Mifery upon our bleffed Redeemer. If we confider with how unbounded a Love he embraced us in our loweft State of Weaknefs, 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 earnestly he laboured to fave our Souls, and how carelessly and wantonly we throw them away; what Pains and Sorrows he underwent to perfect our Redemption, and to what empty Pleasures we facrifice all his Sufferings, and our own eternal Happiness, it will fhew us where the true Cause of our Grief lies, and how vainly we compliment our Lord, by venting our Indignation against his antient Crucifiers, which ought to be spent upon ourselves, who are daily renewing his Shame, and crucifying him afresh.

Whilst therefore I reprefent unto you this Scene of Woe, and endeavour to place before you this Man of Sorrow, acquainted with Grief, let every Chriftian 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

bounded Goodness of your Redeemer, and to lament and weep only for yourselves.

Many Prophecies there are relating to our Lord, which regard only fome particular Actions and Circumstances of his Life; but this in the Text points at no fingle Calamity that befel him, but is a general Description 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 Sorrow 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 Spirit 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 otherwise: 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 Ex

cellency

Mifery upon our bleffed Redeemer. If we confider with how unbounded a Love he embraced us in our loweft State of Weaknefs, 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 Souls, and how carelessly and wantonly we throw them away; what Pains and Sorrows he underwent to perfect our Redemption, and to what empty Pleasures we facrifice all his Sufferings, and our own eternal Happinefs, it will fhew us where the true Cause of our Grief lies, and how vainly we compliment our Lord, by venting our Indignation against his antient Crucifiers, which ought to be spent upon ourselves, who are daily renewing his Shame, and crucifying him afresh.

Whilst therefore I reprefent unto you this Scene of Woe, and endeavour to place before you this Man of Sorrow, acquainted with Grief, let every Chriftian Heart supply this neceffary Admonition, All this he fuffered for fake; then caft one Look upon your

my

felves, and see how you have deferved all this Love: This will teach you how to divide your Affections, to admire and adore the unbounded

bounded Goodness of your Redeemer, and to lament and weep only for yourselves.

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 Description of his Condition during his Abode on Earth: It begins at his Cradle, and ends with his Cross, pursuing him in every Step, and difcovers to us the Son of God through the darkest Veil of Sorrow and Affliction.

Known unto God are all his Works from the Beginning of the World: In Wisdom 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 Spirit 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 Crofs! 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 Ex

cellency

cellency of his Perfon. He was a Man of Sorrow, 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 defpifed and rejected of Men. The Confideration therefore of our Saviour's Sufferings 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 Subject:

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 so 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