Contemplations and Devotions, Part 1
I. His bloudy sweat in the Garden.Luke. 22.44
SWeat and blood are the two best emblemes of labour and passion, of doing and suffering, and so, the best epitomes, or (if you will) iournals of our Saviours life and death; for both made vp the travaylesEsai. 53 11. of his soule; the first he wrote in sweat, the other in blood: his life; what other was it then a cōtinued sweat of passive action,Mat. 4.23. Hee went about alwayes doing good; his death, what, but as incessant a bloodshed of active passion?Esai. 53.12 hee powred out his soule to death, nor can wee find any two things in nature that may better serue for the indexes, or rather seales, of those his two Testaments, then these two, sweat and blood;Phil. 2.12. that of the Law, working out in sweat saluation with feare and trembling, that of the Gospell, buying it out with blood in price and value; in these two therefore doth he (here) beginne his passion, it being to bee the execution of both those Testaments; the complement of the one, and supplement of the other: nor is it without yet further mysterie; in these two (Sweat and Blood) begins this our second Adams execution, because in these two (vponupon the matter) begins the first Adams sentence; the Sweat of his browes, Gen. 3.19.whereby hee must live the life; the blood of mortality, whereby hee must dye the death: and yet further, that mans ransome and ruine might hold yet a more thorough proportion, both are in a Garden, that as in a Garden man had played the wanton with Gods bounty, so in a Garden too, this more then man might play the Champion with Gods fury; it was in a Garden, that God sought man sold to the devill for an apple, Adam where art thou? Gen. 3.9.and 'tis here in a Garden too, that men seeke God sold by a devill, for as very a trifle:Iohn 6.70. Ioh. 18.4.5. whom seeke yee? Iesus of Nazareth. In each Garden wee read of a drawne sword,Gen. 3.24. in that by the Cherubim, Luk. 22.50.in this, by Peter; that flames, but this wounds; that but menaces, but this maimes; what was in that Gardē but threatend to the first Adam, that was in this Garden suffered by the second; the difference is this, in that first Garden, the sword is still hostily brandished, a flaming sword that turned every way, Gen. 3.24.in this second 'tis peaceably put vp, Peter put vp thy sword; so,Ioh. 18.11. nor shall the difference of these two Gardens bee of lesse comfort then is their concord, though in that first Garden of Paradise, the sword still keepes the dispossessed posterity of Adam from ever (here) returning thither,Gen. 3.24. wee must first passe vnderunder the Angels sword, the stroke of death; yet to this latter Garden of redemption a better Paradise to vsus, wee have free and safe accesse, no sword heere threatens, no Angell keepes the doore, hee who is the Angell of the Covenant, Reu. 3.7.both doore of the Fold, and Keeper of the doore, and that with that irresistible key of David, cryes here,Isa. 55.1. come vntounto mee all, in a word, as at first in a Garden man was doom'd by God,Mat. 11.2… Gen. 3.19. to earne his bread for life by his Sweat, so in a Garden here God earnes for man the bread of life by his Sweat too; nor is it of the browes onelyonly as that, but of the whole body, yea and soule too,Psal. 105.18 the irons entred into his soule, Rom. 5.20.nor (that grace might every way superabound sinnes abounding,) shall it bee lesse then a Sweat of blood, that herein bloody murderous Caine might have bathed his purple soule as well as idle luxurious Adam his; here's for both, both, blood and sweat: and that in the strange abundance of a shoure; nor is it a dewie