Curse which in it own nature it is being the issue and wages of sin and the very Gate of Hell But look we upon it in the glasse of the Gospell that we shall find representing it unto the believer under another shape as being much changed and alterd by Christ Newe names put upon Death Whereupon it puts new names upon it Calling it sometimes a sleep Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11.11 Them which sleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 Such is the grave to the true believer Not a Prison but a Bed sor the Body to rest in for a time They shall rest in their beds Isai 57.2 Elsewhere we find it called a Departure Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace saith old Simeon Luke Vid-Leigh Critica Saâ—ra 2.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimittiâ— thou loosest dismissâ—st me lettest me out of Prison So the Syriack there renders the word Now thou openest the Prison And so we find it properly used Act 5.40 Where it is said that the Councell let the Apostles goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. out of prison Such is this life to the believer noe better then a Prison death is his dismission A like word is that which we find used by the Apostle Phil. 1.23 Where expressing his willingnesse to dye I desire saith he to be dissolved or to depart as the new translation hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to return home So the same word is used in his proper sense Luk 12.36 Where servants are said to wait for their Lord till he return to his home 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such is this World to gods people a strange Country where they live as strangers and pilgrims being from home Ad remigrationem Beza Now death is to them a Remigratio as Beza there renders the word a removing a returning to their own Country their home The Soul leaving the Body where it lodged for a time returns to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 Elsewhere the same Apostle calls it the dissolving of a Tabernacle If our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved 2 Cor. 5.1 Not destroyed So is a house when it is pulled down the materials of it being so broken as they can never be put together again But not so a Tabernacle or Tent where the parts are only taken asunder for a time but afterwards put together and set up in another place Such is death only a dissolution of the parts whereof man is composed a severing of the soul and Body for a time which shall afterwards be reunited And so St Peter making use of the same Allusion he calleth it a putting off or laying down of a Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depositio tabernaculi mei as the vulgar Latine renders it properly The laying down of my Tabernacle is at hand Such is the Body to the Soul like a Tent to him that carrieth it about with him a burden which being layed down he is eased And so is the Soul by the deposition the laying down of the Body in death Which in the next verse that Apostle there sets forth under another name calling it his Exodus after my decease v. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Exodus A word with the sound whereof you have been well acquainted it being the Title given to the second book of Moses which is so called from the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt which is there fully described Such an Exodus is death to the believer a Translation of him from an Egypt an house of bondage into the Celestial Canaan the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Thus hath death now new names put upon it The Gospell representing it after another manner with another face then the Law holdeth it forth And well may it have new names The nature of death changed by Christ when as the Nature of it is so changed and altered as by Christ it is Who hath taken away the maliguity of it that which was hurtfull in it Having pulled the sting out of this Serpent O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory so the Apostle triumpheth over this conquered Enemy 1 Cor. 15.55 Bot the sting and strength of it are now gone The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ so the Apostle there goeth on This hath Christ done for all that are in him having made satisfaction for sin and fulfilled the Law So as now though death may threaten as the Serpent having lost the sting may hiss yet it cannot hurt And why then should we fear a conquered enemy Which is not only disarmed but lyeth as it were dead before us lâ—ke that Philistine when his head was off In Christi morte mors obiit In Christs death Death died Being thereby abolished as the Apostle hath it 2 Tim. 1.10 Who hath abolished death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made it of none effect So is naturall death the fear and sting of it being taken away it is now as a shadow without a substance Thus is Death now qualified by Christ as to all true Believers Which being seriously considered will be of speciall use to free them from the inordinate fear of it and make them not unwilling to submit to God in the suffering of it To passe on In the Fourth place thus looking upon death Look beyond Death look beyond it Even as the timorous Passenger in ferrying over a River where the water is rough by fixing his eye on the bank of the other side settles his brain which otherwise might be troubled thus let the timorous Christian whose nature inclines him to fear death look beyond it look to the issues the fruits and consequents of it Here taking notice of two things The Evils which it freeth the Believer from and the Good which it bringeth him to Considering 1 1. The Evils which it freeth him from Which are of two sorts The Evils which it freeth the Believer from Temporall and Spirituall 1. Temporall which I have touched upon already Such are bodily Infirmities sicknesses Temporall some of them very dolorous and painfull and such are losses and Crosses in Estate with Reproaches and Ignominies and many Vexations and Disquietments with wearisome labours and Imployments All these is the life of a Christian here infested with this world being to him as I said a troublesome Sea But Death is the Havens mouth which letteth him into a quiet Harbour where he is at rest from all these Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord c. that they may rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest There the Prisoneâ—s rest together they hear not the voice of the Oppressor The small and great are there and there the servant
is free from his Master so Job describes the state of the dead Job 3.17 18 19. Thus doth God our heavenly Father make use of this as his Handkerchief to wipe away all tears from the eyes of his Children as we have it Rev. 7. last After death there shall be to them no more death nor crying neither shall there be any more pain as that other Text hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ae chylus Rev. 21.4 Death lets out the Christian as it doth all men from the sense and fear of all temporall Evils 2. Yea it freeth him from what is far worse from Spiritual Evils Spirituall giving a Quietus est as to the Body so to the Soul Freeing him 1. From Sin He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. From sin 6.7 So it is indeed with a mortified soul a regenerate person that is spiritually dead dead to sin which the Apostle there chiefly aymeth at he is freed from it viz. from the guilt and power of it But this is but a partiall freedome which is compleated and perfected in and by naturall death by which the Believer obtaineth a perfect freedome Being hereby so freed from sin as in this life he cannot be Freed from the committing of it From the inbeing of it From the beholding of it From the committing of it 1. From the committing of it which while he is here he is not cannot be However as the Apostle hath it in the verse there foregoing Rom. 6.6 the old man being crucified with Christ the Body of sin is so far destroyed that henceforth the regenerate person