feast and, without queftion, God will favourably look upon the failings of good men, and accept their fincere, though not perfect obedience. This, I hope, we have reason to allow but yet the common notion of fins of infirmity gains nothing by it; for let any one fay what is the fin of infirmity that all good men are guilty of. There is an imperfection which flows from the weakness of our prefent condition, and fhews itself, not regularly, but in various inftances. Many good Christians have complained of a coldness fometimes in their devotion, and of wandering and roving thoughts; which is, without doubt, one of those weaknesses that shall be forgiven to pious and fincere Chriftians. Will you then make this one of your fins of infirmity, an evil that carries its excufe always with it? Surely no: for, though it shall be forgiven fome, it will be an aggravation of the guilt of others, who have not the fame fincere obedience and good difpofition to plead in their excufe. Some are troubled with impious and blafphemous thoughts, unworthy conceptions of God and Chrift, and fuffer a prodigious torment and anxiety of mind because of them, who are objects of pity and compaffion both to God and man: and when this is the cafe of well-difpofed perfons, who are no ways confenting to them, there seems to be as little guilt in them, as in a fever or an ague.

Upon the whole then: fince there is fo little. reafon to depend upon this excufe, and fince all men in fome degree ftand in need of it, I will fhew you the way, and I know but one way, of entitling

ourselves to this plea, which is, by endeavouring fincerely and univerfally to obey the will of God; then fhall we be in the number of those, whose infirmities, for the fake of Chrift, fhall be forgiven.

DISCOURSE XLII.

ISAIAH liii. 3.

He is defpifed and rejected of men; a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief.

WHEN our Lord was led away to be crucified, and the women bewailed and lamented his mifery, he turned about to them, and faid, Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves. Words, which we may very properly apply to ourfelves for the direction of our devotion on this day of his crucifixion: a day it is of forrow and mourning, but not for his fake, who, crowned with glory and honour, is fet down on the right hand of the Majefty on high; but for our own, whofe fins brought down this load of wo and of mifery upon our bleffed Redeemer. If we confider with how unbounded a love he embraced us in our lowest state of weakness, and with how cool an affection we daily approach to him; how much he gladly endured upon our account, and how unwillingly we fuffer any thing upon his; if we reflect how earneftly he laboured to fave our fouls, and how carelefsly and wantonly we throw them away; what pains and forrows he underwent to perfect our re

demption, and to what empty pleasures we facrifice all his fufferings, and our own eternal happiness, it will fhew us where the true caufe of our grief lies, and how vainly we compliment our Lord, by venting our indignation against his ancient crucifiers, which ought to be spent upon ourselves, who are daily renewing his shame, and crucifying him afresh.

Whilft therefore I reprefent unto you this scene of wo, and endeavour to place before you this man of forrow, acquainted with grief, let every Chriftian heart fupply this neceffary admonition, All this he fuffered for my fake; then caft one look upon yourfelves, and fee how you have deferved all this love: this will teach you how to divide your affections, to admire and adore the unbounded goodness of your Redeemer, and to lament and weep only for yourfelves.

Many prophecies there are relating to our Lord, which regard only fome particular actions and circumftances of his life; but this in the text points at no fingle calamity that befel him, but is a general defcription of his condition during his abode on earth it begins at his cradle, and ends with his crofs, pursuing him in every step, and difcovers to us the Son of God through the darkest veil of forrow and affliction.

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world: in wisdom he ordained them all, and in mercy he has revealed fome of them to the children of men. How gracious was it in him to forewarn the world by the fpirit of prophecy of the mean appearance of their Redeemer, that their faith might be armed against the reproach and contempt