These are very numerous, and of many forms. A few of them, only, can be recited at the present time. Surely, says Isaiah, he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all; for the transgression of my People was he stricken. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many; When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin; For he shall bear their iniquities. And he bare the sin of many*. These passages can need no explanation. Language cannot more clearly, or more strongly, assert, that Christ was a substitute for sinners; that he bore their sins, and suffered for their iniquities; or, in other words, that he became an Atonement for them.

Daniel, in his 9th chapter, recites, from the mouth of Gabriel, the following words: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people; 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 anoint the most Holy. In the following verse, he further informs us, that, at the end of the seventy weeks, the MESSIAH, should be cut off, but not for himself. Accordingly, at the end of seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety years, from the going forth of the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem, published by Artaxerxes Longimanus, the MESSIAH was cut off, but not for himself; that is, within four years, after he had been anointed by the Holy Ghost, according to the same prediction. The effect of his being cut off was to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity.

1 Cor. xv. 3, Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. Here it is not only asserted, that Christ died for our sins ; but this fact is said to have taken place, according to the general tenour of the Scriptures. The same doctrine is taught by Christ himself, first to Cleophas and his companion, and next to the eleven; Luke xxiv. 25, 26, 45, 46. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to have entered into his glory? Then opened he their understanding that they might un

derstand the Scriptures; and said unto them, Thus it is written; and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead, the third day. In both these passages our Saviour asserts his death to have been due, or necessary; because it had been before declared by the prophets, and in the Scriptures; reproves the two disciples for not thus understanding, and believing, the prophets; and teaches them, that this is the substance of all, which the prophets had spoken; and the eleven, that to understand this great fact, in a proper manner, is to understand the Scriptures themselves at large.

Gal. i. 4, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this evil world. Hebrews i. 3, When he had by himself purged our sins. 1 Peter ii. 24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 John iii. 5, He was manifested, to take away our sins. Rev. i. 5, Unto him, that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God.

In every one of these passages, as well as many others, it is evident beyond all debate, that Christ stood in the place of mankind; bore their sins; and healed them by the stripes, which he suffered that our iniquities were laid on him; that he washed our sins away; became a curse for us; was wounded for our transgressions; made reconciliation for iniquity; and was cut off, not for himself, but for mankind. The same doctrine is taught with equal precision in many other forms of expression; but, I presume, it is unnecessary to add any thing further on this part of the subject.

4thly. I argue the same doctrine from those passages, in which we are said to be forgiven, or saved, for his sake, or in his name.

Acts iv. 12, Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under Heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts xiii. 38, Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. 1 John ii. 12, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 1 Cor. vi. 11, But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus. Eph. iv. 32, Even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Now it is plain, that we cannot be forgiven, washed, justified, or saved, for the sake of Christ, unless Christ was, in some sense, or other, a substitute for us; stood in our place; did something, which we had failed to do; made amends for faults, which we had committed; or in other words made that atonement for sin, which God was pleased to accept. Of the very same import are those passages of the Old Testament, in which sin is said to be forgiven, and blessings to be bestowed, upon mankind by God, for his name's sake, or for his own sake. In Exod. xxiii. 21, God, speaking of his own Angel, says, beware of him, and obey his voice; and provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. The Jews, of ancient times, considered the Name of God, mentioned in a great number of passages in the Old Testament, as being no other, than one appellation of the MESSIAH; and construed those passages, in which the forgiveness of sin was promised for the sake of the Name of God, in some, and probably in all instances, as intending, and really, though figuratively, expressing, forgiveness for the sake of the Messiah. Thus, when in Isaiah xlviii. 9, God says, For my name's sake will I defer mine anger; and in the 11th verse, For mine own sake will I do it; when the Psalmist says, Ps. xxv. 11, For thy Name's sake pardon mine iniquity; and Ps. cix. 21, Do thou for me, O God, the Lord, for thy Name's sake; and Ps. cxliii. 11, Quicken me for thy Name's sake; and when the Church says, Ps. lxxix. 9, Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy Nume; and deliver us, and purge away our sins for thy Name's sake: the phraseology is exactly equivalent to what it would be, if for the sake of Christ had been substituted in each of these cases. This, however, is not mentioned as being necessary to the proof of the doctrine in hand; but as evidence, that the same views of it are given us in both Testaments.

