The Atonement.

The next objection which we shall consider, is:" Since the justice of punishment must, in all cases, arise from the offences charged to the delinquent; how could the punishment due to our offences, be transferred to Jesus Christ, who had committed no offence, and consequently deserved no punishment?"

33

He

and in ascribing an operation to ei-gression of law; and when viewed ther one, or the other, I am always in himself, we are ready to admit, careful, lest I confound them. When was undeserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ suffered on the cross, I he became our representative. conceive that he suffered as man, and freely offered himself as a sacrifice not as God; and that his sufferings for our sins. He consented to beas man, constituted a sacrifice which, come our substitute. He voluntarily as God, he accepted; and in this, I subjected himself to the curse of the believe, there is nothing inconsistent. law. He willingly submitted to the punishment of our sins; and in the representative capacity, in which he consented to be made sin, and to become a curse for us, he was punished for our offences. In this, certainly, there is nothing so very strange; for in thus punishing the Lord Jesus Christ for our offences, God did nothing more than what was perfectly All that is necessary to refute this consistent with the general practice objection, is, simply, to shew the dif- of mankind. The law of nations jusference between a personal and re- tifies the innocent sufferings of hospresentative capacity; or, to speak tages, who, in the course of military more intelligibly, between a person operations, are frequently put to death, when viewed in himself, or when not for a fault which they themselves considered as representing the cha- committed, but for an offence comracter of another. To punish an in-mitted by their friends, and which nocent person for an offence which was even without their consent imhe never committed, and was con- puted unto them. In our legal protrary to his own will and inclination||ceedings, it is certainly nothing very imputed to him, would be manifestly uncommon, for one person to beunjust. But when such person free-come responsible for another; and, in ly offers himself to undergo the pun-case the obligation is not discharged ishment of an offence, which, although by the original contractor, his reprehe never committed, was, by his own sentative, which stands pledged for voluntary consent, transferred to him, the performance of the contract, is the case is altogether different, and always required to render satisfacthe law, no longer regarding his per- tion. This popular objection, theresonal, but representative character, fore, which is so often and confidentmay justly inflict upon him the pun-ly repeated, entirely vanishes. ishment due to the offences, which The third and last objection which he has consented to expiate. Now, we shall notice, is :-"The sufferthis was precisely the case with our ings of Christ were merely, temporal Saviour, when he was punished for-the punishment due to our offenour offences. He was innocent. He ces, was eternal death. Christ, therehad never committed the least trans-fore, could not have suffered the pun

ishment due to our offences, because] neth, it shall die." Nothing could

he did not suffer eternal death."

have prevented the execution of this The first part of this objection is sentence. For the deliberate transreadily granted; it is admitted, that gressions of the wicked, no sufficient Christ's sufferings and death were compensation could have been made. only temporal. But for this, I be- God hath sworn vengeance against lieve I shall be able to shew several them. He has determined to degood and sufficient reasons. Christ stroy them; and nothing-no, not did not suffer eternal death, because, even the eternal death of Jesus Christ in the nature of the thing, it was im--could have altered his determinapossible that he should. He was tion. He can never be reconciled conceived of the Holy Ghost. He to what he hath declared an absolute was born perfectly pure, and uncon- abomination in his sight. He is of taminated by sin. He was subject||purer eyes than to behold evil, and to no hereditary vices and corrup-cannot look with any degree of pleations. He had never imbibed the sure upon sin. Had Christ suffered wicked principles of our sinful and eternal death for impenitent sinners, depraved nature. In all his earthly this circumstance could not have adversities, sufferings and persecu- changed their evil dispositions; it tions, he was perfectly innocent, holy could not have fitted them, for the and righteous. It was impossible, enjoyment of heaven. They would therefore, that after his death, he still have remained under the influshould suffer a punishment, which ence of sin, and been left subject to can only be inflicted by a conscious- the punishment of God's eternal ness of former wickedness. The re-wrath and indignation. For the wickproaches of a guilty conscience could ed, therefore, who cannot be absolvnot have tormented his spirit. And ed from the punishment of their in this, the punishment of a future wickedness, it was not necessary that state chiefly consists. This is what Christ should suffer eternal death. constitutes eternal death; and such a death, the holy and innocent Lamb of God, who had committed no offence, and was guilty of no crime, was utterly incapable of suffering.

Neither was it necessary that he should suffer such a punishment for true believers; for what he did suffer, was sufficient to procure for them every blessing which was essential Christ did not suffer eternal death, to their spiritual comfort and happibecause it was not necessary. It was ness. By his temporal sufferings and not necessary, that he should suffer death, he released them from the eternal death for impenitent sinners; punishment of the law, and procured because, had even such a sacrifice them eternal redemption. By the been rendered, they could have de- blood, which he shed for the remisrived no benefit from it. They sion of their sins, he established that would still have remained under sen- evangelical covenant, in which God tence of condemnation. No sacrifice promised to be merciful to their inifor sin, can save the wilful and ob-quities-no more to remember their stinate sinner. "The soul that sin-lsins-and to justify them freely by

avenge the

his grace, through the redemption in||gions of angels stood ready to exeChrist Jesus. For true believers, cute his commands, and therefore, who are justified through unprovoked cruelties he had suffered his blood, and saved by the grace, at the hands of his executioners. But which he procured for them, when he patiently submitted to their powhe died upon the cross, it was not er, that the severity of his sufferings, necessary that Christ should suffer when viewed in connexion with the eternal death. dignity of the sufferer, might be acBut although Christ did not suffer cepted as a sacrifice, equivalent to eternal death-he suffered a penalty the punishment which the justice of which he would not have suffered, God had inflicted upon the whole had he not undergone the punish- human race,

