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CHRIST on the CROSS.
THESE merciful words of our bleſſed ⟨Lord⟩ and Saviour, might raviſh our Souls ⟨with⟩ raptures of joy, to think in what a ⟨most⟩ miſerable and wretched condition ⟨we⟩ were wallowing in by reaſon of ſin and ⟨wicked⟩ abominations, that we were dropping into hell ⟨and⟩ eternal deſtruction, for the gates of the ⟨bottomless⟩ lake ſtand open, and is like a devouring ⟨ſepulchre⟩ to receive us; but bleſſed be the moſt ⟨glorious⟩ name of the Lord of Hoſts, who has ſent us, ⟨out⟩ of his free grace and love, both a conqueror ⟨and⟩ a comforter, viz. Jeſus Chriſt the ſanctifier of ⟨our⟩ hearts, and the ſalvation of our ſouls.
Therefore, dear friends and Chriſtians, let ⟨us⟩ with fear and reverence give attention to ⟨the⟩ ſacred word of God, in which we ſhall find ⟨the⟩ birth of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, ⟨which⟩ is very mean and poor, and the place too bad ⟨to⟩ entertain the Lamb of God, which takes ⟨away⟩ the ſins of the world, Luke ii. 11, 12. ⟨Christ⟩ being thus born, and laid in a manger ⟨amongst⟩ oxen and aſſes, becauſe there was no room in ⟨the⟩ inn, it might, in the firſt place, perſuade us to ⟨be⟩ humble, and alſo bend our proud ſtubborn ⟨heart⟩ to the will and ſervice of God; for Chriſt ⟨our⟩ bleſſed Saviour, thought it no ſcorn or ⟨diſgrace⟩ to ly in a manger, to eat the bread and drink ⟨the⟩ water of affliction, to be buffeted, ſpitted at, ⟨reviled⟩, crowned with thorns, and crucified on ⟨the⟩ croſs, to ſhed his precious blood for the ⟨redeeming⟩ of our loſt ſouls; then ſhall we be made ⟨partakers⟩ of the covenant of grace, according to
