The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

and hang him up between two Thieves, as the most notorious Malefactor of the three: He was numbered among the Transgressors. His bloody, watching, fasting, scorched, wracked body, is oppressed with exquisite pain, and his anguish so vehement, that he crieth out, I thirst; to quench which, they give him vinegar and gall, and spice it with a scoff to make it relish the better; Let us see whether Elijah will come and save him. But Oh! who can imagine what he suffered in his soul, when he hung under the weight of mens revenge, Devils rage, the Laws curse, and the Lords wrath! Men revile him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three days, save they self: He saved others, himself he cannot save: To him that was afflicted, pity should have been shown; but they added affliction to the afflicted, and forsook the fear of the Almighty. All the Devils in Hell were now putting forth their utmost power and policy (for this was their hour, and the power of darkness) to increase his sufferings, that if possible, they might provoke him to sin, thereby to have separated his Humane nature from his Divine, that it might have perished eternally, and all mankind with it; but the sting of his death is yet ⟨p. 292⟩behind. The head of that arrow which pierced his heart indeed, was the frown of his Father: That his Kinsmen, the Jews, whom he came to sanctify and redeem; (for he was the glory of his people Israel) should deliver him up to be crucified, was not a small aggravation of his misery: That his Apostles that had been eye-witnesses of his miracles, and earwitnesses of his Oracles (to whom he had spoken so pathetically, Will ye also forsake me? and who had told him so resolutely, We will go with thee into prison, and to death, Luke 22.33. Mat. 26.35.) should now in his greatest extremity turn their backs upon him, added some more gall to his bitter cap: That his Mother should stand by the Cross weeping, and have her soul pierced through with the sword of his sufferings, was far from being an allay to his sorrows;

and hang him up between two Thieves, as the most notorious Malefactor of the three: He was numbred among the Trangressors. His bloody, watching, fasting, scorched, wracked body, is oppressed with exquisite pain, and his anguish so vehement, that he cryeth out, I thirst; to quench which, they give him vinegar and gall, and spice it with a scoff to make it rellish the better; Let us see whether Elias will come and save him. But Oh! who can imagine what he suffered in his soul, when he hung under the weight of mens revenge, Devils rage, the Laws curse, and the Lords wrath! Men revile him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three days, save they self: He saved others, himself he cannot save: To him that was afflicted, pity should have been shewn; but they added affliction to the afflicted, and forsook the fear of the Almighty. All the Devils in Hell were now putting forth their utmost power and policy (for this was their hour, and the power of darkness) to encrease his sufferings, that if possible, they might provoke him to sin, thereby to have separated his Humane nature from his Divine, that it might have perished eternally, and all mankinde with it; but the sting of his death is yet