touch some circumstances and then fall upon the point it selfe as 1 The time wherein hee was forsaken a time of darknesse the sixth houre in which there was a darknesse over the whole earth and in the land of Iudea especially Neither had hee darknesse without onely but within likewise his soule was troubled from a sense of his fathers displeasure two Ecclipses seazed upon him together the one of the glorious light of the Sunne the other of the light of his Fathers countenance Hee must needes be in a disconsolate estate and doubly miserable thaâ— is incompassed with such darknesse whatsoever was done to Christ our surety shall be done to all that are out of him blacknessâ— of darknesse is reserved for them As Christ wanted the comfort of light from heaven so those that are out of Christ shall have no comfort from any creature at at the last the Sunne shall not shine upon them the earth shall not beare them they shall not have a drop of water to coole their tongues they were formerly Rebels against God and now every creature is ready to serve the Lord against them when the King is displeased with a man which of his servants dare to countenance him This darknesse being in Iudea did likewise portend the miserable condition of the Iewes here and that eternall darknesse in the the world to come which should be their portion if they repented not Another circumstance may be this God was a great while ere he removed his heavy displeasure from Christ he was three houres in torment And though God delayed him long yet hee said nothing til now by way of complaint wee should beware of darknesse of spirit in trouble God may delay helpe to his dearest children as here he did to his onely Son to perfect the worke of sanctification in them therefore submit to his wil rest contented with whatever hee sends looke to thy Head and Saviour c. But of this more anone 3 His greatest griefe and conflicts were towards his latter end towards the shutting up and cloze of his life though a little after hee saith All is finished yet now he cries out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Afflictions are sharpest toward our Ends. I speake this for prevention of discomfort in those that finde extremities upon them when miseries are extreame helpe is nearest They will either mend or end then the darknesse is thickest a little before the morning appeares and Sathan raged most a little before his casting downe As also to prevent security from seazing upon people take heed of deferring repentance till thy last houres there may be a confluence of many extreamities then upon thee paines of body terrours of conscience Sathans temptations Gods wrath c when all these meete together and the poore soule in its best strength findes enough to doe to conflict with any one of them what an unhappy condtion will that be Oh put not off your repentance to this time But I passe these circumstances come to the point of forsaking it selfe In the unfolding whereof I wil shew 1 In what sense Christ was forsaken 2 In what parts hee was forsaken 3 Upon what ground And 4 To what end all this forsaking of Christ was For the first forsaking is nothing else but when God leaves the creature to it selfe either in regard of comfort or of grace and assistance I will shew you how Christ was leâ—t of his Father and how he was not leâ—t 1 Hee was not forsaken in regard of Gods love for my Father loveth me saith he because I give my life for my sheepe God never loved Christ more then now because hee was never more obedient than at this present 2 Nor in regard of Vnion for there was no separation of his divine nature from the humane there was a suspension of vision indeed hee saw no comfort for the present from God but there was no dissolution of Union for the divine nature did many things in this seeming forsaking that was it which supported his humane nature to suâ—taine the burthen of our sinnes and the wrath of God as also that gave merit and worth of satisfaction to his sufferings 3 Neither was this forsaking in regard of grace as if faith or love or any other grace were taken from Christ Oh no for hee beleeved before he said My God my God Would hee have committed his dearest jewell into the hands of God if hee had not beleeved in him How then was Christ forsaken 1 In regard of his present comfort and joy hee could not else have beene a sacrifice for as wee cannot suffer by way of conformity to Christ unlesse there be some desertion that wee may know the bitternesse of sin no more could Christ have suffered for our iniquities had there not beene a suspension of light and comfort from his gracious soule 2 He was not onely privatively deprived of all joy and happinesse but positively hee felt the wrath and fury of the Almighty whose just displeasure seazed upon his soule for sinne as our surety All outward comforts likewise forsooke him the Sunne withdrew his light from above and every thing below was irksome to him He suffered in all the good things he had body soule good-name in his eyes eares hands c. hee was reproached proached and forsaken of all comforts about him Hee had not the common comfort of a man in misery pity none tooke compassion upon him hee