N00187:238
The harmony of the Gospels, in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings of Jesus Christ, from his incarnation to his death and burial. / Published by John Eliot, teacher of the church in Roxbury. ; [Two lines from Acts]
printed by John Foster, 1678
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Quest. Why did Jesus drink so deep of this Cup of sorrows, griefs, & infirmities?
Quest. Why did Jesus drink so deep of this Cup of sorrows, griefs, & infirmityes?
Answ. 1. Because Jesus Christ doth undertake and undergo that great Office of a Mediator betwixt God and man, to reconcile them and make peace, and that he might pacify God towards man, he must pay all the debt that man oweth to God, he must satisfy and pacify Divine justice, by suffering the penalties of the broken Law; he must undergo all the punishment which man is most justly obliged to suffer, man himself is never able to do this, Jesus Christ, God and man •e only is able, and is willing to do it, and therefore he willingly drinketh that Cup of Sufferings to the very bottom, Joh. 18.11. the Cup which my heavenly Father hath given me to drink, shall I not drink it? this reason is general to all the sufferings of Christ, and therefore a good reason of this part of his sufferings.
Answ. 1. Because Jesus Christ doth undertake and undergo that great Office of a Mediator betwixt God and man, to reconcile them and make peace, and that he might pacifie God towards man, he must pay all the debt that man oweth to God, he must satisfie and pacifie Divine justice, by suffering the penaltyes of the broken Law; he must undergo all the punishment which man is most justly obliged to suffer, man himself is never able to do this, Jesus Christ, God and man •e only is able, and is willing to do it, and therefore he willingly drinketh that Cup of Sufferings to the very bottom, Joh. 18.11. the Cup which my heavenly Father hath given me to drink, shall I not drink it? this reason is general to all the sufferings of Christ, and therefore a good reason of this part of his sufferings.
2. Jesus Christ drank deep of this Cup of sorrows and infirmities, that he might in his own person experience the difficulties of a sickly, crazy, infirm body, that ⟨p. 51⟩might be experimentally moved to pity, succour, bear with, and relieve such as labour under such a state and condition. And he is the rather careful in this matter, because it is the general and common Rod wherewith he doth chastise all his people, at one time or other; sicknesses are common to all, and in all Ages, now this is a great comfort, that the heart of Christ is tenderly compassionate over all that are in such a condition, out of his own experience.
2. Jesus Christ drank deep of this Cup of sorrows and infirmityes, that he might in his own person experience the difficultyes of a sickly, crazy, infirm body, that ⟨p. 51⟩might be experimentally moved to pitty, succour, bear with, and relieve such as labour under such a state and condition. And he is the rather careful in this matter, because it is the general and common Rod wherewith he doth chastize all his people, at one time or other; sicknesses are common to all, and in all Ages, now this is a great comfort, that the heart of Christ is tenderly compassionate over all that are in such a condition, out of his own experience.
3. Jesus Christ hath drank deep of this Cup of craziness, sorrows and infirmities, to take the sting and curse out of them, and to make a Rod and a medicine of them, which he manageth with his own hand for the good of his Children, by this means he hath al•ayes a Rod ready for a Child that needs it, & is a purge ready for every sick Child, all sicknesses and infirmities are at his command, he saith to this, go and touch that Child, and to another he saith it is enough for this time, let that child alone; it was the Centurion that so describeth the power of Christ o•er sickness, and Christ greatly commends his Faith for so speaking, Math 8.9, 13. Jesus Christ hath great power over the life of man by his management of this Rod of sickness, a •it of sickness is often improved to be a m•ans of Conversion, the Souls of Gods Children are often great gainers by this medicine, before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have learned to keep thy Commandments. Psal. 119.67.
3. Jesus Christ hath drank deep of this Cup of crazyness, sorrows and infirmityes, to take the sting and curse out of them, and to make a Rod and a medicine of them, which he manag•th with his own hand for the good of his Children, by this means he hath al•ayes a Rod ready for a Child that needs it, & is a purge ready for every sick Child, all sicknesses and infirmityes are at his command, he saith to this, go and touch that Child, and to another he saith it is enough for this time, let that child alone; it was the Centurion that so describeth the power of Christ o•er sickness, and Christ greatly commends his Faith for so speaking, Math 8.9, 13. Jesus Christ hath great power over the life of man by his management of this Rod of sickness, a it of sickness is often improved to be a mans of Conversion, the Souls of Gods Children are often great gainers by this medicine, before I was afflicted I went astry, but now I have learned to keep thy Commandments.
