quent for the fufferers to expire under the feverity and torture of fcourging. And we may be certain that Jefus experienced no lenity from their mercilefs hands. The plowers plowed his back. But more and greater tortures were before him. He was engaged to make a full atonement for fin, by his fufferings; and as he had power over his own life, he would not dismiss his spirit, till he could fay, It is finished.

And now, to use the words of Pilate, Behold the man*! Oh! for a realizing impreffion of this his extreme humiliation and fuffering, that we may be duly affected with a fenfe of his love to finners, and of the evil of our fins, which rendered it necessary that the furety fhould thus fuffer! Behold the Lamb of God, mocked, blind-folded, spit upon, and scourged! Let us add to all this the confideration of his praying for his tormentors †, and we have an example of perfect magna. nimity.

Shall we then refufe to fuffer fhame for his fake, and be intimidated by the frowns or contempt of men, from avowing our attachment to him! Ah! Lord, we are, indeed,

* John xix. 5..

+ Luke xxiii. 34.

capable

1

capable of this bafenefs and ingratitude. But, if thou art pleased to strengthen us with the power of thy Spirit, we will account fuch difgrace our glory. Then we will not hang down our heads and defpond, but will rather rejoice and be exceeding glad, if the world revile us and perfecute us, and speak all manner of evil against us, provided it be falsely *, and provided it be for thy fake!

Shall we continue in fin †, after we know what it cost him, to expiate our fins! God forbid! When Mark Antony addreffed the citizens of Rome, to animate them to revenge the death of Cæfar-he enlarged upon Cæfar's character, his great actions, his love to the Roman people, and the evidence he had given of it, in the donations and bequests he had appointed them by his will, the particulars of which he specified. When he had thus engaged their admiration and gratitude, and they discovered emotions of regret and fenfibility, that Cæfar, the greatest character in Rome, who had fought and triumphed for them, and had remembered them in his will, fhould be flain, Antony threw afide a cloth, and fhewed them his dead body, covered with wounds and + Rom. vi. I.

* Matt. v. II.

blood. This fight rendered it needlefs to fay more. The whole affembly united as one man, to fearch out, and to deftroy his murderers. The application is obvious—May our hearts, from this hour, be filled with a determined, invariable refentment against fin, the procuring caufe of the humiliation, and death, of our best friend and benefactor!

SER

SERMON XIX.

MESSIAH SUFFERING AND WOUNDED FOR US.

ISAIAH liii. 4, 5.

Surely he hath borne our grief and carried our forrows. He was wounded for our tranfgreffions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.

W

HEN our Lord was transfigured, Mofes and Elijah appeared in glory and converfed with him. Had we been informed of the interview only, we should probably have defired to know the subject of their conversation, as we might reasonably fuppofe it turned upon very interesting and important topics. The fcripture makes little provision for the indulgence of our curiosity, but omits nothing that is neceffary for our

inftruction: and we learn thus much from it, that they difcourfed, not upon the trifling things which the world accounts great, such as the rife and fall of empires; but they spake of the fufferings of Jefus, and of the decease which he should accomplish at Jerufalem. They spake of his Exodus * (as the word is) his departure out of life, the iffue and completion of his engagement for finners, that is, his crucifixion and death. This is the grand theme of heaven and heaven-born fouls. We lately confidered the cruel infults MESSIAḤ fubmitted to, from the fervants in the High Prieft's hall, and from the Roman foldiers. The paffage I have now read, leads our meditations to the foot of the crofs. May the Holy Spirit realize the scene to our hearts! The cross of Chrift difplays the divine perfections with peculiar glory. Here the name of God is revealed, as a juft God and a Saviour. Here the believer contemplates in one view, the unfpeakable evil of fin, and the unfearchable riches of mercy. This gives him the most affecting fenfe of the misery which he has deferved, while at the fame time he receives the fulleft affurance that there is for