God, who, in one person, exacts the punishment, in another, himself sustains it; and thus makes his own mercy pay the satisfaction to his own justice."*

In this divine plan of redemption, Jehovah's attributes of Love, Justice, Holiness, Wisdom and Truth, all shine forth in uninjured splendour. But who is able to comprehend that mighty work of man's Redemption? To create a world, was the event of a few days---to redeem a world, has been an event which has occupied thousands of years. To create a world, it was only necessary to issue the command, "Let it be, and it was so;" but to redeem a world, the Son of God must shed his blood'Awake, O Sword, against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts."

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To prepare mankind for the fulfilment of this plan of Redemption, God was pleased to appoint Sacrifices, which taught men the evil of sin, and the method of deliverance. The death of the victim shewed the punishment which man deserved; and the offering of a victim taught him, that God was willing to accept the life of a substitute. But as the life of an irrational animal could not be a satisfaction for the soul of a rational and immortal creature, the victim offered shadowed forth a greater and

*So essential was the incarnation of the Son of God to the effectual "atonement of man's guilt by the shedding of his blood. On the other "hand, the need there was of such atonement, is the only cause that "can be assigned which could induce the Son of God to stoop to be "made man, for had the instruction of man, as some have dreamed, "been the only purpose of our Saviour's coming, a mere man might "have been empowered to execute the whole business, for whatever knowledge the mind of man can be made to comprehend, a man might be made the instrument to convey." Horsley.

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more costly Sacrifice.* Faith in that perfect Sacrifice afterwards to be offered up, rendered the imperfect Sacrifice acceptable to God.

have a striking illustration in

Upon this point, we

the history of Cain

:

and Abel: Cain offered of the fruits of the earthAbel, of the firstlings of his flock the one was accepted, the other was rejected. Cain, who offered of the fruits of the earth, rendered merely a Deistical acknowledgment to God, as the God of Creation; but made no acknowledgment to Him, in his higher character, as the God of Redemption. God, therefore, regarded not his offering. But with Abel, there was the victim-there was the shedding of blood-there was the profession of faith in the promised Substitutethere was an acknowledgment rendered to Jehovah, as the God of Redemption-there was the coming to God in the way of His own appointment; the result was, that God regarded the offerer with complacency, and had respect unto his offering. The Sacrifices, therefore, became types of Christ, visible lessons in theology; teaching men the penalty of sin; and that without the shedding of blood there was no remission, and the hope of forgiveness could only be maintained by the constant exercise of Faith in the unchangeableness of Him who had appointed this method of seeking pardon. In this, see how the wisdom of the King of Heaven protects His honour; a proud, unbelieving, disobedient, independent spirit, brought sin into the world, and dishonoured God: the deliverance from the penalty of sin, is inseparably united with the four opposite graces, namely:-Humility, the opposite to pride:

* Symington on the Atonement.

Faith, the opposite to unbelief: Obedience, the opposite to disobedience: Dependence upon God, às opposed to a rebellious and independent spirit. "When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son," who, as man's substitute, offered himself upon the Cross, and, "by his one oblation of himself once offered, made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world ;" and the Gospel account of this great and all-sufficient sacrifice comes to us in a three-fold form. It comes to us as a Record, which God hath given us of His Son-it comes as a Promise of great blessings, which shall flow to those who believe what God has recorded-it comes to us also as an Offer of full and free forgiveness to all who accept Christ as their substitute, and acknowledge him as their Saviour, and their Lord. If the question be asked, how are these blessings made ours? we answer, Faith believes this Record-Faith clings to this Promise-Faith embraces this Offer. Faith unites men to Christ, and renders them members of Christ's spiritual family; and as such, strength is granted for the upright discharge of all Christian duties, both to God and man; every needful blessing flows to them from God the Father, through Christ, and for His sake. Thus believing in Christ, the Christian rejoices in hope of immortality, higher delights than those of earthly scenes often occupy his mind, and lead his thoughts to blissful times and brighter worlds.

By this plan of a Divine substitute, the Sinner is humbled-Justice is satisfied-Mercy is granted -the Law is honoured-Satan is defeated-Christ is magnified―Jehovah is glorified—and the Believer is

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saved. Thus the affairs of Three Worlds are all influenced by the death of Christ; The powers of darkness are defeated, and the gates of heaven are opened to all believers. The Redeemer died that we might live-he became "the Son of Man," that his followers might become "the Sons of God." When his work of atonement was finished, he ascended to Heaven, where he ever liveth to make intercession for us; and lest we should be cast down, by the loss of his bodily presence, he has assured us that he will come again and receive us unto himself: that where he is, there we may be also." And in the mean time that we should, as our Church expresses it, "always remember the ex"ceeding great love of our master, and only Saviour, "Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumerable "benefits which, by his precious blood shedding, he "hath obtained to us, he hath instituted and ordained "holy mysteries, as pledges of his love, and for a con"tinual remembrance of his death, to our great and "endless comfort." We, therefore, by bread broken, and wine poured out, do shew forth the Lord's death, until he come again.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, thus divinely appointed, has cheered the souls of myriads of the children of God; and in the right participation thereof, spiritual strength and spiritual comfort have been richly experienced, But, alas! this Holy Sacrament, so grand in its simplicity, has been grievously perverted by the earthly additions of erring men. Herein the Church of Rome has proved herself an offender. She maintains, that in the Sacrament of Bread and Wine, there is a daily and continual offering up of

Christ's body and blood; and that in the Mass, Christ is sacrificed unto God. Against this monstrous doctrine all Protestant Churches bear testimony: their reasons for so doing we are now to consider.

That we may be just towards the Church of Rome, let us hear what she says upon the subject, in her published decrees; not “in old and musty documents," but those which contain the profession of her faith and the rules of her practice, and which are in full force at the present time, and are subscribed to by her members, and made binding on their consciences.

At the Council assembled at Trent, in the middle of the 16th Century, to put into a settled form the Articles of the Church of Rome, it was decreed :

Canon 1. " If any one assert that in the Mass there "is not a true and proper Sacrifice offered unto God, "let him be accursed."

The same Council decreed, that all the faithful in Christ may reverently exhibit to this most Holy Sacrament, the worship (of Latria) which is due to the true God.

These large claims upon our belief the Church of Rome enforces by most terrible curses denounced against all persons who shall dare call them into question.

Notwithstanding the Anathemas hurled against offenders, we deny the truth of these things; and maintain, that the Sacrifice of the Mass is founded upon two great errors:—

First-That the Bread and Wine are changed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Second-That Christ offered up his Body and