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

5. The Sun did suddenly, perceptibly brighten about the ninth hour, which was the time of the death of our Lord Jesus; which manifesteth, that this darkness was not an effect of any natural causes, but of the divine power of God. And tendeth much to the confirmation of the apprehension of such Reverend Divines, as think, that the darkening of the Sun, was a sign of Gods hiding his face from Jesus Christ in his spiritual desertion, through his Agony upon the Cross, which Agony being finished, the Sun brightened, and Gods face of favourable acceptation turned unto him, and then he breathed out his Soul into his Fathers bosom.

5. The Sun did suddenly, perceptibly brighten about the ninth hour, which was the time of the death of our Lord Jesus; which manifesteth, that this darkness was not an effect of any natural causes, but of the divine power of God. And tendeth much to the confirmation of the apprehension of such Reverend Divines, as think, that the darkening of the Sun, was a sign of Gods hiding his face from Jesus Christ in his spiritual desertion, through his Agony upon the Cross, which Agony being finished, the Sun brightned, and Gods face of favourable acceptation turned unto him, and then he breathed out his Soul into his Fathers bosome.

6. The timous and speedy death of Jesus, by the wonderful and merciful providence of God prevented that Roman and Jewish cruelty in breaking his legs. That he dyed sooner then they looked for, or then malefactors were wont to die, or then the Thieves did, appeareth evidently, because Pilate marvelled, and would not believe Joseph, who begged his dead body, until he called the Centurion that had charge of the watch, and he affirmed that he was dead. We see that the Romans used cruelty in putting malefactors to death by long tortures, Math. 18.34. executors are called tormentors, and when they desire to dispatch them, they broke their legs, to torture them to death, by torturing their Limbs furthest from their heart, when as a touch upon the head, would presently finish their life, but Christ escaped this, by a divine hand.