CHAPTER VII.

A consideration of the Cross in its four Dimensions.

B

UT if we desire "to be rooted and grounded

in love," Eph. iii., 17, and to comprehend with all saints the immense charity of the SON of GOD, which passeth knowledge, which infinitely exceedeth all learning, in profitableness and excellency, then measure the love of CHRIST, by the dimensions of His Cross, the breadth and the length, the depth and the height thereof; for therein love appears in its full extent, so that nothing can be added to it. That the eternal Son of GOD would become our Brother, by becoming Man, and would live in poverty and contempt, was very much: but that afterwards He would die for us, in that manner as He did, is the greatest wonder that ever the world saw. And indeed, there happened more prodigies when He died, than at

all other times of His humiliation; the sun hid himself, darkness overspread the whole world; the earth shook, the stones and rocks were rent, the graves were opened, and the vail of the Temple was divided in twain; Nature seemed to be amazed to see her GOD suffer and die upon a Cross: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend: 'tis true man cannot possibly do more. Aye, but JESUS did much more; He was GOD; then He became man that He might die for His enemies. This is it, whereof S. Paul speaks, when he saith that it was never conceived or seen, how great are the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. We speak (saith he) the wisdom of GoD in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would never have crucified the LORD of glory but as it is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him; but GOD hath revealed them to us by His SPIRIT." It appears that he speaks (not of the bliss, but) of the

Crucifixion of our Blessed SAVIOUR, which to the Jews was a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness, and which neither the senses nor the reason of man could ever comprehend; but, as a hidden mystery, was made known to Christians by the revelations of the all-knowing SPIRIT of GOD. To understand therefore as much as may be, this never-fully-understood and never-enough-admired love of our Redeemer, in dying for us, let us in the first place view the Breadth of His Cross; that is, the variety of the torments He endured for us, in the last stage of His uneasy pilgrimage.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Breadth of the Cross; or the manifold Sufferings of CHRIST for our Redemption.

W

E may begin with the manner of His apprehension; He was taken as if He had been a public enemy to mankind, a thief or a murderer, with swords and staves, with rudeness or violence; He was betrayed by one of His disciples, forsaken by the rest, and then bound and dragged from place to place by those He had instructed and fed, and in whose behalf He had wrought miracles. He was called an impious blasphemer, and voted guilty of death, for confessing a great and necessary truth, that He was the only SON of GOD. Afterwards He was exposed a whole night to the indignities and mockeries of His insulting enemies; they spat upon His sweet and glorious face; they vailed Him, and smote His head and buffeted Him; and as if He had been a contemptible

idiot to be made sport withal, they bade Him prophesy, guess who gave Him the blows. He was accused before the Roman pretor, as being a lewd malefactor, a rebellious traitor who subverted the people, and forbad to pay tribute to Cæsar. From thence He was sent to King Herod, where He was set at naught, and abused by him and his soldiers, and then sent back with scorn and contempt to Pilate. Afterwards Barabbas, a seditious murderer, was preferred to Him, and a loud clamour raised by the people, that He might be crucified and put to death. Then was He whipt before their eyes, tied to a post like a vile slave, and exposed to the servile rods, while they ploughed furrows upon His back, as the Prophet spake; the soldiers took Him, plaited a crown of thorns and pressed it on His head, till the blood ran off all sides of Him; they beat Him with canes and clubs, and put a reed instead of a sceptre in His hand, and when He was all over spittle and blood they brought out their mock-King, and Pilate presented Him to the people, and said, "Behold the man!" thinking to move them to pity by so sad a spectacle; but nothing less