in a position to perform the service due from others, to supply their shortcomings, and to obtain merits on their behalf. For he who is himself a bond-servant has his own due service to perform, therefore he cannot perform that which is incumbent upon others. The person who would become the Saviour of mankind must himself occupy the position of the highest perfection of purity, greatness and glory, in order that his service, obedience, merits and intercession may be of such value as to satisfy the requirements of the divine justice and holiness, and to act as the propitiation for the sins of all men. Therefore it is necessary that the one true and effectual Saviour and Mediator should be absolute perfection, that is, should be of divine dignity and nature. If, therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ were not possessed of Deity—that is, if He were other than the Word of God, the Son of God, one with His Father from all eternity—then He could not be the true and effectual Mediator and Saviour. Hence it is clear that, if the Word had not become flesh ¹ and dwelt among us, and if He had not made atonement for our sins by His obedience unto death, ² even the death of the cross, then assuredly there would never to all eternity have been salvation and happiness for us men. But since the Lord Jesus Christ, who is sinless, perfect, and, possessed of the divine

nature, has become a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, ^l therefore whoever believes in Him with his whole heart, and by faith is united with Him, receives pardon, redemption and salvation, as it is written: 'God ² was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were intreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.' The meaning of these verses is that the Lord Jesus Christ by means of His precious death upon the cross became the one full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice and propitiation for the sins of. the world, and that, therefore, God forgives the sins of all those that with hearty repentance and true faith come unto Him through Christ, the only perfect and sinless man, our representative, who bore the burden of our sins through love of us, that we might be saved. Those who take Christ as their representative are in Him 'justified', that is to say, they are accounted just through Him. God then accepts them in Christ, and in Him bestows upon them all spiritual grace and favour. Believers do not obtain God's approval and eternal life through