must be drawn exclusively from the sacred oracles; and by a reverent study of their words we may hope to ascertain the essential facts and principles comprised in that wondrous work of God.

NOTE. -For a further discussion of certain questions considered in the foregoing, see Chapter I. in the "Examination of the Vicarious Sacrifice of Dr. Bushnell," in Part III:

CHAPTER I.

THE ATONEMENT AS RELATED TO GOD.

I. A GROUND FOR RENEWING AND PARDONING

or

GRACE.

S it is our purpose to advance step by step to a position where the power and nature of the Atonement may be clearly seen, it will be enough to define it, with reference to our immediate object, as that in consideration of which God renews the hearts and pardons the sins of all who are saved. In other words, it has furnished him with a good and sufficient reason for leading men by special grace to repentance, and for remitting their sins in case of repentance. In still other, and perhaps more exact terms, it has removed an obstacle, in the mind of God, to the exercise of his regenerating and forgiving grace. If these statements, or either of them, be correct, then surely the Atonement has relations to God no less essential than its relations to men; it is a condition of his grace to them, as well as a moral power to draw them to him.

2

And in support of this position, we refer to the apostolic declaration: "Him hath God exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins."1 Plainly the work of Christ after his ascension is here described; and this language may be compared with the words of Peter on the day of Pentecost: "Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he hath poured out this, which ye now see and hear." From the similarity of these passages it is probable, if not certain, that giving "repentance" and "pouring out the Spirit" were closely connected in the apostle's mind, the latter specifying the crowning agency employed by the Saviour, and the former stating the chief result of that agency. No explicit reference is made in either of them to the moral power of Christ's earthly life, as producing repentance, or to the story of his cross, as subduing rebellion in the selfish will. Admitting, then, as we thankfully do, the great moral influence of the Atonement on the hearts of men, we do not find that influence expressed by the words, "to give repentance unto Israel," - much less in the farther clause, "and remission of sins;" but the Saviour is set before us by this language in his regal state, exercising

the prerogatives of a divine Ruler, giving and forgiving as Mediatorial King. And his Headship over all is, as Paul teaches, a reward for his suffering, even unto death, in behalf of men. "Wherefore,"

that is, on account of this humiliation and suffering,—" God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." Through him, then, or in consideration of his work, God saves the elect, by renewing their hearts, forgiving their sins, and keeping them by divine power through faith unto eternal life. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved."1 "Through this man is preached the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified."2 Now, it is evident that pardon and justification are represented in this passage as being, in the order of nature, subsequent to faith; and therefore, if it could be fairly supposed, as it cannot, that the latter is here traced by the apostle to the moral influence of Christ, it would still be true. that the former are said to be given by him, or through him, and in no other way, a fact which can only be explained by admitting that his Atonement removed an obstacle existing in the mind of God to their pardon. To say that forgiveness of sins is granted by or through him ex

clusively, is, in view of all the circumstances, equivalent to saying that it is granted in consideration of his atoning death. This will be made certain before we finish our discussion of the topic.

An argument for our view, or definition, may also be drawn from those passages of Scripture which represent Christ as interceding with God for his people. Thus Paul speaks of "Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."1 John affirms that "if any one sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 2 And the Epistle to the Hebrews declares that "he is able to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them," 3 as also, in another place, that "Christ is entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for It is evident, from these passages, that the sacred writers looked upon the presence of Christ in heaven as a constant plea for the favor of God to believers, as an all-sufficient reason for the bestowal of grace upon the followers of Jesus. And it is equally evident, from the connection in which every one of these expressions is found, that their writers saw in Christ such a plea, or reason, because he had offered himself a sacrifice for the sins

us." 4

1 Ro. viii. 34.

21 John ii. 1.

8 Heb. vii. 25.

4 Ib. ix. 24.