But, this not being my purpose to insist on here, I shall leave the enlarging of it to every heart, as the Lord shall be pleased to enlarge them, in their meditation of it. Only, because, in experience, I have found the truth of one observation relating thereto, let me shortly give it.

Much of the cause, why many godly persons, who meditate and think much on the death of Christ, yet find very little right and true advantage by so doing, may be,—that the thing mainly looked at, is the tragical story of his death and sufferings. This is the chief use which the Papists, and many carnal Protestants also, make of Christ's sufferings, to meditate and set out to themselves the grievousness of them, so to move their hearts to a relenting and compassion to him, and indignation against the Jews for their crucifying of him; with an admiring of his incomparable love. And to get the heart thus affected, is by many counted to be grace; whereas, it is no more than what the like tragical story of some great and noble personage will work, and useth ordinarily so to do in ingenuous spirits, who read or hear of it,-yea, and that, oftentimes, though it be but in a way of fiction. This, when it reacheth no higher, is so far from being faith, or a thing any-wise acceptable in God's sight, is but carnal and fleshly devotion,springing from fancy, which is pleased with such a story. Such stories use to stir up principles of humanity in men unto compassionate love, which Christ himself, at his sufferings, found fault with, as being not spiritual nor raised enough, in those women, who went weeping to see him so handled: Weep not for me," says he; that is, "Weep not so much for this, to see me so unworthily handled by these for

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whom I die. But then, if it be inquired, What is it in Christ's passion, that should be most minded and looked to? Answer. The chief and main thing to to be looked unto, when the heart would rightly view and meditate on the sufferings of Christ, is, the end, meaning, and intent of God, and of Christ himself in his sufferings. It is the right consideration of this, eyed by faith, which draws the heart to rest on Christ; when it perceives, that his aim and end in suffering for poor sinners, so fully answers to what is its aim and desire,—to wit, that sinners might be saved. When it perceives, that Christ's heart was as full in this, to procure it, as the sinner's heart can be to desire it. This consideration, borne home on the soul, draws it to Christ, to rest on him; which all the considerations else, let the heart be as much enlarged and taken with them as may be, can never do; they, being but fruits of the flesh, can never produce so high an end. And the like may be said of human inventions, as crucifixes, lively representations of the passion of Christ, unto the sight of fancy, do exceedingly provoke men to such devotional meditations and affections. But, all they work is an historical faith, only an historical love and remembrance; and no other than such effects are produced in many, by reading the history of the Bible,-even in many, who are yet much against such crucifixes, &c. But, as God looks principally at the meaning of the Spirit prayer, Rom. viii., so doth faith look principally to the meaning of Christ in his sufferings. And as, in all other truths, a believer is said to have the mind of Christ, 1 Cor. ii. 16., so especially, he minds what was the mind and heart of Christ in all his sufferings; for, it is that in them which answers to his

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aim and purpose, namely, a desire to be saved from sin and judgment;-and, to effectuate this, was the very aim and end of God in sending Christ, and of Christ in suffering so cheerfully. [SEE APPENDIX, Z.]

Another lesson, which ordinarily the Lord useth to teach his children, by exercising them with the cross, is, that thereby they may be learning more soberly to think of, and less to engage their hearts unto, the things of a present world: so, commonly it falls out, that every rose we taste of here, has a thorn and prick under the leaf of it. And therefore, if, in every comfort of this kind that thou enjoyest here, there be some mixture of bitterness, some water amongst thy wine; mistake not, but look on it as proceeding from the wisdom and love of God to thee, thereby, not only to let thee see, by speculation but find from experience, how vain and empty the things of a present world are. So found he, that had the largest experience of them, Solomon, Eccles. i. &c. and from this, he is drawn to a good conclusion, xii. 13. Let us therefore consider the whole matter :"fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.'

Again, the exercise of the cross serves much for the increase and exercise of grace. Rom. v. 3, "Tribulation works patience," &c; and therefore says the Prophet, "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." Lam. iii. 27. The Psalmist found it so, cxix. 67, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word." In Heb. xii. 11, there is a remarkable expression respecting chastisements, or bearing the cross :-"No chastisement for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous,

afterward it brings forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby." Observe the word exercised; the cross affords fruit to none but to them that are exercised thereby, that is, whose daily exercise it is, to be under the cross. They that make the patient bearing of the cross their daily exercise, shall, doubtless, find grace much exercised and growing thereby.

But one might ask me, What I mean by the cross?—as sometimes my own heart did. Having considered, that the cross was not only of so much use and advantage, but so necessary to Christians, as that, without walking in this way of the cross after Christ, they could not come to the crown; I was sometimes putting this query to myself, What cross was I under? And indeed, it seemed to me, I was under none, having abundance of all earthly comforts; and though not in such measure as covetous hearts desire, yet I thought myself the more free of the cross in this, that I was satisfied with what I had, as not being much troubled with sickness, nor with poverty, nor with want of contentment in my wife, or children, or sisters, &c. And thus, it did not appear to me, what cross I was under, or how exercised thereby. I was sometimes not far from concluding my state to be, on this account, very dangerous;-for God deals so, not with sons, but with bastards, Heb. xii. 7, 8. The thoughts following oc

curred to me thereon.

First, that a believer may be much exercised, though he be under no such dispensation, as, to the world's eye, may appear a cross; yet may he be, in Christ's account, taking up his cross daily, when he is preparing for it. So is it well said to this purport,

That a Christian is always a martyr in action or in affection; that is, either actually under the cross, or preparing his affections so to frame with the cross, that he may contentedly undergo it, when it comes.— The consideration of that Scripture,-Job iii. 25, "The thing that I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me,"-afforded some help [on this point.] I considered, it is a duty for a believer, that would not be surprised with the cross, when he is enjoying earthly comforts in the largest measure, (as who could have them more than Job had,) then to be supposing that the time may come, wherein he may want all these things; and not only so, but the contrary evils ought to be provided for. So, it is evident, Job was doing; not only forecasting the want of what he was then enjoying, but greatly fearing the very height of that extremity to which he was reduced. This, rightly dwelt upon, may serve very much for the humbling of our hearts, who are so exceedingly short in such duties; and should make us also clearly see, why the cross is so scared at, and so impatiently borne, when it comes. We habituate not ourselves to serious thoughts of it, so are we surprised and confounded when it comes. But, happy is that man, who is daily habituating himself to such foresight; and, for the making of his purpose the more effectual, is sometimes abridging himself of the utmost extent to which he might go in the use of lawful pleasures; knowing that, without this, it is not possible he can escape going beyond bounds. And further, he will sometimes, for a season, deny himself the satisfaction of such a lawful comfort, wholly secluding himself from any use of it; being very sensible of the goodness of God in per