L

The Epifle. Phil. 2. 5.

ET this mind be in you, which was also in Chrift Jefus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the 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. ‡ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jefus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue fhould confess that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

W

The Gospel. S. Matth. 27. 1.

HEN the morning was come; all the chief priefts and elders of the people took councel against Jefus, to put him to death. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of filver to the chief priests and elders, faying, I have finned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they faid, What is that to us?. fee thou to that. And he caft down the pieces of filver in the temple, and departed, and went ||and hanged himself. And the chief priest took the filver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treafury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counfel, and bought with them the potters field to bury

Let this Mind be in you, &c. Since Chrift Jefus, who was the Brightness of his Father's Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Perfon, defigned to make himself of no Reputation, and to fuffer death upon the Crofs for our falvation: We ought to think no condefcenfion to low, no Office too mean that may ferve to advance the good of our Fellow Creatures, and promote the fame glorious end.

Wherefore God alfo bath highly exalted him, Sc.God hath rewarded this unparallelled act of Obedience in Christ, by advancing his human Nature to univer,

fal Dominion. That all Nations fhould acknowledge, him as their King, and by fubmitting to his Laws and Government, promote the Glory of God the Father; who delights to be honoured in the Belief and Ob.dience, paid to his bleffed Son and his Gofpel.

And hanged himself. A miferable example of the fatal effects of Covetoufnefs, and a standing monument of God's vengeance; which should deter mankind from facrificing confcience to worldly gain; for which this Wretch betrayed his Mafter, Friend, and Saviour, and caft away his own Soul.

ftrangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood unto this day.Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, faying, And they took the thirty pieces of filver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Ifrael did value, and gave them for the potters field, as the Lord appointed me.) And Jefus ftood before the governor; and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And Jefus faid unto him, Thou fayeft. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, § he answered nothing. Then faith Pilate unto him, Heareft thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word, infomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. *Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate faid unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jefus, which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was fet down on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: † for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders perfuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jefus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They faid, Barabbas. Pilate faith unto them, What fhall I do then R

:

He answered nothing. Jefus might perhaps de- innocent perfon, is a lively reprefentation of the delicline making a public Defence for himself, left the com- verance of mankind, who were rebels against their Cremon people, moved by his arguments, fhould ask his ator, from the bondage of Sin and Satan and the Sareleafe, and prevent his death, Befides, the grofs falf-viour of the world, who was without spot or blemish hood of the accufation, known to all the inhabitants being given up to death in their stead. of Galilee, rendered any reply needless.

Now at that Feast the Governor was wont, &c. The Paffover is the Feast meant here. And as it was kept in memory of the Jews' releafe from Egyptian Bondage; fo the cuftom of fetting a prifoner at liberty on that occafion, was a very proper Emblem of their Deliverance. But the circumftance, at this time, of Barabbas, a vile rebel, being preferr'd to Jefus an

↑ For I have suffered many things this Day in a Dream. Perhaps it prefaged the vengeance of God purfuing her Husband and Family, on account of the injuftice he was going to commit. But whatever it was, Pilate, (as Jofephus relates) was afterwards banished by the Roman Emperor Vitellius, to Vienne in Gaul, where he laid violent hands upon himself.

with Jefus, which is called Chrift? They all fay unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor faid, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, faying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate faw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, faying, I am innocent of the blood of this just perfon: fee ye to it. Then anfwered all the people, and faid, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then releafed he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jefus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the foldiers of the governor took Jefus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of foldiers. And they ftripped him, and put on him a fcarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, faying, Hail, king of the Jews. And they fpit upon him, and took the reed, and fmote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: * him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, A place of a scull, they gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall: and when he had tafted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, cafting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vefture did they caft lots. And fitting down, they watched

His blood be on us and on our Children. The -weight of this Imprecation lies heavy on that nation to this day, by the destruction of their city, and their miferable difperfion into all parts of the world.

§ Then the Soldiers of the Governor, &c. &c. Who can read the following fcence without horror? Who can reflect that the Son of God was thus fcourged, arrayed like a Fool and an Impostor,-his head wounded with prickly Thorns whofe injuries were increased by the blows of an heavy Eastern Reed-that he was mock

ed, fpit upon, and ftruck by an impious rabble-I fay, Who can reflect that the Son of God endured fuch things for his fake, and will not hate and abhor his Sins which were the occafion of it? And, on the contrary, who must not fervently love him, who thus loved us, and gave himself for us?

Him they compelled to bear, &c. They did this, however, not out of compaffion to Jefus, but for fear he should die under the fatigue, and thereby elude his intended punishment.

him there; and fet up over his head his accufation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him: one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that paffed by, reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, fave thyfelf: if thou be the son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, faid, He faved others, himself he cannot fave: + if he be the King of Ifrael, let him now come down from the crofs, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he faid, I am the Son of God. The thieves alfo which were crucified with him, caft the fame in his teeth. Now from the fixth hour there was darkness over all the land, unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jefus cried with a loud voice, faying, Eli, Eli, lama fabacthani? that is to fay, My God, my God, why haft thou forfaken me? Some of them, that stood there, when they heard that, faid, This man calleth for Elias. And ftraightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The reft faid, Let be, let us fee whether Elias will come to fave him. Jefus when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghoft. And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of faints which flept, arose, and came out of the graves after his refurrection, and went into the holy R 2

If he be the King of Ifrael, &c. They fcoffed at the Miracles by which he demonftrated himfelf to be the Mellah, and promised to believe in him on condition he would prove his pretenfions by coming down from the crofs. Though nothing could be more falfe and hypocritical: for they continued in their unbelief, not. withstanding Jefus raifed himself from the dead, which was a much greater miracle than his coming down from the Cross would have been. But, alas! their condition al profeffions of Belief were a mere infult.

And many Bodies of Saints, &c. It should feem, as if these Saints were Difciples, who had died but late. ly. For when they went int the city, they were known by the perfons who faw them; which could not well have happened, had they not been their cotemporaries. By their refurrection it was demonfirated that the power of Death and the Grave was broken; and an earne given of a general Refurrection from the dead.

city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jefus, faw the earthquake, and thofe things that were done, they feared greatly, faying, Truly this was the Son of God.

WHO

Monday before Eafter.

For the Epiftle. Ifai. 63. 1.

'HO is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his ftrength? I that speak in righteoufnefs, § mighty to fave. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? I have trodden the wine-prefs alone, and of the people there was none with me: *for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought falvation unto me, and my fury it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. +I will mention the loving kindneffes of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness towards the house of Ifrael, which he hath bestowed on them, according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his

§ Mighty to fave. In this Portion of Scripture Jefus Christ is reprefented to us, by the Prophet, as a Conqueror returning bloody from battle: and herein we are led to contemplate the hardships, and the fuccefs, af that combat with the enemies of our fouls, by which he brought Salvation to Mankind. The account of which is given by way of Dialogue.

I have trodden the Wine-prefs alone. That is, none lefs than He who undertook it, was thought proper to procure fo glorious a deliverance for us.

* For I will tread them in mine anger, &c. Nothing can be more magnificent and fublime than this defcrip

tion of Chrift taking vengeance upon his Adversaries: which fhould make every Sinner tremble to provoke the divine difpleasure. For though God is Long-fuffering and of great Goodness to thofe that fear him: yet to his enemies he is, indeed; a consuming fire.

I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord,. These are the words of the Prophet. And if he thought there was fo much reason for thankfuluefs to God for the care he had always taken of his people Ifrael; how much more cause have we to blefs him for the victory which Jefus Chrifthas gained over our spiritual enemies, by his precious bloodshedding, and his glorious Refurrection