sufferings, but to have originated entirely from a different cause; and that cause purely mental; as I shall have occasion further onward to explain.

2dly. Christ is expressly said to have made his Soul an offering for sin.

Isaiah liii. 19, When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin In the margin." When his soul shall make an offering for sin." In Lowth," If his soul shall make a propitiatory sacrifice." But if his soul was indeed the sin-offering, then the sufferings, which he underwent as an atonement for sin, were peculiarly the suf ferings of his soul; or mental sufferings. Accordingly, they are called the travail of his soul*:

3dly. The complaints of Christ in the 22d, 40th, 69th, and 88th Psalms, appear to indicate, that his sufferings were chiefly sufferings of mind.

Such, at least, is the impression, made on my mind by reading these passages of Scripture; an impression, resulting, not so much from detached parts, as from the whole strain, of the composition. To this mode of examining the subject I shall refer those, who hear me, for their own satisfaction.

4thly. The agony, which Christ underwent in the garden of Gethsemane, exhibits the same truth.

Christ, in this garden, had his sufferings in full view. The prospect was so terrible, that it forced from him sweat, as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground. At the same time, he prayed earnestly thrice, that, if it were possible, this cup might pass from him. it cannot. I think, be imagined, even with decency, and certainly not in any consistency with the character of Christ, as manifested elsewhere, that the mere prospect of death, even of a most cruel and bitter death, was so overwhelming to his mind, as to convulse his constitution in this manner, or to force from him such a prayer. Perhaps no person, under the mere apprehension of death, was ever agitated in an equal degree. Had it not pleased JEHOVAH to bruise him, there is no reason to believe, that he would have been anxiously solicitous concerning the utmost evils, which he could suffer from the hands

*He shall see of the travail of his soul, and bestfiena

67

of men. He had directed ever, is

their frailty, not to fear them, wh
that could do no more. I canno: be sure it
duct was not exactly conformec tes

5thly. Christ himself appear the deadli manner already specified.

In his exclamation on the cross, he cou
hast thou forsaken me' As the wais
I think, be believed to refer ur na
evil, here complained of, her freaks
guage of the Psalmist. God mu no Te

mistake not, withdrew from him who themse
preme complacency in his character au rost
ways before made. As this was russel

mony
of the divine anger agains: s. nature'
ed, and, I think, when we are informe tha & more.
to bruise him, directly declared, the Srce
festation was accompanied by other dischare t
God against sin, and agains him as the Susse

The views, and feelings, of one misc towns- avatu duce the highest sense of suffering

w

The esteem, and love, of Inteligentes a

most exquisite of all enjoyment: and are stora". probability necessarily, coveted more than any othe

approbation of our own minds. Thermer udite gra us, when they have opportunity of men

us, as to give room for being estremec and dinarily, the source of severe mortification. In pequenin they are more intelligent and worthy, their love and str more important to us, and more coveted by the l

of it creates in us more intense distress.

The complacency of God, whose mind is intuin, and whose disposition is perfect, is undoubtedly the first of al possible joyments. The loss of it, therefore, and the segment suffe ing of his hatred and contempt, are undoubtedly the evils, which a created mind can suffer; evils which will in all probability constitute the primary anguish, experienced in the gresitst world of woe. Omniscience and omnipotence are certainly abl