one almoft at his wits end; who / wrath for fin; and a clofe con knows not which way to turn, or /flict with the powers of darknefs. darknels fell upon him; which be- the multitude, which came to ap was come; and an hour of thick This is your hour, lays Chrift, to wha: to fay. But now the hour Satan was now let loofe Fan bis fore amazement; and cau- prehend him, and the power of fed him to cry out in an agony of darkness. He had, a little before, foul is exceeding for- told his disciples, that the prince rowful; and as he apprehended, of this world cometh; without

doubt, to affault him with his fieeee of that fcene of fufferings ry darts. And, who can tell, which would begin upon the ap- into what agonizing distress that proach of Judas, before, as at old ferpent, the devil, could throw that inftant; and often fpake of him, when freed from divine rethofe evil things, which he was to ftraint! fuffer from the hands of wicked

he had offered up prayers and fupplications, with ftrong crying and tears, unto him that was able to fave him from death; and was heard in that he feared.

This re

fers to thatagonizing prayer, which
our Saviour put up in the garden,
and repeated three times. God
heard him, i. e. granted him his
request, in that he feared. But if
the thing he feared, and which he
prayed might pafs from him, was
that cup of affliction, which would
be put into his hand by wicked
men, it does not appear that he
was heard.
For all thofe fuffer-
ings did come upon him, and in
the fame manner in which he ex-
pected them. The Evangelift,
Luke, tells us in what manner he
was heard chap. xxii. ver. 43.
There appeared an angel unto him
from heaven, ftrengthening him.
He feared, that if this cup of
overwhelming forrow was not re-
moved, or if no fpecial affiftance
was afforded him, his ftrength
would fail; he muft fink under
the weight of divine wrath, which
appeared to him intollerable. But
tho the rod of God was not remo-
ved, nor his fenfe of divine wrath
leffened; yet the ftrength which
he thus received from heaven, af-
forded him very feafonable fupport,
and relieved him from his painful
and overbearing apprehenfions of
immediate diftrefs.

It appears to me highly rational
to believe, that the Father's forfa-
king the fon of his love
; (of
which he complains, even as his
greatest affliction when on the cross)
his withholding all fenfible divine
fupport and confolation, and give
ing him a heart-affecting and over-
bearing fenfe of his juft wrath for
fin, fo engaged his attention, that
he hardly thought of the cruel
treatment which he should foon re-
ceive from men, That this was

the cup which occafioned his agony, and threw him into a profufe bleeding. fweat, fo that his garments appeared as if died red; and into fuch an amazing horror and confternation, that he fcarcely knew what to say. In this state and with reference to the diftrefs, which he then felt, he prayed; and his agony ftill continuing and increafing, prayed more earnestly, for fome relief. That, if it were. poffible, i. e. any how confiftent with the defign of his coming into the world, and to that hour, the cup of which he was then drinking might be removed; or, fome fpecial fupport afforded him. If this is a juft view of our Saviour's agony and prayer, it will tend to fhow the ill-nature of infidel cants and reflections, as "That Chrift difcovered lefs fortitude, than many, who, in every age and country, have met with as dreadful trials, and with greater calmness; and that this illy agrees with the pretence, that his fufferings were of great neceffity and efficacy for the falvation of finners. That it intimates his willingness and even defire to give up the caufe, in which he was engaged, even tho the confequence thould be fatal to a world of finners."

CHRISTIANUS.

one almost at his wits end; who | wrath for fin ; and a clofe conflict with the powers of darkness. Satan was now let loofe upon him. This is your hour, fays Christ, tó the multitude, which came to apprehend him, and the power of darkness. He had, a little before, told his difciples, that the prince of this world cometh; without doubt, to affault him with his fiery darts. And, who can tell, into what agonizing distress that old ferpent, the devil, could throw him, when freed from divine restraint!.

knows not which way to turn, or what to fay. But now the hour was come; and an hour of thick darknefs fell upon him; which began his fore amazement; and cau-fed him to cry out in an agony of diftrefs, my foul is exceeding forrowful; and as he apprehended, even unto death. He had as clear a view of that scene of fufferings which would begin upon the approach of Judas, before, as at that inftant; and often fpake of thofe evil things, which he was to fuffer from the hands of wicked men. And tis hardly probable that a little nearer view of them fhould, at once, awaken all his painful apprehenfions, and have fuch a fudden and overbearing effect upon him.

