And yet, behold, when he comes to die, how weak is he, how
amazed at death, how heavy, how exceeding sorrowful! and, I say, no
cause assigned but the approach of death.
Alas, how often is it seen that we poor sinners can laugh at
destruction when it cometh; yea, and rejoice exceedingly when we
find the grave, looking upon death as a part of our portion, yea, as
that which will be a means of our present relief and help. 1 Cor.
3:22.
This Jesus could not do, considered as dying for our sin; but the
nearer death, the more heavy and oppressed with the thoughts of the
revenging hand of God; wherefore he falls into an agony and
sweats--not after the common rate, as we do when death is severing
body and soul: "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood
falling down to the ground."
What should be the reason but that death assaulted him with his
sting? If Jesus Christ had been to die for his virtues only,
doubtless he would have borne it lightly.
How have the martyrs despised death, having peace with God by Jesus
Christ, scorning the most cruel torments that men and hell could
devise and invent! but Jesus Christ could not do so, as he was a
sacrifice for sin; he died for us, he was made a curse for us. O, my
brethren, Christ died many deaths at once; he made his grave with
the wicked, and with the rich in his death.
Pages:
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158