"The ignorant taunt of his enemies was, 'He saved others, himself he cannot save,' which was only true because he did not choose to take himself out of their hands. The crowning act of his earthly ministry must be performed; and while 'by wicked hands' the Son of God was 'crucified and slain,' the eternal purpose of redeeming love was accomplished; and that sinners might be saved, Christ died. He was 'made sin,' 'numbered with transgressors,' 'endured the cross, despising the shame,' and 'lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.' So 'they crucified him.' "Had the Jews been his executioners, they would have stoned him; but being condemned by the Roman governor, the Roman punishment must be inflicted. A painful, lingering, and cruel death; nay, more, an accursed death, for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.' "God had manifested his displeasure against sin by casting out of heaven rebellious angels, 'who kept not their first estate,' and by pouring out a destroying flood upon rebellious men; but now he was declaring 'the riches of his grace,' in his kindness toward us by Jesus Christ; and drawing the eye of faith and the affections of the heart to 'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' So 'they crucified him.' "'They.' Again let me ask, Who were they? You reply, The Roman soldiers crucified him; and so they did, aggravating with every ingenuity the sorrows they could not understand. But who put Jesus into the hand of the Roman governor? The chief priests and scribes, who scorned his instructions, envied his influence, and detested his purity. 'What will ye that I shall do unto him?" asked the irresolute governor. 'Crucify him,' shouted the false-witnesses and their angry masters. So 'they crucified him.' "And are we to stop there? O no! 'Forasmuch as ye know,' some of you at least, 'that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.' Then, what if, passing by the actual hands that struck, and the voices that shouted, we pass along the stream of time, during which multitudes that no man can number have been saved and blessed through this solemn fact, and consider ourselves at the present moment, you and I, did we not crucify him? 'He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; with his stripes we are healed . . . and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.'