that has found a ransom;-that has opened a city of refuge ;-that has reconciled mercy, and truth, and righteousness with peace. O that that gracious redeemer, without whose kindly interposition we had better been crushed in the very bud of being might forever live in our hearts, might forever be esteemed above all other beloveds, might forever be the reigning subject in our thoughts, both when we wake and when we sleep! "If we forget thee, O blessed Jesus, then let our right hand forget her cunning. If we do not remember thee, let our tongues cleave to the roof of our mouths; if we prefer not thee above our chief joy;" O! let us never drink that as water, which cost the effusion of thy blood! Let us never have that sweet in our mouth which tendered to thy lips the vinegar and gall! Let us never rejoice in that which made thee exceeding sorrowful! nor bless ourselves in that which subjected thee to the curse! nor live in that for which thou died!

On Christ's dying in the stead of sinners, to make full satisfaction for their transgressions.

THAT Christ died for his people, not merely for their good, but in their room and place, is a *See note in page 112,

fundamental article of our holy religion, and a grand peculiarity of the gospel; though regarded by many as only a speculative point, and by many traduced as a senseless absurdity, inconsistent with reason, and the perfections of the deity. And here I must confess, that if we were not to attend to the sacred oracles as our rule; if we were not solely conducted in our researches by the light of nature and reason, our cause is lost. For, though the doctrine itself is not contrary to sound reason, it is the mistry of his will, which is hid from the wise and prudent, and which would never have entered into our thoughts, if God had not been pleased to reveal it. Let us go to the law and testimony; and, according to the observation of a very eminent divine, the death of Christ is exhibited in three capital views; as a price, a punishment, and as a

NOTE.

*The death of Christ includes not only his sufferings, but his obedience. The shedding of his precious blood was at once the grand instance of his suffering, and the finishing act of his obedience. In this view it is considered, and thus it is interpreted by his own ambassador, who, speaking of his divine master, says, "he was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Phil. ii, 8. Hervey's Dial. vol. II. p. 47.

sacrifice. And it will, from every one of these, appear, with the brightest evidence, that the death of Christ was a true and proper satisfaction in the room of his elect people.

Let us begin with it as a price. Now, what is a price? A price is a valuable compensation of one thing for another. A slave is redeemed

from captivity, a debtor from prison, when some gracious redeemer procurés their liberty, by giving some equivalent to the person by whom they are detained. We are debtors; we cannot pay unto God what we are owing. We are captives, and we cannot hasten to be loosed. Jesus Christ is the merciful redeemer, who pays the sum we were owing, and says to the prisoners Go forth. Will we not believe an apostle when he tells us, ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price?-Would you know what this price is? Another apostle will tell; "ye are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ." Now, though it be true that there is a redemption by power mentioned in the scripture, yet, redemption by price is the only proper redemption; and we cannot reasonably doubt but redemption by price is the meaning of the most remarkable texts of scripture, where Christ is characterised by this lovely denomination. What hath he obtaind for us by his death ? Eternal

redemption, Heb. ix. 12. What have we through his blood? Redemption and forgiveness of sin, Eph. i. 7. What is Christ made unto us of God? Sanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. i. 30. What did they look for that expected the coming of the Messias? Redemption in Israel, Luke ii. 28. Even Job could say, I know that my redeemer liveth, chap. xix. 25. We sold ourselves for nought, and we are redeemed without money of our own. The redemption of the soul was too precious to be effected by our impoverished stock. But we are not redeemed without money to the Lord Jesus, who gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity. The ransom was paid down, the price beyond all price; a sum too large for the arithmetic of angels to compute. Let the adversaries bring forth their strong reasons. If, say they, the death of Christ was a proper price, it was paid to the devil, whose captives we were. No; it was paid to God, whose captives we were; the devil was only his slave, jailor, and executioner. But, say they, if it was paid to God, it was paid by Christ to himself. And where is the absurdity here? It is true a man cannot satisfy himself as to a money-debt, by giving money to himself that another owes him; yet, as to a criminal debt, there is nothing to hinder a just judge, even among men, to satisfy his own law, by

submitting to what it requires.

Nor does this

gospel doctrine calumniate the deity, as though he was a greedy tyrant, that will let no prisoners go, unless he can get great riches for their ranFor, our price did not enrich him, but only paved the way for our being released to the honour of his justice.

som.

Next let us consider it as a Punishment. A punishment is never inflicted by a just governor, except upon transgressors of the law; for, “to punish the just is not good." It is for the punishment of evil-doers that magistrates are set up by God. Now, if the death of Christ was a punishment, it must unavoidably follow, that it was vicarious. Why wouldst thou, O heavenly father, command the sword of justice to awake and smite the man that is thy fellow! Surely it was not for his own fault; for he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." Even Pilate acquitted him, and Judas absolved him. Why then did the almighty sovereign of heaven permit such an innocent person to be put to death? Why did not the thunders awake? Lo! here the mystery is unfolded : he died," the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. He was cut off, but not for himself; for the transgression of my people was he smitten." Let insolent cavillers object, that it degrades our Messiah, to regard him in the light of an

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