doth not serve sin he having thus suffered in the flesh ceaseth from sin as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.1 Corruption being in measure mortified he doth not now sin as before he did so as to make a custome and practise of it yet through weaknesse he doth commit some acts of sin and that daily There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccl. 7.20 But Death giveth the Believer a perfect discharge so as thenceforth he sinneth no more He that hath entred into his rest saith the Apostle he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his Heb. 4.10 God upon the seventh day kept a Sabbath resting from his works of Creation such as he had wrought upon the six dayes before So doth the Believer in death he entereth into his rest that Eternall Sabbatisme where he ceaseth from his own works such works as he here wrought in the flesh specially from the works of the flesh sinfull works Opera nostra vocantur labores curas vocationis nostrae tùm opera carnis noturae vitiosae peccatae quae vere sunt nestra quia â nobis fiunt nec probantur Dec c. Pareus Com. ad loc which as Pareus there noteth upon it may most properly be called a mans own works inasmuch as he doth them of himself without any approbation or allowance from God From these works the Godly man after death wholly ceaseth Which the wicked man doth not who being in Hell ceaseth not to blaspheme God Like as the followers of the Beast are said to doe upon the powring out of the Vials They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains c. Rev. 16.9 11 21. so doe the damned in hell because of their torments they blaspheme God and commit other sins such as that their state is capable of Which whether they be formally and properly sins in them not lying under a Law as here they did I shall not dispute but Materially I am sure they are being the same sinfull acts which here they committed But from such acts shall the believer now cease so as never more to commit any sin Noe nor yet to be in any possibility of committing it Such a state doth death bring Gods Children to a state in this respect far more happy then that wherein our first Parents were in Paradise There they were free from sin but not from a possibility of sinning which the event shewed But Gods Saints by death are freed from this being hereby put into an impeccable state and so confirmed as that they shall never more have any will or inclination to that which is evill Thus are they freed from the acting the Committing of sin 2. From the inbeing of it And so Secondly from the Inbeing the Indwelling of it So it is that the best of Saints while they are here they have sin dwelling in them It is no more I that do it saith Paul but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby meaning Innolita illa pridem peccandi consuetndo Grot. Annot. ad loc not that Habit and Custome of sin which is in an unregenerate person as Grotius expounds it but that Naturall Corruption which still cleaveth to the Regenerate This he found still dwelling in him And so it will in the most sanctyfied soul upon earth And there dwelling it will also be warring seeming sometimes to Conquer So also that Apostle there out of his own experience complaines v. 23. I find another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members Such a conflict there is and will be in the best of Saints Corruption striving against Grace Yea and sometimes prevailing against it Even as a strong tide carrieth the ship against the stroke of the Rowers Which cannot but create a great deal of trouble to the Soul So it did to that blessed Apostle who upon this account looked upon himself as a miserable man crying out in the next verse verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from the Body of this death That Body of sin as he elswere calleth it Rom. 6.6 which he found living in him was to him a Body of death making his life miserable to him So would it be to a Child-bearing woman to have the Child lye dead within her rotting and putrifying in her womb whereof notwithstanding all indeavours used she cannot be delivered Or to a living man to be tyed to a dead karkesse Even so is it with a regenerate person whilest he is here the living and the dead are tyed together Grace and Gorruption And so tyed together as nothing can part them but death Like as it was with that fretting leprosie of which we read Lev. 14.45 which having eaten into the Wals there was no cure for it but by pulling down the house Even so is it with this Leprosie of sin having seized upon the soul and eaten into all the powers and faculties of Soul and Body there is no way to be freed from it but by death And this will do it The house being pulled down the Leprosie ceased And so doth sin in death The dissolution of the Body is the Absolution of the Soul freeing it from this
impetuous inmate which otherwise will not out whatever warnings are given it The death of nature is the death of sin making that true Filia devoravit matrem The daughter devours the Mother Sin which at the first brought forth death is destroyed by it And were there no other Argument Noe perfect freedome from sin but by death how should this work upon the soul of a Christian to make him not averse to the drinking of this Cup it being the only Remedy for the perfect cure of this Malady We see how it is in bodily diseases having been long and painful and all meanes having been tryed for cure but proving ineffectuall this continuall conflict maketh the sick man weary of his life so long for death and to be glad when he can find the grave as Job describeth his condition Job 3.21 22. And such is sin to the Soul an inveterate an uncurable malady being an hereditary disease which man brought into the world with him and use what meanes he may yet he cannot be freed from it a continuall Affliction And so it will be so long as life it self continueth How willing then should this make a Christian to imbrace death So did this Consideration work upon the Apostle who upon this account cryeth out as even now you heard O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me As if he had said O that I were out of this miserable mortall life during which doe what I can sin will still dwell in me and from the molestation whereof I cannot be freed but by death So long as a Christian carrieth this mortall Body about with him he shall never be freed from this Body of sin O how willing should this make us to lay down the one that we might be rid of the other Which the believe shall be by death Hereby he shall be freed as from the acting so from the indwelling of sin 3. From the beâ—â—lding of it Yea in the third place from the Beholding of it As he shall henceforth have no more experimenatll knowledge of it in himself so he shall be no longer a be holder of it in others Which is no small eye sore to a sanctyfied soul So it was to righteous Lot of whom St. Peter tels us 2 Pet. 2.7 That being a just person he was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked viz. Of those wicked Sodomites among whom he lived So the next verse explaines it For that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his Soul from day to day with their unlawfull deeds To see God so highly dishoured his Lawes so shamefully violated as by all kinds of abhominations they were this was a continuall corrasive and heart-breaking unto him And so was it to David who was in like manner affected with the sins of the times wherein he lived as he sets it forth Psal 119. v. