(George Everard, "Beneath the Cross" 1877)
Beneath the cross of Jesus, I shall best learn to know my sin aright. For in the presence of Him who was crucified for me, I learn how fearful is the character of sin. Sin is . . .
the knife that slew my best friend;
the nail that pierced His hand;
the spear that wounded His side;
the scourge that bruised Him;
the thorn that marked His brow.
With this sight before me . . .
let me hate my sin with deadly hatred;
let me never cloak or excuse sin, though in the most subtle form;
let me abhor the very shadow, the very approach of evil;
let me keep at the utmost distance from that which crucified my Lord.
The more I keep beneath the cross of Jesus, the more shall I grieve over the evil I have done, and grow in humility before God.
Beneath the cross of Jesus, I also see the completeness and the all-sufficiency of my sin's remedy! However great the evil I discover--help and salvation is close at hand. I can never despair, while I gaze on Him who was wounded for my transgressions and who bore my sins in His own body on the tree!