The Mystery of the Gospel Vindicated and Socinianism Examined, Commentary on text · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
Of the matter of the punishment that Christ underwent, or what he suffered.
HAving dispatched this Digression, I returne again to the consideration§. 1. of the death of Christ, as it was a punishment which shall now be pursued unto its issue.
The third thing proposed to the Consideration on this Account was the matter of this punishment that Christ underwent which is commonly expressed by the name of his Death.
Death is a name comprehensive of all evill, of what nature, or of what kind soever: All that was threatned, all that was ever inflicted on man: though much of it fall within the compas of this life, and short of death, yet it is evill purely on the account of its Relation to Death, and its tendency thereunto; which when it is taken away, it is no more generally, and absolutely evill, but in some regard only.
The death of Christ as comprehending his punishment, may be§. 2. considered two wayes.
1. In its selfe.
2. In reference to the Law.
On the first head, I shall only consider the generall evident concomitants of it, as they lye in the story, which are all set down, as aggravations of the Punishment he underwent.
In the latter, give an account of the whole, in refrence to the Law.
1. Of death naturall, which in its whole nature is penall,§. 3. (as hath been elsewhere evinced) there are foure Aggravations whereunto all others may be referred. As 1. that it be violent or bloody. 2. That it be ignominious or shamefull. 3. That it be lingring and painefull. 4. That it be legall and accursed. And all these to the hight, met in the Death of Christ.
1. It was violent and bloody, hence he is said to be§. 4.
1. Slaine, Act. 2. 23. foreign, ye have slaine.
2. Killed, Act. 3. 15. foreign, ye have killed.
3. Put to Death, Ioh. 18. 31, 32.
4. Cut off, Dan. 9. 26.
The death of Christ, and the blood of Christ, are on this account in the Scripture the same. His death was by the effusion of his blood; and what is done by his Death, is still said to be done by his blood. And though he willingly gave up himselfe to God therein, as he was a Sacrifice, yet he was taken by violence, and nailed to the Crosse, as it was a punishment: and the dissolution of his body and soule was by a meanes no lesse violent, then if he had been most unwilling thereunto.
2. It was ignominious and shamefull. Such was the Death§. 5. of the *foreign, seu crucifragium ut crux ipsa, servorum quasi peculiare supplicium fuit. Lipsius. Sublimes extra ordinem aliquae statuebantur cruces; si exempla edenda forent in famosa persona, & ob atrox facinus, aut si ho… supplicio veniret afficiendus ille, cujus odium erat apud omnes flagrantissimum; Salmas. de Cruce: which seemes to be the case in the Crosse of Christ: between these of the thieves. Bene addit crucem, nam servorum non civium crucis erat supplicium. Nannius, in Terent. And. Ac. 3. Noli minitari, Scio Crucem… futuram mihi sepulchrum: ibi mei majores sunt siti, pater, avus, proavus, abavus: servus apud Pla ut. Mil. Glor. 2. 4. 19. Vid. Trach. Histor. lib. 2. 72. Vulcat in Avid. Cassio. cap. 4. Capitolin. in Macrin. cap. 12. Luc. florus lib. 3. cap. 19.Crosse. The death of Slaves, Malefactors, Robbers, Pests of the earth, and burthens of humane society; like those crucifyed with him. Hence he is said to be obedient to Death, the death of the Crosse, Phil. 2. 8. that shamefull and ignominious death. And when he endured the Crosse, he despised the shame also, Heb. 12. 2. To be brought forth scourged as a Malefactor, amongst Malefactors, in the eye of the world, made a scorne and a by word, men wagging the head, and making mouths at him in derision, when he was full of torture bleeding to death, i… no small aggravation of it. Hence the most frequent expression of his death is by the Crosse, and Crucifying.
3. It was lingring: It was the voice of cruelty it selfe, concerning§. 6. one who was condemned to dye: sentia… se mori: let him so die that he may feele himselfe dying; and of one, who to escape torture killed himselfe, evasit, he escaped me: suddaine death though violent, is an escape from torture. Such was this of Christ. From his Agony in the garden, when he began to dye, (all the powers of hell being then let loose upon him) untill the giving up of the Ghost, it was from the evening of one day to the evening of another: from his scourging by Pilate, after which he was under continuall paine, and suffering in his soule, in his body, to his death, it was six houres; & all this while was he under exquisite tortures, as on very many considerations might easily be manifest.
