The literal penalty in all its parts has been from the first universally executed upon the entire race, in the same sense it was executed upon Adam. The apostle calls it a “ yudgment” and a “condemnation.” The same infallible authority declares (a) that “even so,” that is, we are made righteous through the obedience of Christ, upon the same principles as those upon which we have been made sinners through the disobedience of Adam ; and (b) that our union with Christ is of the same order, and involves the same class of effects, as our union with Adam. We call it a union both federal and vital. Others may call it what they please, but it will nevertheless remain certain that it is of such a nature as to involve an identity of legal relations and reciprocal obligations and rights: ‘For as by one man’s disobe- dience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Rom. v. 19). He is said to have “borne our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Pet, ii. 24). We are said to be “made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. v. 21); to have been “chosen 17 him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. i. 83-5). ‘“‘ Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John i 16). We are declared to be “complete in him, which is the Head of all principality and power” (Col. ii. 10); to be “ circumeised in Christ ;”
THE MYSTICAL UNION. FgY
to be ‘‘ buried with him in baptism” (Col. ii. 11, 12); and to be ‘‘quickened together with Christ, and made to sit together in heavenly places 72 Christ Jesus” (Eph. ii. 5, 6). In ourselves we are declared to be ‘‘ dead, and our life hid with Christ in God,” and Christ to be our “ life” (Col. iii. 3, 4). We do not live, but “Christ liveth in us” (Gal. ii. 20). We are “baptized into Christ” (Gal. iii. 27), and “sleep in Jesus” when we die (1 Cor. xv.18; 1 Thess. iv. 14), and our bodies are “members of Christ” (1 Cor. vi. 15). His death is said to have been virtually our death (Rom. vi. 8-11; and 2 Cor. v. 14, 15); and his resurrection from the dead to involve the certainty of er Cle@or: xVo. 20222): Philly ni 2t; fb John in...4) In him we have redemption—through his blood the remission of sins (Eph. i. 7). We share with him in his righteousness (1 Cor. 1. 30), in his sufferings (Phil. 11. TO;11)) in. his Holy Spirit: (Rom? vii. 9)... We are declared to be “joint heirs with him,” ordained to have fellowship hereafter with him in his glory, as now in his suffering (Rom. viii. 17), and to sit with him on his throne (Rev. ui. 21). As St. Augustine long ago noticed: ‘“‘Such is the ineffable closeness of this trans- cendental union, that we hear the voice of the members suffering, when they suffered in the Head, and cried through the Head on the cross, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ And, in like manner, we hear the voice of the Head suffering, when he suffered in his members, and cried to the persecutor on the way to Damascus, ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mee”
The nature of this union is further set forth by means of several titles applied to Christin view of his relation tous. Thus he is called our “second” or “last Adam” (1 Cor, xv. 45-47), our “ Head” (Eph. i. 22; iv. 15; Col. mm 18), our “Hogh Priest (Heb, ix. 11 and v1): “For
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CHAPTER XIII.
192 THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT.
every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaiming to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” As I have abundantly proved,* the function of the priest was uniformly to represent man before God, and not God before man. The efficiency of his work was designed to terminate upon God, and not upon man. He is called also the “ Mediator between God and men” (1 Tim. i. 5); which is explained by the accompanying phrase, “ Who gave himself as a substitu- tionary ransom in the stead of all.’ And in Heb. viii. 3—6, and ix. 11-15, he is set forth as Mediator in his capacity of high priest. Hence he cannot be mediator,
‘as Young insists he is, in his constantly referred-to