thought to have been called Golgotha in Hebrew, and Calvary in Latin, from its fancied resemblance to the form of a skull. Being appropriated to the execution of malefactors, it was shut out of the city, as a polluted place; but, since it was made the altar on which was offered up the precious and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, it has recovered itself from that infamy; and, being resorted to by Christians, with great devotion, it has drawn the city round about it, and now stands in the midst of Jerusalem, a great part of the hill of Sion being shut out of the walls, to make room for the admission of Mount Calvary within them3.

Jesus arrived, at length, at the place of execution, which it was both a Jewish and a Roman custom, should be without the city; so in this instance it remarkably fulfilled the ancient law of the sacrifices, which were the constant types of the great Sacrifice, now about to be offered; for St. Paul, when drawing the parallel betwixt Christ and His types, tells us, that this was here ordered by Providence, on purpose that He might fulfil the type of the sin-offering, or expiatory sacrifice, whose bodies, it was directed by the Law, were to be "burned without the camp." "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered • Mant and D'Oyly.

3 Dr. Wells.

without the gate"." It appears that vinegar, or a very inferior wine, was a customary drink of the Roman soldiers; indeed, it was the ordinary drink of the common people, being, as a drink, in respect to wine, what small beer is to ale in our country'. It may be doubted whether this was now offered to Jesus in kindness, or, as it was mingled with gall, or myrrh, (for the word here used signifies any bitter infusion,) whether it was a potion commonly administered to the condemned, in order to procure stupefaction, and take away the sense of pain. Our Saviour refused to drink it, and "received it not," as soon as by the taste He had discovered its purport; for He needed none of these expedients to diminish the sense of pain, as it was His especial object to evince His patience and resignation by suffering: and moreover, it was essential to Him that He should retain His presence of mind, to enable Him to accomplish the prophecies relating to His death, which yet remained to be completed: indeed, this very act was a fulfilment of a passage in the Psalms, where David speaks figuratively of his own sufferings.

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"AND THERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM." Crucifixion was a death deemed so scandalous,

5 Lislie.

6 Travell.

"Pictorial Bible.

Dr. Whitby.

9 Green.

and full of shame, that it was made peculiar to the meanest condition, and the most heinous offences, and inflicted as the last mark of detestation on robbers, murderers, and the vilest of the people. Herein, then, we perceive the unspeakable condescension of our blessed Saviour, who not only vouchsafed to die, but disdained not the most ignominious death, that the malice and scorn of His enemies could inflict-to take upon Him the form of the meanest servant, nay, of the basest criminal. That" He became obedient unto death," was a most astonishing instance of humility; but to stoop so very low, as the death of the cross, this was "to make Himself of no reputation" indeed'. The last declaration which our Saviour made, when actually hanging on the cross by their malice and persecution, was one of love to His enemies; the last legacy which He bequeathed, was an earnest request to God for the forgiveness of His murderers and persecutors: so that, if any example ought to be dear to us, and effectually to engage us to the imitation of it, this of our blessed Lord ought; since the injuries which He suffered have saved us from suffering; and the greatest blessing and happiness which ever befell mankind is due to this excellent example '.

66

And they crucified two other with Him, on
Dean Stanhope.
2 Archbishop Tillotson.

either side one, and Jesus in the midst." These two are recorded to have been "malefactors," or "thieves;" so that "the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, He was numbered with the transgressors." We see Him hanging upon the cross between two common robbers, groaning under the bitterest agonies of death, without pity or compassion, derided and insulted; but neither the pains of the cross, nor the pangs of His mind, nor all the malice and scorn of the crucifiers, could make Him for one moment forget His love and tenderness towards them : with His latest breath He pleads their cause, excuses their weakness, and begs for their pardon : "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do "."

SECT. CLVI.-Christ hangs on the Cross.-Matt. xxvii. 36-49; Mark xv. 26-32; Luke xxiii. 35-38.

THE general form of the cross is well known. From all that is now known of it, it was usually a strong balk of timber, elevating the criminal ten or twelve feet from the ground. Though the lowest part of the body was not above four or five feet above it, and, it is thought, rested on a projection of wood, in order that the whole weight of the body might not be borne by the hands, which might rend them from their fastenings. It is questionable how the person crucified was fastened to the cross. If he were fastened on the Bishop Sherlock.

3

ground, the erection of the cross, thus rendered immensely heavy, must have been difficult, and must have given unutterable anguish to the sufferer, from the violent jerks he would receive whilst the cross was fastening into the ground. The condemned person was certainly stripped entirely naked by the soldiers before he was nailed to the cross. He was first tied with cords, and then nailed; sometimes, indeed, only tied on the instrument of torture with cords. The nails were often driven simultaneously: one through each hand, and occasionally one through each foot; but sometimes the sole of one foot was made to rest on the instep of the other: and one long nail served to fasten both feet. The nails being driven through the parts of the hands and feet which abound in nerves and tendons, created the most exquisite anguish; and the painful sensation was much increased in the case of the least motion. The exposure of so many wounds to the open air would bring on inflammation, which would every moment increase the poignancy of the suffering. There would be a general obstruction, occasioned by the posture, throughout the whole of the blood-vessels of the body, which would be yet more intolerable than death itself. All the large vessels about the heart, and all the veins and arteries in that part of the system, would be sources of inexpressible misery, on account of the accumulation and pressure of