Heb. 12-5-13. is a famous Text to express the government of Christ over his Children, by the Rod of correction, and the most frequent Rod of correction is sickness, pains, h•rts, griefs inflicted upon our bod•es, we have famous Examples in Scripture how God hath managed his Children by the Rod of sickness, David. Psal. 6. and 38. Hezekiah, Isai. 38. so Heman, Asaph, and many more. This great Example of Jesus Christ is of great instruction to such as ha•e crazy, sickly, weak bodies; take heed how we abate an• service unto the Lord, especially, we Ministers must be careful in this point, because the pattern of Christ firstly respecteth us. Paul did eminently imitate Jesus Christ in this point, Gal. 4 13, 14. you know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel to you at the first▪ and my Temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. And we see that Paul was under some sickly, craz• infirmity, when he first preached at Galatia, and yet he favoured not his flesh, he spared not his crazy body, his love and zeal carried him out to preach the Gospel effectually to them notwithstanding his great bodily weakness that was at that time upon him, now this humility, love, and self denial in Paul, was so acceptable and powerful with them, and so prevailed upon their hearts, that they looked at him as if an Angel had preached to them, yea, as if Christ himself had come unto them to do them good, and they were so far from despising or rejecting him, as a poor, crazy, sickly man, as that they would (if possible) have plucked out their eyes to have done him good, it is honourable and acceptable service to do good to others, with self denial, hardship and difficulty, to go about in weariness, weakness, pains, and infirmities, to do good, such a pattern Jesus Christ hath set us, though he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs, aches and infirmities, yet he always went about doing good,
Jesus Christ did voluntarily bear for us the reproaches, cruel mockings, derisions, scoffs, and despisings of the People, David hath abundantly prophesied of Christ in this Book of Psalms, and in particular he hath said much of this kind of his sufferings, for David was a Type of Jesus Christ, and eminently he is so in his sufferings therefore I shall lay together some Texts of Scripture, and especially out of the Book of Psalms, which set forth this point, and I choose to express these sufferings of Christ in the Scripture words, which carry a greater fullness of sense and Spirit then any words that I can speak or write, are capable to do.
JEsus Christ did voluntarily bear for us the reproaches, cruel mockings, deririsions, scoffs, and despisings of the People, David hath abundantly prophesied of Christ in this Book of Psalms, and in particular he hath said much of this kind of his sufferings, for David was a Type of Jesus Christ, and eminently he is so in his sufferings therefore I shall lay together some Texts of Scripture, and especially out of the Book of Psalms, which set forth this point, and I choose to express these sufferings of Christ in the Scripture words, which carry a greater fulness of sense and Spirit then any words that I can speak or write, are capable to do.
Psal. 22. is expressly spoken of Jesus Christ, and ver. 6, 7, 8. I am a worm and […] man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people, all they that see me laugh me to scorn, they shoot out the lip, and shake the head, saying, he trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him, Psal. 35.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21. false witness did rise up, and laid to my charge things that I knew not, they rewarded […] for good to the spoiling of my Soul, But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my Soul with Fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom I behaved my self as though he had been my friend, or brother: I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine Adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together; yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not, they did tear me, and ceased not. With hypocritical mockers in Feasts; they gnashed upon me with their Teeth. LORD, how long wilt thou look on • rescue my Soul from their destruction, my darling from the Lions. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our Eyes hath seen it.
Psal. 22. is expresly spoken of Jesus Christ, and ver. 6, 7, 8. I am a worm and 〈…〉 man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people, all they that see me laugh me to scorn, they shoot out the lip, and shake the head, saying, he trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him, Psal. 35.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21. false witness did rise up, and laid to my charge things that I knew not, they rewarded 〈…〉 for good to the spoyling of my Soul, But as for me, when they were sick, my cloathing was sackcloth: I humbled my Soul with Fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosome I behaved my self as though he had been my friend, or brother: I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine Adversity they rejoyced, and gathered themselves together; yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not, they did tear me, and ceased not. With hypocritical mockers in Feasts; they gnashed upon me with their Teeth. LORD, how long wilt thou look on rescue my Soul from their destruction, my darling from the Lions. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our Eyes hath seen it.
Object. Why is this reckoned so great a part of his sufferings, they are but words, and is it so great a suffering to suffer the bad and evil words of others? if they touch not our bodies nor goods, is it any great matter what they say?
Object. Why is this reckoned so great a part of his sufferings, they are but words, and is it so great a suffering to suffer the bad and evil words of others? if they touch not our bodyes nor goods, is it any great matter what they say?