misty one,Luk. 22.44 but of great drops running downe through his clothes to the ground: but what? bee the pleurisy never so great, how strange is the phlebotomy? it seemes not to consult, or where the signe lyes, or where the sicknesse: what the whole body at once? alas, the least drop of this blood thus dignified by that enriching interest of vnion: it hath with the God-head, were of price enough, had he so pleased, to have ransomed as many worlds of men, as there bee men in this; here seemes a better place, for Iudas his quorsum haec perditio, whitherto tends this waste, Ioh. 12.4.why is hee thus prodigall of his blood thus precious? why inuerts hee so that prophesie of all nations flowing vntounto him, Esa. 53.by thus profusely flowing at once to all nations: alas wee had all of vsus sinned, Rom. 5.and all of vsus against all the whole Law, in all the whole man: and therefore so full, so proportionate shall bee the satisfaction, that hee who is all in all and for all, Coll. 3.11.will answereably bleed throughout all the whole body; nor will this our Eliah thinke, this his selfe-sacrifice once offered for all, 1 Kings 18.compleate enough, vnlesse he first drench it in a floud of his owne sweat and blood.Heb. 9.28. But, nor is the cure lesse strāge then the Physicke: the Method then the Medicine; as it seemes not to aduise, where the signe lyes, so nor where the sicknesse: 'twas we had surfeited, and doth hee purge? Ours was the fever, and doth hee bleed? oft times a bleeding in the head (Physitians say) is best stopt by striking a veine in the foot, but here the malady is in the foot, the remedy in the head: true, but the spirituall blood of Sin, holds a contrary course to that of the body, it flowes vpward against Heaven, the voice of thy brothers blood cries vp to Heaven: Gen. 4.10.therefore to cure that spiritual bloody Issue of the foot, sinne, must the head thus bleed for it; must (I say) not out of any necessity on his side, more then that of his owne decree and promise, all the necessity, at least the need, was ours. Saint Austine gives the distinction best, that hee was thus to bleed for vsus, (sai h hee) it was on our side, miseranda n…c ssitas, on his but miserans voluntas, on ours a miserable necessity, on his but a commiserating mercy; and ye… so great will hee have, both his mercy, and our sinnes, at once appeare to vsus, that hee will give vsus the measure of the ones merit in no lesse, then a shoure, of the others guilt in no lesse, then a Shoure of blood. If then in the midst of this Shoure, so plenteous, so precious, wee bee with Gideons fleece, Iudg. 6.40.still dry, what else can wee blame but our owne incapacities of this heavenly raine, heres neither want of power, price, or plenty, a Shoure of blood, no nor of promise neither,Psal. 72.6. hee shall come downe (saies David) like the raine into a fleece of wooll: here (in a more heavenly sense) is that raine of Heaven, Deut. 11.11that the land of promise drinkes, that early and latter raine; early to the Patriarks, latter to vsus: here's that dew of Hermon, Psal. 133.3.that fals vponupon the Hill of Sion, such as with constant Sion cannot bee removed; here is that Balme of Gilead, that only cures tht daughter of his people; the Oyntment of Aaron, Psal. 133.2that runnes downe from this Head to the vttermost Skirts of his clothing, the meanest of his members; this blo…dy balmy Sweat, it here fals in a Garden, and indeed where ever, it fals in merit and effect 'tis sure to make, though of the barsennest wildernesse of sinne, a fruitfull, a fragrant Garden of grace, that hearbe of grace cannot but grow in that Garden which this Shoure waters.
