Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/162

 demned by  the  council  of  the  high  priest,  ignominiously treated in  the  court  of  the  governor,  and  sentenced  to death  at  the  tribunal  of  the  president. Learn, hence, to contemn  the  opinions  and  judgments  of  the  world which was  so  unjust  to  your  Saviour.

II. He suffered  from  those  whom  He  came  to  save,  on whom  He  had  already  bestowed  most  singular  favors during His  private  and  public  life;  so  that  He  might truly say,  "  they  have  hated  me  without  cause." (John xv. 25.)  And  what,  is  still  more,  He  suffered  Himself  to be  betrayed  by  His  own  disciple,  to  give  us  an  example of patience  in  the  failure  and  abandonment  of  friends. " The  man  of  My  peace,  in  whom  I  trusted,  who  ate  My bread,  hath  greatly  supplanted  Me." (Ps. xl.  10.)

III. He was  left  exposed  to  the  machinations  of  hell, according to  the  expression  of  St.  Luke:  "This  is  your hour,  and  the  power  of  darkness." (Luke xxii.  53.)  He was  surrendered  to  the  power  of  Satan,  not  as  holy  Job was, with  this  restriction,  "but  yet  save  his  life"  (Job  ii. 6),  but  absolutely  and  even  to  death. Compassionate your Lord, thus  forsaken  by  His  friends  and  left  to  the  mercy of His  most  cruel  enemies;  and  if  at  any  time  it  should be your  fortune  to  experience  the  insolence  of  men,  remember "  the  disciple  is  not  above  his  Master." (Matt, x. 24.)

I. Christ  did  not  suffer  for  Himself,  for  He  was  incapable of  doing  anything  that  deserved  punishment;  but He suffered  in  order  to  reconcile  mankind  to  His  eternal