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eys because they keep not thy Law And again verse 158. I beheld the transgressours and was grieved because they kept not thy word And it cannot be otherwise with a gratious spirit to see the Abhominations of the times and places wherein he liveth to hear the name of his God blasphemed to see his Ordinances profaned his worship sleighted his messengers scorned his truths affronted his waies evil spoken of c. this cannot but affect it This it was that made David crye out in his Banishment as he doth Psal 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesheck that I dwell in the tents of Kedar that is amongst a savage and barbarous people who had no knowledge nor fear of God whose lives and conversations were wicked and abominable And truly such is this world in a great measure wherein a Christian shall meet with two many of this rank The consideration whereof should make him the more willing to leave it to embrace Death when it cometh which is Gods Fan whereby he severeth his Wheat from the Worlds Chaffe the precious from the vile his own people from others so as they shall no longer be in danger of being seduced by evill doers or yet be infested by them The Goats being separated from the Sheep they shall be no longer an annoyance to them as here by the stinch of their unclean and filthy conversation they were In that New Jerusalem into which Death letteth all true Believers there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth neither whatever worketh abomination Rev. 21. last Thus doth Death free them from this worst of Evils sin both from the committing and inbeing and beholding of it To which may be added that it freeth them also from the Temptations and molestations of Satan Death freeth the Believer from Satanicall temptations Which in this life the best of Saints are subject to Paul complains of the buffetings of Satan which himself felt 2 Cor. 12.7 And who but hath experience of his assaults some way or other He being an unwearied Adversary making it his work to goe to and fro in the earth and to walk up and down in it as himself giveth account of it to God Job 1.7 As a roaring Lyon walking about seeking whom he may devour as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 5.8 So as none can be secure from his attempts He that spared not to set upon our Saviour as he did in the Wildernesse plying him with Temptations one after another will not spare to do the like to his Disciples Simon Simon saith our Saviour to Peter behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat Luk. 22.31 to shake him and the rest by tempting or troubling them seeking by all possible wayes and means to subvert and destroy them in their bodies or souls And the like he doth to the best of Saints having a speciall evill eye upon them being ambitious to cast them down whom he seeth standing He maketh it his work either to draw them into evill or to draw evill upon them either to turn them out of the wayes of God or to make them as rough and troublesome to them as he may But Death sets the Believer out of his reach The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly saith Paul to his Romans Rom. 16.20 This God doth partly in this life sometimes giving unto his people great victories over this their enemy but he will do it fully in Death By which they shall be carryed in their Souls where Satan cometh not This Old Serpent being once cast out of heaven shall never enter there again Thirdly as it freeth them from Satanicall Also from divine tentations so also from divine temptations such as God is pleased sometimes to exercise his people with those Soul-conflicts of which I spake before where God hiding his face from his people and letting in some apprehensions of wrath into their souls maketh their condition for the present very sad and uncomfortable Now from all these shall
peace Luk. 2.29 And the like do we in a spirituall sense receive we the Lord Jesus being held forth unto us in the promise of the Gospell and take hold upon him clasping and imbracing him in the armes of our faith receiving him as our Saviour and Lord. As our Saviour believing on him for the pardon and remission of all our sins As our Lord yielding up our selves to be guided and governed by him by his word and Spirit Which whilest we do now shall we have no just cause to fear this Enemy which is by this Captain of our Salvation conquered and disarmed so as now it cannot hurt any of those that are his O then let every of us make sure our interest in him Upon which depends all our hope and comfort both in life and death Christ being once ours now we may hear the Apostle telling us that all things are ours 1 Cor. 3.21 All things among which he reckons Life and Death with things present and things to come All ours so is Life even temporall life so as it shall be continued to us whilest it is expedient And so is Death which when it comes shall not be hurtful but advantagious and beneficial To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Phil. 1.21 So are things present the concernments of this present life as Crosses so Comforts both serving for our good And things to come Eternal glory and happinesse Which whilest a Christian is assured of why should not he be as willing to dye as live 3. Only in the third place look out also for the seal of the Spirit Look out for the seal of the Spirit Thus are Assurances made among men by setting seals to writings to bonds and bils and other conveyances And such Assurance labour we for to get the promises sealed unto us and that by this seal the seal of the Spirit which the Apostle calleth the earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.13 14. An earnest confirms the bargain and assures the payment of the whole summe And so doth the earnest of the Spirit as he elswhere calleth it 2 Cor. 1.22 the work of Regeneration and Sanctification begun in the soul this is as Gods seal which confirmeth his promises to his people and giveth them assurance of their heavenly inheritance Which being assured off what should make them unwilling to depart hence when God calleth for them Having now another house to receive them when they are turned out of this and that infinitely better as the Apostle telleth them 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building not made with hands eternal in the heavens Now what man would be unwilling to leave a poor ruinous Cottage which he holdeth only at the pleasure of the Land-lord being subject to be turned out of it every day when as he may have posession of a Royal palace whereof also he shal have the fee-simple estate And such is that heavenly house that celestial glory and happinesse which Christ having purchased for those that are his is gone before to take posession of and to prepare for them I go to prepare a place for you Joh. 14.2 it infinitely excelleth all earthly glory far more then the most princely palace doth the meanest cottage O labour we but to make sure this our Inheritance in that other world this will make us not unwilling to leave this Here is a first Direction Seek after Assurance that we have an interest in God and Jesus Christ and so a right to eternal life And being thus assured of Life Dir. 2 now Prepare for death Prepare for death by dying daily So did the blessed Apostle who tels his Corinthians that he dyed daily 1 Cor. 15.31 I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I dye daily Apprehending death continually hanging over his head he was daily preparing for it And the like do we that we may be willing to dye once when God calleth us to it dye daily Q. But how shall we do this A. Take the answer in three or four particulars 1. Dye daily to sin This the Apostle telleth us Christ once did for us To sin In that he dyed he dyed unto sin once Rom. 6.10 This he did not for himself for he knew no sin but for us for the expiating of our sins the taking away the guilt of them And what he did once doe we daily daily dye to sin for the taking away the power of it in our selves A work which will not be done at once as that of our Saviour was True the Apostle speaking of believers saith they are dead to sin Rom. 6.2.11 in as much as they are not now under the power of it as sometimes they were But this is but an imperfect work not done at once Though sin hath received its mortal wound in them yet it is stil alive Though they be dead to it yet it liveth in them And therefore they must make this their daily their continual work to be dying to it mortifying the body