1st. Christ by his active obedience fulfilled the law for us, for this reason He was made under the law, that He might redeem them that were under it. "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons ;" and He could not do that unless He paid what the law demanded, which He did by his perfect obedience. Now there is a twofold righteousness necessary to the actual fulfilling of the law. One is external, the other internal; both of these the law required. The former, "Do this and live;" the latter, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." And both these were found in Christ. The internal righteousness. "He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and offered Himself without spot to God," Heb. vii. 26, 2 Cor. v. 2. The external, "He did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believeth.”

2nd. As Christ by his active obedience satisfied the law's demands, so by his passive obedience suffered all the punishments due to us, through transgressing the law of God; with respect to this He is said to be "made sin for us," 2 Cor. v. 21. "Who his ownself bare our sins in his own body on the tree. For Christ also hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour; and for this cause He is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."

Now concerning the sufferings of Christ.

1st. His sufferings were voluntary, and not by constraint. "Therefore, doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself." His sufferings were in obedience to his Father. have I received of my Father," John x. 18. been involuntary, they could not have been a much less meritorious.

"This commandment If his sufferings had part of his obedience,

2nd. The punishment sustained by Christ as Surety, must be referred only to the substance. Christ could not suffer eternal death, for it would have been contrary to the holiness and dignity of his Person, and his Suretyship would have been void; had He endured eternal

death He could not have conquered death, and delivered us from it. The punishment which Christ endured for us, was proportionable to our sins, except the pollution and the guilt of sin. "The chas tisement of our peace was upon Him," that is, the punishment of our sins was inflicted on Him; but He was not defiled by our sins. The sufferings of Christ due for our sins, were of body and soul. 1st. in body. Behold the crown of thorns on his head, the smiting of his cheeks, spitting on his face-the scourging of his body, the cross on his back, the vinegar in his mouth, the nails in his hands and feet, the spear in his side, and his death on the cross. 2nd. That He suffered in soul. "My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death." "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin." 66 Now is my soul troubled." Christ assumed our nature, which was body and soul, that He might suffer in the same, in order to deliver our bodies, as well as our souls. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself took part of the same, that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and to bring many souls unto glory." The agony Christ endured was in his soul. It was not the fear of death that made Him so heavy and sorrowful, but the bitter cup of which He had to drink. "He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; for He shall bear their iniquities." His bearing our iniquities was the cause of the agony of his soul.

1st. Christ was forsaken of his Father; that is to the sensible enjoyment of Him. That He was for a time is evident from these words, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me." Christ remained God-man during his desertion, and God was present with Him in his sufferings; also the Godhead of Christ supported his human nature under his sufferings, but was only forsaken for a time with respect to the manifestation and sensible enjoyment of his Father.

2nd. Christ as our Surety suffered in his soul for a time what we would bave to suffer eternally, not as the damned with black despair, or gnashing of teeth, or impatience, or eternal separation from God, God forbid! These would be inconsistent with the purity and dignity of the office of a Mediator and Redeemer. Yet I say, that Christ suffered such horror, agony, and consternation as amounted to it. "The sorrows of hell compassed me about, the snares of death prevented me," Psalm xviii. 5. All the sins of the elect of God were laid on Him, "And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." This was the cause of his being afflicted and distressed. "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He

opened not his mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter. Who in the days of his flesh when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that He feared." His agony in the garden. His falling on the ground-He was afraid and amazed; and began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy. 'My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death;" and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. All this was from a sense of the wrath of God.

3rd. Christ was made a curse for us. "He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." So all the blessings which we enjoy come streaming down through the crimson sea of atoning blood.

