IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fe // A K ^ /a 1.0 I.I ■-IM ^ m us US u 14:0 IL25 ill 1.4 2.5 2.2 20 1.6 Piiotograpuic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V\'-Q > ^^"a '%"*'" ^-*u*-. \XU^ / A^^^\ U -/'AV ^i^ ^' *^ WcJtki^ 1 " V Imve 1 Job THE PERFJX'TION di" THE ATONEMENT, VIKWKD l^opuUirli), Cogicallw, anU ^^tripturalls. HY THOMAS WILSON, MtNISTKR, rvNAnA I'RRSBVl'KItlAV CIILIKUH, ..'ALKnOM A. Wo also joy 111 God, tliroiij;Ii our Lord Jesus Clirist, l)v wliom wh have now rjoeivcd the atoiienh.iit."-Roin v. 11. See also' Isa. i. 18; 1 John i. 7, last clause : John iii, id. TORONTO: ADAM, STEVENSON ,^ COMPANY. Losf . 8V'126 |lctommcul)atoi-i) flotc i BY Revs. Wm. Ormiston, D.I)., and Daviu Inglis, Hamilton, Ontakio. In issuing this small volume to the public, with tlie fervent prayer that, by God's blessing, it may be instrumental in awakening the careless, re- claiming the sceptical, and building up believers in hope and comfort, unto final salvation through Jesus— the Author begs to call attention to the following Testimonial in its favour, M-ritten by two of his co-1'resbyters, whose names are not only well-known throughout the Church in Canada, but have travelled beyond it : — " We have carefully perused the manuscript of a small volume, entitled " The Perfection of THE Atonement," written by the Eev. Mr. Wilson vi BECOMMENDA TORY NOTE. of Cnledonin ; niid liavo forineda very favourable opinion of tlie merits of tlie work. Tin; (lootriues iiiaiiitaiiKHl are Scriptural and ortliodox— the method of treatment simple and popular and the style clear and forcihle. The su])reme importance and universal intei-est of the subject are vigorously enforced and vividly illustrated. It is decidedly a readal)le l»ook on the most pro- found and most momentous of all questions; and we heartily recommend it to tlu! attention of all, and specially to such as may neither have the leisure nor the inclination to read more e.v- tensive treatises." AV. OPt^NILSTON, D.D. DAVID INGLLS. Ha.mii.tox, March 22, 1869. rouniblo loctrines )x — the •I)uliir — U])reiiie subject istrateil. nst ])!•()- estions ; ;tentioii er Iiave lore ex- D.T). (JONTKNTS. I. TIIK CASK SI'ATKI) Iinjiurtaiice Atoin'ini'iit dtlincd l,ii\v (Uiilt Condc'immtioii. II. IMi'KlJFECTIOX OF HUMAN J{EMK1)1KS Uuautlinritative - Uiicertniu— Aiiniliilatioii- - Mere Rei)eiitaii(e- Penance— Inleiior Sacri- (ices. III. TIIH ALL-SUFITCIKNIJY OF UIJMST's WAC- lUFICF (Jo.l's Iteniedy IVif.ct suhstitutioii Per- lectly ellicacious Peifectly free. IV. EiaiUHS, DIFFICULTIES, AND OH.JECTIONS CONSIDEKED ... Necessity of Dinicultie.s-DifTiculties no ex- cuse— Cruelty -Adnii.s.sil)i!ity of Suh.stitu- tion-Suttici, .; ■ of the one Substitute for luany Sinners-Adequacy of His Tenii.orai Stiircrinprs to save fiom E\erlastiug Evil- Moral Iiiiiuence and Success. y. KELATION OF THE ATONEMENT To MAN Believers and Unbelievers -In Christendoin- In Heathendom— In Eternity. VI. THE (IRACIOUS INVITATION The Inviter-Tlie Burden - Th, Need The Coming. I'AOE 9 •JO w 95 12!) 148 I t Inigh Gosj dyin flows salvs savoi then In 01 impo upon CHAPTER I. THE CASE STATED. "Christ suffered for us, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God."— 1 Pbter iii. 18. HE importance of this subject, to every person of sane mind, cannot be sur- passed. It is the central truth of the Gospel— the essence of God's good news to our dying race— tlie never failing fountain \vhenc(i flows every other blessing necessary to our final salvation. Its acceptance by the believer is "tlie savour of life unto life ;" and its rejection by the unbeliever " the savour of death unto death." In order, then, that this subject, in all its vast importance, may be understood, felt, and acted upon by us, to our comfort here and welfare in' B 10 THE CASE STATED. the great Hereafter, let us in tins chapter notice briefly what it is, together with a few prelimin- ary facts which it involves. Wliat, then, is this subject? The word "atonement" means something clone, in order that two parties at variance may be brought to- gether again in friendship and peace. It ex- presses something which satisfies the wounded dignity and standing of the offended party, and allows him, on just and honourable terms, to receive the offender back into his favour — a something which, at lie same time, assures the offender that, on seeking reconciliation, he will be pardoned and accepted. Here, of course, we use the word to denote the great vicarious sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, in virtue of which God and man, naturally separated by the sin of the latter, may be brought again into harmony and fellowship with each other. That sacrifice satisfied the infinite majesty of God's character and position, p,s moral gover- nor of the universe, and, therefore, it permits Him, in consistency with the infinite holiness of His nature, and with a due regard to all THE CASE STATED. 11 .pter notice V prelimin- The word le, in order brouglit to- ce. It ex- le wounded party, and 3 terms, to favour — a issures the ion, lie will course, we : vicarious n virtue of oarated by iglit again 3acli otliei". majesty of Dral gover- it permits fce holiness ;ard to all ! the interests of His government, to he merciful and gracious to sinners ; while, at the same time, in regard to tlie sinner, it gives him assurance that, if he come unto God through faith in this atonement for his sins, he will in nowise be cast out. And, with res-'^ct to the word " per- fection" here, we use ii to signify that the sacrifice of Christ was and is all-sufficient, in every way, to accomplish the highly important objects it contemplated. Such is the subject, and, as we have said, it presupposes some other great facts. It in- volves, first, the fact, that man is naturally urder the law of God, and bound to keep it perfectly, as the condition of his continuing to enjoy God's favour. This fact maybe estab- lished by a tri2)le line of proof There is the evidence of our own reason. Its testimony is, that, as God is our absolute Creator and Pre- server, and has absolute power over our life and death, we are His absolute property and depend- ants ; and are, therefore, most firmly bound, if we would not offend Him, to obey His wiU in all things, omitting nothing and doing every- 12 THE CASE STATED. thing He enjoins upon us. There is also the evidence of our own conscience. In every man, civilized or savage, conscience utters essentially the same language— saying to every one, thou Shalt think, speak, or do no evil, but only what is true and riglit. And not only, as the law^ giver enthroned in every heart, does conscience thus speak : it also speaks to us, with all the authority of a sui^reme judge over us— con- demning us as deserving of ])unishmcnt, when we tliink or do any wrong ; and praising us as worthy of reward when we think or do any good. Moreover, it is impartial in its decisions, placing rich and poor on the same level, and utterly refusing to be bribed. Now, as it was God that put this conscience within us, what is it but the voice of his own impartial, unbribable law declaring most authoritatively to us, that if we would not be condemned by Him, we must render a perfect obedience in all things to Him ? Though reason is now dimmed and conscience seared by the Full, yet it is impossible to con- ceive either of them affirming that we should disobey God in anything, or that God will be I THE CASE STATED. 13 also tlie ery man, isentially Dne, thou tily what the law- mscience 1 all the us — con- nt, when ng lis as do any decisions, vel, and s it was what is bribable 3, that if ^ve must ;o Him ? iiscience I to con- I should will be pleased even with our least disobedient act. And there is the evidence— the infallible evi- dence—of God's own word. It tells us, that if Adam, tlie reiu'esentative head of the whole hmnan race, would disobey God even in one small matter, he would become liable to the penalty—" the soul tliat sinneth, it shall die." Then our Lord also tells us, that even if we hate our brother in our heart, we are guilty of murder. Indeed, the wliole tenor of God's M'ord from beginning to end declares in the plainest terms, that we must observe " all the words of His law," and that too " with all our heart, and strength, and mind," if we would not lose His favour, and incur the penalty due to transgressors. It also involves the fact, that man is guilty of l)reaking God's law. His guilt is both federal and personal, or, as others render it, original and actual. And what is federal gnilt ? It is, as the Westminster Catechism says, " our sinning in Adam, and falling with him, in his first transgression." This federal guilt, of course, does not mean, that we personally ate of the 1 u THE CASE STATED. forbidden fruit, wliatever it was; or that we personally feel remorse for his sin. Nevertheless, it means that, as he was our representative in the first covenant, or covenant of works, we re- presentatively sinned in him, and became exposed to the consequences of his crime. Such a reality Ua this representative guilt we see in daily life. A father, for instance, is the re- presentative of his family. If he, by any wrong act, loses all his property, the children also suffer by his wrong doing, in that by his act and loss, they are subjected to poverty. Or, again, if parents lead an immoral life, and contract some radical disease, the children, being in them, be- come heirs of that disease. In like manner, by the sin of our great parent and representative, all are now born— not perfect as Adam was, when he did and must have come forth a perfect piece of workmanship from the hands of the infinitely perfect Creator— but heirs of his fallen estate and nature. Hence, it is written in Scripture, "by one man's disobedience many were made sinners." Then, in regard to our personal guilt, there can be no doubt of it in THE CASE STATED. 15 r that we vertheless, ntative in ks, we re- 16 exposed Such a we see in is the re- my wrong also suffer i and loss, again, if Tact some them, be- lanner, by ssentative, dam was, a perfect ds of the his fallen Titten in ice many [•d to our > of it in any well informed mind. The verdict of our own conscience is, that, in tliouglit, word, and deed, times without number, by either omitting a felt duty, or violating a felt obligation, we are indeed sinners. Our reason also tells us that, when we compare our thoughts and actions with the law of God, as laid down in the Ten Com- mandments, there is not one of them but we have repeatedly broken in the spirit, if not also in the letter. And God's word emphatically declares that " there is none righteous, no, not one;" and that " all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." And it likewise involves the fact, that man, by reason of his guilt, is exposed to punishment, even everlasting punishment. This also may be proved in much the same manner as the preced- ing facts. Conscience holds out no hope to the guilty. It tells us that, having by our disobedience rebelled against God's authority, we deserve the penalty of djath — that, having offended God, and this too without any proA^ocation, and in spite of daily countless benefits, we deserve to lose His favour entirely ; and the entire loss of 16 THE CASE STATED. i His favour would be deatli, as it would be the stopi)iTig of all our mercies— that, haviiirr for- sakeu God, we deserve to be forsaken by Him; and, of course, to be forsaken Ijy God, and left to our own helplessness, would be certain, irremediable ruin. Nay more, guilt in the con- science, producing fears and remorse, remains there, as a disease, incurable at least by man — a fear and remorse that, though now slumber- mg or stifled for a while, occasionally burst forth, as a terrible pledge and foretaste of that " worm" in eternity " that dieth not." Eeason also in itself holds out little or no hope to the guilty. It tells us that those who violate law should suffer its curse— that, as God is infinitely holy, He must hate sin— that, as He is in- finitely just. He must vindicate His justice in punishing the transgressor— and that, as He is infinitely true. He must inflict the penalty He has attached to the violation of His law. Obser- vation, even in common life, likewise shows that the transgressor, according to his crime, suffers proportionately, and yet permanently. Daily, in common society, we see that, by the operation THE CASE STATED. 17 ould be the I laving for- )n Ly Him ; )d, and left be certain, in the con- ;e, remains by man — V shimber- lally burst ste of that Eeason oj^e to the iulate law 3 infinitely tie is in- justice in , as He* is enalty He V. Obser- iho^vs that lie, suffers . Daily, operation of some invisible powerful law, pei-sons of low character are d(j()nied to associate with each other, almost already separate from the good — that tlie least criminal, altliougli ostensibly punished for only a sh(jrt time, retains a per- manent stigma on his character, which injures him all throughout life— that those, who re- peatedly violate law, are either imprisoned or banished for life, as dangerous pests to society — and that those, who commit a capital ofl'ence, suffer the extreme sentence of the law. All this, every human government, in order to vindicate its majesty, and protect the interests of society, is compelled to inflict on evil-doers ; and tlierefore it hints to us that God, as moral ruler of the universe, in order to vindicate the majesty of His authority and law, and protect the interests of His intelligent creatures, must also deal in much the same way with transgressors, though in an infinitely higher manner, according to his own infinitely higher nature and position. Moreover, the vari(/us religions of the heathen, corrupt as these are, show that the sinner is liable to everlasting punishment. The Druidism 18 THE CASE STATED. f ! of ancient Gaul and Briton— tlie worship of old Greece and Eome— tlie pagodas of China and Hindostan—tlie creed of Mahometanism— the fetichism of the African negroes-tlie rites of our North American Indians— ail show that, either by some universal instinct implanted by God in human nature, or by the voice of universal tradition directly derived, though now much distorted, from some original divine communi- cation, the sinner is exposed to everlasting wrath and endless misery. And God's own word gives no uncertain sound about the sinner being naturaUy liable to suffer here, and especially hereafter. It distinctly states, " the soul that smneth, it shaU die." Now, this sentence holds out no hope of the sinner's recovery, after a cer- tain amount of punishment ; for it leaves the sinner's soul under the power of death. Nor is this death the mere separation of soul and body; for it is the soul that is said to die. Nor is this death annihilation; for it is in the divine volume described by such expressions as these— "The wrath to come,"— "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and THE CASE STATED. 19 rsliip of old China and mism — the he rites of show tliat, planted by »f universal low much eommuni- ting wrath word gives ner being especially soul that 3nce holds fter a cer- eaves the 1. Kor is md body ; J'or is this le volume 5e— " The ^erlasting Lord, and the glory of His power " — " where their worm dietli not, and their fire is not quenched" — " these shall go away into everlasting punish- ment." Thus, our present natural condition, as guilty of breaking God's law, and exposed to misery here and especially hereafter, shows that a perfect atonement with God, in order to our pardon and deliverance, is a matter unspeakably momentous. V '-t hi CIIAPTEE II. niE mumoiENcY op human remedies. ••Neither i, ,l,,a. salvation i„ „„y other. "-Ao™ i, 12 ^ Jtunotm „.an that walketh to direct hi, step'.'lj'';, HE importance of the atonement, wl.ich tlie Son of God l,as made for our sins appears also from tl,e fact, tliat all remed,es. devised by the sinner hin.self, are im perfect and altogether insufficient to secure 1 pe^acewrth God, and obtain the remission of i It is almost self-evident, that any remedv l|roposed by the sinner himself. must'bedeS tive and unavailmg. His ignorance, especially iMEDIES. le Christ died icTs iv. 12. teps."_JKj{. 3nt, wllich f our sins, . tliat all f, are im- 'ecure his ion of his remedy, be defec- speciaily J nmiylN UEMELIES, 2 1 if left to liiniself, unfits him to be the judge in the case. What the infmitely perfect nature of God demands against iniquity— what the in- terests of His government require, when they are outraged by tlie transgression of His law— and what the exceeding demerit of sin itself is —are things too high for the sinner's unaided compreliensiun ; and tlicrefore his ignorance, if left to himself, disqualifies him for either devis- ing or judging what can be a proper and perfect remedy in the matter. The infinitely holy nature of the party offended, the turpitude of the offence in rebelling against so great and good a Being, as well as all the vast complicated interests of His government over all intelligent creatures, clearly show that infinite wisdom is required, in order to judge and devise what remedy will perfectly meet all the exigencies of the case. Moreover, the sinner is disqualified by his own interested prejudices from being a proper judge in the matter. Who would, even in a human court of law, ever dream of making the criminal the judge in his own trial ? Every one knows that by his selfish prejudices he 1 1 i Ml ,'l 11 ^k 22 TJiH INSUFFICIENCY OF would so belittle his crime, and so reduce tl.e penalty to almost nothing, tliat, if criminals were left to be their own judges, all justice would be so- perverted, and wickedness .o encouraged, that society could not possibly exist. Now, if this be so in human government who will dare to say that, in God's government over us, the sinner, so full of interested pre- judices for self, is qualified to be tlie jud-e either of the magnitude of his own offence, or of the penalty that is required? Besides, the sinner has no right-no authority whatever-to make his own wiU and pleasure the standard of what IS a sufficient atonement for his sins Such a thing is not allowed in human govern- ments, never dreamt of. Nor, assuredly, can it be allowed in God's government. The sinner is the offender: and it is not his pleasure, but the pleasure of the judge and ofieud.d party that must be taken into account an.! ^^aiisfied ere reconciliation can be possible. Now, in regard to sm, God is both the judge and the offended party He, therefore, and not tlie sinner, has the nght to determine what remedy is sufficient, in OF ' reduce the f criminals all justice kedness f-o 't possibly overnment, government :'ested pre- the judge fence, or of 3sides, the atevcr — to tandard of his sins, m govern- lly, can it 3 sinner is e, but the arty tha , • rffied ere in regard ! offended T, has the Icient, in HUMAN BEMEDIJ'JS. 23 order to secure the sinner's deliverance from the curse of the law. No romedy, however pleasing to the sinner, if it docs not satisfy God, can be of any use ; and, from the sinner's ignorance, prejudice, and want of authority, it is almost self-evident that all human remedies— that everj' remedy but what God Himself provides and approves of— must be defective, unauthoritative, and unavailing. The remedies which men have devised, in order to obtain forgiveness of sin and accept- ance with God, are numerous and diversified. Nothing else could reasonably be expected. As all the authors of these remedies were themselves ignorant, and sinful, and without authority, the one would not submit to the other, but each thought his own remedy as good as his neigh- hour's, and even much better. These remedies may all, in our opinions, be reduced to four— annihilation, repentance, pen- ance, and inferior sacrifices. The first remedy is that of the lowest class of infidels. These regard God as feeling no interest in our race— as careless whether we are 'i :i 24 THE INSUFFICimcY OF obedient and happy, or wicked and miserable— and as death being our titter destruction. No one is more ready than these infidels to admit, that the world is exceedingly wicked and miser- able, but they hold out no hope but the grim, reckless hope of utter annihilation at death for us. There are most serious and fatal objections to this remedy. Its advocates cannot prove it —are not sure of it. They, especially by their own fears when death draws nigh, often show that they have tliemselves very great doubts about it. Certain it is, tliat if it be God's will, he can as easily continue our existence through all eternity as he could first call us into being. Now, if death is not the end of our existence, and if there is a remedy provided by the mercy of God for our sins, but if misled by this infidel theory as our first parents were misled by the tempter, we have neglected and rejected God's mercy; then this infidel theory, instead of be- ing even a gloomy relief, lias only made our eternal ruin all the more terrible; besides, it is opposed to reason. As God makes no use- less thing, so the very capability whicli man's IF HUMAN REMEDIES, 25 liserable — ctioii. No to admit, and miser- ' the grim, t death for objections it prove it y by their ften show at doubts jrod's will, !e through nto being, existence, ;he mercy liis infidel 3d by the ted God's ad of be- tnade our 'esides, it ! no use- cli man's Boul has to conceive the ideas of God, responsi- [bility, and eternity proves that man's soul is [responsible to God and immortal. If death were the extinction of our being, and we were I not responsible and immortal creatures, then it M^ould have been impossible for us even to think of God, or of accountability to Him, or of eter- nity, for it would be useless. The beasts that perish, for instance, have no idea of God, or of responsibility to Him, or of eternity. They are I utterly unable even to form such an idea, just 1 because they are beasts that perish. But man can easily form au idea of these weighty matters, because he is not a beast that perishes, but a spiri- i tual, responsible, immortal being. Moreover, it is contradicted by almost universal tradition among j all the various races of men. They almost uni- versally believe in a future state; and their be- lief cannot be properly accounted for in any I other way than by supposing that either God lias made such a belief a natu.-al instinct in man's soul, or that it has been handed down •from generation to generation from God's hav- iing directly revealed it to our first parents. I 1 1 i 2(j THE INSUFFICIENCY OF And then, this poor remedy is flatly condemned by God's Word. It most solemnly and empha- tically tells us that "it is appointed unto all men once to die, and alter that the judgment." " We nnist all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that we may receive according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be g,:- d, or whetlier they be bad." The second remedy is that of those who hold that mere repentance is aU that God requires, in order to his forgiving the sinner and receiv- ing him again into full favour. In support o^" this, its advocates plausibly say, that man often forgives those who offend him upon simple re- pentance, and that God is surely not less mer- ciful tlian man. There is a grain of scriptural truth in this remedy. It it true that without repentance no sinner can be saved. But while this theory leaves us only to infer that God is merciful, the doctrine of Christ's propitiation for our sins proves it. " Herein is love, not that M'e loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Aloreover, tliis positive display of God's love, as r OF tly condemned ly and emplia- inted unto all lie judgment." judgment-seat cording to the tliey be ^:.:-A, lose who hold God requires, sr and receiv- In support 0^' lat man often )n simple re- lot less mer- of scriptural ;hat without . But while that God is ^pitiation for ve, not that us, and sent L' our sins." od's love, as HUMAN REMEDIES. 