Sermons preached

(4.) This Desertion was a Punishment, one part or degree of the Abasement of the Son of God, and so belongeth to the whole Nature that was to be abased, not only to his Body, but his Soul. We read often of his Soul-sufferings, Isa. 53. 10. He was to make his Soul an Offering for Sin. And to see the Travail of his Soul, v. 11. His Soul was deprived of Consolation, and some Effects of the Spirit, as to Joy and Comfort.

2. As to the Felicity of his inward Estate, the State of his Soul. Christ carried about his Heaven with him, and never wanted sensible Consolation, spiritual Suavity, the comfortable Effects of the Divine Presence, till now they were withdrawn, that he might be capable of suffering the whole Punishment of Sins, and fell not only Pains and Torments of ⟨p. 166⟩Body, but Troubles of Soul, such as we have when God hideth his Face from us, but without Sin. The Divinity kept back those Irradiations of heavenly Light and Comfort, or for a while suspended that Joy and Comfort which otherwise he felt in himself, though it gave out that Virtue and Strength which was necessary to support and sustain him under so great Sufferings. As when the Sun is eclipsed, the Light of it ceaseth not, but is only hidden from the Earth by the Interposition of a dark Body. So here, Christ had not the participation of that heavenly Joy, which before his Soul felt by dwelling with God in a personal Union, though there were no Separation of the Human Nature from the Divine; the Ground of it was not taken away, but only the Sense suspended; no dissolution of the Union, but a ceasing of the Comfort of it.

In short, I will show how this Sort of Desertion is,