What did the miraculous rending of the veil mean ? It taught the abolition and termination of the whole Jewish law of ceremonies. It taught that the way into the holiest of all was now thrown open to all mankind "by Christ's death. (Heb. ix. 8.) It taught that Gentiles as well as Jews might now draw nigh to God with bold- ness, through Jesus the one High Priest, and that all barriers between man and God were for ever cast down.
May we never forget the practical lesson of the rent veil ! To attempt to revive the Jewish ceremonial in the Church of Christ, by returning to altars, sacrifices, and a priesthood, is nothing better than closing up again the rent veil, and lighting a candle at noon-day. m May we never forget the practical lesson of the mi- raculous darkness ! It should lead our minds on to that blackness of darkness which is reserved for all obstinate unbelievers. (Jude 13.) The darkness endured by out blessed Surety on the cross was only for three hours. The chains of darkness which shall bind all who reject His atonement and die in sin, shall be for evermore.
Let us observe, secondly, in these verses, how truly and really our Lord Jesus Christ was made a curse for us, and bore our sins. We see it strikingly brought out in those marvellous words which He used at the ninth hour, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?"
It would be useless to pretend to fathom all the depth of meaning which these words contain. They imply an amount of mental suffering, such as we are unable to conceive. The agony of some of God's holiest servants has been occasionally very great, under an impression of God's favor being withdrawn from them. What then