The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings…

These infirmities of humane nature may comprehend all those infirmities usually instanced in by Divines, as hunger, thirst, weariness, sleepiness, &c. The mortal body of Jesus Christ was sustained (as our bodies be) by eating, drinking, motion, labour and rest, in all which respects our fallen estate feeleth much punishment, and the matter of sicknesses is usually contracted, by eating and drink••, by heats and colds. As these natural passions and infirmities have in them a • less punishment of sin, which Jesus Christ suffered; So why may not we say, at the animal passions and infirmities have in them a sinless punishment of sin? ⟨p. 48⟩as anger, grief, love, Mark 3.5. he looked on them with anger, but without the least touch of sin, and was grieved, Joh. 12.36. Jesus did hide himself from them, Math. 14.13. when Jesus heard that John was beheaded he departed thence into a desert place, Joh. 20.2. the Disciple whom Jesus loved, Joh. 11, 35.36. Jesus wept, then they said behold how he loved him, Joh. 11.11. our friend Lazarus sleepeth, Joh, 11.3.5. he whom thou lovest is sick, now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus. Whether Jesus Christ suffered any sinless punishment in these animal passions, I dare not be bold ro affirm. But that Christ hath sanctified them by his experience for us, that I may boldly affirm. There be infirmities of mans mortal body instanced in the Gospel, and expressed by the same word, of which sort Christ took not, as Luk. 13.11, 12, 13. a woman bowed with a Spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and Joh. 5.5. a man lying with an infirmity thirty eight years, but Jesus Christ took no such infirmity as corrupted his humane body, or disabled him from his work and service, from doing the will of the Father. But such infirmity as made him preach, pray, travail with much pain, grief and infirmity, in doing and fulfilling his Fathers work and will, that we have ground to believe; and it is a great comfort unto such servants of God as do work with much pain, that labour in the service of God with an aching head, pained limbs, feeble spirits, crazy bodies and lungs, unto such it is an unspeakable comfort, that Christ did fulfil his Fathers will, and obey his commands under much infirmity, and by experience knoweth how to pit such as do so s rue the Lord.