III. When the Apostle argues, that if Christ were not risen, the Corinthians were yet in their sins ;' (1 Cor. XV. 17.) what could he mean, but that, as nothing could prove the reality and efficacy of Christ's atonement, except his resurrection; so nothing could take away their guilt but that atonement? For their reformation and conversion to the worship and service of the true God was a fact, which could not be denied, whatever men thought of the doctrines in question.

IV. The same Apostle says, that Christ will appear the second time without sin unto salvation.' (Heb. ix. 28.) * But did he not appear the first time without sin ?—what • then is the meaning of this opposition, that at his first * coming he bare our sins, but at his second he shall appear * without sin? The words can have no other imaginable sense, but that at his first coming he sustained the person of a sinner, and suffered instead of us; but at his second coming he shall appear, not as a Sacrifice, but as a • Judge *.*

V. The apostolical method of exhorting men to holiness evinces the same point. They uniformly draw their arguments, motives, and encouragements from the cross of Christ; His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, might live in righte⚫ousness.' 'Ye are bought with a price; therefore, glorify God with your bodies and spirits, which are his!' This is indeed the distinguishing peculiarity of their exhortations, in which they differ from all others, who have attempted to excite men to virtue or morality †.

VI. The appointment of the Lord's supper, in remembrance of the body of Christ broken, and his blood poured out, and as a representation of the manner in which we become interested in the blessings of his salvation, even by * eating his flesh and drinking his blood,' (John vi. 48—58.) is a most conclusive argument on this subject. The peculiar nature and intent of this ordinance will be considered

• Tillotson.

† 1 Cor. vi. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 24. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. Eph. v. 1, 2. 25, 26. Tit, ii. 11-14. 1 Pet. i. 13-20.

in a subsequent Essay: but the special event commemorated, and the words of our Lord when he appointed it,

This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed < for you and for many, for the remission of sins;' do manifestly prove that his death was a real atonement; that this atonement is the grand peculiarity of the gospel; and that no man is a genuine Christian, unless by true faith he become a partaker of that inestimable benefit.

VII. Lastly, The songs of the redeemed in heaven, even of those who had come out of great tribulation,' and had shed their blood as martyrs in the cause of Christ, may well close these brief but unanswerable arguments in proof of this important doctrine.—Without one discordant voice, they ascribe their salvation to the Lamb that was slain, ⚫ and had redeemed them to God with his blood:

Who • had washed them from their sins in his own blood.'-But in what sense could the Lamb that was slain wash them from their sins in his own blood, unless he were truly and literally an atoning sacrifice for them? This likewise shows the vast importance of the doctrine in the Christian system. It is indeed essential to it: for he, who denies or overlooks it, cannot have the same judgment of the divine perfections, law, and government; or of the evil and desert of sin, which real Christians have. He cannot approach God in the same way, or with the same plea. He cannot exercise the same kind of repentance or faith; or feel himself under the same obligations, and influenced by the same motives, as they are. He cannot pray, or thank and bless God, for the same benefits; or have the same reasons for gratitude, humility, patience and meekness. In a word, he cannot be meet for the same heaven; but would dislike the company, dissent from the worship, and disrelish the employments and pleasures of those who ascribe all their salvation to the atoning blood of the Lamb. And is not this sufficient to prove that he cannot possibly be partaker of the hope, the love, the joy, which are peculiar to the religion of the crucified Emmanuel?

It is however to be feared, that numbers assent to this

doctrine, who neither understand its nature and tendency, nor are suitably influenced by it. The cross of Christ when contemplated by an enlightened mind, most emphatically teaches the glory and beauty of the divine character, the reasonableness and excellence of the moral law; the value of immortal souls, the vanity of earthly distinctions, the misery of the most prosperous transgressors, the malignity of sin, the lost estate of man, the presumption of every self-righteous confidence, the inestimable value of this foundation for our hope, the sinner's motives and encouragements to repentance, and the believer's obligations to the most self-denying and devoted obedience to his reconciled God and Father-He therefore, who truly believes, and spiritually understands this doctrine, and who glories in the cross of Christ alone, will habitually give his eternal concerns a decided preference to every worldly object. He will feel an earnest desire to promote the salvation of souls, especially the souls of those who are most dear to him. He will be crucified to the world, and the world to him.' He will repent of, hate, and forsake all his sins, and seek the crucifixion of every sinful propensity. Though he entirely renounces all other confidence, save in the unmerited mercy of God in Christ Jesus; he will yet deem it his pleasure, privilege, and honour to live to him who died for him and rose again.'-The example and love of Christ will reconcile him to reproach, contempt, self-denial, and persecution for righteousness' sake; and dispose him to forgiveness, love of enemies, enlarged benevolence, and whatever can adorn the doctrine of God ⚫ our Saviour.'