27 well as the gift of the Spirit that comes to us through the Atonement, is necessary to work true repentance in us. It is then that we truly say " we love God, because He first loved us." But while true repentance on our part is neces- sary, yet by itself it is not sufficient to be the ground of either the sinner's pardon or acceptance. Simple repentance pays no debt. It sets the claims of justice altogether aside. It professes to exalt mercy, but only by ignoring justice entirely. There is good reason why, in many cases, one man should fully pardon another that offends him upon simple repentance. We are sinners ourselves, we have nothing to pay, we need free pardon, and as we expect God to pardon us freely, so our prayer should be, " Forgive us our trespasses, even as we freely forgive them that trespass against us." But God is no sinner, needing mercy Himself; and hence the two cases are not parallel, and should not be argued as if they were parallel. By His very nature as an infinitely perfect Being, God cannot ignore or sacrifice any attribute of His nature at the ex- pense of another. As the infinitely perfect "m 2S ! ! 1 ! I H r 1 TirU INSUFFICnmCY OF God, ifc 19 impossible for Hini to violate His jus- tice by giving way only to mercy. He is in- finitely just as well as infinitely merciful; and, therefore, His infinite justice against the trans- gressors of His law must be satisfied ere his infinite mercy can rest upon the sinner that repents. Moreover, it would be very dangerous for any human being, society, or government, to overlook the claims of justice in every case, and fully pardon the oifender or criminal upon mere repentance. Why, if all debts, offences, and crimes were forgiven upon simple repent- ance, It would soon make these evils be regarded as mere trifles, and would encourage men to in- dulge, in them to the very destruction of all society and government. So if God were freely to pardon the sinner upon simple repentance, sin would soon be regarded as a mere trifle and sinners encouraged to give themselves up to it, until as in the antediluvian world, there would be only intolerable violence, wickedness, and ungodliness everywhere. Eesides, as God is infinitely holy as well as just, he cannot regard even the smallest sin as a trifle, or give even ^ OF 'late Hig jus- . He is in- erciful; and, st the trans- sfied ere hia sinner that ty dangerous government, 1 every case, minal upon 'ts, offences, iple repent- be regarded ' men to in- ;tion of all were freely repentance, ■e trifle and '68 Up to it, !iere would dness, and as God is mot regard give even HUMAN nmiEDIES. 29 % the least encouragenient to it. It is as radically ' opposed to his holiness as liglit to darkness ; and therefore he must show His infinite hatred of it, even while He pardons it. Of course, were He to pardon sin upon simple repentance, His infinitely holy hatred of it would be ignored. Now, as it is impossible for Him to lie, because it would be a denying of His truthfulness, so it is impossible for Him to pardon sin upon mere repentance, because it M^ould be a denying of that holiness which is the very essence of His being. Further, simple repentance by itself is no guarantee that the sinner will not sin and rebel again. Hence, if that were the only thing necessary for salvation the sinner would, even in heaven, be sinning and falling as Adam did in Paradise, and as some of the angels fell from heaven. Mere repentance, then, by itself would in reality be scarcely any salvation at all. Still further, this remedy assumes that tlie sinner, by his own unaided power and M-ill, can re- pent at his ov/n mere pleasure. But this is flatly contradicted by universal history. All history shows that the sinner when left to him- 30 THE INSUFFICIENCY OF , I .el m« cad of turni.. unto God, only wanders farther from Hi™. N„y, even the advocates of Ins remedy of sin.plc repentance are often forced to confess that, while tln-ongh the attractive power of Christ's vicarious sacrifice for their sins, thousands upon tliousands are led to God in true repentance, yet their own proposed remedy scarcely ever leads one to repent at all And, My, It is almost needless to state that this theory of simple repentance in order to pardon and final salvation, has no countenance in Gods Word: for there we are plaiidy told that, "without tlie shedding of Wood, there is no remission of sin." In all its various fo.ms this remedy, like the preceding one, is a human device, and has no proper authority to assure the sinner that upon his own simple repent- ance, he will he pardoned, accepted, and saved The third remedy of man's devising is pen- ance. This also contains a small grain of scrip- tural truth ; for it admits that sin must be punislied ere there can be pardon. It assumes however, that if a sinner undergoes a certain limited amount of suffering, he is entitled to ■ OF )nly wanders advocates of 3 often forced le attractive ice for their e led to God n proposed ■epent at all. state that in order to 3onntenance plainly told od, there is rious foims is a human 7 to assure pie repent- and saved, ing is pen- in of scrip- 1 must be t assumes, a certain entitled to HUMAN REMEDIES. 31 Divine pnrdon, and even becomes qualified in lioliness to enjoy tiie society of the blessed in heaven. Hence tlie many devotees in pagan lands, and even in Clu'istian countries, tliat so punish and torture themselves. Hence the superstitious feeling that still exists in many vulgar minds, tliat they must be saved in the world to come, because they have been afflicted in this. Hence the assertion of others that, after a certain fixed amount of suffering in hell, the sinner will be regarded as having satisfied Divine justice and become purified from sin, and that, therefore, when his penance is accom- plished, he will be received into heaven. This remedy, however, is one of the sinner's own de- vising, and therefore is devoid of all authority to warrant our reliance upon it. It is, besides, impossible for any one to prove that any limited amount of suffering that the sinner endures for sin will satisfy the claims of God's infinitely holy character, law, and government. Certain it is thfct, in many cases of guilt here, human government is e^atisfied with nothing but the death, or perpetual banislnnent, or imprisonment I i i 32 THE INSUFFICIENCY OF for life of the transgressor ; and no one can with any certainty deny that, in all cases, Divine law may require much the same dealing with the smner, if tlie sinner be left to his own unworthi- ness and helplessness. Moreover, if a man were even once to despise God's authority, he cannot by his own reason alone be sure that God will ever receive him into favour again. Certainly, if a man even once offends God and forsakes him, God is not, by anything the offender does or suffers, bound to pardon and bless him with mercies. And, in regard to those who have despised and offended him hundreds of times, if not all their lives, who will dare to say that God must, some time hereafter, pardon and reward them ? Then it is not true that suffering in itself necessarUy purifies the sinner, and fits him ever afterwards for a pure, obedient life, or for heaven. The thief, for instance, is often pun- ished; but, instead of being purified by the suffering, he generally becomes more criminal. The drunkard, by delirium tremens, sometimes suffers the very tortures of hell upon earth ; and yet, instead of being necessarily weaned from * \ 1 i OF me Ccan with Divine lav/ ig with tlio n iinwortlii- a man were ', he cannot t God will Certainly, id forsakes fender does 3 him with who have of times, if y that God md reward nffering in nd fits him life, or for often pun- id by the criminal, sometimes arth; and med from HUMAN REMEDIES, 33 his vice by that suffering, the prol\ability is that he will return more greedily to it. The careless, hardened sinner, when he is in pain and ima- gines that he is dying, often professes the deep- est repentance ; but if he recovers he, in nine cases out of ten, remains a hardened, careless sinner still. Hence there is no reason to sup- pose that any amount of suffering in eternity will purify the sinner, and fit him for the society of heaven. And God's Word gives no counte- nance to the notion that the sinner can ever be justified or purified by his own sufferings. Here his suffering, if sanctified by Divine grace, may change his mind to the better, and so lead to his purification. This much does God's Word affirm, and no more. But in the Hereafter it holds out no change either in the sinner's nature or condition. Its solemn decision is, " He that is unjust, let him be unjust still ; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still ; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." And the fourth. Imman remedy is that of inferior sacrifice. There is more scriptural truth ii i 34 TUB IKBUFFICIENCY OF in this ; for it adiuits tlie tl iroe soripturnl prin- if blood. ciples, tliat "witliout tlio sIumI.!,,.- oi uiooc, there is no remission of sins;" that a suhstitut(J may take tlie sinner's place, and ])ear ]vr penalty, and allow him to he set free ; and tliat iln's sub- stitutionary sacrifice must be the best of its kind. There now i-^ and ever has been from time immemorial, a conviction prevalent among the heathen, that sin is so heinous an offence that it must be expiated by blood ere the Divine favour can. be regained by tlie sinner. Hence it ever was, and still is, customary among them to sacrifice some animal, as a land), bullock, or dog —the best of its kind, and offer up its blood to their supposed deity as a propitiation for their sms. In extreme cases, as among the Druids and Greeks, for instance, the blood of even a child, or of a youth, especially of a virgin, as being more pure and innocent, was offered up as a more excellent and satisfactory expiation for iniquity And in Scrii)ture we find that, from the days of Abel even up to the time of Christ's coming, as the great and all-suflfimVnt propitiation, the sacrifice— happily not of human tmal prin- of blood, suljstitut(; i.- peimlty, t ihis sub- est of its )een from nt ainonfif n offence lie Divine lloiioe it I them to ik, or dog blood to for their 3 Druids f even a irgin, as Tered up xpiation nd that, time of nflficient f human HUMAN IIVMIWIES. ;35 beings, but of the most perfect of laml),s and of (led b lod oxen — was even communded by uoa as necessary atonement for sin ere he pardoned the transgressor. It is almost self-evident, however, that such inferior victims in themselves could never be a sulllcient proi)itiatory offeiing. In regard to the sacrifices of dogs, lambs, or oxen, it is evident that the blood of such inferior creatures, destitute of any si)iritual nature, conld never in itself be an adefjuate atonement for the sin of intelligent, moral, responsible man. Moreover, all animals arc the property of God, and we hold them only as his stewards; and how could we propitiate Him by offering Him only His own property as our ransom. In regard to such victims as children or the youth of either sex, neither could the sacrifice of these be a sufficient atonament for iniquity; for, how- ever pure in our eyes, they are in the sight of the God of holiness naturally sinful and pol- luted ; and their own lives are already forfeited to the curse ; and they already are the property of God, as their Creator and Preserver ; and it was mere cruelty to sacrifice, especially against 36 THE INSUFFICIENCY OF their own will, such supposed innocent beings, in order tliat guilty transgressors might escape ,' and God's Word distinctly tells us that " no man can redeem his brotlier, or give unto God a ransom for his soul." And in regard to the inferior sacrifices mentioned in Scripture as enjoined by God, and offered up by His ancient people as an atonement for sin, these were com- manded and offered up, not as in themselves a sufficient sacrifice, but only as types of the com- plete, perfect atonement that, in the fulness of time, by the sacrifice of Himself as the sinner's substitute, the Son of God was to make once and for all. Moreover, all these inferior sacri- fices are condemned in God's Word as being in themselves in nowise a sufficient atonement for sm. If positively tells us that " it is not possi- ble that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins," and « never could make the comers thereunto perfect." Thus, tlien, we see, both from reason, history and Scripture, that the sinner, by ignorance' prejudice, and want of authority, is utterly unfit to devise a sufficient remedy to find peace with OP !ent beings, i^'lit escajje ; 3 that "no nnto God a ard to the Jripture as iis ancient were com- 3mselves a )f the com- fiilness of le sinner's nake once Jrior sacri- s being in lement for not possi- Lts should make the nUMAK PiEMEDIES. 37 God, and save himself from the awful, everlast- ing consequences of sin; tliat all schemes of mere human device are so uncertain and insuffi- cient, that no man knows -svhich to choose from with any autliority ; and that, having no autho- rity, Ids reliance upon any one of them is only a blind trusting to a broken reed in the most momentous of all concerns ; and that the sinner, if he is to have a thorough trust and hope that can never fail him, must in faith accept of that perfect atonement for sin that God, in tlie riches of His meicy, reveals to us in His Word. a, history, gnorance, erly unfit jace with CHAPTEE III. THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST'S SACRIFICE. "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleauseth us from all sin." — 1 John i. 7. HAT an exquisite pleasure it is in being relieved from vague uncertainty and painful suspense, by finding something solid and true, in which we can thorouglily trust and hope. To the traveller, who feels that he has lost his way in the midnight darkness, or by the misleading of ignorant guides, what a relief is the morning dawn, or the finding of a safe and reliable conductor. To the criminal, condemned to die, yet anxious to preserve life and regain freedom, what a relief is the announce- ment, that there is a way open, by which he ^CRIFICE. useth us from is in being 'tainty and something Liglily trust ih that he irkness, or 3S, what a tiding of a ! criminal, eserve life announce- which he CHMISrs SACMIFICE, 39 may obtain free and full pardon from the sovereign. So to the man who feels himself a sinner, and exposed to the fearful consequences of sm, what a relief to turn away from all the false, unsatisfactory remedies of mere men and rest upon the divine, infallible remedy— "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin." More tlian once, the writer has spoken to cer- tain persons about tlie necessity of liaving some- thmg satisfactory to rest upon, so that, when death and judgment came upon them, they might be ready for their greatest event— "prepare to meet thy God." But, as the evil appeared to be far distant, they seemingly remained en- tirely careless about it. Afterwards, when the same persons became afflicted, and felt tliat their days were numbered, gradually their one all-absorbing question was, is tliere mercy for such as we; and, if so, what shall we do in order to obtain God's pardon and peace ? 'no mere human device would then satisfy them Weak, Ignorant, sinful, dying, and helpless them- selves, with their all at stake, they felt that no 'U: 40 THE ALL-mFFIClENCY OF remedy devised by mere creatures like tlieraselveg could give them either peace of mind or secure them for eternity. They felt that, in their extremity, vain — utterly vain—was the help of man, and that, if they could be helped at all, both their light and safety must come from the Lord. Hence, not man's but God's word was what they hungered and thirsted for. And as they grew in acquaintance with His blessed gospel — especially as they realized the all- sufficiency of the atonement that God in Christ had provided for their sins, — ^they felt, as the celebrated Sir David Brewster said about him- self, that it met all the necessities of their case; and that, resting upon it in faith, they had peace and a good hope through grace. So, reader, as death and eternity are every day drawing nigher also to your door, the time will come when you will find that, if God be not your help, vain will be all the help of man. The value of Christ's sacrifice, as the sinner's substitute, then, appears from the fact, that it is not only a remedy for man's guilt, and the only remedy, but that it is a perfect one. "It r OF CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 41 e tlieraselves iid or secure at, in their the help of jlped at all, :ie from the a word was or. And as His blessed 3d the all- od in Christ felt, as the about him- f their case; y had peace 0, reader, as wing nigher e when you Ip, vain will the sinner's ct, that it is nd the only one. " It cleanseth us," says the apostle, "from all sin." Tliere are four things that prove its all-sufficiency. It is the divine remedy — perfect substitution for the sinner — perfectly efficacious in its re- sults— and perfectly free to " whosoever believeth." Observe, then, I. The Atonement of Christ is 'perfect, because it is God's remedy for man's guilt. There was a probability, we think, even apart imovci divine revelation, that when man sinned and fell, God woidd provide a remedy for him. If course, God was in nowise bound to provide ly help for one, that had so disbelieved his word, and rebelled against his authority. Still here were, in the circumstances, two things lat, in our opinion, rendered it probable he muld do so. The first is, that, had God not iterfered, but left man only to suffer the lentence— " the soul that sinneth, it shall die "— Ihe human race would have entirely and for ever )erished, not even one excepted. Thus, one [>art of God's creation— unspeakably the very lighest upon earth— beings made in his own loral image to render him intelligent praise, D 42 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF and show fortli his glory in a spiritual manner — would have been for ever lost to him. Now, was it likelv that God would suffer his noblest workmanship on earth — the source of his richest praise here — to be thus altogether and irremedi- ably destroyed ? We think not. True, in the |: case of the angels that kept not their first estate, ^ as Jude mentions in his Epistle, there was and ' is no remedy provided. But, then, the angels did not all f&ll. And if the justice and holiness . of God against sin are vindicated, in leaving the rebellious angels to their fate ; yet there remain the holy angels still, as glorious monuments of his creative wisdom, to yield him the praise that is due unto his name. But, in the case of our first parents' sin and fall, the whole of our race would have been for ever lost if left to the consequences of their sin. There would not have been even one left, either to glorify God willingly, or to enjoy him. Hence, in order that all might not perish in sin, but a seed be preserved to serve, praise, and enjoy him, there was, we think, an antecedent probability that God would provide a remedy for man's sin and ruin. 1 pro itg mei gloi mot agai the kind shoT The I we 1 (own I in a (mani \T/r OF ritual manner — to liini. Now, iffer his noblest 1 'ce of his richest | er and irremedi- ! True, in the j their first estate, ;, there was and i lien, the angels ice and holiness P i, in leaving the ''et there remain monuments of him the praise .t, in the case of lie whole of our ost if left to the here would not to glorify God lence, in order n, but a seed be ;njoy him, there ability that God I's sin and ruin. CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 43 Tlie second reason for the probability of God's providing this remedy consists in the fact, that it gave him an opportunity for manifesting that mercy, which is, if we may so speak, the most [glorious attribute of his nature. The chief motive that can be conceived for God's doinjx anything whatever is, that he may thus display the attributes of his being. But where would the mercy of God have been exhibited, if it had not been exerted in providing a remedy for sin- ful, fallen, perishing man ? Nowhere. In creation and providence there is manifested the infinite i power, wisdom, and goodness of God, but not i his mercy. In punishing the rebellious angels I there is displayed his infinite justice and holiness I against sin, but not his mercy. In preserving I the holy angels, there is exhibited his infinite kindness, but not his mercy ; for mercy is favour 1 shown to the guilty , and they are not guilty. ' The only other intelligent creatures, then, that I we know anything of, or can speak about, is our own race. Now, as God manifests his attributes [in all he does, and delights doubtless in the [manifestation of them all, and as our guilty, I i ) 44 TffU ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF fallen race, so far as we know, are the only creatures that give him opportunity for exhibit- ing the infinite mercy of his nature ; so there was, we think, even before he proclaimed it, a probability that he would take pity upon us, and provide a remedy for our natural guilt and misery. There is also a probable certainty, apart from the revelations of his own word, that God did desire and make known such a merciful remedy. The very worship of all the heathen nations, scattered throughout the world, shows that the worshippers believe, at least, that sinners may obtain divine pardon and favour. AVhy, for instance, does yonder heathen plunge the knife in his victim, and offer up its blood upon the altar of his deity? Because he believes that his deity —the Supreme Deity as he imagines —is not only propitiable, but will, through such a means, forgive his transgressions and bless him in eternity. So throughout all the world, among millions upon millions from time imme- morial, among ancient Greeks and Assyrians as well as among modern Hindoos and North : > CHRISrS SACRIFICE. 45 American Indians, the ])clief lias been ever common, that by some offering or other the Divine Being may be reconciled to the trans- gressor. Now, whence did all these nations obtain their belief that God was thus propiti- able ? Did it spring from their own hearts ? Then, who put that idea into their hearts but God ? It is almost impossible, if not utterly im- possible that such an idea could have been so universal and powerful, unless God himself directly or indirectly, imprinted it upon their hearts; or did it spring from some tradition handed down from the earliest to every succeed- ing generation ? Then, what was that tradition at first, and who gave it ? It must have been originally a communication from God — not un- likely the very first promise after the Fall, or the same promise enlarged by further commu- nication, transmitted through Noah's faith and worship to his posterity, for no other could give it. Of course, like every other communication not preserved in writing or printing, the original communication from God, by some men for- getting part of it, and others adding to it, soon 46 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF became gradually distorted into a tradition eitlier more or less false, but Laving a basis of truth m it: for the counterfeit proves the true There could be no counterfeit money, if there were, first, no good money. There could be no falsehoods, if there were no truths and reali- ties So the very existence of these heathen traditions, affirming that the sinner by some propitiation or other may obtain mercy from the Supreme Being, proves almost to a positive certainty that in the beginning when man sinned and fell, even then God revealed to him a way by means of which he might find pardon and eternal peace. But in regard to this most momentous of all our interests, we are, through the tender mercy of God, happily neither left to merely probable nor probably certain conjecture. AVe have God's own word, authoritatively and plainly announcing to us the positive certainty of his having provided an atonement for our sins The sacred Scripture is undoubtedly his own revelation; for it is impossible that its funda- mental truths especially could have ever been CirrJST'S SACRIFICE. 