of sin that it may dye before them The life of sin is the life of death So long as a man liveth in any one sin he will never be willing to dye And therefore set we upon the mortification of all our sinful Lusts Specially our beloved Lusts those which have been most near and dear to us most strong and prevalent in us Never resting until we find our hearts brought to an utter abhorrence and detestation of them and of all other sinful waies and courses so as we can say with the Psalmist that we hate every false way Psa 119.104 Thus Sin being dead death will not be so terrible As we get ground of the one we shal get strength against the other Secondly Dye daily to the world To the world So did the Apostle who telleth us of himself that he was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6.14 He had as little affection to the world as the world had to him he was dead to that and that to him And it is the counsel which he giveth to others 1 Cor. 7.31 that they should so use this world as not abusing it Not doting upon any thing here below whether riches oâ— pleasures or honours Not setting the heart upon them If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Psal 62.10 And so for the rest Not being inordinately affected with any contentments which this world can afford but looking overly upon them so using them as if they used them not So run those foregoing directions of the Apostle there 1 Cor. 7.29 30. This I say brethren the time is short It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not And this let every of us strive to
prosecution and pursuit of their sinfull wayes and courses Know ye not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end So the Saviour of the World the eternall Son of God found those sins which he as a Surety had taken upon himself And surely so shall you finde those sins which now you give over your selves unto they will be a bitter Cup a Cup of Poyson in the end Vpon the Wicked God shall rain snares fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. Psal 11.6 But I shall not dwell here In the second place From the Physicians potion others conceive the Metaphor taken from the Physician who sometimes prescribes unto his Patient a churlish Potion Vel a medicis qui aegris propinant potiones ac interdum satis amaras ac acerbas Ità Deus Pater hanc potionem Filio suo propiâ—at ut pro salute omnium fidelium mortem subeat Aret. in loc distastefull to the Palate and loathsome to the stomach in it self it may be deleterious little better then poyson were it not corrected and so made medicinable Which Cup being prepared he presents requiring his Patient to drink it off for the saving of his life the preserving or recovering of his health And of this Allusion we may say as of the former that it suiteth well with our present purpose and that whether we make a particular or generall Application of it 1. Apply it to the particular case in the Text. The Death and Passion of Jesus Christ it was such a Cup Christs passion a medicinable Cup. a Medicinable Cup a bitter Potion which God the Father as a wise Physician prescribed prepared and presented unto his Son that he should drink it for the salvation of his Elect people Thus the Head taketh in that Potion which is medicinable to the whole Body And thus Jesus Christ the head of his Church he drinketh this Cup which however to him it was a bitter and distastefull Cup yet it was a Cup of salvation to his whole mystical Body a true and soveraign Catholicon healing all the diseases taking away the sins of the World the Elect World Thus in particular 2. Make the Application in a more generall way Afflictions crosses sufferings Such are all Afflictions to Gods people wherewith God is pleased to exercise his people upon earth they are but a Medicinable Cup which he as a wise Physician mixeth and tempereth for them and administreth to them for their good for the health of their souls Applic. A usefull Meditation A ground of patience did I intend to insist upon it Usefull as otherwise so specially for the promoting of that design I have now in hand the teaching of Christians quietly and contentedly to submit to the will of their heavenly Father in the bearing of whatever sufferings he shall be pleased to exercise them with Thus doe Patients submit to their Physicians Apprehending them skilfull and faithfull they put themselves into their hands being ordered by them taking whatever Dose or Potion they prescribe unto them Even thus should Christians submit unto their heavenly Physician their God and Father knowing him to be both wise and faithfull they should now yield up themselves to his disposure in the drinking of whatever Cups he shall prepare for them Three ordinary ground of Impatience all which this Metaphor meeteth with quietly and patiently submitting to whatever afflictions not murmuring not repining not quarrelling his Dispensations and dealings with them whether in regard of the Quality or Multiplicity or long Continuance of them These are the three things which ordinarily make men impatient O saith one were my Crosse a common ordinary one I could bear it but it is a heavy one My Cup is a bitter Cup no sorrow like my sorrow That is the Churches complaint in her captivity Lam. 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger And Christians are ready to take it up when the hand of God lyeth heavy upon them O now there is no sorrow no Affliction like unto theirs O saith a second were it but one affliction I should make shift with it but I am compassed about on every side That is Davids complaint Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about And such is the condition sometimes of Gods dearest children Their Crosses are like Jobs Biles which were from the sole of his foot unto his Crown Job 2.7 many of severall kindes they are afflicted as he also was in Body Estate good name Wife Children no part free O saith a third My burden were it but for a short time I could undergoe it But far carriage maketh a light burden heavy the long continuance of my Affliction maketh it unsupportable Now this Metaphor which we have in hand it fitly meets with every of these 1. With the first Is thy Affliction sharp and bitter The sharpness of afflictions remember it is a Potion a medicinable cup and those sometimes must be such viz. where the necessity of the Patient requires it And such it may be is thy condition a gentler medicine would not work upon thee It may be thy corruptions are strong and so require a strong Potion to work them out which were it weaker it may be it would do thee no good but rather harm Now God is a wise Physician who knoweth what is fit for his Patient And therefore submit unto him not quarrelling the bitternesse of thy Cup. Bitter Drugs which help to evacuate evill and noxious humors and to cleanse the stomach are better then sweeter meats which might breed dangerous surfets 2. For the Multiplicity Are thy Afflictions many of sundry kindes The Multiplâ—city of them remember again this is a medicinable cup. Now in such a cup the Physician often mingles many Ingredients which he doth that they may meet with severall humours and that one may help or correct another And thus dealeth God by his people Sometimes he putteth divers Ingredients into their Cup exerciseth them with sundry kindes of Afflictions and tryals which he doth for the like ends It may be their corruptions their Soul-maladies are many And it may be one affliction alone would not work so kindely so throughly And therefore he is pleased thus to mixe his Cup. Which he doth not but where his people have need of it If need be ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where one Simple will serve the turn the wise Physician will not trouble his Patient with Compositions Surely if God do make his people heavy with multiplicity of Afflictions there is a cause for it They have need of every Ingredient in this cup. 3. Again thirdly for the long continuance of Affliction The long continuance of them Here still remember this is a Medicinable Cup. Now whatever the
