Though rich in himself, he became poor for | compassion as a breach of that strict observour sakes, and his poverty made him con- ance of the Sabbath which was enjoined by temptible in their eyes. They expected Mes- the law of Moses, and that therefore he could siah would appear with external pomp and not be of God, John ix. 16. And when they power. But when they saw him, they scorned were not able to deny the reality of his wonhim, saying, "Is not this the carpenter's derful works, they ascribed them to the son!" Matt. xiii. 55. He who had not agency of Satan, Matt. xii. 24. We at this money to pay the tribute demanded of him distance of time, can easily perceive the (Matt. xvii. 27,) nor a house wherein to lay folly and madness of their attempts. But his head, was of small esteem with those the Scribes and Pharisees were the public who were covetous, proud of worldly distinc-authorized doctors and teachers of the people, tions, and fond of the praise and admiration and were supported by the ecclesiastical and of men.

2. Their contempt was heightened, when this poor man publicly asserted his proper character and claim, demanded their attention and homage, and styled himself in a peculiar sense the Son of God, the resurrection and the life, John v. 18; xi. 25. For this seeming inconsistence between the appearance he made and the honours he assumed, they treated him as a demoniac and a madman, | John x. 20. Their language strongly expressed their sentiments of him, when they asked him with disdain, "Art thou greater than our father Abraham? Whom makest thou thyself?" John viii. 53.

3. They objected to him the low state and former characters of his followers. Some of them were of low rank in life. The most of those who constantly attended him were poor fishermen. Others had been of bad repute, publicans, and open sinners. For this they reproached him, and thought they were fully justified in their contempt, while they could say, "Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed on him?" John vii. 48.

4. They were further exasperated against him, by the authority and severity with which he taught. It is true, he was gentle and meek to all who felt their need of his help, or sincerely desired his instruction. He received them without exception, and treated them with the greatest tenderness. But he vindicated the honour of the law of God, from the corrupt doctrine and tradition of their professed teachers. He exposed and unmasked the hypocrisy of their most admired characters, and compared the men who were in the highest reputation for wisdom and sanctity, to whited sepulchres, warning the people against them as blind guides and deceivers. 5. These blind guides strengthened the prejudices of their blind followers against him, by misrepresentation. They attempted to avail themselves of the scripture, when they thought it would answer their purpose. They eagerly made the most of a prevailing mistake, that Jesus was born in Galilee, because he was brought up in Nazareth from his infancy. This they urged as a proof that he could not be Messiah, who the prophets had declared was to be born at Bethlehem in Judea. When he healed diseases on the sabbath-day, they represented the effects of his

civil power; or, as we should now express it, by church and state. The people were not apt to suspect their leaders, whom they thought wiser and better than themselves; or, if sometimes they hesitated, were impressed by the majesty of his words, or the evidence of his miraculous works, and constrained to say, "Is not this the son of David!” (Matt. xii. 23.) They were soon intimidated and silenced by canons and laws; for it was carefully enacted, in order to keep them in subjection, that whoever acknowledged him should be put out of the synagogues; (John ix. 22; xii. 48;) that is, according to our modern language, excommunicated. This among the Jews, as it has often since been among Christians, was a punishment which drew after it terrible consequences. A man must be in good earnest, or rather taught and supported by the grace of God, who could resist such arguments as these

These things are easily applicable to the church-history of succeeding times. The gos pel of Christ has often been, and is to this day, rejected and despised upon similar grounds. Its simplicity and plainness, and the manner of its proposal, adapted to the use and capacity of the vulgar, offend those who are wise in their own conceit, and proud of their understanding and taste. At the same time they are equally disgusted by the sublimity of its doctrines, which will not submit to the test of their vain reasonings, and can only be received by humble faith. The faithfulness and freedom which its ministers are enjoined to use, give great offence likewise. And because they cannot comply with the humours of those who wish them to prophesy smooth things and deceits, they are accounted censorious, uncharitable, and disturbers of the public peace. Again, the dislike and opposition it frequently meets with from persons of great titles and high stations, deter multitudes from pursuing those inquiries, which some conviction of the truth would prompt them to, were they not discouraged by the fear of consequences. How often has a dread of the displeasure of doctors, bishops, universities, councils, and popes, or an ignorant, slavish deference to their judgment or decisions, prevented people from following that light which had begun to force itself

II. It is further said, he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.-He was surrounded with sorrows on every side, and grief was his intimate, inseparable companion. Surely this consideration, if any, will animate us to endure the cross, and to despise the shame, we may be exposed to for his sake. The illustration of this subject will offer more fully in the sequel. It shall suffice, at present, to assign three causes for his continual sorrows.

