ing spirit to His Father, "He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost;"-dismissed His spirit, as one perfectly willing to resign it, and having power also to lay it down, and to take it up again.

All nature seemed to sympathize in the wondrous transaction. The heavens were hung in blackness, the earth trembled to her centre, the rocks were rent, the graves were opened, and the pious dead came forth, to grace the triumphs of the Conqueror of death. The heathen soldiers exclaimed, Truly this was a righteous man! certainly this was the Son of God." The spectators smote their breasts, and returned. The vail of the temple, that costly and substantial screen, which had for ages separated the Holy Place from common gaze, was in an instant rent from top to bottom, in presence of the assembled priests, just then engaged in offering the evening sacrifice,-to the terror of those who had cast forth the Saviour from His own temple, and in delightful manifestation to the humble penitent, that "the way into the holiest of all" was opened by the death of Jesus.

Here let our hearts begin to melt,
While we His death record;
And with our joy for pardon'd guilt,
Mourn that we pierc'd the Lord.

Nearly three hours had elapsed, since the Crucified expired, and the soldiers hastened to take down the bodies from the cross. The Jewish law required

that the bodies of criminals should not remain or

the tree beyond the day of execution; and as their sabbath commenced at six o'clock in the evening, they were particularly anxious, on this occasion, to expedite the removal of whatever might seem to interfere with the sacredness of the season. Persons who can without remorse commit the most flagitious crimes, are sometimes most scrupulous in ceremonial observances. Those who had not hesitated to murder an innocent individual, in defiance of the moral law, would not suffer the murdered body to remain on the cross, so as to infringe one moment on the bounds of the ceremonial precept. However, thus an occasion was given for the fulfilment of other prophecies concerning the Messiah. To ascertain that life had departed, the soldiers rudely crushed the legs of the two malefactors; but perceiving that Jesus was already most certainly dead, they forbore to offer the same indignity to Him; for the scripture had said, (though they knew it not,) "A bone of Him shall not be broken," Exod. xii. 46.; but one of the soldiers, either from mere wantonness, or to put the fact of His death beyond all possibility of doubt, "pierced His side with a spear, and forthwith came there out blood and water." Thus was the saying of another prophet fulfilled, They shall look on Him whom they pierced, and shall mourn," Zech. xii. 10. Thus was the reality of the Saviour's death manifested beyond dispute; and thus were its double design and efficacy set forth-to purify, as well as pardon: "This

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the tree beyond the day of execution; and as their sabbath commenced at six o'clock in the evening, they were particularly anxious, on this occasion, to expedite the removal of whatever might seem to interfere with the sacredness of the season. Persons who can without remorse commit the most flagitious crimes, are sometimes most scrupulous in ceremonial observances. Those who had not hesitated to murder an innocent individual, in defiance of the moral law, would not suffer the murdered body to remain on the cross, so as to infringe one moment on the bounds of the ceremonial precept. However, thus an occasion was given for the fulfilment of other prophecies concerning the Messiah. To ascertain that life had departed, the soldiers rudely crushed the legs of the two malefactors; but perceiving that Jesus was already most certainly dead, they forbore to offer the same indignity to Him; for the scripture had said, (though they knew it not,) "A bone of Him shall not be broken," Exod. xii. 46.; but one of the soldiers, either from mere wantonness, or to put the fact of His death beyond all possibility of doubt, "pierced His side with a spear, and forthwith came there out blood and water." Thus was the saying of another prophet fulfilled," They shall look on Him whom they pierced, and shall mourn,” Zech. xii. 10. Thus was the reality of the Saviour's death manifested beyond dispute; and thus were its double design and efficacy set forth-to purify, as well as pardon: "This