equal reward? Nay, did not CODRUS, did not the DECII, voluntarily devote themselves to death for the good of their respective countries; though being enveloped in Pagan darkness, the only reward they had to expect was a little posthumous renown?" So abhorrent are the grand principles of Socinianism to the language and sentiments of divine Revelation! On those principles, the phraseology of inspired writers is extremely strange, and very obscure: so obscure, that instead of saying, Great is the mystery of GODLINESS; we may justly exclaim, "Unaccountably singular, and profoundly mysterious, is THE LANGUAGE of prophets and of apostles, respecting the Person and work of Jesus Christ!" For though the things intended are plain, and easily apprehended by common capacities-; yet the terms by which those things are expressed, are so entirely abstruse, that the most ardent study, and the greatest. acumen, are absolutely necessary to develope their meaning. Christians have been used to consider scripture mysteries, as relating to the MODUS of cer-. tain important facts; which facts, being plainly revealed, are believed on the authority of divine testimony: but this new theology teaches us to look for those mysteries in the unparalleled MODUS of biblical expression. I said, unparalleled. For, surely, if the Socinian system be true, no set of writers, who had not lost their senses, and who intended to be understood, ever expressed common ideas in such mysterious language, as that which is used by the inspired penman relative to Jesus Christ, and to the great work of redemption by him.* *See Dr. ABBADIE on the Deity of Jesus Christ Essential, to the Christian Religion, Passim.. Fully persuaded, therefore, that the Scriptures mean as they speak, let the sinner who is conscious of nothing but misery and wretchedness about him, flee to the all sufficient Mediator; trust in him as mighty to save; and veracity itself has engaged that he shall not be disappointed in his expectations. As a divine Person, he must be able to act agreeably to every character he bears: perfectly qualified to execute every office he has undertaken; and completely fitted to fill up each relation in which he stands to his people. Let us repose the most unreserved confidence in his atonement and intercession, as our Priest; look to him for instruction, as our Prophet; be subject to him, and expect protection from him, as our King. Let us manifest the most fervent love to him, as our Redeemer, yield him the most cordial obedience, as our Lord; and pay him the sublimest worship, as our God. I will add, let all those who deny his proper Deity, and reject his vicarious death; who refuse to honour him as a Divine Person, and to accept his righteousness as Mediator; be aware lest, when it is too late, they feel their want of his atonement, and be compelled to acknowledge, that. HE IS OVER ALL, GOD BLESSED FOR EVER Let my reader contemplate, with wonder and with joy, the infinite honour that is conferred on the human nature, in the Person of our great Mediator.— For it is in everlasting union with the Son of God; is now seated on a throne of light; is the most glorious of all creatures, and the eternal ornament of the whole creation. Yes, believer, He on whom you rely, in whose hands you have intrusted your soul, still wears your nature while he pleads your cause. That very body that hung on the cross, and was laid in the grave; that very soul which suffered the keenest anguish, and was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; are now, and ever shall be, in close connection with the Eternal Word. Mysterious, ineffable union! big with wonder and replete with comfort! How encouraging it is to consider, that as Jesus is clothed with that very humanity, in which he suffered afflictions and trials of every kind and of every degree; he cannot forget his tempted, despised, afflicted people in this militant state. In himself he sees their image; in his hands he beholds their names. He feels for them, he suffers with them :* he never will, he never can overlook their persons, or be unmindful of their best interests. CHAP. XII. Concerning the Work of Christ, through which Grace reigns. HAVING AVING taken a view of the person of Christ, and of his qualifications for the work of a Mediator, arising from his personal excellencies considered as Immanuel; we must now advert to that perfect work, through which grace reigns; and in virtue of which her favours are dispensed. Grace reigns, says the oracle of heaven, THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS. Righteousness, in this place, I understand as including the whole of that obedience which the Redeemer, under the character of a surety, performed to the perceptive part of the law; and all those bitter sufferings which he underwent, in conformity to its penal sanction. Through this obedience grace reigns, in a way strictly conformable * Heb. ii. 18. and iv. 15. Isa. xlix. 15, 16. to the rights of divine justice. By this most perfect work of Christ, the tenderest mercy is manifested to miserable sinners, and meets with the truth of Jehovah's righteous threatenings against sin. Here the righteousness of God, as the lawgiver, appears in taking vengeance on sin; so as to be productive of substantial and lasting peace to the sinner. Happy expedient! Wonderful grace!-But let us a little more particularly consider the nature and excellencies of this evangelical righteousness.. As to its nature, it is a complete conformity to the divine law. Whatever the precepts of Jehovah's law demanded, the adorable Jesus performed in its fullest extent. His nature being perfectly holy, the principle of his actions was absolutely pure; the end for which he did them entirely right; and the matter of them, and rule of their performance, without any defect-Whatever the law, considered as broken, threatened by way of punishment against the offender; to that he submitted in all its dreadful. severity. For he was made sin; he was made a curse. He suffered-amazing love! unparalleled condescension!-He suffered the greatest shame, the most excruciating pain, that the malice of men, or the subtility of devils, could invent or inflict and, which was infinitely more, the wrath of God. The duration of his passion was indeed comparatively short; but for this the infinite dignity of his Person was a full compensation. When we consider that it was the SON OF GOD and LORD OF GLORY, who bled and died under every circumstance of infamy and pain; all the dreadfui monuments of divine justice inflicted on the sons of rebellion in past ages, and transmitted to posterity in the most authentic records; all the misery that awaits the licentious world, and is denounced in the scripture; cannot raise our ideas of Jehovah's vindictive justice to so high a pitch, as a remembrance of the bitter, though transitory sufferings of the divine Jesus. The excellencies of this righteousness appear from the characters it bears in wholy writ. For, to signify its unspotted purity, it is called fine linen, clean and white. To denote its completeness, it is called a robe. To hold forth its exquisite beauty, richness and glory, it is called clothing of wrought gold, and raiment of needle-work. To point out its unequalled excellency, it is called the best robe. It is better than the robe of innocence with which our first parents were clothed before the fall; yea better than the righteousness of angels in glory. For theirs is but the obedience of mere creatures; of dependent beings. But thiswhich is the highest epithet that language can givethis is the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. Its nature and properties are such, that the Lord himself seems to glory in it, frequently calling it His righteousness.* It is an everlasting righteousness.† It is a robe, the beauty of which will never be tarnished; a garment that will never decay; and clothing that will never wear out. When millions of ages have run their ample round, it will continue the same that it was the first day it came into use; and when millions more are clapsed, there will be no alteration. The continuance of its efficacy, beauty, and glory, will be lasting as the light of the new Jerusalem; unfading; as the eternal inheritance. It is a righteousness already performed. It is not something now to be wrought in us, by the operation of the Holy Spirit. No; it was completed when the *Rev. xix. 3. Isa. Ixi. 10. 22. 2 Cor. v. 21. Rom. x. 3. and lvi. 5, 6, 8. and li. 1. Psal. xlv. 13, 14. Dan. ix. 24. Luke xv. Isa. xlvi. 13. |