CIRCULAR LETTER Messengers of the Delaware River Baptist Association to the churches they represent, send Christian salutation. (Suydam)

The Messengers of the Delaware River Baptist Association to the churches they represent, send Christian salutation.

Beloved Brethren:—The limits of our circular as prescribed by custom forbid that we should enter into a lengthy investigation of a subject, and we have therefore concluded in our present annual address to invite your attention merely to a few desultory thoughts on the particularity of redemption.

In order to redeem sinners, Christ suffered and died for them, as their substitute, in their room and stead, as the scriptures plainly declare in the following passages: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh.” 1 Peter iii. 18. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. For the transgressions of my people was he stricken. For it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief. For he shall bear their iniquities, and he shall see of the travail of his soul. Isa. liii. 5, 8, 10, 12. In due time, Christ died for the ungodly. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. v. 6, 8). Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. xv. 3.) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. (Heb. ix. 28.) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. 1 Peter ii. 24. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he lay down his life for us. 1 John iii. 16. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Gal. iii. 13.

From these quotations it is evident that Christ who was without any sin of his own, (Heb. iv. 15. & John iii. 5.) suffered in the room and stead of the unjust, as the expression in 1 Peter iii. 18, may be translated, for their iniquities, transgressions, and sins, (Ex. xxxiv. 7,) having their iniquities laid upon him, being stricken and wounded for their transgressions, and bearing their sins in his own body. In other words, the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the unjust were transferred to Christ as their substitute, laid on him by imputation 2 Cor. v. 21, and he endured all punishment due to them, and thereby rendered all that satisfaction which the law and justice of God requires. Thus, the wrath of God which cometh on the children of disobedience, [Col. iii. 6,] who are of the works of the law and continue not in all things written in the book of the law to do them, and consequently are under the curse, fell upon their substitute who was made a curse for them, and by whose sufferings and death they were redeemed. Gal. iii. 10, 13.

The work of redemption had respect to the law and justice of God. The law required perfect obedience of those who are under it, that they continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them. The law is holy, and just, and good, Rom. vii. 12, and therefore every transgression and disobedience must receive a just recompense of reward. Heb. ii. 2. We say must, for justice is an attribute of the divine nature, and for God to dispose of its execution would be to undeify himself. The punishment of sin is not an act of sovereignty which may, or may not take place, but of infinite and inflexible justice, and therefore must necessarily be inflicted. The offence cannot be pardoned without a satisfaction corresponding with its demerit. God is righteous, just, [2 Tim. iv. 8,] the Judge of all the earth, who will do right, Gen. xviii. 25; who will judge the world with righteousness, Ps. xcvi. 13, xcviii. 9, & Acts xvii. 31; receivers shall declare his righteousness, for God is judge himself, Ps. l. 6 & xcvii. 6; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne, Ps. xcvii. 2; He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity, Hab. i. 13; he will not at all acquit the wicked, Nah. i. 3; nor by any means clear the guilty, Ex. xxxiv. 7; consequently, when the sins of the unjust were by imputation laid upon Christ as their surety, it was not possible that the cup of purgatory wrath should be removed from him, but it was necessary that he should drink it to the dregs. Matt. xxvi. 42. Luke xxii. 42. Ps. lxxv. 8; Jehovah, beholding Jesus in the law-place of sinners, bearing a load of human guilt, said, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, Zech. xiii. 7, and as the pains of hell got hold upon the Son of God, and the sorrow of death compassed him, Ps. cxvi. 3, he cried in the agony of his soul, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mark xv. 34.

Divine justice further requires that a proper relation should subsist between sinners and their substitute. If A owes B a sum of money, B has no right to demand of C, pay me what A owes; and if C cancels B’s demand, A is still in debt, the claim against him being by their transaction merely transferred to C. If there is no relation between A and C, that is, if they are regarded as having separate interests, justice is not satisfied. But, if C be the husband of A, and they are no more twain, but one flesh, Matt. xix. 6, B may demand of C, pay me that thou owest, Matt. xviii. 28, and if C liquidate the claim, A is justly absolved from it. So, there is a legal oneness between the Redeemer and his object of redemption arising from his federal relation to them, in consequence of which it is not only consistent with, but essential to the administration of justice, that his substitutionary sufferings be accepted. This union of Christ to and his legal identity with those for whom he suffered, are illustrated in the scriptures by the marriage relation, as may be seen by the following references: For thy Maker is thy husband, Isa. liv. 5, and I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord, Hos. ii. 19. My spouse, Cant. iv. 9—12. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, John iii. 29. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ, 2 Cor. xi. 2. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Rom. vii. 4. For the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Saviour of the body; Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, (or as it may be rendered, in the room and stead of her,) that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blame. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no Man ever yet hateth his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the church, Eph. v. 23, 25—32. I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife, Rev. xxi. 9.

The redeemed are united to Christ as their federal head and representative, Rom. v. 12—21, 1 Cor. xii. 22. He is the Head of the church, Eph. v. 23, and as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another Rom. xii. 4, 5. The Father of glory gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, Eph. i. 17, 22, 23. For we, says Paul, in reference to the communion, being many are one bread and one body, [1 Cor. x. 17,] and again, ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 1 Cor. xii. 27.

From what has been presented, it is easy to perceive that redemption is a definite work. Its subjects being one with Christ as their head, representative and substitute, their sins were imputed to him, or placed to his account, and he in their room and stead suffered the penal sanction of the law which they had violated, and rendered perfect obedience to its precepts, by which he expiated their guilt and wrought out for them a righteousness, which is judicially adjudged to be theirs, and is unto justification of life.

What a stupendous scheme of mercy is here exhibited to the view of those who are burdened with a sense of their guilt and helplessness! Oh, the ineffable glory of redemption!

“Redemption! Oh, how beauteous mystic plan!
What salutary source of life to man!
What tongue can speak thy comprehensive grace?”

What thoughts can thy delights unfathomable trace!
When lost in sin, our ruin’d nature lay;
When awful justice claim’d her righteous sway,
See the mild Savior bend his pitying eye,
And stop the lightning, just prepared to fly.”

In conclusion, brethren, we commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which can build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

C. SUYDAM, Mod.
John T. Riesler, Clerk.