aces from them for our edification. shall,

ice of the authors of these taunting the blessed Jesus.

instruments with which they rehim.

ersons who reviled our blessed Safour sorts of men were particularly guilt; and these were,

of the Jews.

soldiers..

tors who were crucified with him. people, or the multitude who stood Christ, were guilty of this enor. ave observed before, that our blesslowed to the place of crucifixion by of people; that they might entertain his bloody spectacle. Hence it is only Mount Golgotha, but all the s were covered with spectators; esem was then filled with an innume. idle and curious people, on acover. [Josephus, in his history , says that at one passover three

his body to the cross. But God, without having any share in these wicked and detestable views, by his secret providence detained them there; that they might be witnesses of the sufferings of Christ on Mount Golgotha, and of the uncommon patience, mildness, and piety which he displayed, to the disgrace of his enemies, who had condemned him as a blasphemer. Moreover, the Elders of the people, by standing about the cross, may put us in mind of the type of Christ, exhibited by the rock which was struck in the presence ofall the Elders of Israel, (Exod. xvii. 6.) and of the builders, who would reject the head-stone of the corner, (Psalm cxviii. 32.)

3. The Roman soldiers likewise shared in his guilt; for St. Luke (Luke xxiii. 36.) observes, that the soldiers also mocked him. In the judgment-hall of Pilate, they had already committed several outrages against him, and vexed our Saviour's righteous soul by all manner of prophane and contumelious reflections. However, they were so far from having exhausted their stock of cruel mockeries, that they still make the crucified Jesus the object of their farther ridicule. We do not indeed find, that they were the first in the revilings at the place of crucifixion. It was the Jews and their rulers who led the way, and thus by their wicked example, the Gentiles were incited to repeat their opprobrious language and insults.

4. Lastly, The malefactors who were crucified with him were also guilty of this sin. For St. Matthew says, 'The thieves also, who were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth; from which words one would be apt to conclude, that both malefactors, who were on his right hand and on his left, concurred in reviling our blessed Saviour. But St.

manner.

The Evangelist, intending to relate the horrid mockeries, which the Lord of Glory suffered from all ranks of people while he hung on the cross, first mentions the revilings of the people. They observe, in the next place, how the Rulers and Elders reviled him, and how the spirit of mockery was by their means also stirred up in the Roman soldiers. Lastly, they add, that he was also reviled and insulted even by the robbers and murderers, who were crucified with him. Thus, it is usual to speak sometimes, as if a thing was done by many, when perhaps the fact was done only by one person of a certain rank or age. For instance; if a harmless old man happens to be abused in the public streets by a petulant boy, it is not improper to say, this poor man in his old age is the sport of children; though only one single boy had insulted him. Thus also St. Matthew and St. Mark might very well say, that Jesus was reviled even by murderers and robbers; though, according to St. Luke's account, only one of the malefactors behaved in such a wicked manner. From this circumstance of our Saviour's passion, we shall deduce the following truths.

First, Jesus Christ has suffered himself to be mocked and abused by all ranks of men, that he might deliver all from the spirit of mockery and abuse.

It is a terrible corderation to think, that all sorts of spectators sharpened their tongues, and pointed them with bitter invectives against the ever glorious Son of God. He was mocked by Jews and Gentiles, by young and old, by the learned and ignorant, bý teachers and hearers, by the clergy and magistrates,

so many scoffers to assault our blessed Saviour witn their envenomed tongues? It was,

1. To shew in this mirror that corrupt inclination of making a mock of the distressed and afflicted, and of ridiculing the most sacred persons and things, which has by the fall generally infected the human heart, and prevails in every rank, age, and sex. What St. Paul says of carnal men, namely, that 'the poison of asps is under their lips,' (Rom. iii. 13.) displays itself particularly in the abominable mockeries and invectives, which were poured forth by the engines of satan against our blessed Lord. But,

2. The Son of God intended, by patiently submitting to these keen arrows of reproach and mockery, to procure forgiveness of such grievous sins to those who commit them whether they be Jews or Gentiles; so that every one who is guilty, and penitently acknowledges these heinous sins, heartily be. wailing, and sincerely abhorring them, may find remission of them by the merits and intercession of Christ.

3. He has hereby delivered from the bonds and fetters of the spirit of mockery, all those, who are but willing to be released, and apply to him for succour, with a firm resolution of amendment.

Secondly, The same sins may be committed by different persons; and yet the guilt may be greater in some than in others.

Here both Jews and Gentiles reviled and mocked our blessed Saviour; but it is certain, that the Jews sinned much more grievously than the Gentiles; since they mocked that Jesus, whom they might have known to be the Messiah and the Son of God, from the writings of the prophets. Besides, our blessed Lord had hitherto conversed with, and lived among