perfect glory. For between us and the celestial city are dangers any of which is enough to swallow us up. But if he who comes to save is a perfect Saviour, he must lead us safely through all these, and not leave us till he has brought us within the golden gatel! where no foe can enter. Christ claims to do that. "He is able to save them to the uttermost," etc. 4-. A perfect Savioor and a perfect salvation in him-what a pillow for weary man to lay his head upon I It must be so, for " it became him to make the Author of our salvation perfect." III. IT BECAME Goo TO MAKE THE SAVIOUR PERFECT THROUGH lllJFFEI\INOS. Does not the text imply that God was shut up to this mode of saving'? "It became him " for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing," etc. That i~, God's boundless resources, his unlimited power and wisdom, were or no avail here; only through Christ crucified was salvation possible. Observe that it did not become God to save in any other way, because: 1. Only thus could salvation be in harmony with his ma;"esty. Men say such condescension as is implied in the Deity of Jesus of Nazareth is derogatory to the Godhead ; it is inconceivable that the majesty of the Most High should stoop to such a depth. But all God's attributes are equal; his condescension, therefore, must be as great as his majesty. Because his majesty is infinite, no less than infinite condescension would become him. 2. Only thus could salvation be in harmony with his holiness. The salvation Gotl gives must be consistent with bis in:6.uite dis- pleasure at sin. His attributes are inseparable ; all that God is is in every part of him, and every deed. As he cannot do what is not love, neither can he do what is not holiness. He could not, then, pardon sin without at the same time uttering his abhorrence of sin. How could he do this apart from the cross? 3. Only thus could salvation be in harmony with his ;"ustice. The problem to be solved was-how to be "a just God and a Saviour;" true to the honour of his Law, the rectitude of his government, the integrity of his word, and at the same time extend mercy to the sinner ; how at once fulfil nod yet remit the threatened penalty? No saivation could become him in which those requirements were not equally met. How could they be met but in the substitutionary sacrifice o[Christ- " the Just for the unjust"? (Beware of the theory that the atonement was unjust because God thereby punished the innocent for the guilty. 'l'hat is not true; God never did that. He took the suffering on himself. He who atoned was God.) 4. Only thus could salvation be in harmony with his love. For one end of the atonement was to reveal God's love, and so mnke holiness possible to man; for of that holiness God's love is the mainspring. The atonement, therefore, must be the highest expression of Divine love. That was only reached at Calvary. It therefore became God to make the Saviour perfect through sufferings. ls not " the offence of the cross" removed nowt IV. IT BEOAHE Goo, THROUGH TBIS SAVIOUR PERFECTED BY SUFFERINGS, TO BllING HA.NY SONS UNTO GLORY. 1. It becomes him to mal,e use of this perfected Saviour to the full. Having made Uhrist a Saviour at such cost, it would not become him not to make the greatest use of him. To make such sacrifice to get the power to save and then not to use that power would be inconsistent, would cancel his own undertaking. In con- sistency God cannot withhold giving this perfect salvation to whosoever will. 2. It becomes him to reward this perfected Saviour to the utmost. What shall be the recom- pense for the Redeemer's sufferings? What result shall become such woo as his? I see in distant vision "many sons brought unto glory; " "a great multitude, which no man can. number," etc. Yea," he shall see of the travail of his soul, and be," ctc.-0. N.
Vers. 11-16.-The Incarnation a necessity of the redeeming work of Christ. A third argument to justify the Incarnation. The writer has already shown, first, that the Incarnation was not degrading; and second, that it was actually becoming; he here goes on to say that it was necessary. Subject-The Incarnation a necessity of the redeem- ing work of Christ. I. OUR LORD ON EARTH WAS A MAN AMONGST MEN. (Ver. 11.) "Partook of the same" (ver. 14). As usual, the writer appeals to the Jewish Scriptures; they assert, he says, the humanity of the Messiah. 1. The doctrine of the Incarnation is based on the entire revelation of God. It does not depend 011 "proof-texts," b_ut. underlies the whole Book; it is the truth which gives unity to the whole, so that 1f 1t be removed the Scriptures fall to pieces and are inexplicable. How delicately it is woven into tho web of Scripture and pervade11 the whole fabric, is seen in tho particular texts the apostle i4 THE EPISTLE 'l'O THE HEBREWS. [ea. u. 1-18.