was the very object of scorne But in what part was Christ forsaken In all both in body and soule too as may plainly appeare First because hee was our Surety and wee had stained our soules bodies too offending God in both but in soule especially because that is the conâ—river of all sinne the body being but the instrument Some sinns we call spirituall sinnes as pride malice infidelity and the like these â—ouch not the body yet are the greatest sinnes of all other Secondly if he had not suffered in his Soule the sense of Gods displeasure why should he thus cry out when as the poor theeves that suffered by him made no such exclamation If he had suffered in body onely the sufferings of Paul and Moses had beene more for they wished to be separated from the joyes of heaven out of a desire to promote Gods glory on earth therefore it was hee saith in the Garden My soule is heavy unto death Some will grant that Christ suffered in soule but say they it was by way of sympathie for there are sufferings of soul immediately from God and sufferings by way of sympathie and agreement with the body when as the soule hath a fellow feeling of thâ— torments thereof and so Chrisâ— suffered in soule indeed That is not all beloved but there were immediate sufferings even of his soule also which he groaned under God the Father laid a heavy stroake upon that Hee was smitten of the Lord and when God
search his heart in regard of corruption Is there any sinne that I am not willing to part with c. Beloved God many times leaves us and not only leaves us but makes our naked conscience smart for sinne oh this is a quickening thing A child of God that is of the right stampe will not indure to be under Gods wrath long oh it is bitter he knowes what it is to enjoy communion with GOD he will not endure it therefore it stirres him up to all manner of diligence whatsoever But is there no difference betweene Christs sufferings and smart for sinne and ours Yes the sufferings of Christ came froÌ„ the vindictive and revenging hand of God as a just Judge but ours proceed from him as a loving Father for God when wee are in Christ is changed hee layeth aside the person of a Iudge having received full satisfaction in Christ he is now in the relation of a sweet father to us Againe there is difference in the measure we take but a taste of the cup sweetned with some fort and moderated but Christ dranke deepe of the same 3 In the end and use the sufferings and forsaking of Christ were satisfactory to divine Justice but ours are not so but only medicinall the nature of them is quite changed they are not for satisfaction for then wee should die eternally disable the satisfaction of CHRIST they are crosses indeed but not curses whatsoever we suffer in soule or body is a crosse but not a curse unto us because the sting is pulled out they are all medicinall cures to fit us for heaven whatsoever we suffer in our inward or outward man prepares us for glory by mortifying the remainders of corruptions and fitting us for that blessed estate 4 All other mens deaths are for themselves as Leâ— saith Singula in singulis they are single deaths for single men but it is therwise here for all the Children of God were forsaken in their head crucified in their head and dyed in Christ their Head Christs death was a publike satisfaction no man dyeth for another let the Papists say what they will only Christ dyed for all and suffered for his whole body And thus much of the first generall that Christ was forsaken The second is this Christ was very sensible of it even to complaint and expostulation My God my God c. Why should it be thus betweene the Father and the Sonne betweene such a Father and such a Sonne a kinde loving Father to his naturall obedient and onely Sonne the word is strong beloved hee was not onely forsaken but exposed to danger left in it being very sensible of the same every word heere expresseth some bowels he doth not say The Iewes have foraken me or my beloved Disciples and Apostles that I made much of have forsaken me or Pilate would not doe the duty of a true Iudge my feete are pierced my Head is wounded my body is wracked hanging on the Crosse c. he complaines of none of these though they were things to be complained of and would have sunke any Creature to have felt that in his body that he did but that which went nearest to him was this Oh my God why hast thou forsaken me I stand not upon others forsaking but why hast thou forsaken me I stand more upon thy forsaking than the forsaking of all others Christ was very sensible of this it went to his very heart But what speciall reason was there that Christ should take this so deeply First of all because the loving kindnesse of the Lord is better than life it selfe as David the type of Christ well said the forsaking of God being indeed worse than death the loving kindness of the Lord is that that sweetneth all discomforts in the world the want of that imbitters all comforts to us If we be condemned traitors what will all comfors doe to a condemned man The want of Gods love imbitters all good and the pre sence thereof sweetneth all ill death imprisonment all crosses whatsoever therefore Christ having a