sure. Now, if a plan had not been devised by infinite wisdom and goodness, for harmonizing the moral perfections of God, and vindicating his righteous government, both of which were highly dishonoured by man's transgression-a plan to show the divine displeasure against sin by punishing it, and restore the sinner to the dignity and happiness he had forfeited, he must have continued guilty and miserable for ever. It was, therefore, necessary, that he who was to be the Author of our salvation should both obey and suffer, and by these means satisfy incensed justice, and thus repair the honour of the divine law and government: that the same nature which had sinned should also suffer, and that satisfaction should be made in the same nature by which the transgression came; and that he should be more than a creature, because a mere creature, though perfectly holy, could never be adequate to the claims of infinite justice for the sins of mankind. Therefore, when no mere creature, however exalted, in heaven or earth, could be found equal to this stupendous work, the Son of God was appointed, and freely undertook it, who, "being in the form of God," and "thinking it no robbery to be equal with him," yet, for the accomplishment of this magnificent and gracious design, "took upon him the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of man, and, being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Though he "was in the beginning with God," and "all things were made by him," yet "it behoved him to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." He then, being both God and man in one person, was capable of obeying the law we had by transgression broken, of

suffering its penalty in our stead, and dying for our sins; and by his mediation, of satisfying divine justice, and obtaining redemption and salvation for us. He, therefore, is every way sufficient to be the foundation of our acceptance with God, holiness, and happiness, both for time and eternity.

Jesus Christ is also the foundation of the Church of God, with respect to his merits. However excellent and glorious in his person, as the Son of God, yet, if he had not assumed our nature, and in that nature obeyed, suffered, and died for us, we, as fallen guilty creatures, could have derived no benefit from him. But he came into the world on our account, and by his obedience and death, has merited all the spiritual blessings we need to constitute us happy. In the covenant of redemption, there are four things requisite for effecting the salvation of fallen guilty men; all of which we recognize in the mediatorial character and work of Jesus Christ.

Sin expiated. Sin is so great an evil, being opposed to the moral government and adorable perfections of the Divine Being, that without the proper and full expiation of it, man can never be pardoned, accepted, and saved. What the prophet says is applicable to all our race, "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you." But Jesus died on the cross to make atonement for our sins, offering up himself a sacrifice for them. When man, by transgression, had exposed himself to the curse of the broken law, the sovereign lawgiver was pleased to admit of an expiatory sacrifice, instead of the penal death of the sinner. Of this the Jews were informed by their many sacrifices, which were typical representations of the great sacrifice of atonement that was in due time to be offered up. Therefore, when atonement was made by

those typical sacrifices, the sins of the transgressors were blotted out. "He shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock of a sin-offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.” "And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him." Now that which was done typically under the law, was done really and perfectly by Jesus Christ, when he was lifted up, suffered, and died on the cross. "Him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins-and that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." And whereas the legal sacrifices were appointed for the expiation of some sins only, Jesus has, "by one offering, perfected for ever them that are sanctified," and "his blood cleanseth from all sin."

Reconciliation made.-By reason of our sins God was justly offended, and we were become children of wrath. The apostle says, "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." So that all mankind, as connected with the first Adam, are obnoxious to the just displeasure of God. And if the eternal Son, in the capacity of Mediator, had not interposed between us guilty rebels, and the offended Majesty of Heaven, meritoriously turned away his anger by dying in our stead, and thereby obtaining reconciliation for us, we must for ever have endured the punishment due to our sins. The blood of Jesus has removed the flaming sword that guarded the entrance into Paradise, and opened a new and living way for us. His blood being sprinkled on the sacred throne, has rendered

it a mercy-seat. God is now reconciled and propitious to all that come to him in the name of his Son, trusting in his merit alone for salvation. Thus we are reconciled by the death of Christ-the blood of the cross. Jesus "having made peace through the blood of his cross, it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself." "When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." The doctrine which the apostles were commissioned to publish through all nations was, "that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."

own.

Redemption effected.—By our transgressions we became not only obnoxious to the displeasure of God, but the captives and bond-slaves of Satan. We had sold ourselves to him for nought, and he had taken possession of his Such was our awful condition, that if our blessed Lord and Saviour had not given his own life a ransom for us, by dying and rising again broken the head of the old serpent the devil, and thereby obtained deliverance for those who were his captives-we might have remained under his dominion, and by him have been tormented in the regions of darkness for ever. For the Son of God assumed our nature, that "through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them, who, through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage." "In him we (all believers,) have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." By his obedience, death, and resurrection, he has obtained a right to open the prison doors of the Prince of Darkness, and let his captives go free; and a period will

arrive when he will chain him in the bottomless pit, that he may never more afflict or tempt his righteous ser

vants.

Sanctification secured.-By the first transgression of Adam we lost not only the possession of perfect happiness, but the excellent adorning of holiness. The moral image of God, in which man was created, was utterly defaced. The recovery of this is so indispensably necessary, that the apostle asserts, "without holiness no man. shall see the Lord." Happiness also, even in the present life, depends on the acquisition and enjoyment of a renewed nature. But Jesus has, by his blood shedding, procured for us not only a right to happiness, but the means by which to obtain it. He has highly exalted our nature by taking it into personal union with his divine nature, and by his death has merited personal sanctification for us. His inward tempers and outward actions, so far as imitable, exhibit a glorious pattern for us to copy; and by the energy of his Spirit he produces in believers a moral resemblance of himself, that " as he is, so are they in this world." Thus the apostle speaks, "Jesus, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." "By which will we

are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all." By virtue of his death he not only obtained gifts for men, but bestows his Spirit on all those who believe in his name, to sanctify and make them "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."

Thus we see what Jesus, by dying in our stead, has purchased, that he might obtain salvation for us; and all this he has done meritoriously. In his death there was proper merit; for his obedience and sufferings were complete: he omitted nothing that either God or the moral law required. He drank the whole of that cup,