SECTION LIII.

Chap. xv. ver. 27–38.

CHRIST'S DEATH.

27. And with himn they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.

28. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

Christ was numbered with the transgressors; that we might be numbered with the children of God.

29. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

30. Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

They thought this was a sure proof that he was not the Christ, the Saviour of the world, because he did not save himself. How blind is man! It is a thousand to one but that we should have thought then just as they did. But his death was our life, his cross our crown. We know this now; let us not come short of it, but trust in the merits of his death, and crucify that sin in ourselves, which crucified him.

31. Likewise also the chief priests mocking, said among them. selves, with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

32. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

Our blessed Saviour endured these cruel taunts and reproaches on our account: let us be willing to bear reproach for him, and not be ashamed of him and of his salvation. -Edit.

33. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

This darkness shadowed forth that darkness which Christ sustained in his own mind.

34. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

So many a poor sinner cries out, when God withdraws himself from him, though he is not actually forsaken any more than Christ was. Learn from hence how dreadful a thing it will be to be finally forsaken of God. How shall we be able to endure separation from him in the darkness of hell, when Jesus thus cried out for being forsaken of him but a little time?

35. And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.

They wrested his words in scorn; and meant that he might call long enough before Elias would come to take him down.

36. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.

The providence of God, by the influence of human motives, caused them to cease from troubling the Saviour any further. Let us see that providence in our own behalf, and thank God that his kingdom rules over the hearts of the wicked at all times.--Edit.

37. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

His loud voice showed that his life was whole within him; and that this was a cry of joy and triumph, for having finished his sufferings on our behalf. He gave up the ghost, of his own accord. The Jews could not have taken his life from him, if he himself had not spoken the breath out of his body. And who but Christ, the Son of God, could have done this? According to our faith in his death, and the use we make of it, we live or die for ever.

38. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

This was intended to show the end of the Jewish peculiarity; and that henceforth all nations should have access to God.

SECTION LIV.

Chap. xv. ver. 39-47.

CHRIST'S BURIAL.

39. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.

To say this, in truth, is to possess saving faith. This great truth is never revealed savingly to us, though we hear ever so much of it outwardly, till the Spirit sets it home upon our hearts.

40. There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

This is mentioned to the praise of these women, and for our imitation. They had followed him, and ministered unto him in his lifetime, and did not forsake him in his death, when all the disciples, except St. John, fled from him.

41. (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him ;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.

Their names are not only in the scriptures, but in the Book of Life.-Edit.

42. And now when the even was come, ration, that is, the day before the sabbath,

because it was the prepa

43. Joseph of Arimathæa, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

True faith is here described by waiting for the kingdom of God, that is, believing, expecting, and preparing for it. Such a faith will make us bold for Christ.

44. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

45. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

46. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

47. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.

Let this be the use and improvement of all our knowledge of Christ; let us so live, as not to fear death. Christ has by his death taken out the sting of it, and triumphed over it, not for himself, but for our sakes. If we live members of Christ, and die in the habit of well doing, and in the faith of Christ, the grave will give us up again as it did him, to our everlasting happiness. Lord grant that our faith in thy sight, may never be reproved. O Jesus, live in us, that we may die unto thee, and live with thee for ever in heaven. Amen.

In Christ's death, let us read the guilt and condemnation of sin. Sin unpurged, must have punishment, not only in this life, but in the next. Consider, how plain this is from Christ's sufferings for it. If the justice of God could have been satisfied with the punishment of it in this life, the sinner might have suffered for himself. But the desert of sin is eternal torment; and from that nothing but the death of Christ could deliver us. Believe this steadfastly, and that Christ, the Son of God, with his own pains and sufferings, has ransomed you from the eternal pains of hell,

and then your hearts will be with him. You will see the greatness of your danger, and the magnitude of your deliverance, in the riches of his love; and think it your duty and safety to live to him that died for you. This is the right knowledge and improvement of the death of Christ. And whatever you do, think only of your sins; and that Christ died for them, as much as if there had never been another sinner in the world. You lose all by not bringing the matter home to yourselves. Christ can do nothing for you, till you know assuredly, by conviction from the Holy Spirit, that your own sins crucified him.

SECTION LV.

Chap. xvi. ver. 1-8.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS DECLARED TO THREE OF HIS FEMALE DISCIPLES.

1. And when the sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

This they did to show their love and respect to Christ. These were good hearts. Never talk of your's, till Christ is in them. Do you love him so well, as to be at any cost for him? A small offering for his sake, and from faith in the heart, will be precious in his sight.

2. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

The first day of the week is now the Christian sabbath; the day being changed from Saturday, the Jewish sabbath, to Sunday, because the latter was the day of Christ's resurrection, and therefore, ever since, called the Lord's day. Do you ever think of this on the Sunday, and ask whether you are risen with Christ, so as to set