acquainted with grief ;" " nor was ever sorrow like unto his sorrow :" " his visage was marred more than any man's, and his form more than the sons of men." How justly it might be said of him, that " the sorrows of hell encompassed him," we learn from his history : " Now," says he, " is my soul sorrow- ful even unto death." In the garden he was in such an agony, that he sweat great drops of blood from every pore. And on the cross he uttered the heart-rending cry, My God, my God ! why hast thou forsaken me?" In that hour all the powers of darkness were let loose upon him : and God himself also, even the Father, combined to " bruise him," till he fell a victim to the broken law, a sacrifice, " a curse™."
But speedily we behold his deliverances. Like David, " he cried to the Lord in his distress :" " he offered up prayers anc supplications with strong crying and tears ; and was heard, in tliat he feared"." In him the elevated language of the Psalmist obtained a more literal accomplishment : for at his resurrec- tion " the earth quaked, the rocks rent ;" and together with him, as monuments and witnesses of his triumph, " many of the dead came forth from their graves, and went into the city, and appeared unto many. O, what a deliverance was here ! " The cords of death were loosed" (it was not possible that he should any longer be held by them) : and he rose triumphant from the grave : yea, he ascended, too, to heaven, and was there seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high, all the angels and principalities and powers of heaven, earth, and hell, being made subject unto him. In comparison of this display of the Divine glory, the images referred to in this psalm were faint, even as a taper before the sun.
Then commenced his victories. Then was literally fulfilled that prechction of the Psalmist, " a people whom I have not known shall serve me ; as soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me°." No less than three thousand of his murderers were converted in the very first sermon : and soon his kingdom w^as established throughout the whole Roman Empire. This prediction is yet daily receiving a more enlarged accomplish- ment : thousands in every quarter of the globe are submitting themselves to him ; and in due season, all the kingdoms of the world will acknowledge him their universal Lord. The triumphs of David over the neighbouring nations, though signal, were nothing in comparison of those which Christ is gaining over the face of the whole earth : and he will " go on conquering and to conquer," " till all his enemies are put under his feet." O blessed and glorious day ! May " the Lord hasten it in his time ! "
"1 Gal. iii. 13. " ver. G. with Heb. v. 7.
" ver. 43, 44.