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from me!" He drank of it, and exclaimed, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" But it pleased the Lord to bruise him, Jehovah put him to grief, when he made his soul an offering for sin. O the tremendous agony which he endured! O the depths of woe through which he waded! Othe waves and billows of divine wrath, that went over him!

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"Our sins deserved a hell,

And Christ that hell endured,
Guilt broke his guiltless heart,
With wrath that we incurred:
We bruised his body, spilt his blood,
And both became our heavenly food."

"He

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Sin, all the sin placed to his account, was put away by his death. He carried sin to the cross, but not to Joseph's tomb. bare our sins in his own body on the tree.' "He put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." By one offering he perfected for ever, them that are sanctified." He made a full atonement, he gave perfect satisfaction, and by him all who believe are justified from all things. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Every believer may now triumphantly ask, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also mak eth intercession for us." Blessed, for ever

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blessed be God, for placing our sins, to the account of Jesus-for punishing our sins in the person of Jesus-for putting away, and putting away for ever, our sins by the death of Jesus!

He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. What a wondrous exchange, Christ takes our sins, that we might take his righteousness! He suffers, that we might go free. He is stripped, that we may be clothed. He is put to death, that we might live. He is made sin, that we might be made righteous. O what

mercy! What a mystery of mercy is this! We have no righteousness of our own, our best is but as filthy rags. God requires a righteousness, and one that will meet all the demands of his law, and satisfy his impartial justice, in order to our justification. Jesus, therefore, came to do, and to suffer, all that was necessary to make us righteous, divinely righteous. The righteousness of God, or righteous as he is righteous. The righteousof God in him. We now, therefore become righteous, perfectly righteous, not by obeying the law, but by faith in Christ-union to Christ-and participation with Christ. Faith brings us to Christ, the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ, and then we participate in all Christ has. His life is our righteousness, his death is our atonement, his intercession is our salvation. He took our place, that we might take his. He came to toil for us, that

we may rest with him. He sorrowed for us, that we may rejoice with him. He died for us, that we may live with him. Blessed Redeemer, how wondrous thy love! How perfect thy work!

Let us then, admire God's wisdom, in the contrivance of such a plan. The thought never could have entered into any created mind-the scheme never could have been devised, either by human or angelic_intellect. It is of God. Of God alone. In it, God hath abounded toward us, in all wisdom and prudence. Let us receive God's testimony without gainsaying. We may not be able fully to comprehend it, but we can believe it. The philosophy of this plan may puzzle us, but the fact will fill us with joy unspeakable. Let us plead Christ's work alone for acceptance with God. It is not what we have done, but what Jesus has done. It is not what we deserve, but what Jesus suffered. Jesus takes my place, becomes answerable for my sins, undertakes to endure the sufferings I deserved; and makes over to me all the merit of his righteous life, and atoning death. In Jesus, God can accept me. For the sake of Jesus, God will pardon, and justify me. Through Jesus, God will put me among his children, and place me before his face for ever. Let us expect God to honour his own arrangement. This is the way to conquer doubt, overcome fear, and make Satan flee. God arranged that the obedience of his Son

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should be placed against our disobedience that the holiness of his Son, should be placed against our unholiness; and that the merit of his Son, should be placed against our demerit; and in this way he "can be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." In this way he can be a just God, and yet a Saviour. Let us, therefore, look for justifying righteousness in Jesus. He has finished the transgression, made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness. He is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.' He is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth; and our righteousness is of him, saith the Lord. It is in this way, that a just God, justifieth the ungodly, by faith. Let us glorify free grace for the wondrous transfer. It is of grace, and grace alone, that our sins were transferred to Jesus; and that his righteousness is transferred to us. Therefore, by grace are we saved, through faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. Finally, let us view Jehovah as the alone author of this glorious plan. It is of God, and therefore godlike. It is of God, and therefore fully, exactly, meets the case. It is of God, and therefore it is perfect. All sin is put away, scattered as a cloud, hidden as in the depths of the sea, lost, so that when it is sought for it shall not be found, for there shall be none. Well might the Apostle say, as introductory to this subject, "All things are of God, who hath re

conciled us to himself by Jesus Christ." And again, "All things are for your sakes, that THE ABUNDANT GRACE, might through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God."

From whence this fear, and unbelief?
Hath not the Father put to grief,
His spotless Son for me?

And will the righteous Judge of men,
Condemn me for that debt of sin,

Which, Lord! was charged on thee?

Complete atonement thou hast made,
And to the utmost farthing paid,
Whate'er thy people owed;

How then can wrath on me take place,
If sheltered in thy righteousness,
And sprinkled with thy blood?

If thou hast my discharge procured,
And freely, in my room, endured
The whole of wrath divine;
Payment God cannot twice demand,
First, at my bleeding surety's hand,
And then again at mine?

Turn, then, my soul, unto thy rest!
The merits of thy great High Priest,
Have bought thy liberty;
Trust in his efficacious blood,
Nor fear thy banishment from God,
Since Jesus died for thee.

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