with the manhood in Christ, yet the Scriptures make this revelation to us; and from them it is that we learn, that the eternal Son of God did not merely swoon on the cross, did not merely suffer a suspended animation, but actually died, actually gave up the ghost, like any other man, and thus passed not only through this mortal life, but through the valley of the shadow of death for our sakes.

The Evangelists tell us two remarkable facts, by which we may be certain that our blessed Lord actually died on the cross. The first is, that on the approach of the sabbath-day, which " day was a high day," the Jews, lest it should be profaned should the bodies of those who were crucified be suffered to remain on the cross on that day, besought Pilate to permit the legs of the crucified to be broken, to prevent the possibility of their being restored to life, and that they should be taken away. It would appear that this was no unusual practice; permis

1 John xix. 31.

sion was therefore given, and the soldiers proceeded to execute their purpose. They brake the legs of the two thieves; but when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was so evidently dead, that they did not think it necessary to take the trouble of breaking his legs. It was a remarkable fact, because they thereby not only shewed their belief that he was dead, but they also fulfilled an important prophecy. It was one of the injunctions respecting the paschal lamb, "Thou shalt not break a bone of it." It was then no accidental cause which bade the soldiers break the legs of the other two, or spare our Lord's; it was ordered by Him who knoweth all from the beginning, whose eye neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.

Had the story ceased here it would have been sufficiently observable, but yet another proof was given of his death, and another prophecy fulfilled. Although satisfied of his decease, yet as it were to make assurance sure, one of the sol

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1 Exod. xii. 46.

diers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water1." From the appearance of the water anatomists argue that the region of the heart was invaded; and St. John speaks of this circumstance as something to be remembered, of which he himself was an actual eye-witness. From thence we learn that a wound was inflicted, which of itself was mortal, and moreover, by that seemingly accidental and unpremeditated occurrence, was another prophecy respecting the Messiah fulfilled, "They shall look on him whom they pierced 2."

Thus have we every proof which we ought reasonably to desire, that Jesus: Christ actually died. And in this situation, deserted by his frightened and dispersed companions, did he hang on the cross. But there were, at this time, two men, and they among the higher orders of the Jews, who were not ashamed of owning their attachment to him, from whose lips they had heard wisdom, and

1 John xix. 34.

2 Zech. xii. 10.

had learned the way to life eternal. Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor, and Nicodemus, a Jewish ruler, obtained from Pilate permission to remove the body; and with such hasty rites as the time allowed, buried it in a tomb belonging to the former, which was near the place of crucifixion. Over the tomb the Jews contrived to place a guard of soldiers to prevent the surreptitious removal of the body; and it would seem that all who had interested themselves in this event departed home, satisfied that the pretensions of Jesus to be the Messiah, were for ever set at rest; the one party with savage exultation, the other overwhelmed with grief and disappointment. That this latter was the feeling entertained by the disciples, we have assurance from their own mouths: "We trusted," said two of them as they journeyed to Emmaus, " that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel1." which hope it appears by his death they

had lost. The triumph of the enemies of their Lord, in their eyes appeared complete; the overthrow of their long expected kingdom, and of all the exalted wishes and thoughts which they so long had cherished, seemed entirely accomplished.

To account for this total despair on the part of our Lord's followers, we must take into consideration that opinion (to which in our preceding discourses we have often had occasion to allude) which they held in common with all the Jews, that Messiah's kingdom was of this world. So deeply implanted in their minds were their prejudices, in this respect, that not the repeated assurances of their Lord that he must be crucified, nor his promises that he would rise again, appear to have had any effect on their understandings. It seemed to them so revolting, that their great King should ignominiously be put to death, that they thought it impossible, and in that opinion of its impossibility, they overlooked his assertions of his resurrection, which as depending upon