A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

Now, saith Christ, Lo, I come to do thy Will. Father, I am willing to stand in their stead, to accept of all, to be responsible to thy Justice. So when Christ was come in the Flesh; John 4.34. My Meat is to do the VVill of him that sent me, and to finish his Work. What was the Work for which God sent Christ? Sad Work, to make Reconciliation for Sinners, to die in their stead; and yet, saith Christ, this is my Meat. Look, as a hungry Man prizeth his Food, so doth the Lord Christ value and prize his Work, nay, infinitely more. Christ himself was then hungry, and had sent to the Market to buy Provision, but he had now met with other Meat to eat, he was dealing with a poor lost Soul. Nay, we have not yet the Full of the Expression, for Christ seems to speak there by way of Excellency, this was his choice Dish, the Diet that suited with his Appetite. God hath vouchsafed us great store of Creatures, but some Meats we relish better than others; as Isaac loved his Venison, that was Meat for his Tooth. And when we come to a Feast, every one saith of the Dish he most affects, This is my Meat: So Christ seems to speak, my Meat, by way of Eminency, that is the Dish I affect, that my Soul longs to taste of; it is to do my Father's Work, and to be employed for the Salvation of Sinners. Nay, yet further, Christ seems to speak by way of Appropriation, my Meat; that is, mine alone; he alone tasted of this Cup. At this Table none eat but he, none was to taste of his Father's Wrath but he, none was to drink of this bitter Cup but he. Again, Luke 12.50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! The Baptism Christ speaks of there, was the Baptism of Blood, to make a Laver of his own Blood: He was about to make a Bath for Sinners, to wash our Garments white; and he thought he never could soon enough empty his Veins, and go to the last Work wherewith our Redemption was to be accomplished, to close up all with his Death; I am straitened and troubled in Spirit till the time come. Another emphatical Expression we have, Luke 22.15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Why was Christ so earnest to eat that Passover? Because it was the last; it was a Passover that was sauced with Gall and Vinegar, much more sharp than that which the Jews offered him upon the Cross;