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and happy, in consequence of their parents? And are not others ignorant, indigent, and wretched, in consequence of bad parental example? There is, therefore, nothing contrary to the dictates of reason, in admitting vicarious interference. Our peculiar condition opened a way for such interference; and, if we were to escape punishment, rendered this interference necessary. Christ drank of the brook, either for himself, or for us. If for us, the doctrine of substitution is granted; if for himself, we are driven to the monstrous conclusion, that God inflicted punishment on one who was perfectly holy, one who had not deserved punishment, and who could not be benefited by it. But the substitutionary character of Christ's sufferings is most unequivocally asserted, and strikingly inculcated, in the sacred volume. He is shown to be every way qualified for the work he undertook: he became related to us; he took on him our nature; placed himself in our circumstances, under the same law, liable to the same temptations, subject to the same passions, encompassed with the same infirmities, while he was perfectly free from the offence that rendered suffering necessary. He suffered, the just for the unjust; not merely for our instruction, or for our example, but in our stead. We may learn many lessons from the conduct of the martyrs. But the sufferings of the martyrs were not intended to exempt us from sufferings: they did not die in our stead. But Christ drank of the brook that we might not drink of it; he endured the penalty that we might escape it; he wept that we might smile; he died that we might live. This was its mysterious design; this was its moral aspect. It was a grand expedient for reconciling the world unto God. And it was,

5. Expiatory. It accomplished the benevolent, the sublime, the God-like object at which he aimed. Here his drinking of the brook assumes a new character,-it rises infinitely in importance. We see its value, its efficacy, its benign tendency to us. He might have pitied us in our low estate, and voluntarily offered his services to attempt our rescue; he might have kindled our admiration at the patience with which he endured the keenest sufferings, and excited our sympathy; and yet our destruction have been as inevitable as before. But we rejoice to know, that his having drunk of the brook has rendered our drinking of it unnecessary. He did not drink of precisely the same brook of which we should have drunk; for we must have suffered the vengeance of eternal fire. His sufferings did not form an exact equivalent, neither less nor more, for the penalty of our sins. His death did not change the character of God, or induce God to love us: on the contrary, it furnishes the strongest evidence of his love to us, and is ever represented as the brightest manifestation of it. It is the condition and consideration on account of which God can actually forgive our sins. As our moral Governor, he could not pardon us before: he can pardon us now. Christ, by drinking of the brook, has removed every barrier in the way of the egress of mercy, and opened a channel for its full flow; he has magnified the law, and made it honourable; he has satisfied all the claims of infinite justice; and has harmonized, upheld, vindicated, and illustriously displayed all the divine perfections. God can now be just, while he is the merciful justifier of those who believe in Jesus. Shout, earth and heaven, this sum of good to man! But the text presents,

Secondly. MESSIAH'S TRIUMPH.

"Therefore shall he lift up the

head." Had he perished in the brook; had the ardour of his love consumed him; had the sufferings he was to endure been as unlimited in duration as ours would have been; had the full penalty been inflicted on us; or had he received no remuneration for his generous and arduous services; whatever benefits might have resulted to us, our joy in their possession would have been, from such a consideration, greatly abated. To such a deduction, however, our consolation is not subject: all our desires with reference to him are fully satisfied. We see Jesus, who, for a little while, was made lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour. Christ suffered, and then entered into glory: because "he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; therefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Observe the connexion between his humiliation and his triumph. "He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head." There is a connexion of succession. He had first to drink of the brook, and then to lift up the head. He did not, he could not, lift up his mediatorial head, until he had partaken of the brook. There is a connexion of influence: because he drank of the brook, he lifted up his head. His drinking of the brook gave him the right, invested him with the power, to lift up his head. The one was the consequence of the other; followed it not casually or accidentally, but, as an effect follows its cause, designedly and necessarily. Such suffering could not but lead to such glorious results. Messiah lifted up his head,

