by the Father to the Son, is to hold a tenet subversive of the Son's supreme Deity and equality with the Father, and is besides inconsistent with the whole tenor of Revelation. The words imply two thingsThat Christ possesses the same essential life with the Father. Each of them has this life in himself. It would be to offer violence to language to put one sense on these words when applied to the Father, and a dif ferent sense when spoken to the Son. It may be af firmed of an angel or mere man, that he has life; but it would be a contradiction to say, that he has it in himself. Paul once affirmed concerning himself, "I live," but lest he should be misunderstood, as arrogating too much to himself, he adds, "Not I, but Christ liveth in me." Jesus not only has this life in himself, but he has it as the Father hath it. If, then, the Son has it by communication, so has the Father; but if the Father has it essentially and necessarily in himself, so has the Son.

BUT the expression also implies a peculiar dispensation or appointment with respect to the manner of hav ing this life. The Son is unfolding the economical scheme, and establishing the authority by which he acts, in quickening sinners, raising the dead, and exercising all judicial power and authority. All this mediatory power he resolves into the special appointment of the Father," who gives to the Son to have life in himself." He does not say that the Father has given him life, but to have or hold that essential life which he has, in a peculiar manner, and for a special purpose. Though the Son, as a divine person, holds this life essentially, and equally with the Father; yet as the Word incar nate, he holds it by special authority from the Father, with a right to employ it in giving life to sinners.

" As

Christ clearly explains himself, chap. vi. 57. the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." When the Word became incarnate, he said concerning sinners, "I am come that they might have life," &c. He came by virtue of a mission from the Father, and as he still holds the same power and authority to give life to sinners, so he still lives by the Father; and as many as believe in him shall also have life, or live by him. He expresses the same truth very explicitly in his address to his Father. John xvii. 2. "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him."

BUT though Christ was able, by having life in himself, and authorised by the appointment of the Father, to confer life on sinners, yet something more was still necessary. By sin man had laid his life under forfeiture, and the sanctioned law required death; the incarnate Word must then, as a Surety, lay down the life of his human nature, so as to answer the demands of justice. Such was the virtue of Christ's death, that it secured his resurrection to a new and immortal life, and also his becoming the resurrection and the life to his people, who are quickened together with him. The dominion of sin in them is destroyed, and the natural enmity of their minds subdued, when they are planted in the likeness of his death; and by being planted in the likeness of his resurrection, they acquire a new life and walk in it. This life is as secure in them as in him, for he lives in them, and assures them that, "because he lives they shall live also." He not only gives them life, but he is their life in virtue of that vital union which they have to his person, and the inhabitation of his Spirit. As this life cannot be lost, it will, under

his influence issue in eternal life. "I give unto them, says himself, eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand."

4. JESUS possesses a fulness of merit. The state in which his people naturally exist renders this necessary. And his assumption of their nature was for the purpose of acquiring that fulness. The breach of the first covenant brought a forfeiture on the life of the whole human family, and subjected them to a sentence of condemnation. They have no interest in God, and no claim to his favour; they are also children of wrath, and heirs of hell; nor is it in their power to meliorate their condition. The violated law still retains all its force. Its demands of obedience are equally extensive,and it can admit of no mitigation; the penalty with which it is sanctioned remains in full force, and secures the sinner's misery. As the law and its sanction cannot be abrogated nor mitigated in favour of the sinner, he can never obtain the pardon of his sin unless atonement is made, nor a title to eternal life, but on the footing of perfect obedience to its precepts. Were the sinner adequate to these two things, he would be able to complete that righteousness which the law requires, and as his justifying righteousness: but as he is totally unfit to accomplish this, he can never become the heir of eternal life by any merit of his own. The honour of the Legislator and the perfection and equity of the law, cannot be sacrificed to the sinner; and he, being a corrupt tree, can never produce the fruit of holy obedience, so as to merit any favour from God.

THE Son of God voluntarily engaged as the Surety of sinners, to answer all the requisitions of the law in their utmost latitude. "He came, not to destroy the His whole life was an uninter

law, but to fulfil it."

rupted course of holy obedience. The law was inscribed on his heart, and nothing was more delightful to him than to reduce it to practice in a holy life. No charge of indifference, omission, or transgression, could ever be brought against him. He could appeal even to his most inveterate enemies for his innocence; "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" He always did the things that pleased his Father. He was not only innocent, but went about continually doing good. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners. His obedience was not only sincere but perfect. The affections and desires of his soul were exceedingly intense and uniform. His sufferings were a very eminent part of his obedience, and in this point of view are always included, when his obedience at large is spoken of. The penalty as executed on sinners implies merely suffering, not obedience, because it is delivered to them in the form of a threatening only; but in the case of Christ it assumes the form of a law or commandment. Christ himself gives this view of it, "I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again: This commandment have I received of my Father." John x. 18. The sufferings of Jesus were a complete atonement for sin, because in and by these there was an ample discovery of the necessary opposition of the nature of God to sin, and his displeasure with the offence given him. His character, as a holy righteous Legislator, was fully discovered to man by these sufferings; and his authority enjoining perfect obedience was completely established by the perfect obedience of the Surety. The necessary result of this is, that "Christ is the END of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom. x. 4. The worth or value of this perfect obedience of Jesus is

that fulness of merit which remains in him, and which is the foundation of that interest which all believers have in the favour of God, and the blessings of salva

tion.

THE merit of Christ's obedience, or the moral worth of his righteousness, is unlimited,-it is truly and properly a fulness. It stands so high in the estimation of God, that he bestows freely, without any other consideration, on the most guilty and worthless of the human race, all saving blessings. Or, to speak more properly, The divine perfections and character were so eminently displayed in the obedience and sufferings of Jesus Christ, that it is highly worthy of God to confer upon sinners consummate and permanent happiness. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also FREELY give us ALL things?" Rom. viii. 32. The value of the Redeemer's righteousness is so great, that it can admit of no addition, nor does the complete salvation of the sinner require more. If any deficiency existed, the sinner must supply it, or God must dispense with the defect. If the divine character could have dispensed with any part of a perfect righteousness, no good reason can be assigned why he might not have dispensed with the whole. And if any defect remains to be supplied by the sinner, part of the fulness of merit belongs properly to him; hence it will follow, that no believer is complete in Christ, but partly in himself, and it is not true that God gives all things freely together with Christ. Besides the supply of such a deficiency by the sinner, would affect the fulness of Christ in other respects. It is owing to his fulness of merit that he has a fulness of life and of the Spirit, as a source of actual supply to sinners. If he had not died, he had never been a liv