The nature that he assumed, although it was perfectly flesh and blood, yet it was perfectly holy. Hence his appeal to God the Judge of all: "Search me, O, God, and try me, and see if there be any wicked way in me." His human nature was a holy thing; and possessed in it more holiness than all the angels of light; and in it, he did all the churches' duty in obedience to the law; he obeyed the ceremonial law as the seed of Abraham, and kept the law of God in thought, mind, will, and deed perfectly. He worshipped one God, never bowed to creatures, or profaned the holy name: honored the sabbath and his parents; nor felt a base desire; nor tinged with sinful anger, much less murder; nor with heart or hand did he ever rob God or man; nor ever bore false witness against any; nor could a covetous thought enter his sacred breast; but with his whole nature loved God and his neighbour, and did unto all men what men in their doings ought to do to each other. This he performed for us; and, in consequence of the essential dignity of his person, as God as well as man, He is styled Jehovah, our righteousness. This is imputed and placed to the account of his people by the Father. God the Holy Spirit opens the grand subject to us, we receive it in the mind and affections. Conscience testifying this, we have peace with God. In this righteousness the church is perfected; in it they stand justified before God, and shall never come in to condemnation. But in his glorious character as Mediator, his having become surety for his people, he had to pay the dreadful debt of suffering the awful penalty. As the consequence of the sins of his church, he engaged to endure the hell we had merited. The curse of a broken law, and all which that awful idea contains. He took the bitter draught, the dreadful cup, and drank eternal health to his dear people. "He sunk beneath our heavy woes." All our guilt met on him--the chastisement due to us he bore--the pangs of the damned seized his holy soul; and with convulsive struggles on the ground, with heart-rending sighs, and prayers, and tears; with thorns, scourges, contempt, griefs, and unknown agonies, awful storms, and inconceivable torments, he sweat out, cried out, and bled out the sins of his people. He by himself purged our sins--the physician's heart was opened by a spear to heal all the diseases of his patients--_was ever love like this_? "Our ransom paid in blood for deadliest guilt-- Oh! hide thy shame-spread face, and turn thy eyes In mournful prospect back to Calvary, now Back to the garden, to the dolorous ground, Grief-moistened with his blood-sweat agony. Ah, what agony! ah! felt for whom? Say, angel, near him then that heard: 'Behold Thy humbled Maker'--agonized thyself-- Asked, but thou canst not say.--No thought can pierce Of man or angel, that profound of pains:-- 'Twas the soul's travail, sorrow's sharpest throe."