But above all, (if these were not sufficient to persuade us in this doctrine) there remaineth1 one example, whom we affirm to be the perfect anatomy of an afflicted mind. This is the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the image of the Father, the head of the body, the mirror-of all graces, the wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption of all the Saints, who sustained the cross even from his youth upward: and besides poverty, baseness, hunger, did willingly go under the great trouble of contempt and reproach, and ⟨p. 97⟩that among them, where he should have had a right deserved honour, in respect of the doctrine he taught them, & in regard of the manifold miracles he wrought among them; as the healing of the sick, the giving of sight to the blind, the restoring of life to the dead: this unkindness nevertheless did not so much strike into him. But at what time he was set as a sacrifice for all, when he was to bear our infirmities, and carry our sorrows, at what time he was plagued and smitten of God, humbled and wounded for our transgressions, when he should be broken for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him; then he cried out, My soul is heavy even unto the death: Then he prayeth, Lord if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. But how prayeth he? even with sweating: how sweateth h•? even drops of blood: How long prayeth he? three times: When ends his agony? not until he was dead: What said he being ready to depart? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Was this for his humane death, as some have imagined? No, no, wicked men have dyed without complaint, whose patience then might seem to exceed his; it was his suffering in his humane spirit, which encountered with the wrath of God, his God-head suppressing it self for a while: he suffered indeed many torments in body, but much more heavily did the wrath of God lie upon his soul.
But aboue all, (if these were not sufficient to perswade vs in this doctrine) there remaineth1 one example, whom we affirme to be the perfect anatomie of an afflicted minde. This is the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ, the image of the Father, the head of the body, the mirrour-of all graces, the wisedome, righteousnes, holinesse, and redemption of all the Saints, who sustained the crosse euen from his youth vpward: and besides pouertie, basenesse, hunger, did willingly goe vnder the great trouble of contempt and reproach, and ⟨p. 97⟩that among them, where he should haue had a right deserued honour, in respect of the doctrine he taught them, & in regard of the manifold miracles he wrought among them; as the healing of the sicke, the giuing of sight to the blinde, the restoring of life to the dead: this vnkindnesse neuerthelesse did not so much strike into him. But at what time he was set as a sacrifice for all, when he was to beare our infirmities, and carie our sorrowes, at what time he was plagued and smitten of God, humbled and wounded for our transgressions, when he should be broken for our iniquities, and the chasticement of our peace was vpon him; then he cryed out, My soule is heauie euen vnto the death: Then he prayeth, Lord if it be possible, let this cuppe passe from me. But how prayeth he? euen with sweating: how sweateth h•? euen droppes of bloud: How long prayeth he? three times: When endes his agonie? not vntill hee was dead: What saide hee being readie to departe? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Was this for his humane death, as some haue imagined? No, no, wicked men haue dyed without complaint, whose patience then might seeme to exceede his; it was his suffering in his humane spirit, which incountred with the wrath of God, his God-head suppressing it selfe for a while: he suffered indeed many torments in bodie, but much more heauily did the wrath of God lie vpon his soule.
- 1Christ Jes•s, an example most comfortable for all afflicted consciences.Christ Ies•s, an example most comfortable for all afflicted conciences.
