Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/194

 was as  a  dumb  man  not  opening  His  mouth."  (Ps. xxxvii.  14.)  Learn  hence  how  to  demean  yourself  on such  occasions,  and  to  commit  your  cause  to  God's  providence.

II. So irreprehensible  had  been  the  life  and  actions  of Christ,  that  these  enemies  of  His  could  not  fabricate even the  semblance  of  a  crime  against  Him. Wherefore the high-priest  at  last  conjured  Him  by  the  living  God,  to say  if  He  were  the  Christ,  in  order  that  he  might  condemn Him  of  blasphemy,  if  He  affirmed  that  He  was, Christ, who  had  hitherto  preserved  the  most  perfect  silence, in  reverence  to  the  sacred  name  of  His  Father,  immediately answered,  "Thou  hast  said  it." At the  same time He  alluded  to  the  general  judgment  to  deter  Him, if possible,  from  his  evil  design,  and  to  wake  him  from the sleep  of  death. But alas! " the  perverse  are  hard  to be  corrected.',  (Eccles.  i.  15.)  Entreat  our  Lord,  that  you may  never  be  of  this  character.

III. Consider the  false  zeal  of  the  malicious  and  the wicked. " Then  the  high-priest  rent  his  garments,  saying, He  hath  blasphemed. "  (Matt.  xxvi.  65.)  The  devout follower  of  Christ  ought  to  rend  his  heart  with  sincere contrition  for  his  sins,  which  have  cost  the  Son  of God  so  many  pains. " Rend  your  hearts  and  not  your garments,"  says  the  prophet. (Joel ii.  13.)  This  mock court of  judicature  immediately  cries  out  with  one  voice, "He is  guilty  of  death." (Matt. xxvi.  66.)  O  most  unjust sentence! O divine  Jesus! will you  suffer  yourself to be  deemed  a  blasphemer,  and  declared  guilty  of  death; and shall  I  continually  attempt  to  gain  the  approbation of men,  and  to  rise  above  my  deserts? I cannot  be  a true  disciple  of  Thine  if  I  act  in  this  manner.