1. In paradise. He bowed his head amid the mockings of men, the machinations of demons, and the convulsions of nature, at that memorable ninth hour, three in the afternoon. He then passed the brook. His sufferings terminated. The scene of humiliation closed. The marshalled hosts of hell were confounded, defeated, and exhibited to the derision of the universe. The great redeeming work was done. And before six o'clock the same evening, he lifted up his head in paradise, and received the grateful homage of those myriads of departed saints who had entered into bliss, by virtue of his atonement, and who now saw that the sacrifice of their redemption had been actually offered. He presented the penitent thief, washed, justified, and sanctified, as the purchase of his blood, as a specimen of his power, as a pledge of his universal triumph. He lifted up his head,

2. From the tomb. He was taken from the cross, and wrapped in grave-clothes. He was laid in the dark, damp, solitary sepulchre. A great stone was rolled to its door. The royal seal was set on it. Roman soldiers were appointed to guard it. Men and devils conspired to detain him a prisoner there. "But who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save." The rising God forsakes his tomb. He wipes off the dishonour of the cross. He establishes his character. He gives the fullest evidence of the efficacy of his atonement. His resurrection is the proof, the pledge, the earnest, of the resurrection of his followers to eternal life. He lifted up his head,

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3. In heaven. When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. This exaltation was prefigured by Melchizedek, a royal Priest, a sacerdotal King. It was predicted by David: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand." It was necessary as an expression of God's approbation of all that he had done and suffered on earth, as a reward to his human nature, and in respect to his work, which was henceforth to be carried on by intercession. It was accordingly claimed by Christ. Father," said he, "I have glorified thee on the earth : I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." It really took place. He was received visibly, gloriously, and triumphantly into heaven. The disciples on the Mount of Olives saw him ascend. A bright cloud conducted him. The angels of God, in twenty thousand chariots, arrayed in their robes of state, attended him, and sang, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." The crystal portals opened before him. Amid the acclamations of the celestial hierarchy, he entered the city, ascended the throne, and swayed the sceptre. Every eye was turned towards him. Every heart glowed with admiration of him. Every tongue celebrated his praises. The thrones, and dominions, and principalities, and powers, fell prostrate before him, and, with a loud voice, said, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." He shall lift up his head,

4. Over all his enemies. He must reign until all his enemies have become his footstool. However numerous, or powerful, or subtle, or malignant, before his resistless energy they must fall. When he as

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cended his throne, the Roman empire was at the height of its renown. Its philosophy, and commerce, and arms were in the pride of their meridian strength; and all were employed to crush the Galilean. But whose was the supremacy? Which lifted up the head? Rome was taken and sacked, its idols were abolished, thousands of its inhabitants perished; and Christ was triumphant. And Jerusalem, where he drank of the brook, soon became a wilderness, and Judah a desolation. But he has been advancing from conquering to conquer, spoiling the spoiler, humbling the mighty, turning the counsel of the crafty into foolishness, and having the Kings of the earth, and the rulers together, in derision. He has been lifting up his head with a crown, brighter than encircling suns, and more beautiful than the gems of the morning. If men will not bow to his golden sceptre, he will rule them with his iron rod. they will not be subjugated, they must be destroyed. The hour is on the wing when he will lift up his head over the complete destruction of his foes, when infidelity shall be consumed, when Popery shall be cast as a mill-stone into the sea, when Mohammedanism shall be totally extinguished, when Paganism shall be utterly abolished, and when that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, shall be bound, and no longer deceive the nations. Then shall truth and righteousness, love and purity, spread their gentle reign, and smile with united beams through one cloudless day of universal beauty. Over a renovated world shall he lift up the head, arrayed in peerless majesty, enshrined in uncreated splendour. All the ends of the earth shall turn unto the Lord, and all kindreds of the nations shall worship before him. He shall lift up the head,

5. In the final judgment. "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it; from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them." "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. And the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." Yet, "hereafter, ye shall see the Son of Man coming in his glory." He shall come, not to found a kingdom, but to be publicly enthroned; not to make an experiment on a fallen world, but to show that the affairs of his government have been righteously and successfully administered; not to be insulted, but to be universally acknowledged. Not a spectator will deny his Godhead, nor dispute his Messiahship. From his very wounds shall dart forth a splendour that shall confound his enemies, and kindle the rapture of his friends. Infinite attributes will he display in all his judicial proceedings. The sentence he will pronounce, will be wise, equitable, and final; whether it be, "Come, ye blessed; or, "Depart, ye cursed." He will lift up his head,