Answ. The Scriptures show that there is cruel force in words: words are a weapon that wound the Soul, that is a deeper wound then to wound the body, Psal. 42.10. as with a Sword in my bones mine Enemies reproach me, while they say daily to me, where is thy God? Psal. 57.3, 4. he shall send from heaven & save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up, Selah. My Soul is among Lions, & I lye even among them that are set on fire, even the Sons of men, whose teeth are Spears and Arrows, and their tongue a sharp Sword, Psal. 52.4. thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue, his tongue swallowed up Nob, the City of Priests, Psal. 55.21. the words of his mouth were smoother then butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer then oil: yet were they drawn Swords, Psal. 12.3, 4. The tongue that speaketh proud things, who have said, with our tongues we will prevail, &c. Psal. 64.3, 4. who whet their tongues like a Sword, and bend their bows to shoot their Arrows, even bitter words, that they may shoot in secret at the perfect, suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. Psal. 10.7. His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and fraud, under his tongue is mischief and vanity. Some People have bloody mouths, the words of a Tale-bearer wound deep. All the providential wounds which God inflicted upon Job's estate and body, did not wound him so deep, as the censorious words and unkind speeches of his friends did.
Answ. The Scriptures shew that there is cruel force in words: words are a weapon that wound the Soul, that is a deeper wound then to wound the body, Psal. 42.10. as with a Sword in my bones mine Enemies reproach me, while they say daily to me, where is thy God? Psal. 57.3, 4
The Tongue of man is his glory, if it be a good tongue, it is very excellent, a wholesome ⟨p. 54⟩tongue is a tree of life, knowing how to use knowledge aright, Prov. 15.2.4. the tongue of the just is as choice silver, very desirable and delightful.
The Tongue of man is his glory, if it be a good tongue, it is very excellent, a wholsome ⟨p. 54⟩tongue is a tree of life, knowing how to use knowledge aright, Prov. 15.2.4. the tongue of the just is as choice silver, very desireable and delightful.
But if it be a bad tongue, it is very mischievous and pernicious, it wounds the honour of our Neighbour, and that is a very deep wound, Eccles. 7.1. a good name is better then precious ointment, Prov. 15.31. a good report maketh the bones fat, Prov. 22.1. a good name is rather to be chosen then great riches, and loving favour rather then silver and gold, a reproachful tongue robbeth our Neighbour of this precious Treasury, Reproaches kill love, and that is a bitter and mischievous slaughter, Prov. 16.28. a whisperer separateth chief friends, a reproaching tongue destroys the comfort of humane society, which is a great wound to the heart of man, whom God hath made a sociable creature, Je. 9.3, 5, 8. they bend their tongues like their bow for lies, they will deceive every one their Neighbour, they will not speak the truth, they have taught their tongue to speak lies,; their tongue is an Arrow shot out, it speaketh deceit, one speaketh peaceably to his Neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him, Psal, 12.2. They speak vanity every one with his Neighbour, with flattering lips do they speak. An evil tongue stirreth up hatred, strife and contention; and kindleth hell fire among Neighbours, Jam. 3.5, 6. the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things, behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth; and the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of Hell: the tongue is a weapon of revenge, and of cruel malice, Psal. 52.2, 3, 4. thy tongue deviseth mischief like a sharp Razor, working deceitfully, thou lovest evil more then good, and lying rather then to speak Righteousness, Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words O thou deceitful tongue. The whole City of Nob was destroyed by Doegs tongue; Jer. 18.18. come let us devise devices against Jeremiah, come let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words; words will leave some stain, aliquid herebit.
Quest. Why did Jesus Christ that most innocent Lamb of God undergo this great and bitter affliction of reproaches and cruel mockings?
1. Because it is one of the punishments which our sin hath deserved, Jesus Christ never deserved to be so spoken of, so reproached, so mocked, all was falsely and unjustly charged upon him, without any appearance of cause, they laid to his charge things that he knew not, but we the people of God have deserved them all, some in one respect, some in another, and therefore Jesus Christ did bear them for us, Isai. 53, 4, 5, 6. he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows, he was wounded for our Transgressions, he was bruised for our Iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all.
1. Because it is one of the punishments which our sin hath deserved, Jesus Christ never deserved to be so spoken of, so reproached, so mocked, all was falsly and unjustly charged upon him, without any appearance of cause, they laid to his charge things that he knew not, but we the people of God have deserved them all, some in one respect, some in another, and therefore Jesus Christ did bear them for us, Isai. 53, 4, 5, 6. he hath born our griefs, and carryed our sorrows, he was wounded for our Transgressions, he was bruised for our Iniquityes, the chasticement of our peace was upon him, the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquityes of us all.
2. Jesus drank deep of this cup of reproaches, because he could do it Innocently without any contamination, or participation in sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. though he was made sin for us, yet he knew no sin, 1 Pet. 2.22, 23. he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, when he was reviled, he reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not.
2. Jesus drank deep of this cup of reproaches, because he could do it Innocently without any contamination, or participation in sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. though he was made sin for us, yet he knew no sin, 1 Pet. 2.22, 23. he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, when he was reviled, he reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatned not.