4. It was legall; and so an Accursed death. There was processe §. 7.against him by witnesse and judgement: Though they were indeed all false and unjust, yet to the eye of the world, his death was legall, and consequently accursed. Gal. 3. 13. Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that is, because of the doome of the Law; whose sentence is called a curse, Deut: 27. 29. such was that of Christ, Isa: 53. 4.
2: As all these Aggravations attended his death, as it was§. 8. death it selfe, so there was an universality in all the concernements of it, as it was a legall punishment. Briefely to give some instances.
1. There was an vniversality of efficient Causes: Whether principall or instrumentall. The first great division of causes efficient, is into the Creator and the Creatures, and both here concurred.
1. The Creator, God himselfe laid it upon him; He was not only delivered by his determinate counsell, Acts 2. 22, 23. Acts 4. 27, 28. not spared by him, but given up to death, Rom: 8. 32. but, it pleased him to bruise him, and to put him to griefe, Isa: 53. 10. as also to forsake him, Psal. 2…. 1. so acting in his punishment, by the immission of that which is evill, & the substraction of that which is good, so putting the cup into his hand, which he was to drink, & mixing the wine thereof for him, as shall afterward be declared.
2. Of Creatures one generall division is, into intelligent, and§. 9. brute or irrationall, and both these also in their severall ways concurred to his punishment; as they were to do by the sentence and curse of the Law.
Intelligent Creatures are distinguished into spirituall and invisible, or visible and corporeall also.
Of the first sort are Angells and Divells; which agree in the same nature, differing only in qualities, and states or Conditions. Of all things, the Angells seeme to have no hand in the Death of Christ; for being not Judge, as was God, nor opposite to God as is Sathan, nor under the curse of the Law, as in mankind, and the residue of the Creatures, though they had inestimable benefit by the Death of Christ, yet neither by demerit, nor efficacy, as is revealed, did they adde to his punishment: Only whereas it was their Duty to have preserved him being innocent, and in his way, from violence and fury, their assist…nce was withheld.§. 10.
But from that sort of spirituall invisible Creatures, he suffered in the attemps of the Divell.
Christ looked on him at a distance in his approach to set upon him: the prince of this world (saith he) commeth, John 14. 30. He saw him coming with all his malice, fury, and violence to set upon him, to ruine him if it were possible: And that he had a close combate with him on the crosse, is evident from the conquest that Christ there made of him, Col: 2. 15. which was not done without wounds, and blood, when he brake the Serpents head, the serpent bruised his heele, Gen: 3. 15.§. 11.
2. For men; the second ranke of intellectuall Creatures; they had their influence into this punishment of Christ, in all their distributions, that on any account they were cast into.
1. In respect of Country or Nation, and trhe priviledges thereon attending. The whole World on this account is divided into Jewes and Gentiles; and both these had their Efficiency in this businesse, Psal. 2. 1. Why did the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing? Heathens and People, Gentiles and Iews, are all in it, as the place is Interpreted by the Apostles, Acts 4. 25, 26. And to make this the more eminent, the great Representative of the two People conspired in it; the Sanhedrym of the Iews, and the body of the People in the Metrop…liticall Citty, on the one hand; and the Romans, for the Gentiles, who then were r…rum Domini, and govern'd foreign, as Luke tells us, Chap. 2. 1. The whole on both hands is expressed Math. 20. 18. 19.§. 12.
2. As to Order, men are distinguished into Rulers, and those under Authority, and both sorts herein concur…d.
1. Rulers are either Civill or Eccl…siasticall: both which (notwithstanding al their Divisions) conspir'd in the d…ath of Christ.
1. For Civill Rulers, as it was foretold▪ Ps…l. 2. 2. Psal▪ 2…. 12. so it was accomplished, Acts 4. 25, 26. The story is known of the concurrence of Herod & Pilate in the thing: the one Ruler of the place where he lived, and conversed; the Other, of the Place, where he was taken and Crucified.
2. For Ecclesiasticall Rulers; What was done by the Priests, and all the Councell of the Elders, is known. The matter of fact need not be in…isted on; indeed, they were the great contrivers, and malitious plotters of his death; using all waies and means for the accomplishing of it, Acts 3. 17. in particular, Annas, the usurper of the Priesthood, seems to have had a great hand in the businesse, and therefore to him was he first carried.
