There is no such motive to make men weep bitterly for their offences, as to weigh with themselves in a serious manner, that they by their sins have slain the Lord of life; that his bitterest adversaries were not the causes of that his shameful and painful death which he endured upon the tree, but that they themselves brought him thither, 1and were the procurers of that his bitter passion. Christ laid down his life, but for whom? even for his sheep. He was cursed, that they might be blessed: he was was wounded, 2that they might be healed: he suffered disgrace, that they might be brought to glory; and endured in a sort the torments of hell, that they might partake of the joys ⟨p. 38⟩of heaven: the sound meditation thereof, cannot but wound the hearts of such as have any spark of grace in them. When it was told David that Abner was slain by Joab, though he had formerly been a rebel, and was now newly reconciled unto him, yet he mourned for him till the evening, because he was a worthy man; albeit he himself was altogether guiltless of his death. Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament over Christ Jesus, who was not a worthy man, but infinitely more worthy then all both men and Angels? and not murdered by the treachery of another, but killed by the sins of their souls, the sins of their lips, and the sins of their hands? and if he had not been so killed, they had been everlastingly damned. Put case that a man had one only son, which was to be the heir of the family, and he of a sudden should find him stark dead, would it not inwardly touch him, and strike cold unto his heart? especially if he himself had unwittingly been the cause thereof? yes certainly, it would go through his heart even like a sword: and such will be the grief of those who through their transgressions have slain their blessed Saviour, as this very text witnesseth, when they by the eye of faith do see him heavy unto the death, crying unto his Father in the bitterness of his grief; being full of torment in his body, and fuller of anguish in his soul, and that for their sakes, even for their sins, they cannot but be exceedingly moved hereat. And a little to press the other comparison ⟨p. 39⟩used in this text, if the people of God did so bewail the death of their worthy king Josiah, who yet died unwillingly, and without any intent to benefit them thereby:
There is no such motiue to make men weepe bitterly for their offences, as to weigh with themselues in a serious maner, that they by their sinnes haue slaine the Lord of life; that his bitterest aduersaries were not the causes of that his shamefull and painefull death which hee endured vpon the tree, but that they themselues brought him thither, 1and were the procurers of that his bitter passion. Christ laid downe his life, but for whom? euen for his sheep. He was cursed, that they might be blessed: he was was wounded, 2that they might bee healed: hee suffered disgrace, that they might bee brought to glory; and endured in a sort the torments of hell, that they might partake of the ioyes ⟨p. 38⟩of heauen: the sound meditation thereof, cannot but wound the hearts of such as haue any sparke of grace in them. When it was told Dauid that Abner was slaine by Ioab, though he had formerly been a rebell, and was now newly reconciled vnto him, yet hee mourned for him till the euening, because he was a worthy man; albeit he himselfe was altogether guiltlesse of his death. Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament ouer Christ Iesus, who was not a worthy man, but infinitly more worthy then all both men and Angels? and not murdered by the treachery of another, but killed by the sinnes of their soules, the sins of their lips, and the sinnes of their hands? and if he had not been so killed, they had been euerlastingly damned. Put case that a man had one onely sonne, which was to bee the heire of the family, and hee of a sudden should find him starke dead, would it not inwardly touch him, and strike cold vnto his heart? especially if he himselfe had vnwittingly been the cause thereof? yes certainly, it would go through his heart euen like a sword: and such will be the griefe of those who through their transgressions haue slaine their blessed Sauiour, as this very text witnesseth, when they by the eye of faith doe see him heauy vnto the death, crying vnto his Father in the bitternesse of his griefe; being ful of torment in his bodie, and fuller of anguish in his soule, and that for their sakes, euen for their sinnes, they cannot but be exceedingly moued hereat. And a little to presse the other comparison ⟨p. 39⟩vsed in this text, if the people of God did so bewaile the death of their worthy king Iosiah, who yet died vnwillingly, and without any intent to benefit them thereby:
- 1John 10.11.Iohn 10.11.
- 2Isaiah 53.
