before his death, he had cried with a loud voice, manifesting thereby that he willingly surrendered up his soul, while his body was yet strong and vigorous : he had been witness to that supernatural darkness during the three last hours of our Saviour's life ; he had felt the earthquake at the moment of his de- parture from the body ; and by these, as well as other circumstances, he was convinced of Jesus' innocence, and exclaimed in the hearing of the people, " Truly this was a just man, this was the Son of God." Thus evident was it in the midst of all the obloquy that was cast on Jesus, that he was not stricken for any transgressions of his own.
Our iniquities were the true occasion of all the calamities that he endured. How far, and to what extent, he may be said to have suffered for the trans- gressions of those who shall never be numbered amongst " God's people," is a point not easy to deter- mine, nor at all necessary to inquire into. In some sense it is undeniable, he died for all, and was " a pro- pitiation, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world :" and if it be asked, who brought him from heaven ? who betrayed, condemned and crucified him ? we answer, We : the Jews and Romans were the instruments, but " our transgressions" were the true and only cause, of all his sufferings. Nor can the importance of this truth be more strongly marked than by the frequent repetition of it in this short chapter. Indeed, if this be not borne in mind, we may be affected with the recital of his history, as we should be with the history of Joseph, or any other pathetic story ; but we shall be for ever destitute of those benefits, which his vicarious sufferings were intended to impart.
Having explained the words before us, we shall endeavour,
II. To improve them —
We may well learn from them, in the first place, to guard against the effects of popular prejudice and clamour —
971.1 OUR lord's trial and execution. 381
Never was the power of prejudice so awfully mani- fest as on this occasion. The chief priests and rulers had only to raise an outcry against Jesus, and the unthinking populace adopted their views, and carried into effect their most inhuman purposes. It was quite sufficient to stigmatize Jesus with some oppro- brious name, and all his virtues were obscured, all his benevolent actions were forgotten ; and the common forms of justice were superseded for his readier con- demnation. Thus it is also at this day with respect to his Gospel. We profess indeed, as Christians, to reverence the name of Christ ; but there is precisely the same hatred to his Gospel in the hearts of carnal men, as there was to his person in the hearts of those who nailed him to the cross. His followers are now, no less than in former ages, " a sect every where spoken against." Some name of reproach is given them ; and that is sufficient to put every one on his guard against them, and to render them objects of general scorn and contempt. Their sentiments are misrepresented ; opinions and practices are imputed to them without any just foundation ; nor can any innocence of conduct, any excellence of character, any exertions of benevolence secure them a candid and impartial judgment. We easily see what ought to have been the conduct of the Jews, before they proceeded to inflict such miseries on our adorable Saviour : they should have compared his character with the prophetic writings ; and examined the evi- dences he adduced in support of his pretensions. Had they done this, they would never have " crucified the Lord of glory." Thus should we also do with respect to his Gospel. Instead of condemning it unheard, we should give it an attentive and patient hearing. We should then bring what we hear to the touchstone of divine truth, and, by comparing it with the sacred oracles, endeavour to ascertain how far it is worthy of our belief. Such conduct would be reasonable, even if the Gospel affected our happi- ness only in this present life : but when we consider that our everlasting salvation also depends on our