thing else. God then must surely, in all his works, act with a supreme regard to his own glory, or to himself. This is the uniform language of scripture. God declares, "that he made all things for " himself;" that " of him, and to him, and through him, are all things."

From these considerations it appears, that God's ultimate and chief end in creation, was himself.

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DISCOURSE ON THE ATONEMENT.

PART II.

FOR IT BECAME HIM FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, AND BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, IN BRINGING MANY SONS UNTO GLORY, TO MAKE THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS.-HEBREWS ii. 10.

HAVING explained the several things proposed in the first part of this discourse, concerning the law of God, the moral state of man, and the ultimate and chief end of God in creation; I now proceed to explain the matter, the necessity, and the nature of

atonement.

Since it appears that the ultimate and chief end of God in creation was the display of his own nature, we may infer with certainty, that this end will be kept in view in the continuance and government of creation. For if it be not, then the arrangements in the divine administration are not calculated so as certainly to coincide with the ultimate intention of the divine will. But God "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Therefore, all parts of the great scheme of creation, providence and redemption, will ultimately exhibit a complete picture of the true character of God. He will then appear in reality to be the beginning and the end," "the all in all." The obedience and sufferings of Christ, as they are the medium through which God's love of holiness and hatred of iniquity are seen, so they answer, as to the display of God's glory, all the purposes and more than would have been answered by the endless obedience or sufferings of all transgressors. Atonement, therefore, by the death of Christ, is to be viewed as a necessary part of God's great plan, and as possessing the propriety and fitness of means for the

accomplishment of an end. If we consider atonement, in a general view, as that part of Christ's mediatorial work which rendered the forgiveness of sin consistent with God's character, it will comprise, as essential to its nature, more than suffering, though suffering appears to constitute its chief and most important part. If grace were to be manifested, it was proper and necessary that that grace should "reign through righteousness;" that is, in such a way as was consistent with the rectitude or justice of God. Whatever, therefore, would bring into view the character and law of God as effectually as the perfect obedience or suffering of men, must be considered as the atonement for sin. Though the punishment of the transgressor would have displayed God's truth, and his hatred of sin, yet it would not have displayed his love of mercy, and disposition to pardon. But all these are displayed in the salvation of the transgressor, by the obedience and death of Christ.

Having premised these things, I proceed to explain,

First, The matter of atonement, or that in which it consisted. 1. The divine law requires perfect obedience. God, in giving that law, virtually declared that it was good, and ought to be obeyed. The sinner, by transgressing it, virtually declared that it was not good, and ought not to be obeyed. Should God in this case pardon, without manifesting his regard to the law, so as to establish its authority as a rule of obedience, and to display his aversion to sin, his conduct would coincide with that of the sinner, and tend to the destruction of his own government. But if God, by a vicarious or substituted obedience and suffering, give in his moral government a full confirmation and conviction of the goodness of his law, and the justice of its requirements, his conduct, though he pardon, stands as directly opposed to the conduct of the sinner, as if he should condemn the sinner to endure the full penalty of the law. The obedience of Christ, on account of the superior dignity of his character, honored the law, declared and confirmed it to be good, more effectually than the obedience of all finite creatures could have done to eternity. In Christ "dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead." As he had all wisdom and goodness, his voluntary obedience must produce

a conviction that the law was good: for he could not err in his judgment concerning it, and consequently, if it had been a bad law, he would not have submitted to its precepts. The obedience of Christ, therefore, as it virtually condemned sin, and expressed his approbation of the law, so as to establish its authority as a rule of righteousness, appears to constitute an essential though not the principal part of atonement. Christ, as a surety, engaged to fulfil all the righteousness of the law. To do this, it was as necessary that he should obey, as it was that he should suffer. The language of scripture is, "He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Phil. ii. 8. The obedience and sufferings of Christ, in making atonement, were inseparably connected. "Though he were a son," says Paul, "yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." Heb. v. 8. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." Rom. viii. 3. Rom. viii. 3. But did not Christ's obedience bear testimony against sin, and in favor of the law, as really as his sufferings; Were not both essential to a display of justice and mercy; So far as the obedience of Christ rendered the forgiveness of sin consistent, so far it constituted a part of atone

ment.

2. The great and principal part of atonement, and which the scriptures most frequently bring into view, was Christ's sufferings. These were essential to his character as mediator and surety. It was necessary that he should. be "made perfect through sufferings." It was essential that he should maintain the honor of the divine law, by fulfilling it in its penalty, as in its precepts. Hence he said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfil." "For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Mat. v. 17, 18. Hence the sufferings of Christ were so far from disrespecting or abrogating the law, that they "magnified it and made it honorable." One jot or one tittle did not pass till all was fulfilled. Hence it appears, that Christ endured the real penalty of the law in its full extent and mean

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ing. Without a penalty, the law would have no force. It would have been no more than advice. As the penalty therefore was essential to its nature, and as one tittle of the law did not pass till all was fulfilled, it follows that Christ endured the penalty of the law. This is fully evident from the descriptions given of his death and sufferings. Is. liii. 6. "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." "For the transgression of my people was he stricken.” My righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities." To bear iniquity, to be stricken for transgression, signify to endure the evil which sin deserves. It is through Christ's sufferings only that we can obtain redemption and remission of sin. Thus says Paul, Eph. i. 7, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." We are said to be redeemed by "the precious blood of Christ." When Christ's blood is spoken of, it is in allusion to the sacrifices under the law, which were typical of his death, and pointed to that as making atonement. "It is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul." Lev. xvii. 11. "Christ also hath once suffered for sins." Hence the sufferings of Christ appear to have constituted the most essential part, and some contend the whole, of atonement.

Secondly, I proceed to explain the necessity of atonement. Why could not God pardon without it? Why should he require sufferings before he would extend forgiveness to the guilty? Would not his mercy have appeared more conspicuous in remitting the offences of his creatures on their repentance only, without exacting satisfaction? Is Deity so inexorable, that he will show no favor until the full penalty of the law be endured, and all his wrath exhausted? These difficulties will perhaps be obviated by the following train of thought.

1. The government which God exercises over his rational creatures, is not a government of force, but of law. Nothing therefore can take place under this government, that is arbitrary or inconsistent with the real meaning and authority of law. The obedience required of the subjects, is urged by the promise of reward to the performer,and the threatening of punishment to the transgressor. This promise and threatening are predic