whom it was directly made. But we are authorized to extend it to all who possess the same character and are placed in similar circumstances. Accordingly, what the apostle said to Corinthian Christians, in his time, we are now authorized to say to all, "who have obtained like precious faith," to all believers: Ye are bought with a price.

man.

If it be inquired again, what is meant by the term, bought, as used in application to the redemption of sinners? We answer that it involves a strong metaphor, in allusion to the emancipation of slaves. We add, the propriety and force of this figure of speech evidently depends on another, which the sacred writers have employed in describing the natural state of fallen This is frequently represented as a state of bondage, of slavery, of captivity. Impenitent sinners are expressly said to be "under the bondage of corruption;" "sold under sin;" "serving divers lusts and passions;" even "led captive at the will of Satan." In allusion, therefore, to the usual manner, in which captives and slaves are redeemed and restored to liberty, by the interposition of friends and the payment of a ransom, deliverance from this state of sin and misery is aptly expressed by the metaphor in the text. The consistency of the Scriptures on this subject may be traced still further. For sinners are not only represented as captives or slaves, and the manner of their deliverance expressed by the payment of a ransom; but the state, into which they are brought, when thus delivered, is denoted by a corresponding figure; it is called a state of freedom, of liberty; yes, of the glorious liberty of the children of God.

By the metaphor, bought, therefore, we may understand deliverance from the power and condemnation of sin; or what is clearly and definitely expressed by

our apostle, in another place, where he says, "Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." Indeed, this is the very nature and object of the redemption of Christ. It is a redemption not from punishment only, but from sin also; a deliverance not from misery merely, but from that which is "the cause of all our woes" likewise. The Son of man came to redeem, to ransom, to save his people from their sins. We may add, the terms redeem and ransom as well as bought are frequently used, to denote this deliverance from the bondage of sin and death. Thus our Saviour said of himself expressly: "The Son of man has come to give his life a ransom for many." And thus an inspired apostle declared: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law."

We shall finish our illustration of the doctrinal part of the text, with a few remarks on the value of this ransom, the price of this redemption. "Ye are bought," says the apostle to believers, "with a price." The term price, in this connection, is emphatic. It is of high import. For we are repeatedly told by the inspired apostles, that this price was no less than the blood of Christ. In proof of this position, I might refer you to many passages in their epistles. One, however, is sufficient for our present purpose. In the eighteenth and nineteenth verses of the first chapter of the first epistle of Peter, you will find the following appeal to Christians: "Forasmuch as ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

The phrase, blood of Christ, is here unquestionably used in a figurative sense, to denote all his sufferings

for us, in the manger, in the wilderness, in the garden and on the cross; all that was laid upon him, in accomplishing the work of redemption; all that he endured, when he left the bosom of the Father, took upon him the form of a servant, submitted to reproach and persecution, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and died, the just for the unjust, that we might have redemption through faith in his blood, might be made the righteousness of God, in him and thus obtain everlasting life. By the blood of Christ, as the price of our redemption, therefore, we are to understand all his sufferings for us, as sinners; but more especially his final sufferings, his agonies in the garden and his death on the cross. And, that he did thus suffer for us, on account of our sins, in order to deliver us from the power of sin and the curse of the law, and restore to us the image and favor of God, is abundantly evident from the whole tenor of the Scriptures. "He was wounded," says the prophet Isaiah, speaking of his sufferings by way of anticipation, “He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed." "He was delivered" says the evangelist John, in giving the history of his actual sufferings, "He was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification." "He gave himself for us;" "bare our sins in his own body on the tree;" "became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," say the inspired apostles in their sacred epistles, "that he might redeem us from all iniquity," "that he might reconcile us to God," "that we might obtain everlasting life through him." But time would fail me, were I to attempt to recite all the passages, in which he is said to have suffered and died for us; in which he is represented, as our surety,

Redeemer, Saviour; in which he is declared to have been a ransom, a propitiation, a sacrifice for us.

The doctrine of the atonement, as thus taught in the text, it must be admitted, involves a mystery; a mystery, which we cannot explain. But for our reconciliation to it, let us remember, that it is a mystery of love, of compassion, of divine condescension. It is a mystery, we are told, into which even angels desire to look; but it is one which they; which the highest created intelligences cannot understand. Much less, then, should we expect to comprehend these deep counsels of God; and be able to measure "the height and depth and length and breadth of this love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." Why it was necessary for the healing of the nations, that the Son of man should be lifted up, even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, for the healing of the children of Israel; why it was according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, that Christ should be betrayed and crucified; why the eternal Word was obliged to be made flesh, assume human nature, and in this humble form die on the cross, in order to condemn sin in the flesh, and redeem sinners from its power and condemnation; why it was needful for him to become a propitiatory sacrifice, give his life a ransom, and die the just for the unjust, that God might be just in justifying them that believe; why God could not have forgiven, reconciled, and saved rebellious men, without this great sacrifice, this mysterious condescension, the shedding of this precious blood, this vast expense of the riches of divine grace; why, in a word, some other, and (if I may so speak without irreverence,) some cheaper method of redemption could not have been devised, consistently with the harmony of. the divine attributes, the honor of the divine law, the

stability of the divine government, and the glory of the divine nature; He only could fully know, whose knowledge is infinite; and he only could first tell, who has told us in his word, that thus it must be; that "the Son of man must be lifted up;" that "without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin."

It is true, we may now see something of the design, learn something of the peculiar benefits, and behold something of the glory of this wonderful scheme of redemption; and may thus be able to meet objections,

And vindicate the ways of God to man.

But even now fully to comprehend it, in its origin, progress and completion, belongs not to finite intelligence. Originating in infinite benevolence, contrived by infinite wisdom, executed by infinite power, and producing infinite glory, the plan of man's redemption can be fully comprehended by no being, except by him, who possesses infinite knowledge.

But does the mystery of the doctrine diminish the importance of it to man? Shall the magnitude of the price of our redemption, the value of the ransom paid for us, the incomprehensible nature of the benefit offered, induce us to reject the great salvation? Will any despise the riches of divine grace, tread under foot the blood of the everlasting covenant, turn a deaf ear to the calls of mercy, do despite to the spirit of God, and obstinately perish in their sins; because the work of redemption involves a mystery; because they cannot fathom the depths of divine wisdom, nor comprehend all the counsels of Heaven? O, the folly; the presumption; the madness of depraved and short-sighted man!

The facts, that Christians are bought, or ransomed, or redeemed, with a price; that this price is the pre