47 > a tradition 'ing a basis of wes the true. )ney, if there e could be no bs and reali- hese heathen tier by some mercy from to a positive when man ealed to him i find pardon mtous of all snder mercy 3ly probable We have md plainly ainty of his r our sins, lly his own its funda- 5 ever been conceived by mere men if left to themselves. The infinitely perfect character it gives us of God — the Saviour of ])erfect love, gentleness, purity, wisdom, and boldness it describes — and the perfectly holy nature of the salvation it unfolds — and all this consistently maintained and developed by writers of every grade of life, of different countries, and composed in different generations, many of them very remote from ench other, all prove to a positive certainty, that in compassion to our ignorance, God has given us the light of his Word as a sure guide to the way of everlasting peace; or in the words of Scripture itself, that "the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." And what, then, does this Word of God, or letter from God, tell us about the sacrifice of Christ as the propitiation for our sins ? It dis- tinctly tells us that this is tlie remedy which God himself has provided and approves of as the means of the sinner's pardon and salvation. First, immediately after our first parents' sin 40 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF and fall, wlien they were trembling at the g oomy consequences of their crime, there comes Ike the first cheering beam of tlie mornincr' iight, the proclamation of divine mercy in the bright promise, "that the woman's seed should bruise the serpent's head, although it should bruise his heeL" As the next great unfolding of this divine remedy, ^here are the sacrifices of the Jewish dispensation enjoined by God him- self upon his ancient people, as an atonement for their sms, but only as types and pledges of that great sacrifice which in the 'fulness of time tl^ woman's seed v.s to offer up, once and for all as the perfect atonement for man's guilt And as the final development of this remedv the sacred volume states, that "when the ful- ness of the time was come, God sent forth his feon, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that 'we might receive the adoption of sons" Kav more, God tells us in his Word, that this remedy f-r man's guilt and misery, is the offspring of his own free, spontaneous love. "Herein is love, not that wc loved God, but that he loved CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 49 us, and gave liis Son to be the propitiation for our sins." And in order to show he did not love us unlawfully, or manifest his infinite love to us at the expense of the infinite righteous- ness of liis character, his word also informs us, "what the law could not do, in that it was Aveak through the flesh : God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh; and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous- ness of the law might be fulfilled in us." Moreover, the atonement of Christ was not only provided, but also approved of by God as the remedy for man's guilt. Thus, in his word, it is described as "an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour;" and also stated, that "God raised up Christ from the dead, and gave him glory, tliat we, through faith in him, might have faith and hope in God." Now, since this atonement, which Christ has made for our sins, is the remedy both provided and approved of by the Judge of all the earth ■ What does this fact prove? It shows that in every particular the remedy must be perfect, f II i 50 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF and all-sufficient to accoin,)lish the great pur- pose designed by it. Man may err, because he IS nnperfect. Indeed, as even a heathen j,hilo- sopher wrote, "to err is human." Lut in all his attributes, God is not only perfec. but infinitely so; and therefore, it is as impossible for him to commit a mistake as it is for him to lie. Ugm^^q as the atonement is his own devised and ap-' proved of remedy, in order to our pardon, peace and salvation, as well as to satisfy the claims' of his law against our guilt, and to maintain the interests of his government over all moral intelligent creation, it must be in every wav infinitely peifect. Mark, II. The aJonement of Christ is perfect, because It was perfect suhstitution for the sinner. A correct understanding of this part of our subject is very material to the sinner's encour- agement,peace, and hope. In order, then, to have a true notion of it, especiaUy as two errors exist regarding it, let us here notice what it is not. First, the atonement was not mere example The Socmian theory is, that, as Christ was obedient unto death, he inlluences us, by his cirrjsrs sacrifice. 51 example, to I'c ohedieiit unto defitli also. Now this is i)artly true, l)ut not tlie whole tnitli, and i very far from it. It is i)artly true ; hecause Scrij.ture mentions that, as one of the purposes of the atonement, " Christ suffered for us, leav- ing us an example that we should follow his footsteps." r>ut, then, altliough one of the pur- poses, it is not all, nor even the cliief purposes. This theory, if it means anything, makes our own obedience unto death — our own deeds of the law — the entire ground of our salvation ; hut does not God, through his servant Paul, declare that, " by the deeds of the law, no living tlesh shall be justified." Or, if the whole merit of the atonement be said to consist in Christ's example influencing us to be thus obedient, what is this but making repentance the sole foundation of the sinner's pardon and peace ? and so it is liable to almost all the serious objec- tions we have recorded in the second chapter concerning mere repentance. For instance, it completely sets aside the justice of God against sin, and the claims of his law against its viola- tion as matters of little or no account. Then it 'I J 52 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF W i) :. I does not harmonise with other portions of God's Word. For instance, in that Word it is said — " Christ bare our iniquities on his own body on the tree." Now, how can any one bear the burden of another — and our iniquities are a burden — unless by their being somehow trans- ferred or imputed unto him ? And, as Scrip- ture says that " Christ bare our iniquities," the meaning must be that he, as our substitute, bore the penalty due unto us for them. And does not this prove that the atonement of Christ for our sins is something unspeakably more pre- cious to us than that of mere example ? Besides, essential to salvation as repentance is, yet it is not by repentance, but by faith in Christ, that we are said to be justified, and obtain peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." And thus the Saviour also declares, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have eternal life." Again, the atonement is not a mere display of God's infinite holiness and hatred of sin. This is what the advocates of the moral government * ; CHRIST'S SACRIFICE. 53 theory hold it to be. They say that if God par- doned the penitent sinner without manifesting his infinite hatred of sin, other intelligent crea- tures might be led to regard sin as a mere trifle, and be induced thereby to rebel, and so throw the affairs of God's government into confusion. Now, in order merely to keep all other intelli- gent beings in subjection, and induce other sin- ners of mankind to repent, they maintain that God, only as moral governor of the universe, and looking to its interests alone, felt himself bound, while freely pardoning the penitent sin- ner, to create a wholesome terror in the minds of all other intelligent creatures against sin, by showing its exceeding heinousness and danger, and his infinite hatred of it, in the sacrifice of his own Son for it. They positively deny that, in the atonement, or his mode of pardoning penitents, God has any respect either to the justice of his own personal character, or the righteous vindication of his broken law. This theory, like the preceding one, has much truth in it, but not all the truth. It is true that God is infinitely 'holy, and hates sin infinitely, and I! !''! 54 TEE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF that his giving his only-begotten Son as the propitiation for our sins, proves him to be so, as much as, if not more than, any punishment in eternity does. But, then, this is not the whole truth. It ignores, as the advocates of this theory themselves admit, both the personal justice of God, and the just claims of his vio- lated law— denying that in the atonement of Christ these had any place. Now, what would be thought of any human governor, if in any important matter he acted only for the interests of his government, and had no respect to his own character as a just man, or to the claims of his own law as a righteous law ? Who could, for any length of time, have either any respect for, or confidence in, such a defective ruler ? And is it possible that God should so despise his own personal justice, and so contemn his own holy, wise, and good law, as to pardon any sinner, without these also being taken into ac- count and satisfied ? Besides, this theory does not harmonise with the more special passages in Scripture relating to the atonement. It is said, for instance, that " God is just, and yet the jus- Y OF Son as the dm to be so, punishment 3 is not the advocates of the personal s of his vio- Ltonement of , what would DP, if in any the interests ispect to his he claims of Who could, any respect ctive ruler ? i so despise 3ontemn his pardon any ken into ac- theory does I passages in It is said, yet thejus- CimTSrs SACRIFICE. 55 tifier of them that helieve in Jesus;" but how could he be, or do so, unless Jesus, had as tlieir substitute in the atonement, satisfied the claims of God's character as a Being of infinite justice ? Agam, another feature in the atonement is " that the righteousness of the law mi.rht be' fulfilled in us ;" but how could this be so if, in the maf of our justification by Jesus, the rightec .aims of the law were wholly set aside ? Moreover, this theory, like the preced- ing one, either ignores or tries to explain away such passages as these: "He gave himself for us ; " The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son cleanseth us from all sin." ' What, then, is the real, essential nature of that atonement which Christ made for sinners ? It was his substitution in their place. It means that he, as their substitute, stood in tlieir law- room, took aU their responsibilities to God's law upon himself, met them all, and satisfied them aU. He cUd for the sinner just what any other substitute does for another. If I, for instance owe a sum of money, and fail to pay it myself! whether by criminality or misfortune, then the' i! 4|| 56 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF r '-' m\ I law of the country denounces me as a defaulter, and condemns me to suffer the penalty, what- ever it is. But if any person offers to be my. substitute ; that is, of course, able to discharge all my obligations, and is accepted as such by the administrator of the law, and if he pays all my debt, or satisfies all the claims and penalties of the law against me, then, of course, as a mat- ter of justice, I go free. Neither sovereign nor law can now condemn me. They cannot in justice demand that the debt or penalty be paid a second time. And as my substitute was accepted by the judge, and satisfied all the claims of the law for me, and was acknowledged to have done so, then, of course, in the eyes of both judge and law, I am justified, freed from the evil consequences of my defalcation, and am entitled to resume my place as if I had been no defaulter at all. In all points, this illustration, we admit, does not completely explain the atonement that Christ made for our iniquities. Nevertheless, it* sufficiently explains its essen- tial principle. We were, as proved in the first chapter, bound to keep the whole law 1 CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 57 of liod as the condition of our continuing to enjoy His life-giving favour. We failed to do so. As defaulters, therefore, we are naturally condemned, and liable to suffer the full penalty — " the soul that sinneth, it shall die." How, then, can we be justly pardoned, freed from this condemnation, and entitled again to God's favour ? Only by a substitute, qualified and accepted, standing in our law-room, and satisfy, ing all the demands of the law by being obed- ient even to the death for us. ."N^ow, Christ was and is this substitute. He occupied our law- room as our fully-qualified and accepted repre- sentative. By dying for us, he paid the penalty of our transgressions ; and, therefore, there is now no condemnation to them that receive him as their substitute. But this is not all. His whole life on earth was a sacrifice, an atone- ment, a substitution for us. Hence, also, by his life-long perfect obedience he kept the whole law for us; and therefore, in virtue, not only of his vicarious death, but also of his vicarious life-obedience, we are, as a matter of mere justice, if in him by faith, not only freed E 58 THE ALL-SUFFIGIENOY OF !! from the penalty of the law, but entitled to the rewarc' of its fulfilment. In other words, we are justified, that is, pardoned, or freed from the condemnation that our sins deserve, and ac- cepted or accounted righteous in God's sight, and entitled to his favour unto life eternal. This real substitution of Christ, as occupying our law-room, and discharging all the obliga- tions and penalties of the law in our stead, i3 the only theory of the atoner lent that will har- monise with the declarations of God's Word, affirming " him to be just, and yet the justitler of them that believe on Jesus." What, then, is the proof that Christ was our substitute, in the real, full meaning of the term ? Take, first, this prophetic passage in Isaiah, " The Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all." Now, what, in common life, does the adminis- trator of the law do in the case of a substitute for a defaulter ? He lays the defalcation— the penalty of it— or the obligations of the defaulter upon the substitute. So, then, this passage in Isaiah shows that, in the real meaning of the word, Christ was the substitute of the sinner. cimisrs SA orifice. 59 In like manner the similar passage, " He bare our sins in his own body on the tree," proves the same thing. Or, Pgain, take the passage, " We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Now, the word re- demption means the buying back from some evil by the paying of a ransom. From what, then did Christ buy us back ? " From the curse of the law." so that we have " forgiveness of sins." And what was the ransom he paid for us ? " his own blood." So, then, in order to redeem us, he, as our ransom or substitute, endured the penalty of the law to which we were naturaUy exposed by our sins. As elsewhere stated in Scripture, « He gave himself for us ;" and what does any other substitute do, but give himself for another ? Thus, these passages of Scripture, as well as very many others, clearly show that, in regard to the penalty of the law, Christ died as the substitute of sinners in all the full mean- ing of the term. Take, now, one or two passages which prove that, in regaixi to " his fulfilHn^ the law" by his life-obedience in order that • the righteousness of the law may be ours, he % ' v : M 60 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF also occupied our law-room. Take, first, the parallel that is given in the Epistle to the Ro- mans between Adan. and Clirist : " As by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners ; so, by the obedience of one, many shall be made righteous." This evidently shows that' Christ stood in a relation to us similar to that in which Adam did. Now the relation of Adam to us, as shown in the first cnapter, was that of a repre- sentative or substitute. In fact, every repre- sentative is but a substitute. He stands, ac- cording to law, in the place of those whom he represents. As Adam, then, was our represen- tative or substitute, his sin, in the eyes of the law, was our sin. Hence it is here said, " by his disobedience, many were made sinners." Now, as it is also here said in the same parallel, that, " by the obedience of Christ, many shall be made righteous," what can this mean but that, in his obedience also, as well as in his dying for us, Christ was our representative or substi- tute ? Or, again, take this passage, " Therefore, by the deeds of the law, shall no flesh be justi- fied in God's sight." What can this mean but CHRIST S SACRIFICE, 61 that, by his own obedience, because imperfect, no man can ever be reckoned just or rigliteouJ in tlie eyes of God ? How, then, can this ever be tlie case with any man ? Tlie answer is, " Clirist is the end of the law for righteousness' to every one that believeth." And how can this be, except tliat lie, as the substitute of every believer, obeyed the law in his stead, and his righteousness is reckoned or imputed unto him ? It is evident, then, that the Atonement of Clirist, both in his active and passive obedience, was a real substitution for the sinner, in the' commonly accepted meaning of the term. No other theory will harmonise with the chief pas- sages that refer to it in Scripture, or meet all the necessities of the sinner's case. And not only was it substitution, but perfect substitu- tion, satisfying all the claims of God's justice and all the demands of the law against sin ; so that consistently with the justice of his charac- ter and the righteousness of his law, as well as the interests of his government, God can be merciful to the believing sinner. In other 11 i ;l IP 62 TUB ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF words, Christ was in every respect a perfect substitute for tJie sinner; and, tlierefore, in freely pardoning and saving the sinner for Clirist's sake, God is acting only justl} as well as mercifully. This part of our subject— that Christ was a perfect substitute for the sinner- may be shown by his being appointed and ap- proved of by God as such, by the divine dig- nity of his person, joined with his incarnation ; by the holiness of his character, and by his voluntariness. First, then, Christ was a perfect substitute for the sinner: because, as such, he was ap- pointed and approved of hy God. This, in another form, we have elsewhere shown already. In further proof, then, of his having been pro- vided by God to be our substitute, be it here sufficient only to quote the declaration : " God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him ;" and Christ's own words— "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." And in fur- ther proof of his having been approved of by OF a perfect jrefore, in sinner for ily as well ject — that 3 sinner — cl and ap- ivine dig- jarnation ; id by his mbstitute ■ was ap- This, in 1 already. been pro- 3e it here n: "God T no sin, isness of -"I came wn will, d in far- ed of by CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 1 (53 God in all he did as our substitute, let Peter's inspired testimony to his countrymen on the day of Pentecost suffice—" Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken, and ' v wicked hands have crucified and s^ain. This Jesus God hath raised up. whereof we all are witnesses. There- fore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath slied forth this which ye now see and hear. Therefore let aU the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ." There is nothing that could better show God's entire approval of Christ's work as our substitute than the facts that he raised him up from the dead, extdted him to his own right hand, and has made him both Lord and Christ to his redeemed people. What, then, is the obvious inference from this ? Why, as God neither could nor would provide, or approve of an imperfect substitute, it follows that, in appointing Christ to be ours,, and in ac- cepting and rewarding him for what he did for if % I ( til 64 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF us, Christ's Atonement for our sins was a per- fect substitution. The divinity of Christ also shows that he was a perfect substitute for the sinnor. Who was this "on whom the Lord laid the iniquities of us all?" He is called not only "the kSou of God," "his well-beloved Son," but also "his only -begotten Son." Saints are sometimes called tlie sons of God, and so are holy angels in tlie sense of their being either created or born again of God. But they are not sons of God in the same sense that Christ is : for he is God's " oniy-begotten Son." Hence, it follows that Christ is the Son of God neither by creation nor by being born again. In what sense, then, is he ^ God's Son? In common life the word "son" includes three things: one descended from a father and so posterior to him, sameness of nature, and close relationship between them. Now, as Christ was the Son of God neither by creation or second birth, the reason of his being called so must be obviously to denote that his nature is the same as God's, and that an intimate relation exists between God and him. Moreover, ing OF vas a jier- at lie was "Who was quities of e Son of ilso "his Jiiietimes \y angels d or born )f God in is God's DW3 that creation ise, then, he word escended iameness 3n them, ither by lis being that his intimate oreover, CJfmsrS SACTJFICE. 65 1 I I: we are not left to mere inference, Init have direct and explicit statements in Scripture con- cerning this. Thus, Chris., said f Gci, and think- ing it not robbery to be ciual with God." He is spoken of also as " God manifest in the flesh." Add to all this his miracles. No mere maji by his own power can work a miracle. Indeed, no mere man ever pretended to do so. Moses, it is true, as well as some others, wrought miracles; but then they did so in the name and through the power of God, or of Christ, as tliey themselves declare. But Christ wrought his miracles, almost every one, only in his own name, and through his own power. In calming the raging sea, in healing the sick, in multiply! ing the loaves and fishes, and in raising the dead, he spake, and it was done : showing both by the power, manner, and beneficence of his miracles, that he was "God manifest in the flesh:" an infinitely perfect substitute for the sinner; a divinely perfect deliverer to all them that should believe on him. I ■ I 66 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF There must along with the divinity of Christ, be taken his incarnation, as this also was neces- sary to constitute him a perfect substitute for us. This mystery of the incarnation on account of its essential connection with the atonement, occupies a prominent place in God's Word. It is alluded to in the very first promise of mercy to the sinner as the Saviour is there called "the woman's seed." It is more fully unfolded in this prophecy of Isaiah, "Unto us a child is born : unto us a Son is given ; and the govern- ment shall be upon his shoulder ; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." It is recorded in the Gospels as having been accomplished by his being super- naturally born of the Virgin Mary, the import- ance of the event being exhibited at the time by the heialdry of the angels, the adoration of the Eastern magi, and Herod trembling for his tyrannical throne. And it is attested in the Epistles by the emphatic declaration: "When the fulness of the times was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under ' OF J of Christ, was neces- bstitute for on account atonement, Word. It e of mercy called "the nfolded in a child is lie govern- i his name sellor, the the Prince jrospels as jing super- he import- t the time ioration of ng for his icd in the 1 : "When God sent a-de under CHRISrS SACRIFICE. 