The third branch of the cross of Christ consists in the unspeakable sorrow and sufferings which began at his very birth. For as his most holy human soul was filled with the light of divine knowledge and wisdom, by virtue of the personal union of his two natures, he saw all that he should experience in the future, as if it were already present; and thus his soul was, from the beginning, filled with the deepest sorrow, and suffered inward pain. He foresaw his future inconceivable and inexpressible agony of soul, and his unspeakable bodily pains. For the more delicate, pure, and innocent, the human nature in Christ was, the greater were the pain and anguish that affected him. Of this those sorrows and spiritual torments, that are wont to work upon the inmost soul, are a sufficient proof. For inasmuch as the constitution of the soul, by reason of its immortality, exceeds that of the body in worth and delicacy; so also her pains exceed those of the body in depth and acuteness. For this reason the Lord never rejoiced upon his own account, and with reference only to himself; but it was when he saw that his Heavenly Father was known and worshipped, and his divine works manifested unto the world. Hence “he rejoiced in spirit” at the return of the seventy disciples. Luke 10:21. 2. Since all those things, which he was to suffer, from his own people and countrymen, were known to him, he could not but be highly afflicted and in constant sorrow; and this was also still more the case, the more nearly he approached the time appointed for his passion. This he himself testifies, saying, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” Luke 12:50. And the time of this baptism being come, he says, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” (Matt. 26:38): intimating thereby the excessive and unutterable grief and anguish of spirit, that forced from him that sweat, which “was as it were great drops of blood.” Luke 22:44. And what pains he suffered besides, in his tender and sensible body, no tongue can sufficiently declare. _First_, because sin is an infinite and inexpressible evil. For, its full punishment and atonement could not but cause torment so exquisite, that to a mere man it had been altogether insupportable. 3. The _second_ reason of this exquisite grief was, because he bore the sins of the world: not merely those sins which from the beginning of the world had been committed, but those also which men should become guilty of through all ages, down to the very end of the world. And, therefore, such as are the number and malignity of _all_ sins, of _all_ men, through _all_ generations; such also were the pain and sorrow endured by the Lord. For which cause he prayed in Gethsemane, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Matt. 26:39.