Part 206

But to proceed. The paschal lamb was further typical of CHRIST, its great antitype, in that it was to be killed in the evening, and afterwards roasted with fire. So CHRIST, our passover, was sacrificed for us in the evening of the world; only with this material difference, the paschal lamb was first slain, and then roasted; whereas the holy JESUS, the spotless LAMB of GOD, was burnt and roasted in the fire of his Father’s wrath before he actually expired upon the cross. To satisfy you of this, if you can bear to be spectators of such an awful tragedy, as I desired you just now to go with me to the entrance, so I must now entreat you to venture a little further into the same garden, But――stop――What is that we see? Behold the LAMB of GOD, undergoing the most direful tortures of vindictive wrath! Of the people, even of his disciples, there is none with him. Alas! was ever sorrow like unto that sorrow, wherewith his innocent soul was afflicted in this day of his Father’s fierce anger? Before he entered into this bitter passion, out of the fulness of his heart, he said, “Now is my soul troubled.” But how is it troubled now! his agony bespeaks it to be exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. It extorts sweat, yea, a bloody sweat. His face, his hands, his garments, are all over stained with blood. It extorts strong cryings and many tears. See how the incarnate deity lies prostrate before his Father, who now laid on him the iniquities of us all. See how he agonizes in prayer! Hark! Again and again he addresses his Father with an “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me!” Tell me, ye blessed angels, tell me, _Gabriel_ (or whatsoever thou art called, who wast sent from heaven in this important hour, to strengthen our agonizing LORD) tell me, if ye can, what CHRIST endured in this dark and doleful night; and tell me, tell me what you yourselves felt when you heard this same God-man, whilst expiring on the accursed tree, breaking forth into that dolorous, unheard-of expostulation, “My GOD, my GOD, why, or how hast thou forsaken me?” Were you not all struck dumb? And did not an universal awful silence fill heaven itself, when GOD the Father said unto his sword, “Sword, smite thy fellow?” Well might nature put on its sable weeds; well might the rocks rend, to shew their sympathy with a suffering Saviour: and well might the sun withdraw its light, as though it was shocked and confounded to see its maker suffer. But our hearts are harder than rocks, or otherwise they would now break, and our souls more stupid than any part of the inanimate creation, or they would even now, in some degree, at least, sympathize with a crucified Redeemer; who for us men, and for our salvation, was thus roasted, as it were, in the fire of his Father’s wrath, and therefore fitly stiled the LAMB of GOD.