the crown of thorns-第12部分

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　spirit；　seeing　only　memorials　of　that　loss。

Indeed；　sorrow　of　any　kind　is　solitary。　　Its　deepest　pangs；　its　most　solemn　visitations；　are　in　the　secrecy　of　the　individual　soul。　　We　labor　to　conceal　it　from　others。　　We　wear　a　face　of　unconcern　or　gayety　amid　the　multitude。　Society　is　thronged　with　masked　faces。　　Unseen　burdens　of　woe　are　carried　about　in　its　busy　haunts。　　The　man　of　firm　step　in　the　mart；　and　of　vigorous　arm　in　the　workshop；　has　communions　in　his　chamber　that　make　him　weak　as　a　child。　Nothing　is　more　deceitful　than　a　happy　countenance。　　Haggard　spirits　laugh　over　the　wine…cup；　and　the　blooming　garland　of　pleasure　crowns　an　aching　head。　　For　sorrow　is　secret　and　solitary。　　Each　〃heart　knoweth　its　own　bitterness。〃

How　precious；　then；　in　the　loneliness　of　sorrow；　is　that　faith　which　bids　us　look　up　and　see　how　near　is　God；　and　feel　what　divine　companionship　is　ours；　and　know　what　infinite　sympathy　engirds　us；what　concern　for　our　good　is；　even　in　this　darkness；　shaping　out　blessings　for　us；　and　distilling　from　this　secret　agony　everlasting　peace　for　the　soul。　　How　precious　that　faith　in　the　clear　vision　of　which　we　can　say；　〃I　am　not　alone；　for　the　Father　is　with　me。〃

Finally；　we　must　experience　Death　alone。　　As　I　said　in　the　commencement；　the　best；　the　most　pious　soul；　may　naturally　shrink　from　this　great　event。　　We　may　learn　to　anticipate　it　with　resignation；　to　look　upon　it　with　trust；　but　indifference　respecting　it　is　no　proof　of　religion。　　It　would　be；　rather；　a　bad　sign　for　one　to　approach　it　without　emotion；　for　however　his　faith　may　penetrate　beyond；　the　religious　spirit　will；　with　deep　awe；　lift　that　curtain　of　mystery　which　hangs　before　the　untried　future。　　That　is　a　fact　which　we　must　encounter　alone。　　Friends　may　gather　around　us；　their　ministrations　may　aid；　their　consolations　soothe　us。　　They　may　be　with　us　to　the　very　last；　they　may　cling　to　us　as　though　they　would　pluck　us　back　to　the　shores　of　time；　their　voices　may　fall；　the　last　of　earthly　sounds；　upon　our　ears；　their　kiss　awaken　the　last　throb　of　consciousness；　but　they　cannot　go　with　us；　they　cannot　die　in　our　stead；　the　last　time　must　come；they　must　loosen　their　hold　from　us；　and　fade　from　our　vision；　and　we　become　wrapt　in　the　solemn　experience　of　death；　alone！　　Alone　must　we　tread　the　dark　valley；alone　embark　for　the　unseen　land。　No；　Christian！　not　alone。　　To　your　soul；　thus　separated　in　blank　amazement　from　all　familiar　things；　still　is　that　vision　of　faith　granted　that　so　often　lighted　your　earthly　perplexities；　to　you　is　it　given；　in　this　most　solitary　hour；　to　say；　〃I　am　not　alone　for　the　Father　is　with　me！〃

I　repeat；　then；　in　closing；　that　the　test　which　proves　the　excellence　of　the　religion　of　Christ　is　the　fact　that　it　fits　us　for　those　solemn　hours　of　life　when　we　must　be　alone。　Mere　happiness　we　may　derive　from　other　sources；　but　this　consolation　not　all　the　world　can　give；the　world　cannot　take　it　away。

