{bthly) To express the residue of his body, and the condition of it when he hung on the cross so long, by the soreness of his hands and his feet, says he, " All my bones are out of joint," Ps. xxii. 14, and also verses 16, 17.
Thus was it with his body.
'idly. The like also is expressed of his soid; for, —
(Is^.) On his mind was darkness, — not in it, but on it, — as to his apprehension of the love and presence of God. Hence was his cry, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Ps. xxii. 1, Matt xxvii. 46. Though his faith was, upon the whole of the 'matter, pre- valent and victorious, Isa. 1. 7-9, yet he had many sore conflicts with the sense and apprehension of God's wrath for sin, and that desertion he was then under as to any cheering influences of his love and presence.
{idly) For the rest of his faculties, he was not only under the pressure of the most perplexing, grievous, and burdensome passions that human nature is obnoxious unto, as, — [Is^.] Heaviness, " His soul was heavy unto death," Matt. xxvi. 87, 38; [2dly.] Grief, "No sorrow like to his," Lam. i. 12; \^dly.'\ Fear, Heb. v. 7; — but was also pressed into a condition beyond what we have words to express, or names of passions or affections to set it forth by. Hence he is said to be " in an agony," Luke xxii. 44 ; to be " amazed," Mark xiv. 33 ; with the like expressions, intimating a condition miserable and dis- tressed beyond what we are able to comprehend or express.
[2.] In his name, his repute, or credit, he suffered also. He was numbered amongst transgressors, Isa. liii. 1 2, Ps. xxii. ; counted a malefactor, and crucified amongst them ; a seducer, a blasphemer, a seditious person, a false prophet; and was cruelly mocked and de- rided on the cross as an impostor, that saved others but could not save himself, that pretended to be the Messiah, the King of Israel, but could not come down from the cross; laid in the balance with Barabbas, a rogue and a murderer, and rejected for him. Matt, xxvii.
[8.] In \\h friends. The Shepherd was smitten, and the sheep scattered, Zech. xiii. 7, — all his friends distressed, scattered, glad to flee for their lives, or to save themselves by doing the things that were woi-se than death.
4S2 VINDTCT^ EVANGELICiE.
[4.] In liis goods, even all that he had : " They parted his gsx- mentSj and cast lots for his vesture," Ps. xxii. 18.
Thus did he not in any thing go free, that the curse of the law in all things might be executed on him. The law curses a man in all his concernments, with the immission and infliction of every thing that is evil, and the subtraction of every thing that is good ; that is, with " poena sensus et poena damni," as they are called.
In reference to the law, I say that Christ underwent that very punishment that was threatened in the law and was due to sinners; the same that we should have undergone, had not our surety done it for us. To clear this briefly, observe that the punishment of the law may be considered two ways: —
1. Absolutely/ in its own nature, as it lies in the law and the threatening thereof. This in general is called " death," Gen. ii. 1 7, Ezek. xviii. 4, Rom. v. 12; and by way of aggravation, because of its comprising the death of body and soul, " death unto death," 2 Cor. ii. 16; and " the second death," Rev. xx. 14; and " the cui'se," Deut. xxvii.-xxix.. Matt. xxv. 41 ; and "wrath," 1 Thess. i. 10 (hence we are said to be " delivered from the wrath to come") ; and "wrath," or " the day of wrath," Rom. ii. 5, and in innumerable other places: all which are set out, in many metaphorical expressions, by those things which are to the nature of man most dreadful; as of " a lake with fire and brimstone," of " Tophet, whose pile is much wood," and the like.
Of this punishment in general there are two parts: — (1.) Loss, or separation from God, expressed in these words, "De- part from me," Matt. vii. 23; " Depart, ye cursed," chap. xxv. 41; as also, 2 Thess. i. 9.
(2.) Sense or pain; whence it is called " fire," as 2 Thess. i. 8; "torments," etc., Luke xvi. 23. All this we say Christ underwent, as shall be farther manifested.
2. Punishment of the law may be considered relatively to its sub- ject, or the persons punished, and that in two regards: —
(1.) In reference to its own attendancies and necessary conse- quents, as it falls upon the persons to be punished ; and these are two : —
[1.] That it be a "worm that dieth not," Mark ix. 44, Isa. Ixvi. 24.
[2.] That it be a " fire not to be quenched," — that it be everlast- ing, that its torments be eternal.
And both these, I say, attend and follow the punishment of the law. on the account of its relation to the persons punished; for, —