circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made to the fathers." And in every other character which he sustains, pertaining to the office of Mediator, he is given of God to the people. Thus, "Behold, I have given him a witness to the people, a leader and a commander to the people." (Isa. lv. 4.) "Whom God hath set forth a mercy-seat, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness." (Rom. iii. 25.) Thus, by this plain and familiar statement, it is evident that Jesus Christ hath not at all done what is so often ascribed to him in the character of surety of the better testament. And if we consider Christ as the advocate with the Father; whether we use the word AdVOCATE, from the Latin word advoco, to call to, or retain the Greek word PARACLETE from rapaxaλéw [paracaleo], to exhort, or comfort, it amounts to the same thing; he is given of God to the people to exhort, call and encourage them to come to God, in full confidence of his being as good as he hath promised. Thus he is a mediator between God and man, an advocate with the Father, calling them to come to God, and an exhorter and comforter with the people, encouraging them to come, and showing them that the way is open, and making intercession for them. "Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to God," (2 Cor. iii. 17; Rom. viii. 26, 27,) and answerable to the order of his work.

For Christ to have paid to God in our room the debt which we owed to him, or to his law, so as to release us from paying the same, would have been a poor business for us, as well as a poor errand into the world, for him. To have released us from the obligation and duty, and consequently to have deprived us of the privilege of loving God and serving him. For we have before proved that love is the fulfilling of the whole law.

As for satisfying divine justice for our offences and paying the penalty of the divine law, we read of no such matters in the Holy Scriptures; we are therefore under no obligation from that quarter to believe them. We read of satisfaction in one part of those Scriptures which speak of Christ and his sufferings and works; but it is not relating to any satisfaction made to him by God in our room, but to the satisfaction which he would take in seeing the fruit of his own labours. "He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied." (Isa. liii; 11.) What Jesus Christ did for us, on our behalf, and for our salvation, he did on quite another principle than to pay our debt, or to suffer the penalty of divine law, or to satisfy divine justice in our room, or to appease an angry God or offended justice, or the like, (for these all mean one thing,) to release us from any obligation, by vicarious sufferings or proxy payment.

For what purpose then did Christ come into the world, and do and suffer all that he did? This is an important question and worthy of a sober reply. It comprehends the whole of that relation which Christ bears to God and to men as Mediator between them both. The follow

ing particulars are proposed to give satisfactory information on this subject.

He came to reveal the Father to men. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him." (Jno. i. 18.) "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." (xiv. 9.) The true knowledge of God was not with men, but he is revealed in Christ, Who is the brightness of his glory and the character [the express image] of his existence. (Heb. i. 3.) By this revelation men are taught what God is, and how far they are fallen from their original rectitude; for as man was created in the image of God and to be the glory of God, and had fallen by sin, God sent another, a second or a new man, in his own image more deeply expressed, to be the beginning of a new creation, in whom to recover man from his fall and restore him to favour and fellowship in a more happy condition than at the first.

He came to open the new and living way; a way before unknown, and containing in it true and eternal life, being infinitely preferable to the ministration of death and condemnation which was before. "But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away; how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? for if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory." (2 Cor. iii, 7, 8, 9.) "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh, and having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith." (Heb. x. 19, &c.)

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And as he came to open the new and living way, he also came to be our example, that we should walk in his steps. "But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps." (1 Pet. ii. 20, 21.) If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” "And he that doth not take up his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me." (Luke. ix..23; Matt. x. 38.) Thus he is our forerunner, the author and finisher of our faith, the first who introduced it into the world, and the first who perfected it by obedience. For as the faith of Abraham was made perfect by works, so is also the faith of Jesus Christ made perfect in obedience; as well as that of all Christians, who are called to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race which is set before us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb. xii. 1, 2.) Thus for our benefit he came to set us the example of denying self and doing the will of God. "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (Jno. vi. 37, 38.)

He came into the world that men might be saved and have eternal life through him. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost." "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (Luke xix. 10; Jno. iii. 16, 17.)

He came to reconcile the world to God, by revealing God to men and showing them the terms of reconciliation, to wit, "That God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." (2 Cor. v. 19.) This is the subject in relation to which there has been so much darkness in the world of professors, so much error, and much contention, supposing that God in Christ, or through him, was reconciled to the world, contrary to the language of the Scripture, instead of the world being reconciled to him; which would mean, if any thing, either that God had through Christ become an approver of man's ways, corrupt and sinful as they are, or else, that God had been so angry at sin and sinners as to put him out of his proper element, and make him unwilling to receive the returning sinner until he had spent his vengeance on the sinner or his substitute; which having done on Jesus Christ, he becomes calm and can be approached by a returning penitent, whom he now receives with the utmost complacency. But these things are incompatible with the perfections of God, and not worthy to be imputed to him. The Scripture is plain enough that men through Christ are reconciled to God, and are then at peace with him; and that establishes peace between the God of peace and men of peace.

