He is defpifed and rejected of Men, a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Grief. W ** **HEN 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 Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourfelves. Words, which we may very properly apply to ourselves for the Direction of our Devotion on this Day of his Crucifixion: A Day it is of Sorrow and Mourning, but not for his fake, who, crowned with Glory and Honour, is fet down on the right Hand of the Majesty on high; but for our own, whose Sins brought down this Load of Woe and of 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 Happinefs, 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 antient 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 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 your felves, and fee how you have deserved all this Love: This will teach you how to divide your Affections, to admire and adore the un bounded 4 bounded Goodness of your Redemeer, 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 Crofs, purfuing 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 of dained 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 befpeaks 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 Lownefs of his Condition fhewed the Ex 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, fhould be deSpifed 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 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 Thus St. Paul, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall be not with him alfo freely give us all Things? And again, God commendeth his Love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners Chrift died for us. So likewife 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 Bleffed Lord himself hath told us, Greater Love bath 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 Sufferings to the Inquifitive, to the Reafoners of this World; yet, fince it is plain his Sufferings 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 fpeaks how much our Salvation was the Care of Heaven. Perhaps we cannot fee the Reafons 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 ftricteft Bonds of Gratitude and Love. And, fince this Scene lies fo VOL. III. S open |