would be a we.sted e.nd miete.ken sentiment. How, then, should we to-day rege.rd tha crucifixion of our Lord? I. IT IS THE ?ONDEMNATION OF BIN. 1. Sin killed Christ. . (1) The immediate cauee was the wickedness of the Jews, who would not submit to bis reforming e.nd spiritual reign. Judas's treasou, Ce.iaphas's rage, Herod's jealousy, Pilate's weakness, were all wicked things. Christ's death we.s a murder, an awful crime. (2) Behind tb011e particular causes the world's sin led to the rejection and crucifixion of Obrist. Our sin crucifies him afresh. Thus bis cross bears witness to the exceeding wicked- ness and the awful results of sin. 2. Christ kills sin. He condemned sin by dying under its assault. He bore the crushing weight of the world's sin in his own Person. But in so doing be faced and conquered the spirit of evil. Christ on the cross makes our sin look hideous and hateful; thus be slays it. IL IT Is THE REVELATION OF LOVE, Never before or after has so great a love been tested eo severely, or revealed so truly in its absolute purity, in its invincible strength. God crowned the love that is shown in creation, providence, and bis merciful spiritual work in our consciences, by the supreme gift of his Son. Thus Christ, as the manifestation of One whose name is Love, makes the love of God known to us. He does this throughout bis life by the graciousne8s of bis ministry to the sick and suffering and sinful, by his kindness to little children, by bis mercy to weeping penitents. But here at the cross is the crown of love. He loves bis sheep so much that be will lay down bis life for them. His love i~ stronger than death. He chooses death rather than the sacrificing of bis love. IIL IT IS THE REDEMPTION OF THE WORLD. There is a great purpose in Cbrist'.s death. The wicked men who bring it about have their low, selfish objects. But behind and above these is God's great plan, Christ's glorious aim. This is no less than the aa.ving of the world that rejected him-we may say that of the very men who nailed him to the cross; for he died for bis enemies ae well as for his friends. W o muet not be satisfied with contemplating the tragic scene of the Crucifixion by itself. We must look at its deep meaning. Here is the sacrifice for sin-the cross, the altar; Christ, the willing Victim. Here, then, is the hope and promise of our salvation. IV. IT IS THE INSPIRATION OF BACBIFICE. The apostles rarely point to the cross without speaking of the example of Christ for our following. "Let this mind be in you which was also iu Christ Jesus, n says St. Paul (Phil ii. 5). Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, is St. Peter's teaching (1 Pet. ii. 21). Hie fidelity, his unselfish- ness, his conrage, his patience, bis love in giving himself for others, are the great models for Christians to follow.-W. F. A.
Ver. 46.-Forsaken by (}Qd. We cannot fathom the depths of the dark and mysterious experience of our Lord's last mortal agony. We must walk reverently, for here we stand on holy ground. It is only just to acknowledge that the great Sufferer m1111t have had thoughts and feelings which pass beyond our comprehension, and which are too sacred and private for our inspection. Yet what is recorded is written for our instruction. Let us, then, in all reverence, endeavour to see what it means. L CBBIBT AS A TRUE MAN SHA.BED IN THE FLUCTUATIONS OF BUMAN EMOTION. He quoted the)anguage of a psalmist who bad passed through the deep waters, and he felt them to be most true in his own experience. Jeeus was not always calm:; certainly he was not impassive. He could be roused to indignation; he could be melted to tears. He knew the rapture of Divine joy; be knew also the torment of heart-brealdng grief. There are sorrows which depend upon the inner consciousness more than on any external events. These sorrows Jesus knew and felt. We cannot commanu our phases of feeling. It is well to know that Jesus also, in his earthly life, wae visited by very various moods. Dark hours were not unknown to him. Having experienced them, he can understand them in us, and sympathize with our depression of spirit. lL CHBIBT A.8 THE ATONEMENT FOB SIN FELT THE DARK BORROR OF 1TB 0UILT. He could not own himself to be guilty when he knew he was innocent. But he was so one with man that he felt the shame and burden of man's sin as though it had been Lis own. As the great Representative of the race, be took up the load of the world's siD, i.e. he made it his own by deeply concerning himself with it, by entering into it1 OD, XXVII, 1-66.] 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING ·ro S'l'. MATTHEW. 619