blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (Heb. 9. 22: 10. 4.) The necessity of atonement is further implied in the birth and death of Christ. The miraculous creation of his human nature—his life of innocence and grief—the sorrows of Gethsemane, and the circumstances of his death, are conclusive that he appeared on the earth for some uncommon purpose.

Was it merely to set us an example of fortitude and obedience, and to confirm by martyrdom the truth of his doctrines ? God might have qualified a mere man for the accomplishment of these objects. But how can the intense agony of this holy sufferer in the garden and on the cross be explained, if he endured these sorrows on his own account? This mystery must remain for ever insolvable, unless we resort to the Scriptures for its interpretation : “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquity; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.” If it is a fact then, as I am now to prove, that an atonement has been made for our offences, this is full proof that it was necessary. We cannot deny it without impeaching the veracity, and calling in question the wisdom and the goodness of God.

The prophets speak of Christ in his office of Mediator and Redeemer: Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin-He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his

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knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isa. 53. 10, 11.) Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. After three-score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. (Dan. 9. 24, 26.) But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5. 2.) Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given : and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9. 6, 7.)

Christ himself declared explicitly that he came to lay down his life for the sins of men. Even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mat. 20. 28.) The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6. 51.) The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost. (Mat. 18. 11.) The institution of the Supper is a public and perpe

tual memorial of the truth, that Christ was offered as a sacrifice for sin : This is my blood of the New Testament, (covenant) which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. (Mat. 26. 28.)

The apostles taught directly and continually the doctrine that Christ redeemed us to God by his blood. It was through the preaching of this truth, that the wonders of grace were exhibited on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2. 36–38.) This is the grand theme of the gospel. Neither by the blood of goats, and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Heb. 9. 12–14.) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged (expiated) our sins sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb. 1. 3.) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. (Eph. 1. 7.) The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1. 7.) Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. (Rev. 5. 9.) The necessity of atonement by Christ, may

be further illustrated by a view of the divine law. “We should consider,” says Dr. Watts,* " the following propositions. (1.) The great God having

made man, appointed to govern him, by a wise and righteous law, wherein glory and honour, life and immortality, are the designed rewards for perfect obedience; but tribulation and wrath, pain and death, are the appointed recompense to those who violate this law. (Gen. 2. 17: Rom. 2. 6—11.) (2.) All mankind have broken this law. (Rom. 3. 23: 5. 12.) (3.) God in his infinite wisdom did not think fit to pardon sinful man, without some compensation for his broken law: for, (1.) If the great Ruler of the world had pardoned the sins of men without any

satisfaction, then his laws might seem not worth the vindicating. (2.) Men would have been tempted to persist in the rebellion, and to repeat their old offences. (3.) His forms of government among his creatures, might have appeared as a matter of small importance. (4.) God had a mind to make a very illustrious display both of his justice and of his grace among mankind : on these accounts he would not pardon sin without a satisfaction." The conclusiveness of this reasoning is apparent from the fact that sinful men cannot, either by obedience or suffering, merit deliverance from condemnation. If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Gal. 2. 21.) By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. (Rom. 3. 20.) Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of

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sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13. 38, 39.)*

* Correct views of the divine law and its penalty, will oblige us to admit that the divinity of Christ is essential to an adequate satisfaction for sin. “The Deity and atonement of Christ, (says Fuller,) have always, among thinking people, stood or fallen together; and with them almost every other important doctrine of the gospel. The sufferings of a mere man are no more adapted to excite the general attention of the intelligent creation, than the sufferings of an insect would be to attract the attention of a nation. It were as rational to talk of the king of Great Britain setting forth a worm, tortured on the point of a needle, to DECLARE his regard to righteousness, while he pardoned the deluded votaries of the Pretender, as to talk of a mere creature being set forth as a propitiation for the DECLARATION of the righteousness of God, (Rom. 3. 26.) in the remission of human guilt.” From this illustration on the subject, not more striking than just, we may perceive that it is not proper to say that Christ suffered and obeyed merely as it regards his human nature ; or that his obedience was only conformity to the precepts of the law, and his suffering the sustaining of its penalty. He was "obedient unto death,” consequently his sufferings and obedience include each other, and the whole complex being, God and man, or “God manifest in the flesh," must be regarded as having made atonement for our offences.

The Deity of Christ being admitted, there will be no difficulty in admitting also the divinity of the Holy Ghost. What is called the doctrine of the Trinity, is entirely a matter of revelation, and in my apprehension, we trespass on the sacredness of the divine character, when we advance beyond the facts given by inspiration. The Scriptures teach us that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are so concerned in the work of redemption, that if the agency of one fails, the work cannot be executed. These three are associated in the ordinance of baptism, and in the apostolic benediction, and the same attributes are literally ascribed to each. These three 'therefore must be one, because there is