The Fountain of Life Opened

Yet to speak positively of it; though it did not dissolve the personal union, nor cutting off divine supports, nor remove his inherent grace, nor turn his Fathers love into hatred, nor continue for ever, nor yet was it on both parts, Christs forsaking God, as well as God forsaking Christ; yet I say it was First, A very sad desertion, the like unto which in all respects never was experienced by any, nor can be to the end of the world. All his other troubles were but small things to this; they bare upon his body, these upon his soul. They came from the hands of vile men, this from the hand of a dear Father. He suffered both in body and soul; but the sufferings of his soul, were the very soul of his sufferings. Under all his other sufferings he opened not his mouth, but this touched the quick, that he could not but cry out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. Secondly, As it was a sad, so it was a penal desertion, inflicted on him for satisfaction for those sins of ours, which deserved that God should forsake us for ever, as the damned are forsaken by him. So that this cry (as one observes) was like the perpetual shriek of them that are cast away for ever. This was that Hell, and the torments of it which Christ our surety suffered for us. For look as there lies a twofold misery upon the damned in Hell, viz. pain of sense, and pain of loss. So upon Christ answerably there was not only an impression of wrath, but also a Subtraction, or withdrawment of all sensible favour, and love. Hence it's said by himself, Joh. 12.27. And now my soul [Greek or Hebrew] is troubled. The word signifies troubled as they that are in Hell are troubled. Though God did not leave his soul in Hell, as others are; he having enough to pay the debt which they have not, yet in the torments thereof at this time he was. Yea, in sufferings at this time in his soul, equivalent to all that which our souls should have suffered there, to all Eternity. Thirdly, ¹It was a desertion that was real, and not fictitious. He doth not personate a deserted soul, and speak as if God had withdrawn the comfortable sense and influence of his love from ⟨p. 452⟩him; but the thing was so indeed. The God-head restrained and kept back for this time, all its joys, comforts, and sense of love from the man-hood: yielding it nothing but support.