Socinians, who maintain, that he did not suffer and die in our
stead, but only for our good; or to confirm his doctrine, and to
leave us an example of patience and resignation to the will of God
under our suffering. His proper suretyship is also denied by the
Neonomians, who maintain, that 'he only satisfied divine justice for
sinners, in so far as it was necessary to render it consistent with
God's honor to enter into lower terms of salvation with them.' And
it is likewise denied by all those who are opposed to the doctrine
of the imputation of our sins to Christ, and are the advocates of a
general and indefinite atonement." They may speak of Christ as the
substitute of sinners, and of his sufferings as vicarious, but the
doctrine of his proper suretyship, which necessarily involves the
imputation to him of the guilt of his people, and his endurance of
the punishment which they had incurred, can have no place in their
system. In Scripture, however, the term surety is expressly applied
to Christ.—Hebrews 7:22. And he is not, as Socinians allege, a
surety for God, to secure the performance of his promises to us, but
a surety to God for elect sinners; and, as such, engaged to pay the
debt of obedience which they owed to the law, as a covenant of
works, and the debt of punishment which they had contracted by sin.
That the sins of his people were imputed to him, is plainly
affirmed: "The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah
53:6. It is declared, that Christ suffered, for sins, for the
unjust, for the transgressions of his people; which necessarily
supposes that he was charged with their guilt.—1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah
53:8. All the sacrifices offered by divine appointment, under the
legal dispensation, were typical of the death of Christ; but all the
legal sacrifices were vicarious—the guilt of the offender was
transferred to the sin-offering, which was signified by laying his
hands on the head of the victim; and, to show that the type is
realized in our Lord's substitution in the room of his people, he is
said to have borne their sins in his body on the tree.—1 Peter 2:24.
It is impossible to account for the sufferings and death of Christ,
in consistency with the goodness and equity of God, in any other way
than by admitting the doctrine of his suretyship; for, he had no sin
of his own, and must, therefore, have suffered in the stead of
others, that he might make a proper satisfaction to divine justice
for their sins. This alone lays a foundation for the imputation of
Christ's satisfaction to his people. He obeyed and suffered as their
surety: and, upon this ground, what he did and suffered is placed to
their account, and becomes effectual for their salvation.—2
Corinthians 5:21. From this it necessarily follows, that Christ
suffered and died only for the definite number of our race that were
given to him by the Father, unless we embrace the system of
universal salvation. If Christ stood as the surety of every
individual of the human race, the conclusion is inevitable, either
that all mankind must be saved, or that Christ has failed in
accomplishing the work which he undertook.

This section further states what Christ did in the discharge of his
mediatory office, and that both in his humbled and in his exalted
state. In the former state—

1. He was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it. The law
under which Christ was made was the moral law, not as a rule of
life, but under the form of a covenant, demanding perfect obedience
as the condition of life, and full satisfaction for man's
transgression. Christ was not originally a debtor to the law, but he
voluntarily came into a state of subjection to it, as the surety of
sinners; and he both fulfilled its precept and endured its penalty.
All his obedience and sufferings, as the subject of law, were in no
respect for himself, but entirely in the stead of his people; and by
his service, the law was not merely fulfilled, but magnified and
made honorable.—Isaiah 42:21.

2. He suffered both in soul and in body. His sufferings were various
in kind, and extreme in degree. Throughout his life, he was "a man
of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." He suffered much from men,
not only from avowed enemies, but also from pretended friends, and
even from his own disciples. He was also assailed by Satan's
temptations. But, besides what he endured by the agency of
creatures, he suffered from the more immediate hand of God himself
as a rectoral judge. "It pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to put
him to grief." As Socinians deny the penal nature of our Lord's
sufferings, so they limit them to what he endured through the agency
of creatures; but unless we admit that he suffered in his soul from
the immediate hand of God, as an offended judge, exacting of him
satisfaction for the sins of those whose cause he had undertaken, we
cannot account for his dreadful agony in the garden of Gethsemane,
and for his bitter lamentation on the cross. He sustained, for a
season, the loss of the sensible manifestations of his Father's
love, and the awful pressure of God's judicial displeasure on
account of sin. This it was that drew from him these doleful
complaints: "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" "My
God, my God, why hat you forsaken me?"