My dear reader, let us behold Christ crucified. Pilate said, "Behold the Man." May the Spirit of God enable us to behold the God-man. There is a fourfold sight of Christ. 1st. When He came into the world. 2nd. When He was leaving the world. 3rd. When He shall receive his saints unto Himself out of the world. 4th. When He shall come to judge the world. But the sight I would have you to behold, is Christ on the cross, suffering and dying for you. As despised by man, forsaken by God, sorrowful to death, wounded for our transgressions, drinking the bitter cup-crying out, dying the cursed death, and made a curse for us. May you be enabled by precious faith, to behold so long, until you feel his infinite love in your soul, thus suffering in your stead, until your heart be melted for your sins, and love to Him who first loved you, and gave Himself for you.

Let us now see the comfort of Christ's sufferings.

1st. We shall never suffer to satisfy Divine justice, nor bear God's wrath.

2nd. Christ suffered to the uttermost for all that the law threatened. "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, for He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." What a Fountain of comfort is here. Jesus Christ took upon Him all our sins. They were all laid upon Him. The Father appointed Him for it, and accepted his sufferings as sufficient and effectual on our behalf.

Look unto Christ, cleave to Him, plead by faith his merits. Luther says, "Let us learn in every trouble, whether it is sin, death, the curse, or any other evil, to translate it from ourselves to Christ; and all the good in Christ let us learn to translate from Christ unto ourselves. Do you feel sin a terror to you? look to your Sin-bearer. Are you afraid of death? look unto Him who has swallowed up death in victory. Are you afraid of the wrath of God? remember Christ suffered that, that He might deliver you from it. Are you in darkness of soul, and forsaken of God? look to the Captain of your salvation, who was made perfect through sufferings. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." And, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He is the Propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

And why, dear Saviour, tell me why
Thou thou wouldst suffer, bleed, and die?
What mighty motive could thee move?
The motive's plain, 'twas all for love.

For love of whom? of sinners base,
A harden'd herd, a rebel race,

That mock'd, and trampled on thy blood,
And wantoned with the wounds of God.

When rocks and mountains rent with dread,
And gaping graves gave up their dead;
When the fair sun withdrew his light,
And hid his head to shun the sight,

Then stood the wretch of human race,

And raised his head and show'd his face,

Gazed unconcern'd when nature failed,

And scoff'd, and sneer'd, and cursed, and railed.

Harder than rocks and mountains are.
More dull than dirt or earth by far,

Man view'd unmoved thy blood's rich stream,
Nor ever dream'd it flow'd for him.

Such was the race of sinful men,
That gained that great salvation then ;
Such, and such only, still we see,
Such they were all, and such are we.

O, love of unexampled kind,

That leaves all thoughts so far behind;

Where length, and breadth, and depth, and height,
Are lost to my astonish'd sight.

CHAPTER IX.

SATISFACTION.

We have considered the active and passive obedience of Christ, now we will consider the fruits which grow upon this tree. There are six clusters of grapes that grow upon the tree of life. 1st. Satisfaction. 2nd. Remission. 3rd. Reconciliation. 4th. Redemption. 5th. Merit. 6th. The confirmation of the covenant.

1st. Satisfaction. It was necessary that Christ should make satisfaction for our sins, if we consider two things:-1st. That man is a fallen creature, that he is a sinner, and that God is a holy God. Man by sin is alienated from the life of God, is estranged from Him, and is in a state of separation from Him as to communion; and without reconciliation and satisfaction made for sin, can never be admitted to it. An irreconciliable sinner can never enjoy nearness to God and fellowship with Him; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness-a righteous God with unrighteous men? And whenever it is had, it is the fruit of Christ's suffering and death. He suffered the just for the unjust, to bring them who were at a distance from Him, with respect to communion, though not with respect to union-to bring them into his gracious presence, into an open state of favour with Him. It is through his blood, making peace for them, that they who are afar off from God and fellowship with Him, are made nigh, and favoured with it (1 Pet. iii. 18; Eph. ii. 13, 14). Men by sin are become enemies to God, and therefore a satisfaction for sin is become necessary. They are enemies in their minds by wicked works. There is an inward enmity in their hearts, which is outwardly discovered by their evil actions; yea, their carnal mind is