572

Matth.
XXVII. 47.

The Jews pretend, that he was calling for Elijah.

they heard that, faid, [Bethat ftood [by] there, when hold,] this Man calleth for Elias. [MARK XV. 35.1

1

Sect. 191. Jefus by the Ufe of these Words, borrowed. 47 [And] fome of them from the Beginning of the Twenty-second Pfalm, gave the Spectators a useful Hint, that the whole of it referred to him; and it might well have led them to observe, how many Paffages of it had then a literal Accomplishment in him: But if this was any Part of the Defign, it was not apprehended by them; for the Jews took them in a different Senfe, and fome of them that flood by there, bearing [that] Sound of Eli, faid in a fcornful and infulting Manner, Behold, this [Man,] who has been used to talk as if he had Earth and Heaven at Command, refolves to keep up the Air of the Meffiah to the laft, and therefore calls for Elijah his Fore-runner, as if he had any Authority to bring that great Prophet down from Paradife to his Affistance (¿).

John XIX, 28.

JOHN XIX. 28. After this, Jefus knowing that all

Things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, faith, I

thirst.

more natural. Thus in a most humble and affectionate Manner he reminds bis Heavenly Father, that he was only by Imputation a Sinner, and had himself done nothing to incur his Difpleasure.I chufe not with Dr. More (in his Theological Works, pag. 292.) to render it, How far,, or to what Degree, haft thou for faken me! because, tho' this would be a juft Verfion of D, the Greek Word walt, which anfwers to it in Matthew, is not liable to fuch Ambiguity.I conclude with adding, that this Interruption of a joyful Senfe of his Father's Prefence, (tho' there was, and could not but be, a rational Apprehenfion of his conftant Favour, and high Approbation of what he was now doing,) was as neceffary, as it was that Chrift fhould fuffer at all. For had GoD communicated to his Son on the Cross thofe ftrong Confolations, which he has given to fome of the Martyrs in their Tortures, all Senfe of Pain, and confequently all real Pain, would have been swallowed up; and the Violence done to his Body, not affecting the Soul, could not properly have been called Suffering.

(i) And fome of them that food by &c.] Whether this was, as Dr. Edwards, (Exercit. pag. 196, -203.) and Mr. Cradock, (Harm. Part ii. pag. 256.) fuppofe, the Miftake of fome Hellenist Jews, who did not understand the Syro-Chaldaic Language, or whether it proceeded from his being raised fo high, that, amidst the rude Noife around him, they did not diftinctly hear, I do not pretend to fay. Perhaps the Malice of those who did hear what he faid, might misreprefent his Words, to prevent any serious Reflections on the Pfalm from which they were taken, and to expofe him to farther Contempt.

(k) A

JESUS cries with a loud Voice, and dismisses his Spirit.

573

" and in my Thirft they gave me Vinegar to Sect. 191. "drink," said to them, I thirst.

Now there was fet, as ufual on fuch Occafions, John XIX. a Veffel full of Vinegar near the Crofs (k); and 29. immediately, on his afking for Drink, one of them ran, and took a Spunge, and filled [it] with this Vinegar; and putting it round [a Stalk of] HyfJop, which they had faftened on the Top of a Kind of Cane or large Reed, they put it up to his Mouth, and in a contemptuous Manner gave it bim to drink. But the rest of them that stood Matth. by, faid, Let [him] alone, and let us by, faid, Let [him] alone, and let us fee whether XXVII, 49′′ Elijah, whom he has just been calling upon, will come and fave him from the Crofs; [and] indeed he must take him down quickly, if at all. So little were their Hearts affected with this preternatural Darkness, which had continued now Three Hours; and thus cruelly did they infult him, even in his expiring Moments, which had been moft inhuman, tho' he had really been the vileft Malefactor.

46..

