atoning character of Christ's death. That death was no common death, like the death of a martyr, or of other holy men. It was the publicjp^yTn^nt^by an Almighty Representative, of theTTeoTs of sinful man to a holy God. It was the ransom which a Divine Surety under- took to provide, in order to procure liberty for sinners, tied and bound by the chain of their sins. By that death Jesus made a full and complete satisfaction for man's countless transgressions. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. The Lord laid on Him the ini- quity of us all. When He died, He died for us. When He suffered, He suffered in our stead. When He hung on the cross, He hung there as our Substitute. When His blood flowed, it was the price of our souls.
Let all who trust in Christ take comfort in the thought that they build on a sure foundation. It is true that we are sinners, but Christ has borne our sins. It is true that we are poor helpless debtors, but Christ has paid our debts. It is true that we deserve to be shut up for ever in the prison of hell. But thanks be to God, Christ hath paid a full and complete ransom for us. The door is wide open. The prisoners may go free. May we all know this privilege by heartfelt experience, and walk in the blessed liberty of the children of God.*
* The manner in which our Lord uses the word baptism in the passage now expounded, deserves careful notice. He says to two disciples, who were already baptized with water, " Can ye be bap- tized with the baptism that I am baptized with ?" The expression is very remarkable. It is a clear proof that in the New Testament a sacramental dipping or sprinkling with water is not always i sarily implied by the word baptism. It establishes the fact that there is such a thing as being baptized, in a certain sense, without the use of any outward ordinance at all.
221