Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

3. He bore his Cross. So John relates; before it bears him, he must bear it;¹ and thus they make good their double cry, Crucify him, Crucify him; first Crucify him with it as a burden, and then crucify him with it as a Cross; those shoulders which had been unmercifully battered with whips before, are now again tormented with the weight of his Cross. As a true Isaac bears the wood for the sacrifice of himself; or Uriah-like, he carries with him the very Instrument of his own sad death. O the cruelty of this passage! they had scarce left him so much blood or strength as to carry himself, and must •e now bear his heavy Cross? yes, till he faint and sink, so long he must bear it, and longer too, did they not fear that he should dye with less shame and smart than they intended him:² which to prevent they constrained one Simon a Cyrenian to bear his Cross after him. How truly do they here again swallow the Camel, and strain at a Gnat? the Cross was a Roman death, and so one of their abominations, hence they themselves would not touch the tree of infamy, lest they should have been defiled, but to touch the Lords anointed, to Crucify the Lord of Glory, they make no scruple at all; but why must another bear the Cross, but to consign this duty unto man, that we must enter into a fellowship of Christ's ⟨p. 374⟩sufferings?³ If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me.—And therefore Christ hath suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps.

3. He bore his Cross. So John relates; before it bears him, he must bear it;¹ and thus they make good their double cry, Crucifie him, Crucifie him; first Crucifie him with it as a burthen, and then crucifie him with it as a Cross; those shoulders which had been unmercifully battered with whips before, are now again tormented with the weight of his Cross. As a true Isaac bears the wood for the sacrifice of himself; or Ʋriah-like, he carries with him the very Instrument of his own sad death. O the cruelty of this passage! they had scarce left him so much blood or strength as to carry himself, and must e now bear his heavy Cross? yes, till he faint and sink, so long he must bear it, and longer too, did they not fear that he should dye with less shame and smart than they intended him: