ANSWER TO OBJECTIONS AGAINST CHRIST'S

ATONEMENT.

I JOHN ii. I, 2.

If any man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our fins: and not for our fins only, but also for the fins of the whole world.

HA

If we

AVING in my former difcourfes confidered the truth, infpiration, and authority of the Scriptures, I proceed now to examine the end or defign, for which they were written, which is to instruct and guide us in the way to falvation. had continued able by our own faculties to perform the will of God, it would have been fufficient to inform us what we had to do, and fet before us the motives to the performance. But as we are naturally in a

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fallen ftate, which tends ftrongly to blind

our eyes, and corrupt our hearts; it is neceffary, that we fhould be likewise instructed, where to apply for fufficient affistance; and ufeful to know, to whom we are indebted for our restoration to the favour of God, even in those particulars, in which our cooperation was unneceffary and impoffible. Our love to God ought to be increased, when we learn, that by his mercy we are recalled from death unto life. And we may with more confidence run the race, that is fet before us, when we are informed, that our Saviour has discharged that debt, which we were unable to pay, and redeemed us from the flavery of fin, and the power of the grave. Accordingly the Scripture uniformly points out the Meffiah, as the object of the promises and types of the law, the perfon in whofe teftimony was the Spirit of prophecy, (Rev. xix. 10.) and the captain of our falvation, by whofe ftripes we are healed. This faith feems to have been univerfally received by all, who admitted the fact of our Lord's crucifixion. But this doctrine of our

Saviour's

Saviour's atonement has lately been ranked amongst the early corruptions of christianity. We grant, that many herefies began very early in the church, and that our great enemy not only fowed tares in the time of the Apostles, but often found fit ground to bring them to perfection. But as numbers of christians adhered for many ages to the truth of the gospel; it is not sufficient to affert, that an eftablished doctrine is a corruption, because many persons are of a contrary opinion, unless it can be fairly proved to have no foundation in the Scriptures. Let us not then be induced by the greatest pretenfions to fuperior knowledge, or the utmost confidence of dictatorial language, to mistake innovation for improvement, or to imagine that novelty in itself has any fuperiority over established belief. I fhall therefore in my two following discourses,

Firft, examine the objections, which have been made to the established belief, that the death of Christ was a proper facrifice for the fins of mankind.

Secondly, fhew how strongly this doctrine is taught in the Holy Scriptures.

Thirdly, point out what use we may make of the knowledge of this truth, to confirm our faith, and improve our practice.

First, I am to examine the objections, which have been made to the established belief, that the death of Christ was a proper facrifice for the fins of mankind.

Our adversary objects to the established belief, "that it debafes the doctrine of "the natural placability of the divine Being, and our ideas of the equity of his

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government." The placability of the divine Being is fufficiently manifest in the doctrine of atonement, as this mystery was planned by himself, and the facrifice of our Redeemer proceeded from his bounty. God, fays St. John, (iii. 16.) f loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. And if we try the divine pro

* Dr. Priestley. Corrupt. of Chriftianity, vol. i. p. 152, &c.

ceedings

ceedings by our ideas of equity, as an adequate rule without refpect to his revelation, we shall frequently be in danger of forming erroneous conclufions. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, faith the Lord. (If. lv. 8.) We must therefore, upon this, and all other religious queftions, endeavour to find out the doctrine of Scripture, and submit without dispute to its authority.

It is farther urged against the doctrine of atonement, "that the principle, upon "which it is founded, is not mentioned in "the Scriptures; that it is only deduced

by inference; that the declarations of "God's mercy contain no fuch limitation; "that it was never noticed by the patri"archs and prophets; and that the Jews upon this supposition would have expected “a suffering, and not a triumphant Meffiah." In answer to these objections it may be obferved, that if the fact be clearly revealed, we are bound to believe it, whether the reafon of the difpenfation be declared, or