It had been much, where no outward violence was offered, nor labour sustayned, specially in the cold time of night, so cold that hardier Souldiers were faine to have a Fire within doores; abroad too in the raw aire, and on the cooler earth in any sort to have sweat at all: nor is it a thin faint Sweat, not sudor draphoreticus, (as Physitians speake) but grumosus, of great drops: and those so many, so violent, as they pierce not onelyonly his skinne, but clothes too: Luk. 22 44.and that in full streames to the ground, and yet may all this fall within the compasse of a naturall possibility, and much exceeds not the fury of a Fever, but a Sweat of blood, as it puts all time and story to seeke for matter of example, so puts it nature and reason to silence too for matter of cause: might hee not well then complaine of his sweat, as of his sorrow, Lam. 1.12.was there ever Sweat like vntounto this of mine? but, alas doth hee not complaine? yes, and 'tis that complaine? of his (if it bee possible let this Cup passe) that speakes his sorrow,Mat. 26.30. his sufferings, yet more then either his sweat or blood; how much lesse is it for a man (in any sort) to sweat, to bleed, ther for a God in the least to complaine? 'tis not indeed for a man to conceive, what it is for a God to complaine I will not therefore (with some) call this agony, the sleepe of his divinity, so happily I should my selfe the while but sleepe, and dreame him such a God, as Baal, 1 K…ng. 18.27.cry aloud, for it may be hee sleepeth. Whereas hee is the Keeper of Israel, who can nor slumber nor sleepe. I dare not thinke (with Lumba…a) any word, much lesse prayer of his, could proceed, ex impetu naturae sine imperio rationis, nor will I with others define either the causes of this Sweat, or the ingredients of that Cup, Psal. 75.9.(for 'twas a mixt one) so I might easily play the vn ust Steward and write fourescore for the hundred: no,Luk. 16.7 rather let mee call this passage with Esay, the travaile of his soule, the passion of his passion,Esa. 53 11. and conclude of the cause, why hee did complaine, with David, speaking of the cause why (in an other case) hee himselfe did not complaine, I was dumbe, Psal. 39.10.and not opened my mouth: because 'twas thou O Lord that didst it; and might hee not well complaine,Lam. 1 13 that God had sent his fire from above into his bones; how truely doth it here appeare in Sweat: might hee not well complaine (in his type) that the Irons had entred into his soule, Psa. 105.18how truely doth it here appeare in blood; how iustly too might hee complaine, that his soule was powred out, Psal. 22.14.both like Wax and like Water, here are the very streames or both, Blood, and Sweat. The spirit of a man, (saies Solomon) may sustaine his infirmities, but a wounded spirit who can beare, such was his: the arrowes of God dranke vp his Spirit: Iob 6 4.and therefore how well might hee say, thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind: Psal. 88.16.and yet alas, all this 'tis but the beginning of sorrowes, but the first approaches and offers of that Cup, which afterward hee dranke off, dregs and all to the last drop; but a serious and thoughtfull pre-apprehension of what hee was to suffer, nor doubtlesse could the dexterity and keenesse of that his apprehension, of what sinne deserued, but much aggravate what hee suffered; apprehension, if strong and active, ever gives edge, and sting to misery; 'tis the soundest body is ever most sensible of paine; feare still and feeling too, most what take m…asure from apprehension, never any man could so fully as hee, apprehend the iust cause of this feare, sins gu…lt: and therefore no maruaile if never a…y did so fully feele the weight of this feare, sinnes horror: passions, of what kind soever, worke ever strongest, on best knowen obiects; the apprehensiue expectation of an evill, is many times little lesse then the present sense; sodaine vnseen evils afflict both slacker and shorter, and doe but swallow without chewing; 'tis one of the miseries of being wise, that it armes misery against it selfe, and grinds it into a sharper edge; the edgetooles, which it lends misery to cut its owne fingers with, are ever two, expectation, and apprehension; the first ever anticipates, the second exasperates the paine: hence is it, that men feare not hell, because their eyes of faith are not strong and apprehensive enough to foresee it; were that pit of darkenesse, where our sins are to suffer, but in any measure of its true horror (to the life, or rather to the death, and depth) layd open and displayed to our apprehensions, how would our knees tremble, Dan. 5.3, 4.and enterfeare with Baltazars; how would our Bowels burne with