The Sufferings of Christ, Part 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The Vindication of Mat. 26.37. Mar. 14.33. Luke 22.53.
Dialogu. MAthew ſaith, that Chriſt was ſorrowfull and grievouſly troubled, chap. 26.37. Mark ſaith, that he was ſore afraid and amazed, chap. 14.33. Luke ſaith, that Christ was in an agony, chap. 22.53. Chriſt made all this adoe about a bodily death only.
Anſw. If words have their taſte, as Elihu implieth, Job 34.4. then your expreſſion of the dolorous paſſion and lamentation of the Lord Jeſus by that phraſe of [making this ado] (for I beleeve it's not the language of any Orthodox writer) ordinarily uſed by way of diminution and rebuke; argueth a minde not affected as becomes a Chriſtian with the ſufferings of his Saviour.
Dialogu. But how do you prove this ſorrow and complaint to have proceeded ftom the fear of a bodily death only?
Anſw. Only do but conſider what a horrid thing to humane nature the death of the body is, then conſider that Chriſt had a true humane nature, and therefore why ſhould be not be troubled with the fear of death as much as his humane nature could be without ſin?
Becauſe Regular affections (ſuch as Chriſts were) are moved according to the nature of the object; ſo much therefore as bodily death is a leſſe evil then eternall death; ſo much is the regular trouble of humane nature conflicting therewithall, leſſe then that trouble which it is capable of ſuffering; in caſe of its conflicting with eternall death.
All mankinde ought to deſire and endeavour to preſerve their naturall lives as much as lies in them in the uſe of means, Dialogu. and therefore ſeeing Chriſt as he was true man, could not prevent his death by the uſe of means: he was bound to be troubled for the ſenſe of death as much as any other man.
Anſw. But it was more then manifeſt that his trouble exceeded the trouble of any other man as concerning meer naturall death.
Other men conflicting with death by reaſon of ſin, do not conflict only with death: other men conflicting with naturall death conflict alſo often with eternall death, Chriſt according to you conflicted only with a naturall death: how do you ſay then without any diſtinction he was bound to be troubled with fear of death as much as any other man?
Chriſts meer inability as man to prevent death by the uſe of means; or other mens inability thereunto, and that at ſuch times when they were not wanting on their part, neither was it their duty to endeavour continuance of life, but on the contrary to give up themſelves to death, ſuch as was the preſent caſe of Chriſt, and was long before the caſe of Iſaac, and oftentimes hath been the caſe of the Martyrs, who notwithſtanding have given up their lives with joy, cannot be looked at as a reaſon of his or their being bound to be ſo troubled with the fear of death.
Dialogu. Theſe were the true cauſes why Chriſt was ſo much pained in his minde with the fear of death not only that night before his death, but at other times alſo even long before.
Anſw. It's true Chriſt often in his life time made mention of his paſſion; but it's moſt untrue that he looked at a bodily death as the only matter of it: the two cauſes alledged were not the true cauſes why he was ſo much pained with fear, Luk. 12.50. ſheweth Chriſt not only to be held back with the fear of his ſufferings on the one hand, but alſo that he was urged forward with the remembrance of the counſell of God, and the good of the Elect on the other hand, between theſe was he ſtraigthned, whileſt it was accompliſhed, whereunto Calvins interpretation of the place agreeth.
Dialogu. But Mathew and Mark in the place cited speak only of theſe ſorrows which fell upon him in the night before his death: Mathew ſaith, he began grievouſly to be troubled, i.e. he began afreſh to be troubled with a neerer apprehenſion af his death then formerly: M. Calvin in his Harmony upon thoſe words, ſpeaks to this effect; We have ſeen (ſaith he) our Lord wreſtling with the fear of death before: but now (ſaith he) he buckleth his hands with the temptation, Matthew cals it the beginning of ſorrow.
Anſw. Be it ſo that he began to be troubled with the nearer approach of his death then formerly, this maketh nothing to prove your aſſertion, viz. that the death approaching was a bodily death onelyonly.
The ſufferings that fell upon Chriſt before his ſufferings in the garden, becauſe they were in degree much leſſe then thoſe that followed, are conveniently diſtinguiſhed from them that fell upon him in the garden, and afterward Calvins meaning is that he conflicted before with the fear of death, but now with the ſight of death: he meaneth not a meer bodily death only (as you ſay) but ſuch a death as wherein (ſaith he) he took upon him the curſe; and wherein our ſins, whoſe burthen was laid upon him, preſſed him with a mighty weight, and wherein he felt that he had to doe with the judgement of God.