67 the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." And why was this incarnation of the Son of God necessary ? Because he was to be the substitute of man— guilty, fallen, condemned man. In order to be this substitute, to bear the penalty due to the sinner, and fulfil the law for him, it was necessary that, in the same nature that sinned and fell he should obey and suffer. In his divine nature merely, he could uo^ occupy our law-room and be obedient unto the death for us ; and therefore, if he was to be man's substitute at all, he must become man also, and be made under the law. Thus, the very mysterious constitution of the Saviour's person, as the God-man, or God mani- fest in the flesh, proves that he was a perfect substitute for us. By his divine nature he could understand and sympathize with all the claims of God and his law and government against sin, and not only do this, but had divine ability to meet and satisfy them all. Then by his human nature he could feel and sympathise with the sinner in all his difficulties, helpless- 1 w i \ I I ! rs U:l\ \ 68 THia ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF ness, and miseries ; and therefore was able to do all things necessary in order to meet the sin- ner's case, as a kind, compassionate Saviour. By his divine nature he had what no angel has —"power to lay down his life" for us, "and power to take it up again;" while, by his human nature, he had a life to lay down as the propitiation for our sins. By his divine nature he was not, as even all angels are, subject to the law of God ; and therefore, by his obedience to it in our nature, as a matter of supereroga- tion, he did work out a perfect righteousness for us. Had he only been divine, he could neither have lived nor died for us, nor been able to symiDathize with our infirmities. Had ho only been a human or even an angelic crea . iire, he could neither have been fully able to sympathise witli God, nor satisfy the claims of his law and government against sin, nor resume his life after laying it down for us. Hence, it is evident that no mere divine being, nor any mere human or angelic being, could be a proper substitute for us, but that the two natures must be combined in one person, in order to be so. Hence, it fol- ^ OF s able to do 3et the sin- te Saviour. .0 angel has >r us, "and ile, by his lown as the vine nature subject to 3 obedience supereroga- iousness for uld neither en able to .ad bo only real are, he sympathise lis law and is life after vident that human or bstitute for combined noe, it fol- CHMISrS SACItlFICE. 69 lows that the incarnation of God's Son, his being human as well as divine in liis person, was absolutely necessary, in order to constitute him a perfect substitute for the sinner. And hence, it follows, that the fact of the incarna- tion is the most encouraging and consoling feature in God's mercy the sinner can have. If Christ were only man I could not repose my soul's salvation upon him ; for how could any mere man, helpless and dying himself, be an all- sufficient Saviour to me. Or, if he were only God, I would, as a sinner against him, be afraid to come near him. But, because he wears my own nature, and so loved me as to die in that nature for me, I have all encouragement to come unto him: while, because he is divine, I can thoroughly confide in him, as "able to save unto the very uttermost all that come unto God through him." The perfect holiness of Christ's character like- wise shows his substitution for the sinner to have been perfect. An impure being could not be accepted as a substitute by the iniinitely pure God= Nor could a guilty being, as the life of all such is naturally forfeited. The ancient 1 1 'I i 70 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF scriptural and even heathen sacrifices, by the victim being an animal without any defect, all typified that only the life of a perfectly holy being could be a satisfactory atonement for the sinner. This Christ was. In him was no s'in. Pilate, who condemned him, declared that he found no fault in him. Judas, who betrayed liim, confessed that he had sinned in betraying innocent blood. Even the demons whom he cast out, acknowledged that he was " the Holy One of God." His adversaries could convict him of no transgression. His friends pro- claimed him to be "the Holy One and the Just." And God, by the voice from heaven at the beginning of his ministry, and by raising and exalting him to his right hand, bore testi- mony that he was "his well-beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased." Thus, by his per- fect life-obedience, he magnified the law and made it honourable for us, or is t^e "ord our righteousness; and thus, in dying ic us, he was a perfect sacrifice. Hence, ic ib said that, "through the eternal Spirit, he ottered himself without spot unto God;" and also that "we are OF s, by the defect, all ctly holy it for the L was no lared that > betrayed betraying whom he the Holv d convict nds pro- and the heaven at )y raising >ore testi- l Son, in y his per- law and 'ord our r-'' us, he said that, d himself it "we are CHEISrs SACRIFICE. 71 redeemed, not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." And tJie voluntary nature of Christ's Atone- ment proves the perfection of his subs itution for sinners. If he had been unwilling to carry out the purpose of God in providing an all-suf- ficient propitiation for our sins, or if he had had no love or compassion for sinners, it is evident that his unwiUing sacrifice could neither have been acceptable to God nor calculated to win our confidence. But he was as wiUing to be our substitute as God was . > give him. " It is my meat and my drink," he said, "to do my Father's will." True, once in the garden of Gethsemane, when "the hour" had come, he with strong cries and tears and sweatings, as of great drops of blood, entreated, "Father, if ^t be possible, let this cup pass from, me." And is it any wonder that the human nature at- tached to his divinity should thus be pained and shrink back? If you yourself, however willingly, were about to suffer as a substitute for a condemned criminal the extreme penalty ;1 11 € i 13 0\ 72 Tffl^ ALL-mFFlCIENCY OF of the law, would not your r ature tremble and slirii;!. back also, in prospect of the agony and shame before you ? And remember wlsat Christ was about to endure. It was not the mere wrath of man, but the wrath of God against £ir;. And is it not but natural that, when " the Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all," his liuman nature, even supported as it was by his divine, should groan under the unspeakably awful load? Assuredly, the greater wonder would have been if he had not groaned at all. Nevertheless, though there was for a moment an apparent hesitation, yet there was no change in his determination to carry out the Father's purpose of infinite love to us as well as his own. Hence, he immediately added, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." This was also his own settled will : for it is written that he delighted not only to do the Father's \\\\ bat "he so loved us, that he gave himself for us." Thus, by the voluntary np^ure of his sac- rifice, he both glorified the mf of God and ga . the utmost assurance ^f 1: ' willingness to ja\^. "Wherefore God \ ^h iiighly exalted OF ?erable and agony and Viuit Christ , the mere rod against when " the us all," his was by his nspeakably :er wonder aned at all. a moment i no change le Father's as his own. evertheless, This was iTitten that other's wll, himself lor ; of his sac- )f God and llingness to ily exalted CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 73 him, and him jiven mm a name ., .,^^,^ every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and thmgs m earth, and tlnngs under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Cln-ist IS Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Consider, III. TU Atonement of Christ is perfect; he- cause it is jperfeetly efficacious in its saving results. Either of the preceding arguments, taken by Itself, is quite sufficient to assure us of the completeness of Christ's atonement for our sins Taken together, they doubly assure us that it is so. But in order to remove all possible fears that may naturally arise from guilt, death, and judgment; and that tlie penitent sinner may m beheving, enjoy present peace, hope, and comfort, as well as be finally saved, the God of all comfort multiplies line upon line, and pre- cept upon precept, in his word, to show the aU- sufficient results that spring from his Son's substitution for us. There is not a blos^ina necessary to our ultimate salvation, nor to f 74 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF i 1 our consolation in this life, but his word shows that we may obtain it through faith in the propitiation of our Saviour. The main difficulty here is to make a proper selection, for space would fail us to allude to them all. The most important and essential, however, we shall notice. First, it secures reconciliation to God. Sin, of course, has naturally created variance between God and us. So long as the variance continues, it is impossible that he can bestow full favour upon us, or we have peace and hope in him. The very first thing, then, in order to our per- sonal salvation, is, that God must not only be reconciled to us, but we also reconciled to him. Then, when the parties are brought together again in friendship, then will the " love of God be our life, and his loving-kindness better than life." Now, in regard to God, he was always disposed to be in fellowship with us. There was not a time but his desire was to meet us again in peace and love. But in order that he might be able to caiTy this desire into practical effect consistently with his own righteous char- ^ F is word faith in a proper illude to ssential, Sin, of between ntinues, 1 favour in him. oirr per- only be to him. together of God ber than \ always There :neet us that he (ractical IS char- CHRISrs SACRIFICE. 75 acter, law, and government, it was necessary as we have shown, that liis Son, as our substitute should become the propitiation for our sins, iea, so desirous was God to carry out his pur- poses of saving love to us, tliat he himself de- vised and furnished that propitiation; and hence his word informs us, "God was in Christ, recon- cilmg the world unto himself, not imputinc. their trespasses unto them." Thus, tlie atone! ment of Christ secured God's practical recon- ciliation unto us. At the same time it is per- fectly efficacious in securing the reconciliation of all believers to God. How ? Because it removes all their fears of him, destroys tlieir natural enmity against him, and allures them to "HI, saying, "we love God, because he first oved us, and gave his Son to be the propitia- tion for our sins." And hence, we have such statements in Scripture as tliese: "All things are of God, who hatli reconciled us to himse'lf by Jesus Ciirist;" "if when we were sinners we were reconciled to God by the death of ]iij Son, much i...ro, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." " And you that were some- > 1 .■.wi; ' < I \ i 76 TirB ALl-^r-Pr^'f^IENCY OF time alienated, and enemies in your minds by Avicked works, yet now liatli lie reconciled tlirougli tlie blood of liis cross." Again, it secures access to God. Not only do we require to be reconciled unto him, but to have access to his ear of mercy, so that he may listen favourably to our prayers, and give us grace to help \v in our time of need. Av\ this access is secured to us by the atonement of our .Saviour. Like criminals, we do not now need to come before the throne of grace tremblin"- and fearful, lest God may refuHo to hearken to our petitiouo. In all the confidence and cer- tainty with which a child draws nigh to its earth.^ parent, so through tiie merits of JesuF as the way, we may now draw nigh unto God in the lUxl assuran. c that he will graciously hear us. Hence, the Saviour tell.s us that, when we pray, we sh.)uld look up to God and address him ., "P r Father." Hence, an apostle says— li ing herefore, brethren, bold- ness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near, with a true heart in the full assurance of faith." Nay, he adds even )F ninds by Bconciled S'ot only n, but to : lie may give us AvA this nt of our low need remblinij arken to and cer- ;h to its of Jesus into God •aciously us that, God and mce, an m, '*old- l>lood of rt in the ds even CllltlSrs SACRIFICE. I i more stronuly, that, as "we now have in Jesus, not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin ; let us therefore come boldly unto tlie throne of grace that we may obtahi mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Moreover, it secures the remission of sin. By his atonement, Jesus paid all the debts his pnople osved to the law; and as God neither c^' nor will be so unjust as to exact payment of a debt -cond time, he freely and fully remits all the .^..is of those that in faith accept of Jesus as the substitute. And hence such pas- sages as these occur in Scripture : " the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin ;" we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins;" and "therefore there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." Further, it secures justification with God. Mere remission of sin only frees from liell. A criminal may be pardone 1, and yet not be re- ceived into favour or good society. So, in order 78 THE A LL-SUFFICIENCY OF to our full salvation, we rc(iniro more than mere partlon. We require also to be accepted of God, treated by him as if we were righteous, and have a proper, legitimate title to heaven. In other words, we need to be justified in God's sight. And this justification is secured by Christ's obedience unto the death for us. And therefore we have these expressions in the divine record, " being now justified by his blood," God made him to be a sin-offering for us who knew no sin, that we miglit be made the right- eousness of God in him;" and "God is just, and yet the justifier of them that believe in Jesus." Still further, it secures sanctifi cation. It is necessary, not only that we have a just title to heaven, but that, by holiness of nature and dis- position, we be meet for it. If a man had no taste or education, if he were only of a vulgar, brutal nature, then, even though he fell heir to an estate, he would not be fit to enjoy it, or qualified to mingle with others of the like for- tune. Still more is this the case in regard to heaven. Nothing unholy crn enter there. A • ' w ore than accepted •igliteous, ) heaven, in God's !iired by IS. And in the is blood," r us wlio he right- is just, 3heve in 1. It is t title to and dis- had no L vulgar, L heir to oy it, or like for- egard to lere. A cnmsrs sa ciufice. 79 man whose tastes and habits are unlioly, could neither enjoy its pure scenes nor blessed society. Hence, it is necessary that we be purified in order to dwell with and enjoy the pure and lovely in our lather's celestial home. Now, this renewal of our heart and mind is secured by the atonement of Jesus. So God's word testifies— "the blood of Christ shall purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God." "Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." And " Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it and present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thine, 1 1 ^ but that it should be holy and without blemish." Further still, it secures eternal redemption. Thus the divine record states— "by his own blood he entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." This re- demption, as numerous passages testify, includes deliverance from all evil, and the possession of all bliss for ever. And where is this enjoyed ? .2. • 80 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF It begins here, on believing ; but it is chiefly enjoyed in heaven, where is God's special pre- sence, and tlie Saviour, and the holy angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. By sin man had forfeited heaven; but, by his pro- pitiation for our sins, Christ has purchased it back for us. Hence it is called " the purchased possession;" as also an inlieritance incorrup- tible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you." And this re- demption includes the whole man, both soul and body. The soul of the believer is so re- deemed that it never dies, never tastes the bitterness of the sentence; "the soul that sinneth it shall die: but on believing the germ of a new spiritual life is begim in it that grows on continuously unto life eternal. Hence the Saviour's words—" If a man keep my saying he shaU never taste of death, but is passed from death unto life, even life everlasting." And how is this carried out ? By his soul, when the earthly tabernacle dissolves, being conveyed quicker than the electric spark, into the Father's house not made with hands, eternal in the OF is chiefly ecial pre- ly angels, feet. By Y liis pro- cliased it )urchased incorrup- jt away, this re- •oth soul is so re- istes the 3ul that :he germ it grows 3nce the lying he ed from " And ^hen the Dnveyed Father's in the CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 81 heavens. And hence Paul says, " for me to die is"— not shall be, but is— 'craiu;" and also intimates that, when "txbsent fiim the body," he woidd be "present with the Lord." And tlie body also of the believer is included in this eternal redemption. Though now a weak, cor- ruptible body, soon to moulder with the dust, yet, being redeemed as well as the soul, it shall,' in the resurrection, be again united unto the soul, a spiritual, incorruptible, powerful, glori- ous body, "like unto Christ's own glorious body." And so, as completely redeemed hu- manity, shall " the saints be for ever with the Lord," " where there is no more death, nor sor- row, nor crying, neither any more pain, but where God will wipe away all tears from their eyes." In addition to all this it secures the gift of the Holy Spirit. And this gift is as necessary to our salvation as is the atonement of Christ itself. The work of Christ is something out of us ; and how is this outward work to be api)lied to us, or our minds and hearts prepared to re- ceive and be nourished by it ? It Is by the "ift m 82 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF of the Spirit-the Spirit acting through tlio trutl, directly upon our spirits, quickening, re- newing, enliglitening, and comforting them. Hence, the Scriptures tell us, that " no man can see or enter into the kingdom of God, ex- cept he be born of the Spirit." In the growtli of any kind of grain, there is more required than the seed and the soil, and the casting of the seed into the soil. If you cast seed into the ground in winter, for instance, it will not grow. And why ? It requires heat— the heat of spring —to quicken it into life, ere it can draw nour! ishment from the soil. Without that heat the seed would remain inert or become corrupt in the soil. So in the matter of our personal sal- vation. There is more required than the know- ledge of Christ's atonement being put into our souls. The Holy Spirit, like the heat, is re- quired to act upon our souls, that are by nature spiritually dead, and to quicken them, so that they may derive nourishment from the truths of the Gospel. Without tiie Holy Spirit's thus quickening the soul, all knowledge of Christ's saving work would remain in it dead, impas- OF CHRIST S SACRIFICE. 83 rougli tlio Biiing, re- ng them, ''no man God, ex- le growtli ired tlian ig of the into the lot grow, of sj^ring iw noiir- heat the rrupt in 3nal sal- e know- nto our fc, is re- '' nature so that truths t's thus Christ's impas- sive, or become corrupted in it. Hence, not only does God's Word decLire the work of the Spirit in our hearts to be necessary, but tlie Spirit is there set forth as the autlior of tlie new birtli, the enliglitener, the sanctifier, and tlie comforter. And this essential gift of the ILjly Spirit is secured to believers by the atonement of Christ, as the reward of his obedience and sufferings for them. Thus, it is affirmed in God's Word — " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law that we might receive the pro- mise of the Spirit through faith." Thus, in regard to the great awakening and conversion on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter says, " This Jesus, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." And thus the Saviour says — "If ye love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you for ever, even the Spivit of truth, and He will guide you into all truth." And lastly, it is the security for our m m II M III 84 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF obtaining otiier blessings necessary to final per- fect salvation. Tims, in order to assure be- lievers that nothing essential to their tri^e welfare shall be omitted, the record of eternal life contains the exclamation-" He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things ?" Thus, then, the efficacious results secured by tlie atonement, reconciliation, access to God remission of sin, a title to heaven, a meetnesj for It, redemption of soul and body, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and all other things necelsary, and all tliese producing peace and joy, and hope m the believing heart, likewise show that the substitution of God's Son for us was perfect And, IV. The Atonement of Christ is perfect; he- cause it is perfectly free to " ivhosoever helievetr' The light of tlie sun is not only necessary arid pleasant, but free to every one it reaches The fountain, tJiat God makes to well out on the highway or in the desert, is free to all who approach it. Even so the atonement, with OF CUEIST'S SACRIFICE. 85 > final, per- assure be- tlieir tri'e of eternal hat spared L up for us Teely give ecured by 5 to God, meetness ^lie gift of lecessary, and hope ' that the 3 perfect. fed; hc- dievcthy lecessary reaches. I out on to all )nt, with all its enriching blessings, is free to every sinner on earth, without exception, to wliom the knowledge of it conies. But as a man must open his eyes, before he can enjoy the sun's light — or as he must drink of the fountain, before it can quench his thirst — so he must believe in the atonement, before it can be- come operative to his personal peace and sal- vation. In the whole Word of God, tliere is not a single case recorded of a saint's enjoying his special favour, or a sinner's receiving his mercy except in the exercise of faith. Thus, not only Moses, Abraham, and David, but the dying thief, the Philippian jailer, and the Syro-Phceni- cian woman, were all highly blessed by Him, but only because they were or became believers. And thus, by examples, God teaches us that, if we would be pardoned, accepted, or rejoice in His favour, we ^w'.s^ believe in His gracious character and conirrmnications to us. The precepts of Gr)ds Word also assert the same truth. They all show the necessity of faith on the sinner's part, ere he can be a par- M mSI # II f 8G THE ALL-SUFFWIEXCY OF taker of saving mercy and grace. So long as he remains unbelieving, he has no lot or part in the atonement. Thns, it is said— " without faith, it is impossible to please Him; for he that Cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that dili- gently seek Him." It is also stated that those Israelites, who perislied in the desert, conld not enter into the promised land, because of their unbelief; and tlierefore argues the apostle, "let us fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into that rest that remaineth for the people of God, any of us should come short of it by unbelief" Nay, the Saviour affirms " he that believeth not is condemned already, be- cause he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God," and He makes this affirmation even more emphatic by the words " he that believeth not shall be damned." And then, in regard to the lost, one of their char- acteristics is, that they were "unbelieving." On the other hand, it is positiveljr declared that every blessing, secured by the sul)stitution of God's Son for us, may be obtained through OF io long as or part in -" without ti; for he at He is, that dili- hat those !rt, could ecaiise of e apostle, eft us of 1 for the short of rms ''' he ady, be- ne of the Lkes this le words ." And sir cliar- ng." declared 5titution through CHRIST S SACMIFICE. 