accomplishment of that prophecy, " He was numbered with the transgressors." But it was not only in what they did, that his enemies fulfilled the Scriptures ; they fulfilled them equally in what they said ; insomuch that, if they had been ever so desi- rous to conform to the prophetic writings, they could not possibly have fulfilled them more accurately or more minutely. David, personating the Messiah, tells us how his enemies "wagged their heads" at him; and then specified the very words which the chief priests and elders used on this occa- sion''. Now, if we consider how exactly this prophecy was fulfilled, and that there were a thousand years between the prophecy and its completion, we shall see that the most casual circumstances of our Lord's humiliation, no less than those which were more plainly determined, attest, beyond a doubt, the truth of his Messiahship.
Let it not be thought, that the notice of these things is a needless repetition. It is by an appeal to prophecy that the Apostles prove the divine mission of their Lord ; and there- fore, the more fully we mark the accomplishment of Scripture in him, the more abundantly shall we be confirmed in the faith of the Gospel.]
Let us then learn from hence,
1. To beheve in his name —
[It is not a mere assent to the history of the Gospel that we mean to recommend, but a belief in Jesus as the Saviour of the world. Many consider his death as nothing more than a confirmation of his doctrine ; but if he died only to confirm his doctrine, his descent from the cross would have been a stronger confirmation of it than his death. It was as an atoning sacrifice that he died ; and therefore his death was indispensable for the completion of his mediatorial work : and it is in this vieiv that we call upon you to believe in him. Consider all this contempt and ignominy as endured for you, as " the chastisement of your peace," and as the appointed means of rescuing you from "everlasting shame and con- tempt " ]
2. To follow his steps —
[Our Lord has taught us to expect the same treatment which he himself received. Indeed, it is reasonable to sup- pose, that " if they called the Master of the house Beelzebub, much more will they those of his household." How then on such occasions should we behave ? We answer. That he has purposely '* set us an example, in oi'der that we should follow his steps •=;" and that therefore, whatever we may be called to
b Ps. xxii. 6—8. ••• 1 Pet. ii. 21—23.
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endure, we should " possess our souls in patience ^," " not rendering- evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing*^." This is the express command of our adorable Saviour '^i and the nearer we can resemble him, the more will he be glorified in us. I know that we are apt to plead our weakness and irritability as an excuse for our impatience : but this is no excuse : it only shews how unlike we are to our blessed Lord, and how much we need both his mercy and grace. Paul was a man of like passions with us ; and he tells us how he demeaned himself on such occasions ; " being re- viled, we bless ; being persecuted, we suffer it ; being defamed, we entreat^." Let us remember then, that " the grace of Christ is equally sufficient for us ;" that " through his strength we can do all things ;" and that the greatest " ornament we can have on earth, is that of a meek and quiet spirit''.*']
•1 Lukexxi. 19. Jam. i, 4. e j Pgt. Hi. 9.
f Matt. V. 44. fe' 1 Cor. iv. 10—13. '> 1 Pet. iii. 4.