What a theme for meditation ! And how varied are its lessons! How dark from man's side ! There we see his enmity, malice, and hatred, against the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus, the Savior of men. This was the dark background upon which God did display Himself in all that He was-in righteousness, love, grace, and mercy. How varied are the glories that cluster around that cross-shine out through the darkness, like the beautiful colors of the rainbow when the light breaks through the dark clouds after a storm ! Sin was there; the world (Jew and Gentile), with all its united forces, was there ; and so was Satan and all the power of darkness. Yet amid all the darkness of such an hour, which finds no parallel, God was there. Man had sinned; Justice demanded a sacrifice for sin. Love provided one, perfect and without blemish. Judgment did its strange work, its act, yet strange act! Now what love and grace are seen, since Jehovah gave up His beloved Son to fill the gap, repair the breach, and put sin away! The deity of the Lord Jesus, His incarnation, followed by His perfect life of love and grace, was taught and known before ; also, His resurrection and ascension into God's presence, carrying with Him all the blessed and precious value of His atoning death, have been declared since. But the cross is where sin was put away from before the throne of Heaven, where judgment was laid hard upon the perfect substitute provided for guilty, sinful man. It was at the cross the cry was heard, '' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " Here is where He suffered, where He died, and where His blood was shed, (a precious testimony that a life has been given up, and that Heaven's throne, with all its righteousness and purity, was fully satisfied); and in such a place, and at such a time, God Himself, who is encircled with light and true holiness, was fully glorified. Was it any wonder, and need we be surprised to learn, the veil was rent,-a testimony given that a work had been accomplished by which Heaven, even the holiest of all, was now thrown open, and faith invited to "enter in " and "draw nigh," because the blood is there, before and on the mercy seat,-the victories of the cross, with all their intrinsic value, laid before the very throne of God ? Is it any wonder the bands of death were broken, and He raised from the dead the third day ? Surely, surely not. It was this, we believe, led the Father to give up His Son, that He might receive Him back on resurrection ground, and receive Him back forever. And the result of such a work, so great and so perfect, as that accomplished at the cross, was that heaven itself might be opened, not only for the King of glory to enter in, but that also a people once guilty, once sinful, but cleansed by that blood shed, and saved by grace, might enter also at His call (i Thess. 4:15-18), and be gathered around the Son of God's love as a praising people.

How careful ought we to be when we speak or write of such a theme as the atoning sufferings of the cross, lest we should mar its perfection and beauty before the eyes of any; but rather behold it, as presented in the Scriptures, with wonder, love, and praise ! Sacrifices pointed on to it for four thousand years ; numberless types, shadows, and pictures, from Genesis to Malachi, had this in view; Moses and Elias, the honored two upon the holy mount, spake to Him about it-"the decease He should accomplish"; the two ordinances of Christianity, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, keep this continually before us,-His death. The abiding memorial of it is ever upon the mercy seat, for God's eye to rest upon. It will be kept fresh in our memories in the glory, and in eternity-" a lamb as it had been slain "; and of its fullness, its efficacy, its sweetness, for us, we shall ever learn through that eternal day (2 Pet. 3:18, margin, R. V.); and such a holy sense of the value of that work, as well as the value of Him who accomplished it, will fill every heart, so that there will be in the praises of the redeemed in the glory of His presence the constant remembrance of His sufferings, His death, His blood. May we rejoice in such more even now, and guard it, in the face of a hostile world, with a zealous care, as Abraham did the sacrifices of old, when he drove away the unclean birds (Gen. 15:9-11)! Such a care, we believe, is needed at this time. The inspiration of the sacred Scriptures is assailed by many; the depravity of man is denied; and the deity of the Lord Jesus is looked upon with disdain. And what shall we say of the cross, and the perfect work there accomplished? It is by many even in the circle of Christian profession held in ridicule. We are truly in the evil day, and nearing its close. May every moment, as we get nearer the end, if we think of the cross of Calvary, and the sufferings there endured for us, lead us to exclaim, as did one so fully taught of old, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14). A. E. B.