1. The outward course of life to which he submitted, for the sake of sinners, exposed him to want, weariness, contempt, and opposition. And though his resignation and patience were perfect, yet he was truly a man, and partaker of our nature, with all its affections and sensibilities which do not imply sin. His feelings therefore, were human, similar to our own in similar circumstances; and they were often painfully exercised. Once and again we read that he was hungry and had no food; he was thirsty, (Matt. iv. 9; xxi. 18; John iv. 2,) and was nearly refused a little water to drink, when wearied with his journeying in the heat of the day. His character was aspersed, his person despised, his words insidiously wrested, and his actions misrepresented. He was misunderstood even by his friends, betrayed by one disciple, denied by another, and forsaken by the rest, John vii. 5. It is hardly possible for his followers to meet with any outward trial, which may not remind them of some part of the history of their Lord and master, who left them an example of suffering, that they should cheerfully follow his steps, 1 Pet. ii. 21.

upon their consciences? How few among revengeful! they who thus lay stumblingthose of reputation for wisdom and learning, blocks before the blind, and confirm the prehow few of the great and opulent, have en- judices of the ignorant, will have much to couraged or espoused the doctrine of the answer for. cross? It is, therefore, more properly a subject for lamentation than for wonder, that this way is despised, and almost everywhere spoken against, Acts xxviii. 22. Farther, as the bulk of those who embrace it are of low condition, so many of them are as free to confess to the praise of the grace of God, as others can be to urge it to their reproach, that till they knew and received this despised gospel, their characters and practices were vile. Lastly, what unhappy subtilty has been employed, in a way of reason and argument, with an appeal to detached and perverted passages of scripture, to misrepresent the work of the Holy Spirit, as folly, hypocrisy, or enthusiasm, and even to charge the gospel itself with giving encouragement to a licentious conduct! In short, the spirit of the world, the arts and influence of designing men, are so powerful, that what our Lord said in Judea, holds equally true in christendom, "Blessed is he who is not offended in me!" Matt. xi. 6. I have reserved to a distinct paragraph the mention of one cause why the gospel is frequently despised and reproached. Because, though it be no less unjust and unreasonable than those which I have recited, it is more immediately incumbent upon all who name the name of Christ, to prevent it as much as possible; I mean, the scandal which arises from the miscarriages of those who profess it. Offences of this kind must come, but woe to them by whom they come, Matt. xviii. 7. There were pretended Christians, even in the apostles times, who were enemies to the cross of Christ, (Phil. iii. 18,) and by their evil conduct caused the ways of truth to be evil spoken of; and therefore we cannot be surprised that there are such persons now. But you that love the Lord, hate evil, Psal. xcii. 10. There are many who watch for your halting, and are ready to say, There! there! so we would have it. It would be in vain for ministers to declare that the doctrines of grace are doctrines according to godliness, unless our testimony is supported by the tempers and conduct of our people: the world will probably judge, rather by what they see in you, than by what they hear from us. Nor will it suffice that they cannot say you are an adulterer, a drunkard, a miser, or a cheat. If you espouse our doctrine, they will expect you to be humble, meek, patient and benevolent; to find integrity in all your dealings, and a punctual discharge of your duty in every branch of a relative life. What must the world think of our principles, if they who avow them are fretful, envious, censorious, discontented, slothful, or unfaithful; or if they are niggardly and hard-hearted, or voluptuous and dissolute, or implacable and

2. His perfect knowledge and foresight of those sufferings which we emphatically call his Passion. How often does he speak of them, and describe the circumstances as if they were actually present? Futurity is, in mercy, concealed from us. It would often bereave us of all present comfort, if we knew what the next year, or perhaps, what the next day would bring forth. If some of you could have foreseen, many years ago, what you have since been brought through, you would probably have sunk under the apprehension; or the stoutest of us might sink now, if we were certainly to know what may be yet before us. But Jesus, long before he made atonement for our sins, had counted the cost. And though his love determined him to save us, the prospect, which was continually present to his view, of the approaching unutterable agonies of his soul, of all that he must endure from God, from the powers of darkness, and from wicked men, when he should be made a curse for us, to redeem ns froin the curse of the law, (Gal. iii. 13;) I

say, this tremendous prospect was, doubtless, | ous spirit, is, in reality, the effect and mark a perpetual source of sorrow.

