prophet--"A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."

Now look into Gethsemane's innermost recess and you see an amount of
suffering unendurable except under heavenly strengthening; "And, being in
an agony, He prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great
drops of blood falling down to the ground. And there appeared an angel
unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him." Betrayed by a disciple, He is
apprehended by the "multitude with swords and staves:" then arraigned
before the high priest; then before Pilate: then taken before Herod and
clothed in the purple; then bound and dragged again before Pilate: then
smitten by the ruffianly attendants, and forsaken by his followers He is
condemned to die. After the Roman fashion He is led away bearing his own
cross to the fated hill. Here is the consummation of their cruelty, of
his suffering, and of heaven's suspense. The leader of an army to the
battle-field looks with anxiety to that moment of the day which decides
the conflict; and either covers him with a nation's glory, or overwhelms
him in a nation's disgrace. The fate of empires has hung on the actions
of an hour; and the liberties of a continent have trembled for an instant
in the balance. But the salvation of a world was hanging on Calvary till
the Sufferer exclaimed: "It is finished."

You will not suppose that we have exhibited all, or even a principal part
of "the sufferings of Christ." We do not wish to underrate this bodily
distress; but oh, compare it not with the depth of the soul's agony. The
hand of man which smote Him was malignant and painful too; but the hand
of God with the sword of justice in it, fell in dreadful weight and
pierced his spirit. His being betrayed and forsaken by the disciples was
a source of pain; but it was when the Father hid his face that his
sufferings were complete. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me?"

In addition to the general scope of prophecy, there are many minute and
particular predictions of suffering which were fulfilled. The Psalmist
says--"Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of
my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me." And you call to mind the
betrayal of our Saviour. David says again, "They pierced my hands and my
feet." And when He was crucified the nails were driven through these
parts of the body. Isaiah says, "He was numbered with the
transgressors;" and we know that He was crucified between two thieve