m

sufferings. For, immediately after this, " Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." This thirst was the natural consequence of his pains, and of that effusion of blood which was occasioned by piercing his hands and his feet. But, unless it had remained that the prophecy of the Psalmist should receive its " full completion, it was a circumstance on which he would have observed a majestic silence : such was his command over himself, and so attentive was he that not one jot or tittle of the prophets should pass away. "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar ;" the mean drink of the Roman soldiers; and one of the bystanders filled a sponge with vinegar, and placed it upon a bunch of hyssop, and by means of a reed advanced it to his mouth. "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished :" The prophecies concerning me, antecedently to my death, have had their accomplishment: I have finished my laborious and painful course I have thus far performed thy will, O God. Immediately after this, he expired with words expressive of a perfect reliance on God, and a firm persuasion of his acceptance: " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."

Thus did our Lord appear as great in his sufferings as in his actions, in his death as in his life; and thus did he exhibit a wonderful example of forgive

* John. xix. 28.

I See Lardner's Test. ii. 303, § 24. where Origen objects that Jesus was unable patiently to endure thirst. m See Psal. Ixix. 21. Matt. xxvii. 34. P Luke xxiii. 46.

Π

John xix. 29. and p. p.

• ib. . SO

ness and composure, of magnanimity and conscious dignity, of filial love and pious resignation, in the midst of the most horrid tortures that human nature is capable of sustaining.

SECTION IX.

OF OUR LORD'S VERACITY.

WHEN Jesus is said to have "dwelt among us full of grace and truth," the evangelist may either mean to characterize him as sincere, faithful and true, or to oppose the solid and substantial truths of his doctrine to the types and shadows of the law.

Most justly did our Lord say of himself that "he b told the Jews the truth which he had heard from God;" and that, "because he told them the truth," however contradictory to their prejudices, "they did not believe him." He paid a constant regard to the virtue of veracity; it was a prevailing principle with him, and a constituent part of his character: and therefore, when he had fearlessly acknowledged "For this his regal dignity to Pilate, he added, cause was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the & truth:" that in fit circumstances I should acknowledge my high office, and should preach and confirm the religion which I am sent to found, whatever danger I may incur by such a conduct.

a John i. 14.

bib. viii. 40.

cv. 45.

John xviii. 37.

Suitably to this character, Jesus plainly reproved the faults of his friends and enemies; warned the f rich of their extreme danger; foretold the persecutions of his church in all ages; taught that taking up the cross was the consequence of becoming his disciple in the earliest age of the church; and proclaimed, not to a few but to multitudes which followed him, that, before they became his disciples in those days of fierce opposition to the gospel, they must count the cost, and forsake all that they had.

In like manner, when James and John, full of worldly ideas, preferred their ambitious request, that in our Lord's kingdom one might sit on his right hand, and the other on his left, the reply was an open and upright one; "To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." And when our Lord was asked by four of the apostles at what time the destruction of the temple should happen, he premised a particular and descriptive prophecy, explained the preceding signs of the events foretold, and assured them that many who were then living should see the accomplishment of his predictions. This might have sufficed; and, no doubt, would have appeared satisfactory: but the admirable rectitude and simplicity of his mind led him to add, that the spirit of prophecy afforded not an useless gratification to over curious men by exactly specifying this awful period : "Of that day and season

e Matt. xvi. 23. c. xxiii. f Mark x. 24, 5.

h Matt. xx. 23.

Luke xiv. 25-33.

i Compounded of Matt. xxiv. 36. Mark xiii. $2

Compare Matt. xxiv. 42. Mark. xiii. 33.

none knoweth; neither the angels who are in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." And, again, in the garden of Gethsemane he began with declaring to the chosen witnesses of his agony that his "soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death :" and he then commanded them to " remain in that place, and watch with him." He might have drawn a veil over the whole scene: but he was at an infinite distance from dissimulation and disguise.

Nothing can more strongly illustrate our Lord's ingenuousness and sincerity in his intercourse with his disciples, than those striking words, "In m my Father's house are many mansions: IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU." My Father's heavenly residence may be compared to a glorious and spacious palace: it is indeed infinite in extent as well as glory if it had been incapable of admitting you, I would have plainly told you so, as my manner is; I would not have fed you with vain expectations.

In regulating the common discourse of Christians our Lord's precept is, "Swear not at all: but let "your communication be Yea, Yea; Nay, Nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." Common swearing leads to perjury, and is highly irreverent towards God. Every mode of vehement asseveration, in the usual intercourse of men with each other, proceeds from mutual distrust: but plain affirmation and denial argue a sacred and habitual attention to truth.

1 Matt. xxvi. 38.

m John xiv. 2.

"See Grotius in loc. and

• Matt. v. 37.

Harwood's Life of Christ, p. 179, &c.

When our Lord commissioned the twelve apostles to preach the gospel, this was part of his instructions; "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents, and simple as doves." He recommended to them a prudent simplicity and sincerity and taught that the mind of a Christian must have no foreign and base mixture of cunning, hypocrisy, or falsehood.

That false words must be ranked in the class of idle words condemned by our Lord, is what every judicious critic will allow and it is also plain that he brands falsehood when he says, "If I should say that I know not the Father, I should speak falsely, like you."

r

There are some parts of our Lord's conduct, connected with the present subject, which have been usefully discussed by critics and moralists.

After Jesus had cleansed the temple at the first passover, the Jews said, ". What sign shewest thou unto us, since thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." His hearers understood this literally but our Lord alluded to the temple of his body; and probably intimated his true meaning by the action of pointing to himself. Here the words would be explained by the event: and their intended obscurity subjected them to examination, and impressed them on the memory. Veracity and every

Matt. x. 16. Bochart thinks that our Lord had in view Gen. iii 1. Hos. vii. 11. He observes a like opposition, Rom. xvi. 19. and that the Hebrew word no, simplex, is used in a good sense Psal. cxvi. 6. De animal. p. ii. 19, &c. 9 Matt. xii. 36. r John viii. 55. ἔσομαι ψέσεις.

ib. ii. 18, 19.