fjiitlj in lilrt li.'ivin.f^ died for ns, is the principle or source of ilio (christian life. And this is the only form in wliich true re- liujion cnn now exist. Thjit is, the only tnie relit^ion now ])<)ssil)le is the worship, love, und service of the Lord .Jesus Christ. It is inij)ossible i'or ;i ni;in to turti his l).'i(tk on Christ and worshij) the (iod of n:iture or the (Jod of the Jews. Should :i ni.'ui rcive.'il himself to us iirst jis jm acqu:iint;mce, then :is ji fi-i(Mid, and then as a iiither, iilial reverence and de- votion would l)e the only form in Avhich sincere and true regard for him could (ixist. To deny him as father, would be to reject him as a frien<l and ac(|uaintaiice. Since, therefore, the same God wlio reveah'd himself first in nature, and then as the Jehovah of the Hebrews, lias nn'ealed himself in the ilesh, loving us and <lyin_<i; i'or our redemption, to deny him in this the cleiirest revelation of his l)eing and perfection, is to (l(;ny ]\\\n altogether. " Whoso denieth the Son, the same Iiath not the T ather," 1 John 2, 23. It is the practical or ex- j)erimental iorm of this great truth, which is presented in this 2)assMge.
JicA'anae 'tne thits pfdge. This clause assigns the reason why the love of (/hrist exerted the constraining power re- ferred to. It was because the aposth; judged that the death of C/lirist tor his peoi)le not only place(( tlu^m under the strongest ()l)ligation to devote themselves to his service, but it secured this devotion, ^fhey died in him. Jiom. 0, 4. 5. As t lu^ ])articii)l(^ [KpLuavra^) is in the aorist, it would be more sli-ictly reiuleied, hcnrKse v^c puhjed. That is, *I live for ('lirist, because when I became a (Miristiim I regarded his dying for me as involving the obligation and necessity of my living for him.' This Avas the as])ect under which he em- braced C'hi-istianity ; the judgment which he formed of it from the beginning. That if one died for all. The contrast ])resented, esix'cially in the epistle to tlie Hebrews, between th(^ priest and sacriHces of th(^ old economy on the one hand, and the high ])riest and sacriilce of the gospel on the other, is that those were many, these are one. The ancient priests could not continue by reason of death. Our high ])riest, be- ing a divine i)erson, and therefore^ ])ossessed of an endless life, ever lives to save. The sacrilices of the law were daily re- j>eated, because it was impossible that tlu^y should take away sin; Christ by the ollering up of himself hatii forever perfect- ed them that are sanctillcMl. Jlis blood cleanses from all sin. The a})ostle here ])resents him as the one priest and the one