having borne the curse due to them, he might take them all away from us for ever. This was the plan, which infinite wisdom contrived for the pardoning of sin in consistency with the divine perfections. Had the Governor of the universt received his apostate creatures to favour without any atonement, it might have appeared a light matter to transgress against him ; and he himself might have seemed indifferent about the rights of justice, and the honour of his government. But, by providing such a substitute, he at once discovered his abhorrence of iniquity, and shewed himself just, while he should justify those that believe in Jesus. Doubtless this was done with the consent and concurrence of his Son ; for otherwise it had been an act of injustice to him: but it was never- theless a fruit of the Father's love, and an expedient devised by him for the salvation of a ruined world ; an expedient never sufficiently to be admired, the theme of men and angels to all eternity.
How this operates to counteract our apostasy may easily be seen. In the state of man two things were to be remedied, the guilt of his departure, and his propensity to depart : and the same remedy was found effectual for both. By the death of Jesus in our stead, our guilt is cancelled, and justice itself is satisfied on our behalf. Moreover the gift of the Holy Spirit is procured for us, that by his operations, our nature may be changed, and we may be brought to delight as much in the ways of God as ever we de- lighted in the ways of sin. It is true, the very best of men have within them still a proneness to wander; and, if left to themselves, they would yet again depart from their good shepherd : but this is not their wish, as once it was ; nor can they for a single day be ab- sent from him without pain and sorrow, yea, without a determination instantly to return to him, and to watch more carefully against the beginnings of de- clension from him. St. Peter himself tells us, that, as this was the intent of our Saviour's death, so it is also its uniform effect : " he bare our sins in his own body on the tree :" do we ask for what end he bare