Christ any one should understand the head, together with the mystical body, which with Christ is that one seed, to which the promises are made. This indeed we shall very readily admit, if it also be admitted, that Christ, who is the head, and eminently the seed of Abraham, be on no account excluded from these promises, especially as the promises made to his mystical body, ought to be considered as made also to himself; since he himself too hath received gifts for [in] men.* "Nor ought those places to be omitted, in which explicit mention is made of the suretiship of Christ; as Psal. cxix. 122. Be surety for thy servant for good; that is, as surety receive him into thy protection, that it may be well with him. In like manner, Is. xxxviii. 14. I am oppressed, undertake for me; be to me a surety and patron. And that none but Christalone could thus undertake, God himself says, Jer. xxx. 21. Who is this that engaged [in] his heart, or quieted his heart by his suretiship, or sweetened his heart, by a voluntary and fiducial engagement, or, in fine, pledged his very heart, giving his soul as both the matter and price of suretiship (for all these are comprised in the emphasis of the Hebrew language) to approach unto me, that he may expiate sin? These words also point out what that suretiship or undertaking was, which David and Hezekiah sought for; namely, a declaration of will to approach unto God, in order to procure the expiation of sins. "In fine, we may refer to this point, what is to be found, Zech. vi. 13. The counsel of peace shall be between them both; namely, between the man, whose name is the Branch, and Jehovah: for no other pair occur here. which the Son of God was constituted by the Father, with the approbation of the Holy Spirit, the Saviour of mankind, on this condition, that in the fulness of time, he should be made of a woman, and made under the law; which the Son undertook to perform. took to perform. Peter has a view to this when he says,* that Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world. To this purpose is also, what the Supreme Wisdom testifies concerning itself,t I was set up [anointed] from everlasting; that is, by my own and the will of my Father, which is one and the same, I was appointed to the performance of the mediatorial office in time. Paul likewise declares, that we were chosen in Christ be fore the foundation of the world.‡ Consequently, Christ himself was constituted from everlasting, the head of those that were to be saved, and they were given unto him,§ for whom he was to merit salvation, and in whom he was to be glorified and admired. From this constitution, the Son from everlasting bore a peculiar relation to those that were to be saved. Hence the book of life is, by a special appropriation, ascribed to the Lamb, as containing a description of the peculiar people assigned to the Lamb from all eternity. Hence also it was, that God, in his amazing wisdom, so ordered many things in man's state of innocence, that the attentive remembrance of them after the fall, and the comparing them with those things which were afterwards revealed, might have reminded man of this divine counsel. "The second period of this covenant I place in that intercession of Christ, by which, immediately upon the fall of man, he offered himself to God, now offended by sin, actually to perform those things, to which he had engaged himself from eternity; saying, Thou hast given them to me, I will make satisfaction for them: and so making way for the word of grace to be declared to, and the covenant of grace to be made with them. Thus Christ was actually constituted Mediator and declared as such immediately after the fall; and having undertaken the suretiship, he began to act many things belonging to the offices of a Mediator. As a Prophet, and the interpreter of the divine will, he even then, by his Spirit, revealed those things which relate to the salvation of the elect, and by his ministers published them.* Nay, he himself sometimes appeared in the character of an angel, instructing his people in the counsel of God. As a king, he gathered his church, and formed to himself a people, in whom he might reign by his word and spirit. For it was the Son of God, who said to Israel, Exod. xix. 6. Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and who, with more than royal pomp, published his law on mount Sinai, and whom Isaiah saw sitting as king upon a throne. As a Priest, he took upon himself the sins of the elect, to be expiated by the sacrifice of his body, which was to be fitted for him in the fulness of time. In virtue of this, as being a faithful surety, he likewise interceded for the elect, by declaring his will, that they might be taken into favour, saying, Deliver them from going down to the pit, I have found avrgov, a ransom. For what angel could speak thus, but the angel of the covenant? who even then was called an angel, before his coming in the flesh, because he was accomplishing what depended upon that future mission. * * * * * "The third period of this compact is that, when on his assuming human nature, he suffered his ears to be bored; that is, engaged him self as a voluntary servant to God, from love to his Lord the Father, and to his spouse the church, and his spiritual children (for the ears of such voluntary servants were bored;)* EVOMEVOS ÚTTO VOμLOV, was made under the law, subjecting himself to the law: which he solemnly testified by his circumcision, on the eighth day after his birth, whereby he made himself a debtor to do the whole law." Thus it clearly appears, that there was a covenant between the Father and the Son, in which he undertook to be, in all the extent of the word, a Redeemer of the people who were given to him. It only remains to remark, V. That by Christ all his people are actually brought out of a state of sin and misery, into a state of salvation. You will not understand that I now propose to go into a particular explanation how this is done. A large part of the subsequent answers in the catechism is employed in explaining these topicks, and to anticipate them would produce confusion. Let us then only dwell for a few moments on the fact, that Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of God, is the great agent in the work of our redemption, and that he has perfected it in behalf of his people. In virtue of his undertaking for them, he is made to be "the head over all things to the church, which is his body." There is no gift of grace or glory bestowed on the church, or on any individual member, but it is, as it were, first given to Christ, and then comes to the believer from him "Of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace." It was for this purpose that "it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." As the people of Christ are given to him, and he gave himself for them, it is infinitely fit and * Isa. xlvii. 