SERM. mankind, by appropriation of them to himself, lying XXXII. on his shoulders, he should feel it heavy, or seem to crouch and groan under it; that in the mystical Heb. x. 5. Psalm, applied by the apostle to him, he should cry Psal. xl. 12. out, Innumerable evils have compassed me about;

mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart faileth me. The sight of God's indignation, so dreadfully flaming out against sin, might well astonish and terrify him: to stand, as it were, before the mouth of hell belching fire and brimstone in his face; to lie down in the hottest furnace of divine vengeance; to quench with his own heart-blood the wrath of Heaven, and the infernal fire, (as he did in regard to those who will not rekindle them to themselves,) might well in the heart of a man beget unconceivable and unexpressible pressures of affliction. When such a Father (so infinitely good and kind to him, whom he so dearly and perfectly loved) did hide his face from him, did frown on him, how could he otherwise than be mightily troubled? Is it strange that so hearty a love, so tender a pity, contemplating our sinfulness, and experimenting our wretchedness, should be deeply touched? To see, I say, so plainly, to feel so throughly the horrible blindness, the folly, the infidelity, the imbecility, the ingratitude, the incorrigibility, the strange perverseness, perfidiousness, malice, and cruelty of mankind in so many instances, (in the treason of Judas, in the denial of Peter, in the desertion of all the apostles, in the spite and rage of the persecutors, in the falsehood of the witnesses, in the abuses of the people, in the compliance of Pilate, in a general conspiracy of friends and foes

XXXII.

to sin,) all these surrounding him, all invading him, SERM. all discharging themselves upon him; would it not astone a mind so pure? would it not wound a heart so tender and full of charity?

Surely, any of those persons who fondly do pretend unto, or vainly do glory in, a sullen apathy, or a stubborn contempt of the evils incident to our nature and state, would in such a case have been utterly dejected: the most resolved philosopher would have been dashed into confusion at the sight, would have been crushed into desperation under the sense of those evils which did assault him.

With the greatness of the causes, the goodness of his constitution did conspire to increase his sufferings. For surely, as his complexion was most pure and delicate, his spirit most vivid and apprehensive, his affections most pliant and tractable; so accordingly would the impressions upon him be most sensible, and consequently the pains which he felt (in body or soul) most afflictive.

That we in like cases are not alike moved, that we do not tremble at the apprehensions of God's displeasure, that we are not affrighted with the sense of our sins, that we do not with sad horror resent our danger and our misery, doth arise from that we have very glimmering and faint conceptions of those matters; or that they do not in so clear and lively a manner strike our fancy; (not appearing in their true nature and proper shape, so heinous and so hideous as they really are in themselves and in their consequences ;) or because we have but weak persuasions about them; or because we do but slightly consider them; or from that our hearts are very hard and callous, our affections very cold and

XXXII.

SERM. dull, so that nothing of this nature (nothing beside gross material affairs) can mollify or melt them; or for that we have in us small love to God, and a slender regard to our own welfare; in fine, for that in spiritual matters we are neither so wise, so sober, so serious, nor so good or ingenuous, in any reasonable measure, as we should be. But our Saviour, in all those respects, was otherwise disposed. He most evidently discerned the wrath of God, the grievousness of sin, the wretchedness of man, most truly, most fully, most strongly represented to his mind: he most firmly believed, yea most certainly knew, whatever God's law had declared about them: he did exactly consider and weigh them: his heart was most soft and sensible, his affections were most quick and excitable by their due objects: he was full of dutiful love to God, and most ardently desirous of our good, bearing a more than fraternal good-will towards us. Whence it is not so marvellous that as a man, as a transcendently wise and good man, he was so vehemently affected by those occurrences, that his imagination was so troubled, and his passions so stirred by them; so that he thence did suffer in a manner and to a degree unconceivable; according to that ejaculation in the Greek liturgies, Διὰ τῶν ἀγνώστων σου παθημάτων ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, Χριστέ, By thy unknown sufferings, O Christ, have mercy on us. But further,

IV. We may consider, that this way of suffering had in it some particular advantages, conducing to the accomplishment of our Lord's principal designs.

Its being very notorious, and lasting a competent time, were good advantages. For if he had been privately made away, or suddenly despatched, no

20.

26.

such great notice would have been taken of it, nor SE RM. would the matter of fact have been so fully proved, XXXII. to the confirmation of our faith, and conviction of infidelity; nor had that his excellent deportment under such bitter affliction (his most divine patience, meekness, and charity) so illustriously shone forth. Wherefore, to prevent all exceptions, and excuses of unbelief, (together with other collateral good purposes,) divine Providence did so manage the business, that as the course of his life, so also the manner of his death, should be most conspicuously remarkable. I spake freely to the world, and in secret John xviii. have I done nothing, said he of himself; and, These things, said St. Paul to king Agrippa, were Acts xxvi. not done in a corner. Such were the proceedings of his life, not close or clancular, but frank and open; not presently hushed up, but leisurely carried on in the face of the world, that men might have the advantage to observe and examine them. And as he lived, so he died, most publicly and visibly; the world being witness of his death, and so prepared to believe his resurrection, and thence disposed to embrace his doctrine; according to what he did foretell, I, being lifted up from the earth, shall John xii. draw all men to me: for he drew all men, by so Iren. ii. obvious a death, to take notice of it; he drew all 26.) well-disposed persons, from the wondrous consequences of it, to believe on him. And, As, said he John iii. 14. again, Moses did exalt the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be exalted. As the Iren. iv. 5. elevation of that mysterious serpent did render it visible, and did attract the eyes of people toward it; whereby, God's power invisibly accompanying that sacramental performance, they were cured of those

32.

XXXII.

SERM. mortiferous stings which they had received: so our Lord, being mounted on the cross, allured the eyes of men to behold him, and their hearts to close with him; whereby, the heavenly virtue of God's Spirit cooperating, they became saved from those destructive sins, which from the Devil's serpentine instigations they had incurred.

Another advantage of this kind of suffering was, that by it the nature of that kingdom, which he did intend to erect, was evidently signified: that it was not such as the carnal people did expect, an external, earthly, temporal kingdom, consisting in domination over the bodies and estates of men, dignified by outward wealth and splendour, managed by worldly power and policy, promoted by forcible compulsion and terror of arms, affording the advantages of safety, quiet, and prosperity here; but a kingdom purely spiritual, celestial, eternal; consisting in the governance of men's hearts and minds; adorned with the endowments of wisdom and virtue; administered by the conduct and grace of God's holy Spirit; upheld and propagated by meek instruction, by virtuous example, by hearty devotion, and humble patience; rewarding its loyal subjects with spiritual joys and consolations now, with heavenly rest and bliss hereafter. No other kingdom could he presume to design, who submitted to this dolorous and disgraceful way of suffering; no other exploits could he pretend to achieve by expiring on a cross; no other way could he rule, who gave himself to be managed by the will of his adversaries; no other benefits would this forlorn case allow him to disSo that well might he then assert, My kingdom is not of this world; when he was going

John xviii. pense.

36.