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forth from the Jewish religion, which was at that time extremely corrupt, and all its outward ceremonies, which were superseded by Christ. He exhorts the converted Hebrews, that they would no longer adhere to types and shadows; but, relinquishing the Jewish worship, to acknowledge Christ to be the only High Priest, and his sacrifice the only sacrifice of atonement. He further advises them to appropriate that propitiatory sacrifice to themselves by faith unto salvation, though they might on that account be partakers of the reproach of Christ. By going forth unto Christ without the camp, the Apostle also exhorts us to depart from all the sinful ways of the world, which do not agree with our profession, as followers of a crucified Saviour. Let us therefore refrain from a conformity with the world, which lieth in wickedness. Let us depart from the company of the wicked, where the blood of the Son of God is trampled under foot. Let us go forth from the Sodom of carnal pleasures, wantonness, intemperance, &c. which are by no means consistent with our holy profession. Let us go forth to Christ, that we may bear his reproach, and be partakers of his sufferings. Though the world should ridicule us, and look down on us with contempt; though we should be numbered among transgressors, and condemned to an infamous death; Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, has already sanctified these hardships by his sufferings. To those who believe in him, and suffer for his name, Christ has made reproaches, racks, and tortures, as it were, the steps by which they ascend to the mansion of glory. It must therefore be our fixed resolution, rather to die with him on Golgotha, than deny his truth, and be ashamed of his reproach. For unless we are willing patiently to take upon us his reproach, we shall not be partakers of his everlasting glory. May the Lord Jesus of his infinite grace grant us such a temper.

II. We come now, in the second place, to consider the preparation that was made for the crucifixion of

the Lord Jesus. This was done by giving him a very disagreeable and bitter potion; and here we shall take notice of the behaviour of the soldiers on one hand, and of the Lamb of God on the other.

As for the soldiers, they were full of insolence and cruelty. For, after they had with great difficulty brought the blessed Jesus to Mount Golgotha, who was now wearied and quite spent; they endeavoured, while some of them erected the cross, to force him to drink a bitter potion which they had carried with them

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for that purpose. It was customary among the Jews to give those who were to suffer a violent death, a rich cordial of wine mixed with all kind of spices, to drink just before they were executed. This custom might be derived from these words of Solomon: strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of heavy heart; let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more,' (Prov. xxxi. 6, 7.) The Jews used to put a grain or two of frankincense in this liquor, in order to intoxicate the malefactor's senses, that he might be the less terrified at the apprehensions of the cruel death he was going to suffer, and be rendered less sensible of the pains of it. This Jewish custom was here so far observed, that a certain liquor was offered to Jesus to drink before his crucifixion; but even this indulgence was likewise inhumanly abused, for, instead of a cordial, the liquor offered to Christ was extremely bitter, loathsome, and distasteful. According to St. Mark, it was wine mingled with myrrh, and St. Matthew calls it vinegar mingled with gall; for in mixing this liquor they used sour wine, little different from vincgar, and by dissolving myrrh in it, had made it so bitter, that by the taste one would have taken it for a mixture of vinegar and gall. Whether the Jews themselves mixed this liquor, or whether the Roman soldiers did it at the instigation of the Jews, it betrays the most inveterate malice and insatiable cruelty in our blessed Saviour's enemies, who even contrive to

embitter the last moments of his life by giving him this nauseous potion. They treated him on this occasion worse than the most notorious malefactor. For we do not find that any such liquor was offered to the two malefactors, who were crucified with Jesus.

But let us enquire how the Lamb of God behaved on this occasion. The Evangelists inform us, that • When he had tasted thereof, he would not drink; so that he received it not.' Thus he tasted this bitter nauseous draught, and permitted some drops to moisten his parched mouth; but he refused to drink up the bitter potion which was offered to him. At the same time, the hand of God restrained the brutal enemies of the blessed Jesus, so that they did not compel him to drink the mixture they had prepared for him.

