**

a willing mediation. The punishment which is earned by the husband falls upon the wife; the benefits in which all classes partake are wrought out by the unhealthy or dangerous toil of the few. Soldiers endure wounds and death for those who sit at home." Another writer says, "We cannot look over the history of humanity without at once perceiving that the greatest benefactors of their species have generally been the greatest sufferers-the scaffold of the patriot and the stake of the martyr being the reward commonly assigned to those who have acquitted themselves the most generously towards their fellowmen, whether for this world or the next."+

Truths are taught to children as they are able to receive them, and in a form which is intelligible. The whole human race has been undergoing a process of education, as well as its individual members. Sacrifices were enjoined among the Jews to convey to their minds, through the senses, a deep feeling of the evil of sin and its terrible. consequences. "While they beheld the dark volume of smoke ascending from the fire that consumed the sacrifice which was burning in their stead, how awful must have been the impression of the desert of sin, made by that dark volume of ascending smoke! The idea was distinct and deeply impressed, that God's justice was a consuming fire to sinners; and that their souls escaped only through a vicarious atonement."||

It has already been shown that God, as Governor of the universe, cannot pardon the sinner without satisfaction to the Divine law. In His great

* J. H. Newman.

+ Dr. R. Vaughan.

Acting or suffering for another.

"Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation."

love to men, He, as it were, proposed that His only begotten Son should become their substitute, and suffer in their stead. The Son gladly consented, saying, "Lo I come;" "I delight to do Thy will.'

As it was man who had sinned, it was necessary that the Son of God should take upon Him human nature. At the appointed time He became incarnate. He lived on earth for thirty-three years, a period of time equalling the average duration of a human life. He endured all the sorrows which afflict humanity, and so completely accomplished the work He had undertaken, that on the cross He could say, "It is finished."

The Bible describes Jesus Christ as our Repre→ sentative. It tells us that "He bore our sins in His own body on the tree;" that "the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all;" that He "redeemed us from the curse, being made a curse for us." Jesus is one; we are millions; but His Divine nature gave an infinite value to His sacrifice. A single diamond, like the Koh-i-nur, is worth more than crores of ordinary pebbles. God can now pardon the sinner who comes to Him, seeking forgiveness on account of his surety.

By sin man had become separated from God, and he fled from His presence. Through the death of Christ, the barrier to reconciliation is removed; God and man may be at one again. Hence the expiatory work of Christ is called the Atonement.

The death of Christ, while enabling God to offer pardon, is calculated to have a most salutary influence upon the sinner himself. This may be explained, though very imperfectly, by the following illustration.

A son leaves the house of a wise, affectionate, and good father, and goes to a far country, where he associates with vile companions. His father yearns

over him, and sends loving messages, urging him to come home; but the son turns a deaf ear to his entreaties. At last the father goes in search of his

son.

When he arrives, the son is amusing himself by swimming in a deep tank. He is suddenly seized with cramp, and is sinking in the waters. The father plunges in, and at the risk of his own life rescues his son. What ought to be the effect of this? Should it not melt the son to penitence and love? If he resisted, would he not be justly regarded as a hardened reprobate, who deserved to be left to "eat of the fruit of his own ways"? God our heavenly Father says, "Turn, O backsliding children;" but men, naturally, would go farther and farther from him. The death of Christ on our account, the strongest proof of the Father's love, is the most powerful means which can be employed to awaken in us a sense of our guilt, and a desire to seek reconciliation.

The Christian doctrine of the Atonement has been assailed on various grounds. Some of the objections are diametrically opposed to one another. "By one critic," says Mansel," the doctrine is rejected because it is more consistent with the infinite mercy of God to pardon sin freely, without any atonement whatsoever. By another, because from the unchangeable nature of God's laws it is impossible that sin can be pardoned at all." The former would sacrifice God's justice; the latter His

mercy.

Another objection may be noticed. It is maintained that it is unjust that the innocent should suffer for the sins of the guilty. Newman Hall makes the following reply:

"It would indeed be most unrighteous in any earthly ruler, were he to seize an innocent person, and make him suffer the sentence of the law, while

the culprit himself was allowed to escape. Supposing, however, the purposes of law were equally accomplished, by an innocent person voluntarily submitting to death on behalf of a large multitude of offenders who must otherwise have died, there would be no departure from justice; neither would any alarm be caused to the innocent, by the expectation of being themselves compelled to suffer for the guilty. But if, by such voluntary transference of suffering, those offenders were also reclaimed and made good citizens,-and if moreover he who became their substitute, were restored to life, and as the result of his mediation, were raised to higher honour than before, not only justice would be satisfied, but benevolence would rejoice. So with the sacrifice of Christ. He, the righteous, suffered; that we, the unrighteous, might escape. But the act was voluntary. The suffering of Christ was brief, while his triumph is everlasting."

The Atonement originated in the love of the Father. If a son were scourged in the presence of a parent, the latter would feel the stripes as much as his child. In like manner, God the Father, while inflicting the penalty of a broken law on Jesus Christ, must, speaking after the manner of men, have suffered with Him.

The ends of justice are satisfied by the Atonement. While sin is pardoned, it is shown to be an infinite evil. If God spared not His own Son, when He stood in the room of the guilty, He will not spare sinners when they stand on their own footing.

It should be understood that illustrations of the Atonement, drawn from this life, must be very imperfect. "The case is altogether unparalleled and unique."......" Like the love in which it originated, and which found in it the channel along which it pours its blessings on mankind, there is in it a

'a height and a depth, a length and breadth, which passeth knowledge.'"*

XXXI.-THE WAY OF SALVATION.

THE question of questions is, What must. I do to be saved? It is true that this is never asked by many. Their sole inquiries are, What shall we eat? how can we get wealth? how can we raise ourselves to honour? But a summons, which cannot be resisted, will come to leave all earthly possessions :— "Thou inevitable day,

When a voice to me shall say-
'Thou must rise and come away;

All thine other journeys past,
Gird thee and make ready fast
For thy longest and thy last.'"

It is true that men who have lived like brutes, without any concern about a future life, may die like brutes. If, however, there is serious thought about the eternity into which the dying man is about to enter, the question is put with the most trembling solicitude, Wherewith shall I appear before the Lord?

With one exception, all religions of the world teach that we are to be saved through our own merits. We are naturally proud. The Bible says, "Vain man would be wise, though born like a wild ass's colt." He has also the presumption to think that he may stand before God clothed in the filthy robes of his own righteousness. The Hindus vainly suppose that they can wash away their sins by bathing in certain rivers, and merit heaven by gifts to temples and Brahmans. The Muhammadans trust in their prayers, alms-giving, and pilgrimage to Mecca.

* Professor Chalmers.

Z