Of Satan's reign, and likewise intimate Freedom and joy to Adam's sinful sons.

While tending sheep on Horeb's hoary mount,

A wond'rous sight attracted Moses' eye, A bush, enwrapped in flame, yet unconsumed

By that devouring element; from out The midst he heard the deeply solemn charge,

"Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, because

The place where on thou art is holy ground."

But with much stronger emphasis may

we

Regard such words as unto us addressed From that more sacred spot, where all the types

Exhibited of old, are seen fulfilled.

Wonders, the most sublime, will in review

Present themselves to us as we proceed To meditate upon the Saviour's work. Thence will be seen, springing from out

a scene

The most appalling e'er the world beheld,
A paradise of peace: thence, too, emerge
From suff'rings which the world ac-
counted black

With deepest infamy, a triumph such
As must in glory greatly far excel
The mighty deeds that ever were by

men

Performed on earth: thence, too, there will arise

From that most dreadful death which He endured,

A life divine and never-fading, which As His most dearly-purchased, greatest gift,

He'll offer freely to the sons of men.

As we this theme, this mighty theme essay,

May true humility and child-like faith Fill and possess our soul; but chiefly

may

The Lord, who at His girdle wears the key

Of David, ope to us the mysteries

Of His own sacred passion, make us know The truth, and feel the power of grace divine

Secured to men of every clime and race,

When He for them breathed out His soul and died.

Among the many wond'rous works performed,

In confirmation of his rightful claims, By Jesus on the earth, the last, not least,

Was that of raising Laz'rus from the dead.

But though the fact was true, and was confessed

By priests of highest rank and Pharisees,
Yet they refused, nor only did refuse
To welcome Christ as God's anointed
Son,

They also did conspire and counsel took
To rid them of Him by a cruel death.
This Jesus knew, and therefore are we
told

That for a season "He did no more walk, As was His wont, with openness amongst The Jews, but sought the peaceful desert shade

Where Ephraim's city stood, and there abode

Surrounded by the twelve." But when the time,

The God-appointed time, was fully come That He should die, He stedfast set His face

To go to Salem-where, "without the camp,"

His life's blood should be poured.

With this design
He calls aside His chosen band, that He
May information give of matters which
Would prove of deepest interest to all
Of every after age. It was not meet
That men, to be employed in building up
The Church of God, as they, should be
without

A full and comprehensive knowledge of
The counsels framed by Wisdom infinite
For the redemption of a guilty world.
The Master's call is readily obeyed,
And on His lips His scholars eager hang.
Perhaps they hope to hear intelligence
Which will confirm the carnal-minded
views

They had so fondly cherished of the reign Of Christ below. But ah! between their thoughts

And those of God there is a mighty chasm.

They seem to think sin's nature not to be

We note here, first of all, how that these words

Assert, on Jesus' part, a purpose fixedHow, under love's strong impulse, He is bent,

With firm resolve, to move along the path,

His destined path, although He knew it should

End only with the direful instrument Soon to be planted on Golgotha's hill. When, once before, He spake of this event,

The zealous Peter sought to interfere, And, by well-meant but foolish counsel, bade

Him not subject Himself to such a fate. But, with the most impressive earnest.

ness,

And indignation kindled in His eye,

This counsel He refused, and, with rebuke Most keenly pungent, He to Simon said, "Satan, get thee behind; to Me thou

art

A deep offence, because thou savour'st not The things that be of God, but those of men."

So clear was it to Him, that what He should

Endure of suffering was not to be viewed As the mere efflux of depravity

Evinced by men, but also as the will And counsel most express of God Most High.

Wherefore, in that advice the Apostle gave,

Jesus could only see temptation foul Coming from lowest hell, and Simon as The instrument in bringing it to bear Upon his mind. But now He will not be Restrained from His divine-appointed

course

By love's entreaty, neither will He be Deterred by hatred's menace. Well He knows

That those who seek His blood already have

Assembled to concert their murderous plan;

Yet He will not resile. His watchword is,

"Behold we go;" and though a sea of blood

Were foaming at his feet-and though not one

But many deaths awaited Him, there is Within His heart one sentiment alone, Which He expresses thus-"We upwards go."

Because it was His Father's will. It was, Besides, the path-the only path-by

which

His great and longed-for aim of saving

men

Could possibly be reached. Herein He does

Exemplify the greatest love to men,
A spirit most submissive to the will of
God, who sent Him on His gracious
work,

And prompt obedience to the law divine.
This language further teaches us what

was

His stay and staff, while trav❜ling o'er the road

That led Him on to suff'ring and to death.

His comfort He derived from God's own Word,

Wherein He read the things that holy

men

Taught from above had said concerning Him,

And those wise counsels which the Lord Most High

Had by His Word revealed. When thus

we see

The ever-blessed King of truth regard The Scriptures as th' undoubted record

sure

Of God's own mind, what proof is this to

us

Of that Divine authority by which They are inspired? This record Jesus bears

Upon His heart, both night and day. It is

To Him the law which terminates all strife

On ev'ry vital point of human life,
According to its statutes He decides
And guides His steps where'er it points
the way,

Whether His Father's voice is heard direct

From heaven, or sounds from out this record true,

To Him it is the same. The latter He
Regards as equal to the former, and
With rev'rence bows unto its ev'ry jot.
Thus all His ways are sure, and there is
sealed

To Him, by ev'ry hour's experience,
The fact that He obeys commands divine;
All that the Word enjoins in Him be-

comes

A great reality, and ev'ry trait, However delicate, is made assume Both life and substance gloriously fair.

In being guided by and looking to
The Word for solace in His hour of need,
Has Jesus left to all who follow Him
A full example of the means to which
They should repair when they are pressed
down

By trouble's dark'ning load. And just as
He,

Amid the manifold and special ills Which it foretold would fail not to o'ertake

Him in His earthly course, found much to cheer,

To comfort, and support, in prospect of The aid of promised grace, the victories And triumphs He should gain; so may the saint.

The course which it apportions unto all Believers is, that only when they have

Endured their share of tribulation great

They pass into the rest above. Like Christ's,

To whom they are conformed, their way

unto

The crown is by the Cross. Let this, howe'er,

By no means lead them to despond, for in The Word there are for them "exceeding great

And precious promises," which cannot fail

To strengthen faith's endeavours, and to cheer

The trusting soul. Let these be firmly grasped,

And in the light of truth let all betake Themselves by its appointed path, without

A handbreadth's deviation from the way Which it prescribes, then shall they realise

Within their breast that goodliest pearl, peace,

The peace of God; thus also will they find

The promises to fall upon their path Like lights from heav'n, dispelling all the gloom

Which seemed to thicken round them, and to hide

The issues of their course from out their view.