I should not have treated them in this philosophical manner, had it not been for the purpose of shewing, that even in this respect, we possess an

ment due to our offences. He was Thus I have endeavored to remove numbered with the transgressors. He the principal objections, which are was charged with various offences. usually brought against this doctrine, He was presented as an impostora seditious person-a perverter of the nation- -as an enemy of Cæsar, and as a blasphemer against God. He was exhibited in judgment, as a guil-advantage over those, who oppose us ty culprit, who had forfeited his life in this controversy. Did we deem -for by our laws, said his accusers, it necessary, we might oppose the he ought to die. He was despised enemies of this doctrine, with their and rejected. He was insulted and own weapons. We might meet them abused. He was loaded with the ex-upon their own grounds, and confute ecrations of the multitude, who had them upon their own principles. We assembled on his trial. He was re- might shew a number of philosophiprobated by the chief priests and el-cal reasons, which tend to establish ders of the Jews. He was delivered into the hands of sinners, to be ridiculed and tortured. He was surrendered to the mercy of a furious and vindictive populace, and nailed to the cross, to suffer the agonies of a protracted and ignominious death. This was no ordinary punishment; and this punishment, Jesus Christ could not have suffered, had he not been punished for our offences. He had violated no law he had committed no offence he was in the form of God. He was the brightness of his Father's glory. He was the supreme potentate, to whom all power was given in heaven and on earth. Le-of all ages; that it has been sane

and support us in our belief. We might allege human reason, as a presumptive argument in favor of our position. We might say, that this doctrine contains nothing which is inconsistent with itself; that it contradicts no established principle in nature; that it is opposed to no other doctrine of revelation; that it violates no essential attribute of God; that it is attended with no insurmountable difficulties, and exhibits no real contradictions. We might say, that this doctrine has existed in the church, ever since it was first established; that it has received the approbation

It

tioned by the wisest and the best of reason, and repugnant to the princimen; that there is nothing in it, ples of what, in our day, is so signifi'which cannot be reconciled to rea- cantly termed an enlightened theoson; and that, in what renders it|logy-They may encumber it with most liable to objection, it is perfect-imaginary difficulties, and say, that ly consistent with the general prac- these difficulties will not permit them tice of mankind. But we are not to embrace it-But they can never driven to this extremity of reasoning. separate it from its source-they canWe are not compelled to found our not divest it of its authority. That belief of the truth in question, upon human wisdom cannot comprehend mere presumptive testimony. Our it, and that the philosophy of the evidence is stronger than any proof, world should reject and despise it, which can possibly be derived from is not a matter of astonishment. such a source. We rely upon the is one of those hidden mysteries, authority of the word of God. This which are placed beyond the reach is the foundation upon which we of our limited comprehension. It is build. And this foundation cannot one of those sublime subjects of faith, be shaken. When every other source which eye hath not seen, nor ear from which men are accustomed to heard, nor ever entered into the heart draw their religious convictions, shall of man to conceive, It is one of have ceased to exist-this source those deep things of God, which he shall endure. Heaven and earth has hidden from the wise, and the shall pass away, but the word of God prudent, and revealed unto babes. It shall not pass away. And this af- is one of those things of the Spirit, fords us encouragement sufficient, to which the natural man receiveth not, persevere in the defence of the truth. for it is foolishness unto him. Bút Whatever degree of success may at- it is written, I will destroy the wistend the propagation of error-by dom of the wise, and bring to nothwhatever power and influence it may ing the understanding of the prudent, be supported and encouraged, its God is wiser than man. He commuduration is limited. But truth is nicates the knowledge of his truths, eternal, and cannot be overcome. not in the enticing words of man's For a while, it may be hidden and wisdom; but in the demonstrations obscured; but it will again burst of the Spirit and of Power. The forth in all the glory of its celestial foolish, the weak, and the base things splendor, to astonish and enrapture of the world, and the things which the beholder. The doctrine, there-are despised, hath God chosen to acfore, for which we are contending, complish his purposes, that no flesh and which constitutes an essential should glory in his sight. Others, truth of the gospel, must prevail. It therefore, may require signs, and may, indeed, suffer the reproaches of seek after wisdom; they may preach its enemies-It may be represented the doctrines which they have learnby them, as involving numerous con-ed from the wisdom of men, and the tradictions, errors and absurdities.-philosophy of the world. "I am deThey may deem it inconsistent with|termined to know nothing, save Jesus

Minutes of Domestic Missionary and Education Society.

Christ, and him crucified;" for I am convinced, that Christ, and the preaching of his cross, is the power of God unto them which are saved.

LAPE, of Johnstown, Montgomery H.) on the first Wednesday in May