And supplicationes are the same with supplicia, which signifies both punishments and prayers for the averting of them; as in the Hebrew, NOT is both sin, and a sacrifice for the expiation of it.

Ixerga is no where used in the Scripture, but in this place only. In other authors, it originally signifies a bough, or olive branch, wrapped about with wool or bays,' or something of the like nature, which they who were supplicants carried in their hands, and lifted up unto others for the obtaining of peace from them, or to avert their displeasure. Hence is the phrase of velamenta pretendere, to hold forth such covered branches.' So Liv. de Bell. Punic. lib. 4. Ramos oleæ ac velamenta alia supplicum porrigentes orare ut reciperent feste. Holding forth olive branches, and other covered tokens used by supplicants, they prayed that they might be received into grace and favour. And Virgil, of his Æneas to Evander,

Optime Grajugenum cui me fortuna precari,
Et vitta comptes voluit pretendere Ramos.

And Herodian calls them intrngas Jaxλous, branches of supplication.' Hence the word came to denote a supplicatory prayer, the same with ixeriva. And it is in this sense usually joined with dinous, as here by our apostle. So Isoc. de Pace, ἱκετηρίας πολλας και δεήσεις ποιέμενος, 6 using many deprecatory entreaties and supplications.' So constantly the heathen called those prayers which they made solemnly to their gods, for the averting of impendent evils, supplicia and supplicationes. Liv. lib. 10. Eo anno multa prodigia erant, quorum averruncandorum causa, supplicationes in biduum Senatus decrevit, that is, Ira Deum averruncandæ, as he speaks, lib. 8. to turn away the wrath of their gods.' And such a kind of prayer is that whose form is given in Cato de re Rustic, cap. 14. Mars pater, te precor, quæso que, ut calamitates intemperiasque prohibessis, defendas, averrunces. Hesychius explains ίκετηρια by παράκλησις, a word of a much larger signification; but izsrwovve, a word of the same original and force, by zadugngia, λuτngia, expiations and purgations' from guilt deserving punishment, ixsrgia, Gloss. Vet. Oratio, precatio supplicum, the prayer of suppliants.' The word being used only in this place in the Scripture, it was not unnecessary to inquire after the signification of it in other authors. It is a humble supplication for peace, or deprecation of evil, with the turning away of anger. And this sense singularly suits the scope of the place. For respect is had in it to the sufferings of Christ, and the fear which befel him in the apprehension of them as they were penal, as we shall see afterwards.

But it must also be here farther observed, that however this word might be used to express the naked supplication of some VOL. IV.

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men in distress to others, yet whenever it is used in heathes authors, with respect to their gods, it was always accompanied with expiatory sacrifices, or was the peculiar name of those prayers and supplications which they made with those sacrifices. And I have shewed before, that the solemn expiatory sacrifice of the high priest among the Jews, was panied with deprecatory supplications, a form whereof, according to the apprehensions of their masters, I gave out of the Mishna. And so he was appointed in the great sacrifice of expiation, to confess over the head of the scape-goat, all "the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins," Lev. xvi. 21. which he did not without prayers for the expiation of them, and deliverance from the curse of the law due to them. And they are not the mere supplications of our blessed Saviour that are here intended, but as they accompanied, and were a necessary adjunct of, the of fering up of himself, his soul and body, a real propitiatory sacrifice to God. And therefore wherever our apostle elsewhere speaks of the offering of Christ, he calls it the offering of himself, or of his body, Eph. v. 2. Heb. ix. 14. 25. 28. x. 10. Here therefore he expresseth the whole sacrifice of Christ, by the prayers and supplications wherewith it was accompanied, and therefore makes use of that word; which peculiarly denotes such supplications. And he describes the sacrifice or offering of Christ by this adjunct, for the reasons ensuing.