denominated from his Divine nature God shed his blood that is that Person who was ruely God as well as Man shed his blood not as God but as Man Deus sed non qua Deus God but not as God Deus sed non Deitas God in the Concrete not the Godhead in the Abstract The Lord of glory was crucifyed the Author of life was killed that Person who was so in respect of his divine nature was crucified killed in his humane nature That which is proper to one nature is attributed to the person So is it with man in whom soul and body are united that which is proper to one of these is attributed to the Person As when the Body is sick wounded buryed we say the man is so So in the sufferings of Christ it was his Manhood which suffered not the Godhead yet it is attributed to the person Which is as I say sometimes denominated from the one nature sometimes from the other It was the humane nature of Christ or the Person of Christ in and according to his humane nature which properly suffered And this he did in his whole man Christ suffering in his whole man In his Body both in his Body and Soul 1. In his Body This it was which was bound scourged spit upon Crowned with thorns which first bare the Crosse and then was born of it which was pierced by the Nayls and the Spear which shed its blood Thus did he bear our sins in his own body on the Tree as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 2.4 And we are said to be sanctified that is freed from the guilt of sin and consecrated to the service of God through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ Heb. 10.10 2. But not his Body only but his Soul also In his Soul That also did bear a part in this suffering which it did not only by way of sympathy with the Body but immediately in and by it self So it did in that Agony of his in the Garden where he made that sad complaint to his Disciples My soul is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death Matth. 26.38 And afterwards upon the Crosse where being under a sad Eclipse the light of his Fathers countenance being hid from him by that black Cloud the sins of the World in that conflict he cryeth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Thus did he then suffer in soul His soul being made an offering for sin as well as his Body as the Prophet Isai hath it Isa 53.10 Thus did he suffer in his humane nature in his whole man both Body and soul Q. But it may be said what then did not the Godhead also act a part in this Tragedy Was that only a Spectator a Looker on whilest the Manhood suffered A. The Godhead acting in the suffering of the Manhood Not so the Godhead at this time was not idle though it did not bear yet it acted a part in this Passion Though it did not suffer with the humane nature yet it concurred with it in sufsuffering Which it did in divers particulars Take we notice of Four or Five of them 1. Voluit It willed that suffering Christ as God willed that his suffering as Man Willing that it should suffer So much he intimates unto his Disciples Joh. 10.17 18. where he tells them I lay down my life that I may take it again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self He layed down his life how why by the same power by which he took it up again by the power of his divine nature according to which he is properly called the Prince or Author of life Act. 3.15 By this power it was that he raised up his body from the death and by this power it was that he gave it up to death It was not the power of his humane nature that could doe this to lay down his life and take it up again at pleasure This was an act of his divine nature as well as his humane 2. Quievit As the Godhead willed that the Manhood should suffer Resting that it 〈…〉 suffer so it rested that it might suffer The divine nature was not withdrawn and severed from the humane in the time of its passion the union betwixt them being indissoluble but it rested not putting forth its power in any way of resistance which if it had done it was not all the Powers of Hell all the Men and Devils in the World that could have brought him to the Crosse The Godhead rested slept as it were even as Sampson did whilest his locks were cut off which it did for those three dayes during which time Christ seemed to be wholly left in the hands under the power of those his bloudy enemies for them to execute their rage and malice upon him Thus the Godhead though as I said not separated from the Manhood which it never was even then when Soul and Body were separated the one from the other the Godhead was severed from neither yet it rested Even as when a man is asleep his soul is not departed from his body yet it seemeth to have left it inasmuch as it doth not exercise those operations which before it did not looking out by the Eye not speaking by the Tongue not working by the Hand c. So was it here The Godhead being still with the Manhood dwelling in it and that as the soul doth in the body Bodily In ipso inâ—â—hitat plenitudo divinitatis corporaliter quià in Templo habitaverat umbâ—aliteâ— Grot. Annâ—t ex August in loc that is Pauls word Col. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non umbraliter as Augustine explains it not in the shadow as it dwelt in the Temple but Corporaliter Bodily that is Personally substantially yet it rested for a time not shewing it self not exercising its wonted operations The Godhead rested that the humane nature might suffer 3. Sustentavit Though the Godhead thus rested that it might suffer Supporting it in suffering yet it secretly supported and bare it up in suffering inabling it to drink this Cup to suffer that which otherwise of it self it could never have been able to have done viz. the wrath of God due unto the sins of the World An insupportable burden Such is the least drop of it Who knoweth the power of thine anger Psal 90.11 What is then such a full Viall of it as was poured out upon Christ in his sufferings This could his humane nature of it self never have borne But it was secretly supported by the divine nature As it is in Man where as the Wise man hath it Prov. 18.14 his spirit sustaineth his infirmities the soul being of a cheerfull temper beareth him up under his bodily ailments So here that Eternall spirit which dwelt in the humane nature of Christ sustained and bore it up under those otherwise unsufferable sufferings 4. And not only bare it up under those sufferings And making
so blindeth a mans eyes that either he should not see sin in another or seeing it should connive at it God spared it not in his Son being imputed to him Let not Parents spare it in their Children nor Masters in their Servants nor yet Husbands in their Wives so as not to reprove and restrain it what they can We know what old Elies indulgence to his Sons cost him I will judge his house for ever saith the Lord for the iniquity which he knoweth because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not he frowned not upon them saith the Originall 1 Sam. 2.13 And whilest we doe not spare sin in others Much lesse in our selves but taking vengeance upon it much lesse doe it in our selves But here take we vengeance upon it dealing by our sinfull lusts as the Jewes did by our Saviour crucifying them This Paul maketh to be a Property of those that are Christs Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucifyed the flesh with the affâ—ctions and lusts And this dowe Looking up unto the Crosse of Christ and there taking notice how dear our sins cost him let us crucifie them mortifie them not living in them Which if we doe the same Apostle will tell us what we must look for If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 Thus take revenge upon our sins And taking revenge upon them And upon our selves for iâ— take we also a holy kinde of revenge upon our selves for them and that by the renewing of the exercise of Repentance and Mortification giving a bitter Cap to our selves afflicting our selves with godly sorrow for them Which will prove no lesse wholesome to our souls