were out of joint; His heart also in the midst of His body was even like melting wax. (xxii. 14.)

His strength was dried up like a potsherd; and His tongue clave to his gums; and Thou didst bring Him into the dust of death. (xxii. 15.)

For many dogs were come about Him; and the counsel of the wicked laid siege against Him. (xxii. 16.)

They pierced His hands and His feet; He might tell all His bones; they stood staring and looking upon Him. (xxii. 17.)

They parted His garments amongst them; and cast lots upon His vesture. (xxii. 18.)

And why? For Thy sake He hath suffered reproof; shame covered His face. (Ps. Ixix. 7.)

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to His charge things that He knew not. (Ps. xxxv. 11.) They rewarded Him evil for good, to the discomfort of His soul. (xxxv. 12.)

In his adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the very abjects came together against Him, making mouths at Him, and ceased not. (xxxv. 15.)

With the flatterers were busy mockers; who gnashed upon Him with their teeth. (xxxv. 16.)

His lovers, and His neighbours, did stand looking upon His trouble; and His kinsmen stood afar off. (Ps. xxxviii. 11.)

They also, that sought after His life, laid snares for Him, and they that went about to do Him evil, talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long. (Ps. xxxviii. 12.)

As for Him, He was like a deaf man, and heard not; and as one that is dumb, who durst not open His mouth. (xxxviii. 13.)

He became even as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. (xxxviii. 14.) For in Thee, O Lord, did He put His trust, Thou didst answer for Him, O Lord, His God. (xxxviii. 15.)

O blessed Lord, and Saviour Jesus, how infinite was Thy love, in submitting to the evils and sufferings of our nature, for our sakes! How wert Thou despised, and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; men hid, as it were, their faces from Thee; but Thou didst not hide Thine own face from shame and spitting for them. Thy pains and agony in the garden. were inexpressible, when Thy soul was bowed down with sorrow, and heavy even unto death. And then Thou wast given up into the hands of wicked men, who thirsted for Thy blood, and who laid upon Thee all the contempt and indignities, that our nature could receive, and which our sins

had deserved. They arraigned and treated Thee as a malefactor; they condemned Thee to a public, a painful, and shameful death. They scoffed, and derided Thee; and the ploughers ploughed upon Thy back with scourges, and made long furrows. And then they dragged Thee to the place of death and torture, where Thou didst hang under long and piercing pains in Thy body; and in the hearing of the scoffs and taunts of insolent and ungodly people, to the wounding of Thy soul; and under the malice and persecution of both Jew and Gentile; for both which Thou didst offer up Thy sacred life, and pour out Thy most precious blood a ransom for their sins.

Who is able to conceive, or express, the anguish and desolation of Thy holy soul, when hanging upon the cross, Thou didst break out into that sorrowful and dismal expostulation, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" when Thy holy Father seemed to withdraw and turn the face of His heavenly favour from Thee, and left Thee for a while, destitute of the sense of the gracious and comfortable influences of His Holy Spirit to sustain and refresh Thy soul, under the weight and pressure of Thy heaviest sufferings.

O blessed Saviour, when I consider what Thou

hast undergone and suffered for my sake, can I think anything too much to do or suffer for Thee? Oh! let the sense of Thy infinite love to me overcome all the sinful softness and delicacy of my own nature, that I may cheerfully embrace pains and sufferings for Thy sake, in the prosecution of my duty; daily denying my own will and appetites their sensual cravings, and taking up my cross and following Thee!

Let the fire of divine love kindle, and for ever burn within my heart, and prevail over all my passions and affections, and possess every corner of my heart, every faculty of my soul, that I may be wholly Thine, for ever, and give up my life to Thy service continually. Never need I seek for other fuel to kindle and nourish that holy flame of love to Thee, than Thy scourges, Thy thorns, Thy reed, and Thy cross.

If I should spend my life in ease and softness, in luxury and pleasure, how unlike should I be to Thee, O holy and suffering Saviour! Thou wert made perfect through sufferings, Thou bringest Thy servants and Thy children through sufferings unto glory. Grant that I may so suffer with Thee, and for Thee, in this world, in a painful resisting and killing of my sinful lusts and affections, and crucifying the whole body of sin;

that at the last, I may be made like unto Thee ; and be admitted to reign with Thee in Thy glory, O blessed Jesus, who sittest at the right-hand of God, to reward all those that suffer for Thee, our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen.

DR. TILLY.

IV.

AN ACT OF PROMISE,

"THIS is the Blood of the New Covenant," the Gospel Covenant sealed by so precious a bloodshedding.

Remember therefore, O my soul, thou that art called to life by so sad a death, thou that art redeemed and set free from bondage by the service and sufferings of Jesus Christ, remember this thy renewal unto life, this liberty wherewith the Saviour has made thee free.

And art thou indeed, O my soul, within this holy and glorious Gospel Covenant? Consider, then, to what thou art bound, how sacred are thy obligations, how high thy privileges, and consequently how high thy duties. Think whereunto thou art called; think unto whom thou art brought,