1. To evince what he before declared, that in the days of his flesh, when he offered up himself to God, he was encompassed with the weakness of our nature; which made prayers and supplications needful for him, as at all seasons, so especially in straits and distresses, when he cried from the lion's mouth, and the horns of unicorns, Psal. xxii. 21. He was in earnest and pressed to the utmost in the work that was before him. And this expression is used,

2. That we might seriously consider how great a work it was to expiate sin. As it was not to be done without suffering, so a mere and bare suffering would not effect it. Not only death, and a bloody death, was required thereunto, but such as was to be accompanied with prayers and supplications, that it might be effectual to the end designed, and that he who suffered it might not be overborne in his undertaking. The redemption of souls was precious, and must have ceased for ever, had not every thing been set on work which is acceptable and prevalent with God. And,

3. To shew that the Lord Christ had now made this business his own, he had taken the whole work and the whole debt of sin on himself. He was now therefore to manage, as if he alone were the person concerned. And this rendered his prayers and supplications necessary in and to his sacrifice. Aud,

4. That we might be instructed how to make use of, and plead his sacrifice in our stead. If it was not, if it could not be offered by him but with prayers and supplications, and those for the averting of divine wrath, and making peace with God, wemay not think to be interested therein whilst under the power of lazy and slothful unbelief. Let him that would go to Christ, consider well how Christ went to God for him, which is yet farther declared,

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Thirdly, In the manner of his offering these prayers and supplications to God, whereby he offered up himself also to him. He did it μετα κραυγης ισχυράς και δακρύων, ⚫ with strong crying,' or a strong cry and tears.' Chrysostome on the place observes that the story makes no mention of these things. And indeed of his tears in particular it doth not, which from this place alone we know to have accompanied his sacerdotal prayers. But his strong crying is expressly related. To acquaint ourselves fully with what is intended herein, we may consider, 1. How it was expressed in prophecy. 2. How it is related in the story. 3. How reported here by our apostle.

"? the words of my roaring דברי שאגתי from

1. In prophecy, the supplications here intended are called his "roaring." Psal. xxii. 1. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and Rugitus, the proper cry of a lion is xgxvyn soxvga, clamor validus, a strong and vehement outcry.' And it is used to express such a vehemency in supplications, as cannot be compressed or confined, but will ordinarily break out into a loud expression of itself, at least such an intention of mind and affection, as cannot be outwardly expressed without" fervent outcries," Psal. xxxii. 3. "When I kept silence," that is, whilst he was under his perplexities from the guilt of sin, before he came off to a full and clear acknowledgment of it, as ver. 5. "My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long." The vehemency of his complainings consumed his natural strength. So Job iii. 24,

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and ויתכו כמים שאגתי,My sighing comneth before I eat

my roarings are poured out like waters," namely, that break out of any place with great noise and abundance. So is a sense of extreme pressures and distresses signified. "I have roared by reason of the disquietment of mine heart," Psal. xxxviii. 8. This is gavn toxuga, a strong cry.' And if we well consider his prayer as recorded Psal. xxii. especially from ver. 9. to 21, we shall find that every word almost, and sentence, hath in it the spirit of roaring and a strong cry, however it were uttered. For it is not merely the outward noise, but the inward earnest intention and engagement of heart and soul, with the greatness and depth of the occasion of them, that is principally intended.

