Die, ſo ſoon as he began to Live; and this Diabolical deſign for Deſtroying him, was carryed on unceſſantly by the Scribes, Phariſees, and Prieſts, even all his Days: But now when his Hour was come, for Finiſhing his Paſſion, behold the Man, how many little Deaths he endured, (in his Agony, Buffetings, Scourgings, Mockings, &c.) before he came to Die, that worſt of Deaths, even the Death of the Croſs: N. B. Note well; Behold how Commenſurate was the Second Adam's Paſſion, to the Firſt Adam's Tranſgreſſion: Adam had ſinned in Paradiſe, (the moſt pleaſant place in the World) and his ſin conſiſted in ſeeing the lovelineſs of the forbidden Fruit, in his Touching and Taſting it; for the Eating of which, he was Derided by God, with an Holy Deriſion. Gen. 3.22. 'tis an Ironical Irriſion, [Man is become as one of us,] for his vain Affectation, of Aſpiring unto a Deity: What God ſpeaks there Laughing, we all ſhould always Read with Weeping; for Hinc Illae lacrimae, from hence ſprung in all Miſery and Miſchief upon Mankind; this foul Fact of his Eating Forbidden Fruit, plainly opens Pandora's Box, (as the Poets feign from Moſes's Pentateuch) and pulled up the Sluce, to let in an Inundation, of Sin and Miſery; and all Evils to fly out upon us: N. B. Note well; Behold how the Circumſtances of Chriſt's Suffering, do wonderfully Correſpond and carry an Accommodated contrary proportion, proportionable in thoſe points, to Adam's ſinning: As 1. His place of ſinning, was the beſt place, even Paradiſe; ſo Chriſt's place of Suffering, was the worſt place in the World, even Calvary call'd ſo, from Calvus, or Bald-pate, 2 Kin. 2.23, 24. This Calvary or Golgotha, was a place of Skulls, ſuch as were Bald, all the Hair being rotted off. a ſtinking place for our Sweet Saviour to Suffer in: 2. As Adam ſinned, by ſeeing the lovely look of the Forbidden Fruit, Gen. 3.6. So our Saviour ſuffered, by ſeeing this ſad Spectacle of ſuch an Heap of Bald Skulls: No doubt but his Tender Heart was much Afflicted, with beholding ſo doleful a ſight, ſeeing ſuch a Slaughter of Men, was all made by ſin: 3. As Adam finned in pleaſant Touching, ſo Chriſt to Expiate Adam's ſin, was not only touched with our Infirmities, Heb. 2.17. & 4, 15. but alſo had the Torturing Touches of the wicked one, (1 John 5.18.) in his Torments upon the Croſs. 4. As Adam ſinned in his ſweet Taſting, ſo did Chriſt Taſt, not only of the Vinegar mingled with Gall, but Drank up the Second Doſe thereof; yea, and Taſted the bitterneſs of Death, for every Man, Jew and Gentile, Heb. 2.9.5. As Adam was derided for vainly affecting a Deity, ſo Chriſt was mocked for ſaying, truly he was the Son of God, &c. And he was mocked for many other Crimes, yet doth he challenge his mockers, to convince him of any ſin: John 8.46. beſides 6. The ſecond Adam Died in the ſame Day of the Week, and at the ſame Hour of the Day, (as is noted before) to bring Life into the World, that the firſt Adam ſinned, and brought Death into it thereby:
The 7th and laſt of the ſeven laſt words or ſayings, of our Bleſſed Saviour upon the Cr…s was, [Father, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit,] Luke 23.46. This was the laſ… of all our Saviour's Sayings; for immediately after he had ſo ſaid, (while he was yet living under his ſix Hours Torments upon the Croſs, and having a power to lay down his Life, when himſelf, pleaſed, John 10 18.) He gave up the Ghoſt, thus commended into his Fathers Hands by Prayer; and this Golden Sentence that drop'd from the dying Mouth of our Dear Redeemer, in his laſt Breath, is Recorded only by the Evangeliſt Luke; which ſtill farther Demonſtrates, how neceſſary it is to have an Harmony of all the four Evangeliſts, without which, we cannot have a full Hiſtory of our Lords Paſſion and Death, ſeeing what Circumſtance thereof, is omitted by any one Evangeliſt, the ſame is all along ſeaſonably ſupplyed by another: Now when Chriſt had wrought, and was working of ſeven Wonders upon the Croſs, wherein all Creatures could co ſuffer with their Creator a Crucified Chriſt; for the Sun was Eclipſed, the Heavens were Darkened, the Earth Quaked, the Rocks Rent aſunder, the Graves opened, and the Vail of the Temple did dwindle away; yet all this time, of all other Creatures, only Miſerable Man, would not Co-ſuffer with Chriſt, though for Man only it was that Chriſt ſuffered:
