became sin for us in the other sense of SUBSTITUTION. Being clothed in our sins, God dealt with him as with a sinner; he appeared in our place, to bear whatever we deserved to bear; so that as we all are cursed with a curse, so "he became a curse for us :”* was accounted an anathema, an accursed thing, from which God hid his face. Thus "God sending His own Son, in the LIKENESS of SINFUL FLESH, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." A more perfect idea of substitution can hardly be conveyed to the mind. And the words translated in the text "FOR US," are the same as those rendered in the preceding verse, "in Christ's stead;" and might with equal truth be read thus, "He made Christ sin IN OUR STEAD." As by nature we all are not only enemies to God by wicked works, but actually "ENMITY" itself, so Christ is said not merely to bear our sins, but actually "to be made SIN for us." But in vain shall we great mystery of godliness;" suffice it that all our guilt, and all our sins were put on Christ, who bore them once and for ever.

seek to fathom "this

Let us then proceed to the SECOND great branch of this important subject, and consider THE IMPUTATION OF CHRIST'S PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS TO US. "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.' And here we

*Gal. iii. 13.

+ Rom. viii. 3.

should primarily endeavour to ascertain what is the true import of the expression, “THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM," i. e. in Christ. It is certain that the incommunicable essence of the divine holiness is not intended; for it is something that can be and is conferred upon us. "The righteousness of God in Christ," appears nearly synonymous with "the righteousness of Christ;" and it denotes that display of the divine attributes which was exhibited in the incarnation, birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus. In him, and in his work, "we behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord;" not only personally, "as the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person," but in his offices; we see the holy law of God honoured, and perfectly fulfilled by MAN; sin atoned for, everlasting righteousness brought in; and God, satisfied with his immaculate obedience, declares, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The righteousness of God was vindicated, exhibited, and perfected in Christ. This was a seamless robe, in which his enemies could find no flaw: neither temptations, nor insults, nor sufferings, could defile him with sin, or excite in his holy nature one corrupt affection. Now the doctrine of the text is this, that whatever there was in Christ of sinless obedience, perfect righteousness, and meritorious fulfilment of the law, that excellency is imputed to the sinner

who believes in Jesus; and in whatever sense our sins were laid on Christ, and imputed to him, in the same sense the inerits of Christ are transferred and imputed to us, and "reckoned to us for righteousness."

But as this is a doctrine questioned by many, and but imperfectly understood even by those "who have hope in Christ," we must in support of it appeal to the word of God, as the only unerring standard of truth. Jeremiah long ago proclaimed the Saviour as "the Lord our righteousness;" and David also, "I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only."† Abundant evidence might be gathered from the Old Testament, prophetical of the perfect salvation which was to be accomplished in Messiah; but in the New the subject is discussed at length, especially by St. Paul. Thus, having shown that there is no righteousness for us by our own works, but only condemnation, if tried by the holy law of God, the apostle proceeds; "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ UNTO all and UPON all them that believe; for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God + Psalm lxxi. 16.

* Jer. xxiii. 6.

hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."* And in the next chapter the apostle continues his argument, not only laying down most clearly the IMPUTATION of righteousness to sinners for their justification, but proving that the very chief of sinners is admissible to this boon.† "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God IMPUTETH RIGHTEOUSNESS without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." And in another place the same apostle exclaims, in a glowing fervour of devotion, “I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF GOD BY FAITH." And once more, to the + Rom. iv. 4-8.

*Rom. iii. 21-26.

Phil. iii. 8, 9.

Corinthians he saith, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

Oh that we could receive the doctrine of imputed righteousness in all its fulness, as it is so clearly revealed in these inspired passages! We are disposed to depreciate this glorious subject; timidity and unbelief deprive us of much spiritual consolation; we are afraid implicitly to credit what God in his word has told us. The second Adam has not restored us to that original righteousness which we lost in the first Adam; but has conferred on us "the righteousness of God" himself; a divine and therefore perfect obedience, which being freely imputed to us, is made actually ours. Behold the Lord Jesus Christ pursuing the sinless tenour of his way through an evil world; his enemies could "find no fault at all in him;" obedient alike to the laws of God and man, he lived, and died, and rose from the dead, and returned to his Father's throne as pure as when he left it on his errand of mercy, and holy as the essence of the Godhead! Now all that there was of holiness, of love, of purity, of spotless virtue in the Son of God, is made ours, is appropriated to us in the covenant of and is accounted as if we ourselves had been personally “WE ARE MADE THE RIGHTEOUS

possessed of it.

* 1 Cor. i. 30.

grace,