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iniquities, became obedient unto death, even the death `of the cross, enduring the wrath that our sins deserved, and suffering the vengeance which the law we were under denounced.

Having represented the situation in which the Lord our Righteousness found himself upon the cross, we proceed, in the THIRD place, to his expostulation concerning his situation, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" From his mouth, the word "Why" is equally mysterious with the terin "forsaken." Did not the Holy Sufferer know why? Had not the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God told him why? Had not his own suretiship told him why? Could not the scriptures of the prophets, and particularly the Psalm out of which he took his words, tell him why? Could not his zeal, and his strength, and hisprayer, "Father glorify thy name," tell him why? Could not the sounding of his bowels, and of his mercies, toward the men whom the Father had given him out of the world tell him why? Had not he himself a few days before told his disciples why? Saying, "For this cause came I unto "this hour;" and "I have a baptism to be baptised with, "and how am I straitened till it be accomplished?" "Did. "he not say in the garden, when apprehended, "The cup "which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it?” How then should he say upon the tree, "Why hast thou "forsaken me?" In order to understand this mysterious, expostulation, the following particulars may be consider

ed:

The

First, In the nature of man he felt as men feel. subsistence of our nature in the person of the Son of God did not raise it above sensations of anguish and pain. Un-less he had felt, and expressed the feelings of human nature, we could not have believed him to be man; nor could we, with propriety, have said that he suffered, since all suffering is grievous; and neither could we have acknowledged him to be a merciful and faithful high priest, able to succour the tempted, and shew compassion on them who are ignorant and out of the way. But in the suffering and dying nature of our merciful and faithful high priest, touches and feelings of our infirmities appeared. Upon the tree he felt the anguish of pain, the wounds of temptation, the grief and sorrow of desertion, and the

heaviness and oppression of the wrath and indignation of his righteous and holy Father against our iniquities, under which he suffered and died. "Wherefore in all "things it behoveth him to be made like unto his brethren, "that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in "things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the "sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, "being tempted, he is able to succour them who are tempt"ed. For we have not an high priest who cannot be touch"ed with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points "tempted like as we are, yet without sin. For such an "high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, "separated from sinners, and now made higher than the "heavens."

Secondly, In our nature upon the tree, the Lord our Righteousness spake in the language which men speak. His speech from the cross, though mysterious, is suited to the state which he had assumed. Instead of creating new terms, the great Sufferer used those which prophecy had prepared, and inspiration recorded. He was under no difficulty for utterance and expression, and could have found other words to represent his situation. But he choosed to represent it in words consecrated beforehand to his cross, in order that his likeness to his brethren might be more expressive, and his claim to the honor of Messiah might be more apparent. The concourse of people who covered Calvary, and beheld his crucifixion, though they expected the Messiah, and believed that the Law of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets, testified of him, obstinately refused to acknowledge his claim, and raged against him on the cross as an impostor and blasphemer. After the evidence which he had laid before them, in his life and ministry, was rejected and trodden under foot, he looked down upon them from the tree with grief and sorrow, and uttered in their hearing words which had been prepared for Messiah. The repetition of these words from a Psalm, which testified beforehand his sufferings and glory, was a dying testimony to his claim, and an extraordin ary call, suited to that extraordinary occasion, to acknowledge that in him the Psalm which testified of Messiah, and whence he took his words, was fulfilled and magnified.

Thirdly, In our nature, and upon the cross, the Lord our Righteousness trusted in God as believers trust. The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders, with a vast concourse of people, which his crucifixion drew together, derided his faith and hope, saying, "He trusted in God, "let him deliver him now if he will have him; for he "said, I am the Son of God." He felt the bitterness and anguish of their profane speeches, but remained undismayed and unmoved. When blasphemy wounded his ear, and temptation vexed his soul, when heaven was silent at the words of his roaring, and sorrow and wrath broke in upon him like an high sea, he stood firm as a rock; and, by trusting, exemplified and defended trusting. Turn your eye, believers, upon the Son of God in our nature, nailed to an instrument of torture and death, and behold the fight and the victory of faith. In sustaining temptations to doubt and to despond, he fought the good fight of faith; and, in resisting and breaking these temptations, obtained the victory of faith-dying a believer and a conqueror.

