quence of Christ not having been sent to instruct and reform the world, mankind had continued unreformed; and the necessary consequence of Christ's coming was his death, by whatever means and in whatever manner it was brought about: it is plain that there was in fact no other alternative but his death or ours: how natural then was it, espe cially to writers accustomed to the strong figurative expressions of the East, to say that he died IN OUR STEAD, without meaning it in a strict and proper sense.'

*

Again: Others, who profess to hold that believers are justified by the righteousness of Christ, deny, nevertheless, that his obedience itself is imputed to them. For they maintain, that the Scripture represents believers as receiving only the benefits' or effects, of Christ's righteousness in justification; or their being pardoned and accepted for Christ's righteousness sake.' But this is entirely to deny the imputation of our Lord's obedience, and to consider it as no further concerned in our justification than some of the Socinians have allowed. For even they have admitted, that the righteousness of Christ is the CAUSE of our justification; and that it is our righteousness, so far as it operates for our good, or is beneficial to us.‡

* Hist. of Corruptions, Vol. I. p. 199. In Dr. Magee's Discourses on the Doct. of Atonement and Sacrifice, p. 152, 153.

+ Dr. Sam. Hopkins, in Dr. Erskine's Sketches and Hints of Church History, Vol. I. p. 285, 286.

Thus for example, Schlictingius: Nec enim ut per Christi justitiam justificemur, opus est ut illius Justitia, nostra fiat justitia ; sed sufficit ut Christi justitia SIT CAUSA nostræ justificationis: et hactenus possumus tibi concedere, Christi justitiam esse nostram justitiam, quatenus nostrum in bonum justitiamque redundat: ve

But if the righteousness of Christ itself be not imputed, imputation is not at all concerned in our justification for the effects, or benefits, resulting from that righteousness cannot, without absurdity, be considered as imputed to believers. For example: The pardon of all sin is a glorious effect, and a gracious benefit, resulting from our Lord's complete righteousness. But who ever thought of representing the forgiveness of sins as IMPUTED to believers? So justification, adoption, sanctification, peace of conscience, and the heavenly happiness, are all of them the blessed effects and benefits of our Saviour's righteousness: but who in the world ever considered them as imputed? The very nature of the blessings forbids the thought. It is, however, in virtue of our Lord's consummate obedience being imputed to believers, that they are made partakers of those ineffable benefits.-That any who consider the righteousness of Christ as very much consisting in the penal satisfaction which he made to divine justice in our stead, should deny the imputation of that very righteousness, and yet maintain the imputation of its effects, is quite unaccountable.

Let us now, my Brethren, recur to that emphatical declaration of Paul, which respects the character our Lord bore, in the estimation of divine

rum tu proprie nostram, id est, nobis attributam ascriptamque intelligis.' Disp. pro Socin. ad Meisner. p. 259. In Dr. Owen on Justification, Chap. vii. p. 243. To which the Doctor subjoins the following remark: It is not pleasing to see some among ourselves with so great confidence take up the sense and words of these men, [the Socinians] in their disputations against the Protestant doctrine in this cause.'

law, when suspended on the cross. By the Inspi ration of God an Apostle was taught thus to write: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being MADE A CURSE FOR US: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. He who really believes that Jesus Christ was, by imputation, made sin; cannot consistently doubt whether he fell under the penal sanction of the law. Because, as the Apostle has just before observed, every one, who continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them, is accursed. Yes, transgression and condemnation; the criminality of sin, and the punishment of death; are very closely connected in Jehovah's law-in the Divine administration--and in the doctrine of redemption by Jesus Christ. If, therefore, Jesus was made a curse, he was punished-in a real and proper sense, PUNISHED: for scarcely any words can convey the idea of punishment more forcibly than those which are here used by the Apostle.-But if our Lord, as Mediator, was actually punished, it must be for sin. Because, though an innocent person, through mistake or injustice, may greatly suffer; yet, properly speaking, he cannot be punished. For what is punishment, but the infliction of natural evil, for the commission of moral evil? Punishment, necessarily supposes criminality, either personal, or imputed; and here it must be understood of the latter.

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. But how could this be, except by taking our place, and suffering what we deserved? This evidently denotes a commutation of persons, and a transfer of punishment. He, who was innocent, suffered; not we who are guilty.

He also suffered under that very sentence which the law denounced on us. For it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things. To that sentence we were exposed. It is likewise written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. To that punishment Christ submitted, that his people might be free from all condemnation. Had the sufferings of our Lord been those of a mere man, or of the most exalted angel, they could not have borne any proportion to our demerit. But they were the sufferings of the PRINCE of life, and LORD of glory; in comparison with whom, all men are as dust, and all angels as worms. Was Infinite Majesty offended? a Mediator of Infinite Worthiness atoned. The divine dignity of our Saviour's -Person, is, therefore, more than a counter-balance to the everlasting duration of our punishment.*

He was made sin for us-He was made a curse for us. These declarations, my Brethren, are worthy to be kept in everlasting remembrance. For scarcely any of the inspired sayings, in either the Old or the New Testament, enter more deeply into those capital articles, REDEMPTION by Jesus Christ, and JUSTIFICATION before God, than they do. It is, however, much to be feared, that, most emphatical and momentous as this language of Paul is, it obtains but little regard from great numbers of those who call themselves Christian Ministers; except it be in the way of critical remark or by some diluting and qualifying interpretation, to soften what they consider as intolerable harshness in the mode of expression. In other words, they choose to correct the language and sentiments of

*See Mr. Hervey's Theron and Aspasio, Vol. I. Dialogue IV,

Inspiration; and teach the Apostle to speak of his Lord with more decorum: lest his personal purity should be impeached, and lest the odium of the curse, annexed by divine law, remain attached to his death. For, to maintain, according to the obvious meaning of these two important passages, a commutation of persons-a twofold imputation; of sin and of righteousness—and a vicarious punishment, which was equally pregnant with execration, as with death; may, probably, expose to censure in different ways.

For example: It may endanger the charge of Antinomian rashness, rant, and blasphemy. But, while cultivating a detestation of real Antinomianism in all its branches; and while strictly guarding against every extravagance of expression, relative to subjects of this momentous kind; let us take heed, my Christian Friends, of losing any part of that wonderfully important and gracious truth which is contained in these divine declarations; and endeavour to have our consciences, our hearts, and our lives, habitually under its holy influence. For as, with regard to peace of conscience, Christ crucified is the only object whence it can be derived; so, with reference to sanctifying tendency, there is no part of revealed truth equally efficacious with that which exhibits the Holy One of God expiring on a cross; provided the real import of that most wonderful fact be rightly understood.'*

It may, perhaps, be also objected against our interpretation of these two illustrious passages; That it encourages practical Antinomianism, by leading believers to consider themselves as freed

* Gal. vi. 14.