l must have made the apostles
perfectly familiar with the doctrine of atonement; but they were "slow
of heart to believe" that their Master was Himself the Mighty Sacrifice
represented in the types of the Mosaic ceremonial [196:2] The evangelist
informs us that He expounded this subject after His resurrection,
shewing them that "thus it behoved Christ to suffer." [196:3] Still, the
crucifixion of the Saviour was to multitudes a "rock of offence." The
ambitious Israelite, who expected that the Messiah would go forth
conquering and to conquer, and that He would make Palestine the seat of
universal empire, could not brook the thought that the Great Deliverer
was to die; and the learned Greek, who looked upon all religion with no
little scepticism, was prepared to ridicule the idea of the burial of
the Son of God; but the very circumstance which awakened such
prejudices, suggested to those possessed of spiritual discernment
discoveries of stupendous grandeur. Justice demands the punishment of
transgressors; mercy pleads for their forgiveness: holiness requires the
execution of God's threatenings; goodness insists on the fulfilment of
His promises: and all these attributes are harmonized in the doctrine of
a Saviour sacrificed. God is "just, and the justifier of him which,
believeth in Jesus." [196:4] The Son of Man "by his own blood obtained
eternal redemption" [197:1] for His Church; "mercy and truth meet
together" in His expiation; and His death is thus the central point to
which the eye of faith is now directed. Hence Paul says--"We preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God." [197:2]

The doctrine of the Apostolic Church is simple and consistent, as well
as spiritual and sublime. The way of redemption it discloses is not an
extempore provision of Supreme benevolence called forth by an unforeseen
contingency, but a plan devised from eternity, and fitted to display all
the divine perfections in most impressive combination. Whilst it
recognises the voluntary agency of man, it upholds the sovereignty of
God. Jehovah graciously secures the salvation of every heir of the
promises by both contriving and carrying out all the arrangements of the
"well ordered covenant." His Spirit quickens the dead soul, and works in
us "to will and to do of His good pleasure." [197:3] "The Father h