allegorically, of some other prohibition, expressed agreeably to the oriental genius, in these terms. This diversity of interpretation makes no difference in the case: whatever the test of man's disobedience was, the will of the law-giver is clearly announced: If thou art guilty of disobedience, thou shalt surely diea. Obedience, then, had the promise of continued life; the penalty threatened to disobedience, was death: which was only saying, that the gift freely bestowed on a certain condition (and surely what man had no right to demand, might be offered on what terms the giver pleased) should be withdrawn on the breach of it. The loss, indeed, was immense; but to the loser no wrong was done: and of him who recalled the free gift, conditionally bestowed, and justly forfeited, no complaint, in reason, can be made. But to what purpose, some will ask, to give that with one hand, which was presently to be withdrawn by the other? for the best reason, no doubt, whether conceivable by us, or not. However, the sad event was certainly foreseen: and, what is more, such provision was made ■ Gen. ii. 17. against it, as to infinite wisdom and goodness seemed meet, By contemplating the gradual steps of Providence, as we are able to trace them in the revelation itself, we understand, that it was in the eternal purpose of the divine Governour to restore life to fallen and mortal man, as freely as it had been at first bestowed, and on terms still more advantageous to him. But the ways of heaven are not as our ways, nor to be regu lated by our impatient wishes, or expectations, What man, in a moment, had wantonly thrown away, he was to recover once more; but in God's good time; not instantly, but after a long succession of ages, and such a state of intermediate discipline and preparation, as might best serve to introduce the intended blessing with effect. Man, then, was to be reinstated in his forfeited inheritance: and the promise was made, though purposely in obscure terms, from the moment the forfeiture was incurred. In process of time, it was less, and still less obscurely signified; yet so as that the full discovery of what was intended, and, still more, the exe cution of it, was long deferred. At length, Jesus Christ came into the world to fulfill and to declare the whole will of God on this interesting subject: and from him, and from those commissioned by him, we learn what the wisest men, and even angels, had desired to look into, and could at most discern but imperfectly through the types and shadows of the patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations. The great mystery, now unveiled, was briefly this that God of his infinite goodness had, indeed, from the foundation of the world, purposed the restoration of eternal life to his unworthy creature, man; but that in his wisdom he saw fit to confer this unmerited blessing in a way, that should at once secure the honour of his government; and, if any thing could secure it, the future obedience and happiness of his creature: that he would only confer this mighty privilege at the instance, as it were, and for the sake of a transcendantly divine person, his only begotten Son, the second person in the glorious Trinity, as we now style. him that this divine person, of his own free will co-operating with the eternal purpose of the all-gracious Father, should descend from Heaven; should become incarnate; should as b Ephes. iii. 11. man, converse with men, and instruct them by his heavenly doctrine; should taste deeply of all their sorrows and infirmities (sin only excepted); should even pour out his blood unto death, and by that blood should wash away the stain of guilt; and, on the condition of faith in his name, operating, as of course it must do, by a sincere obedience to his authority, should admit us, once more, to the possession of eternal happiness; of which, finally, we have a lively and certain hope, in that he who had laid down his life, had power to take it again, as was declared to all the world by his resurrection from the dead 2. In this awfully stupendous manner (at which reason stands aghast, and faith herself is half confounded) was the Grace of God to man, at length, manifested: and thus it is, when we come a little to unfold the record, or testimony of the Gospel, that God hath given to us eternal life; and that this life is in his Son. Curious men have perplexed themselves and others by inquiring into the nature of this astonishing scheme, and have seemed half inclined not to accept so great salvation, till they could reconcile it to their ideas of philo a 1 Pet. i. 3. sophy. Hence those endless altercations concerning merit, satisfaction, imputed sin, and vicarious punishment; in which it is hard to say, whether more subtlety has been shewn, or more perverseness; more ingenuity, or presumption. If most of these questions were well examined, it would appear, perhaps, that they are mere verbal disputes, and as frivolous as they are contentious. But, be the difference between the parties nominal or real, this we are sure of, without taking part in the controversy, that the scriptures speak of the death of Christ, as a ransom for many; the price of our redemption; a sacrifice for usd; a propitiation for the sins of the whole worlde : that they speak of Christ himself, as dying for us, as bearing our sins in his own body on the trees; as suffering for sins, the just for the unjust; as tasting death for every man'; as giving himself for us, an offering and sacrifice toGod; as justifying us by his blood1; and redeeming us by the price of it: with a multitude of other passages to the same pur b Matth. xx. 28. f 1 Thess. v. 10. h 1 Pet. iii. 18. k Eph. v. 2. £ 1 Cor. vi. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 24. i Heb. ii. 9, 1 Rom. v. 9. 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. 1 Cor. vi. 20. |