those disciples,Luk. 24.32 and before hand without true repentance with Iudas's gush cut, Acts 1.to breake loose (if possible) from those fierce Furnaces of our anguish'd consciences: doubtlesse, no thornes, nor whips, nor nailes drew blood from him with that torture, that the sight of this Cup here doth; it was those over-flowings of our vngodlinesse, Psal. 18 3.that made him thus affraid: But O my blessed Lord and Saviour, thou beganst thy passion in a sweat, let mine eyes (Lord) wait ever on thee, Psal. 123.2.as the hand-maids on her mistresse, and not beginne their compassion, but in a Sweat too, a Sweat of sorrow and contrition: thine Lord was a bloody one, bee mine so too,Aug. sanguis vulnerati cordis, otherwise as is praying but from the lips outward, so is weeping but from the eyes outward, either but the sacrifice of fooles, but eye-seruice. Epes. 6.6.O let mee not apprehend what thou suffer'dst for me without sorrow, and compassion, when as thou thy selfe, Lord, didst not apprehend what I deserued from thee, without feare and horror. Blood (they say) whereas nothing else, can soften the Adamant; if my heart then doe not soften, melt, bleed in all this so plenteous a Shoure, of this so precious blood, what should be left to melt such a heart, so much harder then the nether Milstone, but the Fire of Hell? But alas Lord,Ioh. 18.11 wilt thou not drinke of the Cup, which thy Father gives thee? Mat. 26.39It is not possible, that this Cup passe from thee, vnlesse it passe to mee, and so (alas) Fire and Brimstone, Storme and Tempest, Psal. 11.7.this will be my portion to drinke, and my Cup will bee full; No (Lord) I confesse, I am not able to drinke of this thy Cup, if thou leave but one drop for me, it will vtterly cast mee into that incurable Dropsie of Dives, after a despayred drop of water. Luk. 16.No, give mee rather here (Lord) with David, Psal. 42.3.pl…n eousnesse of teares to drinke, and so, may my Cup over-flow, and spare not, bee thou but the portion of mine inheritance, and of my Cup; Psal. 16 6.and so I shall bee able to pledge thee in this Cup too, alayed, and sugred with thy mercy: so, spare mee not from sweating with thee, and if need bee from bleeding too, at least (with thy Apostle) let mee never cease, both to sweat and bleed in that continuall agony of his, the good fight, in that daily martyrdome of his mortification.2 Tim. 4.7. 1 Cor. 15.31
This fruitfull Shoure (Lord) of thy blessed bloody Swear, as it fell in a Garden, so let it ever plentifully fall on the Garden of thy Church, send ever Lord this gracious raine on thine inheritance, Psal. 68.9to refresh it when 'tis weary: Let one drop (at least) of this so abundant, and everlasting Shoure, light on thy owne inclosure: but (alas! in it selfe) a dry and barren wildernesse, Psal, 143 6.where no water is, my thorny, yet thirsty heart; so, yet, shall it become a fruitfull, a fragrant Garden vntounto thee, 'tis thou (O Lord) that makest of the barrenest wildernesse, Can. 4.16.a fruitfull Field. Arise O North, and come O South, and blow on this Garden, that the spices thereof may flow, in those great slaughters of thy Murderers (O Lord) both at Ierusalem, and Bittere, wherein so fully, both to their owne desert and wish, Math. 27.25thy blood lay so heavily on them, and on their children: 'tis said the Romanes found no such manurance for their Vines, and Gardens, as the blood of Iewes; how much better (in a better sense) will thi… better blood of thine, bee for this Vine, this Garden of my soule? How can there in this Garden, thus manured, thus watred, but grow those hearbes of grace, the purging Hysop of repentance,Psal. 51. the ever greene time of hope, fading,Leu. 14.4. no not in the stormiest winter of aduersity; the Cammomill of Patience, that growes the more 'tis trod on, the true Marigold of Faith, that shuts and opens to none but thee,Mal. 4.2. the Sunne of righteousnesse, the inclining stooping Violet of Humilitie, the imbracing clasping Honysuckle of Charitie, &c. How can it bee (so dress'd) but barren to the weeds of sinfull pleasure, the Onions and Garlike of Egypt, let no Serpent (Lord) ever lurke in this Garden, Gen. 3.to reach here any forbidden fruit, and so to over reach the eater; but as in that other Garden, where thou layest entomb'd, they had a Watch and Seale, Mat. 27.59.wherwith to make all sure, that none might steale thee thence; so, in this Garden of my soule (Lord) having both, the Watch of conscience, and the Seale of faith, let me to a better purpose make all so sure, that nothing ever may steale thee hence; but that thou mayest ever say of it, as of thy Spouse, a Garden enclosed is my Sister, Can. 4.12a Spring shut vp, a Fountaine sealed.