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tion." Ps. cxxx. 7. That this great Redeemer would give his life as their ransom, was foreshown to them in the death of their sacrifices, as well as by distinct prophecies, such as those of Isaiah and Daniel which have already been mentioned. Let us then turn to the New Testament, and see what light it throws upon this subject.

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"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many Matt, xx. 29. "Who gave himself a ransom for all." 1 Tim. ii. 6. "God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law." Gal iv. 5. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity." Tit. ii. 14 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Gal. iii 13. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. "Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Rev. v. 9. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." Eph. i. 7. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Col i. 14. Having obtained eternal redemption for us." Heb. ix. 12. "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Heb. ix. 15. "The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Acts xx 23. "For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. vi. 20. "Even denying the Lord, that bought them." 1 Pet, ii. 1. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Cor. i. 30, 31,

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To the above may be added the following texts, where the words save, or saviour are used. "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. i. 21. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Tim, i. 15. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts iv. 12 "This is Christ, the Saviour of the world." John iv. 42. "Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour." Acts v. 51. Grace, mercy and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.” Tit. i. 4. "Through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Tit. iii. 6. "Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. ii. 20. "The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." 1 John iv. 14.

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Now the way in which Mr. Barker attempts to get over these declarations of scripture, is this. He observes, that we

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are always said to be saved from sin, to be redeemed from iniquity and therefore contends that, when the Apostles speak of Christ saving or redeeming us, they mean that he gave us such instructions and set us such an example, as, if we follow them, will lead us from sin to holiness; in other words, that he saves us in the same sense as St. James exhorts us to save one another, "Let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins:" and that the Saviour is said to pay a price for our redemption, because he was willing to undergo a cruel death to confirm his doctrine. To which I would make the following replies.

1. This theory exalts the sinner, and lowers the Saviour; it makes man his own saviour in a much higher sense than Christ is his saviour. According to this, Jesus saves us by teaching us to save ourselves, he is our propitiation by teaching us to propitiate God ourselves, he bears away our sins by teaching us to bear them away ourselves. Even Unitarians have felt how inconsistent these views are with the mere calling Christ our Saviour at all. In the Monthly Repository for March, 1813, p. 182, a correspondent writes as follows"I agree with you in what you say on the doctrine of redemption: but why do we, Unitarians, not believing the common notion concerning it, call Jesus Christ "our Saviour?" Our teacher, divinely inspired, he certainly was; but does not saviour imply something more? And is not our using the term as we do, implying an acquiescence in the abominable doctrine of a sacrifice for our sins ?" The word "saviour" does no doubt imply something more; and let any one, who knows how constantly it is applied to Jesus in the New Testament, what fullness and completeness are there attributed to his glorious work on the cross, judge whether the writers would have been at all likely to use such expressions, if they had merely looked upon him as a teacher.

2. But this theory is flatly contracted in a text already quoted-"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved." In the Unitarian sense, there is salvation in Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Apostles; for no one will deny that if a man perfectly kept the moral precepts taught by them, he would be saved. Our Lord himself says, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments;" and God himself says, "He that doeth these things shall live by them" so that if a man was to be saved by doing any thing, Christ's teaching was quite unnecessary, because there was a perfect law already given. Besides, in this sense, St. James says that by converting a sinner from the error of his way we may save him; so that, if salvation or redemption were nothing more than what Unitarians contend for, Jesus would not be the "only Saviour." Mr. Barker also asserts, that the writings of Mahomet, Cicero, or Plato, if rightly used, would "guide

men to God and to heaven;" ;"* in which case, there would be Unitarian salvation in their names.

3. If Jesus dying for us only meant, that he died to confirm his doctrine for our benefit-his Apostles did the same. Why then should all the efficacy be ascribed to his death? And how could David say, "None of them may redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him."?"To the piety and constancy, the sufferings and martyrdom, of Christ's immediate disciples, we are immensely indebted; as in those facts, combined with their peculiar circumstances, we find the evidence of the divine origin of Christianity, and the most edifying lessons of every virtue. Neither were they insensible to the benefit which would hence accrue to the cause of religion; and the contemplation of it was to their disinterested spirits a source of the purest delight. Yea, if even I be poured out as the libation upon my sacrifice and ministerial service [for the establishment] of your faith, I myself rejoice, and I congratulate you all.' Phil. ii. 17. I now rejoice in my sufferings for you; and I go on to endure in my flesh what yet remain of these afflictions [for the cause] of Christ, for [the good of] his body, which is the church. Col. i. 24. Thus strongly does the apostle recognise the fact, of the great advantages to be derived from his own sufferings to his fellow-christians. But how does he shrink back from putting those advantages in the same relation to the salvation of mankind, which belonged to the sufferings of his Lord! Was Paul crucified for you?' 1 Cor. i. 13," †

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4. "According to this reasoning, our benefit from the death of Christ is only one part of the general sum of blessing derived from him; and to which his exemplary life, his doc trines, his miracles, and above all, his resurrection, contributed as much, or more, than his death. We should, therefore, have expected to find the forgiveness of our sins, and deliv erance from condemnation, ascribed equally to any or to all of these. But how different is the fact! Christ lived, and taught, and proved his Divine commission for us; and we have thus a most important benefit from him in those respects; but it is to his sufferings and death alone that the New Testament attributes the putting away of sin, remission, propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and peace with God. This very marked difference deserves most serious consideration from those who deny, or doubt, the doctrine of the atonement."‡

5. The object of Christ's death is stated in one place to be "to redeem us from the cause of the law," and in another "for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament," agreeably to what is elsewhere said of Christ being a propitiation "to declare God's righteousness for the remission of sins that are past." How, on Mr. Barker's theory, Christ could redeem persons, who had died hundreds of years before, I am at a loss to conceive! He could not teach them to repent and serve God!

