3. What befell him when he went to pray, viz. a most grievous Agony in soul, which with such speed increased upon him, that he cried out to his Disciples, that his soul was every way compassed about with sorrow even unto the death, and he sweat in that Anguish very blood, as is noted by the Evangelist, and he was marvellously amazed and afraid. Now if any ask, what made our Saviour 1fall into this perplexity? I answer, that we must not think, that it was the fear of bodily death that thus affrighted our Saviour, seeing we know that the Martyrs that were infirm men, did yet embrace death without these Agonies: though by the way we must remember, that it is a thousand times more easy to suffer the death of a Martyr, than for Christ to suffer bare death of any kind, because Martyrs in death are freed from the guilt of all their sins, whereas Christ in death, as our surety, stands charged with sin: but it was not the fear of death thus troubled our Saviour; he had many other more dreadful things to think of: As first, the tyranny ⟨p. 342⟩of Sin, Death, and Satan, that had prevailed over mankind. Secondly, the great ingratitude of the greatest part of mankind, who would not regard redemption though made in his blood. Thirdly, the dispersion of his Disciples, and the scandal that even they would take at his death. Fourthly, the ruin would come upon the Jewish Nation by making themselves guilty of his blood. Fifthly and especially, the sense of the most horrible wrath of God against the sins of the world, which he must endure, and did begin to feel, for our sakes, as being our surety. It was not death then simply that he feared, but death joined with that pouring out of the dreadful wrath of God upon his soul: this bred that incredible and deadly sadness, and pain, and inward fear in our Saviour.
3. What befell him when he went to pray, viz. a most grieuous Agonie in soule, which with such speed increased vpon him, that he cried out to his Disciples, that his soule was euery way compassed about with sorrow euen vnto the death, and he sweat in that Anguish very bloud, as is noted by the Euangelist, and he was maruellously amazed and afraid. Now if any aske, what made our Sauiour 1fall into this perplexitie? I answer, that wee must not thinke, that it was the feare of bodily death that thus affrighted our Sauiour, seeing we know that the Martyrs that were infirme men, did yet embrace death without these Agonies: though by the way we must remember, that it is a thousand times more easie to suffer the death of a Martyr, than for Christ to suffer bare death of any kinde, because Martyrs in death are freed from the guilt of all their sinnes, whereas Christ in death, as our surety, stands charged with sinne: but it was not the feare of death thus troubled our Sauiour; he had many other more dreadfull things to thinke of: As first, the tyrannie ⟨p. 342⟩of Sinne, Death, and Sathan, that had preuailed ouer mankinde. Secondly, the great ingratitude of the greatest part of mankinde, who would not regard redemption though made in his bloud. Thirdly, the dispersion of his Disciples, and the scandall that euen they would take at his death. Fourthly, the ruine would come vpon the Iewish Nation by making themselues guilty of his bloud. Fifthly and especially, the sense of the most horrible wrath of God against the sinnes of the world, which he must endure, and did begin to feele, for our sakes, as being our surety. It was not death then simply that he feared, but death ioyned with that powring out of the dreadfull wrath of God vpon his soule: this bred that incredible and deadly sadnesse, and paine, and inward feare in our Sauiour.
- 1Matth. 26. 38.
