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Cuftom, attended the Punishment of Cruci- SER M. fixion) but that in the Death of the Meffiab, who was to be that Anti-type, the Providence of God fhould fo particularly interpose, that not a Bone of HIM should be broken. And therefore when the Soldiers came and brake the Legs of the firft, and of the other which was crucified with him; when they came to Jefus, and faw that he was dead already, it is particularly remarked, that they brake not bis Legs, John xix. 32, 33.—And let me add further, that the very Manner of roafting the Paffover, which was by fixing the Lamb whole and entire on the Spit, and the Spit not turning long-ways, but upright before the Fire, fo as that the Head fhould be upwards, the hind Feet downwards, and it's fore Legs ftretched out from the Body, like Arms extended, moft exactly represented a Man upon a Crofs.

But the Sufferings of Chrift were not only thus prefigured by typical Refemblances, but were also exprefsly foretold by the Predictions of the Prophets. Thofe Words of the Pfalmift. They pierced my Hands, and my Feet ; Pfa. xxii. 17. and that Text of Zachariah.They shall look upon me whom they have pierced;

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SERM pierced; Zech. xii. 10.-could never have V. been fulfilled in him fo exactly and punctu

ally, had he not fuffered on a Crofs, to which his Hands and his Feet were nailed.

But to proceed on; the profligate Companions of his Sufferings, viz. the two Thieves that were crucified with him, St. Mark obferves exactly to answer that Prophecy of Isaiab, that when he poured out his Soul unto Death, he was numbered among the Tranfgreffors: Ifai. liii. 12. And in that whole Chapter, the 53d of Ifaiah; the Sufferings of the Chrift and his Patience under them, the Ends for which he suffered, and the Benefits that arise to us thereby, are so lively defcribed, that to any that reads it, it seems more like a History of Things already past, than a Prophecy of Things, which were afterwards to happen. Mind how fome of it (which I have not yet recited) runs, v. 5-8. -Surely he bath born our Griefs, and carried our Sorrows: Yet we did efteem him ftricken, fmitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our Tranfgreffions, he was bruised for our Iniquities, the Chaftifements of our Peace was upon him, and with his Stripes we are healed. All we like Sheep have gone aftray, we have turned every one to his own Way, and the Lord

bath

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bath laid on him the Iniquity of us all. He SER M. was oppreffed, and he was afflicted, yet be opened not his Mouth, he is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a Sheep before his Shearers is dumb, fo be opened not his Mouth. He was taken from Prifon and from Judgment, and who fhall declare his Generation? For he was cut off out of the Land of the Living, for the Transgreffion of my People was he fricken.

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As to the Particulars that paffed upon nailing him to the Crofs, the xxii. Pfalm, ver. 7, &c. defcribes thefe alfo to the Life, foretelling the very Taunts that his reviling Enemies fhould throw at him. All they that Jee me laugh me to fcorn, they shoot out their Lips, and shake their Heads, faying, He trufted in the Lord, that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, if he would have him. I am poured out like Water, and all my Bones are out of Joint; my Heart also in the Midst of my Body is like melting Wax. My Strength is dried up like a Potherd, and my Tongue cleaveth to my Gums, and thou fhalt bring me into the Duft of Death: For many Dogs are come about me, and the Council of the Wicked layeth Siege against me. They pierced my Hands and my Feet, I may tell all my Bones; they ftand staring and looking upon me: They part my Garments amongst

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SER M. amongst them, and caft Lots upon my Vesture.

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Of the laft of which Words it is very re-
markable, that the very Form of Jesus's
Clothes concurred to 'give them an exact
Completion. For his Coat being without Seam,
woven from the Top throughout, was the
Occafion of the Soldiers cafting Lots for it,
whofe it fhould be, John xix. 23, 24, In a
Word, this whole Pfalm was fo applicable to
the Paffion of our Saviour, and fo exact a
Description of that tragical Scene, that it
was thought our Bleffed Lord repeated the
whole of it; and that the Words mentioned
in the Evangelifts, as then fpoken by him,
My God, my God, why haft thou for faken
me? was mentioned only as the Title of the
Pfalm recited by him, as we now call the
95th Pfalm, the Venite, Exultemus ; the rooth
the Jubilate, and every one, by the Words
with which they begin, as you may fee at
the Head of
every Palm in your Common

Prayer Books.

But to keep to the Subject of my Difcourse; we read again in Pfalm lxix. 22. that the Pfalmift in the Perfon of Chrift complains-They gave me Gall to eat, and when I was thirty they gave me Vinegar to drink : Words that could never be true literally of

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David, and therefore must respect that fur-SRR M. ther Completion of them at the Crucifixion of Jefus; for which, when he had cried out in an Agony, I thirst-they ran, and filled a Spunge, and gave him Vinegar to drink mingled with Gall, John xix. 28.

And as thus in his Paffion, fo after his Death, we find all Things fulfilled in Jefus of Nazareth, which the Prophets foretold fhould come to pafs of the Meffiah. He made his Grave with the Wicked, and with the Rich in his Death, Ifai. liii. 9. faith Isaiah of the Chrift: And as the Thieves were buried with whom he was crucified, fo was He: Only Jefus was laid in the Tomb of Jofeph, a rich and a good, and a juft Man of Arimathaa, and an honourable Counsellor. As to his Speedy Refurrection from the Dead, the Royal Prophet is carried out into fuch Raptures of Divine Truft and Holy Hope, as cannot with any Propriety of Speech belong to any but the Chrift; and therefore of HIM prophetically muft David fay, Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither fhalt thou fuffer thine Holy One to fee Corruption: Pfa. xvi. 10. For as St. Peter obferves, The Patriarch David himself, is both dead and buried, and his Sepulchre remains unto this Day: Therefore

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being

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