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to be loved." *—Such love when perfect fulfils the moral law. That law merely demands from intelligent beings a cordial and universal regard to the relations in which they are placed; and nothing can be so effectual in producing this regard, the deficiency of which constitutes depravity, as a filial love to God, founded on a grateful acceptance of the salvation which he freely offers through the atoning blood of Christ. Such love implies unbounded admiration for the perfections of the Deity, and profound reverence for his laws and arrangements, the excellence and necessity of which are so strikingly displayed in that wondrous transaction. This, therefore, is the true principle of evangelical sanctification, the fundamental motive by which all the moral precepts of the New Testament are ultimately enforced. Thus, in one place, after establishing the doctrine of justification by faith, the apostle Paul remarks,-"But, if while seeking to be justified by Christ we ourselves are found sinners, [is] Christ on that account a minister of sin? By no means. For, if I rebuild the things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor: for I through the law have become dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ, yet I live, nevertheless not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."-In a similar style he observes on another occasion,-"The love of Christ constraineth us, since we thus judge, that if one died for all, all were [virtually] dead; and that he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sake died and rose again. Henceforth therefore we know no one according to the flesh; yea, if we have even known Christ according to the flesh, we now know him so no more.

* Thomas Erskine, Esq., Three Essays on the Unconditional Freeness of the Gospel, p. 54.

Hence, if any one [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things have passed away, behold all things have become new."

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It thus appears that the explanation here given of the cause and mode of the Saviour's death, not only perfectly harmonizes with all the doctrines and precepts of the New Testament, but also powerfully illustrates and confirms them; a circumstance which affords additional proof of its truth and utility. Yet, as this explanation is discoverable by reason, and the knowledge of it is not absolutely necessary for the purposes of practical religion, it accords with the general character of revelation that it should not be formally stated, but merely suggested by the Scriptures. They therefore simply declare that the blood of Christ, poured forth at his death on the cross, rendered an atonement to divine justice for human depravity, and was consequently the source of all the blessings of salvation, the medium by which those who come to God through him are justified, sanctified, and finally redeemed. Such statements, abstractedly considered, are attended with some degree of obscurity which the explanation now proposed satisfactorily removes, and thereby furnishes a new elucidation of the gospel plan, calculated under the divine blessing to produce a salutary effect, both on the understanding and on the heart.

* 2 Corinth. chap. 5, v. 14-17;-Galat. chap. 2, v. 17-20; chap. 5, v. 24;-Philipp. chap. 2, v. 5-8 ;-Heb. chap. 12, v. 1-3;-1 Peter, chap. 4, v. 1, 2.

CHAPTER V.

ON THE PECULIAR EVIDENCE OF THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY, FURNISHED BY THE FOREGOING EXPLANATION OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

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It has been the object of the former parts of this treatise to demonstrate the immediate cause and mode of the death of Christ; and the proof has chiefly consisted in showing that the explanation proposed is in exact accordance both with the laws of Nature, and with all the sentations made on the subject in Scripture. The design of the present section is, on the other hand, to show that the representations thus made and explained, furnish new and peculiar evidence of the truth of the Scripture, and consequently of the religion which it reveals. These representations include a circumstance, which, although undoubtedly implied, is nevertheless so latent and extraordinary, that it has never yet been fully recognized; namely, that the death of Christ on the cross was induced, not as is commonly imagined, by the usual sufferings of crucifixion, but by the rupture of his heart, and the effusion of his life's blood, occasioned by his pious endurance of the divine malediction due to human depravity. This circumstance, which manifestly bears a most intimate relation to the whole circle of Christian doctrines, is found to be not only in perfect accordance, but also in necessary connection, with all the other circumstances of the case. On many passages of Scripture it casts a new and unexpected

light; and to some, which, without its aid, appear inexplicable, or are liable to be misunderstood, it supplies a satisfactory and useful elucidation. The argument now maintained is, that this minute and universal agreement is incompatible with delusion, imposture, or casual coincidence, and admits of no other solution than the truth of the religion to which it appertains. The several particulars of this agreement, in reference to the laws of the human body and mind, the fundamental principle of atonement, the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, and the narratives, symbols, doctrines, and precepts of the New, have already been considered at some length; but a brief recapitulation of them will here be given, in order to show their special application to the present purpose, and the irresistible evidence which results from the harmonious concurrence of the whole.

In the first place,-Mental agony, or a violent conflict between opposite and distressing emotions, naturally occasions palpitation; and, when rapidly raised to the highest degree, produces either bloody sweat, or sudden death by rupture of the heart, an event usually attended with loud cries. In the latter case, although scarcely in any other, the blood inwardly effused separates after death into its solid and liquid parts, so as to present when exposed, the appearance commonly termed blood and water. Such is precisely the view which, in the simplest form of narrative, and without note or comment, the Scripture gives of the death of Christ. In the garden of Gethsemane he was subjected for the first time to mental sufferings of overwhelming severity, which rendered his—" soul exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death;”—and, had he not received angelic succor, would apparently, without the aid of any external infliction, have proved fatal on the spot; but, having been thus seasonably counteracted, proceeded no further than to induce a bloody sweat.-" His sweat

became as it were clots of blood dropping to the ground.” -After a respite of some hours, during which he evinced the greatest fortitude and self-possession, these peculiar sufferings were renewed on the cross, where they again attained their highest intensity, and on this occasion were unattended with any intermission or relief. The consequence was that, after silently enduring them for three hours, he suddenly expired amid loud and fervent exclamations, long before the outward punishment could have proved fatal; and, on his side having been afterward pierced by a spear,-" immediately there came forth blood and water,"-implying that his heart had been previously ruptured. The correspondence of the several occurrences here related to the natural order of things is sufficiently obvious; and, as amid the wide range of possibilities many other causes and effects might have been assigned, although none of them would have possessed this necessary character, so exact and critical a correspondence between the statement and the reality, and that in reference to a transaction so singular and uncommon, must undoubtedly be regarded as a strong internal evidence of truth.

Secondly,-The doctrine of atonement, abstractedly considered, involves conditions seemingly discordant and almost incompatible, but by the scriptural account of the death of Christ is fully verified and explained. In order to reconcile the conflicting demands of justice and mercy, the malediction due to human depravity was to be diverted from its proper objects, by falling on the head of a suitable substitute. That substitute must therefore have possessed a pure and perfect human nature. The divine malediction falling on such a being must have assumed the form of a partial and temporary abandonment, and have occasioned intense mental agony, ending in rupture of the heart, the extreme limit of meritorious endurance. All this is accordingly represented in Scripture, which not

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