do to him what they were not ordered, and to refrain from doing what they tvere ordered. If this also had not been done, our Lord's claim to the Messiahship had failed ; and equally so, if the spear, instead of piercing between the bones, had struck a rib. But there are no such things as casualties, where God's will is concerned : for though every person is a free agent in what he does, he acts no less certainly, than if God used him as an involuntary machine : " God's counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure e." The Scriptures had spoken these things, and it was not possible that " one jot or tittle of them should fail."]
The more minutely we consider this subject, the more important will appear,
II The instruction to be gathered from it —
Whilst the foregoing circumstances evince the universal agency of God's providence, they are parti- cularly suited to shew us,
1. What grounds we have for hope —
[The preceding circumstances fully establish the Messiah- ship of Jesus. But here arises a question; ' How do I know that he really died? I know that he was to " pour out his soul unto death1? but am I sure that he really died? I know that just before the time he was supposed to die, he spoke repeat- edly with so loud a voice, as clearly to prove that his strength was by no means exhausted: I know that " Pilate himself mar- velled at his being reported to be so soon dead:" am I sure then that he was not merely in a swoon? for if that were the case, all that he did and suffered can be of no avail for my salvation. If he did not die, he did not atone for sin : if he did not die, the story of his resurrection is false ; and, as the Apostle him- self has said, our faith is vain.' But, blessed be God ! we are not left to entertain any such doubts : for the officious malice of the soldier who pierced him to the heart, put it beyond a possibility of doubt. Had Jesus been in perfect health, this wound must have killed him instantly: and so publicly was it given, that amidst all the falsehoods invented by the Jews to justify their rejection of him, they never thought of saying that he did not die. Behold then, this point is clear : the Messiah was to die; and this person, to whom so many testimonies were given, did really die ; " he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The atonement then that was to be made for sin, was really made : the debt due for our iniquities was discharged : and since " He who knew no sin was made a
e Isai. xlvi. 10. f Isai. liii. 12.