"judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one," that is, Christ, "the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."*

But then, all will not be saved, whom Christ came to save. Far from it; for we are told that "God our Saviour will have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth;" but all will not comply with the terms of salvation. Not, indeed, from any positive disability, not from any irreversible decree, but on account of their stubborn and perverse hearts. Christ himself says to the Jews, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life;" and to Jerusalem, "how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not !"‡ The consequence was, their city and nation were given up to overwhelming ruin, which they brought upon themselves by their own blindness and impenitency. "Even," as St. Peter tells us, "denying the Lord that bought them;" that bought, and certainly would have saved them; but they refused his salvation, "and brought upon themselves swift destruction."S

As surely, then, as the word of Jehovah is true, and "He is a God who cannot lie," he "hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked;" he "will have all men to be saved; "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." And in accordance with these gracious assurances, are all those exhortations to repentance, all those declarations of pardon, all those pro

Rom. v. 18. †1 Tim. ii. 4. John v. 40. Matt. xxiii. 37. § 2 Peter, ii. 1. || Ezek. xviii. 23, 32. 2 Peter iii. 9.

mises, and all those threatenings, which are addressed to the hopes and fears of all mankind, in almost every page of the bible. In the blood of Jesus Christ" a fountain is opened for sin, and for uncleanness," which is abundantly efficacious to cleanse the most polluted soul; to make it white and spotless, even in the sight of a just and holy God, who "is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity." To this exhaustless fountain and well-spring of eternal life, all are exhorted to come and freely drink; they are urged, by the kindest and most pressing entreaties, to taste of these spiritual waters, to purify and refresh the soul. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."* In like manner the beloved apostle, in the most affectionate language, informs us that "The Spirit and the bride say, come; and let him that heareth say, come; and let him that is athirst, come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."+

Intimately connected with the doctrine of the Atonement is that of the Divinity of Christ. Indeed, so far as human reason is permitted to look into this mysterious scheme, these two doctrines appear to be inseparable. But we are not left to the fallible judgment of human reason. The scriptures expressly teach us that the Saviour of the world" was with God and was God;" that he "humbled himself" to visit this lower world, and "became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," that

*Isaiah lv. 1. † Rev. xxii. 17. + Phil. ii. 8.

he might reconcile us to God, by satisfying the divine justice, which could not otherwise be appeased, and by making atonement for sin, by his own blood, when no other sacrifice would answer. "For it is not possible," such was the divine decree," it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats," which were the appointed sacrifices under the law, "should take away sin;* but here was a victim infinitely efficacious, "whose blood cleanseth from all sin;” a Priest, who needed no atonement for himself, being holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners ;" an Intercessor, all-prevailing, even the only and beloved Son of God, "in whom the Father is well pleased." Thus do the scriptures not only refer the redemption of the world to the death of Christ, but they also ascribe the efficacy of his atonement to his proper divinity.

And how consolatory are these assurances to every humble penitent! The sinner, who feels the burden of his sins, looks around him with an anxious and inquiring eye for some one to remove this oppressive weight. But to whom shall he apply for relief? He realizes, with shame and sorrow, that he has been wayward and perverse from his youth; that to his natural depravity he has added numerous actual transgressions; and that every sin has been committed against a being of unspotted purity and infinite justice. Who, then, will mediate between him, a guilty, rebellious sinner, and this all-just and holy God? Shall he go to one of his fellow men? Alas! where shall † Heb. vii. 26.

*Heb. x. 4.

Shall

he find one who does not stand equally in need of an Intercessor and Redeemer? 66 They are all gone out of the way there is none that doeth good, no not one." Shall he then trust to a mere man to intercede for him? finite man make atonement for sin against an infinite Being? Reason answers no! and revelation, in accordance with the plainest dictates of reason, tells us that " none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him."* Shall he look to an angel for help? Alas! the God whom he has offended "chargeth his own angels with folly." He can therefore place no reliance on any created arm; but when he is told that God's own arm has wrought salvation for him, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto HIMSELF, all . his fears are at rest. "The penitent can now calm the agitation of his mind and tell himself that all is well. He can in this case, but in no other, repose with security on the atonement, as indeed full, perfect, and all-sufficient.." He has here found a rock, firm and immoveable, on which to build his hopes of salvation: he has now 66 an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast," to which he can always securely cling. He cannot doubt that a price, so infinitely precious, will be accepted; that an intercession, so powfully pleaded, will be heard.

Thus important is the doctrine of our blessed Lord's divinity, as an article of faith. So inseparably is it connected with the efficacy of his atonement, that take away his divinity, and you deprive the humble penitent of all assurances of pardon and reconciliation; you leave him † Job iv. 13.

Psalm xlix. 7.

without a sufficient Mediator, or Redeemer, or Saviour— without any one to satisfy the penalties of the divine law. Let us therefore beware of every opinion which counteracts the merciful designs of God in redeeming us; which deprives us of those heavenly consolations, arising from the doctrine that "Christ is our peace;" that "he hath borne our sorrows ;" that " on him the Almighty hath laid the iniquities of us all;" that "GOD was in CHRIST reconciling the world unto HIMSELF;" and that "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

99*

* Is. liii. 6. 2 Cor. v. 19. Acts iv. 12.