2. For those under Authority: besides what we have in the§. 13. Story, Peter tells the Body of the People, Acts 2. 23. that they took him, and with wicked hands crucified him, and slew him: and Ch: 3. 15. That they killed the Prince of life; so Zech. 12. 10. not only the house of David, the Rulers, but the inhabitants of Ierusalem, the people, are said to pierce him, and thence, they who pierced him, is a periphrasis of the Jews. Rev. 1▪ 7. after, every eye shall see him, there is a distribution into them that pierced him, that is, the Iewes, and all the kindreds of the Earth, that is, the Gentiles. The very rabble was stirred up to cry crucify him, crucify him, and did it accordingly, Math: 27. 20. And they all consented as one man in the cry, v. 22. and that with violence and clamour, v. 23. abjects made Mouthes at him, Psal 35. 15. Psal: 22. 6.
3. Distinguish man in Relation to himselfe, either upon a naturall, §. 14.or a morall account, as his kindred and relations, or strangers, & they will appeare to be all engaged: but this is so compriz'd in the former distinction of Jewes and Gentiles, that it need not be insisted on.
2. On a Morall account, as they were either his friends or his Enemies, he suffered from both.
1. His Friends, all his Disciples forsook him, and fled, Mat: 26. 56. the worst of them betrayed him, Mat. 26. 14. & the b…st of them denied him, v. 10. and so there was none to help, Psal: 22. 11.
And if it were thus with him in the house of his friends, what may be expected from
2. His Enemies; their malice and conspiracy, their implacablenesse and cruelty, their plotting and accomplishment of their designes, take up so great a part of the History of his Crucifying, that I shall not need insist on particular instances.
Yea mankind was engaged, as distinguished into Sexes. Of§. 15. men of all sorts, you have heard already: and that tempting, ensnaring, captious question of the Maid to Peter manifests, that amongst his Persecutors, there were of that Sex also, Math: 26. 69.
Of mens distinction by their employments, of Souldiers, Lawyers, Citizens, Divines, all concurring to this work: I shall not adde any thing to what hath been spoken.
Thus the first Order of Creatures, those that are intellectuall, §. 16.were universally, at least with a distributive universality, engaged in the suffering of the Lord Jesus; and the Reason of this generall engagement, was, because the Curse, that was come upon them for sinne, had filled them all with Enmity one against another. 1. Fallen Man, and Angells, were engaged into an everlasting Enmity, on the first Entrance of sinne, Gen: 3▪ 15, 16. 2. Men one towards another were filled with malice, and envy, and hatred, Titus 3. 3.
3. The Jewes and Gentiles were engaged by way of visible representation of the Enmity which was come on all Mankind, Ioh: 4. 9. Eph: 2. 15, 16, 17. and therefore he who was to undergoe the whole Curse of the Law, was to have the rage and fury of them all executed on him. As I said before, all their persecution of him concerned not his death, as it was a sacrifice, as he made his soule an Offering for sinne; but as it was a punishment, the utmost of their Enmity was to be executed towards him.
2. The residue of the Creatures concur'd thus farre to his sufferings,§. 17. as to manifest themselves at that time, to be visibly under the Curse and indignation, that was upon Him, and so withdrew themselves as it were, from yeilding him the least assistance. To instance in generall, Heaven and Earth lost their glory, and that in them which is usefull and comfortable to the Children of Men, without which all the other Conveniences, and Advantages, are as a thing of nought: The Glory of Heaven, is its light, Psal: 10 1, 2. And the glory of the Earth, is its stability; He hath fixed the Earth, that i… shall not be moved.
Now both these were lost at once. The Heavens were darkned, when it might be expected in an ordinary cou…se, that the Sun should have shone in its full beauty, Math: 27. 45. Luke 23. 44, 45. And the Earth lost its stability, and shooke or trembled, v: 51. and the rocks rent, and the graves opened; all Evidences of that disspleasure against sinne, which God was then putting in execution to the utmost, Rom. 1. 18.
Thus first in his suffering there was an universality of efficient causes.
2. There was an universality in respect of the Subject, wherein§. 18. he suffered. He suffered, 1. In his Person, 2. In his Name, 3. In his Friends, 4. In his Goods; as the Curse of the Law extended to all, and that universally in all these.
1. In his Person, or his Humane Nature in his Person; he suffered in the two essentiall constituent parts of it: His Body, and hi… Soule.
