Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

2. Look up to him that hangs upon it, contemplate the death of Jesus Christ, consider seriously and sadly his bitter shameful, painful sufferings: Much hath been said, only here draw it into some Epitome: As, 1. Consider who he was. 2. What he suffered. 3. Why he suffered. 4. For whom he suffered. 5. For what end he suffered. 6. With what mind he suffered: Every one of these will make some discoveries either of his Graces, or of his gracious actings in our behalf; and who can tell how far this very Look may work on us to change us, and transform us into the very image of Jesus Christ?

3. Let us humbly bewail our defect, exorbitancy, irregularity, and inconformity either to the graces, sufferings, or death of Christ. As thus; Lo here the profound humility, wonderful patience, fervent love, abundant mercy, admirable meekness, constant obedience of Jesus Christ! Lo here the tortures, torments, agonies, conflicts, extreme sufferings of Christ for the spiritual, immortal good of the precious souls of his redeemed ones: Lo here the death of Christ, see how he bowed the head, and gave up the Ghost! why these are the particulars to which I should conform: But Oh alas! what a wide, vast, utter distance, disproportion is there betwixt me and them? Christ in his sufferings shined with graces, his graces appeared in his sufferings, like so many stars in a bright winter's night; but how dim are the faint weak Graces in my Soul? Christ in his sufferings endured ⟨p. 408⟩much for me, I know not how much; by thine unknown sorrows and sufferings felt by thee' but not distinctly known to us (said the ancient Fathers of the Greek Church, in their Liturgy) have mercy upon us, and save us; his sorrows and sufferings were so great, that some think it dangerous to define them; but how poor, how little are my sufferings for Jesus Christ? I have not yet resisted unto blood, and if I had, what were this in comparison of his extreme sufferings? Christ in his sufferings died; his passive obedience was unto death, even to the death of the Cross: he hung on the Cross till he bowed his head, and gave up the Ghost;