this means, while we grieve for the fufferings that fin brought upon him, we may ftill triumph in his power; for he is glorious even in his red apparel, and travels in the greatnefs of his ftrength.

I muft here obferve, that I do not mainly intend, in difcourfing on this fubject, to eftablish the truth of our Saviour's divine miffion, against thofe who deny it on the above or any other account: this would be too cold and abstracted an argument for our prefent purpose. What I propofe, 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 Christ, in the light of an objection against his divine commiffion, from the fuggeftions of human wisdom, what shall be faid may also be confidered as an answer to this objection, and ferving to remove the offence of the cross.

ft. Upon this fubject, therefore, obferve, firft, 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 honour 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 fo, preferved unhurt, but improved and heightened by the grace of infinite condefcenfion. This circumftance of Chrift's readiness 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; burntoffering and fin-offering haft thou not required. • Then faid I, Lo I come; in the volume of thy 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 alfo probable, that no created being would have been willing to essay 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 counfels 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 discover 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 so, then it is not only in one fenfe, but in all fenfes true, what Chrift is reprefented as faying in the 5th verfe 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 Philip, Whence fhall we buy bread that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.' There is another paffage which gives us nearly the fame idea,

viz. of Chrift's being only capable of taking the charge of the redeemed and their interefts in provi. dence, Rev. v. 2, 3, 4, 5. And I faw a strong angel 'proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the feals thereof? And

no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the 'carth, 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, nei

ther 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 o'pen the book, and to loofe the feven feals thereof.' How glorious then was the compaffion 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 himfelf, 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 meerly confenting, becaufe none elfe could or would perform the work, and fo having it as it were devolved upon him by neceffity; not as yielding with reluctance, and overcome by great earnestness 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 parti

cular 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 greatnefs of mind, when a perfon involves himself in difficulties, and exposes himself to dangers, if he only runs an uncertain risk of meeting with them, or has but a confused and indistinct apprehenfion of their nature; but it discovers a peculiar fortitude of spirit to have a clear view of fufferings, and yet composedly 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 illustrate 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 purpose, and conscious of his own power, he went out to the combat as one affured of vic tory. As he began, fo he carried on his work, with the fame undaunted refolution; witness what he fays, Luke xii. 50. But I have a baptism to be bap ⚫tized with, and how am I ftraitened till it be ac'complished!' All this, my brethren, is further confirmed, by fome paffages which are recorded toward the clofe of his life, when he drew near to the concluding scene of his fufferings. Matth. xvi. 21.

F

xx.

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 shall be betrayed unto the chief priests, and unto the fcribes, and they fhall condemn him to death. And shall 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. And it came to pass, when the ⚫ time was come that he should be received up, he • stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.' To these I fhall only add, John xviii. 11. Then faid Jefus • unto Peter, Put up thy fword into the sheath: 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 suffering; and thus did he come forth and travel in the greatness of his ftrength.

In the 2d place, the glory of our Redeemer, in his humiliation, appears from the greatness of those sufferings which he endured. Though, to the eye of fenfe, a state of fuffering is apt to appear contemptible; to those who juftly view the fufferings of Christ, 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 strength. Now, our bleffed Lord and Saviour