he felt, and the anguish which he underwent, were most incomparably far beyond all sorrows of which any person here was sensible or capable. The evangelists have in such language expressed his agony, as cannot but raise in us the highest admiration at the bitterness of that passion. He began to be sorrowful, saith St Matthew. He began to be sore amazed, saith St Mark: and to be very heavy, say both: and yet these words in our translation come far short of the original expression', which 1 The words in the original are three, λυπεῖσθαι, ἐκθαμβεῖσθαι, and ἀδημονεῖν. Λυπεῖσθαι, the first, is of a known and ordinary signification, but in this case it is to be raised to the highest degree of its possible significancy, as appears by the words which follow, περίλυπός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή μov. For, as the ancient grammarians observe, ἡ περὶ πρόθεσις ἐπίτασιν δηλοῖ, and again, ἡ περὶ πρόθεσις λαμβάνεται ἀντὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ κατὰ λόγον ὑπερθέσεως καὶ περιττότητος: and therefore TepiλUTOs of itself must signify a man possessed with an excessive grief; as in Eschylus, [Eumenid. 161.] πepißарν кρúos, that is, according to the scholiast, πepioσῶς βαρύ. But beside this Greek notation, here is to be observed a reference to the words of David, Psal. xlii. 5. Ινατί περίλυπος εἰ ἡ So that מה תשתוחחי נפשי] ;vx uov it doth not only signify an excess of EKTλng, says Etymologus: and Hesychius, Θάμβος θαῦμα, ἔκπληξις. Gloss. Vet. Oáußos, stupor. Philoponus, preserved by Eustathius, 'IX. M. [310] Θάμβος μὲν ἡ ἔκπληξις· θαμβὸς δὲ κατὰ ὀξεῖαν τάσιν ὁ ἐκπλαγείς. From hence the verb außeîv, in termination active, in signification passive, perculsum esse, in Homer, Il. A. 199. Oáμβησεν δ' ̓Αχιλεύς, where it is the observation of Eustathius: Τὸ ἐθάμβησεν ἐνεργητικὸν ἡ νεωτέρα χρῆσις οὐκ ἔχει· θαμβούμενοι γάρ, καὶ ἐθαμβήθη, καὶ τεθάμβημαι, φασὶν οἱ μεθ' Ομηρον• but not universally true. For (as to our purpose) we have both the use and sense of this word in the Old Testament. As 1 Sam. xiv. 15. 187 127, καὶ ἐθάμβησεν ἡ γῆ, and the earth quaked. And Psalm xlviii. 5. nan, Aquila ἐθαμβήθησαν, Symmachus ἐξεπλάγησαν: as Psal. xxxi. 22. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπα ἐν τῇ ἐκστάσει μου, Aquila θαμβήσει, Symmachus ἐκπλήξει. The like is also in the passive termination; as Daniel expresses his fear in a vision, ἐθαμβήθην, καὶ πίπτω ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν μov, Dan. viii. 17. and the wicked are described by the Wise Man, Oaμßoνμeνοι δεινῶς, καὶ ἰνδάλμασιν ἐκταρασσόμevo, Sap. xvii. 3. From whence it appeareth, that außeîobal of itself signifieth a high degree of fear, horror, and amazement. Gloss. Vet. OaμBoûμai, obstupeo, stupeo, pavesco. And by the addition of the preposition the signification is augmented. "Exθαμβος, ἔκπληκτος, Hesych. passively; Θηρίον φοβερὸν καὶ ἔκθαμβον, Dan. vii. 7. actively, i. e. Èkπλŋktɩkóv. Such an augmentation in this word is justifiable by that rule left us in Eustathius, ad render him suddenly, upon a present and immediate appre- 38, 39. 35. This he first expressed to his disciples, saying, My soul is Matt. xxvi. exceeding sorrowful; and lest they should not fully appre- Mark xiv. 34, hend the excess, adding, even unto death, as if the pangs of death had already encompassed him, and, as the Psalmist speaks, the pains of hell had got hold upon him. He went but Psal. cxvi. 3. a little farther before he expressed the same to his Father, falling on his face and praying, even with strong crying and Heb. v. 7. tears, unto him that was able to save him from death. Nor were his cries or tears sufficient evidences of his inward sufferings, nor could the sorrows of his breast be poured forth either 191 at his lips or eyes; the innumerable pores of all his body must give a passage to more lively representations of the bitter anguish of his soul; and therefore while he prayed more earnestly, in that agony his sweat was as it were great drops of Luke xxii. 44. blood falling down to the ground. As the Psalmist had before declared, I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out Psal. xxii. 14. of joint: my heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels. The heart of our Saviour was as it were melted with fear and astonishment, and all the parts of his body at Iliad. Ε. [142.] Ἡ ἐξ πρόθεσις οὐ μόν σθαι therefore is μάλιστα θαμβεῖσθαι, μονεῖν πρωτότυπον ἀδήμων, ἀδήμονος, ὁ ἐκ λύπης ὡς οἷα καί τινος κόρου, ὃς ἄδος λέγεται, ἀναπεπτωκώς. Iliad. Λ. [88.] From ἀδῶ, ἀδήσω, ἀδήμων, from ἀδήμων, ἀδημονῶ. It hath therefore in it the signification of ἄδην or λίαν, satiety, or extremity. From whence it is ordinarily so expounded, as if it contained the consequence of the greatest fear or sorrow, that is, anxiety of mind, disquietude, and restlessness. Αδημονεῖν ἀλύειν καὶ ἀπορεῖν, ἀμηχαveiv, Etymol. As Antony is expressed by Plutarch, after the loss of 8000 men, being in want of all things necessary for the rest: Κλεοπάτραν περιέμενε, καὶ βραδυνούσης ἀδημονεῖν Ave. [c. 51.] So where the Heb. Down is by the LXX. translated ἐκπλαγῇς, by Symmachus it is rendered donμovs, Eccles. vii. 16. Isai. liii. 6. Heb. iv. 15. the same time inflamed with anguish and agony; well then might that melting produce a sweat, and that inflamed and rarified blood force a passage through the numerous pores. And as the evangelists' expressions, so the occasion of the grief, will manifest the height and bitterness thereof. For God laid on his own Son the iniquities of us all; and as we are obliged to be sorry for our particular sins, so was he grieved for the sins of us all. If then we consider the perfection and latitude of his knowledge; he understood all the sins of men for which he suffered, all the evil and the guilt, all the offence against the majesty, and ingratitude against the goodness of God, which was contained in all those sins. If