But, formidable as these obstacles were, we behold in our text,
II. The way in which they are removed —
All has been done for man that was required of man —
[A substitute has been provided for our guilty race. The Son of God himself has come down from heaven, and been made under the law, that, in the very nature that had sinned, he might bear the penalty of sin, and fulfil the utmost po^sible demands of that law which we had broken. True it is, that the
law "■ Rom. v. 12—19. & vi. 23.
2M Tsxrm, lxxxv, 9, 10. [30^^,
la^ denounced eternal death ; and that Christ bore that penalty only tor a season : but then it must be remembered, that he was God, as well as man : and from his godhead is derived a virtue on all that he did or suffered, a virtue which is fully adequate to the obedience or sufferings of the whole world. Indeed the law gains more honour by the sufferings of our incarnate God, than it ever could have done from the sufferings of the whole human race : for, if man had undertaken to pay the penalty, no time could ever have arrived, when it might be said, " Now Divine justice is satisfied, and the law has received a full com- pensation for the dishonour done to it :" but in the sufferings of God's co-equal Son there is "a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world." In his obedience also to the law there is an honour done to it far beyond all that could have accrued to it from the obedience of man. That God himself should become subject to his own law, and fulfil in his own person all that is required of his creatures, is such an exalted honour to the law, that it may well be re- garded as a sufficient substitute for the obedience of man, and as an adequate ground for the justification of all who shall trust in it'^^]
Thus a way is opened for man's salvation, in perfect consistency with every perfection of the Deity—
[" Truth and righteousness" are now completely satisfied. They demanded a perfect fulfilment of the law ; and the law has been perfectly fulfilled : they demanded the penalty of death to be inflicted on account of sin ; and it has been inflicted on the sinner's substitute. Now as a debt, discharged by a surety, can no longer be demanded of the principal, so can our debt be no longer demanded of us, if we plead what Christ has done and suffered for us. And, as a thing purchased for any person, be- longs to him for whom it was purchased, so we, who have all the glory of heaven purchased for us by our adorable Emmanuel, have a right to it, if we plead the purchase he has made. Hence it appears, that truth and righteousness are no longer against us, but are rather on our side ; and, instead of demanding, as before, the destruction of our souls, are become advocates for our free and full salvation. Justice now says. Pay them, O God, what their Redeemer has purchased for them : and Truth says. Fulfil to them, O Lord, all that thou hast promised to those who be- lieve in Jesus.]
But let us more particularly consider,
III. The blessed consequences of the removal of them —
[Salvation " Isai. xlii. 21.
393,] god's PERPECTION-S RECONCILED IN CHRIST, 287
[Salvation is now accessible to all : it is come both to Jewd and Gentiles : " It is near unto us." To those especially *' who fear the Lord," it is near, even " in their mouth and in their heart '^." No longer does the fiery sword prohibit our access to the tree of life. " Mercy " has now full scope for the freest exercise. God can now be " a just God, and yet a Saviour®." He " declares his righteousness," no less than his mercy, " in the forgiveness of sins ; and is just, and yet the justifier of all who believe in Christ V Hence he proclaims " peace" to all that are afar off s. He establishes his tabernacle in the midst of us : and invites all to come unto him, even to his mercy-seat, in full assurance of faith. " In every corner of the land his glory dwells'':" and all who truly fear him may have daily *' fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." The maimer in ivhich this assertion is inade, deserves particular attention : ** Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him." This blessed truth admits not of the smallest doubt : it may be fully and firmly depended upon. A spring of great elastic force does not more certainly rise up when the superincumbent pressure is withdrawn from it, than mercy issues from the bosom of our God now that the obstacles to its exercise are removed.]