Three godly and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Master John DodThree godlie and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Maister Iohn Dod

Doct. 4 The due consideration of the death of Christ, is ¹a most forcible means to break the hearts of Christians with godly sorrow.

Doct. 4 The due consideration of the death of Christ, is ¹a most forcible means to breake the hearts of Christians with godly sorrow.

1. 1The consideration of Christ his sufferings, is a forcible means to godly sorrow.The consideration of Christ his sufferings, is a forcible meanes to godly sorrow.

There is no such motive to make men weep bitterly for their offences, as to weigh with themselves in a serious manner, that they by their sins have slain the Lord of life; that his bitterest adversaries were not the causes of that his shameful and painful death which he endured upon the tree, but that they themselves brought him thither, and were the procurers of that his bitter passion. Christ ¹laid down his life, but for whom? even for his sheep. He was cursed, that they might be blessed: he was wounded, that they might be healed: he² suffered disgrace, that they might be brought to glory; and endured in a sort the torments of hell, that they might partake of the joys of heaven: the ⟨p. 38⟩sound meditation thereof, cannot but wound the hearts of such as have any spark of grace in them. When it was told David that Abner was slain by Joab, though he had formerly been a rebel, and was now newly reconciled unto him, yet he mourned for him till the evening, because he was a worthy man; albeit he himself was altogether guiltless of his death. Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament over Christ Jesus, who was not a worthy man, but infinitely more worthy then all both men and Angels? and not murdered by the treachery of another, but killed by the sins of their souls, the sins of their lips, and the sins of their hands? and if he had not been so killed, they had been everlastingly damned. Put case that a man had one only son, which was to be the heir of the family, and he of a sudden should find him stark dead, would it not inwardly touch him, and strike cold unto his heart? especially if he himself had unwittingly been the cause thereof? yes certainly, it would go through his heart even like a sword: and such will be the grief of those who through their transgressions have slain their blessed Saviour, as this very text witnesseth, when they by the eye of faith do see him heavy unto the death, crying unto his Father in the bitterness of his grief; being full of torment in his body, and fuller of anguish in his soul, & that for their sakes, even for their sins, they cannot but be exceedingly moved hereat. And a little to press the other comparison used in this