I answer, In this difficult inquiry two things are to be stated : — first, in reference to his person, That it was impossible Christ should have the indissolubility of his personal union utterly hid from him. He knew the union of his human nature unto the Son uf God could not be utterly dissolved, — that could not be utterly hid from him; so that there could not be despair, properly so called, in Christ. And, secondly, this is certain also, That the contract he had with the Father, and the promises he had given him of being successful, could never utterly be hid from him. So that his faith, either as to his person or cause, could not possibly be utterly ruined. But there was a severe and terrible conflict in the human nature, arising from these four things: —
First. From the view which he was exalted to take of the nature of the curse that was then upon him. For the curse was upon him, Gal. iii. 13, " He was made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Give me leave to say, Jesus Christ saw more into the nature of the curse of God for sin than all the damned in hell are able to see; which caused a dreadful conflict in his human soul upon that prospect.
Secondly. It arose from hence, that the comforting influences of the union with the divine nature ivere restrained. Jesus Christ was in himself " a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;" but yet, all the while, there were the influences of light and glory from the divine nature to the human, by virtue of their union; — and now they are restrained, and instead of that, was horrible darkness, and trem- bling, and the curse, and sin, and Satan, round about him; all pre- senting themselves unto him : which gave occasion to that part of his prayer, Ps. xxii. 12-21, " Deliver my soul from the sword ; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's moiith," etc. There was the sword in the curse of the law, and the dog and the lion, or Satan, as it were, gaping upon him, as if ready to devour him ; for it was the hour and power of darkness, dread and terror. Besides, there were cruel men, which he compares to " the bulls of Bashan," which rent him. This caused that terrible conflict.
534 SACRAMENTAL DISCOURSES.
Thirdly. It was from the penal desertion of God. That he was under a penal desertion from God is plain : " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me V And when I say so, I know little of what I say; — I mean, what it is to be under such penal desertion. For the great punishment of hell, is an everlasting penal desertion from God.
Fourthly. It was from the unspeakable extremity of the things that he suffered; — not merely as to the things themselves which outwardly fell upon his body, but as unto that " sword of God which was awakened against him," and which had pierced him to the very soul. The advantage which he had in his sufferings by his divine union, was that which supported and bore him up under that weight, which would have sunk any mere creature to nothing. His heart was enlarged to receive in those pains, that dread and terror, that otherwise he could not have received. And notwithstanding all this, as I showed before, Christ kept up his faith in reference to his person, and kept up his faith in reference to his cause; and a great example he hath given unto us, that though the dog and the lion should en- compass us, though we should have desertion from God and pressures more than nature is able to bear, yet there is a way of keeping up faith, trust, and confidence through all, and not to let go our hold of God.
Now, this is the first thing we are to call over in remembrance of Christ, in reference to his death ; — that faith he had, both for his per- son and his cause, in his death. For if you remember any of the martyrs that died, you will stick upon these two things, more than upon the flames that consumed them : — they expressed great faith of their interest in Christ, and in reference to the cause they died for. They are things you will remember. And this you are to be remem- bering of him who was the head of the martyrs, — our Lord Jesus Christ's faith.
2. We are to call over his obedience in his death. The apostle cloth propose it unto us, Phil. ii. 5, 6, etc., " Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God : but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." We are to call over the mind of Christ in suffering. And the following things the Scripture doth peculiarly direct us to consider in the obedience of Christ unto death: — The principle of it, which was love; readiness to and for it ; submission under it ; his patience during it. They are things the Scripture minds us of concerning the obedience of Christ in his death: —