[2.] Healing. A strange paradox, you will think, that we should be healed by another's stripes ; but so it is. The meaning is, by this our souls are cured from the wounds and infection of sin. From the wounds, Christ took them upon himself. From the infection, sin is wounded by it, as you will see hereafter.
I come to the points, which are three, according to the parts of thetext.
1. That the Lord Jesus at his death endured many cruel and bitter sufferings.
2. That all these sufferings were undergone for our sins and trans- gressions.
3. That by these sufferings Christ hath purchased for us peace and healing.
Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ at his death endured many cruel and bitter sufferings. The prophet sets them out here by wounds, bruises, stripes; which words, because they imply most of all his outward and bodily sufferings, and what he suffered from the cruelty and malice of
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man, I shall most of all toucli upon these things, that they may bo matter of meditation to you.
1. He was betrayed by his own disciple ; that is sad. It was a double stab to Caesar s heart when Brutus was among the conspirators ; tlie grief is the more by far. David, in the person of Christ, complaineth of it, Ps. Iv. 12, 13, ' It was not an enemy that reproached me ; then I could have borne it : neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me ; then I would have hid my face from him. But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.'
2. Forsaken by the rest of the disciples : Mark xiv. 50, * And they all forsook him and fled ;' that is, all the disciples. And that is a misery, to be deprived of the solace of friends when we most want them. A friend is for adversity ; that is the reason of our choice, that we may have some to stand by us in evil times. But all are gone.
3. He was an object of the common hatred. They do not only come out against him with swords and staves, the usual instruments of vul- gar fuiy, but thirst after his blood, cry against him, ' His blood be upon us and on our children.' They would rather have Barabbas released than Christ.
4. Then he was haled to the judgment-seat, and there accused and sentenced contrary to all law, and their own conscience. When Pilate asked of them what evil they found in him, they could rejoin nothing but a tumultous noise, 'Crucify him, crucify him;' that is all the reason they urge.
5. There are several expressions of contempt used to him, which are lilie vinegar to wounds, the very smart and quintessence of grief. They buffeted him, that is an ignominious expression of cruelty; buffeting being the punishment of slaves. Spitting, which was another token of contempt among the Jews : ' If her father had spit upon her, should she not be unclean seven days ?' Numb. xii. 14. Yea, Job reckoned it as a great aggravation of his sufferings : Job xxx. 10, 'They abhor me, they even dare to spit upon me.' And then they whipped and mocked him with a robe, a sceptre of reeds, and a crown of thorns. There can be no greater dishonour done to a man than to twit him with his dignity, to put the mock habiliments of majesty upon him. And then as to their several beatings and smitings, I cannot mention all. And at last they crucified him, a death designed for men accursed. Usually those that suffered that death were looked upon as accursed by God and men: Deut. xxi. 23, ' Cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree.' It was the death of grievous malefac- tors, such as blasphemers and idolaters. Nay, he was hanged between two thieves, in medio lalronani, ianquam lalronum maximus ; he was put in the midst, as if he was the greatest malefactor of the three. And when he was dead, he was wounded with a spear, John xix. 34. An impotent, silly malice, to triumpli over the dead I Thus I have given you a taste of what you may read more fully in the evangelists.
I come now to apply it.
Use 1. It serveth for consolation, for examples are apt to ease the soul. The great sting of misery is, that we think it strange, and such a thing as never hap})ened : ' Is there any sorrow like my sorrow ?' Lam. i. 12. We are all apt to say so. Why, here is a great example.
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Christ, that he might sanctify afflictions to us, endured them in his own person. Comfort is never so well taken as when we speak to the particular case. Why, here in Christ's instance there is comfort. Whatever the case and distress be, there is some use in the argument : 1 Peter ii. 21, ' Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps.' There is a great deal of merit in Christ's sufferings. Example is not all, and yet example is much. Grod would suffer too, that he might provide against all the terrible troubles you can be cast upon. I shall instance a little in those things that cause the greatest storm and tumult in the heart.