Thoſe words of Mathew c. 24.8. All theſe are the beginnings of ſorrow, are ſpoken either in reference to the deſtruction of Jeruſalom, or the end of the world, but not to the paſſion of Chriſt.
Dialogu. By theſe ſentences out of M. Calvin, we may ſee, that Christ was deeply touched with the fear of death, for he wept and groaned in spirit, and troubled himſelf for the death of Lazarus.
Anſw. Though Calvin ſpeaking of thoſe words John 11.38. inclineth to think that Chriſt by occaſion of Lazarus death, called to minde his own death, yet you deceive your ſelf not a little in conceiving thence as if Calvin thought that the death of Chriſt was no other then a bodily death, and ſuch as the death of Lazarus.
Upon this occaſion therefore and the rather becauſe of your ſo frequently quoting of Calvin, it may be ſeaſonable to preſent you with Calvins judgement in this point, that ſo it may appear how well Calvin and the Dialogue agree herein.
The Dialogue ſaith, Chriſt made all this adoe about a meer bodily death only; and that he ſuffered not any degree of Gods wrath at all.
Calvin ſaith, but whence is there both heavineſſe,Ʋnde autem illi & maeror, &c. Calvin in Mat. 26.36. Atque hic rurſus tanti maeroris. Idem. Inſtit. l. 2. c. 16. ſ. 10. anxiety, and fear upon him, except becauſe he conceived ſomething more ſad and horrible, then the ſeparation of the ſoul from the body?
And here again, we ought to call to minde the cauſe of ſo great fear, for neither would the death of the Son of God by it ſelf have ſo tortured him, except he had perceived that he had to do with the judgement, i.e. the divine juſtice of God.
Chriſts death had been of none effect, if he had ſuffered only a bodily death: And truly if his ſoul had not been partaker of pain he had been only a Redeemer of our bodies.
The ſame Authour ſpeaking upon Iſa. 53.6. ſaith, that he was put inſtead of the wicked doers as a ſurety and pledge, yea, and as the very guilty perſon himſelf, to abide and ſuffer all the puniſhment that ſhould have been laid upon him.
Calv. inſtit. l. 2. c. 16. ſ. 13.Moreover in anſwer to ſome who being confuted, leaned (as he ſaith) to another cavillation, that though Chriſt feared death, yet he feared not the curſe and wrath of God, from which he knew himſelf to be ſafe. After other diſcourſe he uſeth words to this effect; whereby it appeareth (ſaith he) that thoſe triflers againſt whom I now diſpute, boldly babble upon things they know not, becauſe they never earneſtly conſidered what it is, or of how great importance it is that we be redeemed from the judgement of God: thus far Calvin.
Dialogu I cannot apprehend that he was afraid of the wrath of God for our ſin in the night before his death: for then he could not have ſaid as he did, I have ſet the Lord alwaies before my eyes, he's at my right hand, Pſa. 16.8. therefore I ſhall not be moved. I cannot apprehend that his troubled fear exceeded the bounds of naturall fear.
Anſw. His confidenee that he ſhould not be moved by his ſufferings, either from his hope, ſtate, or the good hoped for; but that it ſhould be with him as ver. 10. ſheweth us his certainty of victory; which doth not oppoſe but rather ſuppoſe the matter of his ſufferings, which the Scripture manifeſts to be the wrath of God. Neither can we apprehend that Chriſts fear exceeded the bounds of naturall fear, underſtanding by natural fear regular fear, in which ſenſe this diſtinction is uſed by Divines after Damaſcene; who diſtinguiſhed fear into a fear according to nature (this was in Chriſt) and a fear beſides nature, adverſe to reaſon, this was not in Chriſt.
Dialogu. Theſe ſentences of M. Calvin may adviſe us how we do attribute ſuch a kinde of fear to Chriſt as might diſorder his pure naturall affections, which doubtleſſe would have fallen upon him, if he had undergone the pain of loſſe for our ſins, ſuch as the damned do feel in hell, as the common Doctrine of Imputation doth teach.