Whilst we would therefore contend earnestly for the 'faith once delivered to the saints;' we would also caution every one not to imprison the truth in unrighteousness.' They, who vilify the atonement, are not the only enemies of the cross of Christ:' for such as hold it in a carnal heart, and disgrace it by a sensual life, fall under the same condemnation. (Phil. iii. 18—21.) It is to be feared, that many, who are zealous against the fatal Socinian heresy,

are tainted with the abominable infection of Antinomianism: and that numbers of another description, who contend for the doctrine of the atonement, do nevertheless rest their hope for salvation principally upon their own moral goodness, and not on the merits and expiatory sufferings of Christ. But as that God of all grace,' who spared ⚫ not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,' will with him freely give all things' to the true believer; so assuredly he will not in his awful justice spare any of those, who oppose, neglect, or abuse his great salvation: for, our God is a consuming fire !'

ESSAY X.

On our Lord's Exaltation, and his Appearance in the presence of God for us.

WHEN our Saviour upon the cross was about to com

mend his Spirit into the Father's hands, he said 'It is finished.' Whatever the types had prefigured, or the prophets foretold, concerning his obedience, conflicts, and sufferings; whatever the glory of God, the honour of the law, or the rights and satisfaction of divine justice, required; and whatever was necessary, in order to his own final victory, triumph, and exaltation at the right hand of the Father in our behalf, was then fully accomplished; that is, as far as it could be, previously to his death, which immediately followed. He then became conqueror over the world, sin, and Satan, (triumphing over them even on the cross;) and having consecrated the grave by his burial, to be a sacred repository for the bodies of his disciples, he arose on the third day a mighty Victor over the King of Terrors and at that crisis commenced the glory which was to follow his sufferings.

The evidences of our Lord's resurrection have been already considered; (Essay I. p. 15-17.) the ends answered by the great event may here be briefly mentioned. He

thus confirmed, beyond all reasonable doubt, every part of the doctrine he had taught; proving especially that he was the Son of God, in that peculiar and appropriate sense, in which he had claimed that high relation to the Father, and for which he had been condemned as a blasphemer. He fully evinced, that his atonement had been accepted, and had effectually answered those great and gracious purposes for which it had been made. He thus became capable of possessing in our nature the mediatorial throne, which had been covenanted to him as the reward of his obedience and sufferings; and to appear, as our Advocate and intercessor, in the presence of the Father: being our Brother, and glorying in that condescending relation to us. And finally, he was the first fruits of the general resurrection, the earnest and pledge of that grand and interesting event.

I shall not further enlarge on the circumstances of our Lord's resurrection, or the instructions that may be deduced from it but as his mediation is naturally divided into two distinct parts, it regularly falls within the plan of this work, to consider at present that part which he now performs in his heavenly glory; as we before did that which he fulfilled during his humiliation on earth. From the depth of his voluntary abasement, "he ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." He then "led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also; that the Lord God might dwell among them." (Ps. lxviii. 18. Eph. iv. 7—16.) “For the heavens must receive him, until the restitution of all things.” (Acts iii. 21.) "I go," says he to his disciples, “to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also." (John xiv. 2, 3.) We will therefore, in this Essay, point out the purposes for which Jesus our Forerunner, "hath for us entered into heaven," and the means by which he prepares the way for our admission to the same place of holy felicity.

The royal prophet introduces Jehovah declaring with an oath, denoting "the immutability of his counsel," that the Messiah was constituted "a Priest for ever, after the or