EVIDENCES OF FORGIVENESS. 201 Sher we shall obtain it, if we address ourselves to him to be made partakers of it l Then let us consider the condition of his Son in the world ; review his afflictions, poverty, temptation, sorrows, sufferings; and ask if we can find any other design in it, anyother reason, cause, or necessity of it, but only and merely to testify and declare that there is forgiveness with God, and to pur- chase and procure the communication of it to us. 4. Besides all this, there ensues that great and won- derful issue, the death of the Son of God. This event was great and marvellous, and we may inquire what was designed by it. On this point the Scriptures fully show, That he died to make atonement for sin, or reconcilia- tion for iniquity. Dan. 9 : 24. He gave his life a ran- som for the sins of many. Matt. 20 : 28; 1 Tim. 2 : 6. He was in it made sin, that others might become the righteousness of God inhim. 2 Cor. 5 : 21 ; Rom. 8 : 3. Therein he bare our " sins in his own body on the tree." 1 Peter, 2 : 24. This was the state of the mat- ter. Notwithstanding all the love, grace, and conde- scension before mentioned, yet our sins were so direct- ly opposed to the justice and holiness of God, that un- less atonement were made, and a price of redemption paid, there could be no pardon, no forgiveness obtained. This, therefore, he undertook to do, and that by the sa- crifice of himself; answering all that was prefigured by, and represented in, the sacrifices of old, as the apostle largely declares, Heb. 10 : 5-9. In this sacrifice of him- self forgiveness in God is exemplified so clearly and evidently, that he who cannot read it will be cursed unto eternity : yea, he must be cursed; for what more can be required to justify God in his eternal destruc- tion 1 He that will not believe his grace, as testified and exemplified in the blood of his Son, must perish without remedy. The curse and sentence of the law lie on record 9'
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