we look upon his absolute conformity to the will of God; he was inflamed with most ardent love, he was most zealous of his glory, and most studious to preserve that right which was so highly violated by those sins. If we look upon his relation to the sons of men; he loved them all far more than any did themselves, he knew those sins were of themselves sufficient to bring eternal destruction on their souls and bodies; he considered them whom he so much loved, as lying under the wrath of God, whom he so truly worshipped. If we reflect upon those graces which were without measure diffused through his soul, and caused him with the greatest habitual detestation to abhor all sin; if we consider all these circumstances, we cannot wonder at that grief and sorrow. For if the true contrition of one single sinner, bleeding under the sting of the Law only for his own iniquities, all which notwithstanding he knoweth not, cannot be performed without great bitterness of sorrow and remorse; what bounds can we set unto that grief, what measures to that anguish, which proceedeth from a full apprehension of all the transgressions of so many millions of sinners? Add unto all these present apprehensions, the immediate hand of God pressing upon him all this load, laying on his shoulders at once an heap of all the sorrows which can happen unto any of the saints of God; that he, being touched with the Heb. ii. 17, 18 feeling of our infirmities, might become a merciful high-priest, able and willing to succour them that are tempted. Thus may we behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto that sorrow which was done unto him, wherewith the Lord afflicted him in the day of his fierce anger. And from hence we may and must Lam. i. 12. conclude, that the Saviour of man, as he took the whole nature That our Saviour did thus suffer, is most necessary to believe. First, that thereby we may be assured of the verity of his human nature. For if he were not man, then could not man be redeemed by him; and if that nature in which he appeared were not truly human, then could he not be truly man. But we may be well assured that he took on him our nature, when we see him subject unto our infirmities. We know the Godhead is of infinite perfection, and therefore is exalted far 192 above all possibility of molestation. When therefore we see our Saviour truly suffer, we know his divine essence suffered not, and thence acknowledge the addition of his human nature, as the proper subject of his passion. And from hence we may infallibly conclude, surely that Mediator between God and man was truly man, as we are men, who when he fasted was an hungry, when he travelled was thirsty and weary as we are, who being grieved wept, being in an agony sweat, being scourged bled, and being crucified died. Secondly, It was necessary Christ should suffer for the redemption of lapsed men, and their reconciliation unto God; which was not otherwise to be performed than by a plenary satisfaction to his will. He therefore was by all his sufferings made an expiation, atonement, and propitiation, for all our sins. For salvation is impossible unto sinners without remission of sin; and remission, in the decree of God, impossible without effusion of blood. Our redemption therefore could not be wrought but by the blood of the Redeemer, but by a Lamb slain, but by a suffering Saviour. Thirdly, It behoved Christ to suffer, that he might purchase thereby eternal happiness in the heavens both for himself the Head, and for the members of his body. He drunk of Psal. cx. 7. the brook in the way, therefore hath he lift up his head. Ought Luke xxiv. not Christ to suffer, and to enter into his own glory? And doth he not by the same right by which he entered into it, confer that glory upon us? The recompense of the reward was set before him, and through an intuition of it he cheerfully underwent 26. Luke xxiii. 31. whatsoever was laid upon him. He must therefore necessarily Fourthly, It was necessary Christ should suffer, that we Fifthly, It was necessary the Son of man should suffer, thereby to shew us that we are to suffer, and to teach us how we are to suffer. For if these things were done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry? Nay, if God spared not his natural, his eternal, his only-begotten Son; how shall he spare his adopted sons, who are best known to be children because they are chastised, and appear to be in his paternal affection because they lie under his fatherly correction? We are therefore heirs, only because co-heirs with Christ; and we shall be kings, only because we shall reign together with him. It is a certain and infallible consequence, if Christ be risen, then shall we also rise; and we must look for as strong a coherence in this other, If Christ hath suffered, then must we expect to suffer. And as he taught the necessity of, so he left us the direction in, our sufferings. Great was the example of Job, but far short of absolute perfection: the pattern beyond all exception is alone our Saviour, who hath taught us in all our afflictions the exercise of admirable humility, perfect patience, and absolute submission unto the will of God. And now we may perceive the full importance of this part of the Article, and every Christian may thereby understand what he is to believe, and what he is conceived to profess, when he makes this confession of his faith, He suffered. For hereby every one is obliged to intend thus much I am really persuaded within myself, and do make a sincere profession of this as a most necessary, certain, and infallible truth, that the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father, and of the same essence with the Father, did for the redemption of man- 193 kind really and truly suffer; not in his Divinity, which was impassible, but in his humanity, which in the days of his humiliation was subject unto our infirmities: that as he is |