When Jefus therefore had received the Vinegar, John XIX. he faid, It is finished; that is, the important Work, 30. for which I came into the World, is now compleated, the Demands of the Law are fatisfied, the Justice of GOD is atoned, and my Sufferings are now at an End. And crying out again with Luk.XXIII. a great and ftrong Voice, which plainly fhewed that much of the Strength of Nature was yet in him; he faid with a lively Faith and holy Joy, Father, for fo I will still call thee, tho" that Claim is thus derided by mine Enemies, I am now coming to thee, and into thy Hands 1 commit my departing Spirit, depofiting it with thee, as a facred Truft, which I am confident thou wilt receive and keep. And when he had faid thus,, declining his Head, he voluntarily difmiffed or delivered up bis Spirit, and expired (1)..

And

(*) A Vessel full of Vinegar.] It is well known, that Vinegar and Water, (which Mixture was called Pofca,) was the common Drink of the Roman Soldiers: Perhaps therefore this Vinegar was fet here for their Ufe, or for that of the crucified Perfons, whofe Torture would naturally make them thirsty.

(1) He difmiffed, or delivered up his Spirit, and expired.] The Evangelifts use different Words in expreffing our Lord's Death, which I a little wonder that our Tranflators render

574

Sect. 191.

Matth.
XXVII. 51.

Earth trembles.

MAT. XXVII. 51. And

behold, [LUK. while the Sun
Temple was rent in twain
[LUR. in the Mids,] from
the Top to the Bottom; and
the Earth did quake, and the
Rocks rent; [MARK XV,
38. LUKE XXIII. 45.]

was darkned,] the Vail of the

The Veil of the Temple is rent, and the
And bebold, GoD by a very awful and mira-
culous Interpofition, avowed the Relation which
his Son claimed, and evidently appeared to take
the Charge of that dear and excellent Spirit,
which Jefus fo folemnly recommended to him:
For immediately upon his Death, [while] the Sun
was ftill darkened, (as was obferved before, ver.
45-) the Veil of the Temple, which separated be-
tween the Holy and the Most Holy Place, tho'
made of the richest and strongest Tapestry, was
miraculously rent in two in the Midt, from the
Top to the very Bottom; fo that while the Prieft
was miniftring at the Golden Alta, it being the
Time of Evening Sacrifice, the Sacred Oracle
was laid open to full View (m): GOD thereby
declaring, as it were, the Abolition of the whole
Mofaic Ritual, which depended on a Diftinction
between the Two Parts of the Temple; and in-
timating, that a Paffage was opened into the Moft
Holy Place, by the Blood of Jefus, which was
now poured out on Mount Calvary. At the fame
Time, to increase the Terror, the Earth trembled:
even to the very Spot of Ground on which the

Temple

in the fame Manner, he yielded, or gave up the Ghoft. Mark and Luke say thexvevos, be
expired; John, waped ane to averμa, he yielded up his Spirit; but Matthew's Language is
yet more fingular, aqnne to avena, he difmiffed his Spirit; (as the fame Word apmus is
ufed, Mat. xiii. 36. Mark iv. 36. xi. 6, and elsewhere.) Now this Expreffion feems admi-
rably to fuit our Lord's Words, John x. 18. No Man taketh my Life from me, but I lay it
down of myself, &c. (fee the Paraphrafe and Note there, pag. 215.) fhewing, as the ftrong
Cry which fo much impreffed the Centurion did, that he died by the voluntary Act of his own
Mind, according to the Power received from the Father, and in a Way peculiar to himself,
by which he alone of all Men that ever exifted, could have continued alive even in the greateft
Tortures, as long as he pleased, or have retired from the Body whenever he thought fit.
Which View of the Cafe, by the Way, fuggefts an Illuftration of the Love of Chrift mani-
fefted in his Death, beyond what is commonly obferved; inafmuch as he did not use this
Power to quit his Body, as foon as ever it was faftened to the Crofs, leaving only an infen-
fible Corpfe to the Cruelty of his Murtherers, but continued his Abode in it, with a steady
Refolution, as long as it was proper; and then retired from it, with a Majesty and Dignity
never known, or to be known, in any other Death; dying, if I may fo express it, like the
Prince of Life.