then Cups of Wormwood or other bitter Potions oft-times are to our Bodies Thus practising upon our selves we may escape the hands of God which otherwise we must make account to feel of If we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 The only way to prevent Gods judgements Temporall and Eternall is to forejudge our selves by examining arraigning and condemning our selves at his Bar and so humbling our selves before him Thus giving unto our selves this Cup we may hereby prevent Gods giving unto us some other bitter Cups which otherwise we must expect to drink of And thus have I done also with this Third Particular the subject of this Passion to whom this Cup was given and so with the former part of the Text the presenting of this Cup by God the Father to his Son Christ Come we now to the latter which is The Sons submission in drinking of this Cup. Part. 2. The Sons submission The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it Shall I not drink it What meant by Drinking this Cup. In the words there is no difficulty The metaphor having been explained before in shewing you what is here meant by the Cup viz. the bitter death and Passion of Jesus Christ which was then at hand So then to drink this Cup is no more but to suffer that death A metaphoricall expression of frequent use among the Heathen with whom Eodem peculo hibere to drink of the same Cup was a Proverbial speech signifying a partaking of and communicating in the same calamities So in phrase of Scripture we meet with it often both in the Old Testament and New As in that Text which I have formerly had recourse to Jer. 25. where the Prophet is sent by God with the Wine-cup of his fury to cause the Nations to drink it vers 15 16 17. 26 27 28. in every of which we meet with the same words used in the same sense that is to partake in the Judgements and Punishments which God would bring upon them So we finde it plainly expounded in the 49 Chap. of the same Prophesie a Text also before made use of where the Prophet speaking to the Edomites vers 12. Behold saith he they whose judgement was not to drink of the Cup have assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt goe altogether unpurished thou shalt not goe unpunished but thou shalt surely drink of it the one explaining the other To drink of the Cup is to seel the Judgements of God So again in the New Testament Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I am to drink of saith our Saviour to the Sons of Zebedee Matth. 20.22 that is to suffer what I am to suffer Thus they who worshipped the Beast or received his mark the followers of Antichrist are threatned Rev. 14.10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation Which the next words explain And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone Thus to drink is to suffer So look we upon it in the Text. The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it that is suffer what he hath appointed and layed out for me Shall I not drink it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Interrogation containing a Reprehension Resolution The Interrogation is emphaticall carrying with it a double force of a Representation and a Resolution a Check and a Choice A Reprehension or Check to Peter and that a Tart one a Resolution or Choice as to Christ himself and that a strong and firm one You shall finde them both in the handling of them which I shall do severally beginning with the former The Reprehension or Check to Peter which is here plainly intimated A Reprehension to â—eter Vimâ— tu prchibâ—re quo in â—as impleam quid Patri placet Grot. Annot. in loc The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it As if he had said What wilt thou goe about to crosse the determinate Counsell of God and to hinder me from yielding obedience to his will and so frustrate that great design which I have now in hand Whatever it is that mine enemies shall inflict or my self shall suffer it is no other then what my Father hath appointed who hath sent me into the world for this very end that I should suffer and dye and so by this means purchase the Redemption of his Elect people Non vis tu homo Creatura servus quod vult Deus Creator emnium Deminus Ferus Annot. in loc And what wilt thou who art but a Man a Creature a Servant dare to interpose goe about to resist the will of thy Creator and Lord And wilt thou stop me in the course of my obedience and so hinder that great and good work which I am now about What hath my Father mingled this Cup for me and is now reaching it unto me and wilt thou take it out of his hand and from my mouth hinder me from the drinking it The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it Here then take we
Baptisme to be baptized with so he calls his Passion and how am I straitned till it be accomplished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo constringor how am I pressed viz. in spirit how earnestly do I desire the accomplishment thereof So we finde that word used Act. 18.5 where it is said of Paul that He was pressed in spirit and testified to the Jewes that Jesus was Christ Intus 〈◊〉 apud se astuabat prae â—tli ardore Beza Gr. Annot. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had a strong motion upon his spirit which put him upon that service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annot. in loc And so is the same word here looked upon by some How am I straitned how am I pressed in spirit unto this work So it is explained by some of the Ancients As by Epiphanius taken notice of by Beza who readeth that Text thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I have a Cup to drink and how doe I hasten to the drinking thereof And I have a baptisme to be baptized with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot ad loc ex Iren. and how doe I wish that I were even now baptized with it And to the same purpose Irenaeus taken notice of by Grotius who citeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have another Baptisme to be baptized with and I am carryed on with an earnest desire to it And what he there tells them he here maketh it good by not induring that any should hinder or delay his drinking of this Cup. And what an unparallel'd affection was this which the Lord Jesus bare to his Elect people which should thus put him on upon this work this service That for their sakes he should thus endure the Crossâ—e and despise the shame as the Apostle saith of him Heb. 12.2 not so regarding whatever it was that attended his Passion as that he should withdraw himself from it Thus do we here see the truth of what the Spouse saith concerning Love Cant. 8.6 7. Love is strong as death many waters cannot quench Love neither can the floods of waters drown it So it is with true love where it is intense it is inexpugnable and unconquerable Omnia vincit amor No dangers no difficulties can quench or quell it And such was this love which Christ bare to his Church it was not the fear of death though a painfull shamefull and accursed death it was not all the waters of Marah bitter waters nor the Flood-gates of Divine wrath which were now set open ready to be poured out upon him that could quench this love of his Come what will come can come nothing shall take him off from this undertaking which he had designed for the Redemption and salvation of his Elect people He had tasted of the bitter Cup already and now he is resolved how bitter soever he will drink it off for their sakes Which love let all those who have an interest in it for ever admire And admiring it now study how to answere it Vse 2 But how shall that be Why Chriâ—ians to answer this love it is the nature of Love it will be repayed in its own coyn And thus do we answere this love of Jesus Christ with love loving him who hath thus loved us Which whoso doth not the Apostle thundereth out an Anathema against him and that a deserved one If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Let him be accursed for ever And this expresse we as in other waves Being willing to suffâ—r