15. 1 Pet. i. 11. and iii. 19. all immediately from him. And reasonable, that they should receive Acts. vii. 38. Chap vi. compared with John xii. 41. § Job xxxiii. 24. Compare Psalm xl. 7, with Heb. x. 5. this is calculated unspeakably to encourage and comfort them, while they are permitted and required to look for all that they need, from the hands of their kinsman Redeemer, who has identified himself with them and they also hence receive every possible assurance that the work of their redemption and salvation has been fully wrought out for them, shall be effectually wrought in them, and shall be completed in eternal glory and felicity;-because the whole has been engaged for by God's eternal Son, whom no enemy can resist or disappoint. The efficacy of this work of Christ, was just as great, although not so clearly revealed, before, as after, his coming in the flesh. It is the prerogative of God, to call things that are not as though they were. Christ was "the lamb slain from the foundation of the world." The efficacy of his. undertaking and atonement, was coeval with the fall of man. He was promised to our first parents as "the seed of the woman who should bruise the serpent's head." His character and his atonement were shadowed forth under the Mosaick dispensation, by a variety of symbols and sacrifices-These all pointed to Christ and his sacrifice; for the apostle expressly declares, "they were a shadow of good things to come, but the body was of Christ." To Christ, therefore, all who are saved, the ancient and the modern, the Jew and the Gentile, the infant and the aged, owe entirely and equally, their redemption and their eternal inheritance. Two short reflections on what you have heard, shall close this lec ture. 1. Reflect on the self-moved goodness, mercy and condescension of God, in the covenant of grace. On this let me counsel you to dwell in your meditations, more-far morethan on the inscrutable decrees of Jehovah. To Him, those decrees-those "secret things belong," while to us, it belongs to wonder, admire, adore and love, in attentively contemplating the "revealed" truth, that" God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." Remember, I repeat it, that this is plain revealed truth; in which the benignity of God, manifested to our world, is exhibited as inconceivably great. He "so loved the world," that "he spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all;" and this when we were hardened and unrelenting rebels against Himself. This is indeed benevolence, compassion, and a stoop of mercy, without any parallelwithout any thing to which we can even resemble it. Those who oppose our sentiments, often represent us as exhibiting the ever blessed God as an arbitrary, inexorable, and vindictive Being-Nothing can be farther from the truth. We do indeed plead for all the Divine attributes, and are careful not to deny one in order to establish another. Hence we maintain the perfect foreknowledge and entire sovereignty of God, that we may not impeach his wisdom, nor derogate from his supreme disposing power. But at the same time, we maintain the infinite goodness of God. We believe with the Apostle John, that "God is love." We represent this love as the first spring and source of the whole plan and work of redemption that it was the inconceivable love of God that provided the Saviour, and "gave him up," to all that he endured in the work of our redemption. If our opponents will represent this part of our system as inconsistent with the other-we will ever deny it; and reply, that is your consequence, not ours. We believe, and so do you, that many of the ways of God are unsearchable. We believe that the things in question are perfectly reconcilable, although for the present we cannot tell how. We believe, from the word of God and the dictates of reason, facts and truths. which we cannot fully reconcile. But we will not deny any of the facts or truths, because we cannot show exactly how they quadrate with each other. But on the fact that God is love, and the fountain of all goodness, grace, and mercy, it is our delight to dwell. We love to contemplate it by itself; yea, we love to inculcate it, till our own minds, and the minds of those we address, are filled with admiration, and warm with gratitude and affection, to the infinitely best as well as greatest of all beings. 