kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment, and with justice, from henceforth even for ever.' What enigmas are these? Shall he be a mighty prince, and yet despised and rejected of men? Shall he be encompassed with the glories of David's throne, and yet be void of form and of comeliness? Shall he reign for ever, and establish justice and judgment for evermore, and shall he yet be taken from prison, and cut off from the land of the living? Where can these contradictions meet, and in what manner of person can they be reconciled? But to go on after this general description of his low estate, the Prophet proceeds to point out some of the most remarkable calamities of his life. He was not only despised and rejected, but he was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of the people he was stricken.' And yet he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to put him to grief. His soul was an offering for sin.' And yet after this, when the Prophet had killed and buried him, he adds, He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. By his knowlege shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.' Where are we now? Must he die a wretched death, and be numbered with the transgressors; and yet shall he prolong his days, and see the work of the Lord prosper in his hands? How shall we clear these things? Look into the gospel, and there you will find the scene opening apace: there you will find your Lord despised and rejected of men, persecuted and afflicted, and put to a cruel death and open shame, and yet rising to glory and honor. There you may see this prisoner of the grave ascending to the glory of his Father, giving gifts unto men, and leading captivity captive.

Let us then, in the last place, consider the historical evidence we have for the completion of these prophecies, which describe the calamitous condition of our blessed Redeemer.

The way was prepared before he was born. His conception led to it; since the meanness of his parentage could promise nothing for the child but labor and sorrow: and so it proved.

This mighty Prince of Peace made his first appearance in a manger; and we may well suppose the other conveniencies he met, on his first coming into the world, were answerable to this. No sooner was he born but his life was sought after: the distressed parents fly their country, and the child is carried into banishment, before he knew to distinguish between good and evil. His youth was spent in the difficulties of poverty, and his hands employed in the works of it; and when the time came that he was to be made known unto Israel, and stood forth in the power of the Lord, confirming his doctrine with mighty signs and wonders, the opposition to him increased, and every act of charity he did to others brought new sorrow and misery to himself. During this time, in which he went about doing good, he had not,' as he himself has told us, ' where to lay his head.' When he cast out devils, he was immediately charged to be in league with the prince of them. When he healed the sick of their infirmities, and forgave their sins, then he was a blasphemer, an incroacher on the prerogative of God. When he restored the withered hand, and cured the lame or the blind on the Sabbath-day, then he was no longer fit to live: these were such offences, as nothing but his death could expiate. Consider what he suffered, and he was the lowest of the sons of men: consider what he did, and he appears, as he truly was, to be the Son of God.

But still there remains behind the gloomiest scene of sorrow. When the powers of darkness prevailed, and the time of his being offered up drew near, all things conspired to make his death bitter and terrifying. In his life he had chosen twelve to be his constant companions, and they at least adhered to him, and willingly partook in his afflictions: but now one of these bosom-friends conspires his ruin, and sells him for thirty pieces of silver. The rest, though they were guilty of no such baseness, yet proved no comfort in his distress.

As the danger drew near, our blessed Lord, who was in all things tempted like unto us, sin only excepted, felt the pangs of nature at the approach of death, and retired to prayer, the only support of an afflicted spirit. In this his grief he chose Peter and the sons of Zebedee to be his companions, that they

might watch with him in his sorrow: but even here they forsook him, and insensible of their Master's agony, fell asleep. They were soon awakened; but they awoke only to fly, and Christ was left alone. Peter followed, but it was afar off; and he only followed him to deny him. Thus betrayed, and thus forsaken, he is carried to judgment. When he is silent, he is reproached with sullenness: when he speaks, he is charged with blasphemy. Sometimes he is buffeted and spit on; by and by, in cruel sport, they pay him the mock honors of a prince, he is crowned with thorns, has a reed put into his hand, and in derision he is saluted, 'Hail, King of the Jews.' And that nothing might be wanting to show how vile and contemptible he was to the people, the question was put between him and a murderer, which should be released; and with one voice the people answered, Release unto us Barabbas.' Thus was 'he despised and rejected of men.'

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Follow him but one step farther, and you will find him hanging on the cross between two common robbers, groaning under the bitterest agonies of death. Nor yet can all this misery create in the lookers on any pity or compassion. See how they shake their heads, and say, 'Come down from the Cross, Son of God, come down, and we will believe thee.' But neither the pains of the cross, nor those pangs which drew from him that complaint My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!' nor all the malice and scorn of the crucifiers could make him one moment forget his love and tenderness towards them. You hear no complaint from him, no appeals made against them to a future judgment: instead of this, with his latest breath he pleads their cause, excuses their weakness, and begs for their pardon; Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'

And here let us close this scene, and return to ourselves with this question. 'What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?' Let us also answer for ourselves in the words of the Psalmist, I will receive the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.' We have nothing to return but our love and obedience, and nothing else is required of us; ' he hath borne our griefs, and carried our

sorrows;' let us not call for them again by our iniquities: let them be buried for ever, but let us arise to a new life of righteousness in Christ Jesus, that when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we may also appear with him in glory.'

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE XLIII.

COLOSSIANS, CHAP. III.-VERSE 1.

How much the metaphorical language of Scripture has been mistaken and abused is well known. The words of the text are not capable of being taken in the literal sense; for it is not possible to imagine that St. Paul should intend to tell the Colossians, or that they should believe him, that they lived no longer in the world, but were literally men raised from the dead. The words plainly are an inference from what had been before said, and refer to the doctrine in Coloss. ii. 10-13. For an explication of them it is necessary to consider the Scripture representation of the natural state and condition of man, and of his gospel state on his becoming a Christian. In the state of nature the Scripture represents men as in Eph. iv. 17. 18. ii. 2. 3. Rom. iv. 19. 20. And because the end of these things is death, this state of sin is also called a state of death, as in Eph. ii. 1. 5. Whilst men were thus dead to God and themselves, they lived only to sin and unrighteousness. The passions and affections were but the instruments of sin, and therefore are said to constitute the body of sin; that body over which sin had dominion, as in Rom. vi. 6. Coloss. ii. 11. The members of which this body is made up, are described Col. iii.

5. This body is called by St. Paul the body of death, as the state of sin is called the state of death, Rom. vii. 24. As the body, with the soul its director, constitutes the man, so these depraved appetites and affections, which are the instruments or members of sin, and which compose the body of sin, together with the evil principle directing them, are said in