being tempted: "1 suffered not from the pain of resisting--that was easy--but from the presence of the Impure spirit, and the loathsomeness of sin presented to his imagination. All these things he was to encounter: nay, the conflict was already begun. And, with little sensible comfort from his Father, who can wonder that in his agony he prayed more earnestly? who can feel surprised at that mysterious sweat, "as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground?"-All these things, however, were not only done for our salvation, but also written for our instruction. Let us, therefore, endeavour to II. MAKE SOME PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS on the scene which has been brought before us. 1. Behold here the evil of Sin! Such sins, my brethren, as you and I have committed, were the sole cause of this Agony of the Son of God! Dream not of greater kinds of sin, as having had the largest share in producing this effect. Sins may be greater or less, as injuring human society; but, as offences against God, they are all equally offensivefor not the smallest of them could have been forgiven, without this awful agony endured by the Saviour. In it, therefore, as in a glass, we may learn to trace our own deserts. Certainly, if God's own Son was to make satisfaction, the very smallest sufferings would be exacted by the Justice of heaven; yet we find that nothing less than such a death, such unknown agonies, would suffice! Who then will say, that sin against God is a small matter? Nay truly, it must now be acknowledged as "an evil and bitter thing"-— -an infinite offence,which could require so awful an atonement. 1 Hebrews ii. 18. 2 Jeremiah ii. 19. 2. Let the Saviour's agony give Hope to the Sinner. He was to drink for thee the cup of woe; and surely he hath drunk it, even to the dregs. As far as he could, consistently with faithfulness to his Covenant with the Father, he declined it. But, even at his request, it was not " possible that the cup should pass from him."1 What then is the just inference? It is now not possible that they, for whom he drank it, should ever have to drink it for themselves. And who are they? All who, with a penitent and godly faith, believe in him. Come, therefore, with all thy sins, to the agonizing Saviour! Return by him to the God whom thou hast forsaken; and thou shalt find, that there is not one among all thy transgressions, which that sweat of blood did not wash away. 3. Take here an Example for the hour of distress. 66 Being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly." He was ever engaged in prayer; but never before, probably, with such intensity of supplication. To this scene the Apostle seems to refer, in the Epistle to the Hebrews." In the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered."? Is Let his example then be imitated by his disciples. "Is any among you afflicted? let him pray." 3 any one in an agony of grief-perplexity-apprehension-pain? let him “ pray more earnestly." Do not quit the throne of grace, even though your trial be prolonged. Say (with one, who "as a prince had power with God and prevailed"), "I will not let thee go except thou bless me. You shall be heard-in 1 Matt. xxvi. 39. 2 Heb. v. 7, 8. 3 James v. 13. 4 Gen. xxxii. 26-28. God's best time; and answered-in God's best way. For" shall not God avenge (or succour) his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you, that he will avenge them speedily."1 on you. 4. Let the Impenitent tremble at the Justice of God. This it was, that poured such woes on the head of our Redeemer: Sin "was exacted, and He was made answerable." But if you slight and refuse the redemption thus secured, a fresh demand will be made This will be "the condemnation that light came into the world, and you loved darkness rather than light, because your deeds were evil.”3_ And can you estimate the agonies which that condemnation will bring with it? See what the innocent Jesus endured, for imputed guilt alone! What then must you not suffer, for actual unpardoned sin! "If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"4-Verily there is no hope for the impenitent, who rejects the only salvation provided for sinners. "Of what sore punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith He was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people." 995 Think on these things, I entreat you; and may "God grant you repentance unto life! " 6 2 See Bp. Lowth's translation of Isa. liii. 7. 1 Luke xviii. 7, 8. 5 Heb. x. 29, 30. 4 Luke xxiii. 31. 6 Acts xi. 18. SERMON XIX. ACTS ii. 24.-Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. "BLESSED be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."1-In such words doth the Apostle Peter open his first Epistle. Always ardent and affectionate in the service of his Master while on earth, he looks back with undiminished satisfaction to the wonderful scenes which he had witnessed nearly thirty years before and it is observable, that the same event which had formed the subject of his discourse on the day of Pentecost, is still the ground of his hope when he begins to write to his scattered Christian brethren. For it is by him that the words of my text were uttered, on the day when he first stood up with the other Apostles, to preach the gospel of his risen Lord, "with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." After solemnly charging his hearers with the wilful murder of Jesus, he informs them that their malice has been defeated by his Resurrection. "God," saith he, "hath raised him up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."-Let us notice 11 Peter i. 3. 2 Peter i. 12. I. THE FACT HERE STated. "Him hath God raised up, having loosed the pains of death." In this statement, three distinct circumstances are brought before us. 1. That Jesus did experience everything which Death is able to inflict upon mortal man.-It was not, as some ancient heretics pretended, the mere appearance of death, but the reality, which he underwent. felt the pains of death;" agonizing pain from his wounds-burning fever, producing painful thirst-together with the absence of every thing that could alleviate those pains. And so fearful and rapid was the operation of his sufferings, that, of the three who were crucified together, he alone was dead, when the hour arrived for removing the bodies. And death had then full dominion over him. He was lifted down as a helpless corpse; carried by weeping friends to a cold tomb in the rock; rolled up in grave-clothes; and left in lonely and silent darkness. Here was death in earnest; proving clearly, that, whatsoever else he might be, he was a mortal man like ourselves-" bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh."-We are next informed, 2. That he was set free from the power of death, by being raised to life again.-To all human appearance, the hopes of his cause were for ever buried with him in the tomb. As long as he lay there, death did its full work upon him'; keeping his body in a profound and lifeless insensibility, and preparing shortly to reduce it to dust by gradual corruption. But at this point the power of death was broken. On the morning of the third day, the grave is robbed of its victory. The stone covering is rolled away by angel hands-and Jesus is again alive! "Death has no more dominion over him." He is raised, not as the widow's son at Nain-not as Lazarus, again to die |