It is Christ that died.-By his death, the penalty of the Holy law, on account of its violation by his people, was executed, and satisfaction made to Divine justice. In answer to the question, who is he that condemneth, the Apostle replies that Christ died. By this he intimates the impossibility of our being absolved from sin, without satisfaction for the injury done to the rights of God's justice, and the sacred majesty of his eternal laws which had been violated; for the just God could not set aside his justice by his mercy, and justify sinners without an atonement. It is on this account that God had instituted sacrifices under the law, to hold forth the necessity of a satisfaction, and to prove that without shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin. There is, then, a manifest necessity of repairing the outrage against the perfections of God, which are the original and fundamental rule of the duty of the creature. This reparation could only be made by a satisfaction that should correspond with the august majesty of the holiness of God; and consequently it must be of infinite value, which could only be found in a person of infinite dignity.

To the death of Jesus Christ as the atonement for sin, our eyes are constantly directed throughout the Scriptures, whether by types, by prophecies, or by historical descriptions of the event. Death was the punishment threatened in the Covenant of works against sin. But Jesus Christ had neither transgressed that covenant, nor could participate in the imputation of the sin of Adam, because he sprang not from him by the way of natural generation. Being, therefore, without sin, either actual or imputed, the penalty of death could not be incurred on his own account. Death, then,

which is the wages of sin, must have been suffered by him for sinners. Their iniquities were laid on him, and by his stripes they are healed. His death, therefore, utterly forbids the condemnation of the elect of God, who were given to him, and are one with him, of whom only the context speaks. It must be a just and full compensation for their sins. It is evidently implied that none for whom he died can be condemned. For if condemnation be forbidden by his death, then that condemnation must be prohibited with respect to all for whom he died. His death made satisfaction to justice for them, and, therefore, in their case both accusation and condemnation are rendered impossible.

Yea rather, that is risen again.—This is the second ground affirmed by the Apostle against the possibility of the condemnation of God's elect. What purpose would the death of Christ have served if he had been overcome and swallowed up by it? "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." If he be not risen, it must be because he had not expiated those sins for which he died, and was therefore retained a prisoner by death. But since the Surety has been released from the grave, complete satisfaction must have been made; for if but one sin which had been laid upon him had continued unatoned for, he would have remained for ever in the grave, death being the wages of sin. But now, since he has risen from the grave, the obligation against his people must be effaced and entirely abolished, his resurrection being their resurrection, Col. ii. 12. It is on this account that the Apostle here opposes to condemnation not only the death of Christ, but also his resurrection, as something higher, and as being our full

absolution. And, by the commandment of Jesus Christ, the gospel was not announced to the Gentiles, nor spread through the world till after his resurrection, as he himself said, Luke, xxiv. 46. "It behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations."

The resurrection, then, of Christ, is the proof of his victory, and of the entire expiation of his people's sins. It is, therefore, opposed to their condemnation, as being the evidence and completion of their absolution and acquittal, for as the death of Jesus Christ was his condemnation, and that of all united to him, so his resurrection is his absolution and also theirs. As the Father, by delivering him to death, condemned their sins in him, so, in raising him from the dead, he pronounced their acquittal from all the sins that had been laid upon him. This is what the Apostle teaches respecting the justification of Jesus Christ. He was justified by the Spirit, 1 Tim. iii. 16; that is, declared and recognised to be righteous; and with regard to his people's justification in him, that as he had died for their sins, so he was raised for their justification. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was a manifestation of his Godhead and Divine power. He was declared to be the Son of God, and consequently possessing over all things absolute power and dominion. "For to this end Christ both died and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."

Who is even at the right hand of God.-This is the third ground on which the security of God's elect is rested. Jesus Christ sits at God's right hand. This is a figurative expression, taken from the custom of earthly

monarchs, to express special favour, and denotes with respect to Christ both dignity and power. "When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Having finished the work of redemption, this was the result of his labours, and the testimony of its consummation. His thus sitting down indicates an essential difference between our Lord Jesus Christ and the Levitical priests. "Every priest standeth daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sin, for ever sat down on the right hand of God." The Levitical priests had never finished their work; it was still imperfect. They stood, therefore, ministering daily in token of continued service. But Christ having offered one sacrifice for sins, by which he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, for ever sat down on the right hand of God, Heb. x. 12.

all

Jesus Christ, then, is not only raised from the dead, but has also ascended into heaven, and is possessed of power and glory, and is there to defend his people. His seat at the right hand of God signifies his permanent exaltation as Mediator, and his communion with God in sovereign power and authority, reigning as the Head and King of his Church. The amount of the Apostle's reasoning is, that such being the condition of him who was dead and is risen again, possessed of the keys of hell and of death, who shall dare to appear before him to bring an accusation against his members, or to condemn the elect of God?

Who also maketh intercession for us.- -This is the fourth and last ground of the security of God's elect. The intercession of Jesus Christ is the second act of

his priesthood, and is a necessary consequence of his sacrifice, which is the first act, and precedes the third, namely, his coming forth from the heavenly sanctuary to bless those whom he has redeemed to God by his blood. His intercession consists in that perpetual application which he makes to his Father in the name of his Church, of the blood which he shed on the cross for the salvation of his people, in order to obtain for them the fruits of that oblation. It was necessary that his sacrifice should be offered upon earth, because it was an act of his humiliation; but his intercession, which supposes the establishment of righteousness and peace, is made in heaven, being an act of his exaltation. This intercession was figuratively represented by the high priest in Israel, when, after having offered in his linen garments the sacrifice without the precincts of the holy place, he took the blood of the victim, and clothed in his sacerdotal golden robes, entered alone into the most holy place, and sprinkled the blood on and before the mercy-seat. Jesus Christ, then, who suffered without the gate, Heb. xiii. 12, in accomplishing the truth of this figure, first offered upon earth his sacrifice, and afterwards entered in his glory into heaven, to present to his Father the infinite price of his oblation by the mystical sprinkling of his blood. This is not to be understood as being any bodily humiliation, as bowing the knee before God, but it is the presenting of his blood of perpetual efficacy. It is the voice of that blood which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel. The blood of Jesus Christ being the blood of the everlasting covenant-that blood which was to reunite God with men, and men with God-it was after its being shed on the cross, that it should

necessary,