upon it any of the marks of human wifdom, as it was defigned and doth tend, to abafe the pride of man, and exalt the grace of God; fo it is with difficulty that man can be brought to an approbation of it. "The crofs of Chrift

"was to the Jews a ftumbling-block, and to the Greeks "foolishness." It is therefore proper, that when we are to commemorate the incarnation and death of our Redeemer, we should attend to thefe evidences of his divine glory that still appeared even in his lowest abafement. By this means, while we grieve for the fufferings that fin brought upon him, we may still triumph in his power; for he is glorious even in his red apparel, and travels in the greatness of his ftrength.

I must here obferve that I do not mainly intend, in difcourfing on this fubject, to establish the truth of our Saviour's divine miflion, against those who deny it on the above or any other account: this would be too cold and abftracted an argument for our prefent purpose. What I propose, is chiefly and directly defigned for heightening the devotion, for quickening the love, and increafing the faith and comfort of believers. However, at the fame time, confidering the humiliation of Chrift in the light of an objection against his divine commiffion from the fuggeftions of human wisdom, what fhall be faid may also be confidered as an answer to this objection, and ferving to remove the offence of the crofs.

1. Upon this subject, therefore, observe first, the glory of our Redeemer, in his fufferings, appears from his ready and chearful undertaking of the work of our redemption. There can be little honor to any man in fubmitting to what he cannot avoid, or doing what he dare not refufe; but the humiliation of Chrift was perfectly voluntary, as no constraint could be put upon him. Therefore his original dignity and greatness, is not only, if I may speak so, preferved unhurt, but improved and heightened by the grace of infinite condefcenfion. This circumftance of Chrift's readinefs to undertake the work of our redemption, is often taken notice of in fcripture. Pfal. xl. 6, 7, 8. "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not defire, mine ears "haft thou opened; burnt-offering and fin offering halt VOL. II. D

"thou not required. Then faid I, Lo I come; in the "volume of the book it is written of me: I delight to do "thy will, O my God!"-It is certain, that redemption could not be the work of a creature; and it is also probable, that no created being would have been willing to effay it. Nay, it is thought by many to be the import of the remarkable paffage juft now cited, which is applied by the apostle Paul to our Saviour, that in the councils of heaven it was actually propofed to thofe glorious fpirits that furround the throne of God, and their ftrength and inclination both were found infufficient. Neither is there any thing improbable in the fuppofition, that God might difcover to them his purpose of mercy, upon a proper mediator interpofing, and that none was found willing to fubject himself to divine wrath, incurred by rebellious man. If fo, then it is not only in one.fenfe, but in all fenfes true, what Chrift is reprefented as faying in the 5th verse of the chapter where my text lies, "And I looked, and there "was none to help; and I wondered that there was none "to uphold; therefore mine own arm brought falvation "unto me, and my fury it upheld me." This interpretation may be confirmed by fomething fimilar to it, recorded, John, vi. 5, 6. "When Jefus then lift up his

eyes, and faw a great company come unto him, he faith "unto Phillip, Whence fhall we buy bread that these may "eat? And this he faid to prove him; for he himself "knew what he would do." There is another paffage which gives us nearly the fame idea, viz. of Christ's being only capable of taking the charge of the redeemed and "And I their interest in Providence, Rev, v. 2, 3, 4, 5. "faw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who "is worthy to open the book, and to loose the feals there"of? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under "the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look "thereon. And. I wept much because no man was found "worthy to open, and to read the book, neither to look "thereon. And one of the elders faith unto me, Weep "not; behold the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of "David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the "feven feals thereof." How glorious then was the com

paffion of our Redeemer, who fo willingly and chearfully fubjected himself to that abafement and fuffering, to which none could constrain him? Thus he fays to himself, John x. 17, 18, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I "lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man "taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have

power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. "This commandment have I received of my Father." He is not reprefented as merely confenting, because none elfe could or would perform the work, and fo having it as it were devolved upon him by neceflity; not as yielding with reluctance, and overcome by great earneftness and importunity, but faying with readiness and chearfulness, "Lo, I come; in the volume of the book, it is written of “me. I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea thy law "is within my heart."