Let　us　remember；　then；　that　though　we　seldom　look　within…　though　our　affections　may　be　absorbed　in　external　things…　these　solitary　seasons　will　come。　　It　behoves　us；　therefore；　as　we　value　true　peace　of　mind；　genuine　happiness；　which　connects　us　to　the　throne　of　God　with　golden　links　of　prayer；it　behoves　each　to　ask　himself；　〃Dare　I　be　alone？　Am　I　ready　to　be　alone？　　And　what　report　will　my　soul　make　in　that　hour　of　solitude？　　If　I　do　wrong；　if　I　cleave　to　evil　rather　than　the　good；　what　shall　I　do　when　I　am　alone；　and　yet　not　alone；　but　with　the　Father？　　But　if　I　do　right；　if　I　trust　in　Him；　and　daily　walk　with　Him；　what　crown　of　human　honor；　what　store　of　wealth；　what　residuum　of　earthly　pleasure；　can　compare　with　the　glad　consciousness　that　wherever　I　rest　or　wander；　in　every　season　and　circumstance；　in　the　solitary　hours　of　life；　and　the　loneliness　of　death；　God　is　verily　with　me？〃

Surely　no　attainment　is　equal　to　that　strength　of　Christ；　by　which；　when　approaching　the　cross；　he　was　able　to　say；　〃I　am　not　alone；　for　the　Father　is　with　me。〃　　By　this　strength；　he　was　able　to　do　more　than　to　say　and　feel　thus。　　He　was　able　to　strengthen　others；to　exclaim；　〃Be　of　good　cheer；　I　have　overcome　the　world。〃　　So　we；　by　spiritual　discipline；　having　learned　of　Christ　to　be　thus　strong；　not　only　possess　a　spring　of　unfailing　consolation　for　ourselves；　but　there　shall　go　out　from　us　a　benediction　and　a　power　that　shall　gladden　the　weary　and　fortify　the　weak；that　shall　fill　the　solitude　of　many　a　lonely　spirit　with　the　consolations　of　the　Father's　love；　and　the　bliss　of　the　Father's　presence。




Resignation


〃The　cup　which　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃　John　xvii。11。


The　circumstances　in　which　these　words　were　uttered　have；　doubtless；　often　arrested　your　attention；have　often　been　delineated　for　you　by　others。　　Yet　it　is　always　profitable　for　us　to　recur　to　them。　　They　transpired　immediately　after　our　Saviour's　farewell　with　his　disciples。　　The　entire　transaction　in　that　〃upper　room〃　had　been　hallowed　and　softened　by　the　fact　of　his　coming　death。　　He　saw　that　fact　distinctly　before　him；　and　to　his　eye　everything　was　associated　with　it。　　As　he　took　the　bread　and　broke　it；　it　seemed　to　him　an　emblem　of　himself；　pierced　and　dying；　and　from　the　fulness　of　his　spirit　he　spoke；　〃Take；　eat；　this　is　my　body；　broken　for　you。〃　　As　he　took　the　cup　and　set　it　before　them；　it　reminded　him　of　his　blood；　that　must　flow　ere　his　mission　was　fulfilled；　and　he　could　say；　〃It　is　finished。〃　　And　then；　when　the　traitor　rose　from　that　table　to　go　out　and　consummate　the　very　purpose　that　should　lead　to　that　event；　as　one　who　had　arrayed　himself　in　robes　of　death；　and　was　about　to　declare　his　legacy；　he　broke　forth　in　that　sublime　strain　commencing；　〃Now　is　the　Son　of　man　glorified；　and　God　is　glorified　in　him；〃…that　strain　of　mingled　precept；　and　promise；　and　warning；　and　prayer；　from　which　the　weary　and　the　sick…hearted　of　all　ages　shall　gather　strength　and　consolation；　and　which　shall　be　read　in　dying　chambers　and　houses　of　mourning　until　death　and　sorrow　shall　reign　no　more。

Laden；　then；　with　the　thought　of　his　death；　he　had　gone　with　his　disciples　into　the　garden　of　Gethsemane。　　There；　in　the　darkness　and　loneliness　of　night；　the　full　anguish　of　his　situation　rushed　upon　his　spirit。　　He　shrank　from　the　rude　scenes　that　opened　before　him；from　the　mocker's　sneer　and　the　ruler's　scourge；　from　the　glare　of　impatient　revenge；　and　the　weeping　eyes　of　helpless　friendship；　from　the　insignia　of　imposture　and　of　shame；　and　from　the　protracted；　thirsty；　torturing　death。　　He　shrank　from　these；he　shrank　from　the　rupture　of　tender　ties；he　shrank　from　the　parting　with　deeply…loved　friends；his　soul　was　overburdened；　his　spirit　was　swollen　to　agony；　and　he　rushed　to　his　knees；　and　prayed；　〃Father；　if　thou　be　willing；　remove　this　cup　from　me。〃　　Yet　even　then；　in　the　intensity　of　his　grief；　the　sentiment　that　lay　deep　and　serene　below　suggested　the　conditions；　and　he　added；　〃Nevertheless；　not　my　will；　but　thine；　be　done。〃　　But　still　the　painful　thought　oppressed　him；　and；　though　more　subdued　now；　he　knelt　and　prayed　again；　〃O；　my　Father；　if　this　cup　may　not　pass　away　from　me　except　I　drink　it；　thy　will　be　done。〃　　And　once　more；　as　he　returned　from　his　weary；　sleeping　disciples；　and　found　himself　alone；　the　wish　broke　forth…yet　tempered　by　the　same　obedient　compliance。

