[1.] First, That Jesus Christ did suffer dereliction of God really; that he was indeed deserted and forsaken of God is most evident: Mat. xxvii. 46, ' My God,Jmy God, why hast thou forsaken me ?' But to prevent mistakes in this high point, seriously consider, 1. That I do not mean that there was any such desertion of Christ by God as did dissolve the union of the natures in the person of Christ.^ For Christ in all his sufferings still remained God and man. Nor, 2, do I mean an absolute desertion in respect of the presence of God. For God was still present with Christ in all his sufferings, and the God- head did support his humanity in and under his sufferings. But that which I mean is this — that as to the sensible and comforting mani- festations of God's presence, thus he was for a time left and forsaken of God. God for a time had taken away all sensible consolation and felt joy from Christ's human soul, that so divine justice might in his sufferings be the more fully satisfied. In this desertion, Christ is not to be looked upon simply as he is in his own person, the Son of
^ Fulgentius ad Thrasimund., lib. iii. 2 French Confess. Harm., p. 99, § 6.
' 3 par., qu. 46, artic. 5.
* Forsaken, 1. By denying of protection ; 2. Bv withdrawing of solace : Non solvit unionem, sed suhiraxit visionem, The union was'not dissolved, but the beams, the in- fluence was restrained. — Leo.
OF THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST IN HIS SOUL. 99
the Father, Mat. iii. 17, in whom he is always well pleased, Mark i. 11, but as he standeth in the room of sinners, surety and cautioner, paying their debt ; in which respect it concerned Christ to be dealt with as one standing in our stead, as one guilty, and paying the debt of being forsaken of God, which we were bound to suffer fully and for ever, if he had not interposed for us. There is between Christ and God, 1. An eternal union natural of the person ; 2. Of the Godhead and manhood ; 3. Of grace and protection. In this last sense, he means forsaken according to his feeling. Hence he said not. My Father, my, Father, but. My God, my God; which words are not words of complaining, but words expressing his grief and sorrow. Our Lord Christ was forsaken, not only of all creature comforts, but that which was worse than all, of his Father's favour, to his present apprehension, left forlorn and destitute for a time, that we might be received for ever. Christ was for a time left and forsaken of God, as David, who in this particular was a type of Christ's suffering, cried out, Ps. xxii. 1, ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? why art thou so far from my help ? ' He was indeed really forsaken of God ; God did indeed leave him in respect of his sense and feeling. "^ So was Christ truly and really forsaken of God, and not in colour or show, as some affirm. Athanasius, speaking of God's forsaking of Christ, saith, ' All things were done naturally and in truth, not in opinion or show.' ^ Though God did still continue a God to David, yet in David's apprehension and feeling he was forsaken of God. Though God was still a God to Christ, yet as to his feeling he was left of God, to wrestle with God, and to bear the wrath of God, due unto us. Look, as Christ was scourged, that we might not be scourged, so Christ was forsaken, that we might not be forsaken. Christ was forsaken for a time, that we might not be forsaken for ever [Ambrose].
Fevardentius absolutely denies that Christ did truly complain upon the cross that he was forsaken of God ; and therefore he thus object- eth and reasoneth: ' If Christ were truly forsaken of God, it would follow that the hypostatical union was dissolved, and that Christ was personally separated from God, for otherwise he could not be forsaken.' 3
To what he objects we thus reply, first, If Christ had been totally and eternally forsaken, the personal union must have been dissolved ; but upon this temporal and partial rejection or dereliction there fol- loweth not a personal dissolution, or general dereliction. But secondly, As the body of Christ, being without life, was still hypostatically united to the Godhead, so was the soul of Christ, though for a time without feeling of his favour. The dereliction of the one doth no more dissolve the hypostatical union than the death of the other. If life went from the body, and yet the deity was not separated in the personal conse- cration, but only suspended in operation, so the feeling of God's favour, which is the life of the soul, might be intermitted in Christ, and yet the divine union not dissolved. Thirdly, Augustine doth well shew
^ ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.' Christ spake these words that thereby he might draw the Jews to a serious consideration and animadversion of his death and passion, which he underwent, not for his own but for our sins. — Pet. Gal., lib. viii. c. 18, p. 343. [Pet. Galesinus.— G.]
^ Eelinquit Deus dum non relinquit, saith TertuUian.
^ Fevarden., p. 473, confut 1. [Franciscus Fevardentius. — G.]
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how this may be when he saith, Passio Christi dulcis fuit divinitatis somnMS,!— That the passion of Christ was the sweet sleep of his divi- nity; Uke as when in sleep the soul is not departed, though the opera- tion thereof be deferred ; so in Christ's sleep upon the cross the God- head was not separated, though the working power thereof were for a time sequestered. Look, as the elect members of Christ may be for- saken, though not totally or finally, but ex parte, in part and for a time, and yet their election remain firm still ; the same may be the case of our head, that he was ex parte derelictus, only in part forsaken, and for a time, always beloved for his own innocency, but for us and in our person, as our pledge and surety, deserted.
There are two kinds of dereliction or forsaking ; one is for a time and in part ; so the elect may be, and so Christ was forsaken upon the cross : another which is total, final, and general ; and so neither Christ nor his members never was nor never shall be forsaken. Christ, in the deepest anguish of his soul, is upheld and sustained by his faith, * My God, my God,' whereby he sheweth his singular confidence and trust in God, notwithstanding the present sense of his wrath.
Quest. But how can Christ be forsaken of God, himself being God ; for the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are all three but one and the same God ? Yea, how can he be forsaken of God, seeing he is the Son of God ? and if the Lord leave not his children, which hope and trust in him, how can he forsake Christ, his only-begotten Son, who depended upon him and his mighty power ?