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pardon. That remarkable paffage in Rom. iii. is fo full to this purpose, that if there were no other in the Bible, it is fufficient to determine this matter. For all have finned, and come fhort of the glory of God; being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift: whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of fins that are past, through the forbearance of God: to declare, I fay, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jefus, ver. 23-26. The apostle, in this paffage, treats expreffly on the method of our justification before God, which he affirms to be through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift; and he likewise points out the reafon of this method, that the righteousness of God might be declared, or demonstrated; that he might appear to be just whilst he justifies the believer in Jefus. Here we have the whole doctrine of atonement concifely delivered to us, and all attempts to take off the force of this fcripture, as a proof of that doctrine, destroy the antithefis which is evident in the paffage, and, in my opinion, make the apostle's arguing to be flat and trifling. The forbearance of God in the remiffion of fins that are paft is oppofed to his righteousness, which is faid to be declared by this method of forgivenefs; and this oppofition is a principal branch

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of the apostle's argument, for he repeats, and lays a particular ftrefs upon it, to declare, I fay, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the juftifier of him that believeth in Jefus. Our author, and others, who by the righteousness or justice of God mentioned here would have us understand his goodness or mercy, muft give fome good reafon for fuch an interpretation before it can be admitted; as

* The author of the Illuftration tells us, that the word here rendered propitiation, ought to have been tranflated mercy-feat; but he does not extend his criticism on the tranflation to the whole of the paffage. Though I think the tranflation of this text fufficiently accurate to fhew, that the fcope of the apoftle's arguing is inconfiftent with a denial of the doctrine of atonement; yet, in my opinion, the original fets this in a much stronger light than the English tranflation, which does not clearly express the sense of that very material fentence in the paflage, δια την παρεσιν των προγεγονότων αμαρτημάτων, which I fhould imagine might with more propriety be rendered, because, or on account of the paffing by of fins committed aforetime. The 25th and 26th verfes ought, I think, to be tranflated in some such way as this; Whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiatory (or mercy-feat) through faith in his blood, for a demonftration of his righteousness, because of the paffing by of fins committed aforetime, through the forbearance of God: For a demonftration, I fay, of his righteoufnefs at this period, that he might be just, &c. The fenfe of the apoftle will then appear to be, That God, in fetting forth Chrift as our propitiatory or mercy-feat, by whom we have accefs to God through faith in his blood, hath given at length the most clear demonftration of his righteoufnefs or juftice, which might appear to have been obfcured by his having hitherto, in his great long-fuffering, paffed by the fins of men, without affording a fufficient difplay of his hatred to fin, or such a difplay as is now made by the manifestation of our Redeemer. See a farther illustration of this paffage, in a book intitled Jefus Chrift the Mediator, &c. p. 85.

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the infpired writer himself, in this very epiftle, makes a diftinction between the terms righteous and good. Scarely far a RIGHTEOUS (or juft) man will one die; yet peradventure for a GOOD man fome would even dare to die, chap. v. 7. When the apostle, in the context to the paffage above quoted, declares, that we are juftified by faith, and not by the works of the law, I cannot fuppofe, as our author does,* that he only "intended to oppose the "doctrine of the Jews, who maintained "that the obfervance of the law of Mofes "was abfolutely neceffary to falvation," because it is added, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we eftablish the law. Which words can only be spoken of the moral law; for the apostle did not establish the law of Mofes by preaching faith in Chrift: On the contrary, he made it void, or declared it to be abrogated. Whereas, the moral law is established by this doctrine; its juftice being moft clearly fhewn by` the propitiation made for our tranfgreffions of it, and obedience moft effectually fecured by a true faith in Chrift Jesus.

2. "Can we wish for a more diftinct, and perfect representation of the manner in "which God forgives the fins of his offspring "of mankind, than our Saviour has exhibited "to us in the parable of the prodigal fon." Appeal, p. 19.

* Illuftration, p. 54.

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The defign of this parable, as the context thews, was to reprove the Jews for their unreasonable conduct, in objecting to our Lord's moft gracious attention to notorious finners, and his kind reception of fuch upon their repentance; and to teach us with what kindness we ought to behave to all repenting finners, when they return to the path of duty, however profligate their former conduct may have been. But whether the doctrine of atonement be true or falfe, cannot be determined from this parable, as the apparent defign of it has nothing to do with this question. The parable proves that God is merciful; and I should fuppofe, that the appointment of a way, whereby finners may obtain forgiveness from his hands, does not infer that he is unmerciful. Expofitors of scripture should be very cautious of deducing any doctrine from a parabolic representation, but what appears to be defignedly inforced by that representation: without this caution the most abfurd opinions may be, and, indeed, too often have been, urged from these parts of holy writ.

3. To fay that God the Father provided "an atonement for his own offended justice is, in fact, to give up the doctrine. If a "perfon owe me a fum of money, and I chuse "to have the debt difcharged, is it not the "fame thing, whether I remit the debt at once, or fupply him with money wherewith "to pay me?" Triumph of Truth,`p. 21.

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This argument is founded upon these fuppofitions, that our fins bear no other relation to God than that of debts to a creditor, and that to make atonement for fin is the fame kind of tranfaction as to pay a debt; but till these fuppofitions are either allowed or proved, no argument can be grounded upon them. As obedience is fomething that we owe to God, our failures herein are fometimes, with great propriety, called debts in the fcriptures. But it is very evident, that the facred writings do not only reprefent God as our creditor, but likewise as our moral governor : And it must be acknowledged by every reasonable perfon, that as he alone is acquainted with all the ends aimed at in the punishment of finners, he is the fole judge of the propriety of it in any cafe, and of the confiderations or conditions proper to be required in order to the remiffion of our fins.

4. "It can never be reconciled to equity, "or anfwer any good purpose whatever, to "make the innocent fuffer the punishment of "the guilty." Ib.

Nothing can be plainer both from scripture and experience, than that many fuffer for the fins of others; and this is undoubtedly by the appointment of God, if he is the governor, and judge of all the earth: Whether the appointment be equitable or not, I leave our author to judge for himself; the fact he does not deny; "It is allowed," fays he, " that we "fuffer

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