1. His Body, In generall, as to its integrall parts; his Body was broken, 1 Cor. 11. 24. and Crucified; his Blood was shed, or poured out.
2. His Soul. His Soul was made an Offering for sinne, Isa. 53. 10. And his Soul was heavy unto Death, Math. 26. 27, 38.
2. In particular: his Body suffered in all its concernments, namely,§. 19. all his Senses, and all its parts or members.
1. In all its Senses: as to instance,
1. In his feeling; he was full of Paine, which made him, as he sayes, cry for disquietnesse; and this is comprised in every one of those expressions, which say he was Broken, Pierced, and lived so long on the Crosse, in the midst of most exquisite torture; untill being full of paine, he cryed out, and gave up the Ghost, Math. 27. 50.
2. His Tasting. When he fainted with losse of Blood, and grew thirsty, they gave him Gall and Vinegar to drinke, Math. 27. 34. Ioh: 19. 29▪ Math. 27. 48. not to Stupify his senses, but to encrease h…orment.
3. His Seeing. Though not so much in the naturall Organ of it, as in its use. He saw his Mother, and Disciples standing by, full of Griefe, Sorrow, and Confusion, which exceedingly encreased his Anguish and Perplexity, Ioh: 19. 25▪ 26. And he saw his Enemies full of Rage and Horror, standing round abou… him, Psal 22. He saw them passing by, and wagging the head in sco…n, Math. 29. 39. Psal. 22. 7, 8.
4. His Eares were filled with Reproach and Blasphemy, of which he grievously complaines, Psal: 22. 7, 8, 16. which also is expressed in its Accomplishment, Math. 27. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44. Luke 23. 36, 37, 38. They reproach'd him with his God, and his Ministry, and his Profession: as did also one of the Thieves that was crucified with him. And
5. They crucifyed him in a noysome place, a place of stink and loathsomenesse: a place where they cast the dead bod…s of men, from whose bones it got the name of Golgotha, a place of dead mens sculles, Math: 26. 33.
2. He Suffer…d in all the Parts of his Body; especially those,§. 20▪ which are most …ender and full of Sense.
1. For his Head, they platted a Crowne of Thornes, and put it on him; and to Encrease his paine, smo…e it on (that the Thornes might pierce him the deeper) with their staves, Math: 27. 28, 29. as the Jewes had stricken him before, Ch: 26. 68. Ioh. 19. 2, 3.
2 His Face they spit upon, buffeted, stroke, and plucked off his haire, Isa: 50 6. Math: 26 67, 68.
3 His Back was torne with whippes and scourges, Math: 27. 27. Ioh: 19. 1. foreign; there they made long their furrowes.
4 His Hands, and Feet, and Side, were pierced with nailes and Speares, Psal: 22. 16.
5 To expresse the residue of his Body, and the Condition of it, when he hung on the Crosse so long by the Sorenesse of his Hands and his Feet, saies he, all my Bones are out of joynt, Psal: 22. 17. and also v: 14, 15.
Thus was it with his Body, the like also is expressed of his Soule, for§. 21.
1 On his Mind was darknesse; not in it, but on it, as to his Apprehension of the Love and Presence of God. Hence was his cry, Psal: 22. 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Math: 27. 46. Though his Faith was upon the whole of the matter prevalent and victorious, Isa: 50 8, 9: Yet he had many sore conflicts with the sense and apprehension of Gods wrath for sinne, and that desertion he was then under, as to any cheering influences of his Love and Presence.
For the rest of his faculties, he was not only under the pressure of the most perplexing, grievous, and burthensome passions, that humane nature is obnoxious unto, as, 1. Heavinesse, His soul was heavy unto death, Math: 26. 37.
2 Griefe; No Sorrow like to his, Lament. 1. 12.
3 Feare, Heb. 5. 7. But also was pressed into a condition, beyond what we have words to expresse, or names of passions, or affections to set it forth by▪ Hence he is said to be in an Agony, Luke 22. 44. to be amazed, Marke 14. 33. with the like expressions, intimating a condition miserable and distressed, beyond what we are able to comprehend or expresse.
