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of our views of the atonement to say that it was necessary to call forth the divine good will to men, and that in requiring the sacrifice of Christ, God acted upon any principle at all analogous to what we mean by revenge. So far from our supposing that the death of Christ was necessary to excite the divine good will towards the children of men, we believe that it arose from the love of God as its source, that had it not been for God's amazing benevolence, mankind would have been left to perish as they deserved, and no expedient whatever would have been resorted to for effecting their redemption. Hence it is said God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life. We who believe in the atonement of Christ, believe that his being sent into the world to die as a sacrifice for sin, so far from proving the vindictiveness of the divine nature, is the brightest possible illustration of God's infinite benignity and love; that he sent his son into the world because he so loved the world. We do not conceive it possible to believe in the divinity and atonement of Christ, and not also to acknowledge the infinite benevolence of God. The language of the Apostle John is fully expres sive of our sentiments, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our

sins.

But it may be asked, does not the doctrine of atonement reflect upon God as ungracious and vindictive, when it supposes that he would not forgive sinners upon their repentance, but required the Vol. VII.

sacrifice of a victim of inconceiv able value, even of his own son. Does not this appear vindictive? Is there not in such a dispensation more of wrath than of mercy, and does not the Deity appear infinitely more amiable and lovely when we consider him as disposed to receive the returning sinner into his favour on the ground of his penitence, and for the sake of the trust which he reposes in his absolute mercy, without so sternly requiring that sort of satisfaction which the Atonement implies and is supposed to furnish? Here, my dear friend, we have, I think, the real origin of all the error and misrepresentation into which they have fallen who reject the doctrine under consideration. The error itself, which we conceive they embrace, together with the mis-representations which they have given of our sentiments, both originate in limited and partial views of the divine nature and government. To prove this is necessary in the discussion of this subject, and this I hope to do in few words.

It appears to me that they who would be saved without an atonement, and who look upon such a way of salvation as reflecting the greatest honour upon God, are apt to exalt one divine perfection at the expense of another, and in their admiration of the goodness of God, entirely to lose sight of what is due to his justice and purity, to the authority of his law, and to the essential and universal rectitude of his government. God has, it is true, revealed himself as merciful and gracious, as slow to anger, and ready to forgive. But has he not also declared himself to be holy and just and true?

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Does he not sustain the character of the moral governor of men, and are not righteousness and judgment the habitation of his throne? In the character of a Perfect Being, do we not look for purity as well as benevolence? To the righteous governor of the world, must we not attribute justice as well as mercy? Nothing is more improper than to look at Justice as an unamiable attribute. It is that attribute in man which it is impossible to contemplate with out veneration. It is that quality in human government which is absolutely necessary for the preservation of social order, and without which therefore there might as well be no such thing as government at all. Justice is as much an emanation from God as any moral quality whatever. It must therefore dwell in him in Perfection, and form a distinguishing feature in his govern

ment.

I need not, my dear friend, say, that we have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God; that, in numberless instances we have broken that law, so holy, just, and good, which he, as our rightful sovereign and legislator, enacted for the observance of his creatures, and which we were bound by every consideration to regard --we have persisted in such rebellion, and it has been attended by a variety of circumstances, of a highly aggravating nature. In all this, I am persuaded, we are agreed. Now, was God just in requiring our obedience to that extent which his law supposes? Was he just in attaching such awful punishments to a violation of his requirements? If he was, we are justly condemned; and if so,

can have no imaginable claim on his mercy. The question then is, by the same rules of justice which induced the deity to frame and publish his law, is he not bound to maintain its authority? This, on the first view of the subject, can only be done by inflicting the penalty upon transgressors. And will any one say that this would not have been just, or that in such an awful dispensation the divine character would have suffered any diminution of its glory? Unquestionably not. Does it not seem proper and necessary, in order to accomplish the important and glorious purposes of God's government, that in all his proceedings towards his fallen creatures, he should honour his law, and maintain and support the interests of righteousness and truth? Are not these paramount interests, or if these are sacrificed, can any valuable purposes be answered at all? I feel persuaded that all just principles of reasoning will oblige us to consider a supreme regard to righteousness as essential to a perfect being, and that for God to appear to relax the authority of his law, would be at once to weaken and tarnish his go.

vernment.

