The Tenderness of Christ, Book III: How Christ's Heart Is Touched with the Feeling of Our Infirmities

For we have not an High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb. iv. 15.

Some generals to clear how this is to be undcrtood, that Christ’s heart is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, together with the way how our infirmities come to be feelingly let into his heart.

HAVING thus given such full and ample demonstrations of the tenderness and sameness of Christ’s heart unto us, now he is in heaven, with that which it was whilst he was here on earth; and those, both extrinsical in the first part, and intrinsical in the second; — I now come to that last head which I propounded in the opening of these words, namely, the way and manner of Christ’s being affected with pity unto us; both how it is to be understood by us, and also how such affections come to be let into his heart, and therein to work these bowels of compassion unto us. This, in the beginning of the second part, I propounded to be handled, as being necessary both for the opening and clearing the words of the text, which mainly hold forth this; as also for the clearing of the thing itself — the point in hand. For, as I there shewed, these words came in by way of preoccupation, or prevention of an objection, as if his state now in heaven were not capable of such affections as should tenderly move him to pity and commiseration, he being now glorified both in soul and body. Which thought, because it was apt to arise in all men’s minds, the Apostle therefore fore-stalls it, both by affirming the contrary, ( We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched, se.) that is, he both can be, or is capable of it, and likewise is touched, notwithstanding all his glory; as also by his annexing the reason of it, or shewing the way how it comes to pass; in that, /// all points he icas tempted like as we.

Now in handling and opening these, which is a matter full of difficulty, 1 shall with all wariness proceed to the discovery of what manner of affection in Christ this is; and that by these steps and degrees. First. This affection of compassion, or his being touched with the feeling of our infirmities, is not wholly to be understood in a metaphorical or a similitudinary sense, as those speeches used of God in the Old Testament are to be understood, when bowels of compassion are attributed unto him, and his bowels are said to be rowled together; or, as when as it is said of God, that he repented, and was afflicted in all his peoples affliction*. All which expressions were spoken of God, as we all know, but merely ajtcr the manner of men. So to convey and represent to ourapprehensions, by what affections use to be in parents or friends in such and such cases, (what provoke them unto such and such actions,) which like effects proceed from God towards us, when he sees us in distress. And so they are spoken rather per modum effect us, then qffectus, rather by way of like effect, which God produceth, then by way of such affection in God’s heart, which is not capable of any such passions as these are. Now, towards the right understanding of this, the first thing which I affirm is; that (barely) in such a sense as this, that which is here spoken of Christ, is not to be understood; and my reason for it is grounded upon these two things put together. First, that this affection of his towards us here spoken. of, is manifestly meant of his human nature, and not of his Godhead only, for it is spoken of that nature wherein he once was tempted as we now are. So expressly in the next words, which can be meant of no other than his human nature.

And secondly — That those kind of expressions which were used of God before the assumption of our nature, only in a way of metaphor and similitude (ajicr the manner of men) should in no further, or more real and proper sense be spoken of Christ and his human nature now assumed, and when .he is a man as truly and properly as we are, I cannot imagine; when I consider and remember that which 1 last insisted on, that one end of Christ’s taking an human nature, was, that lie might be a merciful IT gh Priest for ever; in such a way, as he being God alone, could not have been. I confess I have often wondered at that expression there used, Ileb. ii. He took the seed of Abraham, that he might be made a merciful High Prievt, which at the first reading, sounded, as if God had been made more merciful by taking our nature. But this solved the wonder, that this assumption added a new way of God’s being merciful; by means of which it may now be said, for the comfort and relief of our faith, that God is truly and really merciful, as a wan. And the consideration of this, contributes this to the clearing of the thing in hand; that, whereas God of himself was so blessed and perfect, that his blessedness could not have been touched with the least feeling of our infirmities; neither was he in himself capable of any such affection of pity, or compassion; He is not a man that he should pity or repent 9 fyc. He can in deed do that for us in our distress, which a man that pities us, meth to do; but the affections and bowels themselves, he is not capable of. Hence, therefore amongst other ends of assuming man’s nature, this fell in before God as one, that God might thereby become loving and merciful unto men, as one man is to another. And so, that what before was but improperly spoken, and by way of metaphor and similitude in the Old Testament, so to convey it to our apprehensions, might now be truly attributed unto him in the reality; that God might be for ever said to be compassionate as a man, and to be touched with a feeling of our infirmities as a man. And thus, by this happy union of both natures, the language of the Old Testament uttered only in a figure, becomes verified and fulfilled in the truth of it, as in all other things the shadows of it were in

Christ fulfilled. And this is the first step towards the understanding of what is here said of Christ, taken from this comparison with the like attributed unto God himself.

