by one disciple, deserted by all, accused by false witnesses, and condemned with out crime, insulted by the most insolent expressions of scorn and contempt, scourged as a despised slave, thought worthier of death than the most notorious robber and murderer, and at last led to suffer the death of the cross; a death the most cruel and ignominious that could possibly be contrived for the vilest malefactors. And even whilst he was in the greatest extremity of pain, whilst he continued in that torturing suspension which prolonged the misery and pain of dying, to increase his torment, they gave him gall and vinegar to drink, and barbarously reviled him; whilst he expired in agonies, amidst the blasphemies and reproaches of his enemies.

And what then was his behaviour in this his last extremity? Oppressed and afflicted, he opened not his mouth, neither murmured nor complained at what he suffered, nor at these by whom he suf fered; but gave up the ghost, praying for his murderers. Not that he was insensible

of

of his sufferings, or was unmoved with pain and trouble: No: in his nature he was as capable of suffering as any man ever was, had as quick and tender a sense of the miseries both of himself and others: He could weep over a sinful and devoted city: He could mingle his tears with a family of sorrow at the grave of Lazarus: But then, at the same time, he had a patience peculiar to himself, a constancy and firmness of mind, which supported him in the severest trials, and a perfect submission to the will of his Father. And hereby he became a proper and a most instructive example to all the sons and daughters of affliction, by setting before us a pattern of patience and resignation suited to the weakness and tenderness of mankind, in that he was exquisitely sensible of his sufferings, and yet bore them decently, expressing a great sense of pain without the least sign of impa

tience.

Come hither then, thou child of affliction, and in the multitude of thy sorrows, learn comfort from this great example

Thou

Thou that art always complaining, always murmuring at the dispensations of Providence, as if the hand of God was unreasonably severe towards thee, and thy afflictions were of so grievous à nature, as were never the lot of any but thyself. Look unto Jesus and consider his sufferings, and from thence smooth all thy passions, calm thy resentment against divine Providence, and resolve to submit patiently and chearfully to the severest of its dispensations.

Art thou attacked in thy reputation, and made the object of reproach and censure? Perhaps thou deservest it: or if thou dost not, why shouldest thou complain, and think thyself so very hardly dealt with, when thou considerest that he, who was perfectly innocent and unblameable in all the several parts of his conduct, was loaded with all the calumny that envy, and malice could invent, and yet opened not his mouth in the least complaint, or shewed the least mark of an angry resentment?

Art

Art thou forsaken by thy friends, and deeply afflicted by the ingratitude of those, whom thou hast endeavoured to ob

lige by every act of kindness and generosity? Thy case indeed is afflicting and strikes home to the heart; when he that is as dear to thee as thy own soul becomes thy enemy and thy oppressor. But what canst thou suffer in this respect in the least degree answerable to what the blessed Jesus suffered; who came into the world upon a design of the greatest love and compassion to all mankind, and whose whole life was one continued scene of charity and affection to the bodies and souls of men, and yet was always exposed to the malice and ill-nature of those whom he had most obliged, betrayed by one of his own disciples, and in his last extremity deserted by all?

Once more. Art thou called to the severest trials, to suffer in the cause of virtue, to undergo the greatest miseries and afflictions of life, and at last to submit to a painful and ignominious death? Hard indeed is thy case, and great the tempta

tion to murmur and complain at thy lot. But consider, what are all thy sufferings and afflictions, when compared to those which the blessed Jesus underwent, when he bare our griefs and carried all our sorrows, when he was stricken, smitten of God and afflicted, and cried out in the anguish of his soul, "My God, my God, "why hast thou forsaken me?" Let this example therefore of the most perfect patience and submission be sufficient to silence all thy murmuring and impatience, to calm and compose thy spirit, and to teach thee the great duty of resignation, even under the severest of God's judg ments, which thou art called to suffer in this world; when thou considerest that he, who knew no sin, the captain of our salvation, was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, the greatest instance of suffering, and at the same time the most perfect example of patience and submission.

But to proceed. The duty of resignation and submission to Providence amidst a multitude of sorrows, is not only thus enforced