But we are not to suppose that our blessed Saviour refused to take this cup out of mere delicacy, because the taste displeased him: He did it rather from wise and just motives. We have observed above, that such liquors were given to malefactors to drink, just before they were executed, with a double view; which was either to intoxicate the malefactor's senses; or to throw him into such a stupor, as to make him less sensible of the pangs of death; or perhaps to hasten his death, that he might be sooner out of his pain. But neither of the two last could take place in our blessed Saviour; and probably it was the least of his enemies' intentions to alleviate or shorten his pains. At least, he did not desire to lessen his sufferings; but was willing to feel them to the last instant of his life, and, for our good, to taste and swallow death in all its bitterness, (Heb. ii. 9.) He was induced by the most exalted love, to offer up himself to his Father amidst the most painful sensations, and voluntarily to lay down his life in the hour which he had appointed for it. The first motive to drink this potion was likewise incompatible with our blessed Saviour's character: For he was resolved to preserve his soul in so

berness and serenity, and not to die like an intoxicated slave of satan; especially, as he had still several important things to say on the cross, and many remarkable prophecies of Scripture to fulfil. At the same time, our blessed Saviour defeats the purpose of satan, which he thought to execute by means of these sons of Belial. It was their design to have deprived him of his senses, so that whatever he said might be indecent and foolish; that he might curse his enemies, behave like a frantic person. But this expectation of the devil and our Saviour's enemies, was baffled; for Jesus declined drinking the liquor, which had been prepared in order to make him an object of ridicule. These were probably the wise motives of our blessed Lord's behaviour on this occasion. Hence we may learn these truths,

1. It is the temper of the world to endeavour, that every thing may be embittered and rendered disagreeable to the members of Jesus Christ.

Of this we have a notorious instance in the behavi our of our Saviour's enemies. The men of this world cannot find it in their hearts to shew the smallest, and most usual kind offices, to the godly; and when there is an unavoidable necessity of so doing, they are very industrious so to embitter every indulgence shewn them, that the children of God shall be little the better for it. All their cordials are mingled with gall, and in all their consolations there is a large portion of vinegar; and even under the specious appearance of doing good, they endeavour to molest and afflict them. To this hardship the servants of God must inure. themselves; and they may be assured once for all, that, instead of any comfort from the world, all they have to expect is an increase of their reproach and misery. Their glorious chief fared no better; and therefore they are not to expect any other treatment. 2. Jesus Christ, by tasting the bitterness of this nauseous potion, was to expiate the voluptuous deli» d

VOL. II.

cacy of our taste, and to acquire for us a right to the taste of God's love and sweet consolation.

He did not indeed drink up this liquor; but he tasted it, and consequently experienced its bitterness. This bitterness is not only an emblem of the bitterness of sin, which is frequently compared in Scripture to gall, vinegar, wormwood, and other distasteful things; but of the curse and chastisement due to sin. Hence the Prophet says, 'Ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock,' (Amos vi. 12.) Hence the Scripture in another place attributes to God an intoxicating cup, the dregs of which all the wicked shall wring out, and drink them, (Psalm lxxv. 9. Isaiah li. 17.) The Lord also thus threatens sinners, by his Prophet; 'I will feed this people with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink,' (Jer. ix. 15.) The bitterness which would have been our eternal portion, our Mediator has once tasted, in order thereby to expiate all the sins of the penitent, to administer to them the sweets of Divine comfort at the hour of death, and to give them an antepast of eternal felicity.

Therefore, reflect ye, who still drink the intoxicating cup of Satan, what the blessed Jesus suffered to obtain for you a right to the grace of God, and his sweet consolations. Oh forbear thus greedily to drink iniquity like water, (Job xvi. 15.) which will cause woe and bitterness perhaps in this world, and in the next torture without end! be not afraid of the bitter myrrh of godly sorrow, which is far preferable to the false sweetness of sinful pleasures. Is it not better to mourn for a short time, than to grieve forever? Is it not better here to drink a bitter potion in the fellowship of Christ, and afterwards to be eternally exhilirated with the delights of paradise, than to be intoxicated with the cup of sin? as for you, who have tasted of the love of God, and the sweetness of his consolations, know that you owe this to the bit

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