sanctified judgement in the highest degree judgeth the losse of this to be the worst thing 2 The sweeter the communion is with GOD the fountaine of good the more intolerable and unsufferable is the separation on from him but none had ever so neare and sweet a communion with God as Christ our Mediatour had for hee was both God and Man in one person the beloved Sonne of his Father now the communion before being so neare and so sweet unto him a little want of the same must needs bee unsufferable Things the nearer they are the more difficult the separation will be as when the skinne is severed from the flesh and the flesh from the bones oh it is irk some to nature much more was Christs separation from the sense of his Fathers love Those that love live more in the party loved than in themselves Christ was in love with the person of his father and lived in him now to want the sense of his love considering that love desires nothing but the returne of love againe it must needs bee death unto him Another ground that Christ was thus sensible was because hee was best able to apprehend the worth of communion with God and best able to apprechend what the anger of God was hee had a large judgement and a more capacious soule than any other therfore being filld with the wrath of God he was able to hold more wrath than any man else hee could deepest apprehend wrath that had so deepe a taste of love before Againe in regard of his body the griese of Christ both in body and soule was the greatest that ever was for hee was in the strength of his yeares hee had not dulled his spirits with inteÌ„perancy he was quick and able to apprehend paine being of an excellent temperature Was Christ so exceding sensible of the want of his Fathers love though it were but a while I beseech you then let us have mercifull considerations of those that suffer in conscience and are troubled in minde oh it is another manner of matter than the world takes it for it is no easie thing to conflict with Gods anger though but a little It was the fault of Iobs friends they should have judged charitably of him but they did not take heed therefore of making desperate conclusions against our selves or other when the arrowes of the Almighty sticke in us when we smart and shew our distemper in the apprehension of the terrous of the Lord seizzing upon our soules God is about a gracious worke all this while the more sensible men are of the anger of GOD the more sensible they will bee of the returne of his faâ—our againe There are some insensible stupid creatures that are neither sensible of the afflictions they sâ—ffer in body nor of the manisestation of Gods anger on their soule notwithstanding hee followes them with his corrections
yet they are as dead flesh unmoveable therefore Why should I smite them any longer c. saith GOD. This comes from 3 grounds 1 From pride when men thinke it a shame for such Romane spirits as they are to stoope Or from hypocrisie when they will not discover their griefe though their conscience be out of tune Or else out of stupid blockishnesse which is worst of all when they are not affected with the signes of Gods wrath It is a good thing to bee affected with the least token of Gods displeasure when we can gather by good evidence that GOD hath a quarrell against us you see how sensible Christ was and so will it with bee us if wee get not into him betimes we â—hal be sensible of sin one day whether we will or no coÌ„science is not put in us for nought you may stupifie and stifle the mouth of Conscience with this or that tricke now but it will not bee so for ever it will discharge its office and lay bitter things to our charge and stare in our faces and drive us to despaire one day sinne is another matter when it is revealed to Conscience than we take it howsoever we goe blockishly and stupidly on now It is sweet in the temptation and allurement but it hath an ill farewell and sting If wee could judge of sinne as we shall doe when it is past especially when we come to our reckoning at the houre of death and at the day of Judgement then wee would bee of another minde then wee would say that all sinners as the Scripture termes them are fooles But to goe on Christ we see expresseth his sensiblenesse by complaint My God my God why hast thou for saken mee Here some Cautions must bee rendred that wee doe not mistake Christ complaines notâ— of God but to God Was Christ ignorant of the cause of Gods forsaking him No hee knew the cause for his sufferings were intolerable but taking our nature upon him he takes our speech also and expresseth himselfe like to a miserable man having the greatest affliction that ever was upon a Creature The divine nature of Christ stopped the excesse of any passion he was turbated but not perturbated hee was moved with the sinnes of men but not removed hee was as water in a cleare glasse there is nothing but water though you stirre it never so much if there were mudd in it it would soâ—one bee uncleane wee cannot stirre our affections and complain but with a tincture of sinne it was not so with Christ hee knew when to raise and when to allay his affections and though there were much nature in these affections a