87 faith or trust in it. Thus, in regard to this substitution, the Son of God says, "He that believeth shall be saved." Thus, to the Philip- pian jailer's question, " What shall I do to be saved?" the apostle answers, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." And thus w^e have also many passages Hke these " being justified ])y faith, we have peace wdth God througli our Lord Jesus Christ;" and "whom, having not seen, we love; in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory." It is evident, therefore, from all these pass- ages, that personal faith in the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ is essential to our having a personal saving interest in it. The question, therefore, is reduced to this, who may believe in it, or has a right to rely on it, to his or her personal salvation ? The answer is, any person whatever that only ^vills. It is God's remedy for the sinner's ruin, and He freely offers it to any sinner that will through faith receive and rely on it, as his free gift unto hfe eternal. The divine volume leaves us in no doubt about m 88 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF this. Thus, the Saviour Himself says, " God so loved the world, that He gave His only begot- ten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him miglit not perisli, but have everlasting life." In anotlicr form, He makes the same affirma- tion, " whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no- wise cast out." The same assurance is repeated \)j Him in His apocalyptic vision to the be- loved disciple " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock ; and if any man open the door, I will come into him, and sup with him, and he with me." This same disciple himself says, " If any man sin, we liave an advocate v/ith the Father, even Cln-ist Jesus, the rigliteous." And Paul also affirms that " Christ is able to save unto the \QTy uttermost all that come unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us." Thus, then, no matter what a man may be, he has tlie warrant of God's word, that, if he only believe in Christ, as the propitiation for his sins, he will obtain all the blessings that spring from that propitiation. If any person, ihereibre, ask "if I believe in the Saviour" i CHltlSrS SACRIFICE. 89 sliall I be saved?" the answer is, " Yes;" for it is " whosoever Lelieveth." But auotlier person, no worse in cliaracter than his neighbours, but wlio is suffering undo- a deep conviction of sin, may put the same question tremblingly as if his sins were so great as to exclude him from mercy; and the same answer "yes" is to be given him; for it "is whosoever cometh unto me, I will in nowise cast out. But " I," says another sinner, " have not only been ungodly, but guilty of breaking both the sixth and seventh commandments, and can there be mercy for me?" Yes; for it is, "whosoever believeth," and the " blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sin." But "I," adds another sinner, "have, even till very olu age, violated all laws, both human and divine — have despised both warnings and invitations — gloried all my past life in my shame — ha,ve, in short, given my whole life to the service of tlie devil; and do you mean to say that God will now pardon me, and accept of the very dregs of my life, and grant unto such as I am an en- trance into His everlasting kingdom ?" " Yes," 13F^.~. 90 Tiri: ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF for it is " wliosuGVcjr Lelieveth shall ii(;t perisli, but liavc everlasting life." But, adds yet another transgressor, " I have backslideu re- peatedly and most grievously ; and is it pos- sible that I can be forgiven, rnd reciivo*! again into the kingdom of God's dear Son ?" " Y( ^ ;" for it is " 1 will in nowise cast out. Ileturn unto me, O backsliding children, and I will lieai your backsliding, and love you freely," lo support of all this, we have not oidy pre- cept but example. Manasseh, king of Judah, was one of the very worst characters on earth ; yet through believing prayer he obtained mercy. The dying thief was not only infamous in life, but came to Christ only at the last hour ; and yet, on account of his faith, he also received most gracious, saving welcome. On the day of Pentecost many of those who, in a greater or less degree, crucified the Lord of Glory, had the offer of salvation through His blood made unto them ; and not a few of even these found both mercy and peace in believing. Thus, no matter what the age, the rank, the colour, the country, or the character of the sinner— Greek or Jew, IF •A pei'isli, 1(1(1 s yet ilkleii rv- s it pos- ^'ecl again «Y t/. (/.. 92 THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF believing? For many reasons. There is the reason of common sense. Your own common sense tells you that there is scarcely one single blessing, however free, but requires some act on your own port to make it yours. The air, so essential to your health and life, is freely given you by God ; but, then, in order to its doing you any good, it must be breathed by you, and no one can do this for you. In the like manner the atonement of Jesus, so essen- tial to your divine j^ardon, must be embraced by tlie exercise of your own personal fixith, ere you can personally be a partaker of its benefits. Moreover, even in regard to the business and temporal bounties of common life, nothing could be obtained or done without faith. The former, for instance, would neither plough the soil nor sow the seed, unless he had faith tliat a crop would be the result. And the merchant could not carry on his business unless he trusted his clerks, and trusted in a coming profit, and was trusted himself. So, in regard to Christ's work, as our Saviour, we neither would nor could do anything to be saved by it, unless we had faitli OF ere is the 11 common one single some act The air, :, is freely 'der to its eatlied by I. In the so essen- emhraced . faitli, ere s benefits, iiness and ling could he former, e soil nor at a crop lant could listed his ;, and was .st's work, ' could do had faitli il ClimsrS SACRIFICE. 93 in it as God's remedy for our guilt and ruin. Besides, this faith is required by God as a token of our creature-dependence upon Him. It is right that He, as our Supreme Sovereign, should impose some test upon his intelligent creatures, in order either to their enjoying or regainino- His favour; and what easier test, in order to our pardon and salvation, could He impose upon us, than that of simple faith in the gift of His Son for U3 ? And, then, as man first fell by unbelief in God's Word of threatening against sin, so it is only natural in God to make our restoration depend upon our faith in His pro- mise to us through His grace in Christ Jesus. And now, what more do we require, or could we desire, to find true peace, hope, and joy, in trusting to Jesus as our loving, all-sufficient Saviour ? Is there not enough in the divine word, to show that His atonement for our sins is perfect, nothing awanting, nothing needing to be added, but simply our looking to and resting upon it ? Surely the revealed facts that it is God's remedy, was perfect substitution for us, is comidetely efficacious in its saving re- 94 CHRIST S SACIUFICE. suits, and freely offered to all, are amply suffi- cient to convince our mind, liearc, and con- science, tliat every sinner of mankind on earth that trusts in it as his salvation, shall be saved. So, then, if our guilty fears are dispelled, and if we are rejoicing in the hope of glory, it is be- cause, the grace of God in Christ has done all for us, and left us only the task of accepting free, full, and perfect salvation. And, there- fore, truly and joyfully we may exclaim — "As for God, His way is perfect. Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy ng^me be the glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." • 1 ply siiffi- and con- on earth be saved. 3d, and if it is be- done all iccepting d, there- in! — "As unto lis, le be the s sake." CIIAPTEPt IV. DIFFICULTIES, ERROES, AND OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling- block, anil unto the Greeks foolishness ; but to then, that are called, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."— 1 Con. i. 2, 3. CEETAIN Scotch minister of the cold morality school, whose imagination must have been stronger than his judgment, declared to his people that truth is so lovely and attractive in itself, that it needs only to be stated in order to be admired and adopted. But, alas! it is not so. No doubt truth is mighty, and will ultimately prevail; but, as it has to contend with all tlie ignorance, prejudices, and selfish interests of fallen nature. % DIFFICULTIES, ERRORS, AND it will gain tlie victory only after a severe struggle. There never was, perhaps, any single truth promulgated, but met, especially at first, with more enemies than friends. Every scien- tific man knows tliis in regard to the truths of science. Every moral philosopher knows that moral truth is a hatred and a mockery, espe- cially to the vicious, dishonest, and impure. Much more is tliis tlie case with spiritual, reli- gious, or saving truth. God spake truth to Adam in Paradise, when He said, "the soul that sinneth it shall die;" but how soon did Satan perv'irt that truth, and Adam disbelieve it! The Jews were ever prone, as their whole his- tory shows, to depart from the true God and follow falsehoods. The degraded state of the heathen proves that, instead of cleaving to truth, they have rather loved and fallen into the grossest delusions. The Saviour, who was the truth itself, instead of being readily em- braced on His first appearance, was rejected and despised, and crucified. And, in the Apostle Paul's day, nearly two thousand years ago, our text shows that the atonement, God's remedy I AND OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 97 r a severe any single lly at first, v^ery scien- B truths of nows that kery, espe- d impure, 'itual, reli- ! truth to B soul that did Satan )elieve it ! viiole his- God and tte of the saving to ^llen into who was adily em- ected and 3 Apostle I ago, our s remedy i for man's guilt and ruin, had its enemies as well as its friends. To the self-righteous Jews, who delighted only in outward rites and ceremo- nies, it was a stumblinglilock; and to tlio intel- lectually proud Greeks who regarded the specu- lation of their own brains as the measure of all truth it was foolisliness. And there are Jews and GrecKS still, men who neglect, misrepre- sent, and oppose God's plan of salvation in Jesus, and who esteem their own devices and ceremonies as of far gi\ ater account. No doubt the sacrifice of Christ for us had its friends from the very beginning : has always been drawing more friends to itself, and will increase their number more and more until "the kingdoms of tliis world become the kingdoms of our God and His Christ." But, at present, as everybody knows, there are many -vvho are ignorant of it, misunderstand it, misrepresent it, and oppose it, as if it were only foolishness and a stumb- lingblock. In regard to this fundamental doctrine of the Gospel, tliere are three great sources of error. There is, first, man's natural depravity. A man 98 DIFFICULTIES, FURORS, AND can see no beauty or advanta-e in wliat he hates. And « as man's natural mind is enmity against God." so, of course, lie naturally sees no propriety or profit in tins remedy that the mercy of God has in Christ provided for his salvation. Tliere is, next, man's ignorance. Of course when he knows notliing about the atone- ment at all, as God's mercy to him, he is care- less about it; and when he has only an imper- fect and distorted knowledge of it, his judgment upon it is, of coui-se, more or less erroneous And, especially, tliere is man's pride of intellect There are not a few men who practically regard their own finite reason as infallible and as^the measure of all truth: and who think tliat, be- cause the atonement is in many points beyond their comprehension, or does not harmonize altogether with their Irkings, they are justified m wholly casting it aside, or trying to alter it so as to please their own finite, fallen judcrment Hence, in regard to this greatest doctrine of God's Gospel, because some men have tried to be wise above what is written, and others are content to be wise below it, there are many AND 1 Avliat lie 1 is eiiniity lly sees no ' that the ed for his ranee. Of tiie atone- he is care- an imper- jutlgment erroneous. f intellect, lly regard Liid as the that, be- ts beyond armonize justified alter it udgment. ctrine of tried to fliers are re many 7 OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 99 prevalent errors. On the doctrine, pei-haps, more than any other of the gospel, men, " pro- fessing themselves to be wiser than God, have become fools." If any man imagines that he can fully com- prehend all the points in this greatest, most mysterious truth of God's Gospel, lie labours under a most grievous delusion. It is God's mys- tery; and hence He only can fully understand it. It is, perhaps, absolutely impossible not only for the most gifted man, but even for the high- est archangel to comprehend it, even though he study it to all eternity. As the finite cannot comprehend the infinite— as the human can never fully understand the divine— so this " great mystery of godliness" must ever in many points remain a mystery to us. Nevertheless, even the wayfaring man, though very unlearned, can easily understand it as a revealed fact in God's Word, and rest on it to the salvation of his soul. There is, indeed, not a single thing, even the most common, that can be fully understood by man. Take for instance the magnetic needle t << 100 DIFFICULTIES, EEROES, AND Wliy, altliough you turn it in any other direc- tion, does it always, if left to itself, wtm-ii and point to the north? No man can understand that. All tliat lie knows ahout it is, that it is a fixct it does so, or that Clod wills it to do so; and the knowledge of tlie simple fact is all- suHicient to cnahle the traveller to pass through the patldess desert, or the sailor to cross the trackless ocean to his desired haven. Or, again, take a single atom of dust. Into how many parts can it yet be divided? what is its past history? on what part of the globe did it first come into existence? and what will be its career in the distant future ? We know it is an atom of dust, and that is about all that any man knows of it. Or take further, the mysterious union of our soul and body, making us but one person. How is it that the soul — a spiritual, thinking, remembering, willing, anticipating es- sence — influences the body — merely organized matter — to do what it pleases? Or, how is it that the body, in its languor or its vigour, tends generally to dull the soul or animate it ? Or, on what principle is it that they keep united, 1 AND Otlier dircc- , rcitiirn and uiidorstand is, that it is it to do so; fact 'is all- ass throuo'h cross the Or, again, how many is its past did it first )e its career is an atom -t any man mysterious us but one ■a spiritual, )ipating es- '■ organized , how is it gour, tends te it? Or, eep united, I OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 101 until it pleases God at death to dissolve tlie union ? No one can tell ; and yet every one understands that it is a fact ; and the know- ledge of the mere fact is sufliuient to enahle any one to discharge many of the most important duties of life. Even infinitely more so is it, and must it be, with the incarnation and sacri- fice of God's only-begotten Son for our sins. It is "the great mystery of godliness," and therefore a mystery infinitely above man's finite comprehension. Yet it is plainly and fully, as we showed in the third chapter, revealed in God's Word as a fact ; and every person of sane mind can, as in the cases of the magnetic needle and union of soul and body, understand it, be- lieve it, and act on it as a fact, to his present peace and future salvation. Now, as no one would be justified in denying the existence of an atom of dust, because he does not understand all about it, as the sailor would be a fool to dis- card the magnetic needle because he can appre- hend so very little about it, as the man would be mad that would have nothing to do with his own soul and body, because he understood the il ii !P fl 102 niFFicc/iTMs, minoits, and principle iieitlier of tlieir union nor of tlieir in- fluence on eacli other; even so the sinner that denies, discards, or neglects the atonement tliat God through tlie incarnation has provided for sin, because it is in many points far beyond his compreliension, acts not only unreasonably, but foolishly and madly. In all things that are essential to our peace, hope, and salvation, God has in His Word made known the all-sufficiency of His Son's substitution for us; and therefore, if we reject it for any reason whatever, we are guilty of despising God's mercy and rebelling against His authority. If we in anywise refuse to accept of His remedy just as He lays it down, or- if we tamper with it as if we could improve upon it, we are guilty of the monstrous presumption of thinking that we possess more wisdom than the All-wise God. Our simple duty as well as safety is, to accept it, just as God has in His word revealed it unto us. As it is impossible, then, for any man to un- derstand or explain perfectly all the difficulties connected with Christ's ju-opitiation for our sins, we shall not even profess to do so. In regard AND of their in- siuner that Luiuuiit tliat )rovided for beyond his onably, hut 5s that are nation, God -sufHciency d therefore, ver, we are d rebelling wise refuse He Lays it f we coukl monstrous ssess more )ur simple it, just as 3 us. nan to un- dilliculties )r our sins, In regard OBJECTIONS CONmJEIlED. 103 to the whole subject it becomes every one, as a creature of God, and a sinner against Him, not to be proud and proiUne, l)ut humble, docih', and reverent, thankfully willing to receive and believe whatever God's Word graciously com- municates to us. Nevertheless, in ord(jr to try to help to a better undei'standing of this mo- mentous matter, and to remove errors, and to withstand gainsayers, some of the more pro- minent difiiculties we shall notice. The first diiiiculty connected with the atone- ment we notice, is the somewhat vulgar error, that it represents God to be cruel. Some per- sons naturally imagine that God must, indeed, be very cruel and vindictive to put His own in- nocent Son to death for transgressors. These persons do not, of course, wish that transgres- sors should be left themselves to endure°the penalty of their sins, but they think it would have been far better if God had spared His own Son and the transgressors also. This error very often arises in the ignorant mind and causes it much perplexity; and, of course, the enemies of the Gospel try to make the most of this error. 104 DIFFICULTIES, FRROMS, AND 1 Now, in reply to this, we ask, what is cruelty ? It is pain inflicted unjustly or unlawfully, or without a proper motive aiid purpose, or against a substitute's will. Now, who will dare to say, that, in punishing His Son as the sinner's sub- stitute, God acted unjustly or unlawfully, since that very punishment was a satisfying of His violated law, that is holy, and wise, and good ? Or, who will dare to say that, in giving up His Son to death for us, God acted without a pro- per motive and purpose, since even that very Son tells us "God so loved tho world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever be- lieveth on Him might not perish, but have ever- lasting life?" Or, who will dare to say that God gave up His Son to death for sinners, against that Son's own consent — seeing that Son Himself said, that it was " His meat and His drink to do His Father's will:" that "He, as the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for the sheep;" and that He, as Paul says, "loved me, and gave Himself for me." To suppose, then, that the atonem.ent represents God to be cruel is the false supposition of ignorance or of 1 1 1 OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 105 hatred to God's gospel. It represents God, not to be cruel, but only just to his own righteous character and law, and yet loving and merciful to us. Moreover, if Christ " endured the cross, and despised the shame " for us, it was also " for the joy set before him "—the glorious reward of the mediatorial crown, that God was to bestow upon him for his obedience unto the death. And here we turn the tables upon the advocates of this error. We ask then, how many kinds of cruelties has not the atonement abolished ? Where it is unknown, parents have and do still offer up their children in sacrifice, as a propitia- tion for their sins ; but, wherever the knowledge of Christ's sacrifice comes, all these and many other cruel sacrifices are given up. How many thousands of devotees have inflicted, and still inflict, most horrible tortures upon themselves, in order to obtain divine pardon and acceptance? This cruelty also is removed by the knowledge and belief of Christ's perfect atonement for sin. How many thousands upon thousands have suffered intensely by a perplered mind, an anxious heart, and a stricken conscience in view H 1^1 m ( ! 