ing. Why may not the same be said of the prayers of CHRIST, and the sufferings of CHRIST? If God has no pleasure in the death or sufferings of the wicked, he surely could have none in the sufferings of his Son. It must have been the submissive, meek, and forgiving temper, manifested by the Son under his sufferings, which rendered the sacrifice acceptable to God, and not the exquisite torments which the Son endured. It requires a diabolical temper to derive pleasure from the mere sufferings endured by another. CHAPTER XXIII. Thoughts on the Efficacy of the Atoning Sacrifice. Bishop Butler, Dr. Macknight, and Dr. Paley, if I have not misunderstood them, all believed, that the atonement has an important influence on human salvation; but how it has its influence, they professed not to understand. Dr. Magee goes so far as to say,-"I know not, nor does it concern me to know, in what manner the sacrifice of Christ is connected with the forgiveness of sins." The Christian Observer applauded Dr. Magee for taking this ground. There was a time when my own mind acquiesced in Butler's decision on this point. But further inquiry and reflection have convinced me, that such decisions have been too hastily made. Suppose a family of undutiful children to be told, that their kind father had made and ratified his will, and that notwithstanding their past disobedience, he had bequeathed to each of them a large estate. Would it be prudent for one of these children to say, I believe there will be found a connexion between my father's sealing his will, and my possessing the portion allotted to me; but "I know not, nor does it concern me to know, in what manner that connexion is to be formed? Will not the prudent child, in such a case, carefully inquire, whether the will is not conditional, and whether the connexion between the will and his possession of the estate, is not to be formed by something to be done on his own part; by neglecting which, he may forfeit the legacy, and be for ever poor, notwithstanding all his father's benevolence and care to do him good? For similar reasons, it may be highly important for every one to understand, how " the sacrifice of Christ is connected with forgiveness." I am willing to admit, that the atoning sacrifice may have influence on salvation, in ways which are not revealed, and which are of course unknown; still there may be much revealed on this subject, which has not been duly considered, and which may be of great importance to be understood. I also admit, that it is difficult clearly to explain the how of almost any thing which can be named; but I am now inclined to think, that there is no more difficulty in explaining how the atonement has an important influence on the salvation of men, than how facts, truths, or motives, have an effect on the human mind, to change opinion, disposition, and character. As all the revealed purposes of the Savior's death, stated in chapter third, have respect to the salvation of sinners, so far as these purposes have been accomplished, the sacrifice must have had great influence on human salvation; and how it has had that influence may be as clearly understood, as how sowing good seed has influence on the harvest, or how testimony has influence to satisfy the mind of the truth of alleged facts. The proof of a resurrection and future life, furnished by the resurrection of our Lord, must naturally have had an important influence, as it presents powerful motives to seek first the kingdom of God, and to form a character which will insure that the future life will be happy. The ratification of the new covenant by the blood of Christ,-the fulfilment of what had been foretold respecting the death and resurrection of the Messiah, breaking down the middle wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles, and thus extending the blessings of revelation, and the gospel covenant, to the gentile nations, were certainly effects which have had great influence on salvation, and will continue to have to the end of time;—an influence, too, which is capable of being understood and felt by gentile Christians, in every quarter of the world. I may now proceed further, and observe, that a great object of the atoning sacrifice was, to reconcile sinners unto God. If, then, it can be shown that the sacrifice was adapted to this purpose, and also shown, how reconciliation is connected with forgiveness, it will then be clear, how the sacrifice has influence on salvation. That the atoning sacrifice was designed to reconcile sinners unto God, is so clearly revealed, that perhaps no denomination of Christians will deny the fact. But how does it appear to be adapted to that end? In reply, I may ask, Is it not a well known fact, that clear and striking manifestations of kindness and forgiving love, made by the party wronged or injured, are adapted to make on - offenders or enemies deep and favorable impressions? Though the gospel principle of overcoming evil with good has been sadly disregarded by Christians; yet there have been many instances in which acting on this principle has had the most salutary effects, to melt, to disarm, and to reconcile,-effects far more important than those produced by menace and vindictive measures. There have been, indeed, melancholy instances, in which acting on this principle has failed of producing the intended favorable effects. But such failures, perhaps, are often to be imputed to some imprudence in the manner of proceeding on the part of him who adopted the principle, or to gross ignorance, deep-rooted prejudices, or real misapprehensions on the part of those to whom intended kindness was displayed. However, as a general truth, it may be said, that kindness to enemies is adapted to subdue and overcome them, when the kindness is perceived and regarded as flowing from a pure source, not pretended love. How great, then, must be the effect of the atoning sacrifice, when it shall be clearly understood, properly illustrated, and brought home to the hearts and consciences of men! I have no difficulty in believing what has been so often reported of the success of Moravian missionaries, in preaching Christ crucified to the barbarous nations. It is said, their success has principally resulted from their representations of divine love, as manifested in the sufferings of Christ for guilty men. I am not personally acquainted with the Moravians, nor have I a very perfect knowledge of their views of the gospel sacrifice. I regard them, however, as a people remarkable for their benevolence, simplicity, self-denial, and perseverance. In speaking of the love of God as displayed in the sufferings of Christ, they would probably represent the subject very much according to the manner of the inspired writers, avoiding such metaphysical speculations, unauthorized assertions, and revolting hypotheses, as tend to shock the understanding, and to diminish the effect of the gospel representations. What, then, could be more adapted to awaken the attention, and melt the heart of barbarians, than the story of divine love, as told by Christ and his Apostles? I am unacquainted with any thing else, in human language, so well adapted to reconcile sinners unto God. But we are to account for the effects on this principle, that genuine expressions of love are of a reconciling tendency. Not only is the story of God's love to his sinful children of a moving and conciliating character, but this circumstance is peculiarly striking, that the sacrifice was made not on the part of those who had offended, to reconcile their sovereign; but on the part of the sovereign, to reconcile his guilty subjects to himself. This circumstance, if properly represented, must be very affecting to a people who had been in the habit of offering sacrifices to appease their angry deities, and who, perhaps, had never heard of such a thing as a sovereign's making pacific overtures to revolted subjects, or of any one's acting on the principle of overcoming evil with good. This view of the subject exhibits the character of God in the most amiable light, and affords strong ground of assurance of his forgiving love. For if "he spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things!" Enough, perhaps, has been said, to show that the atoning sacrifice was adapted to produce the intended effect,— reconciliation. Should it now be asked, in reference to |