1. The double aspect in which our Lord's suffer- ings should be viewed —
[We ought to view them as an atonement to God, and as an exemplar to man. As an atonement to God, we delight to contemplate them ; seeing that they are " a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world." Behold him, brethren, bearing his cross to Calvary, and there exhibited, a naked bloody spectacle, to angels and to men : behold him, I say, and bear in mind that he is a victim dying under the load of your sins, and effecting reconciliation for you with your offended God ■
At the same time we must not forget, that, as an exemplar, he shews to us what is the desert of sin, and what must in- fallibly overtake the impenitent and unbelieving sinner. Hear him, under the depths of dereliction, crying, " My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?" and see him dying under the wrath of God, who for our sakes " was pleased to bruise him:" and know that such hidings of God's face, and such endurance of his wrath, must be the everlasting portion of all who die in their sins. Yes, these things, which in the green tree were done for a season, shall be done in the dry, to all eternity
Never shall we have a just view of the Saviour's sufferings, unless these widely-different considerations be combined.]
2. The double operation which they should have upon our minds —
[Hope and fear should both be called forth into united and harmonious exercise. Need I say, that hope should be generated in our souls ? There is no other ground of hope for any child of man ; nor any reason for despondency to the vilest sinner upon earth. What cannot those sufferings expiate ? and for what can they not prevail to obtain pardon ? Not even the sin against the Holy Ghost is excepted on account of its enormity, but because, in its very essence, it contains a con- tempt of this all-sufficient remedy. I hesitate not to say, that that very blood which was then shed on Calvary will cleanse from all sin, even from the sin of shedding it. Lift up your eyes to Him, then, upon the cross, my brethren; and you shall, though your views be very indistinct, experience, like the wounded Israelites at the extremity of the camp, a healing efficacy to your souls — ■ — - —
Yet I would have you fear : for if God spared not his own Son, when sin lay upon him only by imputation, be assured he will not spare those who hold fast their iniquities in impe- nitence and unbelief. If God was a consuming fire to the green tree, be assured that he will be so likewise to the dry.