2. We may consider the same matter as related in story by the evangelists. The prayers intended are those which, he of

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fered to God during his passion, both in the garden and on the eross. The first are declared Luke xxi. 44. "And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as great drops of blood falling on the earth." The inward frame is here declared, which our apostle shadows out by the external expressions and signs of it, in strong cries and tears: LZ gerouevos, constitutus in agonia. He was in, under the power of, wholly pressed by, an agony; that is, a strong and vehement conflict of mind, in and about things dreadful and terrible. Ayaria is pobos dialows, saith Nemes. de Natur. Hom. A dread of utter ruin.' Timor extrinsecus advenientis mali, Aquin. 'A dread of evil to come on us from without.' It signifies, Ita tehementi discriminis objecti metu angi ut quodammodo exanimis et attonitus sis, saith Maldonat. on Mat. xxvi. 37. He prayed EXTEVEOTEROV, with more vehement intention of mind, spirit and body. For the word denotes not a degree of the acting of grace in Christ, as some have imagined, but the highest degree of earnestness in the actings of his mind, soul and body, another token of that worderful conflict wherein he was engaged, which no tongue can express, nor heart conceive. This produced that preternatural sweat, wherein gobo Matos," thick drops of blood' ran from him to the ground. Concerning this he says, now, Psal. xxii. 14. “ I am poured out like water," that is, my blood is so, by an emanation from all parts of my body, descending to the ground. And they consult not the honour of Jesus Christ, but the maintenance of their own false suppositions, who assign any ordinary cause of this agony, with these consequents of it, or such as other men may have experience of. And this way go many of the expositors of the Roman church. So A Lapid. in loc. Nota secundò hune Christi angorem lacrymas et sudorem sanguineum, testem infirmitatis a Christo assumpta, provenisse ex vivaci imaginatione, flagellationis, coronationis, mortis, dolorùmque omnium quos mox subiturus erat; inde enim naturaliter manabat eorundem horror et angor. would place the whole cause of this agony, in those previous fancies, imaginations or apprehensions, which he had of those corporeal sufferings which were to come on him. Where then is the glory of his spiritual strength and fortitude? Where the beauty of the example which herein he set before us? His outward sufferings were indeed grievous; but yet considered merely as such, they were as to mere sense of pain, beneath what sundry of his martyrs have been called to undergo for his name's sake. And yet we know that many, yea through the power of his grace in them, the most of them who have so suffered for him in all ages, have cheerfully, joyfully, and without the least consternation of spirit, undergone the exquisite tortures whereby they have given up themselves to death for him. And shall we imagine that the Son of God, who had advantages for his support

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and consolation, infinitely above what they had any interest in, should be given up to this dreadful trembling conflict, wherein his whole nature was almost dissolved, out of a mere apprehension of those corporeal sufferings which were coming on him? Was it the forethought of them only, and that as such, which dispelled the present sense of divine love and satisfaction from the indissoluble union of his person, that they should not influence his mind with refreshments and consolations? God forbid we should have such mean thoughts of what he was, of what he did, of what he suffered. There were other causes of these things, as we shall see immediately.

Again, on the cross itself it is said, avons Qwvn μsyaλn, Mat. xxvii. 46., that is plainly, he prayed μsta ngavyns toxugas, ' he cried out with a great outcry,' or loud voice,' with a strong cry. This was the manner of the sacerdotal prayers of Christ, which concerned his oblation, or the offering himself as a sacrifice, as is reported in the evangelist. The other part of his sacerdotal prayer, which expressed his intercession on a supposition of his oblation, he performed and offered with all calmness, quietness and sedateness of mind, with all assurance and joyful glory, as if he were actually already in heaven, as we may see John xvii. But it was otherwise with him, when he was to offer himself a sin-offering in our stead. If, therefore, we do compare the 22d psalm, as applied and explained by the evangelists and our apostle, with the 17th of John, we shall find a double mediatory or sacerdotal prayer of our Saviour in behalf of the whole church. The first was that which accompanied his oblation, or the offering of himself an expiatory sacrifice for sin. And this having respect to the justice of God, the curse of the law, and the punishment due to sin, was made in an agony, distress and conflict, with wrestlings, expressed by cries, tears and most vehement intensions of soul. The other, which though in order of time, antecedent, yet in order of nature, was built on the former, and a supposition of the work perfected therein, as is evident ver. 4.; and ver. 11. represents his intercession in heaven. The first was μετα κραυγής ισχυρας και δακρυων, the other μετα πεποιθήσεως και πληροφορίας.

3. These are the things which are thus expressed by our apostle," he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cries and tears." Such was the frame of his soul, such was his prayer and deportment in his sacrifice of himself. His tears indeed are not expressly mentioned in the story. But weeping was one of those infirmities of our nature which he was subject to. John xi. 35. "Jesus wept." He expressed his sorrow thereby. And being now in the greatest distress, conflict and sorrow which reached to the soul, until that was sorrowful to death, as we may well judge that in his dealing with God, he poured out tears with his prayers, so it is here directly mentioned. So did he here offer up himself through the eternal Spirit.