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Darkness prevailed, and the Time of his being offered up drew near, all Things confpired to make his Death bitter and terrifying. In his Life he had chofen Twelve to be his conftant Companions, and they at least adhered to him, and willingly partook in his Afflictions: But now one of these BofomFriends confpires his Ruin, and fells him for thirty Pieces of Silver. The reft, though they were guilty of no fuch Baseness, yet proved no Comfort in his Distress.

As the Danger drew near, our Bleffed 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 chofe Peter, and the Sons of Zebedee, to be his Companions, that they might watch with him in his Sorrow: But even here they forfook him, and, infenfible of their Master's Agony, fell asleep. They were foon awakened; but they awoke only to fly, and Chrift was left alone. Peter followed, but it was afar off; and he only followed him to deny him. Thus betrayed, and thus forfaken, he is carried to Judgment. When he is filent, he is reproached

reproached with Sullennefs: When he speaks, he is charged with Blafphemy. Sometimes he is buffeted and fpit on; by and by, in cruel Sport, they pay him the mock Honours of a Prince, he is crowned with Thorns, has a Reed put into his Hand, and in Derifion he is faluted, Hail, King of the Jews. And that nothing might be wanting to fhew how vile and contemptible he was to the People, the Question was put between him and a Murderer, which fhould be released; and with one Voice the People answered, Release unto us Barabbas. Thus was he defpifed and rejected of Men.

Follow him but one Step farther, and you will find him hanging upon the Cross between two common Robbers, groaning under the bittereft Agonies of Death. Nor yet can all this Mifery create in the Lookers on any Pity or Compaffion. See how they shake their Heads, and fay, Come down from the Crofs, 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 haft thou forfaken me, nor all the Malice and Scorn of the Crucifiers could make him one

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Moment forget his Love and Tendernefs to wards them. You hear no Complaint from him, no Appeals made against them to a future Judgment: Inftead of this, with latest Breath he pleads their Caufe, excufes their Weakness, and begs for their Pardon; Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

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And here let us clofe this Scene, and return to ourselves with this Question, What Reward fhall I give unto the Lord for all the Benefits that he hath done unto me? Let us alfo answer for ourselves in the Words of the Pfalmift, I will receive the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. We have nothing to return but our Love and Obedience, and nothing else is required of us. He bath 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 arife to a new Life of Righteoufness in Christ Jefus, that when Christ, who is our Life, fhall appear, we may also appear. with him in Glory.

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DISCOURSE

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DISCOURSE XI.

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COLOSSIANS iii. 1.

If ye then be rifen with Chrift, seek those Things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right Hand of God.

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OW much the metaphorical

Language of Scripture has been mistaken, and what Errors and Abfurdities Men have fallen into, under Pretence of adhering to the literal Senfe, is well known. The Words of the Text are hardly capable of being fo abused; for it is not poffible to imagine that St. Paul should intend to tell the Coloffians, or that the Coloffians fhould believe him if he did, that they lived no longer in this World, but were, in the literal Senfe, Men raised from the Dead.

Dead, But, as our State and Condition iff this World is often fet forth in the Scriptures in metaphorical Language, it has not fared fo well in all Parts of it, but Men have sometimes loft Sight of the Metaphor, and raised very abfurd Notions from a literal Interpretation, as I fhall have Occafion to observe to you in treating upon this Subject.

The Words now read to you are an Inference from what had been before said, as is evident from the Manner in which they are introduced: If ye then be rifen with Chrift. It is plain likewise that they must refer to fomething which had been said of our Refur rection with, or in Chrift: For this Conclufion supposes that Doctrine already laid down and established. To find this Connection, we must look back as far as the Middle of the foregoing Chapter, where the Doctrine referred to in the Text is plainly declared. At the tenth and following Verfes thus you will read: And ye are complete in him, (that is, in Chrift Jesus) which is the Head of all Principality and Power. In whom also ye are cir. cumcifed with the Circumcifion made without Hands, in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcifion of Chrift. Buried with him in Baptifm, wherein alfo you are ri

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