And when Chriſt was ſpeaking the laſt words, he had to ſpeak before his Death, this Sentence was the laſt of the laſt: And this laſt is alſo borrowed out of the Book of the Pſalms, (as his [my God, my God, &c.] before ſaid was) to ſhew the Congruity betwixt the Literal and the Myſtical David, the former being the Father and the Figure of the latter, as the other, [Eli, Eli, &c.] was drawn out of Davids Quiver, Pſal, 22.1. So is this laſt word out of Pſal. 31.5. where David in great diſtreſs, commits his Spirit to God, and here Chriſt commends his Spirit to God: This Denotes, how our Lord loved to Dig in Davids Delf; and to Dive into his depth, in deriving thoſe ſayings from the Pſalmiſt, to ſhew the fullfilling of the Scripture; and the Symbolizing of the Type, with the Antitype, though with ſome ſmall difference in this laſt, for 1. David Literal, was but the Adopted Son of God; but David Myſtical here, was the Natural Son of God: 2. David Reſigns up his Spirit to his Redeemer, that is, to Chriſt our only Redeemer, the Lord God of Truth, that alone Redeemeth us: But Chriſt here Reſigneth up his Spirit to his Natural Father; 3. David uſes the word [Commit,] but here Chriſt uſeth the word [Commend,] which difference of the Verbs, may admit of this Criticiſm; things of ſmall value, may be committed to the Truſt of a Keeper, and commonly are ſo, though they cannot be highly commended for any Intrinſick worth in them, being only of common commodity and uſefullneſs, as ordinary Veſſels of Wood, Stone, Glaſs or Clay: Such an one was. David, as compared with Chriſt, David ſaith of himſelf, [what profit is there in my Blood] in the very Pſalm before this, Pſal. 3…. but Oh, the unſpeakable profit that is in the Blood of Chriſt, the Blood of God, Acts 20.28. Not the Blood of a meer Mortal Man, but of that God-Man the Lord Jeſus: Therefore it is called the moſt pretious Blood, 1 Pet. 1.19. and in the Blood, (as in a Vehicle) is the Life of the Body, Gen. 9.4. Levit. 17.11. Now as Chriſt's Body was of the Fineſt, and moſt Refined Temper of Mankind, (being purpoſely fitted by the Father, for uniting with the Divine Nature, Pſal. 40.6, 7. Hebr. 10.5. So his Soul, (that Particle of Divine Breath) that Animated ſuch a prepared Body, muſt needs be the moſt precious Soul in the World: And if the Soul of Man in general, be of more worth than the whole World, as Chriſt himſelf, (who beſt knew the worth of a Soul, becauſe he only paid down the full price of a Soul) plainly declareth, Matth. 16.26. Then aſſuredly the Soul of this our Redeemer, (which he was to powr out, as an offering for ſin, Iſa. 53. to and which was to pay the price of Redemption, for all the Souls of the Election, all Ages of the World) muſt needs be of a moſt prodigious value, and a moſt Ineſtimable Jewel: This is that precious Gemm, which our Dying Jeſus here commends to his Father, which Teacheth alſo, that his Soul did not Deſcend into Hell, the place of the Damned; for he immediately commends it into his Fathers Hands, &c. had he gone down to Hell, Luke muſt mention it, but not one word of this, Acts 1.1. yet of all elſe, &c. and to Teach us what we ought to do in a dying Hour; 'Tis a ſtanding Duty Incumbent upon all that fear God, to commit their Spirits to Gods Keeping, all the Days of their Lives, as David did, Pſal. 31.5. and to commit their Souls to God, as to a Faithful Creator, in all ways of well-doing, as Peter Requireth, 1 Pet. 4.19 Thoſe that can thus commit their Souls to God while living, may moſt comfortably commend, (that moſt precious Jewel) the Soul to God …hen dying, as Chriſt did here.