(1.) And, in the first place, it must be obvious that _nothing else can make a satisfaction for sin_. There is in the human heart a constant tendency to strive after some expiation, a tendency which is seen in Heathen as well as Christian lands, and which is nothing more than the natural effort of the unenlightened heart to shake off the burden of its guilt. But, before the cross of Christ, all such tendencies should at once disappear, and the immeasurable costliness of the Divine remedy should stamp all human schemes with nothingness. If man could do anything to make expiation for his sin, then why did the Son of God suffer? why the great mystery of the incarnation? why the agony in the garden? why the hiding of God’s countenance? and why the assurance that sin is blotted out through the Saviour’s most precious blood? We need only look for a moment to the eternal divinity of the whole plan, to the deep mystery of the incarnation, and to that marvellous fact, that in the hour of his deepest need the Son was forsaken of the Father, to be well assured of the most certain truth, that nothing that man could do could, in any form or any circumstances, avail to make satisfaction for his sin. The Church of England, therefore, has decided in the Thirty-first Article, after describing the perfection of the work of our Lord,—“And there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone.” But in this respect we are in direct opposition to the Church of Rome, for, although its advocates admit in words the completeness of the atonement, and in theological discussion would trace all merit to it as the fountain-head, yet there are numberless decrees and practices which show too plainly that many other satisfactions have been practically admitted into their system. For example, the Council of Trent decreed, “That such is the abundance of the Divine bounty, that we are able to make satisfaction to God the Father, through Christ Jesus, not only by punishments voluntarily endured by us as chastisements for sin, or imposed at the pleasure of the priests, according to the degree of the offence, and also (and this is an amazing proof of love) by temporal pains inflicted by God himself, and by us patiently borne.” {10} Now, although in this very decree all is said to be through Christ, it must be plain to the practical and simple mind, that there are two new sources of satisfaction opened to the sinner,—the voluntary infliction of penance, and the patient endurance of involuntary pain.