Anſw. It is vain labour to write ſo much out of Calvin to prove againſt us that the fear which was in Chriſt was pure, and not impure; it being the profeſſed and known judgement of all: the inference of impure and vicious fear in Chriſt from his undergoing of the pain of loſſe for our ſins, is your own,Inſtitution. lib. 2. c. 16. ſ. 10. See Willet ſynopſ. and an errour: nor have you any greater adverſary then Calvin therein, who not only affirms the fear and affections in Chriſt to be pure according to your citations, but alſo that in his ſoul he ſuffered the terrible torment of the damned and forſaken men. Yet becauſe the ſufferings of the damned differ in ſome things from the ſufferings of Chriſt, later Writers chooſe rather upon juſt reaſon to ſay, he ſuffered the puniſhment of the elect, who deſerved to be damned, then that he ſuffered the puniſhment of the damned.
Dialogu And if he had died without manifeſting fear of death, it would have occaſianed wofull hereſie; yea, notwithſtanding the evident proof given of his humane nature, ſundry hereticks have denied the truth of his humane nature, it was neceſſary therefore that he ſhould be pinched with the fear of death as much as his true humane nature could bear without ſin, as Calvin well obſerveth.
Anſw. There's difference between manifeſt fear and exceſſive fear: to have feared naturall death with exceſſive fear, and that ſuch as never man or woman manifeſted, was to have manifeſted ſomething leſſe then man. It was a ſufficient manifeſtation of Chriſt to be man, that he was touched with the feeling of our infirmities, that he was in all points tempted like to us,His words are theſe, ſpeaking on Matt. 26.39. Sed quantū ferri potuit ſana & integra natura hominis, metu percuſsus & anxietate constructus fuit. Dialogu yet without ſin. So far as I can finde in Calvin (for you have not pointed to the place) you put in the word Therefore, and ſo force both it and the whole ſentence to confirm your own premiſes, contrary to his minde, which is directly againſt you. See Calv. Comment. on Ver. 2.28. of the chapter mentioned.
If the fear of death which he expreſſed to his Diſciples in the night before his death, had riſen on the ſenſe of his fathers wrath inflicted upon him for our ſinne, then you muſt alſo ſay, that he ſuffered his fathers wrath for our ſins ſix daies before this, for ſix daies before this he ſpake thoſe words, Luk. 12.50. where our Saviour doth expreſſe as much diſtreſſe of minde as here: yet I know no expoſitor that ever gathered ſo much from this place of Luke.
Anſw. Expoſitors do generally agree, that as in Mathew and Mark, ſo alſo Luke 12.50. Chriſt ſpeaks of his paſſion, as likewiſe that the wrath of God was the principal matter thereof; in Luke he's troubled at the remembrance of his future paſſion of his fathers wrath, the ſenſe of that wrath had at preſent in great degree taken hold upon him. Chriſt doth not expreſſe ſo much diſtreſſe of minde in Luke, as here; he ſaith he was ſtraightned, but here he profeſſeth his ſorrowfullneſſe unto death, together with conſternation and expavefaction; of which ſtraightway.
Dialogu. Our Saviour tells the two ſons of Zebedee they muſt drink of his cup, and be baptized with his baptiſm, by theſe two expreſſions, which are Synonima's or equivalent, our Saviour doth inform the two ſons of Zebedee what the true nature of his ſufferings ſhould be, viz. no other but ſuch only as they ſhould one day ſuffer from the hands of tyrants.
Anſw. Herein is a fallacy, confounding ſuch things as ſhould be divided, this Text (ſaith Piſcator) is to be underſtood with an exception of that paſſion in which Chriſt felt the wrath of God for the Elect.Quod tamen intelligendum eſt cum exceptione paſſionis illius quâ Dominus pro electis ſenſit iram Dei. Piſc. in loc. Dialogu
Chriſt ſuffered both as a Mattyr and as a ſatisfier: the ſons of Zebedee drank of the cup of Martyrdom, not of the cup of ſatisfaction or redemption: James and John (the ſons of Zebedee) were aſleep whileſt Chriſt was drinking of that cup.
His ſon was not touched with any ſufferings from Gods wrath at all, except by way of ſympathy from his bodily ſufferings only.
Anſw. If his ſoul was touched with Gods wrath by way of ſympathy, then his body was touched with the ſuffering of his wrath properly: then Chriſt ſuffered the wrath of God by your conceſſion.
Theſe ſufferings in the ſoul were not by way of ſympathy, his ſoul ſuffered properly and immediatly, Iſa. 53.10. Mat. 26.37. the cauſe of his ſufferings required that his ſoul ſhould ſuffer as well as his body; we ſinned in ſoul properly, therefore our ſurety muſt ſuffer in ſoul properly. The greateſt of the ſufferings of Chriſt were ſpirituall, and ſuch as immediatly ſeized on his ſoul.
As his active obedience was as properly ſpirituall as bodily: ſo his paſſive obedience was as properly ſpirituall as bodily.
Much rather is their judgement to be embraced, who ſay, The body ſuffered by way of ſympathy, becauſe the ſoul is ſenſible of ſufferings without the body, but not the body without the ſoul.
Dialogu. If the circumſtances of his agony be well weighed, it will appear that it did not proceed from his fathers wrath but from his naturall fear of death only: becauſe he muſt be stricken with the fear of death as much at his true humane nature could bear; he muſt be touched with the fear of death in a great meaſure (as the Prophets did foretell.) Adde to theſe pains of his minde, his earnest prayers to be delivered from his naturall fear of death: the fear of death doth often cauſe men to ſweat, and earneſtly pray; as he was man he muſt be touched with the fear of death, as he was Mediatour he muſt fully and wholly overcome his naturall fear of death by prayers: therefore there was a neceſſity for him to pray, and to ſtrive in prayer untill he had overcome it, as I ſhall further explain the matter by and by, in Heb. 5.7.
Anſw. There can no reaſon be given why the fear of naturall death ſhould be as much as the humane nature of Chriſt could bear without ſin, becauſe the object of that fear may be and is much exceeded: paenal-ſpiritual death is a greater object of fear incomparably.
Dialogu. Again, Becauſe the humane nature of Chriſt, whatever had been inflicted upon it, could not have ſinned: there can no ſufficient reaſon be given why Chriſt ſhould fear naturall death either more or ſo much as other men: there being therefore not ſuch a meaſure of fear in Chriſt of naturall death (as the Dialogue affirmeth) there was no ſuch fear foretold; nor was his earneſt prayer to be delivered from that fear, which could not be: what it was, and what he praied to be delivered from; we ſhall ſee where you promiſe us to explain Heb. 5.7.
We muſt obſerve the due time of every action, the manner, the place, and the perſons, and all other circumſtances to fullfill every circumſtance juſt as the Prophets had foretold nothing must fail; if he had failed in the leaſt circumſtance he had failed in all: and his humane nature could not be exact in theſe circumſtances without the concurrence of the divine nature: in all theſe reſpects his naturall fear of death could not chuſe but be very often in his minde, and as often to put him unto pain till he had overcome it.
Anſw. As things were foretold by the Prophets concerning Chriſt, ſo he fullfilled them, Act. 3.18. Luke 22.37. that there might be a ready concurrence of the divine nature with the humane, for the enabling of it unto the fullfilling of them, he was both God and man, Heb. 9.14. Rom. 1.4. there could not therefore be in Chriſt any fear, as concerning his failing to fullfill his office to the utmoſt. Your mentioning other cauſes (though falſe) of Chriſts fear, beſides his naturall death, is a ſecret acknowledgement that his conflict with the fear of naturall death only was not a ſufficient cauſe of his exceeding ſorrows felt before his death.
Dialogu. Scanderbeg was in ſuch an agony when he was fighting againſt the Turks, that the bloud hath been ſeen to burſt out of his lips with very eagerneſſe of ſpirit only; I have heard alſo from credible perſont, that Alexander the great did ſweat bloud in the couragious defence of himſelf and others. The ſweaeting ſickneſſe cauſed many to ſweat out of their bodies a bloudy humour, and yet many did recover and live many years after, but if their ſweating bloud had been a ſign of Gods wrath upon their ſouls (as you ſay it was in Chriſt) then I think they could not have lived any longer by the ſtrength of nature.
Anſw. The effuſion of certain drops of bloud at Scanderbergs lips, through the commotion of his ſpirits, was no ſweat; Your information concerning Alexander in all probability is a miſtake, there being no ſuch matter reported of him by the ordinary Hiſtoriographers of his life. It was but a bloudy humour if ſo (and in a time of ſickneſſe) not bloud,Ariſt. l. 3. depart. animal. c. 5. & l. 3. De Hiſtoria anim. c. 9. Fernelius lib. 6. that you mention at the ſweating ſickneſſe. Ariſtotle reports of one that ſometimes ſweat a kinde of bloudy excrement, which yet he looked at proceeding from an evil diſpoſition of the body. Theophrastus confirmeth the ſame. Fernelius writes that he ſaw bloud effuſed out of the extremity of the veins, through infirmity of the Liver and the Retentive faculty.Lib. de dignoſc morb. c. 11. & 8. Vid. Gerh. Herm. in Luc. 22.43 Rondelettius tels us, that he ſaw in the year 1547. a kinde of bloudy ſweat in a certain Student, occaſioned by ſome defects of the veins, bones, and thinneſs of bloud. Maldonat upon Mat. 26. makes mention of a man at Paris, ſtrong, and in health, who having received the ſentence of death was bedewed with a bloudy ſweat. But this bloudy ſweat of Chriſt (properly ſo) flowing from ſuch a perſon, and free from all diſtemper, either of body or minde, and in ſuch a manner and plenty (as Luke reports) differed much from all theſe. Whether the ſweat of Chriſt were naturall or miraculous, we leave it to them that have leiſure and skill to enquire, though the Evangeliſt mentioneth it as an effect proceeding from a greater cauſe then the fear of a meet naturall death; all which notwithſtanding, yet is not our doctrine built only or chiefly upon this Argument.
Dialogu Do but conſider a little more ſeriouſly what an horrid thing to nature the approach of death is, ſee in how many horrid expreſſions David doth deſcribe it, Pſa. 116.3. & 18.4. & 55.4, 5.
Anſw. There were many times many cauſes why David was much afraid of death, none of which are to be found in Chriſt; yet you make Chriſt much more afraid of death then David was. Though death be horrid unto nature, yet not ſo to faith; much leſſe ſo horrid as to cauſe affections of fear above the nature of the evil feared; that is, erring affections in an unerring ſubject.
Dialogu. Suppoſe Adam in innocency had grapled with the fear of death: like enough it would have cauſed a violent ſweat over all his body.
Anſw. Adam being a ſinner did grapple with death, Geneſ. 5.5. without any ſuch ſweat mentioned; doubtleſſe Adam innocent would not have been inferiour to Adam a ſinner. Chriſt was much ſuperiour to Adam innocent, though you make him inferiour in this matter to Adam a ſinner.
Dialogu. It's no ſtrange new doctrine to make the naturall fear of death to be the cauſe of Chriſts agony, ſeeing other learned men do affirm it. Chriſtopher Carlile in his Treatiſe of Chriſts deſceut into hell, p. 46. ſaith thus, Was not Chriſt extreamly afflicted when he for fear of death ſweat drops in quantity as thick as drops of bloud? John Fryth a godly Martyr ſaith thus in his anſwer to Sir Thomas Moor B. 2. Christ did not only weep but he feared ſo ſore that he ſweat drops like drops of bloud running down upon the earth, which was more then to weep. Now (ſaith he) if I ſhould ask you why Chriſt feared, and ſweat ſo ſore? what would you anſwer me? was it for fear of the pains of purgatory? he that ſhall ſo anſwer is worthy to be laughed to ſcorn, wherefore then was it? Verily even for the fear of death, as it appeareth plainly by his prayer, for he prayed to his Father, ſaying, If it be poſſible, let this cup paſſe from me.
Anſw. Theſe Authours I not having by me, cannot examine the quotations, their words therefore rather better bearing the ſenſe of the Orthodox, then the ſenſe of the Dialogue, charity (untill the contrary appeareth) conſtrueth in the beſt ſenſe. M. Fryth's other writings call to have it ſo. But (though Authorities alſo are incomparably for us) it is not mans Authority, but Scripture, and reaſon from thence deduced that conclude the queſtion.
Dialogu. It paſſeth my underſtanding to finde out how an Angel could ſupport our Saviour under the ſenſe of his fathers wrath. Can Angels appeaſe Gods wrath? or can Angels ſupport a mans ſo… to bear it? It's abſurd to think ſo. God will not afford the leaſt drop of water to cool any mans tongue that is tormented in the …ames of his wrath: therefore that cannot be the reaſon why God ſent an Angel to comfort him.
Anſw. Veteres dicunt Angelus confortat ſed non portat. Ger. HarmHad you accepted of that ſaying of the Ancients, viz. the Angel comforted him but carried none of his burthen; you might have ſpared the Reader theſe Quaeries.
The cauſe of the Angels apparition and conſolation, was to ſupport the humane nature, from utter fainting before the time, and to ſtrengthen it, not only at preſent, but ſo as it might be able to undergo the ſufferings that remained; the neceſſity whereof argueth his conflict to have been greater then could be cauſed by the fear of a meer natural death.
'Tis true, God will not afford the leaſt drop of water to cool any mans tongue that is tormented in the flames of his wrath, viz. that is, totally in torment. He had a taſte of conſolation at preſent, but but there were times wherein he had not a drop of conſolation, as, In his totall deſertion, in reſpect of ſenſe, upon the croſſe, Chriſt had his interims of reſpit, and here an intervall of conſolation, otherwiſe he could not have fullfilled that which was written of him. It is no good argument to ſay he drunk not the cup off at once, ergò He drunk it not up. He taſted of it in the garden, he drunk it off upon the croſſe. The pain of loſſe and pain of ſenſe which make up the full meaſure of the eſſentiall wrath of God, met both together in full meaſure upon him on the croſſe.
Dialogu But on the contrary it's evident that God doth often uſe to comfort his people againſt the fear of death, by the Miniſtry of Angels.
Anſw. It followeth not, Men have needed the conſolation of Angels againſt the fear of death, therefore Chriſts conſolation by an Angel was only to ſupport him againſt the fear of a naturall death: who can ſay it was only the fear of death that men were allwaies in ſuch caſes comforted againſt? there are other concomitants of death, viz. the ſting of death, the curſe, guilt, unbelief, that are more terrible then death it ſelf.
Though Angels comfort ſometimes againſt the fear of death, yet not only againſt the fear of death, but according to other temptations, and neceſſities of thoſe whom they are ſent to miniſter unto, 1 Kin. 19.5, 7, 8. Dan. 10, 17. Mat. 4.11.
Dialogu The fathers ſending of an Angel to comfort his ſon in his agony, was not an evidence that the father was angry with him for our ſin, but it was a ſure evidence to him that his Father was highly well-pleaſed with him even in the time of his agony.
Anſw. Thoſe ſufferings whence he needed an Angel to he ſent unto him, interpreted according to analogy of Scripture, are an evidence that his father was angry with him for our ſins. As the love of God unto the perſon of Ghriſt, and the wrath of God, that is, the execution of juſtice upon him as a ſurety, conſiſt together, ſo may evidence of that love, and partiall execution of that wrath, anſwerably conſiſt and meet together.
Dialogu. Good reaſons there were why Chriſt ſhould be more afraid of death then many Martyrs have been, namely, for the clear manifeſtation of his humane nature, and alſo for the accompliſhment of the predictions that went before him touching his ſufferings, if he would he could have ſuffered leſſe fear of death, and ſhewed more true valour then ever any Martyrs have done, but then his death would not have been ſo uſefull to his children, which for fear of death were all their life time ſubject to bondage.
Anſw. You make Chriſt not only more afraid of naturall death then many Martyrs, but to ſhew more fear of death then any man, yea, then any Malefactor. Your reaſons are but deceptions, what clearer manifeſtation of the truth of his humane nature can be deſired, then that he was in all things like unto us, except ſin. It's a fiction to aſſert any divine prediction that Chriſt ſhould only ſuffer a bodily death. There can be no reaſon given why the Martyrs, or other men, having received from Chriſt but a drop of that ſpirit which was in him out of meaſure, ſhould endure with joy the ſame death which he himſelf entring but into the Porch and ſuburbs of,Cartwright in Rhem. Teſt. Mat. 27.46. through anguiſh of his ſoul, had clods rather then drops of bloud, ſtreaming down his bleſſed body, a thing which neither was ſeen or heard before or ſince: The true reaſon thereof is, Chriſt died as a ſinner imputatively, preſſed under the ſenſe of the wrath of God, and conflicting with eternall death.
The Martyrs died juſtified, cheared with the ſenſe of the love of God, and conflicting only with a temporall death: It is more uſefull unto thoſe who for fear of death, i.e. eternall death, are all their life time ſubject unto bondage, that Chriſt conflicted with that death, wherwith they principally conflict, then otherwiſe.