and reproach; you see him, with all the authority of a God, forgiving sins, and granting a seat in glory! Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

"He saved others." Yes: His name was called Jesus for this very reason, because he should save his people from their sins." Not from sorrows merely, and from the calamities and diseases which sin has unhappily introduced; but from sin itself, the source of every sorrow, the fruitful spring of every grievance under which man groans. And if from sin, of course he saves from hell, for that place of torment is nothing more than the consequence of sin, its dire but certain effect. Jesus delivereth us "from the wrath to come;" he saves "from going down into the pit;" truly, "he is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he❞ not only died, but "ever liveth to make intercession for them."

II. They uttered a FALSEHOOD: cannot save."

"Himself he

They meant, that he had not power to do it: taking it for granted, that if he could have saved himself, he certainly would. In this way they cast discredit on his miracles, and vented their malicious abuse. As if they had said, 'He pretended at least to save others, and we know not how to deny it; but you see the delusion of the whole, the impotence of his true character: "Himself he cannot save."

But was it really so? Could not Jesus save himself? In the sense they meant, he certainly could. He had power sufficient, for his power is infinite! What did he say to his disciples? life, that I might take it again.

"I lay down my No man taketh it

from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” And his words to Pilate are no less remarkable. The Roman governor had said to him, "Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above t;" intimating plainly that his life was at his own disposal; and that had it depended on the sufficiency of his natural ability, he certainly would have preserved it. They spoke, therefore, the language of falsehood when they said; "Himself he cannot save." When Judas betrayed Jesus, when he came "with a great multitude, with swords and staves for to take him," Peter, in the warmth of inconsiderate zeal, and filled with indignation at the perfidious deed, "drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and smote off his ear." Jesus pointedly rebuked him, and added these remarkable words; "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels ?" Yes; he could easily have done this, and his prayer would have been answered; and he could as easily have done it on the cross, had it consisted with the design of glorifying God in the salvation of sinful men.

It would not be difficult to dwell on the astonishing displays of the power of the Lord Jesus. What could not He effect, who had all the elements of Nature at his controul? He commanded the winds and the waves, and they instantly obeyed. He recalled the souls of the dead from the unseen world, and they instantly returned. He remanded the hosts of

John x, 17, 18, + John xix. 10, 11.
+ Matt. xxvi. 53.

infernal spirits to their dark abodes, and they instantly fled. He did whatsoever he pleased, and nothing was too hard for him: could not he, therefore, had he been so determined, have prevented his own death? Besides, he who displayed such power in the world was the Maker of it. John says, "All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Paul affirms, "By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in carth, visible and invisible; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Did they speak correctly, therefore, when they said, "Himself he cannot save?" No the enmity and malignity of their hearts urged them on to the most unreasonable reflections, the most unqualified abuse. But it was "their hour,

and the power of darkness!"

III. They conveyed a MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH, which they did not think of, nor understand.

Certainly there was a sense in which the Lord Jesus could not save himself, consistently with his plan of saving others: but these revilers knew it not. They ought to have reasoned thus; and had they been men of sober minds, they would have done it :— "He saved others:" hence, no doubt, he can save himself; and if he does not, it must be for some good reason; some great and special end is to be answered by his voluntary death. The fact was, Jesus Christ would not save himself: he could have done it, in regard to natural ability, but he was not willing. He was determined, he was resolved, to suffer for the wisest and best reasons. "He saved others"-this

was his kind errand into the world: this was the benevolent purpose of his heart. Himself, therefore, he would not save: he could not do it consistently with his own compassionate design, his covenant engagement with his Father, and the love he bore to ruined men. Had not the love of Christ fastened him to the cross, in vain the nails which pierced his hands and his feet had done it. Ardent affection fixed him there, or he would not have remained in that ignominious situation.

Shall we inquire briefly into the necessity of the death of Jesus Christ? Would he have died, unless there had been some urgent occasion for it? Already he had given an unexampled pattern of suffering affliction with patience. And if, in connection with this, he had meant only to confirm the truth of his doctrine, does it not appear that his coming down from the cross, by an act of miraculous power, in the presence of all the people, would have answered this end more effectually than a painful and passive death? But there was a higher reason, involving the glory of God and the salvation of lost man. The Saviour died as a sacrifice for sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity.

Hence we remark,

1. Had Jesus not died, the Scriptures would not have been fulfilled.-The New Testament constantly bears reference to the Old Testament on the sufferings and death of the Saviour. Paul says expressly, "Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures:" he refers to the testimony of God in the Old-Testament writings. When Jesus intimated that he could easily procure twelve legions of angels for his rescue, he added; "but how then shall the

Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must it be?" When he talked with his disciples after his resurrection, he said: "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself†." We need not repeat those passages from the Old Testament, which clearly refer to the sufferings and death of Christ. You You may find many in the twenty-second Psalm; the sixty-ninth Psalm, the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, the ninth of Daniel, and numerous other places. But how would these have been accomplished, and where would have been the truth of Scripture, if Jesus had not died?

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2. His own declarations would have been false. He asserted frequently, and in various forms, the necessity of his death. He said, with peculiar emphasis, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." His meaning was, that unless he himself expired, no benefit would accrue to sinful men; but, in the event of his death, great and glorious would be the result. And hence the words; "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.'

He spoke without any figurative allusion, when he said to the Twelve: "Behold! we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles; and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him; * Matt. xxvi. 54. + Luke xxiv. 26, 27.