The Fountain of Life Opened

First, I shall open the kind or nature of this death, by showing §1you that it was a violent, painful, shameful, cursed, slow, and succourless death.

First, I shall open the kind or nature of this death, by shewing §1you that it was a violent, painful, shameful, cursed, slow, and succourless death.

First, It was a violent death, that Christ died. Violent in it self, though voluntary on his part. He was cut off out of the land of the living, Isai. 53.8. And yet he laid down his life of himself; no man took it from him, Joh. 10.17. I call his death violent, because he died not a natural death, (i. e.) he lived not till nature was consumed with age, as it is in many who live till their balsamum radicale radical moisture, like the oil in the Lamp, be quite consumed, and then go out like an expiring Lamp. It was not so with Christ. For he was but in the very flower and prime of his time when he died. And indeed he must either die a violent death, or not die at all; partly because there was no sin in him, to open a door to natural death; as it doth in all others. Partly because else his death had not been a sacrifice acceptable and satisfactory to God for us. That which died of it self, was never offered up to God; but that which was slain when it was in its full strength and health.¹ The Temple was a Type of the body of Christ. Now, when the Temple was destroyed, it did not drop down as an ancient structure decayed by time; but was pulled down by violence, when it was standing in its full strength. Therefore ⟨p. 344⟩he is said to suffer death, and to be put to death for us in the flesh.