THE REDEMPTION OF MAN.

469

about doing good;” and he only “ had thewords” and the power “ of eternal life.” Byhis patience, by his innocence, by his labours,and by his resignation, he showed himself to bemore than an ordinary man ; and by his wisdom,by his preaching, by his prophecies, and by hismiracles, he evinced himself “ a prophet, yeamore than a prophet ;” while the consummatingmiracles of his resurrection from the grave, andascension into glory, declared him to be “ GOD BLESSED FOR EVER 1 .”

This was the true victim, the sinless, thesufficient sacrifice ; by the shedding ofwhose blood the sin of Adam was atoned for,and Adam restored to the communion which hehad lost. That the atonement might be com-plete, it was indispensably necessary that thevictim should be divine; in Jesus we beholdthe divine victim, and in his blood thecomplete atonement. For not only themiracles which, in fulfilment of prophecy, hewrought; not only the authority, equivalent tothat of God , which he assumed, and success-fully exercised ; but even the confession of the

1 Rom. ix. 5.