Ah, what is divine wrath, that Christ staggered when the cup came to him ! Could not he bear, and dost thou think to bear it ? Did Christ sweat clots of blood at it, and dost thou make light of it ? Poor wretch, if it staggered him, it will confound thee. If it made him groan, it will make thee howl, and that eternally. Come, sinner, come ; dost thou make light of the threatenings of the wrath of God against sin ? Dost thou think there is no such matter in it, as these zealous preachers make of it? Come look here upon my text, which shews thee the face of the Son of God standing as full of purple drops under the sense and apprehension of it, as the drops of dew that hang upon the grass. Hark how he cries, " Father if it be possible, let this cup pass." O any thing of punishment rather than this. Hear what he tells the disciples ; " My soul, (saith he,) is sorrowful even to death : amazed, and very heavy.'" Fools make a mock at sin, and the threatenings. that lie against it.
Inf. 6. Did Christ meet death with such a heavy heart ? Let the hearts of Christians be the lighter Jo?' this, when they come to die. The bitterness of death was all squeezed into Christ's cup. He was made to drink up the very dregs of it, that so our death might be the sweeter to us. Alas ! there is nothing now left in death that is frightful or troublesome, beside the pain of dissolution, that na- tural evil of it. I remember it is storied of one of the martyrs, that being observed to be exceeding jocund and merry when he came to the stake, one asked him, What was the reason his heart was so light, when death, (and that in such a terrible form too) was before him ? O said he, my heart is so light at my death, because Christ's was so heavy at his death.
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Inf. 7. To conclude, what cause have all the saints to love their dear Lord Jesus with an abounding love ? Christian, open the eyes of thy faith, and fix them upon (Christ, in the posture he lay in the garden, drenched in his own blood ; and see whether he be not lovely in these his dyed garments. He that suffered for us more than any creature could or did, may well challenge more love than all the creatures in the world. O what hath he suffer- ed, and suffered upon thy account ! it was thy pride, earthliness, sensuality, unbelief, hardness of heart, that laid on more weight in that day that he sweat blood.
The first Preparation for Cheist's Death, on his Enemies* Part, by the treason of Judas.
Matth. xxvi. 47, 48, 49,
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude, with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he ; hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said9 Hail master ; and kissed him.
A. HE former sermons give you an account how Christ improved every moment of his time, with busy diligence, to make himself ready for his death. He hath commended his charge to the Fa- ther, instituted the blessed memorial of his death, poured out his soul to God in the garden, with respect to the grievous suffer- ings he should undergo ; and now he is ready, and waits for the coming of the enemies, being first in the field.
And think you that they were idle on their parts ? No, no, their malice made them restless. They had agreed with Judas to betray him. Under his conduct, a band of soldiers was sent to appre- hend him. The hour, so long expected, is come. For " while " he yet spake," saith the text, " lo, Judas, one of the twelve, " came, and with him a great multitude, with swords and f< staves."
These words contain the first preparative act, on their part, for the death of Christ, even to betray him, and that by one of his own disciples. Now they execute what they had plotted, ver. 14, 15. And in this paragraph you have an account, 1. Of the traitor, who he was. 2. Of the treason, what he did. & Of the man-
284 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXIII.
ner of its execution, how it was contrived and effected. Lastly, Of the time, when they put this hellish plot in execution.
1. We have here a description of the traitor- and it is remark- able how carefully the several Evangelists have described him, both by his name, surname, and office, " Judas, Judas Iscariot, Judas t* Iscariot, one of the twelve;" that he might not be mistaken for Jude or Judas the apostle. God is tender of the names and repu- tations of his upright-hearted servants. His office, " one of the " twelve,*1 is added to aggravate the fact, and to shew how that prophecy was accomplished in him, Psal. xli. 9. " Yea, mine own " familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, " hath lift up his heel against me." Lo, this was the traitor, and this was his name and office.
2. You have a description of the treason, or an account what this man did. He led an armed multitude to the place where Christ was, gave them a signal to discover him, and encouraged them to lay hands on him, and hold him fast. This was that hel- lish design which the devil put into his heart, working upon that principle, or lust of covetousness, which was predominant there. What will not a carnal heart attempt, if the devil suit a tempta- tion to the predominant lust, and God withhold restraining grace !
3. You have here the way and manner in which the hellish plot was executed. It was managed both with force and with
fraud, He comes with a multitude, armed with swords and staves, in case they should meet with any resistance. And he comes to him with a kiss, which was their signal, lest they should mistake the man. For they aimed neither at small nor great, save only at the King of Israel, the King of glory *. Here was much ado, you see, to take a harmless Lamb, that did not once start from them, but freely
, offered himself to them.
4. And lastly, When this treasonable design was executed upon Christ And it was executed upon him while he stood among his disciples, exhorting them to prayer and watchfulness, dropping heavenly and most seasonable counsels upon them. " While he yet " spake, lo, Judas, and with him a multitude, came witli swords " and staves." Surely, it is no better than a Judas*s trick, to dis- turb and afflict the servants of God in the discharge of their du- ties. This was the traitor and his treason ; thus it was executed and at this time. Hence we observe,
* What need was there of arms against one who was unarmed ? who, if be had pleased to exert his power could not he overcome by any arms. To what purpose was a. sign ? to prevent mistaking the person, because it was night. D. Parens in loc.
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Doct. That it was the lot of our Lord Jesus Christ, to be betray, ed into the hands of his mortal enemies, by the assistance of a, false and dissembling friend.