A second and further step to let in our understanding to the apprehension of this, is by the like further comparison to be made with the angels, and those affections of love and pity that are certainly found in them. In comparison of which, these affections in Christ’s human nature, (though glorified) must needs be far more l;ke to ours, even more tender and more humane. For in that Heb. ii. it is expressly said, Ik therefore took not the nature of Angels, that he might be a merciful High Priest. Part of the intendment of these words is to shew and give the reason, not only why he took our nature under frail flesh (though that the Apostle mentions, verse 14) but why an human nature for the substance of it, and not the nature of angels: because in his affections of mercy he would for ever come nearer to us, and have such affections, and of the same kind with our’s. Whereas, otherwise, in other respects, an Angel would have been an higher and more glorious High Priest than a man.

Now the Angels being Jellow servants with us, (as the Angel called himself, Rev. xxii. 9.) they have affections towards us more assimilated unto our’s, then God hath; and so are more capable of such impressions from our miseries, than God is. Although they be Spirits, yet they partake of something analogical, or resembling and answering to those affections of pity, grief, £c. which are in us. And indeed, so far as these affections are seated in our souls, and

TO HIS MEMBERS ON EARTH. 4<V>

not drenched in the passions of the body, unto whirh our souls are united, they are the very same kind oi’ affections in us, that are in them. Hence, the same lust* that are in men, are said to be in devils, John viii. 44; and, therefore the devils also are said to /tv and tremble, #c. And so (oppositely) the motions that are in men, so far as they are jiil, and the spirit or soul is the seat of them, they must needs be found in the good Angels. But Christ having an human nature, the same for substance that our’s is, consisting both of the soul and body; although through glory made spiritual, yet not become a «!>>/;•//, (a Spirit hath notjlesh and bones, as ye sec me have, says Christ of himself, after his resurrection, Luke xxiv. 39J therefore he must needs have affections towards us, yet more like to those of our’s, than those are which the Angels have. So then by these two steps we have gained these two things, That, even in Christ’s human nature, (though glorified) affections of pity and compassion are true and real, and not metaphorically attributed to him as they are unto God; and also more near and like unto our’s here, than those in the Angels arc; even affections proper to man’s nature, and truly humane. And these he should have luid, although this human nature had from the very first assumption of it been as glorious as it is now in heaven.

lut new, thirdly, add this further, that God so ordered it, that before Christ should clothe this his human nature with that glory he hath in. heaven, and put this glory upon it, he should first take it as clothed with all our infirmities, even the very same that do cleave unto us, and should live in this world

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as we do for many years. And during that time, God prepared for him all sorts of afflictions and miseries to rim through, which we ourselves do here meet withal; and all that time he was acquainted with, and inured unto all the like sorrows that we are: and God left him to that infirmity and tenderness of spirit to take in all distresses as deeply as any of us, (without sin) and to exercise the very same affections under all these distresses that we at any time do find stirring in our hearts. And this God thus ordered on purpose, thereby to fit him and to frame his heart (when he should be in glory) unto such affections as these spoken of in the text. And thus both this text suggests to be God’s end in it, as also that forcmentioned place, Heb. ii. 14, For as much us ice (namely, his members) are partakers of fesh and blood (which phrase doth ever note out the frailties of man s nature, as 1 Cor. xv. 50, &c.) he himself

took part of the same that he might be a merciful

High Priest, se. verse 17. And then the Apostle rives this reason of it, verse 18, For in that himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able — {this ability is, as was before interpreted, the having an heart fitted and enabled, out of experience, to pity and) to succour them that are tempted. The meaning whereof is, thatil was not the bare taking of an human nature, (if glorious from the first) that would thus fully have fitted him to be affectionately pitiful out of experience, (though, as was said, the knowledge of our miseries taken in thereby, would have made him truly and really affectionate towards us, with affections human and proper to a man; and so much nearer and like ours, than what are in the Angels tlieinsclv.es, or than are attributed to God, when he is said to pity us) but further, his taking- our nature at first clothed v, ith frailties, and living in this world as ire. This hath for ever fitted his heart by experience to be in our very hearts and bosoms; and not only or barely to know the distress, and as a man to be affected with an human affection to one of his kind; but experimentally, remembering the like in himself once. And this likewise the text suggests, as the way whereby our distresses are let into his heart the more feelingly, now he is in heaven, We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we, yet without sin. And the more to comfort us herein, observe how fully and universally the Apostle speaks of having been tempted here below. First, for the natter of them, or the several sorts of temptations, he says he was tempted in all points, or things of any kind, wherewith we are exercised. Secondly, for the intuiticr — lie adds that too - like as we are. His heart having been just so affected, so wounded, pierced, and distressed, in all such trials as our’s use to be, only without sin. God, on purpose, left all his affections to their full tenderness, and quickness of sense of evil. So that Christ took to heart all that befell him, as deeply as might be; he slighted no cross either from God or men, but had and felt the utmost load of it. Yea, his heart was made more t?nder, in all sorts of affections, than any of our’s, (even as it was in IO.VTC and pity) and this made him a man of sorrows, and that more than any other man was, or shall be.