106 DIFFICULTIES, ERRORS, AND of sin, death, and judgment ; and found peace — a peace passing all understanding — through be- lieving that " the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth from all sin." Thus, facts upon facts shew that the atonement of Jesus for our sins, instead of being an act of cruelty on God's part, has been the means of abolishing countless cruelties and sufferings in this world, as well as of preserving millions "from the wrath to come." The second difficulty in regard to this doc- trine we notice is, an objection raised by the over-critical, or those that would be wise above what is written. They assert that Christ could not die as the substitute of sinners; because neither the words of the sentence, nor the nature of the evil, made it allowable. Thus, in regard to the sentence—" the soul that sinneth, it shall die" — they put a special emphasis upon the " it," and asser*-^ that this " it," or soul that sin- neth, and no other, must, according to the sentence, bear the penalty. But, in asserting this, tliey assert far more than they imagine, or are willing to stand by. Are they wdlling to admit, that this "it "—the sinning soul— and AND und peace — -tlirough be- Clirist, God's 3, facts upon "esus for our !lty on God's ing countless Id, as well as ath to come." to this doc- lised by the e wise above Christ could ;rs ; because Dr the nature us, in regard neth, it shall is upon the Dul that sin- cling to the in asserting '■ imagine, or y willing to g soul — and OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 107 that is every sane person on earth— should be for ever lost ? No such thing. Hence, even while they place a special emphasis Upon the " it," they try to explain away the " sinneth " and " die" as meaning only a comparatively light guilt and light penalty. But such inconsistency in their criticism will not do. If they make the " it " emphatic, they must make the " die " em- phatic also; and, as every one on earth has sinned, and the sentence leaves the sinning soul under the power of death, it follows that, if their criticism were carried out consistently, every soul must for ever perish, and that even the mercy of God cannot interfere to save them. Thus, their mode of criticism proves too much even for themselves. In interpreting a deceased person's will, for instance, we must take the whole will, and not a mere part of it. Suppose the will ran thus — "I leave all my property to my eldest son, John, except a certain house to James, and so many acres to Mary." What would be thought of the judge that would, looking only to the first part of the will, give all to John, the house 108 2)IFFIC(ILTIES,EBE01iS,AND and acres also ? Would it be fair, or according to the whole will honestly interpreted ? Even a fool would see that the judge was deciding wrongly, in not taking the will as a whole, and allowing the one clause to explain and modify the other. So must every inte}->3ter, if he would be honest, deal with God's word, in pro- nouncing judgment upon any doctrine. Every clause pertaining to tlie "doctrine must be looked at, in order to come to a true decision upon the whole. It will not do to look at the sentence against sin alone, condemning the sinning soul to death. The same Scripture, that reveals the condemnation, also reveals the remedy; although "the wages of sin is death," yet " the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus." If, then, the over-criti- cal upon the scriptural sentence would take the scriptural remedy also into account, which com- nion honesty binds them to do, they would not come to the absurd, as well as fearful, conclu- sion that the mercy of God could not, by the substitution of his Son in our stead, provide salvation for us. V. ; AND or accordinEr steel ? Even vas deciding a whole, and and modify ;^^3ter, if he ^ord, in pro- ine. Every e must be rae decision look at the 3mning the 5 Scripture, Iso reveals 3 of sin is eternal life I over-criti- Id take the vhich com- would not Pul, conclu- lot, by the id, provide OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 109 These objectors also urge that Christ could not die, as the substitute of sinners; because the nature of the case, being that of guilt, does not admit of substitution. And what is their proof ? In human Governments, they say, sub- stitutes are not allowed to suffer for criminals and, therefore, they infer that, in God's govern- ment over us, a substitute for the sinner is not admissible either. It is, however, rather too much to infer that, because man does not, or cannot, do a certain thing, God cannot do it; for this is making man's finite ability or custom the limit of the infinite Sovereign's ability or custom. Moreover, it is not altogether tme that human Governments, in cases of guilt, do not or cannot admit of a substitute. There is no law, so far as we know, in any statute-book under the sun, forbidding such a thing. In the case of a criminal, for instance, condemned to die for murder, there never was, perhaps, a sub- stitute allowed by any human Governmejit ; because there never was, perhaps, a human substitute willing to die for such a person ; and because, as no human Government can give a 1 i( ! no DIFFICULTIES, ERROBS, AND new heart to any man, the allowing of a mur- derer to go free would be perilous to the lives of tlie community. But, in every other case, where no interest of the state would suffer, and where an adequate substitute presents him- self to satisfy the demands of the law, it ever has been customary for human society to admit of a substitute. More than once, as history testifies, Governments have allowed a man to take his condemned friend's law-place, and suffer slavery, or imprisonment, or even death for him, while the friend escaped. Then, in the cases of mutiny, treason, and rebellion, where the law condemns all to death, it is common for Govern- ments, if civilized, to put only one or two to death, not merely because they deserve death themselves, but also, as the casting of the lots or the voluntary offer of the victims signifies, as the substitutes of all the others, that are allowed to go free. And, then, in all securities for money matters, and of enlistments in the army— in both of which there is often crimin- ality, and a subjecting of the innocent to loss of property in the one, and loss of life in the other AND OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. Ill ig of a mur- to the lives j^ Qther case, ivould suffer, •resents him- law, it ever iety to admit ^ as history id a man to ce, and suffer Jath for him, the cases of ere the law for Govern- e or two to iserve death of the lots US signifies, rs, that are 11 securities 3nts in the ten crimin- at to loss of in the other — substitutes are permitted and demanded by all human societies as things of every-day occur- rence. Now, as human Governments thus com- monly permit a substitute to satisfy the law, while the exposed or condemned party goes free, and that too whenever a proper substitute presents himself, and no interest of the Govern- ment suffers, — so infinitely much more could, would, and did God permit it, when sin involved all mankind in helpless ruin and misery, and when so adequate a substitute as his only-be- gotten Son was willing to satisfy all the demands of the law against us, and when no interest whatever suffered, but rather the interests of God's mercy, and the Son's mediatorial glory, and the salvation of all believers were thereby promoted. Moreover, there are cases of this very substi- tution continually occurring, not only in human governments, but in God's providential govern- ment over us. For instance, a terribly myste:^i- ous plague, like cholera, once broke out in a town in Italy. So destructive was it, that it was spreading and striking down, in a moment, the i! 112 DIFFICULTIES, EEROns, AND people everywhere. AH was consternation. What was to be done ? AH the ordinary skiU of the physicians was utterly unavailing ? After a consultation among them, it was concluded that in order to discover the nature of the disease' and what would cure it, one of their number should dissect one of its victims. But who would or could do that, as the greatest skill was re- quired, and as the handling of the corpse was through contagion certain to terminate in the operator's death ? One, the most skilful of them all, volunteered-shut himself up in a room with one of the loathsome corpses-care- fully dissected it, discovered the nature of the plague, and saw what would remove it— wrote all down in a scroll, which he medicated to pre- vent infection, and which, being thrown out to the other physicians, enabled them to destroy the terrible pest, and save the people. But what became of the volunteer operator ? He died-died in all the horrors of the plague He became a plague-offering for his fellow-towns- men, that they through him might be delivered from it, and live. Moreover, that plague was AND )nsternation. nary skill of ig ? After a eluded that, the disease leir number '> who would fill was re- corpse was late in the skilful of If up in a pses — care- bure of the it — wrote ted to pre- )wn out to to destroy pie. But 'tor? He ^gue. He ow-towns- delivered iague was OBJECTIONS CONSIDEMED. 113 one of the consequences of sin — God's judgment against sin, for sin is the cause of all evils. This man, then, in this matter, was a substitute for his fellow-townsmen, endured for them one of God's judgments against sin. And God owned and blessed his self-sacrifice, so as to cause, through his death, many to live. Thus, by this positive case in his providence, and hundreds of similar cases might easily be adduced, God dis- tinctly teaches us, that to save and bless through the sacrifice of a proper substitute, '^ven in judg- ment of sin, is a positive principle with him, and so most positively illustrates and establishes his own gospel, that his son " died for our sins," in order that we through him " might not perish, but have everlasting life." The third difficulty we notice is contained in the question : How can the death of Christ for sin — he being only one person — be a perfect atonement for the sins of millions of persons ? This, of course, is also made an objection by the opponents of the everlasting Gospel of God in Christ. But there are two things which shew that the Saviour's atonement is all-sufficient for il it 114 DIFFICULTIES, FURORS, AND the salvation of tlie myriads that liave believed, and do, and shall believe on his name. First' there is liis position, as liead of tlie covenant of grace. Tims, by way of illustration, we observe that a father, in providing for his family, is the substitute of them all. It is by his labour that they obtain the means of subsistence. A repre- sentative of a country, by the position in which the people have placed him, is the substitute of all the inhabitants of that country. His vote, for weal or for woe, is their vote, promoting tlieir prosperity or ruining their interests. The official act of the Emperor of Paissia, or of the President of the United States, on account of the position of each, is the act of many millions, plunging them m war and misery, or advancing them in freedom, education, and happiness. Then, especi- ally, the sin of Adam, by the position in which God placed him as head, representative, or substitute of all his posterity in the covenant of works was as shewn in the first chapter,,the sin of all the' countless members of the human family. So, in the same way, by the position in which God has placed him as liead, representative, or substitute i AND ve ])elieved, ime. First, covenant of we observe mily, is the labour tliat A repre- n in win'ch ibstitute of [is vote, for 3ting their rhe official President le position , plunging ig them in en, especi- vhich God substitute orks, was, of all the 7- So, in I God has mbstitufce OBJ EC T 10 m CONSIDERED. I J 5 of all his people in the covenant of redeeming mercy, the perfectly meritorious obedience of Christ unto death is the perfect atonement of millions to the latest generations that appropri- ate it to themselves by believing on him as their Saviour. And so it is written—" As in Adam all [that are or remain in him] die, even so in Christ shall all [that are or believe in him] be made alive." Then, secondly, there is Christ's intrinsic value, as a holy, divine being. A gold coin, for instance, will purchase hundreds, if not thousands, of cojoper pieces. An ox, if such a thing should happen, would be a ransom for millions of insects. A human soul, because spiritual and immortal, is more precious than a whole world of beasts that perish. So, when we consider that Christ was not only perfectly holy, but a Divine being— "one with the Father" — it is evident that, in giving himself a ransom for sinners, his ransom was of infinite value, more precious than all sinners of mankind put together. Hence, even man's finite reason can in a great measure, understand the blessed truth of our heavenly Father's word, " If any 1 IIG DIFFICULTIES, ERRORS, AND man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Clirist the ritrhteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." The fourth difficulty is, how can the suffer- ings of Christ, which were only temporal, be the perfect means of redeeming the believing sinner from everlasting sufferings ? This is, no doubt, a great difficulty to man's natural reason ; for God, in this as in many other things, calls upon us to believe it as a fact upon tlie authority of his Word, and not upon the mere authority of our own understanding. The opponents of the Gospel try, of course, to increase the difficulty by assuming that, in order to redeem the sinner from everlasting punishment, the Saviour, as the substitute, must himself endure e\ orlastinjr punishment. But this is a mere presumptive inference on their part, and presumptive infer- ences, even in common things, are often very wrong; and ii ^his case, being opposed to God's Word, must vie y ■m-r. Tnere are, besides, many almost sel^obvioc i^^asons wl ^ch show that it U. AND with the s ; and he md not for the whole the suffer- wral, be the iving sinner s, no doubt, reason ; for , calls upon lutliority of luthority of ents of the e difficulty L the sinner Saviour, as everlasting resumptive )tive infer- often very 3d to God's sides, many low that it OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 117 was neither proper nor necessary that tlie Saviour should, in the sinner's stead, suffer eter- nally. First, lu was not necessary. In all like- lihood the sinner naturally remains for ever in a state of punishment ; simply because he can do nothing t redeem himself If a man, for instance, convvucts a debt, and is unable to pay it, he suffers in the eye of the law, and in his treatment by society, until it is paid for him by a substitute, and, failing that, he suffers all through life. But by the simple act of paying the debt, his substitute, if he obtains one, may in an hour or two set him free. Apply this to the sinner's case. He cannot himself ever meet and discharge the claims of the law against him, and therefore he naturally remains for ever under the curse of the law, or eternally pun- i' ' '^ ■ But t jq Saviour could and did, by his perfect obedience unto death, as his substitute, satisfy all the claims of the law against him ; and, as in the other case the surety redeemed the defaulter in an hour or two, even so, in this case, it rec^uired only temporal suffering on the Saviour's part to redeem the sinner. Or again. 118 DIFFICITLTIES, ERRORS, AND suppose that by a fall a man had his leg broken, and could not heal it himself, what would be the consequence ? Why, his leg would, so to speak, remain broken for life if left to him- self. But how long would it take a thoroughly qualified surgeon to set it right ? Perhaps only an hour's exertion on his part would be re- quired. Even so it required only temporal exertion on the Saviour's part to set the sinner right with God. Or, further, suppose a subject, having previously rebelled against and angered his sovereign, was banished for life; and suppose the sovereign's son, by acting as his mediator, obtained his pardon and restoration, how long would that mediation require ? Only a humi- liation on the Son's part for a short time. So, on the part of God's Son, it required only his humiliation unto death, during his thirty-three years' sojourn in this world, to obtain the be- lieving sinner's pardon and recall from the sen- tence of " everlasting destruction from the pre- sence of the Lord and the glory of his power." Thus these diversified cases, all occurring in common life, show and illustrate that the sinner. AND s leg broken, at would be would, so to left to him- a thoroughly Perhaps only i^ould be re- ily temporal ;et the sinner Dse a subject, and angered ; and suppose tiis mediator, on, how long 3nly a humi- rt time. So, ired only his 1 thirty-three otain the be- Tom the sen- rom the pre- f his power." occurring in lat the sinner. OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 119 just because he is helpless in himself, would suffer for ever if left to himself They also show that, by his temporal sufferings as the surety of the believing sinner, the Saviour could, as he did, offer a perfect atonement for his sins, and deliver him from lying perpetually under the curse. And they likewise show that the assertion — that the Saviour, in order to save any sinner, must suffer in the very same manner, and for the same period that the sinner would suffer, if left to his own helplessness — is an un- reasonable absurdity, especially seeing that, as in the debtor s case, a proper surety may offer equivalent for the debt in a very short time, and without suffering in the very same manner as the debtor would. Again, take the parallel between Adam and Christ — the head of the covenant of works, and the head of the covenant of grace. Can any one imagine that, in order to gain the crown of eternal life, Adam was bound to remain in a state of trial or probation for ever ? Nay ; the very nature of his case shews that it required only a limited trial of perfect obedience on his j ( ( t 120 DIFFICULTIES, ERRORS, AND part in order to entitle liim, and all posterity in him, as their representative, to be confirmed in life everlasting. And so, according to the parallel, it required only a limited period of perfect obedience unto death on the Saviour's part, in order to entitle him, not only to his own mediatorial crown, but also to the eternal re- demption of his believing people. Again, as it was by the one sin of Adam — and not by his perpetually sinning — that many were made sin- ners, and became exposed to the curse; so it was only proper and necessary that, by the Saviour's one perfect sacrifice of himself for sin — and not by his perpetually suffering — all that accept of him by faith as their surety should be reckoned righteous, and heirs of the blessing. Moreover, it would have been unjust to Christ to punish him eternally, in order to let the sinner go free. In human government, as in the case of a debtor's failure to pay money, the surety pays it all, and is so far a mere sufferer ; because human governments do not, and perhaps cannot, administer fidl justice to all parties I AND 11 posterity e confirmed ding to the I period of le Saviour's T to his own eternal re- A.gain, as it not by his e made sin- :urse; so it lat, by the himself for suffering — ;lieir surety leirs of the st to Christ to let the nent, as in money, the sre sufferer; md perhaps aU parties OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 121 concerned. But, as God is infinitely just, and is not limited by human frailties, is it to be supposed that he will have no regard to the just rights of an innocent, but suffering substi- tute ? The very supposition is monstrous. As God, then, i- just, he must, as he has done, have dealt juHtly v.ith his Son, as our holy, yet suffer- ing substitute. Had he left him perpetually under the curse, God would have been very unjust to him. True justice demanded that he, an innocent person, should not suffer for ever. True justice demanded that, as he suffered innocently and willingly in a good cause, he should be expressly rewarded. And this justice God has rendered to his only- begotten Son ; for as the reward of his suffer- ings in dying for sinners of mankind, he has bestowed on him the mediatorial crown of the universe — having " put all things under his feet," and " made him head over all things to the Church." And, in addition to the Saviour's holy and voluntary substitution for us, consider the divine in it. If the giiilty are banish'^jd for cver^ we (ii I 122 DIFFICULTIES, ERRORS, AND natiually feel that there is no merit in their sufferings, because it is their just desert. But if a man suffers as a martyr in a good cause, we instinctively feel, humanly speaking, that his suff'erings are all meritorious, because he de- served otherwise. So the facts that Christ did not, in the least, deserve his sufferings— that he died, in unspeakably the best of all causes— and that he willingly gave himself for the salvation even of the vilest of the vile— shew that even his temporal sufferings were far more meritorious than the sufferings of all sinners being cut off" from God's favour for ever. Then, as he was divine, as well as human, this gave, even to his temporal sufferings, an infinite value. For instance, if the supposition may be allowed, how long would it take mankind to make a world ? They never could do it. But, by a word, God made it in a comparatively sJiort space of time —yea, could have done it in a moment. On the same principle, it may be asked, how long would it take mankind to expiate sin, and fulfil all the demands of tlie law, so as to bring in an everlast- ing righteousness for sinners ? Never could they AND srit in their desert. But od cause, we Qg, that his luse he de- t Christ did igs — that he causes — and he salvation V that even meritorious 3ing cut off , as he was even to his ^alue. For llowed, how ke a world ? word, God •ace of time it. On the long would ^ulfil all the an everlast- ■ could thev OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 123 do it. But, as Christ was " God manifest in the flesh " — infinitely able to bear and to accomplish —so it required only temporal suffering on his part to expiate all the transgressions of our race. And when we behold him condescending to take on himself the likeness of sinful flesh, see him rejected, despised, and crucified of men, persecuted by the powers of hell, mark that "on him the Farther laid the iniquities of us all," hear him on the cross exclaiming "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me," while the sun reddens as if weeping blood, and all nature, as if unable to look at the awful scene, covers her face with a dark mantle, and the earth quakes and rends at the throes of our world's redemption, surely even human reason can, in a measure, perceive that these deep mysterious sufferings of God's only-begotten Son, temporal as they were, were infinitely more than sufficient to expiate the guilt of all his believing people, and to bring in everlasting righteousness for them. The last difficulty, in connection with this subject, we notice is the objection, that, if the 124 DIFFICULTIES, ERRORS, AND sinner were to be saved, not by liis own works alone, nor partly by his own works and partly by Christ's, but freely and solely by the obedi- ence of Christ unto the death for him, it would tend to make the believer licentious, or more wicked than he naturally is. But this objection is opposed both to reason, and Scripture, and fact. If a man risked his life to save another from drowning, what would be the effect upon the saved man's mind and life ? His heart would be so touched with love and gratitude to his preserver — love and gratitude more powerful than any law or command — that, instead of despising and hating him, he would be con- strained to do what he could to honour and please him. So, in regard to the believer's ob- taining free redemption through tlie sacrifice of Christ for him, the effect, says Paul, is, "the love of Christ constraineth us, that we should live, not unto ourselves, but unto him that loved us, and gave himself for us." Moreover, faith in Christ is a trans '^orming power. Looking unto him in faith, we are changed, by the very believing look, into the same moral image that AND OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 125 1 own works ; and partly Y the obedi- m, it would lis, or more lis objection iptiire, and ave another effect upon His heart gratitude to )re powerful instead of lid be con- honour and sliever's ob- sacrifice of ul, is, "the we should 1 that loved •cover, faith Looking by the very image that he is. "Besides, through faith in Christ, and on account of his satisfaction for us, we obtain the spirit that gradually enlightens our minds, and purifies our hearts, and regulates our wills, and refines our lives, and works in us love both to God and man, and every other Christian grace. And, then, this objection is opposed to fact. Are the lives of those persons, who believe that they are saved, not by their own works, but freely and entirely by the grace of God in Christ Jesus, — are the lives of such persons licentious ? On the contrary, all history testifies, that all such persons, the more they so believe, the purer, the nobler, the more sublime, loving, and useful has been their career. Look at Paul, at Brainerd, at Wilberforce, M'Cheyne, Jonathan Edwards, Dr. Chalmers, and thousands of others. But what need of words ? Only tell even a slave-holder that his slave is a genuine believer in a free, full, and eternal salvation in Jesus, and that slave-holder will trust that slave with all he has. Only tell a merchant of extensive business, that such a servant is a sincere Chris- tian, and that merchant has no fears about his 126 DIFFICULTIES, FRROES, AND truth, honesty, or attentiveness. Yea, only take the members of any Christian church, even in- discriminately, the sincere and careless together, and, compared with a like number taken indis- criminately from the world, you will find that, not only in regard to spirituality unto God, but in truth, honesty, love, and usefulness in the world, the Christian members, inferior as they are to their Saviour-exemplar, are, as a