sons to glory, to make the captain of their sal vation perfect through sufferings For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren-Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'

For these beneficent purposes the Son of God became incarnate. 'He was made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.' He voluntarily became subject to its precepts and obnoxious to its penalty; and, as the head of his body the church, was obedient, suffered, and died. He is, therefore, emphatically styled, the se cond man-the Lord from heaven. The first Adam was the natural and federal head of his posterity: he did not act simply as an indivi

dual, but as the representative of mankind; consequently what he did in his own person, was, in one view, considered as done by them.

By: one man's disobedience many were made sinners By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation.' Now had our first father retained his primitive integrity, his offspring would undoubtedly have participated of his happiness: but as he apostatized from God, they were of course involved in the same guilt, the effects of which are daily experienced in a thousand forms, and which, together with actual transgression, remain on all his natural descendants.

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Now, by the assumption of human nature, the Lord Jesus Christ became our near kinsman, whose right it was to redeem. The word was made flesh, and dwelt among usWe are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones-He is the head of the church and he is the saviour of the body.' But prior to this astonishing act of condescension, the church was viewed as having a representative being in Christ. As mediator and head of

the church, he was set up from everlastinghe was the Father's elect, in whom his soul delighted. The elect are said to be given to him before the foundation of the world: to be chosen in him to be blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: and to have grace given them in him before the world began.' Christ and his church were considered as one mystical person.

For this church he gave himself; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, and present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.' He became "the repairer of breaches; or, in other words, he undertook to do all that the elect ought to have done in their own persons, and to suffer all that they might have eternally suffered as the just demerit of their sins. To speak in the astonishingly emphatical language of scripture

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us

all He came to give his life a ransom for many to suffer the just for the unjust to bear our sins in his own body on the tree→→→ to be made sin and a curse for us to pour out his soul unto death-that he might finish transgression; make an end of sing and bring in an everlasting righteousness.' Well, therefore, might the divine Jesus say, when instituting the ordinance in which his followers were to commemorate this wonderful transaction till his second coming-This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins: this do in remembrance of me.To which an apostle adds, from the same authority, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.

Now, what the Lord Jesus Christ did and suffered, was not on his own account, but on account of his body the church, of which he was constituted the representative. For if the Saviour of mankind be viewed simply as an individual; if we detach from his character, as mediator, the ideas of substitution and im

putation the imputation of our sin to him, and of his righteousness to us; the unparal leled sufferings he underwent, had they been ten thousand times greater than they actually were, can avail us nothing-they can have no reference to us: nor is it possible, without including these important facts, to account for the astonishing language of the divine Father when he said concerning him-Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the Man that is my Fellow: smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. Admit but the engagements of Christ as a surety, and there is no obscurity. He became answerable for our debt: the debt was exacted, without the least abatement. In this respect. God spared not his own. Son.' It is the federal relation which Christ sustains, that made the first Adam a striking figure of him that was to come; and is indeed the true reason why he is expressly denominated the second Adam. It is by the offence of one, that judgment came upon all men to condemnation; and it is by the obedience of one, that many are made righteous. Take away the circumstance of