2. Reflect on our infinite and endearing obligations to the Saviour. When "there was none to helpnone to uphold," then he said, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." But for this intervention of the Saviour in our behalf-an intervention which was perfectly voluntary on his part, and to which he was under no obligation-but for this, the whole race of man, like the whole host of rebel angels, must have perished without remedy and without hope. What mortal can think of this, and not feel that his obligations to the Saviour are beyond all expression! But especially, when we consider the astonishing price of our redemption, and that the Saviour had a clear and perfect foresight of it-a perfect foresight of the ineffable humiliation, sufferings and death, that would be indispensable in executing the undertaking for which he made himself responsible, and yet that he cheerfully assumed it, and steadily persisted till he had fully performed it-what tongue of men or angels, will ever be able to utter his love and compassion, or the endearing obligations which bind redeemed sinners to their great Deliverer! This doubtless will be a theme for the songs and harps of saints and angels, while the eternal bliss of heaven shall endure. And O! how hard, my dear youth, must be that human heart, how lost to every worthy sentiment, how base, how vile, which feels nothing-glows not, melts not, moves not with one pulse of gratitude and love-when this unutterable goodness, kindness, and compassion of the Saviour, is made the subject of contemplation! Is such the state of any heart in this assembly? If it be, how great must be the change wrought upon it, before it can be reconciled to God! May every such heart be shocked, and humbled, and tremble, at its vileness-may it be broken and bleed, that it may at length be healed by the application of the atoning blood of Christ-Amen. ON THE ATONEMENT. No. III. My dear Brother,-In my last letter it was, I hope, fairly proved, that the doctrine of the new school has no advantage over that of the old, in respect to a general and free preaching of the gospel, and an unfettered and unreserved offer of salvation to all men. We can invite all to come to Christ, as sincerely as any of our brethren. We can offer salvation to all, as freely as they; and hold out as many inducements and encou ragements to incline the perishing to come to the munificent feast which grace has prepared. We can exhibit the promises in all their fulness and riches, as well as they; and thunder out the denunciations of a righteous God, against all who disbelieve the gospel and reject the Saviour. 3. But the advocates of indefinite atonement claim that their views correspond best with the freeness and sovereignty of divine grace, displayed in the recovery of fallen man. They contend that, to represent the death of Christ as a real and complete satisfaction to divine justice for the sins of his people, is to set aside the grace of God in their salvation. If, say they, salvation was really purchased for them by the Redeemer's sacrifice, then salvation must be granted to them as a matter of debt, and not as a free and gratuitous gift; and besides, as the price has been paid and accepted, justice requires that all for whom it was paid, should be immediately justified and released from captivity. In reply to the latter part of this statement, I shall here observe briefly, that the scheme sketched by the wisdom of our opponents, is not the plan devised by infinite wisdom. That sinners should be justified before they were born, and be released from condemnation as soon as they came into the world, was no part of Jehovah's plan. It was the pleasure both of the Father who gave them to his Son to be redeemed, and of his Son who bought them with his blood, that they should remain under the curse of the law, until they should believe on the Redeemer. Then, and not till then, are they, or can they be, justified. This was the plan of infinite wisdom; and so it is drawn by the pen of inspiration. Christ paid the price of our redemption, that the benefits of it might be applied to his people in the way and time determined on by divine sovereignty and surely he had a right to arrange the economy of salvation, as was most pleasing to himself. In regard to the former part of the statement, examination will show, that the objection, if it have any force, will apply to the doctrine of the new, as well as to that of the old school. Man was fallen; and God, in infinite mercy, determined to save him. But a mighty obstacle was in the way of his salvation. It must be removed, or man must perish. None in heaven or on earth, among all the creatures of God, is able to remove it. The Son of God alone is equal to the stupendous un-. dertaking; and even he can accomplish it in no other way than by humiliation the most profound, and sufferings the most overwhelming. His obedience unto death is required, to make it consistent for a righteous God to exercise his mercy in saving sinful men. Now, it cannot be denied that the inspired writers speak of the Saviour's death as an invalua ble price, by which his people were purchased. "For," says Paul, "ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. vi. 20. By the same motive does Peter enforce a holy and heavenly conversation: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. By his death we say that Christ satisfied divine justice for all true believers: and our brethren say, by his death Christ made an exhibition of divine justice, and satisfied publick justice, so that God can now save all who believe. But if we view his death in either light, it will appear that it was the procuring cause of our salvation; and that without the intervention of his fearful sufferings, none of our guilty race could have been saved. The death of Christ our brethren represent as being a substitute for our sufferings, and some, if not all, will allow it to have been an equivalent for them. If then the justice of God, call it what you will, publick or distributive, required the amazing sufferings of his own Son for the salvation of sinners, and he, by them, actually satisfied the demands of justice; where, to adopt their own language, we ask, is the free and sovereign grace of God in a salvation thus dearly bought? The objection then applies to the doctrine of the new school, as well as to that of the old. When it is affirmed that sinners are saved by absolute grace, our brethren do not mean that salvation is bestowed on them without respect to the atonement of Christ; for they affirm an atonement to have been so necessary, that none of our sinful race could, without the death of Christ, have been saved consistently with the glory of the Supreme Ruler of the universe. Where then, we |