Supposing then that God was disposed, by his infinite goodness, to rescue mankind from their guilty and miserable condition, we should upon the foregoing principles, be led to expect that he would do this only in consistency with` his purity and justice. His law must not be dishonoured-justice must not be dispensed with. If grace reigns, it must be through righteousness.-If rebellious traitors are pardoned and saved, pure justice, (which be it remembered,

mcludes in its nature nothing that is harsh and vindictive, but is only a calm inflexible regard to what is right, and always embraces the good of the whole,) pure justice requires that there be an expres sion of the displeasure of the offended sovereign against the conduct of the offending traitor equal to the real demerit of the crime. If this can be done without the death of the traitor, yet is justice satisfied, and the great end of good government answered. The end of judicial punishment is the good of the whole. Its design is to express displeasure against sin. In whatever way this is accomplished, whether by the death of the individual, or by any other means, the ends of justice are answered. Justice may be satisfied by the sacrifice of a substitute, provided the same impression is made, the same things taught, as if the law had taken its original course, and the guilty person had himself suffered the punishment due to his offence.

shew, that these principles are not at all regarded in that religious system which excludes an atonement to divine justice, as a necessary step to salvation. According to this system, mercy, it is true, is displayed, but where is justice? its claims are totally overlooked'; in which case, the evil of sin is apparently greatly diminished, and the authority and weight of the divine law greatly lessened in the view of transgressors, and consequently, but little, if any motive is furnished against future rebellions. It may be supposed that gratitude would bind to future obedience. But where an obligation is conferred at the expense of right and justice, gratitude will rarely, if ever be excited. Considering what human nature is, is it conceiveable, that if justice were thus dispensed with in this country, and criminals were to be freely forgiven on their professed repentance, that they would be bound to future obedience by the simple influence of gratitude? Surely not. No government durst try the experiment, and no lover of social order, no one who regards the best interests of mankind, could be found to wish them to do it. The consequence of such a proceeding would undoubtedly be an alarming increase of crimes-law and justice would sink into empty names. vernment so administered, would obtain no respect. Passion and licentiousness would obtain a fearful ascendancy, and the foundations of social order and happiness would be broken up for ever.

Now I cannot, my dear friend, anticipate any difference of sentiment between us upon these great and fundamental principles: they form the basis of all legitimate government. There is no earthly government that could subsist, if these principles were not practically regarded, or that would not be loaded with the contempt of all mankind. And shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Shall his government be less pure than the governments of men? No! it is administered in wisdom, righteousness, and love; and therefore, in none of his dispensations shall mercy triumph at the expense of justice and truth.

But it will not be difficult to

A go

In short, nothing can, I think, be more incontrovertible than the following positions. If God has made laws, he must respect

them. If they are founded in perfect and immutable justice, he cannot, as the moral governor of the world, depart from them; or, if he depart from a literal conformity to them, he can never depart from their spirit. If the condem nation of sinners would be just, their salvation under a perfect government cannot be accomplished but in harmony with justice and righteousness, for in his regard to righteousness, God is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Aud this, it would appear, could only be effected by an atonement; by a sacrifice, that is of such a nature, as shall shew God's amazing benevolence to sinners, and at the same time, afford an expression of his regard to his own law, and to the claims of justice, and of his righteous abhorrence of sin, at least equal to what he would have given, if all who had transgressed had perished. Ey such an expedient, not only are the rights of God secured, but also the best interests of men. Not only are mercy and justice made to harmonize in the salvation of sinners, which surely must be acknowledged by ali to be desireable if possible, but the most happy consequences result to men: the most beneficial impressions are produced upon their minds. The evil of sin is so displayed, as to furnish the most powerful motives against it. And as in such a dispensation, there is an equal display of mercy and justice, we are at once attracted and awed, the love and fear of God are equally excited, a hope in his mercy that can never degenerate into presumption, and a fear of his udgments that can never border upon despair. Such

