Plain Words of Instruction, Comfort, and Encouragement for a Beloved Flock

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 edition. Excerpt: ...away before the Sabbath, and therefore brake their legs to kill them more quickly) and of the other which was crucified with Him; but when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs; but one of the soldiers, with a spear, pierced His side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done (now, mark!) that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken. And again, another Scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced. Here, then, is the reason why Jesus was pierced. When Adam sinned, God immediately promised to give us a bruised and suffering Saviour who should save his people from their sins. It was most important that when this promised Saviour came, we should know Him--for if we did not know Him, we could not go to Him to be saved. God accordingly gave a great many marks by which this Saviour should be known. He foretold that certain things should happen to Him, and that He should do certain things; so that when He really did come, and all these things came to pass, men might see that this was the Saviour, and look to Him for salvation. Amongst other things it was foretold, that not a bone of Him should be broken, and that He should be pierced. These prophecies must be fulfilled; and therefore, though the soldiers little thought they were fulfilling prophecy in what they did, yet, when they brake the legs of the two thieves, they did not break a single bone in the body of Jesus, but one of them, with his spear, pierced His side. It was, then, to add strength to our faith, and multiply the proofs of Jesus being the only Saviour, ...