3. The frame of his spirit. Whoever has a measure of the mind that was in Christ, must be proportionally burdened and grieved, like righteous Lot in Sodom, (2 Pet. ii. 8,) with the wickedness around him, if he lives in society. Who that has any regard for the honour of God, or the souls of men, can hear and see what passes every hour; how the authority of God is affronted, his goodness abused, and his mercy despised, without emotions of grief and compassion? If we are spiritually-minded, we must be thus affected; and we should be more so, if we were more spiritual. But the holiness of Messiah, and, consequently, his hatred of sin, was absolutely perfect. His view of the guilt and misery of sinners, was likewise comprehensive and clear. How must he be therefore grieved by the wickedness and insensibility of those with whom he daily conversed! especially as he not only observed the outward conduct of men, but had an intimate knowledge of the evil heart, which is hidden from us. In this sense his sufferings and sorrows began with early years, and continued throughout the whole of his life. He undoubtedly could say, with an emphasis peculiar to himself, "I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; rivers of waters run down my eyes, because men keep not thy law." Psal. cxix. 156, 158. We call ourselves the followers and servants of him, who was despised of men, and encompassed with sorrows. And shall we then seek great things for ourselves (Jer. xlv. 5,) as if we belonged to the present world, and expected no portion beyond it? Or shall we be tremblingly alive to the opinion of our fellow-creatures, and think it a great hardship, if it be our lot to suffer shame for his sake, who endured the cross, and despised the shame for us? Rather may we account such disgrace our glory, and every loss and suffering that we may endure for him, a gain; while on the other hand we learn, with the apostle Paul, to esteem every gain and honour this world can afford, to be but loss and dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, Phil. iii. 8.

of a weak and little mind. At least, it is chiefly owing to the presence of certain circumstances, which have a greater influence upon the conduct than any inherent principle. Thus many persons who appear to set death and danger at defiance in the hour of battle, while they are animated by the examples of those around them, and instigated by a fear of the punishment or shame they would incur if they deserted their post; upon a change of situation, as, for instance, on a bed of sickness, discover no traces of the heroism for which they were before applauded, but tremble at the leisurely approach of death, though they were thought to despise it under a different form. It was not true fortitude, it was rather a contemptible pusillanimity, that determined the celebrated Cato to destroy himself. He was afraid of Cæsar; his dread of him, after his victories, was so great, that he durst not look him in the face; and therefore he killed himself to avoid him. To the same meanness of sentiment we may confidently ascribe the pretended gallantry of modern duellists. They fight, not because they are not afraid of death, but because they are impelled by another fear, which makes a greater impression upon a feeble irresolute mind. They live upon the opinion of their fellow-creatures, and feel themselves too weak to bear the contempt they should meet with from the circle of their acquaintance, if they should decline acting upon the false principles of honour which pride and folly have established. They have not resolution sufficient to act the part which conscience and reason would dictate, and therefore hazard life, and every thing that is dear to them as men, rather than dare to withstand the prevalence of an absurd and brutal custom.

A patient enduring of affliction, and especially of disgrace and contempt, to which the characters the world most admire are confessedly unequal, is a much surer proof of true fortitude, than any of those actions which the love of praise, the fear of man, or even a mercenary attachment to lucre, are capable of producing. True magnanimity is evidenced by the real importance of the end it proposes, and by the steadiness with which it pursues the proper means of obtaining that end; undisturbed and unwearied by difficulty, danger, or pain, and equally indifferent to the censure or scorn of incompetent judges. This greatness of mind is essential and peculiar to the character of the christian, I mean the christian who deserves the name. His ends are great and sublime; to glorify God, to obtain nearer communion with him, and to advance in conformity to his holy will. To attain these ends, he employs the means proTHAT Which often passes amongst men for scribed by the Lord: he waits at Wisdom's resolution, and the proof of a noble, courage-gates, (Prov. viii. 34,) and walks in the paths

SERMON XVIII.