On the same ground we are required to offer up our prayers to God in the Name of Christ. In John xvi. 23, our Saviour says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive; that your joy may be full ; and again, At that day ye shall ask in my name : and in John xiv. 13, 14, And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that

If ye shall ask any thing

the Father may be glorified in the Son. in my name, I will do it. See, also, John xv. 16. St. Paul also, (Colossians iii. 17,) And whatsoever ye do in word, or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus; giving thanks to God and the Father by him. The direction, given to us to offer up our prayers and thanksgivings in the name of Christ, and the promise, that in this case, and in this only, we shall be heard, teaches us in the strongest manner, that our prayers are acceptable to God for his sake, and not our own; and that in offering them we are to rely, wholly, for acceptance, and for blessings of every kind, on what he has done, and not on what we have ourselves done. Of course, the audience and acceptance which are granted, and the blessings which are given, to us, are granted, and given, for the sake of Christ, and not for our own sakes. But no reason can be alleged, why blessings should be given to us for the sake of Christ, unless he has interfered in some manner, or other, in our behalf, and done something for us, which has made it pleasing, and proper, in the sight of God, to give us blessings on this account, which, otherwise, he would not have thought it proper to give. If God will not give us blessings on our own account, it is undoubtedly, because we have done something, which renders it improper for him thus to give them. Otherwise, the same benevolence, which feeds the sparrow, and the raven, would certainly be ready to bless us. We, therefore, by our sins have forfeited our title to all blessings, and even to the privilege of asking for them. If God will give us blessings on account of Christ, it is certain, that Christ has done something for us, which has removed this impropriety, and which God accepts on our behalf, notwithstanding the forfeiture. In other words, he has made it consistent with the honour of the divine character and government, that the benevolence, which we had forfeited, should be renewedly exercised towards us.

5thly. I argue the same doctrine from the Sacrifices, under the law of Moses.

St. Paul tells us, that the ancient tabernacle was a FIGURE for the time present. In the service, performed in it, victims were continually offered, under the name of sin-offerings; and by them an atonement was made for the sins, and for the souls, of the

people. On this subject, the passages, which declare the doctrine, here specified, are found almost every where in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers; and cannot need to be repeated, at this time. But we know, from the same Apostle, that it is not possible for the blood of bulls, and of goats, to take away sin. Yet this blood is said, in thirty or forty passages, to be the means of making an atonement for those who offered it. In what manner was this true? St. Paul himself has taught us that it was true, in the typical, or figurative, sense only. All these sacrifices, as he has taught us expressly in the 9th and 10th chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews, were only types of the sacrifice of Christ; and the atonement, professedly made by them, was only a type of the real atonement, made by him. Particularly, the ceremonial of the sacrifice, on the great day of expiation, when the high priest made an atonement for himself, his family, the priests, and the whole congregation of Israel, was a remarkable and most lively type of the death and resurrection of Christ. On this day, the 10th day of the 7th month, annually, two goats were selected for an offering to God. One of these was killed; and his blood sprinkled upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat, and upon the horns of the altar. This was called making an atonement for the holy place, and reconciling the holy place, the tabernacle, and the altar, unto God; as having been polluted, during the preceding year, by the imperfect and impure services of sinful beings. On the head of the living goat the high priest laid both his hands, and confessed over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel; and sent him away by a fit man into the wilderness. Of this goat it was said, that he should bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited. This religious service cannot, I think, need any explanation.

I shall now proceed to consider,

IV. The Manner in which the atonement was performed.

On this subject, I observe,

1st. That, in my own view, all the sufferings of Christ were included in the atonement, which he made for sin.

Christ was perfectly holy. No part of his sufferings, therefore, can have been inflicted, or undergone, for his own sake. He was always beloved of God; and whatever he thought, spoke, or did,