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النشر الإلكتروني

DISCOURSE XLII.

ISAIAH liii. 3.

He is defpifed and rejected of men; a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief.

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WHEN our Lord was led away to be crucified, and the women bewailed and lamented his mifery, he turned about to them, and faid, Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves. Words, which we may very properly apply to ourfelves for the direction of our devotion on this day of his crucifixion: a day it is of forrow and mourning, but not for his fake, who, crowned with glory and honour, is fet down on the right hand of the Majefty on high; but for our own, whofe fins brought down this load of wo and of mifery upon our bleffed Redeemer. If we confider with how unbounded a love he embraced us in our lowest ftate of weakness, and with how cool an affection we daily approach to him; how much he gladly endured upon our account, and how unwillingly we fuffer any thing upon his; if we reflect how earneftly he laboured to fave our fouls, and how carelefsly and wantonly we throw them away; what pains and forrows he underwent to perfect our re

demption, and to what empty pleasures we facrifice all his fufferings, and our own eternal happiness, it will fhew us where the true caufe of our grief lies, and how vainly we compliment our Lord, by venting our indignation against his ancient crucifiers, which ought to be spent upon ourselves, who are daily renewing his shame, and crucifying him afresh.

Whilft therefore I reprefent unto you this fcene of wo, and endeavour to place before you this man of forrow, acquainted with grief, let every Christian heart fupply this neceffary admonition, All this he fuffered for my fake; then caft one look upon yourfelves, and fee how you have deferved all this love: this will teach you how to divide your affections, to admire and adore the unbounded goodness of your Redeemer, and to lament and weep only for yourfelves.

Many prophecies there are relating to our Lord, which regard only fome particular actions and circumftances of his life; but this in the text points at no fingle calamity that befel him, but is a general defcription of his condition during his abode on earth it begins at his cradle, and ends with his crofs, pursuing him in every step, and difcovers to us the Son of God through the darkest veil of forrow and affliction.

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world: in wifdom he ordained them all, and in mercy he has revealed fome of them to the children of men. How gracious was it in him to forewarn the world by the fpirit of prophecy of the mean appearance of their Redeemer, that their faith might be armed against the reproach and contempt

which attended his poverty, and the great scandal of his cross! In human reckoning a mean condition bespeaks a mean man; but here the cafe is otherwife for, when God had foretold the mean appearance of his Son, his poverty became a proof of his authority, and the lowness of his condition fhewed the excellency of his perfon. He was a man of forrow, and acquainted with grief; and had he not been fo, we could never have believed him to be that glorious Redeemer, who, as the spirit of prophecy foretold, should be despised and rejected of men. The confideration therefore of our Saviour's fufferings is not only an argument to inflame our love, but to ftrengthen our faith likewife; fhewing as well that he is our Redeemer, as how much he underwent for the fake of our redemption.

There are three things then which may deserve your attention in this fubject:

First, The wisdom and goodness of God in determining to fend his Son into the world in a state of poverty and affliction.

Secondly, The evidence of prophecy, that he should so appear in the fulness of time.

Thirdly, The hiftorical evidence, that he did fo appear, and that in him the prophecies had their completion.

First, The wisdom and goodness of God in determining to fend his Son into the world in a state of poverty and affliction.

The sufferings of Chrift we find often infifted on by the facred writers, as an evidence of the mercy of God towards mankind. Thus St. Paul; He that Spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,

how fhall he not with him alfo freely give us all things? And again; Ged commendeth his love towards us, in -that while we were yet finners Chrift died for us. So likewise St. John; Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. This indeed was a great demonftration of his love; for, as our blessed -Lord himself hath told us, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Were it then ever fo hard to render an account of Chrift's fufferings to the inquifitive, to the reasoners of this world; yet, fince it is plain his fufferings were upon our account, if we confider them as an argument of God's goodness, and our Redeemer's love to us, it ftands clear of all difficulties whatever, and plainly speaks how much our falvation was the care of Heaven. Perhaps we cannot fee the reasons that made it neceffary for Chrift to die, that the world might live: but this we certainly know, that if Chrift died, that the world might live, he had an exceeding great tenderness for the world, and we are bound to him in the strictest bonds of gratitude and love. And, fince this fcene lies fo open to our view, it fhews great perverseness of mind, and a base ungenerous difpofition, to fhut our eyes upon it, and to harden our hearts against the impreffions of fo much kindness, and to amuse ourselves with curious inquiries into the hidden reafon of this myfterious love. What is it that your Lord requires of you, but to love and to obey him? What greater inducement can you have to both than this, that he firft loved you, and laid down his life for you? Could you give ten thousand reasons for the expediency of his fo doing, yet ftill your love and your

obedience would ftand upon the fame bottom, that Chrift died, that you might live. What purpose then of religion would it ferve, to know these hidden things of God? Knowledge will fave no man. And who would not choose rather to be found in the number of the moft ignorant lovers of Chrift, and of his word, than among the profoundeft inquirers into the fecret myfteries of providence? Would you fee the goodness of God? Nothing plainer, Chrift died for you. Would you encourage yourself in the practice of virtue by the expectation of God's affiftance and favour? Or would you comfort yourself in your repentance, and be glad to know that God will receive you, if you return from the evil of your ways? Go, learn to rea-' fon of St. Paul: If God fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not with him alfo freely give us all things?

Thus far then, that is, as far as wè are concerned to go, our knowledge is clear and diftinct, and the sufferings of Chrift afford us fuch an argument for love and obedience, as the weakest man must understand, and the wifeft must adore.

But farther though we cannot enter into the hidden wisdom of God, and fee the reasons which: made it neceffary for Chrift to fuffer; yet if we' confider his sufferings with refpect to ourselves, we may difcern many wife ends of Providence in this difpenfation.

First, with regard to his being a teacher, his fufferings fet him above the reach of suspicions. What ends could he have to ferve by his doctrine, who met with nothing but mifery and affliction, as the.

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