impressions as these, are the essential elements of devotion, and holiness: and no otherwise than as these impressions are received, can that character be formed in which we are prepared for the exercises and enjoyments of the heavenly world. The conclusion at which I trust you will arrive from the foregoing considerations, is that these impressions can be received from no view of the gospel that does not harmonize divine mercy and justice in the salvation of sinners, and that this cannot be effected without an atonement of the nature above described.

I find that, contrary to my original intention, this letter is entirely taken up in stating our general views of the nature of the atonement. I trust, my dear friend, that you will agree with me that they are such as are honourable to the divine character and government, and that you will even consider those descriptions of our sentiments that reflect, either directly, or by implication, on the deity, as harsh and vindictive, as gross misrepresentations. If in the nature of pure justice there is any thing of vindictiveness and harshness, then are such charges against our sentiments just. But that there is, will not, I presume, be contended by any. In my next letter, I propose to shew from the testimony of scripture, that Christ died to make atonement for sin, aud that he was not merely a divinely commissioned instructor, who suffered as a martyr to the truth, but in whose death there was nothing of the nature of a sacrifice for sin.

I am, my dear friend,
affectionately yours.

AN

pass

EVENING'S WALK IN SPRING. Being fatigued with my daily work, and wishing for relaxation, I left the place of my abode, and ing through the town where Providence has fixed my present habitation, I entered the adjoining fields. The sun had not yet left our horizon, but its beams no longer urged the weary traveller to seek for shelter, though they shone resplendantly and beautifully; and the road not being much frequented, I was seldom interrupted in my reflections. Occasionally I met a weary labourer, toiling home, tired, yet cheerful -among these was one, I trust, of Zion's travellers. When we met, being alone, I congratulated him on the approach of the day of sacred rest, (for it was the last evening of the week) on which his body would obtain repose from labour, and his soul soar towards the mansions of glory. How pleasing, thought I, as I walked farther on, how pleasing to be freed from the busy bustling world! As the poet says,

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The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree,
And seem by thy sweet bounty made,
For those who follow thee.

As I passed along, a flock of
sheep in view, reminded me of
those days when the sheep were
led to the altar, there to be slain
as an emblem of that Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin
of the world, and whose blood
alone cleanseth from sin. These
harmless but useful creatures suf-
fered me to pass unnoticed by
ah! how justly is man compared
to the "wandering sheep," how
much does he resemblé those
sheep in his propensity to rove

from the fold of Jesus-his heedlessness of enemies around-and his incapability of self-defence The sheep is one of our most valuable domestic creatures-but what so valuable as the soul of man? The sheep seems least provided for its own defence of all quadrupeds, and man, alas! is totally helpless-"without Jesus he can do nothing." What cause we have for gratitude, that he should condescend to assume the character, and perform the work, of the good Shepherd, who layeth down his life for the sheep! may we be found in thy fold, blessed Jesus! at the last day!

As evening advanced, and the sun was hid behind the clouds, I felt a chillness and shivering creep over my frame-I thought how much does this resemble the disconsolate believer! The Sun of Righteousness is intercepted by a cloud, sin comes between the soul and Him, and then the believer's comfort fails, and he begins to mourn the Saviour's absence. We sometimes wish for a greater degree of sensible enjoyment, we wish to be with Peter on the Mount-this is pleasing, but neither can our nature bear the full beams of sacred glory to shine on us, nor is it most for our advantage

when the Sun in his strength shines upon us, we can neither stedfastly look on it, nor scarce support the burning heat-surrounding objects are better seen by its milder rays, though we be a little chilled with cold. Thus the believer who moves calmly on, will learn faster, and see more clearly, in general, than he who is wrapt up in extacy-for 'tis but little we can bear of joy or pain: wisely has our heavenly

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