Sermons preached

1. The Circumstance of Time, About the ninth Hour. We read in the former Verse, That from the sixth Hour, there was Darkness over all the Earth until the ninth Hour. At the Passion of Christ the Earth trembled, the Sun seemed to be struck blind with Astonishment, and the Frame of Nature to put it self into a Funeral Garb and Habit, as if the Creatures durst not show their Glory, while God was manifesting his Anger for Sin, and Christ was suffering. After three hours darkness, he complaineth not of that, but of the sad Eclipse that was upon his own Spirit.

1. The Circumstance of Time, About the ninth Hour. We read in the former Verse, That from the sixth Hour, there was Darkness over all the Earth until the ninth Hour. At the Passion of Christ the Earth trembled, the Sun seemed to be struck blind with Astonishment, and the Frame of Nature to put it self into a Funeral Garb and Habit, as if the Creatures durst not shew their Glory, while God was manifesting his Anger for Sin, and Christ was suffering. After three hours darkness, he complaineth not of that, but of the sad Eclipse that was upon his own Spirit.

2. The Matter complained of, Why hast thou forsaken me? It is not an Expostulation, so much as a Representation of the heavy Burden that was upon him. Questions among the Hebrews imply earnest Assertions: As, Psal. 10. 1. Why standest thou afar off? Why hidest thou thy self in the time of Trouble? That is, Lord! thou hidest thy self from me. So Psal. 43. 2. Why go I mourning, because of the Oppression of the Enemy? That is, I do go mourning. The Case is represented in such Forms of Speech.