There is one circumftance which deferves particular notice, when we are confidering the dignity of our Redeemer's undertaking; that he did well and thoroughly understand the difficulty of it, and the weight of that wrath which he fubmitted to endure. It is not fuch an evidence of greatness of mind, when a perfon involves himself in difficulties, and expofes himself to dangers, if he only runs an uncertain risk of meeting with them, or has but a confused and indiftinct apprehenfion of their nature; but it discovers a peculiar fortitude of spirit to have a clear view of fufferings, and yet compofedly and steadily to fubmit to them for a good end. So true is this maxim, that it seems to be the only thing that renders human life fupportable, that all future fufferings are uncertain even in the event, and, at any rate, in their nature but imperfectly known. Now, how does it ferve to illuftrate the glory of our Redeemer's undertaking, that he had a clear and perfect foreknowledge of every event that was to befal him? He knew the number and malice of the enemies he had to encounter; and the bitterness of that cup, the dregs of which he was to drink off: Yet fteady to his purpofe, and confcious of his own power, he went out to the combat as one affured of victory. As he began to he carried on his work, with the fame undaunted refolution:

witness what he says, Luke xii. 50. "But I have a bap "tifm to be baptized with, and how am I ftraitened till "it be accomplished!" All this, my brethren, is further confirmed, by fome paffages which are recorded toward the close of his life, when he drew near to the concluding fcene of his fufferings, Matt. xvi. 21. "From that time "forth began Jefus to fhew unto his difciples, how that "he must go unto Jerufalem, and fuffer many things of "the elders, and chief priests, and Scribes, and be killed, "and be raised again the third day."-xx. 17, 18, 19. "And Jefus going up to Jerufalem, took the twelve difciples apart in the way, and faid unto them, Behold we go up to Jerufalem, and the Son of man fhall be betray"ed unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, and they "fhall condemn him to death. And fhall deliver him to "the Gentiles, to mock and to fcourge, and to crucify "him: and the third day he shall rife again." Luke ix. 51.

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And it came to pass, when the time was come that he "fhould be received up, he ftedfaftly fet his face to go to Jerufalem." To these I fhall only add, John xviii. II. "Then faid Jefus unto Peter, Put up thy fword into the fheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, fhall "I not drink it?" Thus did there appear a glory even in his humiliation, a majesty even in his fuffering; and thus did he come forth and travel in the greatness of his ftrength.

In the fecond place, the glory of our Redeemer, in his humiliation, appears from the greatness of thofe fufferings which he endured. Though, to the eye of fenfe, a ftate of fuffering is apt to appear contemptible; to those who juftly view the fufferings of Chrift, there will be found far greater evidences of his power. A weak perfon is crushed by a small weight; but he who is able to endure uncommon fufferings, fhows himself to be poffeffed of uncommon ftrength. Now, our bleffed Lord and Saviour did, in his life, in this world, endure the greatest and moft dreadful fufferings. His whole life was one continued track of the heavieft fufferings of which human nature is capable. Ifa. liii. 3. "He is defpifed and rejected "of men, a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief:

" and we hid, as it were, our faces from him; he was defpifed, and we esteemed him not!" This, my brethren, is a known fubject, yet it is the fubject which we ought, by faith, to dwell upon this day; and, indeed, the benefit and comfort of believers does not depend on things new and engaging to the fancy, but on the Spirit of God fetting home known truths with force and efficacy on the heart. Let me therefore beg your attention to two or three obvious remarks on the fufferings of Chrift. (1.) His afflictions began early, with his first entrance into the world. No fooner did the man Chrift Jefus fee the light of this world, but prefently did affliction falute him. Immediately after his contemptible birth, did Herod, that bloody tyrant, feek to deftroy him; fo that we may allude to that expreffion, Rev. xii. 4. "And the dragon stood "before the woman which was ready to be delivered, to "devour her child as foon as it was born."

(2.) His afflictions were conftant and perpetual, without interruption. It is recorded, not only by Chriftians, but even by heathens, who had heard of his life, that he was never obferved to laugh, but frequently feen weeping; so that he well accomplished that prophefy, "A man of "forrows, and acquainted with grief." It is probable, from several paffages in the prophetical writings, that he was of a very tender and fenfible frame; and therefore his afflictions had a great and powerful effect upon him. They fo deeply touched him, that his body was wafted, and his ftrength melted and decayed, which is the usual effect of lasting and continued forrow. Ifa. lii. 14. "As "many were aftonied at thee; his vifage was fo marred "more than any man, and his form more than the fons of "men." Pf. xxii. 14, 15. "I am poured out like water, "and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax, "it is melted in the midst of my bowels: my ftrength is "dried up like a potfherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my "jaws: and thou haft brought me into the duft of death,” So that we may alfo apply to him what Job fays of himfelf, Job. xvi, 8. "And thou haft filled me with wrinkles, "which is a witness against me: and my leannefs rifing up in me, beareth witness to my face."