The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

Now this mournful consideration of his grievous fear and agony, may serve unto us for great consolation, and that in divers respects: For first herein we may see his love to us, that can be content to take upon him our infirmities, even those that are most troublesome, such as this dreadful fear and perplexity was: he was here truly transfigured: for as on the Mount by transfiguration he showed what glory he should have in heaven, so in the Garden, by this transfiguration he shows what weakness cleaves to his members on earth: only we must still remember, that he took upon him only unblameable infirmities; for in this he sinned not. If any ask how could such unspeakable fear and sadness be without sin, seeing the affections were so violently moved and troubled? I answer, that the perturbation that was in our Saviours heart, was like to clean water in a clean glass; if it be shaked never so violently, yet it is clean still, because there is no mud in the bottom. But on the other side, if clean water be put into a clean glass, and mud withal be settled in the bottom, then the least stirring that is makes it foul: and so it is with us, there is sin in almost all perturbations that arise in our hearts, because every shaking of our hearts stirs up some corruption that is in our nature; but it was not so with Christ. Again, fearful ⟨p. 343⟩Christians may take some comfort from hence, to see that their Saviour was afraid as well as they. His Agony may comfort them against their pusillanimity; and further such as find strange accidents in prayer, and are suddenly oppressed with fears and doubts or terrors, may profitably remember what befell their Saviour when he went to pray. Lastly, such as are afflicted in conscience under the sense of Gods wrath, may wonderfully from hence be relieved: First, by considering that Christ himself did feel the same, or much greater sorrows than they do, and therefore doth pity them, and will succour them. Secondly, by considering that Christ hath borne in his own soul the brunt of Gods displeasure for sin, and therefore they should not be so dismayed, but behold his soul as made a sacrifice for their sins. And thus of his Agony.

Now this mournfull consideration of his grieuous feare and agonie, may serue vnto vs for great consolation, and that in diuers respects: For first herein we may see his loue to vs, that can be content to take vpon him our infirmities, euen those that are most troublesome, such as this dreadfull feare and perplexitie was: he was here truly transfigured: for as on the Mount by transfiguration hee shewed what glory he should haue in heauen, so in the Garden, by this transfiguration he shewes what weaknes cleaues to his members on earth: only we must still remember, that he tooke vpon him only vnblameable infirmities; for in this he sinned not. If any aske how could such vnspeakable feare and sadnesse be without sinne, seeing the affections were so violently moued and troubled? I answer, that the perturbation that was in our Sauiours heart, was like to cleane water in a cleane glasse; if it be shaked neuer so violently, yet it is cleane still, because there is no mud in the bottome. But on the other side, if cleane water be put into a cleane glasse, and mud withall be setled in the bottome, then the least stirring that is makes it foule: and so it is with vs, there is sinne in almost all perturbations that arise in our hearts, because euery shaking of our hearts stirs vp some corruption that is in our nature; but it was not so with Christ. Againe, fearefull