(m) While the Prieft was miniftring at the Golden Altar, &c.] This being fo high a
Day, it is probable that Caiaphas himself might now be performing the folemn Act of
burning Incenfe juft before the Veil; which if he did, it is inexpreffibly aftonishing, that his
obdurate Heart should not be impreffed with fo awful and fignificant a Phænomenon. There
is no Room to doubt, but many of the other Pricfts, who had a Hand in Chrift's Death,
faw the Pieces of the Veil, which, confidering its Texture, and the other Circumftances,
muft as fully convince them of the Reality of this extraordinary Fact, as if they had actually
been prefent when it was rent.

(n) The

52 And the Graves were opened, and many Bodies of the Saints which slept, arose,

XXVII. 52.

The Rocks are torn afunder, and the Graves opened. 575 Temple ftood, and several of the Rocks in the Sect. 191. neighbouring Parts were torn afunder (n): And fome of the Tombs there were opened by the Earth- Matth. quake; and, which was much more astonishing, a little while after, while the Monuments continued unclofed, many Bodies of those holy Men who were fleeping there, were raised from the Duft of Death (0), And came out of the 53 Tombs after the Refurrection of [Jefus,] and entered into Jerufalem, the Holy City, and appeared unto many (p); attefting the Truth of that important Fact, and declaring their own Rescue from the Grave, as a Kind of First-fruits of his Power over Death, which fhould at length accomplish a general Refurrection.

53 And came out of the tion, and went into the Holy City, and appeared unto

Graves after his Refurrec

many..

MARK XV. 39. And when the Centurion which

flood over-against him, faw that he fo cried out, and gave up the Ghoft, [LUK. and

faw

And when the Roman Centurion, who stood over- Mark XV. against him, and guarded the Execution, faw that 39. he fo cried out with fuch Strength of Voice, and fuch firm Confidence in Go D, even at the Mo

GOD,

ment.

(n) The Rocks were torn afunder.] Mr. Fleming tells us, (in his Chriftology, Vol. ii. pug. 97, 98.) that a Deift lately travelling thro' Palestine was converted, by viewing one of thefe Rocks, which still remains torn asunder, not in the weakest Place, but cross the Veins; a plain Proof that it was done in a fupernatural Manner. Compare Sandys's Travels, Lib. iii. pag. 164. and Maundrell's Journey, pag. 73, 74.

(0) Many Bodies of holy Men were raifed.] The ingenious Writer mentioned in the laft Note, who abounds with a vaft Number of peculiar Conjectures, thinks, that these were fome of the moft eminent Saints mentioned in the Old Teftament; and that they appeared in fome extraordinary Splendor, and were known by Revelation, as Eve's Original and Relation was to Adam, or Mofes and Elijah to the Difciples at the Transfiguration. He ventures. particularly to conjecture who they were; but does not mention David among them. Fleming of the First Refurrection, pag. 29,38.). But Mr. Pierce (on Calaf. pag. 68.) maintains, that it is very improbable, that had other Saints of former Ages rifen, David fhould have been excluded; and fince Acts ii. 34, proves, that he did not now rife, he concludes, that the Saints who refe were fome who died but a little before, perhaps fuch as had believed in Chrift, and were well known to furviving Difciples. It was to be fure a moft furprizing Event, and Dr. Whitby fuppofes John v. 25. was a Prophecy relating to it.

