against himself" must have been inexpressibly painful to his benevolent mind. He had come down from heaven to give his own life a ransom for them ; and was continually endeavouring to lead them to the knowledge of himself, that they might obtain salva- tion through him : he was working a series of the most stupendous miracles in confirmation of his word : he was labouring day and night for their sakes, making it his very meat and drink to accomplish the grand ends and purposes of his mission : yet, how were his labours requited ? they cavilled at his words, ascribed his miracles to Satanic influence, and rejected the counsel of God against themselves. How grievous must this have been to him, whose whole soul was bent on their salvation ! This caused him frequently to groan in spirit, and even to weep in the midst of his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But there were yet other sources of grief, more afflictive, if possible, than this. Whence arose his agony in the garden, when his body was bathed in a bloody sweat? Whence those " strong cryings and tears," with which he sup- plicated the removal of the bitter cup ? Whence the heart-rending cry, which he uttered on the cross under the hidings of his Fathers face ? Surely the vials of his Father's wrath were poured out upon him ; the debt which we had incurred, was exacted of him as our surety ; the penalty due to sin was inflicted on his righteous soul ; " the arrows of the Almighty stuck fast in him, and made his heart within him like melting wax." There was yet another thing which must of necessity greatly aggravate his sorrows ; namely, his perfect foresight of all that should come upon him. In mercy to us futurity is hid from our eyes ; so that, however great our calamities be, we are comforted with a hope, that our state will soon be ameliorated. He, on the contrary, saw the crisis gradually approaching, and knew the full extent of those miseries which he was about to endure. What but the most unbounded love could carry him forward under such a load as this ?
To the eye of sense indeed, this unparalleled