The Fountain of Life Opened

THE manner in which Christ dyed hath already been opened in the Solitude, and Patience in which he dyed. The third to wit the Instructiveness of his Death, now follows, in these seven excellent and weighty sayings, which dropped from his blessed Lips upon the Tree; whilst his sacred blood dropped on the earth from his wounded hands and feet; so that on the Cross he exercised both his Priestly, and Prophetical Office together; redeeming us by his blood, and instructing us by his words.

THE manner in which Christ dyed hath already been opened in the Solitude, and Patience in which he dyed. The third to wit the Instructiveness of his Death, now follows, in these seven excellent and weighty sayings, which dropt from his blessed Lips upon the Tree; whilst his sacred blood dropt on the earth from his wounded hands and feet; so that on the Cross he exercised both his Priestly, and Prophetical Office together; redeeming us by his blood, and instructing us by his words.

These seven words of Christ upon the Cross are his last words, with which he breathed out his Soul. The last words of a dying man are remarkable, the Scripture puts a remark upon them, ⟨p. 401⟩2 Sam. 23.1. Now these be the last words of David. How remarkable then are the last words of Christ?

These words are seven in number; three directed to his Father, and four more to those about him. Of the former sort this is one, Father forgive them, &c. In which we have, first, the mercy desired by Christ, and that is forgiveness. Secondly, the persons for whom it is desired [Them] that is, those cruel and wicked persons that were now in brewing their hands in his blood. And Thirdly, the motive or argument urged to procure that mercy from his Father, for they know not what they do.