## The Cross

<42002E> 4

J. N. Darby.

(Notes and Comments Vol. 2.)

There is that in which the Cross stands alone. In Christ's glory I shall participate, and though God is One, and above all, so that there can be no comparison, yet in divine excellency in Person, Christ participates in the divine nature with the Father and the Spirit, and They are one with Him; but in the Cross, though the Father's love is revealed in it, and that He offered Himself through the Eternal Spirit, yet in the suffering proper to the Cross He was alone - wholly alone. It is in this sense, morally, more than the glory - that others can have - on the Cross what was excellent and glorious, none had share in accomplishing with Christ. He is the Lamb slain above - we reap the fruit, but He accomplished this glorious work Himself, and was alone in accomplishing it.

The full bringing out of good and evil on the Cross is very striking. God (speaking reverently, for the expression is incorrect, it was manifestation, yet to make myself understood), God was fully tested, and He was above sin, and there was absolute righteousness against it, and perfect love. Man was tested, and he was enmity against God - that was all his history, unless we add details of evil fruits. Christ, blessed be His name, was tested, and it was a perfect savour of love and obedience - there remained nothing to bring out (for faith); all was fully - good and evil - perfectly brought into the light; even Satan was there fully manifested, against the manifestation of love in Christ, and as god of this world.

That it was indeed necessary that the death of Christ should intervene, in order that the love of God could satisfy itself in flowing out in unhindered blessing, is easily understood in grace; but what depth of love is in the expression "how am I straitened till it be accomplished!"

What endless wondrous outgoing of love in all the life and actings of Jesus! We should think it infinite, for it never failed; but He - such was the depth, the power, the divine fulness of that which was within that He was straitened - His love wrought in such power, in such necessity to itself to bless, that to Him, His heart was straitened till all that saving power, in which God was fully revealed and glorified, could go forth to bless. This tells us clearly what He was. It is a wondrous expression - and such was the work upon the Cross; it was sufficient to let flow out all this love - wondrous work too!

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