Now, therefore, to explicate the way how out miseries came to be let into his heart, and come to stir up such kindly affections of pity and compassion in him, it is not hard to conceive from what lialh now been said, and from what the text doth further hint unto us.

1. The understanding and knowledge of that human nature hath notice and cognisance of all the occurrences that befall his members here. And for this the text is clear. For the Apostle thus speaks for our encouragement, that Christ is touched with the feeiiri’j; of our infirmities. Which could not be a re lief unto us, if it supposed not this, that he distinctly and particularly knew them; and if not all as well as some, we should want relief in all, as not knowing whichheknew, andwhichnot. And the Apostle affirms this of his human nature (as was said); for he speaks of that nature that was tempted here below. And therefore the Lamb that was slain, and so the man Christ Jesus, is (Rev. v. 6) said to have seven eyes as well as seven horns’, which seven eyes are the seven Spirits sent forth into alt the world. His eyes of Providence, (through his anointing with the Holy Ghost) are in all corners of the world, and view all the things that are done under the sun; in like man ner he is there said to have seven horns for power, as seven ei/cs for knowledge; and both are defined to be seven, to shew the perfection of both; in their extent reaching unto all things. So that, as ail power in heaven and earth is committed to him, as Son oj Manp (as the scripture speaks) so all knowledge is given him of all things done in heaven and earth, and this as Son of Man too; — his knowledge and power being of equal extent. He is the Sun as well in respect of knowledge as of righteousness, and there is nothing hid from his light and beams, which do pierce the darkest corners of the hearts of the sons of men. He knows the sores (as Solomon expresseth it) and distresses of their hearts. Like as a looking-glass, made into the form of a globe, and hung in the midst of a room takes in all the species of things done, or that are therein, at once; so doth the enlarged understanding of Christ’s human nature, take in the affairs of this world, (which he is appointed to govern): especially the miseries of his members, and this at once.

2. His human nature thus knowing all, (I know thy works, thy labour, and thy patience, se. Rev. xxii. he therewithal hath an act of memory, and recalls how himself was once affected, and how distressed whilst on earth, under the same or the like miseries; for the memory of things here below remains still with him, as with all spirits in either of those two other worlds, heaven or hell. Son, remember t/wu in thy life time rccelvest thy good things, and Lazarus, evil, se. says Abraham to the soul of Dives in hell, Luke xvi. 25. Remember me when thou comest Into thy kingdom, said] the good thief to Christ; and Rev. i. / am he (says Christ) that was dead, and am alive. He remembers his death still, and the sufferings of it; and as he remembers it, to put his Father in mind thereof, so he remembers it also, to affect his own heart with what we feel; and his memory presenting the impression of the like now afresh unto hiiii,

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how it was once with him. Hence, he comes feelingly and experimentally to know how it is now with us, and so affects himself therewith; as Dido in Virgil, — Hand ignara mall miser ic succurrere disco. Having experience of the like miseries, (though a queen now) I know how to succour those that are therein; as God said to the Israelites, when they should be possessed of Canaan, their own land, Exod. xxiii. 9; Yc know the hearts f strangers, seeing ye were strangers, se. and therefore doth command them to pity strangers, and to use them well upon that motive. So may it be said of Christ, that he doth know the hearts of Ids children in misery, seeing himself was once under the like; or as the Apostle exhorts the Hebrews, — Ileb. xiii. 3. Remember them that ere in bonds, as bound with them, and them that sitffer adversity, as being yourselves in the body, and so ere you die, may come to suffer the like. So Christ, the head of the body, (which is the fountain of all sense and feelinj in the body) doth remember them that are bound and in adversity, having himself been once in the body; and so he experimentally compassionates them. And this is a farther thing then the former; we have gained this further, — that Christ hath not only such affections as are real and proper to an human nature, but such affections as are stirred up in him, from experience of the like, by himself, once tasted in a frail nature like unto our’s. And thus much for the way of letting in all our miseries into Christ’s heart now, ro as to strike and affect it with them.