natural state, understand them. The true believer will not allow himself to indulge in reasonings and disputings upon those mysteries in his religion which he cannot. fathom. It is sufficient for him to know, in all difficult points-"The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it ;" and, that not one word he hath spoken can fall to the ground. We are taught that our Saviour was both God and man; that he had all parts of our human nature except sin. Though innocent, he was tempted and tried. None ever suffered like him. "He fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." We can never have any adequate idea of this prayer of our Lord's. He alone knew the bitterness of that cup he was about to drink, even to the dregs. If there had been any other means possible whereby we might have been saved, but by his death and sufferings, he never had left his Father's kingdom to die for us upon the accursed tree. No other sacrifice could take away sin.

2ndly. Let us learn to examine the cup of suffering by the light of the cross; and see how we are to receive it from our Lord and Master. And it is here the Christian understands what others do not. Go and listen to the way in which people talk of the cup of suffering-both the ignorant vulgar, and the learned vulgar; hear them talk!-How ill I am used! How much better I have deserved. And then, the conclusion is, that suffering is the grand evil. I trust, we are better taught. What is trouble? What is pain? What is death? The generality of people seem to have no knowledge of what sin is. Yet, that is the grand evil. Sin has new names given to it. To be profane, is to be "polite;" to be proud, is to have "a proper spirit." Both the grave and the gay make light of sin, and call it "infirmity." To know what sin is, we must

see Jesus taking the cup of suffering and drinking it to the dregs. The sufferings of Christ should lead us to contemplate the dreadful nature of sin, and to fear lest, by indulging it, we should crucify to our. selves the Son of God afresh. The storms of pride, sensuality, covetousness and idleness, require no slight skill in fighting against them; and we shall never fight against them so well, as when we behold the cross of Christ. He has, of his infinite mercy, given us another cup, even "the cup of salvation:" let us take it, "calling upon the name of the Lord."

Are you called to drink of the cup of temptation and desertion? Learn of Christ how to bear it. Our Saviour in his sufferings might justly say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" He had never grieved his Father: he was holy and undefiled. But when such poor sinful worms as we are, fall under the hidings of our Father's face, we have no need to ask, Why is this? Our sinful, ungrateful, unfaithful, wandering hearts may answer why. Under ten thousand accusations of conscience, and slighted favors, the question might rather be, Why has he not so forsaken thee as to leave thee without hope? Why has he not withdrawn his providential care, and the supplies of his grace? The only answer is, Because " his mercy endureth forever." When we want the faith of assurance, let us live by the faith of adherence. Christ says, "Learn of me." I took the I took the cup that my Father gave me to drink, that I might, by so doing, sweeten every cup that can be put into the hand of my real disciples, and make every burden light.

Look at the meekness with which Christ reproves his sleeping disciples: "What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the

flesh is weak." The weak believer may be ready to say, "I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul." Let such remember, that the battle is not theirs, but God's. "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?" Not the Christian soldier, for he is left to purchase neither arms nor armor: all is provided for him; and he has nothing to do but to follow his great Captain.

3rdly. We may learn, that if Christ felt the need of prayer to prepare him for suffering, how much more must we need it! Our trials may not be removed, but by prayer we may be comforted, strengthened, and supported uuder them; so as to be able to say, The Lord ordereth all things well. While it is our duty and privilege, in every time of need, to make our requests known unto God, we must also remember that he has more ways of answering our prayers than one. Let us be content with the answer which he gives, though it should seem contrary to our wishes. Christ has given every believer a plea: let him use it sincerely, earnestly, perseveringly. Hereafter, we shall see that the cup of suffering was our greatest blessing; and admire the pains God hath taken with our froward hearts.

"Give me," said a great mathematician,* "but a place where to fix my fulcrum, and I will move the world. We have a resting-place, while standing on the rock Christ, from whence we may calmly look at heaven and hell, and meet eternity without a fear. Let us be careful to secure a friend in our suffering Saviour. A time is coming, when the doctrine of a crucified Saviour will be more precious to us than thousands of gold and silver. A time is coming, when he who has neglected the salvation of his soul for the

* Archimedes.-ED.

riches, honors, and pleasures of this world, would gladly sell all to purchase an interest in Christ, and his salvation. This subject is the only string which an enlightened mind can find to harp upon; and it is the wisdom of all such never to depart from it.

THE GRAND OBJECT OF FAITH.

And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the Man!-JOHN xix. 5. [1796.]

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WHEN we are shown by St. John, Revelations v. 6-14, a Lamb as it had been slain," we are at the same time told of his glorious dignity. When we see this "Man of Sorrows" standing before Pilate, loaded with disgrace and shame, and dumb "as a sheep before her shearers," we should at the same time remember that we behold the Man who is God's equal. "Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts." Zech. xiii. 7. It is certain that our Lord considered himself in that point of view, when he stood before Pilate, and said, "Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above." And the apostle, speaking of Christ, saith, "Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God." And it is remarkable that our Lord's accusation rested upon his claim of being the Son of God, ver. 7. Whenever, therefore, we consider this "Man of Sorrows," and see how he was "despised and rejected of men," let us remember that how low soever he stooped, his name is "Emmanuel, God with us:" the Lord Jehovah, in whom is our righteousness and strength.

The infinite dignity of Him who came down from heaven to suffer and to die for man, stamps infinite dignity on all those things that respect Christianity. "Great is the mystery of godliness; God manifested in the flesh." Some may be almost staggered at the view of the God of heaven and earth standing before Pilate as a poor captive, the scorn of the very rabble. Such cavillers must come back to the declaration, "Great is the mystery:" which implies something hidden from our apprehension. But when we consider this Victim as the sinner's Ransom, Isa. liii. 8; Acts xx. 28, we see revealed how "God can be just, and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." Who will pretend to say what are the claims of infinite justice? It is one thing to think of sin as it appears in the eyes of men, and another to contemplate it as it appears in the eyes of a holy God. How is this load of guilt to be taken off? Only through the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ remission of sin is only through his name. The whole Bible points out that "without shedding of blood, there is no remission." "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Isa. xlv. 22. "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John i. 7.

To behold God incarnate, as a "Man of Sorrows," and dying as a malefactor, is indeed a strange thing, a stupendous mystery! nor less stupendous mercy!

"A truth so strange, 'twere bold to think it true,

If not far bolder still, to disbelieve !"*

Every thing that respects God and his government must be strange to such a short-sighted creature as

* Young's Night Thoughts" Christian Triumph."-ED.