2 In his Name, his Repute, or credit, he suffered also; He was§.. 22 numbered amongst Transgressors, Isa: 53. 11 Psal: 22. counted a malefactor, and crucified amongst them; a Seducer, a Blasphemer, a Seditious person, a False Prophet, and was cruelly mocked, and derided on the Crosse, as an Impost…r, that saved others, but could not save himselfe; that pretended to be the Messias, the King of Israel, but could not come down from the Crosse; laid in the ballance with Barrabas, a Rogue and a Murtherer, and rejected for him.
3 In his Friends; The Shepheard was Smitten, and the sheep scattered, §. 23.Zech: 13. 7. All his Friends dist…essed, scattered, glad to fly for their lives, or to save themselves, by doing the things that were worse then death.
4 In his Goods; even all that he had; they parted his Garments, and cast lots for his Vesture, Psal: 22. 18. Thus did he not in any thing go free; that the Curse of the Law in all things might be executed on him; the Law curses a man in all his Concernements; with the immission and infliction of every thing that is evill, and the substraction of every thing that is good: that is, with paena sensus, & paena damni, as they are called.
In reference to the Law, I say, that Christ underwent that very §. 24.punishment, that was threatned in the Law, and was due to sinners. The same that we should have undergone, had not our surety done it for us; to cleere this briefely observe
1. That the Punishment of the Law may be considered two waies.
1 Absolutely in its own nature, as it lies in the Law, and the threatning thereof. This in generall is called Death. Gen: 3. 15. Ezek. 15. 4. Rom: 5. 12. And by way of Aggravation, because of its comprizing the death of Body and Soul, death unto death, 2 Cor: 2. 16. and the second death, Rev: 20. 14. and the curse, Deut: 27. 29. and Math: 25. 41. and wrath, &c. hence we are said to be delivered from wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1. 10▪ Rom: 2. 5. wrath, or the day of wrath: and in innumerable other places; all which are set out in many metaphoricall expressions by those things, which are to the Nature of man most dreadfull; as of a Lake with fir… and brimstone; of Tophet whose pile is much wood, and the like.
Of this punishment in generall there are two parts.
1. Losse, or separation from God, expressed in these words,§. 25. Depart from mee, Math: 7. 23. Go ye cursed, Math: 25. 41. as also 2 Thess: 1. 9.
2 Sense or paine, whence it is called fire; as 2 Thess. 1. 9. Torments, &c. All this we say Christ underwent, as shall be farther manifested.
2 Punishment of the Law may be considered relatively, to its subject, or the Person Punished, and that in two regards.§. 26.
1 In reference to its own attendencyes, and necessary consequents, as it falls upon the Persons to be punished; and these are two.
1 That it be a worme that dieth not, Math. 9. 44. Isa. 66. 24.
2 That it be a fire, not to be quenched, that it be everlasting, that its torments be eternall: and both these I say attend and follow the punishment of the Law, on the account of its relation to the persons punished; for
1 The Worme, is from the inbeing, and everlasting abiding of a mans own sinne; that tormenting anguish of Conscience, which shall perplex the damned to Eternity, attends their punishment, meerely from their own sinne inherent; this Christ could not undergoe. The worme attends not sinne imputed, but sinne inherent; especially not sinne imputed to him, who underwent it Willingly; It being the cruciating vexation of mens own thoughts, kindled by the Wrath of God against themselves, about their own sinne.
2 That this worme never dyes, that this fire can never be quenched, but abides for ever, is also from the relation of punishment to a finite creature, that is no more. Eternity is not absolutely in the curse of the Law, but as a finite creature is cursed thereby. If a sinner could at once admit upon himselfe that which is …quall in divine justice to his offence, and so make satisfaction, there might be an end of his punishment in time. But a finite, and every way limited Creature, having sinned his eternity in this World, against an Eternall and infinite God, must abide by it for ever. This was Christ free from; the dignity of his person was such, as that he could fully sati…fy divine justice, in a limited season; after which, God in justice lo…sed the pains of death, for it was impossible he should be detained thereby, Acts 2. 24. and that because he was able to swallow up death into victory.
2 Punishment, as it relates to the Persons Punished may be§. 27. also considered in respect of the effects, which it produceth in them, which are not in the punishment absolutely considered, and these are generally two.