for Christ so in and by our readinesse to suffer for him Which if he shall call us to do it willingly Willingnesse in performance sets a marvellous glosse and lustre upon all the services of a Christian as upon his Active so upon his Passive Obedience Shall Christ call any of us forth in any kinde to suffer for him do it willingly This is that which Paul professeth in that Text forecited Act. 21.13 I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus And let the same minde be in every of us Being ready even to die for him This was Peters resolution and had he not taken it up in his own strength it had been highly commendable and exemplary I will lay down my life for thy sake Joh. 13.37 And the like take we up in the strength of Christ Taking notice that whatever we suffer for him it is no more then what he hath done for us No more say I nay not the thousandth part so much An infinite disparity and disproportion there is betwixt our sufferings for Christ and his sufferings for us Put all the sufferings of all the Martyrs that ever have been together and suppose them all meeting in one and the same person yet were they not worthy to be compared with the sufferings of Christ One drop of the wrath of God poured out upon the soul is more then all the most exquisite torments that cruelty it self can inflict upon the Body But behold here not drops but Vials of wrath poured out upon the Lord Jesus A full Cup measured out unto him by a measure of Justice his sufferings being proportioned to the sins of the World Alas as for those spittings scoffings buffetings scourgings the pâ—ercing of his hands and side with the Nails and Spear his sufferings in his body which we would account eminent sufferings they were the least drops in his Cup. It was his suffering in soul which was the soul of his suffering No compare betwixt his sufferings and ours his for us and ours for him And besides A service honourable and profitable to them Nâ—t so to Christ Christs sufferings no Honor to him there are many inducements which may put us upon suffering for Christ and make us willing therewith This is to us both an honourable and a profitable service But for him to suffer for us was neither What honour could there be in that infinite abasure That he who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God being coessentiall and so co equall wih his Father as God should make himself of no reputation which the Apostle tells us he did Phil. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he evacuated emptyed himself of that Glory and Majesty which he had from all eternity reducing himself as it were to nothing and that he should take upon him the form of a servant as he there goeth on subject himself to such a mean and servile condition as that was wherein he lived upon earth this may well be looked upon as a strange and wonderfull abasure But what was it then for him as the Apostle there goeth on to humble himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse to such a shamefull such an accursed death and to do this for us us poor worms vile worthlesse creatures Nothing lesse then honour in this
who preferred Barrabas before him Not this man but Barrabas now Barrabas saith the Text was a Robber Joh 18.41 Thus was he despised and rejected of men as the Prophet Isai foretold it Isai 53.3 Made a scorn and laughing stock having a scarlet or Purple Robe put upon him a Rod put into his hand instead of a Scepter a Crown of Thornes set upon his head instead of a Crown of Gold as the story sets it forth Mat. 27. v. 28.29 all to make him a scorn to the people who in defiance spit upon him as it there followeth Thus did he suffer in his Name And so in his Body being buffeâ—ed and caned as we find it Matth. 26 67. and 27.30 as also scourged v. 26. Now all these were ingredients in this Cup parts of his suffering But the two principals which made this his Cup so exceedingly bitter were these his suffering in Soule and his suffering of death Yet doth he thus submit to both these And the like are Christians to doe if ever God shall call them to the like tryals Christians to imitate him in suffering of both The latter of which they are all sure to meet with what man liveth and shall not see death Psal 89.48 And for the former none are sure of being exempted from it Now as to these two particulars being of so great importance and having so just an occasion offered from the Text give me leave to speak to them severally Begin with the former Suffering in Soul Thus did our blessed Saviour suffer Suffering in Soul not only in the outward man but also in the inward not only in his Body but in his Soul When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Isai 53.10 that is the whole person of Christ not bis body only but his soul also which suffered in this his passion And that not only by way of Sympathie and fellow feeling with the Body as Socinions would have it but immediately As man afflicted the one so did God the other It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief saith the Prophet in the text last named Afflicting him as in his Body so in his Soul Which he did by inflicting on him a double Punishment such as the damned in Hell lye under a Punishment of Losse and a Punishment of Sense Of Losse hiding and withdrawing himself from him as to his sense and feeling Which he did fully upon the Crosse where being left under a cloud of spirituall desertion he cryeth out in the anguish of his soul My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Of sense pouring a viall of wrath into his soul such as was due unto those sins which he had undertaken So as now even The sorrows of Hell compassed him about as David in another sense speaks of himself Psal 18.8 This Cup did he drink upon the Crosse a Cup of divine wrath Which he had before tasted of even here in the Garden Where we find him in a strange and unparrallelled agonie sweating as it were drops of bloud falling to the ground as before we heard And what could it be that should thus affect his Body but the anguish of his soul then conflicting with the apprehension of that wrath which he was now to feele the wrath of God due unto sinners in whose room he was now to stand as a surety and Redeemer Thus were these waters even come into his soul as David in a different sense speaks it of himself Psal 69.1 And that as I said in an Immediate way Hence is it that he complaines unto his Disciples that his soul was exceeding sorrowfull Matth. 26.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beset and surrounded with grief and anguish And St Mark reporting the same story tels us that he began to be sore amaz'd and very heavy Mark 14.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expavescere gravissime angâ— to be in great horrour and anguish Now what could it be that should thus affect him surely not barely the apprehension of those Corporall punishments which he was to suffer This were a thing very dishonourable to imagine that whereas many of the Martyrs have gone triumphing to the stake or gibbet going singing to the induring of far greater torments more cruell deaths then this was that he who was their Leader the Captain of their salvation should fall so far below them in resolution and courage as thus to tremble at the thought of his Crosse Surely there was somewhat more in this Cup which made it so bitter to him And what should that be But his suffering in soul And yet see how having recollected his spirits he here submitteth to the drinking of this Cup the suffering whatever his Father should please to inflict upon him The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it And thus are Gods Children to submit to the will of their heavenly Father if he shall call them to the tasting of this Cup. The tasting of it I say As for the drinking it off that they never shall Christ having drunk off this Cup hath freed those who are his from drinking in the like way that he did They being justified by his bloud shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.9 