whole, immeasurably the superior. Even so those nations of the earth that are the most Christian, are by far the most powerful, civilized, and beneficent. Everywhere, more and more, it is now admitted. " A Christian is the highest style of man." A wicked man may not credit a wicked man, but he will trust a Christian. A hypocrite adores a Christian ; and, therefore, he pretends to be one. While especially, in the sight of God, the judge of all the earth, it is only the Christian that enjoys his saving mercy and grace. It thus appears, from many facts, principles, and truths of common life, that the perfect AND a, only take h, even in- 38 together, aken indis- find that, God, but less in the or as they s a whole, so those Christian, lized, and more, it is of man." jked man, hypocrite 1 pretends 3 sight of only the lercy and )rinciples, e perfect OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 127 atonement of Christ for us, taking it as described in God's word, is not opposed to man's finite reason — the very reverse. But it is our duty, as stated before, to believe in it, not on the authority of our own reason, but on the authority of God's revelation. If I believe it merely upon the authority of my own reason, then it is not God's authority, but my own reason that I honour. But if I believe it, because God reveals it to me in his word as his perfect remedy for my natural guilt and ruin, then it is God's authority I submit to and revere. And why should we not believe it implicitly, simply upon God's authority, even though many mysterious things about it are and ever must be beyond our finite grasp? It is the remedy which he, the all-truthful as well as the all-mer- ciful one, has provided for us ; and therefore we ought to have the most perfect confidence in it. The atonement of Christ, as the sub- stitute of sinners, pleased him ; and, there- fore, it should please us. And as, in view of Christ's perfect satisfaction to his law for us, God proclaimed him "bis well beloved ffli 128 DIFFICULTIES, FURORS, Se. Son," and has "exalted liim far al)f)ve all principalities and powers;" so, especially as Christ is all our salvation, we should cleave to him as all our desire, and crown him :Media- torial Lord of All. 4 fi , Sc. above all pecially as Diild cleave liiiii IVIedia- ■ i^mmmK^^ g SI s ^^M i M W^ fs ^^^^ sm, £ m s '-^'^< jiga CITAPTEH V. THE RELATION OF THE ATONEMENT TO MAN. "He tliat bclieveth, and is baptized, sliall be saved ; but he that believetli not shall be damned." — Mark xvi. 16. |HE death of God's incarnate only-be- gotten Son, as the propitiation for sin, is so marvellous and momentous an event, that, in all probability, it bears some relation to every moi'al, intelligent being in the universe. Certain it is, that it has a peculiarly close relation to God, for it enabled him to manifest his infinite justice and holiness against sin, and yet to be infinitely merciful to the sinner, to be a "just God, and yet the justifier of them that believe on Jesus." Certain it is, that it has also a very intimate relation to God's 130 THE RELATION OF ( Son himself, for it enaLled him to display his j^reat compassion for the misery of sinners, and has given him the glorious prospect that "he shall see of the travail of his soul, and he satis- fied," in countless myriads redeemed hy his blood, "being with him and beholding his glory. It has likewise some close relation to the holy angels; for the sufferings and glory connected with it are " things which the angels desire to look into," and they are represented in Scripture as uixiting with the redeemed in heaven in "praising God and the Lamb that was slain." But as our object in these pages is not so much theological as humanly practi- cal, we proceed to notice the diversified relation which the Saviour's atoning death has to our fallen, guilty, dying race. In many works upon the atonement, it is common to divide all mankind into the elect and non-elect, and to say that the atonement secures the salvation of the elect. This word "elect" is Scriptural, and therefore a proper one. Nevertheless, as the Calvinist as well as the Arminian admits that we know the elect only THE ATONEMENT TO MAN. l.'U display liis sinners, and ;t tliat "he nd he satis- led hy his lolding his relation to and glory the angela 'epresented deemed in Lamb that liese pages nly practi- ed relation las to our lent, it is the elect itonement riiis word •roper one. all as the elect only by their faith, and as God in his Word ascribes such importance to faith as to make our eternal weal or woe depend upon it, we shall speak of the atonement in its relation to our race, as either believers or unbelievers. In Christendom, as in all countries where the Gospel already is published and proclaimed, men must be classed as either believing or dis- believing it. There is no neutrality admitted here ; for, says the Saviour, " he that is not for Me is against Me." If a man, tlierefore, that can obtain a knowledge of the Gospel remains ignorant c f it, he is responsible for his ignorance, and blameable, and to be regarded as an unbe- liever. Hence, in all Gospel countries, the people, generally speaking, are either believers or unbelievers. What, then, is the relation which the atone- ment bears to these believers ? It secures their future salvation. Thus, in our text, it is said, " he that believeth shall be saved ;" or, as else- where stated, "whosoever believeth on God's only-begotten Son, as God's atonement for our sins, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." ' 1 I 132 THE RELATION OF Now, as this grand result is secured by faith, it follows that all otlier blessings necessary to 'it, as pardon, acceptance, purification, and triumph over sin, deatli, and hell, will be also bestowed on the believer. And all this is the gift, the free, unmerited gift of God, offered to sinners of mankind, for although - the wages of sin is death," yet "the gift of God is eternal life througli Christ Jesus." And what connection has our faith with this gift ? Faith in it is not only our honouring God, but it is the acceptance of the gift, and therefore every true believer shall, through the grace of God in Christ, be fully and finally saved in the great hereafter. But the atonement also secures the present comfort of the believer. By showing him that he will be thus saved, it removes his fears of sin, death, and judgment, gives him peace, joy, and hope in believing, and enables him, « while' looking at the things which are unseen but eternal," to "rejoice in hope of that eternal life with glory which God, who cannot lie, pro- mised before the world began." It likewise secures the believer's true repentance and holy F id by faith, it 3cessary to it, , and triumph lIso bestowed the gift, the ^d to sinners ges of sin is eternal life t connection 1 in it is not le acceptance ;rue believer a Christ, be at hereafter, the present ng him that his fears of I peace, joy, him, " while unseen but eternal life ^t lie, pro- It likewise 36 and holy i THE ATONEMENT TO MAN. 133 living unto God ; for his faith, as shown before, unites him to Christ, makes him love God and feel a pleasure in observing his commands and ordinances. If, therefore, any one asks, " Shall I be saved?" the answer is, "Yes; if thou be- lievest sincerely and truly ; for the warrant is, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." And if such an one further asks, " But how am I to know that I am a true believer?" the reply is, " If you have not only peace, joy, and hope in believing, but also love God, by keeping his precepts and ordinances, for his mercy and grace to you in Jesus, you have the witness in yourself, God's Spirit through his Word bearing witness with your own spirit, that you have a true faith and good hope through grace." If you have no such faith, hope, and obedience, depend upon it that you have never yet come to Christ, never have yet truly looked unto him as your Saviour. It may be, however, that your faith is weak, and therefore you neither see, nor do, nor feel much spiritually. In such a case, in order that your faith may be lively and strong, keep looking 1 I 134 THE MELA TION OF unto Jesus, holding fast your profession without wavenng, and then, as God is true, when you are done with all here below, your lot will be wuh those of wJzom the voice from heaven says. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from heneeforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do lollow them. Tliere is, next, the relation of the atonement to unbehevers on earth. It secures, in the ineantime, Gods forbearance to them, to see whether they will repent and believe to the saving of their souls. Nevertheless, so long as they remain in unbelief, it has also a condemn- ing relation unto them. Thus the second clause ofourte..tadds,"buthethatbelievethnot hall be damned," The word "damned" is to human ears a harsh, strong word ; but then as It IS a correct translation of the original it IS not mans word, but God's; and therefore no man may dare, but at his own perd, tamper with It Aud what does this damnation imply ? It imphes that the unbeliever obtains no par- don, no acceptance, no purification, but is left 3sion without e, when you ' lot will be heaven says, 'n the Lord it, that they iir works do atonement res, in the lem, to see ieve to the so long as ' condemn- Jond clause ieveth not imned" is ; but then, original, it lerefore no il, tamper on imply ? lis no par- >ut is left TRE ATONEMENT TO MAN 135 under the power of liis natural guilt, pollution, and misery, to dwell for ever with those of like unholy, wretched character. Moreover, the sin- ner's unbelief in the atonement implies crimi- nality and foolishness on his part. It implies that he is foolish, as it is by his own folly in rejecting God's mercy in Jesus that he not only exposes himself to eternal misery, but robs himself of much present peace, hope, and hap- piness. Thus the Saviour says, " he that be- lieveth not is condemned already, because he hath not be-leved in the name of the only- begotten Son of God." So, then, it is because iie will not believe, will not accept of God's saving mercy in Jesus through faith in it, that the unbeliever remains already in a state of condemnation, and at last perishes. It is no other but himself, by his own foolish unbelief, that destroys his own soul. And it cannot be otherwise. If a man has one of the arteries in his limbs cut, he naturally bleeds to death; and if Jie refuses the aid of a qualified surgeon, he is not only sure to die, but his death lies at his own door. So the sinner, that refuses by unbe- 136 THE RELATION OF W llr lief God's grace and mercy in Jesus, has no one to blame for his perdition but himself. More- over, this unbelief in God's remedy in Christ for our sins and miseries is a criminal act, a criminal insult to the Almighty. Thus, the Scriptures say, "he that belie veth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." Besides, the case is not materially altered, even though there be no positive, wilful, rejection of the Gospel. The unbeliever perishes if he only neglects it. '-'How," exclaims the Apostle, "how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salva- tion ?" If a merchant neglect his business, he will soon become a hopeless bankrupt. If a farmer neglect to plough and sow his land in spring, he will have no harvest in autumn, but only noisome weeds and thistles. So if the sinner now neglect God's free offer of salvation in Jesus, he dies and perishes in his sins. And to those especially that not only neglect, but despise and ridicule the atonement of God's only-begotten Son, this perdition is bitter. Thus it is said, "he that despised Moses' law died )F IS, has no one mself, More- 3dy in Christ dminal act, a \ Thus, the not Grod hath veth not the Besides, the Bven though action of the 3 if he only Lpostle, "how great a salva- 5 business, he ikrupt. If a 7 his land in autumn, but i. So if tlie of salvation s sins. And neglect, but 3nt of God's bitter. Thus es' law died THE ATONEMENT TO MAN 137 witliout mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punisliment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sancti- fied, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the spirit of grace." Therefore, let unbelievers of all grades, and especially perverters and mockers of God's Gospel, take heed unto themselves; for God is and cannot be mocked. If he is now long- suffering and merciful,not willing that any should perish in sin, but all should come through faith in Jesus unto him and live, yet if his remedy in Jesus is rejected, "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin," but " a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation. « There"^ fore," reader, if you be an unbeliever or neglecter of God's Gospel, " I beseech you, uy the mercies of the living God," that you accept of his grace in Jesus ; for if " he that believeth shall be saved," yet "he that believeth not shall be damned." There is, further, the relation of the atone- ment to the heathen. By these, I mean the K 138 THE RELATION OF inhabitants of those countries to whom the light of the Gospel has not yet come. And, being without that light, what a deplorable state they almost universally are in — physically, morally, and spiritually ! To the traveller, missionary, and historian, however, I must leave the picture of the miserably low condition of the social, moral, and intellectual condition of the heathen, a condition chiefly, if not entirely, springing from and associated with their spiritual dark- ness and debasing idolatry. The chief thing we have here to do with, then, is their low, false, religious condition. They have, almost universally, no notion of the only true God, or of access unto him by the blood of Jesus ; and, accordingly, we find them robbing God of the glory due unto his name by giving his worship even to blocks of wood and stone, discover them seeking pardon not only by false ways, but even by human tortures and cruelties, and see them often, in regard to their sins and the death of beloved friends, as in the case of Cicero, in losing his only daughter, distracted, sorrowing as having no light, and therefore no hope. Thus F lom the light And, being Die state they ally, morally, ', missionary, re the picture of the social, ^ the heathen, ly, springing jiritual dark- e chief thing is their low, have, almost '• true God, or f Jesus ; and, y God of the y his worship liscover them ays, but even and see them the death of of Cicero, in }ed, sorrowing hope. Thus TIIU ATONEMENT TO MAN. 139 their condition shows that, without the knov/- ledge of Christ's atonement, they do indeed " dwell in the region and valley of the shadow of death." When we look at their degraded state, we may well, even in regard to this life, not to speak of eternity, bless God that we are born in a Christian country. It has sometimes been asked, "As the heathen have, and can have, no knowledge or ffiith in God's mercy in Christ, is it possible for any of them to be saved ?" No man on earth can authoritatively answer that question, as God, that alone knows it positively, has given us no satisfactory infor- mation about it. Our own private opinion is, that a few of them, at least, will be saved. When we consider that they, at any rate, never rejected the salvation that is in Jesus— when we reflect that many of them, as Socrates, Plato, and others, honestly and earnestly sought after moral and spiritual truth, attained to a com- paratively high degree of it, and walked con- sistently up to the light, so far as they knew it— and when we think that they, in all proba- bility, would have embraced the Gospel if it MW^JwwvRnpMM 140 THE RELATION OF ■;*1 I had been within their reach — our own opinion is that so many of them, in the great day, will be found to have obtained merc}^ Yet, if any of them be saved, it will be, we feel assured, only through the atonement of Christ for them ; for it is only in Christ that God is just and holy against sin, and yet merciful to the sinner. How this may be, as they could have no know- ledge, or faith in Christ, we cannot tell; but still it is the only way of salvation, and there- fore must be, if at all. Nevertheless, this is chiefly our private opinion only ; and perhaps, in regard to the future stat^' of the heathen, it becomes no man to judge at all, but to leave the matter entirely with God, saying, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?" The first positive relation which the atonement has to the heathen, so far as we have any certain knowledge, is that its glad tidings is to be sent to them. The great commission which the Saviour gave to his disciples, and wliich is still binding upon every Cliristian mediately or im- mediately, is, ''' Go ye into all the wcjrld, and preach the Gospel to every creature, baptizing THE ATONEMENT TO MAN 141 )wn opinion sat day, will Yet, if any ■eel assured, st for them ; is just and D the sinner. VQ no know- Dt tell; but , and there- less, this is nd perhaps, heathen, it to leave the " Shall not " The first nent has to any certain i to be sent which the diich is still itely or im- world, and 'e, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to do all things whatever I have commanded you." And "he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." This command, we repeat, is binding on every Christian, for upon all those who are saved by his grace, the Saviour calls to help as instruments in saving others. If God said, "My people perish for lack of knowledge," then for want of the Gospel tlie heathen must be much more in a perishing state ; and there- fore it so much the more becomes the Christian Church to be alive in carrying the light of eter- nal life to tliose that are dwelling in the regions of darkness and death. A second relation of the atonement to the heathen is that it shall, in God's appointed time, be made known to them all, and produce corresponding good fruits ; for it is written that " the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea," and that " the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of liis Christ." And, further, in regard to ?■ ) 1 r {■■■■f 142 THE RELATION OF " the great miiltitiule, which no man can num- ber," that stand before the throne of God, per- fected and triumpliant, crying " Salvation to our- God, who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb," the apostle John, in his beatific vision, saw that that multitude is or shall be composed out " of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues." There is, still further, the relation of the atonement to those of our race that are already, or shall yet be, in eternity. It has a relati^^n to the lost. Thus it is said, " But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brim- stone, which is the second death." Here, in this black catalogue, the unbelieving are classed with the vilest of mankind, showing that unbe- lief in the atonement, which the love of God has in Christ provided for our sins, is indeed a most deadly sin. Nay, it would appear as if the atonement of Christ will be a means of in- creasing the terrors of the lost, especially in the THE ATONEMENT TO MAN 143 n can num- )f God, per- ation to our- nd unto the atilic vision, )e composed md peoples, tion of the are already, IS a relatif^n the feaiiui, ainable, and d sorcerers, TQ their part ) and brim- " Here, in I are classed I that unbe- ove of God is indeed a ppear as if leans of in- 3ially in the day of judgment. Thus they are represented in Scripture as " saying to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For tlie great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" And, lastly, there is its relation unto the re- deemed in heaven. It secures their appearance nigh to the very fountain of all glory and bless- edness, their purification from all the remoins of indwelUng sin, and their complete triumph over death, hell, and every other enemy. Hence they are pictured out ms " standing before the throne, clothed in white robes, and havins palms in their hands." It also secures their entire deliverance from all the manifold mise- ries of this earthly life. So it is written, " God shall wipe away all their tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sor- row, nor crying, neither sliall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away." It likewise secures their enjoyment of all the blessedness there is to be found in the presence 144 TIIE RELATION OF , II < . of the Infinite Giver of all good. Thua it ia stated, "He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun'light on them, nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters." It further secures for them the fellow- ship of the very best society, their home above, in their Father's house being the abode of his more glorious presence, and of Jesus, as their elder brother, and of all the holy angels, and of the best, noblest, and most elevated that ever trod this lower world. Moreover, it secures their everlasting residence there; for heaven is not the earthly Paradise, the possession of which depended upon the earthly Adam's obedience, but it is the everlasting dwelling-place of the eternal Father, and their possession of it is secured by the Saviour's ever living, as their perfect unchangeable High Priest, to make con- tinual intercession for them. Hence it is said, " the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus;" and " the inheritance " of the redeemed is THE ATONEMENT TO MAN. 145 Thus it is irone shall liunger no r shall the tlie Lamb shall feed ^ fountains the fellow- le above, in )f his more their elder and of the ever trod mres their vQii is not of whicl' obedience, ace of the n of it is l, as their make con- it is said, igh Christ ! redeemed is " incorruptible, undcfiled, and fiuleth not away;" and "they shall go no more out," but " reign for ever and ever." And the atonement, a>^ securing all these unsearchable riches of God's grace, elicits from the redeemed above all the glowing praise that springs from the fervent love and gratitude of their ravished hearts, and hence their grateful, glorious anthem, " Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins, in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen." It thus appears, from this opposite, relation of the atonement to believers and unbelievers, that God has established a radical, essential, and eternal distinction between belief and un- belief in it. In these last days, as of old before the flood, and even in the garden of Eden, there is a tendency, not only in men's natural hearts, but even in the mouths of some, to try, if pos- sible, to obliterate this distinction in men's minds, saying, in opposition to common sense, and God's justice, holiness, and revelation, that M II ! 146 THE RELATION OF as God is love, so all, no matter how wicked or unbelieving they live, shall at last be saved. The first advocate of this damnable heresy, as Jude would call it, since its natural tendency is to encourage in ungodliness and disobedience, was Satan, and his first converts, or perverts, were Eve and Adam. "Surely," said the tempter to them, "surely" if ye disbelieve and disobey God in taking of this fruit, apparently so pleasant, though forbidden, " surely ye shall not die." So spake the father of lies, and his word, in preference to God's, our first parents believed, and soon found, by bitter experience, that they had believed a damnable lie. So, like the father of lies, the same heresy now is too current ; in order, if possible, to deceive the very elect. But let us take good heed unto ourselves. It is with God, the judge of all the earth, and not with man or Satan, we have supremely to do. Let us ever remember, as his whole Word shows, that belief and unbelief in his mercy in Christ are radically, essentially distinct from each other ; and, therefore, never can lead to the same saving result. Thus, in THE ATONEMENT TO MAN. 147 wicked or be saved. heresy, as 1 tendency sobedience, T perverts, said the Delieve and apparently ly ye shall 3S, and his 'st parents jxj^erience, B lie. So, esy now is [eceive the heed unto of all the we have ber, as his nbelief in 3ssentially !'ore, never Thus, in regard to the atonement, to believe it is to honour God as infinitely true ; but to disbelieve it is to insult God by neglecting or rejecting his best gift, and to perish in our sins. And hence, on account of this ineradicable external distinction, the Lord Jesus Christ, in his great commission, says, "he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." But, blessed be God, we are not only still in the land of hope and repentance, but a voice from heaven, full of tenderness and saving mercy, is yet giving us a most blessed invita- tion. h 1 ! CHAPTER VI. THE GKACIOUS INVITATION. ''Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy leaden and I wi 1 give you rest. Take up my yoke, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."