3. Jesus Christ drank of this cup even to the bottom, to the full satisfaction of Divine justice, that he might take out the sting of the curse and wrath out of them, for the sake of his Elect, who are to live in an evil world, where they are sure to suffer reproaches, and much evil and hard measure by the ill tongues of People 2 Cor. 6.8. by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet ⟨p. 55⟩true, 1 Cor, 4.12, 13. being reviled we bless, being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat, we are made the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. But none of these things can hurt us. Jesus Christ by his Sufferings hath took out the curse of them, they have much of mans wrath in them, but all Gods wrath is taken away by Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus Christ drank of this cup even to the bottom, to the full satisfaction of Divine justice, that he might take out the sting of the curse and wrath out of them, for the sake of his Elect, who are to live in an evil world, where they are sure to suffer reproaches, and much evil and hard measure by the ill tongues of People 2 Cor. 6.8. by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet ⟨p. 55⟩true, 1 Cor, 4.12, 13. being reviled we bless, being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we intreat, we are made the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. But none of these things can hurt us. Jesus Christ by his Sufferings hath took out the curse of them, they have much of mans wrath in them, but all Gods wrath is taken away by Jesus Christ.
Heb. 12-5-13. is a famous Text to express the government of Christ over his C•ildren, by the Rod of correction, and the most frequent Rod of corr•ction is sickness, pains, h•rts, griefs inflicted upon our bod•es, we have famous Examples in Scripture how God hath managed his Children by the Rod of sickness, David. Psal. 6. and 38. Hezekiah, Isai. 38. so Heman, Asaph, and many more. This great Example of Jesus Christ is of great in•truction to such as ha•e crazy, sickly, weak bodyes; take heed how we abate an• service unto the Lord, especially, we Ministers must be careful in this point, because the pattern of Christ firstly respecteth us. Paul did eminently imitate Jesus Christ in this point, Gal. 4 13, 14. you know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel to you at the first▪ and my Temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. And we see that Paul was under some sickly, craz• infirmity, when he first preached at Galatia, and yet he favoured not his flesh, he spared not his crazy body, his love and zeal carried him out to preach the Gospel effectually to them notwithstanding his great bodily weakness that was at that time upon him, now this humility, love, and self denyal in Paul, was so acceptable and powerful with them, and so prevailed upon their hearts, that they looked at him as if an Angel had preached to them, yea, as if Christ himself had come unto them to do them good, and they were so far from despising or rejecting him, as a poor, crazy, sickly man, as that they would (if possible) have plucked out their eyes to have done him good, it is honourable and acceptable service to do good to others, with self denyal, hardship and difficulty, to go about in weariness, weakness, pains, and infirmityes, to do good, such a pattern Jesus Christ hath set us, though he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs, aches and infirmityes, yet he alwayes went about doing good, Act. 10.38. by this Rod of sickness Jesus Christ doth not only exercise power over the lives of his Children, but also over the lives of his Enemies. Herod must dye, that Jesus might return out of Egypt unto Israel, the World is full of Examples how the Church and Saints have been delivered from persecution, by the death of a persecutor.
But if it be a bad tongue, it is very mischievous and pernicious, it wounds the honour of our Neighbour, and that is a very deep wound, Eccles. 7.1. a good name is better then pretious oyntment, Prov. 15.31. a good report maketh the bones fat, Prov. 22.1. a good name is rather to be chosen then great riches, and loving favour rather then si•ver and gold, a reproachful tongue robbeth our Neighbour of this pretious Treasury, Reproaches kill love, and that is a bitter and mischievous slaughter, Prov. 16.28. a whisperer separateth chief friends, a reproaching tongue destroys the comfort of humane society, which is a great wound to the heart of man, whom God hath made a sociable creature, Je. 9.3, 5, 8. they bend their tongues like their bow for lyes, they will deceive every one their Neighbour, they will not speak the truth, they have taught their tongue to speak lyes,; their tongue is an Arrow shot out, it speaketh deceipt, one speaketh peaceably to his Neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him, Psal, 12.2. They speak vanity every one with his Neighbour, with flattering lips do they speak. An evil tongue stirreth up hatred, strife and contention; and kindleth hell fire among Neighbours, Jam. 3.5, 6. the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things, behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth; and the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of Hell: the tongue is a weapon of revenge, and of cruel malice, Psal. 52.2, 3, 4. thy tongue deviseth mischief like a sharp Rasor, working deceitfully, thou lovest evil more then good, and lying rather then to speak Righteousness, Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words O thou deceitful tongue. The whole City of Nob was destroyed by Doegs tongue; Jer. 18.18. come let us devise devices against Jeremy, come let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words; words will leave some stain, aliquid herebit. Psal. 140.3 They have sharpened their tongues like a Serpent, Adders poyson is under their lips, Selah. Math. 11.16. Glutton, a wine bibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners; many such mischiefs do spring from a reproachful tongue, which kind of bitter Sufferings our Lord Jesus did undergo.
