"who was made sin for us,"-oh! wonderful mystery! the "Holy One," the "Lord of Hosts," was looked upon as the accursed thing which God hates, in order that wretched perishing sinners "might be made the righteousness of God in Him." It was in the contemplation of this astonishing truth, that the Apostle exclaimed with holy confidence, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. If God be for us who can be against us ?"

The Apostle knew how the hope of present acceptance strengthened the soul in the hour of temptation, and comforted it in the time of distress, and therefore when writing to unknown converts, he encouraged them with the blessed assurance, that "being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." He does not tell them that if they persevere, and become more holy,

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they may hope for peace with God at the last but he assures them of their present acceptance, knowing that this blessed comfort would strengthen them to persevere, and make them the more anxiously seek that holiness, without which no man can dwell with God.

In the following verse, he himself describes the effect of this "strong consolation," "We rejoice in hope of the. glory of God; and not only so, but, we glory in tribulations also." The assurance of peace with God so invigorated the soul, so bowed the will to submission to the will of God, made it so earnestly thirst after holiness, that it took pleasure in afflictions, and distresses, on account of their sanctifying effects. He adds, “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." "There is therefore now no condemnation

to them who are in Christ Jesus." Addressing another body of Christians, before giving them minute directions for their daily conduct, (and those very directions prove that their sanctification was incomplete) he blesses God for having "made them accepted in the beloved;" adding, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance." "Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."

Writing to another church, the Apostle blesses God for having "delivered" them "from the power of darkness," and for having "translated them into the kingdom of his dear Son;" and he repeats to

them the comforting assurance he had sent to the other converts, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us." His subsequent exhortations to mortify therefore their members which were upon the earth, with the various unholy affections, and tempers of our corrupt nature, prove that much remained to be done in their souls; while the Apostle knew that nothing was so likely to animate and encourage them in their difficult warfare, as the assurance, that their peace was made with God, and that they were accepted for the sake of Christ. Addressing his beloved Timothy, he says, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,

and of a sound mind"; "who hath saved us." He comforts the Hebrews by telling them, that "Christ by his own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified :" the same glorious covenant of grace which provides justification for the sinner, also making provision for his final complete sanctification. He then exhorts them to "draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith;" and adds, "wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." But we have another witness than the Apostle to the truth of this blessed doctrine. The Son of God the author of our salvation, says in the most solemn and impressive

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