tures have ever led me to look upon in the light of the prime and most important result of his office, as Mediator between God and men, I have never yet attempted to explain to you in what manner this propitious cause has produced its blessed effect; or how the laying down of the life of Christ should be the ransom of ours. This I have not attempted to explain; and why? Because the scriptures have left this unexplained; and I have always thought it both presumptuous, and somewhat criminal, on a point of this kind especially, to go beyond the explanations of unerring wisdom. It is enough for me to be taught in scripture, that "Christ Jesus the righteous is the propitiation for our sins, and for the sins of the whole world ;" and that "his blood cleanseth from all sin ;" and I shall not be over anxious to be made acquainted with the nature of the process by which this invaluable object is effected. Give me the result, and my ignorance of the process will do me no harm. The probability is, I could not at all understand it. And although I could, if I find on searching the scriptures, that this knowledge is withheld from me, I shall no more think of disputing or of doubting the fact, on that account, than I should think of disputing or doubting the fact of my own existence, or of the union of my soul and body; though all I can be said to know about either of them is, that it is a fact. Christianity is a religion of facts, rather

than of explanations-of facts whereon to rest our faith, rather than explanations whereon to exercise our reason. And, on the subject of the redemption that is in Christ, the most cheering and important facts may be disclosed, whilst all explanation of them is withheld. That which is disclosed, is the revelation-that which is withheld, is the mystery; and to attempt explaining the mystery, is only "darkening counsel by words without knowledge." Let us be thankful for what we are allowed to see and know-let us learn to treat with reverence that which is withheld from us.

I have been led, by the great importance of the subject, into such a lengthened review of that part of Christ's mediatorial character, wherein he has fulfilled the office of a Saviour-of a Redeemer-and, especially, of his death upon the cross, as a sacrifice for sin-that I do not deem it necessary to my present purpose to go into detail upon the several other high offices of our Mediator, which I enumerated in the outset; his offices of King and Head of the Church universal; of Advocate and Intercessor at the right hand of God; and of ordained Judge of the quick and of the dead. Any one of these, did time permit, and were there occasion for it, might be shown to afford equal testimonies to the divinity of his nature, with that which we have just contemplated at some length.

K

How should it be supposed that a being so circumscribed and limited as man, could sustain the character of King and Head of the Church universal? or be with his ministers, and "in the midst of his servants, wherever they have met together in his name," till the end of time?

How should it be supposed that a being belonging to the humble family of man, should be so highly exalted as to be placed in pre-eminent glory on the right hand of God; and having access immediately to the ear of the Almighty, perform the high office of Advocate and Intercessor for our fallen race?

Above all, how is it to be supposed that a being of such scanty knowledge as man, should be set upon the tribunal of the Most High, and ordained to decide the final and everlasting condition of all mankind?

Such appointments as these, on the supposition of his mere humanity, to me would be utterly inconceivable. But admit the divinity of Christ-believe him to be "the image of the invisible God," "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person ;"possessed of all the communicable attributes of Deity--all the excellencies, dignities, and glories which the Son of God can possibly derive from the Father of the universe ;-admit this, and the difficulties I have mentioned vanish at once.

It is, I trust, unnecessary to dwell farther on

these topics. But let me request it of you to reflect again upon the solid proof of the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, furnished by his principal, and to us most deeply interesting office of Redeemer, or Saviour of sinners. If you truly believe, as the scriptures instruct you, that the Son of God "offered himself a sacrifice for the sin of the world ;" and that by that one offering, he hath made atonement for sin, and perfected for ever them that are sanctified-if you truly believe these things, you can have no doubt of the divinity of Christ: for who among men, who among the sons of the mighty, who but the "only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth," should be thought sufficient for these things? And, on the other hand, if you truly believe in the scripture view of the divinity of the Saviour, as the beloved Son of God, who had glory with the Father before the foundation of the world-if you believe him to be, in truth, that dignified and glorious being which the scriptures represent him, you cannot but conclude that his errand here below was of high and momentous import; that his death upon the cross must have done, for the redemption of fallen man, that which was altogether beyond the reach of men and angels to effect.

These great gospel doctrines of the divinity of Christ, and of his propitiation for sin, reflect mutual light and testimony on each other. As

the vast value of the work proves the high dignity of the agent, so the divinity of the agent bears witness to the dignity of his work. If either of them be true, they are both true. And he that can doubt either of them, after reading his Bible with attention, must have a mind constituted very differently from mine.

Before I part with this topic,—I mean the atonement, or propitiation, effected by the death of Christ, there is a point of view in which I would have you regard it; (though this may come again, and with more propriety, under review on another branch of our subject ;) there is, I say, a view of the death of Christ, which may be new to some of you, and had not always a place in my own mind, but which has latterly given me, and, if I can put you in distinct possession of it, will, I doubt not, impart to you also not only a more intelligible, but a much higher and more interesting idea of the doctrine of the atonement, than can properly belong to either of the extreme systems-the Athanasian and Socinian creeds: the first of which, properly understood, must lead to very humble sentiments of the propitiation effected by the death of Christ; and such an idea is scarcely, if at all, admitted by the latter. It is worthy of observation, that these extremes, which appear to diverge so widely, do yet approach so near, as almost to meet, on the subject we have been considering—