4. And to strengthen his faith the more, he puts it forth in prayer. The fire of faith in his heart kindled into a flame of prayer (and that not in an ordinary manner, but in strong supplications), he cried out, ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? ' To come to the particulars.
Obs. 1. Christ was forsaken.
VOL. I. Z
854 chbist's sufferings for man's sin.
I will briefly touch upon some circumstances, and then fall upon the point itself, as,
1. The time wherein he was forsaken — a time of darkness (the sixth hour), in which there was a darlmess over the whole earth, and in the land of Judea especially. Neither had he darkness without only, but within like- wise. His soul was troubled from a sense of his Father's displeasure. Mat. xxvi. 38. Two eclipses seized upon him together, — the one of the glorious light of the sun, the other of the light of his Father's countenance. He must needs be in a disconsolate estate, and doubly miserable, that is en- compassed with such darkness. Whatsoever was done to Christ our surety, shall be done to all that are out of him. Blackness of darlaiess is reserved for them. As Christ wanted the comfort of light from heaven, so those that are out of Christ shall have no comfort from any creature at the last : the sun shall not shine upon them, the earth shall not bear them, they shall not have a drop of water to cool their tongues. They were for- merly rebels against God, and now every creature is ready to sei-ve the Lord against them. When the king is displeased with a man, which of his servants dare to countenance him ?
This darkness being in Judea, did likewise portend the miserable condi- tion of the Jews here, and that eternal darkness in the world to come, which should be their portion if they repented not.
2. Another circumstance may be this, God icas a great while ere he re- moved his heavy displeasure from Christ. He was three hours in torment; and though God delayed him long, yet he said nothing till now by way of complaint. We should beware of darkness of spirit in trouble. God may delay help to his dearest children, as here he did to his only Son, to per- fect the work of sanctification in them. Therefore, submit to his will, rest contented with whatever he sends, look to thy Head and Saviour, &c. But of this more anon.
3. His greatest grief and conflicts were toivards his fatter end, towards the shutting up and close of his life. Though a little after he saith, ' All is finished,' yet now he cries out, ' My God, my God, why hast thou for- saken me ? ' Afflictions are sharpest toward our ends. I speak this for prevention of discomfort in those that find extremities upon them. When miseries are extreme, help is nearest. They will either mend or end then. The darkness is thickest a little before the morning appears ; and Satan raged most a little before his casting down.
As also to prevent security from seizing upon people. Take heed of de- ferring repentance till thy last hom's ; there may be a confluence of many extremities then upon thee, pains of body, terrors of conscience, Satan's temptations, God's wrath, &c. When all these meet together, and the poor soul, in its best strength, finds enough to do to conflict with any one of them, what an unhappy condition will that be ! Oh, put not ofl' your re- pentance to this time. But I pass these circumstances, and come to the point of forsaking itself.
In the unfolding whereof I will shew,
1. In what sense Christ vf as forsaken.
2. In what ^j«rts he was forsaken. 8. Upon what ground. And,
4. To what end all this forsaking of Christ was.
For the first, forsaking is nothing else but when God leaves the creature to itself, either in regard of comfort or of grace and assistance. I wiU shew you how Christ was left of his Father, and how he was not left.
Christ's sufferings for jiak's sin. 355
(1.) Hoiv Christ uas not forsaken . He was not forsaken in regard of God's love, for ' My Father loveth me,' saith he, John iii. 35, ' because I give my life for my sheep,' John x. 11. God never loved Christ more than now, because he was never more obedient than at this present.
(2.) Nor in regard of union, for there was no separation of his divine nature from the human. There was a suspension of vision, indeed ; he saw no comfort for the present from God, but there was no dissolution of union; for the divine nature did many things in this seeming forsaking. That was it which supported his human nature to sustain the bm'den of our sin and the wrath of God, as also that gave merit and worth of satisfaction to his sufferings.
(3.) Neither was this forsaking in regard oi grace, as if faith, or love, or any other grace, were taken fi-om Christ. Oh, no ; for he believed, before he said, ' My God, my God.' Would he have committed his dearest jewel into the hands of God if he had not believed in him ?