Newcastle Dicussion, p. 228. + Dr. Pye Smith.

Dr. Pye Smith.

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6. By referring to the texts which mention the work of redemption, you will observe that it is generally spoken of as a thing already accomplished on the cross, Having obtained eternal redemption for us," "when he had by himself purged (that is, made purification of or for) our sins,""&c, &c. Mr. Barker answers this, by referring to the text, which says, that Jesus "abolished death." 2 Tim. i. 10. Here, he contends, is a thing described as already done, which is in fact not done, but only begun, This certainly seems making pretty free with scripture: but on turning to the original, the apparent necessity for it vanishes; as the Greek word does not mean actually to do away with, but rather to make of none effect, as it is translated in other places. The meaning of the expression is, that Christ, by the redemption accomplished on the cross, took away, the sting of death, and disarmed it of its terrors; in consequence of which, although it is still "appointed unto all men once to die," yet to the believer death is nothing but the door, through which he passes into eternal life,

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7. It is evident, that to be redeemed from sin, we must be redeemed from the punishment of what we have already committed, as well as from the practice of it for the future. would be very poor redemption, only to be converted and sanctified by the gospel, while eternal death was still hanging over us for our past sins. The Unitarian, I know, would tell us, that those sins are forgiven; but God himself solemnly pronounced it to be one essential part of his character, that he "will by no means clear" it; and has taught us in his word, that "without shedding of blood is no remission." From which it appears, that it would be of little value to us to be "redeemed from all iniquity" for the future, unless we were also "redeemed from the curse of the law" for the past.

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8. It must likewise be remembered, that it is only the application of the atoning blood of Jesus to the sinner's soul by the Holy Spirit, that can deliver him from the power of sin, and bring him out of darkness into light. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth (typically) to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Heb. ix. 13, 14. We can only love God, by being made to feel that he first loved us, and gave his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John iv. 10—19.

9. And lastly; let me remind you in the words of the writer so often quoted before, "that our doctrine concerning the design and the effect of the sufferings of Jesus, has not produced those sufferings. They are the same, and the facts are unalterable, whatever opinion be set up concerning their reason and moral cause, under the divine government. Which idea then, is the most worthy of the wisdom and benevolence of God; the one which attributes to the sufferings of our Lord an effect beyond all description important and valuable, con

ferring infinite good upon innumerable myriads of beings, and spreading its beneficent influence through all eternity; or the other, which regards the same sufferings as nothing more than a proof of the sufferer's integrity, and an example of patient endurance, to be imitated by other sufferers, if they should be so disposed? Neither could the sufferings of Christ, if their expiatory or atoning quality be put out of the consideration, be of any service as a declaration of the general mercy of God, and his readiness to pardon sinners upon repentance. Surely it would, in all reason, bear the contrary way. If that pure and spotless One, in whom the Father was ever well pleased, was pressed down with a load so dreadful, not of outward sufferings only, but of an inward and mysterious anguish, the intenseness of which we have no means nor power of computing; what must be expected to fall upon us, who are conscious of transgressions innumerable and unspeakable against the law and majesty of Heaven?"

Having thus, under various heads, endeavoured to shew what scripture teaches concerning the work of Christ, let us direct your attention to two remarkable circumstances, one at the opening, and the other at the close of his ministry; neither of which will bear any rational explanation, except on the supposition, that Jesus was the sinner's substitute, and bearing in his own person a world's transgressions.

"Look at that scene!

In Matt. iii. 13-15 we read "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee unto Jordan to John, to be baptised of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." The extortioner, the unjust, the profane, the profligate, the generation of vipers, all collected together before the spirit-stirring, consciencearousing messenger of God, confessing their sins and submitting to his baptism, Amongst them is one mysterious Being before whom the prophet stands awe-struck. All divine as was his commission he dared not undertake to class such a one with sinners, or to venture to bless one so infinitely above him. In suitable humility he exclaims, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?' Hear then, his answer. It becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Look at his countenance, sinless, spotless, holy, the love and the purity of heaven breathing in its every feature, and yet there he is amongst the unholy and the profane, there he is meekly submitting to the appointed ordinance of God. 'It becometh us.' Why was it suitable? Can those tell who deny his substituted righteousness, and his having taken upon him our sins? It became him because the Lord had laid upon him the iniquity of us all. Is. liii. 6. He was made sin for us.' 2 Cor. v. 21.” * Let us now go to Mount Calvary, Jesus as he hangs upon the cross.

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and listen to the voice of What is he saying? "My

Prophetic Herald.

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