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before observed that it is essential to the glory of God, that the spirit of the law be perfectly adhered to, and fully maintained, in his administration of government. Hence, and hence only, arose the necessity of the sinner's death. Had not the former been necessary, neither would the latter. Had it not been necessary that the same character should appear, and be fully and perfectly preserved, in governing, as was naturally exhibited by the laws which were originally established as the rules of divine government: we could discern no necessity of even the sinner's death. But seeing there is an obvious necessity of this, we easily see why it must be that the soul, that sins should, also, die. If, therefore, the Saviour died in the room and stead of the sinner, we cannot rationally suppose otherwise than that, in this remarkable event, the same divine disposition was delineated, and the same character exhibited, which would have appeared in the death of the sinner. Consequently,

4. THE principal design of the death of Christ was not to discover the perfection and strength of his own personal obedience; and to bestow on it a lustre, with which it could not otherwise have shone. It is confessed that this is an end not only worthy of being an object, but which also was very advantageously answered by the death of Christ. Still it is evident that this was not the only, or even principal object in view, in this great event. For Christ to die in order to discover the immoveable strength of his disposition to obey God and to die in the room and stead of those who must otherwise have fallen victims to divine wrath; are not precisely one and the same thing: Nor do they exhibit the character of the great Governor of the world exactly in the same point of light. The death of the sinner is a glass in which we see the righteousness, the punitive justice of God: So, also, is the death of Christ. In the former, we have a

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view of righteousness as it relates to the execution of punishment: So, also, in the latter; if it be true that Christ died in the room and stead of sinners; and, that his death had a more direct and immediate relation to the sanction of the moral law.

THE death of Christ discovered his own righteousness, not merely as it relates to protecting the innocent;: but, also, to punishing the guilty: not only as it respects rewarding the virtuous; but, bringing evil on the wicked. Otherwise we cannot see how it could be said with propriety, that he was made sin, or a sinoffering, for us. Righteousness is a general term, which relates to law and government. It equally regards the sanctions, as the precepts of the law; and, as really respects the execution of punishments, as the bestowment of rewards. Christ's becoming a curse for us, and his dying in our room and stead, as truly imply that he suffered for us, as any thing said in the holy scriptures supposeth that he obeyed the law for us. And, when he is called the Lord our righteousness, the term is to be taken in a large and general sense, as relating, both to the precepts and the sanctions, of the divine law: And, is to be considered as regarding government as it is supported, both by the execution of punishments, and the bestowment of rewards. So, also, when the righteousness of the law is spoken of as being fulfilled in christians,(r) the term is to be taken in a general sense; and, is to be considered as having respect to law in general, as well the penal, as the preceptive parts of it: Otherwise we could not see how the honor and dignity of the divine government could be preserved, and yet the guilty go unpunished.

(r) Romans viii. 4.

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CHAP. V.

Shewing the necessity of Christ's perfect obedience in order to his making atonement for sin; and, the influence which his personal righteousness hath in procuring pardon for the sinner.

NOTWITHSTANDING the evidence there is that Christ died in the room and stead of sinners; and that the crimes of men are expiated by the sufferings of Christ; it is to be remembered that there is no merit, no moral worth or atoning virtue, merely in sufferings. Pain and distress have no moral virtue in them; and are of no importance, otherwise than as means through which the beauty of the divine character, and the true disposition of the divine mind, may be seen by his creatures. For, as all the divine administration is fitted to exhibit the character of God, if punishments did not answer this end, they would never be made use of in the divine government. The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the sufferings of the sinner, in no other way than as they serve to exhibit the righteous character of God, and prove him to be a hater of iniquity. Were not this the case, the moral character of the man Jesus Christ would not have been of so great importance to his being made an offering for sin: But, his whole worth as a sacrifice must be estimated by his capacity to endure pain.

THE worth of the sacrifice which Christ made of himself for the sins of the world, arises from the moral excellencies of his person and character. Were not this the case, the same quantity of sufferings endured by a person of inferior character, would have equally answered the end of obtaining pardon for the sinner. It is true, indeed, that for a person of Christ's dignity and worth to endure greater degrees of pain, is of

more importance than enduring less: yet, the value, the import, in a moral view, of his sufferings, be they either greater or less, arises from his personal worth and character.

THIS being the case, it was absolutely necessary, in order to the atonement he was about to make by once offering up himself to God, that his life and character should be most perfectly pure and spotless: Otherwise, in his death he could not have been an offering of a sweet savor to God. This, we are naturally led to suppose, was a reason why the sin-offerings that were made under the former dipensation, were expressly required to be of the clean beasts; and no other would be accepted. For God expressly declares, "cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, "and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt "thing."(s) God's acceptance of an offering, and his being reconciled to the offender, were upon the express condition that the sacrifice was made only of beasts that were clean. And the design of this law was, not only to teach the duty and obligation of devoting our best services, and giving up the best we have to God; but more clearly and perfectly to prefigure that glorious sacrifice which Christ made of himself to God for the sins of the world. Hence the Apostle saith," For such an high priest became us, "who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens."(t) The dignity and excellency of the character of Christ, and these only, put the infinite value on the sacrifice which he made of himself for the sins of the world. And on this account, and this alone, it was that God was pleased to smell a sweet savor in the offering. Had there been the least blemish or imperfection in the character of Christ, his blood would be as far from (t) Hebrews vii. 26.

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(*) Malachi i. 14.

cleansing from sin, as that of bulls and goats: And his sufferings, however great in kind, or degree, would have been of no avail to obtain pardon for the smallest transgression.

An angry tyrant may have his rage appeased by suffering his revenge glutted by blood. But not so with the infinitely pure and glorius governor of the world, who hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth. An exhibition of the glories of his character, the infinite strength and purity of his love, is the great end in view, in all the pain and misery he brings on his creatures. The sufferings of Christ, therefore, aside from the moral excellencies of his character, his most perfect and virtuous obedience under them, could not have been of the least worth in the sight of God: Because neither the wisdom, nor righteousness of God in his regards to the general good, could have been seen in the Father's laying on him the iniquities of us all.

BUT the necessity of the obedience of Christ, in order to his making atonement for sin, is further evident from such considerations as these, viz.

1. THE perfect obedience of Christ was a necessary and glorious attestation to the righteousness and equity of the moral law.

MERCY to the sinner necessarily implies that the law by which he is condemned is just and righteous. And without a full and perfect acknowledgment of this, Christ could neither consistently intercede for mercy to transgressors, nor the Father bestow it. Until this point was fully acknowledged and established, there could be no room for reconciliation: because every exercise of mercy without this, would be an implicit confession of undue severity in the

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