[THE two following Sermons on the Atonement were delivered in the Chapel of the Theol. Seminary in Andover, in the year 1824, when there seemed to be a special call for a discussion of the subject of which they treat. They were printed soon after delivery, by request of the Students and others; and they have, since that period, been several times reprinted, partly in large editions. For some time past there have been none for sale. The frequency of the inquiry for them, and the importance of the subject, are my apology for reprinting them at present, if an apology be necessary. My views in respect to the subject of the Sermons have not changed since that period, excepting that they have become more vivid and intensive. If there be a central point in the system of Christianity, around which all the rest of the system moves, I am satisfied that it is the doctrine of ATONEMENT, or (in other words) the VICARIOUS SUFFERINGS AND DEATH OF CHRIST, in order that sinners may be pardoned and redeemed. The design of the two following discourses is to remove the leading objections to this doctrine, and to establish it on a scriptural basis. It would be easier, in some respects, to write a book on such a subject, than to compress what one has to say, within the limits of two short discourses. But then brevity has its advantages, in some cases; and I must leave more (ample discussion to professed Theologians, whose proper business it is. Of course, no intelligent person can regard the discourses which follow, as anything more than a mere outline of the all-important subject under consideration.—M. S.] May, 1816. DISCOURSE I. ISAIAH LIII. 5, 6. HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS; HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; AND BY HIS STRIPES ARE WE HEALED. ALL WE LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY; WE HAVE TURNED EVERY ONE TO HIS OWN WAY; AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL. THE sentiment of this passage may perhaps be made more perspicuous, by a translation of it somewhat nearer to the spirit of the original. "He was wounded on account of our transgressions; he was smitten on account of our iniquities; the chastisement by which our peace is procured was laid on him; and by his wounds are we healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have wandered each one in the path that he chose; and Jehovah hath laid on him the punishment due to us all.” This passage, no less than the august personage to whom it relates, has been to the Jews of ancient and modern times a stumbling block, and to many of the Gentiles foolishness. Very soon after Christians, when disputing with the Jews about Christ crucified, began to make their appeal to it, as proof that a suffering and atoning Saviour, Jesus of Nazareth, was foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jews set themselves to find out some other person, or some class of men, concerning whom the prophet might be regarded as here speaking. Some of them have maintained, that the prophet had reference to their nation at large; some that he had respect to Uzziah, Hezekiah, or Josiah; while others suppose, that Isaiah, Jeremiah, or some one of the prophets, was the subject of his description. Nor have commentators and critics among Christians been wanting, who have advocated the opinions thus proposed by the Jews. Of late, the prevailing sentiment among the so-called neological class of critics is, that the prophetic order of men among the Hebrews, rather than any particular individual of it, is referred to by Isaiah. As the prophets, in ancient times, were often subjected to sufferings and death, by the persecuting spirit which reigned among their contemporaries; so they are supposed to be represented, in our text and context, as bearing the sins of the nation, and making atonement for them. It is not my present design to enter into a particular examination of these discrepant and very unsatisfactory interpretations. To the Jew I would say: In what other part of the Old Testament are the sufferings of any mere king or prophet ever represented as expiatory? The Mosaic law has prescribed expiatory sacrifices; and has prescribed all that were to be offered under the ancient dispensation. What part of this law speaks of expiation by the sufferings and death of any mere king or prophet? Or if the Jewish nation at large be the subject of the prophet's description, where is this nation, when persecuted and suffering, represented as an expiatory sacrifice? And for whom did they make expiation? On the contrary, are they not always represented as bearing the punishment due to their own transgressions, and not as bearing that due to others? To the commentator bearing the name of Christian, and disposed to follow these wanderings of unbelief and offence at the cross of Christ in which the Jews have so long indulged, I have only one brief remark to make; which is, that evangelists and apostles have told us, who is the subject of the prophet's description in our text and context. When the treasurer of the Ethiopian queen had been up to worship at Jerusalem, and was returning home, by an express direction from the Spirit of God Philip the evangelist met him. As Philip drew near, he heard the Ethiopian reading a portion of our chapter: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb before his shearers, so he opened not his mouth. In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away; and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch said to Philip : Of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him JESUS." Acts 8: 26-35. ... ... Peter has also applied a part of our chapter to the same distinguished Sufferer. "Christ suffered for us his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree by whose stripes we are healed; for ye were as sheep going astray." 1 Pet. 2: 21-25. The two last phrases are quotations from our text itself, and are certainly applied by the apostle directly to the Saviour. I add only, that Jesus himself cites a part of the chapter from which our text is taken, as containing a description of his own sufferings: "I say unto you, that what is written must be accomplished in me: And he was reckoned among the transgressors." Luke 22: 37, comp. Is. 53: 12. I feel no concern further to vindicate the application of the text to the person of the Messiah. The matter resolves itself into the simple question, whether the interpretation of evangelists and apostles is to be admitted, and believed to be correct; or whether our own conjecture or philosophical ratiocination is to be the ultimate authority, to which we must make our appeal. From the language of our text, as applied to Christ, I deduce the proposition, that HE SUFFERED AS OUR SUBSTITUTE; or, that His sufferings and DEATH WERE AN EXPIATORY OFFERING, ON ACCOUNT OF WHICH OUR SINS ARE PARDONED, AND WE ARE RESTORED TO THE DIVINE FAVOUR. My present object is to discuss the doctrine of the atonement made by Christ, which this proposition brings to our view; and in doing this, I design, I. To make some explanations necessary to a right understanding of the subject. II. To prove the doctrine. |