and Salome.  A troop of about thirty horsemen from Judea and the environs of Joppa, who were on their way to Jerusalem for the festival, passed by just at the time when all was silent round the Cross, both assistants and spectators being transfixed with terror and apprehensions.  When they beheld Jesus hanging on the Cross, saw the cruelty with which he had been treated, and remarked the extraordinary signs of God’s wrath which overspread the face of nature, they were filled with horror, and exclaimed, ’If the Temple of God were not in Jerusalem, the city should be burned to the ground for having taken upon itself so fearful a crime.’  These words from the lips of strangers—­strangers too who bore the appearance of persons of rank—­made a great impression on the bystanders, and loud murmurs and exclamations of grief were heard on all sides; some individuals gathered together in groups, more freely to indulge their sorrow, although a certain portion of the crowd continued to blaspheme and revile all around them.  The Pharisees were compelled to assume a more humble tone, for they feared great existing excitement among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  They therefore held a consultation with Abenadar, the centurion, and agreed with him that the gate of the city, which was in the vicinity, should be closed, in order to prevent farther communication, and that they should send to Pilate and Herod for 500 men to guard against the chance of an insurrection, the centurion, in the mean time, doing all in his power to maintain order, and preventing the Pharisees from insulting Jesus, lest it should exasperate the people still more.

Shortly after three o’clock the light reappeared in a degree, the moon began to pass away from the disc of the sun, while the sun again shone forth, although its appearance was dim, being surrounded by a species of red mist; by degrees it became more bright, and the stars vanished, but the sky was still gloomy.  The enemies of Jesus soon recovered their arrogant spirit when they saw the light returning; and it was then that they exclaimed, ‘Behold, he calleth Elias.’

CHAPTER XLV.

Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Words of Jesus on the Cross.

His Death.

The light continued to return by degrees, and the livid exhausted countenance of our Lord again became visible.  His body was become much more white from the quantity of blood he had lost; and I heard him exclaim, ’I am pressed as the grape, which is trodden in the winepress.  My blood shall be poured out until water cometh, but wine shall here be made no more.’  I cannot be sure whether he really pronounced these words, so as to be heard by others, or whether they were only an answer given to my interior prayer.  I afterwards had a vision relating to these words, and in it I saw Japhet making wine in this place.