The Fountain of Life Opened

¹Thirdly, Yea, and it was no less necessary upon our account that this work should be finished. For had not Christ finished this work, sin had quickly finished all our lives, comforts and hopes. Without the finishing this work, not a Son or Daughter of Adam could ever have seen the face of God. Therefore it's said, Joh. 3.14, 15. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so [must] the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. On all these accounts the finishing of this work was necessary.

1. 1Ex parte nostri.

Secondly, As it was necessary this work should be finished, so the finishing of it, was exceeding difficult. It cost many a cry, many ⟨p. 481⟩a groan, many a tear, many a hard tug, before Christ could say it is finished. All the Angels in Heaven were not able by their united strength to lift that burden one inch from the ground, which Christ bare upon his shoulders, yea, and bare it away. But how heavy a burden this was, may in part appear, by his propassion in the Garden, and the bitter out-cries he made upon the Cross, which in their proper places have been opened.

Secondly, As it was necessary this work should be finished, so the finishing of it, was exceeding difficult. It cost many a cry, many ⟨p. 481⟩a groan, many a tear, many a hard tug, before Christ could say it is finished. All the Angels in Heaven were not able by their united strength to lift that burden one inch from the ground, which Christ bare upon his shoulders, yea, and bare it away. But how heavy a burden this was, may in part appear, by his propassion in the Garden, and the bitter out-crys he made upon the Cross, which in their proper places have been opened.