— Matt. xi. 28-30. tenderly speaks the friend of sinners, the loving and only all-sufficient Savi- our, friend of tried, sinful, suffering humanity, all-sufficient to supply all our needs here, and to bless us in eternity far beyond all we can ask or think. Yes ; he who was in the bosom of the heavenly Father from all eternity, as ons brought up with him, who, pitying our fallen, sinful, suffering, helpless estate, conde- scended to leave that bosom, come into our eavy leaden, and learn of e shall find ly burden is f sinners, Lent Savi- suffering )ur needs jyond all as in the eternity, ying our i^, conde- into our THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 149 world, and unite the likeness of our sinful flesh to his own divine essence, who mingled so freely and affectionately with our race, during his thirty- three years' sojourn here, in healing, com- forting, restoring, and instructing, and at last, on the cross, gave himself up to the death as the perfect sacrifice for our sins- who was not only delivered for our offe but raised up again for our justification — who has a fellow- feeling with us in all our infirmities, having been tempted in all points as we are, yet with- out sin — who ever liveth at God's right hand, as our mediator with him, continually making all- prevailing intercession for us, and is therefore able to save to the very uttermost all that come unto God through him — he, as "he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," so now from the throne of grace in heaven he gives the same gracious invitation that he gave on earth, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest, and ye shall find rest to your souls." There are two principal reasons that lead tlie Saviour to give you this blessed invitation. 150 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. The first is, that all obstacles to your obtaining God's pardon, help, and everlasting favour, are now entirely removed. The atonement which the Saviour offered for your sins was a perfect one— the way, therefore, to peace with God, and all his other blessings, is now freely open to every sinner— and, therefore, the Saviour now invites you to come unto him, in order to get quit of your weary, heavy burdens, and find rest to your souls. Then, he knows that you will never find true, abiding rest till you come unto him. As there is only one sun in the sky to give light to all the world, as there was only one ark in the fearful time of the deluge, and only those in it were preserved from that de- struction, so there is only one Saviour in whom God has deposited all the riches of his mercy, and grace to help in time of need ; and therefore it is only by coming unto him that we can get rid of our grievous burdens, and find rest- sweet, true, abiding rest — to our souls. As we are dependent creatures, we must have something to rest upon, even thougli that some- thing be false or inefficient. And, alas ! there TION. THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 151 r obtainincj favour, are iient which IS a perfect h God, and ly open to iviour now rder to get 3, and find s that you L you come in the sky 'e was only leluge, and n that de- r in whom his mercy, l1 therefore -ve can get ind rest — 3. must have that some- ilas! there are many such false or inefficient things that sinners are trusting to as all their rest and hap- piness. Thus, in order to find happiness and rest, some are eagerly immersing themselves in business, or piling up gold and property; and others are frequenting scenes of gaiety and pleasure. For a while, intoxicated by these things, the brain and heart often fancy that they have found blessedness, and, so long as the in- toxication continues, it is a real blessedness, though not a high one. But after a little while these pall, even before they totally perish. They satisfy neither mind, heart, nor conscience, and the soul starves in the midst of them. As Alexander wept after conquering the world, finding it only left him miserable still — as Solo- mon, after drinking of all earthly luxury, muni- ficence, and sensuality, exclaimed, in bitterness and emptiness of soul, " all is vanity and vexa- tion of spirit" — so thousands upon thousands, whose coffers are filled with gold, or who are engaged in scenes of fashion and revelry, are miserable, disappointed, ill at ease, liaving no true happiness or rest in it at all. Moreover, 1 5 2 THE GEA CIO US IN VITA TION. the very thought that all earthly rests and pleasures soon perish throv s a black cloud over them all, even while enjoying them. Disap- pointments after disappointments soon destroy all relish for them. Sickness shews them to be an empty bubble. Death proves them to be not only delusive, but without any abiding founda- tion. Judgment makes us feel that divine love, pardon, holiness, and salvation, are thn only fixed realities in existence for us. And eternity shews us that if we have not obtained these by coming unto the Saviour now, there is no more rest for us, and happiness is clean gone for ever. So the Saviour knowing all this perfectly, and feeling intensely for the woes of humanity, here invites all those labouring and heavy-laden to come unto liim as their only true rest — a rest to their souls that shall never fail them, either in present trouble, sickness, death, or future judgment. And how many on earth are labour- ing and heavy-laden — laden with poverty, witli bereavement, with disappointment, with re- proach, with sickness, old age, and doubts and THE GBACIOUS INVITATION. 153 fears of sin, death, and eternity ! There is per- haps not a single home on earth, that there is one, at least, groaning under some heavy burden, and, if not come to Jesus, tossed about in soul as a restless wave of the sea. Yea, it is certain that there is not one of us, as we are all sinful, dying, responsible creatures, no matter what W3 be now, but will feel some of these burdens soon ; and at last as we draw nigh to death and judgment, will also feel that unpardoned sin, a polluted soul, and a holy JLst God against sin, are lurdens upon the conscience, that will, if not now removed by Jesus, sink the soul into perdition. Nevertheless, it is only the labour- ing and heavy-laden— those that feel theii sins and sorrows— that the Saviour here invites to come unto liinL Does he, then, not wish any others? Yes, he wants all. All need him. None can be happy or find rest without him. And not only is he willing, but able to remove all burdens, and to save to the very uttermost all that come unto God through Iiim. More- over, he complains that "they will not come unto him, and live." Yea, as he wept over 154 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. Jerusalem, because it slumbered in impenitence while the thunderbolts of divine vengeance were massing over it, so he still grieves that sinners should remain rebels to God, slight the spirit of grace and the blood of redemption, and sport or slumber on the terrible volcano of the second death— a volcano that may in a moment erupt and engulph for 'ever the unreconciled soul. Hence, there is the general invitation, "\/hoso- ever beheveth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Nevertheless, as you your- selves would most readily address those whom you believed most willing to listen unto you ; so the Saviour here specially invites those " that labour and are heavy-laden" — those that feel their sins and sorrows, and the unstable and unsatisfactory nature of all earthly things — as they are the most likely to hearken and come unto him to 'ind rest to their souls. All ye, then, that labour and are heavy- laden, come unto Jesus — for he specially invites you — and he will give you rest, and ye shall find rest to your souls. What is your burden ? Does the thought of your sins trouble your con- ION. ipenitence iance were at sinners e spirit of d sport or he second lent erupt nled soul. ""V/lioso- , but have you your- ose whom unto you; lose " that that feel itable and liings — as and come I'e heavy- Uy invites . ye shall r burden ? your con- THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 155 science, and lie upon it as a heavy burden ? Tlien come to Jesus, and cast all the burden upon him ; for " the blood of Jesus Clirist, God's Son, cleanseth from aU sin." Are you afraid that, after all your provocations, God will retain his anger against you, and never again be at peace with you ? Then come to Jesus ; for " being justified by faith, we have peace with God tlirough our Lord Jesus Christ." Does the solemn declaration— " he that believeth not shall be damned "—fill your soul with secret terror ? Then come unto Jesus; for "there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." Are you anxious lest you may be too impure to enter heaven? Then come to Jesus; for "by the once offering of himself, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified," or dedicated unto him. Do fears of death and judgment haunt and distress your mind ? Then come to Jesus; and he will give you light and hope in the dark valley, and " boldness in the judgment." Bo you tremble lest some enemy may at last destroy your soul, and cause you to come short of eternal life? Then come to Jesus; for res* 156 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. " he giveth unto his sheep eternal life, and they shall never porish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hands. His Father, who gave them to him, is greater than all, and none shall pluck them out of his Father's hands." Or fear you that, even if you were in heaven, you will be as a mere stranger there — none to know, receive, or welcome you ? Then come to Jesus ; for " where he is, there you shall be also," as your friend, your elder brother, your all and in all. In short, for entire deliverance from sin, death, and hell, and for the possession of " all spiritual blessings in heavenly places," come to Jesus; for " in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God- head bodily," and he will " be made of God unto you wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifica- tion, and redemption." And so, in regard to troubles and dangers connected with this life. Are you enjoying worldly prosperity, but like a wise person some- what fearful lest that prosperity may turn out a curse rather than a blessing to you? Then come to Jesus ; and he will keep away the curse, and make your earthly advancement a THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 157 Messing to yourself and others. Are you strug- gling with pinching poverty, as if its distracting burdens would never come to an end ? Then eome to Jesus ; and he will give you " the true riches — riches that will never take wings and fly away, and that no moth or rust will corrupt, and no thief break into and steal." Are you suffering under cruel desertion or unmerited reproach, that, like a sting, is inflaming your soul? Then come to Jesus; for, having endured bitter reproach and desertion unjustly himself, he can and will fully sympathise with you. Are you confined to the chamber or bed of sick- ness, lonely and suffering ? Then come to Jesus, and lay your weary head on his bosom ; for he knows what heavy suffering is, and will feel for you, and make your bed in your sick- ness. Is your heart bleeding, mourning over the death of some beloved friend — yea, sorrow- ing over the loss of friend upon friend ? Then come to Jesus; and in him you will find a friend worthy of all your love, trust, and admiration — a friend that neither life, nor death, nor anything else, will ever separate you from — a friend that r^ r '^MMia 158 Til V GRACIOUS INVITATION. will never leave nor forget you, but be always with you, in every trial here, and at death will take you home to himself, where also you will see and meet again all your best friends, never more to part. Are you, as day after day is hastening you on to eternity, in any doubt, or fear, or darkness, as to whither you are going ? Then come to Jesus ; for " he is the light of the world, and every one that followeth him shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." Or, in regard to all the duties, perplexities, temptations, and difficulties of life, are you afraid your own strength and wisdom shall fail ? Then come to Jesus; and he will give you " gTace to help in time of need ;" yea, " make your own weakness perfect in his strength." In short, in all things come to Jesus ; and he will give rest to your soul here, and at last give you an abundant entrance into that " rest that re- maineth for the people of God." Yes, if you come to Jesus, he will give you rest, and you shall find rest to your souls. Everything proves it. The love of God in Christ, and the power, the compassion, the THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 159 atonement, and office of Christ, as the one medi- ator between God and man, shew tliat it must be so. It springs from the very nature of your own constitution, or tlie laws of your own con • sciousness. Thus, as the man whose prope* ty is insured, feels at rest about it, even though ft may be burning — as the wounded man wher. he comes to a thoroughly qualified surgeon in wliom he has confidence, immediately feels re- lieved in mind — as the passenger who lias con- fidence in the captain and vessel, feels no anxiety, even though a storm may be raging — as the prodigal, strange, miserable, and perishiilg in a foreign land, felt that if in his Father's house where there was bread enough and to spare, his burden of shame and starAation would be re- moved, even so can no one come to Christ, as the divinely-appointed and all-sufficient Saviour of sinners, without having the burden of his anxiety about sin, death, providence, judgment, and eternity removed, and finding rest to his soul. Moreover, the experience of all Chris- tians in a greater or less degree, according to their iaith and holiness, fully demonstrates it. 160 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. The Philippian jailor, naturally a stern, stout Koman, but conscience-stricken and tremblinf^ with terror at the thoughts and natural conse- quences of sin, no sooner believed on the Lord Jesus Christ than he is found changed and re- joicing with all his house. So was it with Paul, Peter, John, and all the other converts and saints, mentioned in God's word. The united testimony of their experience is, "we who have believed do enter into rest; " "we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the Atonement ; " "whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; " and "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abun- dant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Ohrist from the dead, even to an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith uiio salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein ye greatly VIOK tern, stout trembling iral conse- . the Lord id and re- is it with r converts )rd. The jc is, "we "we also Christ, by •nement ; " in whom, iieving, ye 3f glory;" er of our his abun- bo a lively irist from irruptible, ^served in power of idy to be e greatly THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 161 rejoice." And so, in all times, ten thousands upon thousands of heavy-laden sinners, rich and poor, young and old, bond and free, male and female, learned and unlearned, have all, on coming to Jesus, found in mind, heart, soul, and conscience, a rest, a peace, a joy, and a hope that the world cannot give, knows not, and cannot take away — " a good hope through grace " that made thousands of martyrs rejoice, even at the stake, that they were counted worthy to suffer for their Lord and Saviour. Moreover, as the unbeliever has no sure, eternal foundation to rest upon, so the longer he lives, the more does his own strength and means of happiness fail him, and therefore he becomes the more and more hopeless and miserable. Hence, even after running the round of all earthly pleasure, the sceptical have generally, like Lord Byron and the Earl of Chesterfield, bitterly condemned it all as but Uiere hollo wness, and mourned over their life as blighted and wasted. But not even one Christian ever made such a sad confession about his life. On the contrary, the longer he lives, his Christian peace, joy. and hope go on m f 162 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. increasing. Even in his days of frailty, there- fore, his cheerful testimony is, " My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and portion for ever." If he has any regret, it only is that he did not come to Jesus sooner, and serve him more lovingly and zeal- ously. So it is on earth, as every one may verify for himself; and in eternity, as God's Word re- veals, all the blessedness is only with those that have gone to Jesus. Thus, all the evidence proves that they who now come to Jesus have the best rest and happiness here ; and that they alone, in the great hereafter, enter upon that rest that remaiueth for the people of God. Desirous of this rest, do you ask, then, how, or where you can come to Jesus ? Come by believing on him as your personal Saviour. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Chr'st, and thou Shalt be saved." Believing on him is just com- ing unto him; for, in the very act of believing, the trust, the hopes, the a actions of the soul go out to him, and rest upon him, as their sure foundation. Come unto him in prayer. He is your high priest with God. even beinf? liimsolf TION. lilty, tliere- Y flesh and iigth of my e has any tie to Jesus T and zeal- may verify 3 Word re- those that ; evidence ^esus have i til at they upon that God. ihen, how, Come by . Saviour, and thou just com- believing, the soul heir sure L*. He is ff himself THE GMACIOUS INVITATION. 163 the throne of grace; and therefore, says the apostle, " let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Come unto him in his Church, for He says, " where two or three are met together in My Name, there am I in in the midst of them "—as the dew on the mown grass to revive it, as the sunbeam in the garden to beautify it, as the father in the midst of his family to bless and delight in them. Come unto him, by reading his Word, and making his believing people your chief asso- ciates ; for where these are, depend upon it, he is not far distant. By thus believing and act- ing, your whole life will be a coming unto Jesus, until at death you find yourself in his immediate, glorious presence. Or, do you ask when you may, or should come ? Come now. The sooner, the safer and better. The lost in eternity, if they were in your place, would in all probability at once flee unto him as their refuge from the storm. But they sinned away their day of grace; for as death finds a person, judgment overtakes him. m^/- « 164 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. " Behold, now is tlie accepted time, and now is the day of salvation." "To-day, if you will hear his voice, harden not j our heart, as in the day of provocation." " Let us also fear lest, a pro- mise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you Ghould seem to come short of it." There is no benefit in carrying your heavy burden, or remaining in an unpardoned, dangerous state, a moment longer. You cannot be at peace with God, in rest oi conscience, safe, and blessed, too soon. Therefore, come now. Or, finally, do you ask what preparation yon require in order now to come to Jesus ? You need none. You need to be prepared for death, for judgment, for eternity; and therefore the greatest duty for the greatest event in your lives is inculcated upon you in the solemn command, "Prepare to meet thy God !" But, in order to be prepared for all these, you are to come to Jesus now, unprepared, just as you are; for you can have no proper preparation for tliem but what he gives you. It is all deposited with him, in him, or through him ; for " he of God is made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and n TION. THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 1G5 and now is )u will hear in the day lest, a pro- is rest, any it." There burden, or irous state, 16 at peace md blessed, iration you 3us ? You i for death, srefore the t in your he solemn ►d!" But, you are to IS you are; n for them Dsited with lie of God sness, and sanctifi cation, and redemption ;" and therefore unprepared you are to come to him in order to receive all from him. As the client comes with his case just as it is, to the advocate, leaving him to arrange and plead it ; so come with your case to Jesus, as your advocate with the Father, leaving him to arrange and plead it ; for " the Father heareth him always," and he gai- =-; every case he pleads. As the wounded man, bleed- ing, and pained, and dusty, is carried inmie- diately to the surgeon, just as he is, so come, bleeding in heart, or smarting in conscience, or trembling with fear, to Jesus, that he may bind up your broken heart, give peace to your con- science, or turn your fears into confidence '^d joy. As the child, hungry, ragged, dirty, an 1 thirsting for sympathy, comes just as it is, look- ing for bread, clothing, cleansing and love from its parent, so come to Jesus, that he may give you the bread of eternal life, clothe you with the robe of his righteousness, purify you with the Spirit of grace, and satisfy you with the 1 .'' ess of his love. Or as the clay, a filthy, shf ; ^less lump, is brought to the potter tliai he 166 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. may mould it into some beautiful form, so "shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin/' m all naturally are, come unto Jesus, tiiat he by his almighty power and grace may transform you into Isis own glorious, pt;iiect, moral image, and make, yoii " meet for the inheritance of the saints in life." As \^: ^^aid Dithilv by Harts— Venture on hiir, - .ature fully, Let no other (i-ai^v intrude ; None Lut Jesus Can do helpless sinners good. Or to the Saviour's gracious invitation— "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heaven-laden "—let your response to him be the touching, beautiful, graphic lines of M'Cheyne— Just as I am — without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for nie, And that thou bidd'st me come to Thee— C) Lamb of God, I come ! Just as I am— and Thou hast seen How vile and wicked I have been ; To Thee, for Thou can'st make me clean— Lamb of God, I come ! Just as I am— though toss'd about With many a conflict, many a doubt, With fears Avithin and foes without— Lamb of God, I come ! TION. il form, so in sin/' as tliat he by ' transform oral image, mce of the Jf arts — TEE GJIACIOUS INVITATION. 167 Just as I Rin— poor, wretched, blind ; In Thee, the riches of the mind- Light, health, and gladness, all to find— O Lamb of God, I come ! Just a« I am— Thou wilt receive, ^ nd w lit me pardon, cleanse, relieve ; Because thy promise I believe — O Lamb of God, I come ! Just as I am— thy love divine Has won this rebel heart of mine ; Now, to be thine, for ever thine- Lamb of God, I come ! ivitation — ir and are him be the ^'Cheyne — se — • an — Mum AND PATERSON, PlllNTERS, EDINBURGH