thought good to reveal to us. There is a depth about it, we must all instinctively feel, which man has proba- bly no line to fathom. Yet there is perhaps no irrever- ence in conjecturing the thoughts that were in our Lord's mind, when the word was spoken. The finishing of all the known and unknown sufferings which He came to endure, as our Substitute, — the finishing of the ceremo- nial law, which He came to wind up and fulfil, as the true Sacrifice for sin, — the finishing of the many prophe- cies, which He came to accomplish, — the finishing of the great work of man's redemption, which was now close at hand, — all this, we need not doubt, our Lord had in view when He said, "It is finished." There may have been more behind, for aught we know. But in handling the language of such a Being as our Saviour, on such an occasion, and at so mysterious a crisis of His history, it is well to be cautious. "The place whereon we stand is holy ground."
One comfortable thought, at all events, stands out most clearly on the face of this famous expression. We rest our souls on a " finished work," if we rest them on the work of Jesus Christ the Lord. We need not fear that either sin, or Satan, or law shall condemn us at the last day. We may lean back on the thought, that we have a Saviour who has done all, paid all, accomplished all, performed all that is necessary for our salvation. We may take up the challenge of the Apostle, " Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died : yea, rath- er that is risen again ; who is even at the right hand of God ; who also maketh intercession for us." (Rom. viii. 34.) When we look at oar own works, we may well be ashamed of their imperfections. But when we look at the finished work of Christ, we may feel peace. We " are complete in Him," if we believe. (Colos. ii. 10.)