But the strokes which were laid upon him by the hand of divine juftice, were ftill more overbearing. The Father now affumed the character of fupreme judge, calling for the fword to fmite the man, who was his follow. It pleafed the Lord (now) to bruise him, and to put him to grief; and to lay upon him the iniquity of us all. He was (now) made fin for us; was fricken, fmitten of God, and afflicted. None knows the power of God's anger. But we are fure that he can imprefs the mind with

Another thought is this. That the evil things, which our Saviour met with from his perfecutors (tho very grievous) did, perhaps, not greatly exceed what others have endured with calm fortitude. Some of his difciples have counted it all joy, when they fell into divers temptations; i. c. the most griev-fuch a fenfe of the evil nature and ous fufferings, for his name's fake. They had, it is true, the comforting prefence of God, which was denied him, and drew from him a bitter complaint, when on the crofs. But wicked men have endured from the hand of justice, very -heavy punishment, without fuch amazement. The two thieves fuffered with him the fame kind of death; tho' not with all the fame aggravating circumstances; nor does it appear, that they were foto cry earneftly to the Father, for overborne with the profpect.

But in the next place, it is apprehended, that the cup, which occafioned our Saviour's agony, and which he prayed might pafs or be removed from him, was a clear and heart-affecting fenfe of divine

ill defert of fin, as to fill it with that amazement and forrow, which will drink up all the fpirits. When therefore, our Saviour had this cup of divine wrath put into his hands, of which he could have no clear preconception, he was fore amazed and felt nature finking under it. This bitter agony, which far furpaffed any thing ever experi enced; or, that could be endured by a mere man, conftrained him

fome relief: That the cup might foon be removed, or fome ftrength afforded, which would enable him to drink what ftill remained. This interpretation feems to be confirmed by that in Heb. v. 7. Who, in the days of his flesh, when

he had offered up prayers and fupplications, with ftrong crying and tears, unto him that was able to fave him from death; and was heard in that he feared. This refers to thatagonizing prayer, which our Saviour put up in the garden, and repeated three times. God heard him, i. e. granted him his request, in that he feared. But if the thing he feared, and which he prayed might pafs from him, was that cup of affliction, which would be put into his hand by wicked men, it does not appear that he was heard. For all thofe fufferings did come upon him, and in the fame manner in which he expected them. The Evangelift, Luke, tells us in what manner he was heard-chap. xxii. ver. 43. There appeared an angel unto him from heaven, ftrengthening him. He feared, that if this cup of overwhelming forrow was not removed, or if no fpecial affiftance was afforded him, his ftrength would fail; he muft fink under the weight of divine wrath, which appeared to him intollerable. But tho the rod of God was not remo, ved, nor his fenfe of divine wrath leffened; yet the strength which he thus received from heaven, afforded him very feasonable fupport, and relieved him from his painful and overbearing apprehenfions of immediate diftrefs.

the cup which occafioned his agony, and threw him into a profufe bleeding. fweat, fo that his garments appeared as if died red; and into fuch an amazing horror and confternation, that he fcarcely knew what to say. In this ftate and with reference to the diftrefs, which he then felt, he prayed; and his agony ftill continuing and increafing, prayed more earnestly, for fome relief. That, if it were. poffible, i. e. any how confiftent with the defign of his coming into the world, and to that hour, the cup of which he was then drinking might be removed; or, fome fpecial fupport afforded him. If this is a juft view of our Saviour's agony and prayer, it will tend to fhow the ill-nature of infidel cants and reflections, as "That Christ difcovered lefs fortitude, than many, who, in every age and country, have met with as dreadful trials, and with greater calmness; and that this illy agrees with the pretence, that his fufferings were of great neceffity and efficacy for the falvation of finners. That it intimates his willingnefs and even defire to give up the cause, in which he was engaged, even tho the confequence should be fatal to a world of finners."