naturall shunning of griefe and a naturall desire of Gods presence yet here was grace to direct and sanctifie the same for nature sometimes carries grace with a stronger winde more fully when they goe both in one current as here It was grace to have the love of GOD yea it was death to be without it and it was sinlesse nature to desire ease for without sinne nature may desire ease so it bee with submission of it selfe to God For the soule may have divers desires as there are divers objects presented to it when the soule apprehends releafe and ease it rejoyces and is glad but when upon higher considerations and better ends there is paine presented to the soule to doe it good the soule may desire that and upon deliberation chuse that it refused before A man may have his hand cut off and cast his wares into the Sea that hee would not willingly doe yet when upon deliberation he considers I shall save my life by it hee will doe it So Christ by a naturall desire without sin might desire release of paine but when it was presented to him what shall become of the salvation of man and obedience to God then Vpon these considerations that respected higher ends there might be another choice so in things subordinate one to another one thing may crosse another and yet all be good too But you must know this likewise that â—orsaking and to bee sensible of forsaking is no sinne especially when it is not contracted by any sinne of ours it is a suffering but not a sinne and to be sensible of it is no sinne it is rather a sinne to bee otherwise affected God allowes those affections that hee hath planted in us he hath planted feare and forrow in presenting dolorous objects If a man doe not sorrow in objects of sorrow he is not a man after Gods making GOD allowes griefe and seare in afflictions and trouble alwayes remembring it be with submission to him Not as I will but as thou wilt Againe consider Christ was now in a conflicting condition betweene doubting and despaire the powers of hell being round about him Sathan as he was busie about him at the entrance into his office so hee was now vexing his righteous soule with temptations God hath for saken thee and this and that wee know not the malice of Sathan at such a time but certainly the powers of hell were all let loose then upon him The truth is God had a purpose to finish his sufferings presently upon his complaint and because hee will have us all receive what wee receive even Christ himselfe by prayer and opening our desires to him God suffers Christ to complaine and powre out his supplication into his bosome that presently after hee might be released of all seeing hee had now fully satisfied for the sinnes of man The Use of it in a word is this That God having stooped so low to poore creatures to be a father and a friend to them will suffer them familiarly as there is a great deale of familiarity in the spirit of adoption yet reverently to lay open their griefes into his bosome and reason the case with his Maiesty without sinne Why Lord am I thus forsaken what is the matter where are the sounding of thy bowels where are thy former mercies c. There is another kinde of familiarity betweene God and his Children than the world takes notice of yet withall remember they are not murmuring complaints but seasoned with faith and love as here My God my God still whence you see that Christ in his greatest extremities had a spirit of faith There is a question between the Papists and us about Christs faith they will have him to bee a comprehender and a traveller c. indeed hee needed no justifying faith to apply any thing froÌ„ without him because he had righteousness enough of his owne but yet to depend upâ— on God as his Father so hee had faith neither was he alway in the state of happinesse for that distinction is a confusion of the abasemeÌ„t of Christ his exaltatioÌ„ howsoever there was the happinesse of union the humane nature being alway united to the Godhead yet there was not alway the happinesse of visiâ—n he did not see the face of God
away thee and take away Christ if I should despaire I should make thee no GOD and make Christ no Christ if I should not accept of mercy for Christ is given to me and I labour to make him mine owne by laying hold of him Faith hath a power to make every thing it s owne that it toucheth particular faith which is the only true coÌ„fortable faith makes generall things mine when the soule can lay a particular claime to God as his GOD by giving himselfe to him onely then wee may plead in Christ better satisfaction to Gods justice than if hee should cast us into hell What a stay is this for a distressed soule to make use of Beloved the Church of God the mysticall body of Christ is thus forsaken in other Countries besides many particular humble broken-hearted Christians at home who finde no beames of Gods love and mercy what shall we doe Let the body imitate the head even goe to GOD in their behalfe and powre out your complaintâ— before him Lord where are thy mercies of old where are thy ancient bowels to thy Church why should the enemy triumph c. GOD delights when wee lay open the miseries of his people and our owne particular grievances before him If