queftion, is very true. Thy words are, thou art a king; and I am free to fay that I am fo. To this end was I born, and for this caufe came I into the world, that I bear witnefs

is that good confeffe truth. (0) This

which faith he witneffed before Pontius Pilate, recommending it to his fon Timothy for his imitation. ( Here are two known characters of the Meffiah: for in the queftion of the high priest, Art thou the Chrift, the Son of God? Chrift (or Meffiah) and Son of God, feem to be ufed as equivalent expreffions; which we may fuppose to be the reason that in St. Luke's relation of the fame thing, it is only, Art thou the Chrift? (q) And that the Meffiah was to be a king, the Jews to this day agree with us, as widely as we differ in explaining the nature of his kingdom. Our Saviour, for wife reasons, had not openly and directly affumed the name and title of the Meffiab till now; but now that he was fummoned by the magiftrate to give witnefs to the truth, and no ill use could be made by the people of his owning himfelf to be a king (when his death would

His answer to the question of the high priest may be accounted for in the same manner.

(e) John xviii. 37. (p) 1 Tim. vi, 13.

(9) Luke xxii. 67.

convince them that his kingdom was not from hence, of a worldly and temporal kind, as he then told them) he no longer feeks concealment, but owns himself to be Meffiah the King, and the Son of God, though he was not ignorant that his fo doing could have no other effect than to haften his condemnation.

This our Saviour's conftancy to the death, which he bore with fo much meeknefs towards his enemies, and confidence in God; neither of which perhaps was. ever known in a deceiver in that dreadful hour, though they might be in one deceived; this, I fay, added to the miracles he had wrought, and the exemplary holinefs and goodnefs of his life, fhould make us think, when we are meditating on his death in this view of it, of the mighty confirmation which our faith in the divinity of our religion derives from hence. Would an impoftor, if it were poffible for fuch an one to put on the appearance of the moft unaffected fanctity, and of all other virtues, have been able to maintain it to the very laft, and in defence of a known falfehood? It cannot be. And therefore, when we fee Jefus Christ exemplifying his divine doctrine in his life (of which more prefently) and fealing it

with his blood, we may very well conclude, that for certain all things that John Spake of this man, or this man of himself, or his apoftles concerning him, are true. (r)

But the ufe we are more immediately concerned to make of this view of our Saviour's death as of a martyr, is to reflect on the reafonableness of his demands, that we should facrifice every thing for the truth's fake, not excepting life itfelf; which we muft hate, act ing after much the fame manner as if we did fo, or we cannot be his difciples. (s) In all this he requires no more of us than he practifed himself; which fhould put us in mind of the difpofition with which we fhould celebrate the memory of this glorious martyr; and bring us to refolve, with a humble reliance on heavenly aid, though I die for thee, yet will I not deny thee i though all men fhould be offended in thee, yet will I not be offended. That God, who knoweth the hearts of all men, knows, without putting it to the trial, whe ther we fhould adhere thus firmly to the cause of truth; and where he fees a preparation of mind and heart, will reward it; though not perhaps with the fame crown as that of actual martyrs, yet with a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

(7) John x. 41. (a) Lake xiv. 26.

SECT. IV.

III. WE may confider the death of Christ as that of our example. Generally they that are put to death by the public magiftrate, are fet forth as examples in another fenfe, viz. to warn and deter others from doing like them. But here is one, who, though treated under a form of juftice as the worst of malefactors, is yet proposed to us as an example of all virtue and good. nefs; of virtue calumniated, oppreffed, and perfecuted, yet ftill the fame. So we are told, that Chrift fuffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps. (1) In our bleffed Lord we have an example of the greateft difinterestedness, the moft ardent zeal and concern for the good of mankind, the most wonderful humility and condefcenfion that ever was, and a refignation and obedience to God without bounds; all which we are called upon to imitate, in thofe words of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Chrift Fefus who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made bimfelf of no reputation, and took on him the

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form of a fervant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (u) Could humiliation, submission, and obedi ence, be carried farther than this? Not my will, but thine, be done. (x) I come to do thy will; (y) to do it, by yielding myself to fuffer it. This was the lan guage of the bleffed Jefus; and as he fpoke, fo he acted. The command to love our enemies, to forgive them that injure us, and to pray for them that despitefully use us, and perfecute us, hath been reckoned a hard faying, an objection against Chrif tianity never to be answered. But by whom is this efteemed fo unreasonable? One would think only by fuch as have not read, or do not believe, or at best do not confider, the hiftory of our Saviour's paffion. Other answers might be returned; but, waving them, let us leave his example, particularly when he was on, the crofs, to filence this objection against his precepts:-Father, forgive them; for they not what they do: (z) the best ex cufe that could poffibly be made in their favour; and accompanied with a prayer, (u) Phil. ii. 5-8. (x) Luke xxii. 42. (y) Heb. x. 7. (2) Luke xxiii. 34.

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