And　here　I　pause　to　ask；　if；　in　all　that　scene　of　agony；　anything　is　developed　inconsistent　with　the　character　of　Christ？　　If　we　would　have　it　otherwise？　　If　these　tears　and　groans　of　anguish　are　tokens　of　a　weakness　that　we　would　conceal　from　our　convictions；that　we　would　overlook；　as　marring　the　dignity　and　the　divinity　of　the　Saviour？　　For　one；　I　would　not　have　it　otherwise。　　I　would　not　have　the　consoling　strength；　the　sympathizing　tenderness；　the　holy　victory　that　may　be　drawn　from　thence；I　would　not　have　these　left　out　from　the　Life　that　was　given　us　as　a　pattern。　Jesus；　we　are　told；　〃was　made　perfect　through　suffering。〃　This　struggle　took　place　that　victory　might　be　won；this　discipline　of　sorrow　fell　upon　him　that　perfection　and　beauty　might　be　developed。　　By　this　we　see　that　Christ's　was　a　spirit　liable　to　trial；impressible　by　suffering；　and　from　this　fact　does　the　victory　appear　greater　and　more　real。　　In　this　we　see　one　striving　with　man's　sorrow；seeking；　like　man；　to　be　delivered　from　pain　and　grief；　yet　rising　to　a　calm　obedience；a　lofty　resignation。　　Had　Jesus　passed　through　life　always　serene；　always　unshrinking；　we　should　not　have　seen　a　man；　but　something　that　man　is　not；　something　that　man　cannot　be　in　this　world；　and　that　calm　question；　〃The　cup　that　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃　would　lose　its　force　and　significance。　　Otherwise；　why　should　not　Jesus　be　as　resigned　as　before？　　He　had　betrayed　no　sense　of　suffering；　no　impressibility　by　pain；　why　should　he　not　be　willing；　seeing　he　was　always　able　to　meet　the　end？　　But　O！　when　that　deep；　holy　calmness　has　fallen　upon　a　soul　that　has　been　tossed　by　sorrow；　and　that　has　shrunk　from　death；when　the　brow　has　come　up　smooth　and　radiant　from　the　shadow　of　mourning；when　that　soul　is　ready　for　the　issue；　not　because　it　has　always　felt　around　it　the　girdle　of　Omnipotence；　but　because；　through　weakness　and　suffering；　it　has　risen　and　worked　out　an　unfaltering　trust；　and　taken　hold　of　the　hand　of　God　by　the　effort　of　faith；then　it　is；　I　say；　that　resignation　if　beautiful　and　holy；then　do　we　wonder　and　admire。

So　it　was　with　Jesus。　　A　little　while　ago　we　saw　him　bowed　with　sorrow；　his　eyes　lifted　with　tears　to　heaven。　　We　saw　that　he　keenly　felt　the　approaching　pain；　and　shame；　and　death。　　A　little　while　ago；　the　still　night　air　was　laden　with　his　cry；　〃Father；　if　it　be　thy　will；　let　this　cup　pass　from　me。〃　　And　now；　as　one　who　is　strong　and　ready；　he　says　calmly　to　Peter；　〃The　cup　which　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃　　Truly；　a　battle　has　been　fought；　and　a　victory　won；　here；　but　we　should　not　be　the　better　for　it；　were　it　not　for　that　very　process　of　suffering　in　which　that　battle　was　waged；　and　from　which　that　victory　was　wrung。　Now；　when　we　sorrow；　we　know　who　also　sorrowed；　we　remember　whose　agony　the　still　heavens　looked　upon　with　all　their　starry　eyes；whose　tears　moistened　the　bosom