3. He was crucified, and died. Death was the penalty of the law, and
the just wages of sin; death, therefore, behooved to be endured by
the surety of sinners. Though Christ had obeyed the precept of the
law, and endured the most exquisite sufferings in the course of his
life, yet, had he not submitted to death, all had been unavailing
for our redemption. But, "he became obedient unto death;" and the
death to which he was subjected was, of all others, the most
lingering, the most painful, and the most ignominious, "even the
death of the cross." It was also an accursed death; for it was
written in the Jewish law, "He who is hanged is accursed of God."
Deuteronomy 21:23. A curse seems to have been annexed to this mode
of execution, in order to signify beforehand the curse under which
Christ lay when he underwent this kind of death.—Galatians 3:10. His
death was violent, in respect of the instrumentality of men, who
"slew him with wicked hands;" but, on his own part, it was
voluntary. John 10:18. And, let us never forget, that his death was
vicarious; for, if it had not possessed this character, we could
have derived no higher benefit from his death than from that of
prophets, apostles, and martyrs. "Christ died for our sins,
according to the Scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3.

4. He was buried, and remained under the power of death for a time.
Had he revived as soon as he was taken down from the cross, his
enemies might have pretended that he was not really dead, and his
friends would not have had sufficient evidence that he was actually
dead. Therefore, to prove the reality of his death, upon which the
hopes and happiness of his people depend, he was laid in a
sepulcher, and continued under the power of death for three days and
three nights. He was buried, also, to sanctify the grave to his
followers, that it might be to them a place of repose, where their
bodies may rest until the resurrection.

Let us think of the dreadful malignity and awful desert of sin,
which was the procuring cause of the sufferings and death of our
Savior. Let us admire "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who,
though he was rich, yet for our sakes be came poor, that we through
his poverty might be rich." And though it was only in the human
nature that he was capable of suffering and dying, let us never
forget the dignity of his person. He who was crucified on Calvary,
was "the Lord of glory" and when he lay in Joseph's tomb, he was
still "the Lord." 1 Corinthians 2:8; Matthew 28:6.

The Spirit of Christ in the Old Testament prophets, testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should
follow; his humiliation was, accordingly, succeeded by a glorious
exaltation, that he might receive inconceivable glory for himself,
as the reward of his work on earth, and also that he might continue
to exercise all his mediatory offices for the good of his Church.
The several steps of his exaltation are here enumerated, on each of
which we shall offer a few brief remarks.

1. He rose from the dead on the third day. The resurrection of
Christ was necessary, that ancient predictions might be fulfilled,
and ancient types realized; and, also, that we might be assured of
the perfection of that satisfaction and righteousness which he
finished upon the cross. His resurrection is a well attested fact.
The number of the witnesses was amply sufficient—they could not be
themselves deceived, and it is equally incredible that they could
intend to deceive others—they gave the best proof men could give
that they firmly believed what they testified; for they published
the fact at the hazard of their lives, and many of them sealed their
testimony with their blood. Christ rose with the same body that had
been crucified and laid in the grave; this was evinced by its
bearing the marks of the wounds which he received by the nails and
the spear. John 20:20. The disciples were glad when they saw the
Lord, and his resurrection is a source of unspeakable joy to his
followers in every age. His supreme Deity was thereby vindicated—his
divine mission and the truth of the doctrine which he taught was
fully confirmed—the sufficiency and acceptableness of the sacrifice
which he offered up was attested—incontestable evidence was given of
his decisive victory over death and the grave—and believers have now
a certain pledge and infallible assurance of their joyful
resurrection to eternal life.

2. He ascended into Heaven. After his resurrection, he continued
forty days on earth, that he might afford his disciples infallible
proofs of his being alive after his passion, and that he might
instruct them in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. He
then ascended from the mount called Olivet, in the presence of his
disciples, attended by a glorious retinue of angels, by a local
translation of his human nature from earth to Heaven, into which he
was welcomed by the shouts and acclamations of its inhabitants.
Psalm 47:5. He ascended on high, that he might take possession of
the glory which he had so justly merited; that he might send down
the Holy Spirit in his miraculous gifts and sanctifying influences
upon his Church and people; that he might rule, govern, and defend
his people, as their exalted king; that he might make powerful
intercession for them; and that he might prepare a place for them,
and take possession of the heavenly inheritance in their name.

3. He sits at the right hand of God. This phrase must obviously be
understood in a figurative sense; for God, being a spirit, has no
bodily parts. Among men, the right hand is the place of honor and
respect, and Christ is represented as set down at the right hand of
God, to denote the inconceivable dignity and glory to which, as
God-man, he is now advanced, and the sovereign authority and
dominion with which he is invested.—Ephesians 1:20, 22. His sitting
at the right hand of God, implies the perfection of his rest, his
security from all adversaries, and the everlasting continuance of
his glorious state.—Hebrews 10:12.

Is Christ so highly exalted? Then we have no reason to be ashamed of
the cross of Christ; for he who "endured the cross is now set down
at the right hand of the throne of God." We may be assured of the
preservation of his Church on earth, and that all the plots of his
and her enemies must prove vain devices.—Psalm 2:1–4. And, as Christ
ascended and sat down at the right hand of God, as the head and
representative of his people, in his exaltation they may behold the
pledge and pattern of their own exaltation.—Ephesians 2:6.

4. He is now making intercession for his people. His intercession
consists in his appearing before God in the nature and name of his
people, presenting the merit of his atoning sacrifice as the ground
of his pleadings in their behalf, and intimating his desire to the
Father, in a manner suited to his exalted state, that the blessings
which he has purchased for them may be enjoyed by them. He
intercedes, "not for the world, but for them which the Father has
given him;" and he pleads for every one of them particularly, in a
suitableness to their diversified circumstances. John 17:9; Luke
22:32. His intercession is as extensive as the promises of the new
covenant, and the blessings which he has purchased by his death;
particularly, he prays that those who are not yet converted may be
brought to the knowledge of the truth; that the converted may be
preserved in a state of grace, and upheld in the hour of temptation;
that their persons and services may be accepted with God; that they
may be progressively sanctified; and that they may, in due tune, be
glorified.—John 17. His intercession is ever prevalent and
successful.—Psalm 21:2; John 11:42. The prevalent efficacy of his
intercession may be inferred from the dignity of his person, and the
endearing relation in which he stands to the Father. Not only is the
advocate dear to the Father, but the clients for whom he pleads are
also the objects of the Father's special love.—John 16:27. Christ's
pleadings in their behalf are always conformable to his Father's
will—they are founded upon the sacrifice which he offered up, with
which the Father has declared himself well pleased; the Father has
also bound himself by promise to grant unto Christ all his requests,
and his covenant shall stand fast with him, and his faithfulness
shall not fail. This should engage us to love Christ with a supreme
affection; it should attract our hearts from earth to Heaven, and
fit our affections and desires on things above; it should encourage
us to "come boldly to the throne of grace;" and it should constrain
us to live to Christ, to plead his cause, and promote his interests
on earth.

5. He shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.
This is a truth clearly revealed, and fully attested in the Sacred
Records. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, foretold it in solemn
language.—Jude 14. The Old Testament Scriptures abound with promises
of the second as well as of the first coming of Christ.—Psalm 50:3;
96:13; 98:9. The apostles, with one voice, proclaim this truth.—1
Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9. Angels bear witness to
the same truth.—Acts 1:11. It is confirmed by the infallible
testimony of Christ himself.—Matthew 26:64; Rev. 22:7, 12, 20. He
will come personally and visibly—with great power and glory. The
time of his coming, though fixed in the councils of Heaven, is to us
unknown; but it will be sudden and unexpected, and should be
regarded by us as near at hand.—Matthew 25:13; James 5:8, 9. The
great end of his coming is to judge the world, when he will
pronounce the final doom of angels and men, and will consummate the
salvation of his people.—Hebrews 9:28.

We should accustom ourselves to frequent and serious thoughts about
the coming of our Lord, for it is an event in which we are deeply
i