there be a spirit of faith in it oh it workes upon his bowels If a Child can but say Oh father oh mother though hee can say not a word more the bowels are touched there is elâ—quence enough so when wee can lay open the pittifull state of Gods poore Church what a blessing may we obtaine for them It is thy CHVRCH Lord thine owne people thy name is called upon them and they call upon thy name though they have sinned yet thou deservest to bee like thy selfe and Christ hath deserved mercy for them Thus if wee contend with GOD and keepe not silence and give GOD no rest faith would work wonders The state of the Church would not be long as it is if wee would all improve our interest in heaven in their behalfe Beloved Christ strugled with the powers of darknesse and the wrath of his father a while but presently after all was finished so let us contend boldly Fight the good fight of faith and not yeeld to desperate suggestions let faith stirre up prayer and prayer goe to GOD and ere long it shall be said of the CHVRCH and of all particular troubles All is finished then wee shall enjoy the sweet presence of GOD Where is fulness of joy and that for evermore the presence of GOD is that the Child of GOD desires above all things in the world it quickens and strengthens him it puts zeale and fire into him it doth all What will not the presence of GOD doe when a man enjoyes his face Therefore let us bee content to conflict here to bee exercised a while in faith and prayer wee shall surely say ere long I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse I beseech you learne these lessons and instructions from our blessed Saviour wee cannot have a better pattern than to be like him by whom wee all hope to bee saved another day So much for this time FINIS THE CHVRCHES VISITATION 1 PET. 4. 17 18 19. For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God and if it begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospell c. OUR nature as it is very backeward to doe good so likewise to suffer evill therefore the Blessed Apostle exhorts us at the latter end of this Chapter Not to thinke it strange concerning the fiery tryall but to rejoyce in as much as wee are made partakers of Christs sufferings wherein are many grounds of patience and comfort to the children of God 1. That the thought of troubles should not be strange but familiar to them Acquainting our thoughts with them taketh away offence at them though it bee a fiery tryall yet it shall consume nothing but drosse 2. Then Christ joyneth with us in suffering better to be in trouble with Christ then in peace without him 3. The issue will be glorious for the spirit of glory will not only support us with his presence but rest still upon us To other grounds of comfort hee addeth some in the words of my text as First that the Church is Gods house and therefore he will have a care of it 2. That he will doe it in the fittest season Such is the exigence of the Church and people of God that they require a sharp visitation and therefore such is Gods love that he appoints out a certaine time for them 3. From the different condition of the godly and ungodly in suffering both suffer but differ much 1. in order God begins with his owne house 2 in measure where shall the ungodly appeare their judgmeÌ„t shall be most terrible certaine it is set downe by way of interrogation and admiration What shall their end beâ— And as Pharaohs dreames weâ—â— doubled for more certainty 〈◊〉 here is a double question to make the matter more out of question 1. What shall their end be that obey not the Gospell 2. Where shall the ungodly and sinners appeare Here is no unnecessary waste of words and arguments for the spirit of God knowes that all is little enough to fortifie the soule against the evill day unlesse the soule be well ballaced it will soon be overturned when stormes arise Therefore the Apostle in these three verses sets downe 1. some foundations of comfort and 2. an incouragement to build upon them wherefore let them that suffer c. The points considerable in the 17. verse are these 1. That Gods Church is his house 2. That this house of his will neede purging it will gather soyle 3. When God sees the exigent of it that it must be so he will be sure to visite and judge his owne house 4. That there is a certaine time when he will doe it which those that are wise may easily gather for God comes not upon his Church on the suddaine as a storm or tempest c. but he gives them faire warning there is a season when God begins judgment with his owne house Lastly Why God begins with his owne Church and people Of these in order First The Church of God is Gods house God hath two houses the Heavens which are called his house because hee manifests his glory there and the Church here below wherein he manifests his grace yea the whole world in a sort is his house because he manifests his power and wisedome in it but Heaven and his Church in a more peculiar manner and that in these respects 1. Because God by his grace hath residence in his Church 2. Because by the meanes of salvation the word and Sacramets there administred he doth seede his Church as in a house 3. A man rests and takes contentment