The same is true of the word atonement, which has commonly been understood, as applied to God, the effect of a pacifying satisfaction, to appease his anger, when the Scripture so expressly declares that we have received it, and also shows that atonement is the same as reconciliation. "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement or reconciliation." (Rom. v. 10, 11.) This connection is a testimony for the English reader, that the atonement here said to be received is the same as reconciliation, that is, the effect or fruit of the death of Christ, or being reconciled to God, as mentioned in the former clauses. The Greek word also here rendered atonement is properly rendered by reconciliation. And by whichever word it be rendered, it is evidently that which must take place in the creature, for God is unchangeably the same. And that change, or reconciliation, must also be in reality; not by imputing the righteousness of another; the Scriptures make no mention of any such thing in the case. (See B. W. Stone's Letters on Atonement.)

He came to be the end of the law for righteousness to those who believe in him. That is, to put an end to the Mosaic law, by fulfilling it in himself and showing the people how to be righteous without it, by believing in him, confessing him, and doing the will of God as he did, and thus becoming their sacrifice and their righteousness, as it is

written, "And this is the name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. " (Jer. xxiii. 6.) "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man who doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. x. 4, 5, 9.) Thus Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to those who believe in him and confess him. "But now without the law [according to the order of the Greek text] the righteousness of God is manifested, being witnessed [or more properly, testified] by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God by the faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe." (Rom. iii. 21, 22.) And that he is the end of the law for righteousness to those who believe, not merely by offering himself a sacrifice or sin-offering to God in their room, but by doing the will of God as it ought to be done, and so becoming an example and establishing that which should supersede the law, is evident from the very pointed language of the Apostle, where he speaks particularly on that subject, and quotes the words of David in the fortieth psalm, with literal application to Christ as doing the thing here contended for. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure: then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said, Sacrifice, and offering and burnt offerings, and offering for sin, thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein; [which are offered by the law;] then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once. (Heb. x. 4-10.) Thus expressly it is stated what he established as the second, to succeed the law of sacrifices which was first, that is, doing the will of God. And then the whole plan is according to the words of Christ before. (Matt. vii. 21.) "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in Heaven." If then Jesus and his apostles preached the true Gospel, if they understood what it is, and are safe guides to eternal life, this is the way-To do the will of God after his example, and influenced by the faith that is in him, the first, as well as principal leader and perfecter of faith. And though it is also said that he offered a sacrifice for sins, the connection and effect show that this is not contrary to what is here contended for, but that he offered himself as a sin-offering to the people, and to God as their example and leader, and thus the effect was produced in the people, while he, as their forerunner, gave himself an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God. "And 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 sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God; from

henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." (Heb. x. 11-14.) Instead of the various and repeated offerings of the Levitical priesthood, one offering, in the true head and leader of his people, was sufficient for the perfecting of himself and of all those who are finally sanctified, who are all those who perseveringly walk in the same narrow, new and living way which he hath consecrated. Hence the Apostle exhorts : "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Then, after some awful admonitions and warnings to those who had believed, not to violate their faith, but to maintain their confidence with perseverance, he concludes; "Now the just shall live by faith: [not the unjust or sinful;] but if he [the just; for the words any man, are not in the Greek text; if he] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we," he continueth, 66 are not of those who draw back to perdition; But of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Why so? because we have any exclusive gift of faith, or peculiar privilege? By no means; but because we persevere in faith and the righteous use of it, continuing to be just men, having gained that power by the Gospel, as we also exhort others to do. Let these things suffice at present, to show how Christ is the end of the law to believers; not by offering up himself a sacrifice as our surety or substitute, but by consecrating for us, through his flesh and by his own example, a new and living way, to do the will of God as the second, the substance, to supersede the first, the unprofitable shadows of the law. "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered up himself." (Heb. vii. 26, 27.) In this the pre-eminence and perfection of his sacrifice are clearly manifest, because one offering was sufficient, instead of the continual offerings of other priests.

Jesus Christ came into the world to give his life a ransom for many, even for all who will receive and obey him, as it is written: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." "Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due season. "That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. ." (Matt. xx. 28; 1 Tim. ii. 6; Heb. ii. 9.)

He came into the world, lived and died, to be the leader and captain of salvation to his people, to lead them through the warfare against sin to final victory. "Behold, I have given thee for a witness to the people, for a leader and commander to the people." "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory,