the crown of thorns-第14部分

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　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　of　the　bare　earth；whose　cry　of　anguish　pierced　the　gloom　of　night。　Now；　too；　when　we　sorrow；　we　know　where　to　find　relief；　we　learn　the　spirit　of　resignation；　and　under　what　conditions　it　may　be　born。　　Thank　God；　then；　for　the　lesson　of　the　lonely　garden　and　the　weeping　Christ…we；　too；　may　be　〃made　perfect　through　suffering。〃

Such；　then；　were　the　circumstances　that　illustrate　the　words　of　the　text。　　Scarcely　had　Jesus　risen　from　his　knees；　and　wakened　the　drowsy　disciples；　when　the　light　of　lanterns　flashed　upon　him；　and　Judas　came　with　a　multitude　to　bear　him　to　that　death　from　which；　but　now；　he　shrunk　with　agony。　　But　he　shrank　no　more。　　The　trial　was　over；the　darkness　had　vanished；an　angel　had　strengthened　him；　and　when　the　impetuous　Peter　drew　his　sword　and　smote　off　the　servant's　ear；　his　master　turned　to　him；　with　the　calm　rebuke；　〃Put　up　thy　sword　into　his　sheath；　the　cup　which　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃　　Yes；　cold　and　bitter　as　that　cup　was；　pressed　next　to　his　very　lips；　he　had　learned　to　drink　it。　　God　had　given　him　strength；　and　no　more　did　he　falter；　no　more　did　he　groan…save　once；　for　a　moment；　when；　upon　the　cross；　drooping；　and　racked　with　intense　pain；　he　cried　out；　〃My　God；　my　God；　why　hast　thou　forsaken　me？〃　　But　that　passed　away　in　the　triumphant　ejaculation；　〃It　is　finished！〃

Such　was　the　resignation　of　Jesus；　a　trait　in　his　character　which；　like　all　the　rest；　is　not　only　to　be　admired；　but　imitated；not　an　abstract　virtue；　manifested　by　a　being　so　perfect　and　so　enshrined　in　the　sanctity　of　a　divine　nature　that　we　cannot　approach　it；　and　in　our　mortal；　work…day　trials　can　never　feel　it；　but　a　virtue　which　should　be　throned　in　every　heart；　the　strength　and　consolation　of　which　every　suffering　soul　may　experience。　　Nay；　if　there　is　one　virtue　which　is　more　often　needed　than　any　other；　which　lies　at　the　base　of　true　happiness；　and　than　which　there　is　no　surer　seal　of　piety；　it　is　this　virtue　of　resignation。　　And　let　me　proceed　to　say；　that　by　resignation　I　mean　not　cold　and　sullen　apathy；　or　reckless　hardihood；　but　a　sweet　trust　and　humble　acquiescence；　which　show　that　the　soul　has　submitted　itself　to　the　Father　who　knows　and　does　best；　and　that　it　meets　his　dispensations　with　obedience　and　his　mysteries　with　faith。　　The　apathy　and　hardihood　to　which　I　have　alluded　are　very　far　from　the　trust　and　piety　of　a　religious　spirit。　　The　fatalist　acquiesces　in　the　course　of　things　because　he　cannot　help　it。　　He　has　reasoned　to　the　conclusion　that　his　murmuring　and　weeping　will　not　alter　matters　and　he　has　resolved　to　take　things　as　they　come。　　But　here　is　no　resignation　to　the　will　of　God；　but　to　the　necessity　of　things。　　Here　is　no　faith　that　all　things　are　wisely　ordered；　and　that　sorrow　is　but　the　shadow　of　the　Father's　hand。　　No；　here　is　the　simple　belief　that　things　are　as　they　are；　and　cannot　be　altered；…that　an　arbitrary　law　is　the　eternal　rule；　not　a　benevolent　and　holy　purpose；　and　the　philosopher　would　be　just　as　resigned　if　he　believed　all　things　to　be　under　the　guidance　of　a　blind　fate；　whose　iron　machinery　drives　on　to　level　or　exalt；　unintelligent　and　remorseless；　whether　in　its　course　it　brings　about　good　or　evil；…whether　it　gladdens　human　hearts　or　crushes　them。　　Such　resignation　as　this　may　be　quite　common　in　the　world；　manifested　in　various　phases；　and　by　men　of　different　religious　opinions。　　Do　we　not　often　hear　the　expression；　〃Well；　things　are　as　they　are；…we　do　best　to　take　them　as　they　come；〃　and　here　the　matter　ends？　　No　higher　reference　is　made。　　The　things　alluded　to　may　issue　from　the　bosom　of　material　nature；　may　be　sent　into　the　world　by　chance；　or　may　come　from　the　good　Father　of　all；　but　the　minds　of　these　reasoners　reach　not　so　far。　　Now　I　repeat；　there　is　no　religion　and　no　true　philosophy　in　this　method；　certainly　it　is　not　such　resignation　as　Jesus　manifested。　　In　fact；　it　indicates　total　carelessness　as　to　the　discipline　of　life；　and　will　generally　be　found　with　men　in　whose　thoughts　God　is　not；　or　to　whose　conceptions　he　is　the　distant；　inactive　Deity；　not　the　near　and　ever…working　Controller。　　I　cannot　admire　the　conduct　of　that　man　who　when　the　bolt　of　sorrow　falls；　receives　it　upon　the　armor　of　a　rigid　fatalism；　who　wipes　scarcely　a　tear　from　his　hard；　dry　face；　and　says；　〃Well；　it　cannot　be　helped；　things　are　so　ordered。〃　　Below　all　this　there　is　often　a　sulky；　half…angry　sentiment；　as　though　the　victim　felt　the　blow；　but　was　determined　not　to　wince；…as　though　there　was　an　acknowledgment　of　weakness；　but　also　a　display　of　pride；…a　feeling　that　we　cannot　resist　sorrow；　yet　that　sorrow　has　no　business　to　come；　and　now　that　it　has　come　the　sufferer　will　not　yield　to　it。　　This；　evidently；　is　not　resignation；　religious　resignation；　but　only　sullen　acquiescence；　or　reckless　hardihood。

In　a　certain　sense　it　is　true　that　we　do　well　to　take　things　as　they　come；…that　we　cannot　help　the　eternal　laws　that　control　events。　　But　we　must　go　behind　this　truth。　　Whence　do　events　come；　and　for　what　purpose　do　they　come？　　What　is　life；　and　for　what　end　are　all　its　varied　dispensations？　Religion　points　us　up　beyond　the　cloud　of　materialism；　and　behind　the　mechanism　of　nature；　to　an　Infinite　Spirit；　to　a　God；　to　a　Father。　　All　things　are　moved　by　infinite　Love。　Life　is　not　merely　a　phenomenon；　it　is　a　Lesson。　　Its　events　do　not　come　and　go；　in　a　causeless；　arbitrary　manner；　they　are　meant　for　our　discipline　and　our　good。　　In　whatever　aspect　they　come；　then；　let　their　appropriate　lesson　be　heeded。　　This　is　the　religious　view　of　life；　and　is　wide　apart　from　the　philosophy　that　lets　events　happen　as　they　will；　as　though　we　were　in　the　setting　of　a　heady　current；　and　were　borne　along　among　other　matters　that　now　help　us；　now　jar　and　wound　us；…that　happen　without　order　and　without　object；　all；　like　ourselves；　driven　along　and　taking　things　as　they　come。　　In　the　religious　view；　all　things　stream　from　God's　throne；　and　whatever　sky　hangs　over　them；　the　infinite　One　is　present；　prosperity　is　the　sunshine　that　he　has　sent；　and　Faith；　as　she　weeps；　beholds　a　bow　in　the　clouds。