After these Illustrations of the Title, under which the Son of God in our nature upon the tree addressed his righteous Father; of the situation in which he found himself, and of his expostulation concerning his situa tion, Reproof, Correction, Instruction, and Consolation may be administered, in many particulars. Holy brethren, the testimony of God concerning the sufferings and glory of his beloved Son is not a sandy desert, nor a blighted and withered heath. This glorious testimony is a large and rich pasturage, covered with the finest herbage, and with all sorts of nourishing and medicinal plants, suitable to the tastes, necessities, tempers, and ailments of his flock. Out of that part of it through which we have walked, several observations spring up, interesting to you who are pasturing in this field which the Lord hath blessed.

First, Spiritual desertion is real, and not imaginary affliction. Upon the tree, and in the close of the days of his flesh, the Lord our Righteousness was really deserted and forsaken by his God and Father; and his brethren may be also really deserted and forsaken in the days of their infirmity and temptation. In his desertion there were singular and extraordinary particulars. It was not merely trying and grievous. It was penal, and part of the exe

But with respect to his

cution and operation of the curse. brethren, nothing penal in desertion exists. Though deserted, you are not condemned. Christ, being made a curse for you, hath redeemed you from the curse of the law; and to you who are in him, and crucified with him, there is no condemnation. Desertion, notwithstanding, may be your trial and affliction; and, on some occasions, your correction and chastisement. When the children of God do not walk humbly before him in new obedience; when they become fonder of the fruits of his love than of himself; when their hearts are lifted up with vanity, and transfer to their diligence and activity in virtue the praise of the glory of his grace; and when they are more anxious to enjoy the pleasures of sense than to taste the joys of faith, he withdraws the light and comfort of his presence, casts over their state, their exercise, and their duty a gloom, and frequently an horror of darkness, and by that darkness humbles and proves them, discovers to them the vanity and naughtiness of their hearts, shews them the evil of their unbelief, and makes them feel their insuf ficiency, independent of his Spirit and grace, to manage for themselves.

Secondly, In desertion temptation doubles its force. When the Son of God found himself forsaken, his adversary grew violent and outrageous. "If thou be the Son "of God, cast thyself down," was a shock of temptation in the wilderness; but, upon Calvary, "If thou be the Son of "God, come down from the cross," was an outrage of temptation. As it was with the Lord our Righteousness in desertion, so it is commonly with his brethren. Urtler a gloom, or when they are walking in darkness, their adversary becomes more outrageous, and doubles the number and the force of his temptations. By deep and unperceived ways of working upon their infirmities, and fears, and corruptions, he throws into their minds one evil suggestion after another, attacks their faith of the existence and providence of God, casts a cloud upon the truth of the scriptures, and the love and glory of Christ, and raises doubts and suspicions of delusion concerning the operations of the Spirit in their souls. Under these outrages of temptation, some of them have been in great perplexity, and almost reduced to despair. "I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters,

"where the floods overflow me. For the enemy hath per "secuted my soul, and smitten my life down to the ground; "he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those who have "been long dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed "within me, my heart within is desolate."

Thirdly, Desertion and love are not inconsistent. When every external testimony of complacency in his person and work was withheld, the Son of God continued to be the object of his Father's love; and his brethren are not separated from the love of God, when the outward evidences of their interest in it are withdrawn. "For a small moment "have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I ga"ther thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for "a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mer"cy upon thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer. For this is "as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that "the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so "have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor re"buke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the "hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from "thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, "saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Notwithstanding these ratified assurances, weakness, and frequently foolishness, breaks out among his brethren under desertion. When external evils are inflicted, and sensible comforts are removed, an outcry is raised as if the rainbow were not to be seen round about the throne, and as if another deluge were to be apprehended. The holy man affixes a Nota of infirmity to his rovings, and records them for our warning: "Will the Lord cast off for ever, and will he "be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever, "and doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God for"gotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his ten❝der mercies? And I said, This is mine infirmity."

Fourthly, Relations of the covenant are not dissolved in desertion. The relation of the Lord our Righteousness to the Father, as his Only Begotten Son, is the glory of his person, and peculiar unto himself. This relation necessarily subsisted on the cross, and could not be affected by desertion. But his relation to him as his chosen and righteous Servant, also subsisted in full vigour; and, knowing it to be subsisting, the Object by whom he found himself forsaken is claimed, "My God, my God." Under the

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