From “Lecture on Lamentations 1:12,” Aspospasmatia Sacra, or A Collection of Posthumous and Orphan Lectures (ca. 1657)
There was no part of him, neither skin, nor bone, nor sense, nor any part, wherein he was not stricken. His blessed body was an anvil to receive all the strokes that were laid on him. And we have no better argument hereof than Pilate’s, “Behold the Man,” for he thought they had brought him to that end already that even the heard-hearted would have pitied him…
For in bodily sufferings many have been equal to him; but the suffering of the soul was most grievous, as the greatest heaviness is the heaviness of the heart. The afflictions of the body may be sustained, but a wounded spirit who can bear? (Prov. 18) …
The cause of Christ’s sweat:… he was in a furnace of God’s fierce wrath. Therefore the Greek Church prays, “By your unknown sufferings, good Lord deliver us.” For that which was taken from him, that was the penalty of the Lord. He was denied both earthly comforts and heavenly graces. For the first, Christ who had gone up and down feeding, healing, and preaching, receives no comfort from the earth. . . . when he was on the cross they scorned him, “He trusted in God, let him save him, and you who saved others, come down and save yourself.” As for his disciples, from whom he might have looked for most comfort, one of them betrayed him, another denied him, and all abandoned him, and he was stripped of all earthly comfort.
And as for his soul, that was bereaved of all heavenly graces or influence. It was like a drawbridge had been drawn up, as appears by his words, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” It is not so with the martyrs; for they in the midst of their pains and sorrows, feel drops of heavenly consolation, which make them cheerful. But it was not so with our Savior… There was never the like cry. Thirdly, from the party that complains, we may argue, there was never the like sorrow: A little thing done to a person of great excellency, does aggravate the matter; but never the like person suffered, and never the like sorrow (Exodus 23:3). God takes order, men shall not handle the poor beast barbarously, but be ready to relieve and help him; but more respect is to be had of a man, although a malefactor, and much more an innocent as he that fell among thieves and was hurt (Luke 10). But if it be not only an innocent, but an exalted person, then great respect is to be had…
But it is Christ who suffers: of whom not only Pilate says, “Behold the man,” but the Centurion confessed… This makes it a cause not to be matched. The cause of those his sufferings is imputed not to the bloody soldiers or the hard-hearted people, or high priests and scribes, but God…
When God is angry, or punishes grievously, it is for some grievous sin, and is for some notable sin… [Yet] Pilate confessed he found nothing in him (John 14:13). Why then did he suffer? It was foretold, the Messiah should be slain (Daniel 9:21), not of himself, but for others. He that took not a penny was made to pay for all. That is the nature of surety: he undertook to be our surety, our debt became his. It is a pitiful thing to see a lamb have his throat cut, but if he will be a sacrifice, it must be so. Christ undertook to be our surety, to be a sacrifice to God for our sin. Therefore he was wounded for our sins. By his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53). That stroke that brought forth that bloody sweat, and the forsaking that brought forth that cry, should have light upon us.
Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626) was Bishop of Chichester and Winchester, one of the most influential scholars and church leaders of his day. He was one of the principal translators of the Authorized “King James” Version of the Bible, and a widely admired preacher. His lecture on Lamentations 1 was originally preached at St. Giles’ Cripplegate in London, probably during his ministry as vicar there (1588-1602). He is commemorated on September 26 on the calendar of several Anglican churches.