VOLUNTARY SUFFERING.

I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Isaiah 1. 6.

ners.

of dependence and obedience. He therefore the glory of God, and the salvation of sincannot conform to the prevailing maxims and pursuits of the many, and is liable to be hated and scorned for his singularity. But he neither courts the smiles of men, nor shrinks at the thought of their displeasure. He loves his fellow-creatures, and is ready to do them every kind office in his power; but he cannot fear them, because he fears the Lord God.

But this life the christian lives by faith in the Son of God, Gal. ii. 20. Jesus is the source of his wisdom and strength. He likewise is his exemplar. He is crucified to the world by the cross of Christ; and a principal reason of his indifference to the opinion of the world, is the consideration of the manner in which his Lord was treated by it. He is the follower of him who said, "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."

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We may observe, from the words, that the humiliation of Messiah was voluntary, and that it was extreme.

1. The highest end of his mediation was to display the glory of the divine character in the strongest light, to afford to all intelligent creatures (Eph. iii. 10) the brightest manifestation they are capable of receiving, of the manifold wisdom of God, his holiness, justice, truth, and love, the stability and excellence of his moral government, all mutually illustrating each other, as combined and shining forth in his person, and in his mediatorial work. Much of the glory of God may be seen, by an enlightened eye, in creation, much in his providential rule and care over his creatures; but the brightness of his glory, (John i. 18,) the express and full discovery of his perfections, can only be known by Jesus Christ, and the revelation which God has given of himself to the world by him. And, accordingly, we are assured, that the angels, whose knowledge of the natural world is doubtless vastly superior to ours, desire to look into these things; and that the manifold wisdom of God is supereminently made known to principalities and powers, in heaven, by the dispensation of his grace to the church redeemed from the earth.

I. With respect to his engagement, as the Mediator between God and sinners, a great work was given him to do, and he became responsible; and therefore, in this sense, 2. Subordinate to this great design, closely bound, and under obligation. But this com- connected with it, and the principal effect for pliance was likewise voluntary; for he gave which it will be admired and magnified to himself up freely to suffer, the just for the eternity, is the complete and everlasting salunjust. Could he have relinquished our cause, vation of that multitude of miserable sinners, and left us to the deserved consequence of who, according to the purpose of God, and by our sins, in the trying hour when his enemies the working of his mighty power, shall beseized upon him, legions of angels, (Matt. lieve in this Saviour; and who, renouncing xxvi. 53,) had they been wanted, would have every other hope, shall put their trust in him, appeared for his rescue. But if he was de- upon the warrant of the promise and comtermined to save others, then his own suffer-mand of God, and yield themselves to be his ings were unavoidable. Men in the prose- willing and devoted people. Many are their cution of their designs, often meet with un- tribulations in the present life, but they shall expected difficulties in their way, which, be delivered out of them all; they shall overthough they encounter with some cheerful- come, they shall be more than conquerors, by ness, in hope of surmounting them, and the blood of the Lamb, and the word of his carrying their point at last, are considered as testimony; (Rev. xii. 11;) and then they shall impediments; but the sufferings of Messiah shine, like the sun, in the kingdom of heaven. were essentially necessary to the accom- The consummation of their happiness, is a plishment of his great designs, precisely de- branch of the joy which was set before him. termined, and present to his view beforehand, For their sakes, that they might be happy, so that (as I lately observed) there was not that he may be admired in them, and by a single circumstance that happened to him them, to the glory of God, who is all in all, unawares. He knew that no blood but his he voluntarily substituted himself to sufferown could make atonement for sin, that no-ings and death. He endured the cross, and thing less than his humiliation could expiate our pride; that if he did not thus suffer, sinners must inevitably perish; and therefore (such was his love!) he cheerfully and voluntarily gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. Two designs of vast importance filled his mind; the completion of them was that joy set before him, for the sake of which he made himself of no reputation, endured the cross, and despised the shame. These were,

he despised the shame. He gave his back to the smiters, his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, he hid not his face from shame and spitting.

II. But are we reading a prophecy, or the history of his extreme humiliation? It is a prophecy; how literally and exactly it was fulfilled, we learn from his history by the evangelists. With what cruelty, with what contempt was he treated, first by the servants in the hall of the High Priest, afterwards by