CHRISTIANUS.

A letter from a Chriflian friend to one who had great anxiety of mind for a time, but who foon became thoughtless.

T

DEAR SIR,

It appears to me highly rational to believe, that the Father's for faking the fon of his love; (of which he complains, even as his greatest affliction when on the cross) his withholding all fenfible divine HE laft time I faw you, your fupport and confolation, divine attention was taken up with ing him a heart-affecting and over- the ftate of your foul. You thought bearing fenfe of his juft wrath for the amusements, which fo pleafin, fo engaged his attention, that fing to young and vain minds very he hardly thought of the cruel unbecoming candidates for eternity. treatment which he should foon reSenfual pleafures, worldly honors ceive from men, That this was and wealth were of little value in.

giv

are

fo eager to obtain religious inftruction. You do not look upon fin fo ill-deferving, nor feel your condition to be fo dangerous. Younow fhun the company of ferious people, which you lately fought; and think religion to be of little im

your eftimation. You wasin fearch
of religious inftruction and peace
of mind. How engaged was you
to read and hear the word of God
and religious difcourfe! How
punctually did you attend to the
duty of fecret prayer! What guilt
you thought you incurred in rejec-portance.
ting Chrift by unbelief! As oppor-
tunity prefented, you enquired
of God's people, what muft I do
to be faved? You looked upon a
good heart as the pearl of great
price and the one thing needful. You
would then have given all your pof-
feffions and every enjoyment of life
to be reconciled to God and enti-
tled to his favor through the promi-
fes of the gospel. Being without
Christ and without God in the
world, you viewed yourself in a dan-
gerous and ruined condition.

Seeing the state of your mind and
your
folicitude concerning your fal-
vation, I entertained a hope that
your seriousness and enquiries would
iffue in your entire fubmiffion to
the will of God, and that hereaf-
ter you would live in newness of
life. For God most commonly
impreffes the minds of finners with
a fenfe of their danger and the im-
portance of vital religion, before
he gives them grace cordially to
embrace the Savior. Obferving
your ferious impreffions I was led
to hope that they would terminate
in your faving converfion.

You must therefore fupppofe my difappointment and forrow to be great, when I lately heard that your ferioufnefs proved to be like the morning cloud and early dew. I understand that you are no longer concerned for yourfelf, and yet have obtained no hope and give no evidence that you are a fubject of the new-birth. You mingle with the thoughtless and are thoughtlefs yourfelf. You are not fo careful to attend upon religious duties, nor

Your friend, when giving methis account of you, could not refrain from weeping in fear of the confe quences: And be affured, dear Sir, that my heart was deeply affected in hearing the relation, and I cannot but tremble for you, as I tenderly regard your Happiness.

My hopes of your faving converfion to the truth are now dead or very faint. God's fpirit does not always ftrive with men. When a perfon has been under great awakenings and deep conviction, and he becomes as ftupid and thought. lefs as ever, he has much reason to fear that God will let him alone, and fuffer him to go down to def truction. I fear, Sir, that this will be your unhappy cafe. For you have refifted the Spirit and he has has forfaken you : And from God's ordinary method of dealing with finners, you cannot be very fanguine in your hopes of his return. You have but little very reafon to expect it.

You having been fo much alarmed at your ftate and felt the importance of a reconciliation to God, and again become thoughtless and fecure; permit me, as a friend, to enquire the reafons of your prefent fecurity and indifference to religion. It cannot arife from rational hopes of falvation, for fuch hopes are always followed with the fruits of righteousness: And with watchfulnefs and diligent attention to our fpiritual concerns. A fhort time fince, you thought yourself a great finner: Are you lefs finful now than then? You confidered