Doct. That the sufferings of Christ arc exceedingly powerful, to melt believers'' hearts into godly sorrow.
The eye of faith is a precious eye ; and according to its various aspects upon Christ, it produceth various effects upon the hearts of men. Eyeing Christ as our complete righteousness ; so it pacifies and quiets the heart : Eyeing him as our pattern ; so it directs and regulates our actions : Eyeing him as a sacrifice offered up to divine justice for our sin ; so it powerfully thaws the heart, and melts the affections.
By meltings, I do not only understand tears ; as if they only were expressive of all spiritual sorrow : For it is possible, the waters of sor- row may run deep in the heart, when the eye cannot yield a drop.
There be two things in repentance ; trouble and tears. The first is essential, the last contingent. The first flows from the influence of faith upon the soul ; the last much depends upon the temper and constitution of the body. It is a mercy, when our tears can flow from a heart filled with sorrow for sin, and love to Christ ; yet it often falls out, that there is an heavy heart, where the eyes are dry. But that there is efficacy in faith to melt the heart, by looking upon the sufferings of Christ for sin, is undoubted : And how it becomes so powerful an instrument to this end, I will shew you in the fol- lowing particulars.
First, Faith eyes the dignity of the person of Christ, who was pierced for us; how excellent and glorious a person he is. In the cap- tivity, it was for a lamentation, that " princes were hanged up by the hands, and the faces of elders were not honoured," Lam. v. 12. We read also the lamentation of David, 2 Sam. iii. 38. as he followed Ab- ner's hearse, '•• A prince, and a great man, is fallen in Israel to-day.*"
But what was Abner, and what were the princes of Israel to the Son of God ? Lo, here, by faith, the believer sees the Prince of the kings of the earth, the only begotten of the Father, equal to God, in nature and dignity, He, whom all the angels worship, hanging dead
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upon the cursed tree. Faith sees royal blood, the blood of God poured out by the sword of justice, for satisfaction and reconcilia- tion ; and this cannot but deeply affect the believing soul.
Secondly^ Faith represents the severity of divine justice to Jesu^ Christ, and the extremity of his sufferings ; and this sight is a melt- ing sight.
The apostle tells us, Gal. iii. 13. he was made xa7a|a, a curse and execration for us. It relates to the kind and manner of his death upon the cross, which was the death of a slave; servile stippliciuvi : A freeman was privileged from that punishment. It looks upon, and "well considers the sad plight and condition Christ was in, in the days of his humiliation for us. It is said of him, Matth. xxvi. 28. He was ITso/yyco;, undequaque tristis^ surrounded with griefs; exactly an- swerable to his name, Isa. liii. 3. a mem qfsorrozvs. Let him look which way he would, outward or inw^a-cl, upward or downward, to friends or enemies ; he could behold nothing but sorrow, and what might increase his misery. Another evangelist saith, he was sore a- mazed ; Mark xiv. 33. Ex^a//,,5s/?a/ : It notes such a consternation, as makes the hair of the head stand upright; Horripilatio. A third tells us, his soid was ti'ouhled, John xii. 27. '/? 4^'j%>/ /Ji^alilaoa'/lcci, iinde tartarus, a word from whence hell is derived ; and denoting the anguish and troubles of them that are in that place of torment.
And the fourth tells us, he w^as in an agony ; Luke xxiii. 44. all expressing in several emphatical notions and metaphors, the extremi- ty of Christ's anguish and torment. This cannot but greatly affect and break the believer's heart.
Thirdly^ But then that which most affects the heart, is Christ's undergoing all this, not only in love to us, but in our room and stead. He suffered not for any evil he had done, for there was no guile found in his mouth, Isa. liii. 4, 5. But the just suffered for the unjust, 1 Pet. iii. 18. It was for me, a vile, wretched, worthless sin- ner. It was my pride, my earthliness, the hardness of my heart, the corruption of my nature, the innumerable evils of my life, that brought him down to the dust of death : * He was made sin for us, who knew no sin,' 2 Cor. v. 21.
Who can believingly eye Christ, as suffering such pains, such wrath, such a curse, in the room of such a sinner, such a rebel, so undeserving, and so ill-deserving a creature, and not mourn as for an only son, and be in bittei'ness as for a first-born ?
Fourilily^ Faith melts the heart, by considering the effects and fruits of the sufferings of Christ, what great things he hath purchased by his stripes and blood for poor sinners ; a full and final pardon of sin, a well- settled peace with God, a sure title and right to the eternal inheritance ; and all this for thee, a law condemned, a self-condemn- ed sinner. Lord, what am I, that such mercies as these should be purchased by such a price for me ? For me, when thousands and ten
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tliousaiids of sweeter dispositions must burn in hell for ever ! Oh, what manner of love is this !
Fifthly, Faith melts the heart, by exerting a threefold act upon Christ crucified :
1^^, A realizing act, representing all this in the greatest certainty and evidence that can be. These are no devised fables, but the sure and infalhble reports of the gospel.
9,dlij, An applying act ; ' He loved me, and gave himself for me,' Gal. iii. ^0. ' He loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,' Rev. i. 5.
3r//?/, and lastly. By an inferring or reasoning act. If Christ died for me, then I shall never die : If his blood were paid down for me, then my sins, which are many, are forgiven me: If he was condemned in my room, I am acquitted, and shall be saved from wrath to come, through him. O how weighty do these thoughts prove to be- lieving souls !
1. Use, Jbr information.
Then sure there is but little Jaith, because there is so much dead- ness and nnajf'ectedness among professors. A believing sight of Christ will work upon a gracious heart, as a dead son, a beloved and only son, uses to do upon a tender father's heart.
Reader, was it ever thy sad lot to look upon such an heart-rending object.'* Didst thou ever feel the pangs and commotions in thy bowels that some have felt upon such a sight.'* Why, so will thy heart work towards Christ, if ever thou believingly lookest on him whom thou hast pierced.
Infer. 2. Then the acting and exercising of faith is the best ex^ pedient to get a tender heart, and raise the dead affections.