6. Throughout eternity. He will never forget the brook at which he drank, nor lose the consequent reward. In the nature with which he partook of that stream, he will ever be the head of the whole glorified creation, the object of glory, praise, and delight. When his enemies are all subdued, he will not lay down his government. When his happy subjects are all gathered before his throne, he will not abdicate it. When

his crown affords him the richest joy, he will not take it off. Surely we are not to have a glimpse of him at the resurrection, and then see him no more for ever. Things to come will never be able to separate us from the love of Christ. The relation between him and us will be perpetual. The union will be inseparable. "Thou art the KING OF GLORY, O Christ." The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed us, and shall lead us unto living fountains of waters. We shall walk in his light. We shall live in his life. We shall share in his triumphs. We shall partake of his joy. We shall sing his praises. We shall dwell in his embraces for ever and ever. "To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and both now power, and ever."

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1. Let sinners be convinced of the folly and danger of opposing Christ. Some of you still say, "We will not have him to reign over us.' Remember whose authority it is you despise; whose laws they are you violate. He is a great King. He has all power. His arrows are sharp. Before his irresistible energy you must fall. Before his august throne you must tremblingly stand. His terrific voice you will soon hear: "Bring hither my enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me." But this need not be the case with any of you. Then, at once, kiss the Son, lest he be angry. Bow to his authority. Rest implicitly on his infinitely meritorious sacrifice; and you shall know, by delightful experience, that he is exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins.

2. Let saints be willing to suffer for their Master. You will have to drink of the brook in the way, before you lift up the head. But he is touched with the feeling of your infirmities. In all your affliction he is afflicted. His grace will be sufficient. Then compromise no principle. Shun no cross. Neglect no duty. Patiently endure every

trial. Fear not death. Dread not the grave. If you go with him into the darkness of the sepulchre, you shall rise with him into the splendour of an eternal day. "It is a faithful saying; For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him."

MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

SCRIPTURAL ESSAYS. (No. XIII.)

THE OBLIGATION OF THE BELIEVER TO WALK PERFECTLY WITH GOD.

IN TWO PARTS.

"The Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."-Gen. xvii. 1.

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PART II. BE THOU PERFECT."

WHILE the earliest declarations of the Covenant of Redemption contain, substantially, all that we find in its subsequent developments, yet, as was to be expected, it is in the Scriptures of the New Testament that we find the full and final expressions of the will of God our Saviour, in reference both to our duties and to our privileges. Among these expressions, what is termed the doctrine of Christian perfection occupies a prominent position; and it is a circumstance deserving our particular attention, that one of the first commands addressed to Abraham, as the official recipient of the covenant, the heritor of the world, the representative of the faithful, and the human fountain of the incorporated church, which from him has never failed to the present day, contains the plainly-stated germ of this doctrine. "Walk before me, and be thou perfect." The doctrine is co-eval with the covenant.

I. It is a remarkable circumstance, that in the New Testament, that integrity, richness, and maturity of Christian character to which we believe the term "Christian perfection" to be properly applied, is chiefly brought before us in the form of prayer. And in one passage, (1 Thess. v. 23, 24,) when St. Paul had prayed for the entire sanctification of those whom he was addressing, he immediately added, plainly showing that this was God's work, "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it ;" will effect in you this great work. But though, under one aspect, this is God's work, and, therefore, we cannot be called to perform that which can be performed only by himself, yet from the prayer of the Apostle it is plain that we are thus to pray; and from his reference to the divine faithfulness, that we are to pray, not as for a progressive movement, valuable as this might be, towards an unattainable good, but in expecting faith, looking for an answer to prayer, from the faithful Hearer of prayer. In another place, therefore, the same Apostle, in whose mind divine inspiration had placed the whole practical, as well as doctrinal, Gospel, in such an accuratelyadjusted system, says: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Even in relation to what is properly God's

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