This Cup is reserved for wicked and ungodly men who being Children of disobedience are also Children of wrath as the Apostle calls them Ephes 2.23 having wrath for their Portion The wrath of God commeth upon the Children of disobedience Eph. 5.6 This shall be the portion of their Cup which they shall drink and drink it off even wringing out the dregs thereof But so shall not those that are Christs They being Gods Children and Children by Grace the Grace of Adoption they are freed and delivered from wrath Yet not so but that they also may taste of this Cup which sometimes some of them doe Even the best of Saints being subject to spirituall desertions soul sufferings wherein God hiding his face with-holding from them the sweet sense and feeling of his love and favour writes bitter things against them setting their sins in order before them and letting some drops of his wrath as it were fall upon their souls filling them with inward horrour and terrour A bitter Cup of all Cups the bitterest of all tryals the sharpest There being two things principally which make it so 1. Because it seizeth immediately upon the soul Suffering in soul the greatest suffering upon the spirit Those wounds in the body which come nearest the heart are looked upon as most deadly Reas 1 And so is it with those sufferings which come nearest the soul It seizeth upon the spirit The Sword reacheth unto the Soul saith Jeremy Jer. 4.10 It is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart saith the 18. v. there explaining the former And so doth this Tryall it seizeth upon the soul and that immediately As Hectick Feavers and some other diseases in the body which seize more immediately upon
the spirits and in that regard are more deadly So doth this Tryall seize immediately upon the soul and in that respect is the more grievous and insupportable It is the soul the spirit of a man that beareth up his head in all his sufferings so as if that be wounded and broken what shall support it The spirit of a man will sustein his Infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear saith that Text forecited Prov. 18.14 2. Reason 2 And again in this Tryall God himself seemeth to turn Enemy to a man In this tryall God appears an enemy Whereas in other Affliions he standeth by his people comforting and strengthning them taking part with them or else standing Neuter in this he takes up Arms against them fighteth against them and that in a more immediate way then in other conflicts And upon this account this Cup must needs be more bitter then any other Cup. Yet if God shall please to hold forth this Cup unto his people Yet to be submitted to it is their duty even herein to submit unto his will and pleasure Which they are to doe as not despising it which they doe who looking upon this Affliction of spirit only as some Melancholick Passion sleight it so not murmuring at it nor yet fainting under it Q. How this may be done without fainting I but how shall a Christian be able to do this to bear up under such a tryall without fainting A. A great and a difficult work to doe I confess yet through grace possible To help you herein if ever God shall call any of you to it let me briefly propound unto you somewhat to be considered and somewhat to be practised 1. By way of Consideration seriously meditate upon these three particulars Considerations usefull to this end 1. Look upon others who have had experience of the like conflicts This is not such a Cup but others have tasted of it before us Consid 1 Even this affliction hath been accomplished in many of our brethren Look upon others wh◠have had experience of the like in some of the dearest Saints and servants of God Yea few there be but at some time or other do tast of this Cup and some drink deep of it So did Job and David both which among other their sufferings had experience of this this Soul tryall of a spirituall desertion God hiding himself from them seeming to have forsaken them and to be turned against them So we may hear Job complaining Cap. 6. v. 4. The Arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me And again Cap. 13. v. 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine Enemy And v. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquitys of my youth And the like sad complaints we may hear from David My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal 22.1 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.7 Mine Iniquities have gone over my head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me Psal 38.4 Mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to looke up they are more then the haires of my head therefore mine heart faileth me Psal 40.12 And we shall find that holy man Homan the Ezrite joyning in consort with them Psa 88. Lord why casteth thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me v. 14. While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted v. 15. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrours have cut me off v. 16. Thus were they exercised not only in the outward man but also in the inward having sore conflicts in their soules with apprehensions of divine wrath Now if God shall bring us into a like condition look we upon them and upon the end of the Lord as St James speaks Jam. 5.11 the issue of these their temptations which was very comfortable the Sun in due time breaking out from under those clouds God lifting up the light of his countenance upon them as formerly But above all look we up as the Apostle directs us unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Specially look upon Christ who suffered the like nay infinitely more of this kind in the Garden and upon the Cross as you have heard Now where a Patient seeth his Physitian but taste of his Cup it is some incouragement to him to drink it And this hath Christ done for us nay he hath not only tasted of this Cup but drunk it off So then if God will have us to pledge him to taste of the like Cup be not dishartened and discouraged by it Taking notice 1. That this is a part of our conformity to Christ And 2. That Christ having been thus tempted himself which he was how else saith the Apostle that he was in all points tempted like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we are Heb 4 15. having had experience of this soul-conflict he knoweth both how to pity and how to succour those who are thus tempted as the same Apostle tels us Heb. 2.18 Obj. Obs I But Christ had no sins of his own set before him Christ had no sins of his own which we have So as his condition was different from ours A. A. Though he had no sins of his own yet he had the sins of others Our sins were made his our sins charged upon him as being our surety which by this meanes were made his own He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5.21 However he knew no sin experimentally as being guilty of it in himself yet he was made sin viz. by way of imputation having the sins of all his elect people put upon his account in whose room he then stood He his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree or to the tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tree of the Crosse Consid 2 1 Pet. 2.24 Now this was all one as if these sins had been his own What is it that a Christian liveth by not Assurance but Faith as to the guilt of them But to pass on Let a second Consideration be What it is that a Christian liveth by what it is that his salvation depends upon Not Assurance but Faith The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 Now Assurance and Faith are two different things Assurance not being of the Essence of Faith as by some it hath been mistaken Faith being properly a Recumbencie a Reliance and resting of the soul upon Christ This is Faith true justyfying and saving faith A believing in Christ or on him God so loved the World that be gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish Joh. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In eum on him Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