The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

Thirdly, and here lies the main pith and heart blood of the point, that we may speak tremblingly and wisely, in this great and difficult point. The conclusion is this, the soul of our Saviour, that is, the whole man was for the while ⟨p. 270⟩deprived of the sense of Gods favour, and the feeling operation of his love and mercy that might comfort him; I say, it was for the while, and this seems to be the reason of those strong cries, and heart-breaking complaints of his: You know when a man cries, then there is misery, and trouble upon him; and when he cries loud, and puts forth all his powers, it implies a marvellous weight, nay, it gives us to conceive of a kind of admiration, and a kind of wondering with himself, what the cause of it should be: It seems here that this was the cause of the sad complaint, because in his agony there were some inklings of Gods mercy, and now and then a star-light, and a little flash of lightning to cheer him: but now all the sense and feeling of Gods love was gone, and not so much as any little star-light to cheer him up; and that drives him to a wonderment, saying, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Is it possible that thou canst thus forsake thy Son? whats the reason of it? what, and an only begotten Son; not that the spirit of consolation was ever taken away from our Saviour, nor that the Godhead was taken away from the manhood, and so left comfortless, and supportless; no, no, but howsoever the spirit of comfort and consolation was there, yet the sweetness of that consolation, wherein he had refreshed and solaced himself, that was quite taken await.

Thirdly, and here lies the main pith and heart blood of the point, that wee may speake tremblingly and wisely, in this great and difficult point. The conclusion is this, the soule of our Saviour, that is, the whole man was for the while ⟨p. 270⟩deprived of the sense of Gods favour, and the feeling operation of his love and mercy that might comfort him; I say, it was for the while, and this seemes to be the reason of those strong cries, and heart-breaking complaints of his: You know when a man cries, then there is misery, and trouble upon him; and when he cries loud, and puts forth all his powers, it implies a marvellous weight, nay, it gives us to conceive of a kinde of admiration, and a kinde of wondering with himselfe, what the cause of it should bee: It seemes here that this was the cause of the sad complaint, because in his agonie there were some inklings of Gods mercy, and now and then a starre-light, and a little flash of lightning to cheere him: but now all the sense and feeling of Gods love was gone, and not so much as any little star-light to cheere him up; and that drives him to a wonderment, saying, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? Is it possible that thou canst thus forsake thy Sonne? whats the reason of it? what, and an onely begotten Sonne; not that the spirit of consolation was ever taken away from our Saviour, nor that the Godhead was taken away from the manhood, and so left comfortlesse, and supportlesse; no, no, but howsoever the spirit of comfort and consolation was there, yet the sweetnesse of that consolation, wherein he had refreshed and solaced himselfe, that was quite taken await.