(p) And came out of the Tombs after the Refurrection of Jefus, & Confequently it feems that the Tombs food open all the Sabbath, when the Law would not allow any Attempt to close them. What an aftonishing Spectacle! especially if their Refurrection was not inftantaneously accomplished, but by fuch flow Degrees, as that reprefented in Ezekiel's Vision: (Ezek. xxxvii.) Yet I do not take upon me to fay, that it was fo; for it is unprofitable, too particularly to conjecture on fuch Circumftances which are not recorded. For this Reafon alfo I pretend not to fay, what became of these Perfons; tho' as one. can hardly imagine, they either immediately returned to their Graves, or that they continued to live on Earth, (becaufe it is only faid, they appeared to many,) it seems moft natural to imagine, they afcended into Heaven with, or after our Lord; perhaps from fome Solitude, to which they might be directed to retire during the intermediate Days, and to wait in devout Exercifes for their Change; for furely had they afcended in the View of others, the Memory of fuch a Fact could not have been loft.

(2) Ger

576 The terrified Spectators are convinced, he Sect. 191. ment when he expired; [and] alfo faw what was [then] done in fo miraculous a Manner, as an exMark XV. prefs Answer to that dying Prayer; be glorified

39.

Matth.

And the Sol

47.]

MAT.XXVII.-54. And

is the Son of GOD. faw what was done, he glotainly this was a righteous rified GOD, faying, CerMan,] truly this Man was GOD by a free Confeffion of his Perfuafion of the Son of GOD. [MAT. the Innocence of Jefus, faying, Certainly this was XXVII.54-LUK.XXIII. a righteous Man; and truly it is evident this Man was really what he declared himself to be, even the Son of GOD himself (q). XXVII. 54. diers also that attended the Centurion, even they that were with him, guarding Jefus on the Crofs, Seeing the Earthquake, and thofe other Things which were now done, feared greatly, and faid in like manner, Truly this Jefus of Nazareth, whom we have been thus infulting and murthering, was the Son of GOD; and his Heavenly Father will furely avenge his Quarrel on us, and on the whole Nation of the Jews, who have delivered him

48.

to us.

Luk.XXIII. And all the Multitude (r) that were come together on this remarkable Occafion, to fee this doleful Spectacle, even fome of those who but a little before had been infulting him in his dying Agonies, when they faw the Things which were done, returned, beating their Breasts for Sorrow and Remorse; in terrible Expectation, that some

fad

they that were with him, watching Jefus, faw the Earthquake, and thofe Things that were done, and they feared greatly, faying, Truly this was the Son of GOD.

(9) Certainly this was a righteous Man; &c.] The most learned Mr. Waffe of Aynho, (whofe Death fince the Publication of my First Volume is an irreparable Lofs to the Commonwealth of Letters,) has a Differtation on thefe Words of the Centurion, in the First Number of the Bibliotheca Literaria, to which I am indebted for feveral Hints in the Paraphrafe on these Verfes: But I have ventured to depart from him, in not entirely incorporating Mat. xxvii. 54. with Mark xv. 39. and Luke xxiii. 47. as the Two latter only mention the Effect of this furprizing Sight on the Centurion, while Matthew gives us alfo an Account of the Effect it had upon the Soldiers, who very probably might repeat the Words their Officer had fpoke but juft before, in expreffing their Sentiments on this Occafion. I fhall only add, that Elfner, in a very learned Note on this Place, has fhewn, that fome of the Heathens had a Notion among them, that Prodigies, especially Storms and Earthquakes, fometimes attended the Death of extraordinary Perfons, peculiarly dear to the Gods; and among other Paffages, mentions that of Plutarch, in which he tells us, that when Ptolemy had crucified Cleomenes, while the Body hung dead on the Cross, a large Serpent wound itself round his Face, and defended it from Birds of Prey; from whence the Egyptians concluded, he was a Hero more than mortal, and a Son of the Gods. See Elfn. Obferv. Vol. i. pag. 126, 127.

(r) All the Multitude.] That is, great Numbers; for it is no way neceffary to fuppofe, that every individual Perfon prefent was thus impreffed. The Conviction produced by these Prodigies undoubtedly made Way for the Converfion of fuch a Multitude by the Preaching of the Apostles, on the Defcent of the Spirit, which was but Seven Weeks after, when thefe Things were fresh in their Memories. Acts ii. 41.