1 Repining against God, and Blaspheming of him; as in that type of Hell, Isa. 8. 20. This is evill, or sin in its selfe, which punishment is not. It is from the righteous God, who will doe no iniquity. This proceeds from mens hatred of God; They hate him in this world, when he doth them good; and blesses them with many mercies; how much more will their hatred be increased, when they shall be cut off from all favour or mercy whatever; and never enjoy one drop of refreshment from him. They hate him, his justice, yea his blessednesse, and all his perfections; Hence they murmure, repine, and blaspheme him; Now this must needs be infinitely remote from him▪ who in love to his Father, and his fathers Glory, underwent this punishment; He was loved of the Father, and loved him, and willingly dranke of this Cup, which poysons the souls of Sinners with wrath and revenge.
2. Despaire in themselves; their hopes being cut off to eternity, there remaining no more sacrifice for sinne, they are their own tormentors with everlastingly perplexing despaire: But this our Saviour was most remote from; and that because he believed he should have a glorious issue of the triall the underwent, Heb. 12 2. Isa. 50. 8.
But as to the punishment that is threatned in the Law, in it§. 28. selfe considered▪ Christ underwent the same that the Law threatned, and which we should have undergone. For.
1. The Law threatned death, Gen. 3. 15. Ezek. 18. 4. and he tasted death for us, Heb 2. 9. Psal. 22. 7, 8. The punishment of the Law is the curse, Deut. 27. 29. and he was made a curse, Gal. 3▪ 13. The Law threatned losse of the Love and the favour of God, and …e lost it, Psal. 22. 1.
To say that the death threatned by the Law was one, and that Christ underwent another, that Eternall, this Temporall, and so also of the curse, & desertion threatned, (besides what shall be said afterward) would render the whole businesse of our Salvation unintelligible, as being revealed in termes equivocall no where explained.
2. There is not the least intimation in the whole book of God, of any change of the punishment, in reference to the surety from what it was, or should have been, in respect of the sinner. God made all our iniquities to meet on him; that is, (as hath been declared) the punishment due to them. Was it the same punishment or another? Did we d…serve one punishment, and Christ undergoe another? Was it the sentence of the Law, that was executed on him, or was it some other thing, that he was obnoxious to? It is said, that he was made under the Law, Gal. 4. 4. that sin was condemned in his flesh, Ro. 8. 3 that God spared him not Ro. 8. 31. that he tasted death; that he was made a curse; all relating to the Law: that he suffered more or lesse there is no mention.
It is strange to me, that we should deserve one punishment, and he who is punished for us, undergoe another; yet both of them be constantly described by the same names, and Titles. If God laid the punishment of our sinnes on Christ, certainely it was the punishment that was due to them; mention is every where made of a commutation of Persons, the just suffering for the unjust, the sponsor for the offender, his name as a surety being taken into the obligation, and the whole debt required of him; but of a change of punishment, there is no mention at all. And there is this desperate consequence that wil be made readily, upon a supposall that any lesse then the curse of the Law and death, in the nature of it eternall, was inflicted on Christ, namely, that God indeed is not such a sore revenger of sinne, as in the Scripture he is proposed to be; but can passe it by in the way of composition on much easier termes.
3. The punishment due to us, that is in the curse of the Law, §. 29.consists (as was said,) of two parts.
1. Losse, or separation from God.
2. Sence, from the infliction of the evill threatned; and both these did our Saviour undergoe.
For the first, it is expressed of him, Psal. 22. 1. and he actually complaines of it himselfe, Math. 27. 46. and of this cry for a while, he sayes, O my God, I cry in the day time and thou hearest not Psal. 22. 2. untill he gives out that grievous complaint, v. 15. My strength is dryed up like a potsherd; Which cry he pressed so long with strong cryes and supplications, untill he was heard▪ and delivered from what he feared, Heb. 5. 7. They who would invent evasions for this expresse complaint of our Saviour, that he was deserted and forsaken, as that he spake it in reference to his Church, or of his own being left to the power and malice of the Jewes, do indeed little lesse then blaspheme him; and say he was not forsaken of God, when himselfe complaines that he was. Forsaken I say, not by the disjunction of his personall union; but as to the communication of effects of love and favour, which is the desertion that the damned lye under in Hell. And for his being forsaken, or given up to the hands of men, was that i…, which he complained of? was that it whereof he was afraid? which he was troubled at? which he sweat blood under the consideration of? and had need of an Angell to comfort and support him? Was he so much in courage and resolution below those many thousands who joyfully suffered the same things for him? If he was only forsaken to the power of the Jewes; it must be so. Let men take heed how they give occasion of blaspheming the holy and blessed name of the Son of God.
