your hands against me; but this is your hour, and the power of darkness."[1]
This mystery is worthy of admiration, for what thing can be more admirable and stupendous, than to see the only begotten Son of God, not only in the form of sinful man, but in the shape of a condemned man: "Hæc est hora vestra, et pot est as tenehrarum:" "This is your hour, and the power of darkness." From which words is gathered, that this innocent Iamb was left to the diabolical cruelty of the princes of darkness, who, by their vicegerents and ministers, poured all the malice and mischief they were able to conceive, against him. Consider how much, for thy sake, the supreme majesty of God is humbled; to endure all the extremity of torments that ever any suffered in this present life, nor to die for his own faults, but for thy sins; but he did undergo this of his own accord, to free thee from the power of Satan.
He had scarce spoken these words, when that whole rabble of hunger-starved wolves, gaping after their prey, rushed upon this meek and innocent lamb, hauling, tearing, and afflicting him, with as much cruelty as ever they could. O barbarous and inhuman proceedings! O cruel and savage blows, contumelious violences, wherewith they tormented him; they insulted after a horrid manner, no otherwise
- ↑ Luke xxii. 52.
