SERMON XXXII. 441 him .groan indeed ; and offered strong cries and tears to heaven, that thecup of terror might pass from him. Ifever his courage seemed to fail him, it was in that agony in the garden, when he endured more than any mere man could bear. A formidable and adismal hour, when the Fatherhidhis facefrom him, and the powers of darkness fell upon him with angelic might and fury! But these are sorrows of atonement, which the saints are never ,called to suffer. And yet by secret divine supports, Jesus en- dured all these agonies, and upon the cross he triumphed not Only over the malice of men, but over principalities and powers of hell, and made an open skew of them ; Col. ii. 15. perhaps, before armies of the invisible world, and millions of applauding angels, Read the sacred advice ; Bch. xii. 1, 2, 3. Not only look ye, says the apostle, to the great cloud of witnesses that are gone before, but above all look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, and is set down at theright-hand of the throneof God. Consider him that endured such contra- diction of sinners against himself," that opposed a multitude, a legion, a world ofsinners, lest yebeweary and faintin yourminds, nor let your spirits sink while you behold his divine fortitude: Let such an illustrious scene animate your souls, and inspire the faintingbeliever with new courage. Consider, a'l. irdly, What youare; if you are christians,ye are soldiers of Christ, ye have already entered the lists, with all the powers of hell, and are ye afraid of man that is a worm, and the son of man that is a Worm ? Job axv. 6. Ye have ranged yourselves under the banner of the Redeemer, and the Redeemer's army must fight against all the armies of darkness and their allies. You have set up to oppose sin and Satan, two powerful enemies, and are ye afraid to be brow-beaten by a fellow-worm, one who is weak and mortal like yourselves ? Consider, Fourthly, If ye are Christians, what promises ofthe divine presence and help you have in the bible, and when the mighty Godhas given such divine encouragement; he chides his people into courage ; .Is. li. 12, 13. 1, even I am he that con,fortethyou: ?rho art thou, that thou shozddst be afraid of' a man that shall die, and ofthe son of man which shall be made as grass? Andfor- gettest the Lord thy Make)', that bath stretchedforth the heavens, and laid the foundations- ofthe earth? andhast fearedcontinually every flay, 'becauseof'thefitry of the oppressor? A generous and divine cordial to keep the soul from fainting ! The presenceof God is an effectual support. St..Paul found it so for when all mi'n' forsook him, the Lord stoòdbÿ and strengthenedhim ; 1 Tim. jv. lti, 17. Alas ! we are- poor, feeble, trembling soldiers, our
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