Vaninus that grand Atheist, who was burned for Atheisme atVidi ego dum plaustro per ora vulgi traducitur, illudentem Theollogo e Franciscanis, cujus cura mollire ferocitatem a…imi obstinati. Lucilius ferocitate contumax, dum in patibulum traditus, Monachi solatium aspernatus objectam Crucem aversatur, Christo{que} illudit in haec eadem verba; illi in extremis prae timore imbellis sudor, ego imperterritus morior. Falso sane imperterritum se dixit scelestus homo, quem vidimus dejectum animo, Philosophia uti pessime, cujus se mentiebatur professorem. Erat illi in extremis aspectus ferox & horridus▪ inquieta mens, an xium quodcun{que} loquebatur: & quanquam Philosophicè mori se clamabat identidem, finiisse ut brutum nemo negaverit. Antequam rogo subdere…ur ignis: jussus sacrilegam linguam cultro submittere, negat, ne{que} exerit, nisi forcipum vi apprehensam carnifex ferro abscindit: non alias voci feratio horridior: diceres mugire ictum Bovem, &c. Hic Lucilii Vanini finis, cui quanta conssantia fuerit, probat belluinus in morte clamor. Vidi ego in custodia, vidi in patibulo, videram antequam subiret vincula: flagitiosus in libertate, & voluptatum sectator avidus, in carcere Catholicus, in extremis, omni Philosophiae praesidio destitutus, amens moritur. Gramon: Histor. Gal. lib. 3. ad An. 1619. Tholouse in France, all the way as he went to the stake did nothing but insult over the Friers, that attended him; telling them, that their Saviour when he was led to death did sweat and tremble, & was in an Agony. But He upon the account of Reason, whereunto he sacrificed his life, went with boldnesse and cheerfulnesse: God visibly confuted his blasphemy, and at the stake he not only trembled and quaked, but roared with horrour. But let men take heed how they justify the Atheisticall thoughts of men, in asserting our blessed Redeemer to have been cast into that miserable and deplorable condition, meerly with the consideration of a temporary death, which perhaps the thieves that were crucifyed with him did not so much tremble at.
2. For paena sensus: from what hath been spoken it is sufficiently§. 30. manifest what he underwent on this account. To what hath been delivered before, of his being bruised, afflicted, broken of God from Isa. 53. although he was taken from prison, and iudgement, or everlasting condemnation, v. 8. Adde but this one consideration of what is affirmed of him, that he tasted death for us Heb: 2. 9. and this will be cleared. What death was it he tasted? The death that had the curse attending it, Gal: 3. 13. He was made a curse; and what death that was himselfe declares, Mat. 25. 41. where calling men accursed, he crys goe into everlasting fire: you that are obnoxious to the Law, goe to the punishment of hell; yea and that curse which he underwent Gal. 3. 13. is opposed to the blessing of Abraham, v: 14. or the blessing promised him, which was doubtlesse life eternall.
And to make it yet more cleare, it was by death that he delivered us from death, Heb. 2. 14, 15. and if he dyed only a temporall death, he delivered us only from temporall death, as a punishment. But he shews us what death he delivered us from, and consequently what death he underwent for us, John 8. 51. He shall never see death; that is, eternall death, for every Believer shall see death temporall.
On these considerations it is evident, that the sufferings of§. 31. Christ in relation to the Law, were the very same that were threatned to sinners, and which we should have undergone, had not our surety undertaken the worke for us. Neither was there any difference in reference to God the Judge, and the sentence of the law, but only this, that the same Person who offended, did not suffer▪ and that those consequences of the punishment inflicted, which attend the offenders own suffering, could have no place in him; but this being not the maine of my present designe, I shall no farther insist on it.
Only I marvell, that any should think to implead this truth§. 32▪ of Christs suffering the same that we did, by saying that Christs obligation to punishment was sponsionis propriae, ours violatae legis: As though it were the manner how Christ came to be obnoxious to punishment, and not what punishment he underwent, that is asserted when we say, that he underwent the same that we should have done. But as to say, that Christ became obnoxious to punishment the same way that we do, or did, that is, by sinne of his own, is blasphemy: so to say he did not upon his own voluntary undertaking, undergoe the same, is little lesse. It is true, Christ was made sinne for us, had our sinne imputed to him, not his own; was obliged to answer for our fault, not his own; but he was obliged to answer what we should have done: but hereof elsewhere.