The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-13
Christ's Victory Sure.
BY THE REV. C. H. STURGEON.

BY THE REV. @. II. STURGEON.
What is the argument? Christ shall
divide the spoil with the strong, because
How does it run? Because his doc
trinal teaching is singularly in keeping
with the progress of the age?" 1 have
heard that observation, and smiled at it.
" Because his Gospel is preached with
such remarkable eloquence and singular
clearness ?" Indeed, no. Why, then,
will Christ win the victory? The an
swer is, Because he hath poured ont
his soul unto DEATH" If God himself
deigns to take upon himself our nature,
and In that nature pours out his life like
hbation even unto death; if, say, he
thus pours out his life, it is impossible to
conceive that he will be defeated. Bias
phemy may imagine it, profanity may
speak it, but truth abhors the idea that
Jesus can be baffied.
Here is the second reason "He was
numbered with the transgressors." This
is mentioned secondly, as if there was
something even more in that than in the
first. To die is wonderful condescen-
sion but for the pure and Holy One to
deign to be numbered with the trans
gressors, and stand as if he had trans
crossed himself, though transgress he
never did, nor could say, this is
more wonderful. If Jesus did that,
then he must win the victory. When l
am dispirited, where do 1 find encourage
ment? Where the stars of Bethlehem
burn, and where men make merry on
their Christmas days? Nay, their
mirth is WEAKNESS to a heavy heart.
yUIl al xrrho 7 G., !
Gethsemane, to Golgotha, to the garden,
and to the tomb. Christ cannot have
suffered there in vain Christ cannot
have been despised, slandered, and &C
tually numbered with transgressors, and
all for nothing. 1t cannot be; it cannot
be. Death and hell, we can defeat
armies of men, but the Crucifed treads
you down. When our Champion of the
pierced hand comes to the front, the
battle no longer wavers. We glory in
his death, and in his making common
cause with transgressors. But this is not
all it is added, "And he bare the sin of
many" This denotes his actual and
literal substitution-his acting as the sin
bearer. This is something more than
being numbered with the transgressors (;
he actually takes the sin of the trans
gressors, and bears their burden upon his
own shoulders by a wondrous system CT
substitution which is easier to be believed
than to be explained. Because he did
this he must conquer. He must conquer.
Sin cannot be victorious if Jesus has car
ried it on his shoulders and hurled it
into his sepulchre.
And lastly, there is this fourth reason
given" He made intercession for the
transgressors.' can conceive you pray
ing, my dear friend, and God s not hear
ing you; but if the man who was des-
pissed and rejected should say, Rise,
poor suppliant, rise and 1 will take thy
place )" and if the Blessed and Beloved
OF the Father, whose eyes are as the eyes
OF the morning, and whose lips are as
lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh,
kneels down and prays, My Father, by
my blood and wounds and agony, save
this sinner, why, it must be done And
If he says, Father, give me those whom
| have redeemed, it must be done. And
if he pleads, Father, keep them by thy
word, it must be done. And if he
prays, Father, make them one as we
are, it must be done And when he
shall ask, " Father, give them power and
victory, it must be done. And when
be shall ask, Father let my servants
all become champions, and send them
forth, East, West, North, and South,
against idolatry and infdelity and Pope
ry, and clothe them with the Holy Ghost,
why, then it must be done The power
OF Christs intercession is irresistible.
StOord and TlolOel.