true at last, that a doctrine, which assigns the highest rewards of heaven to the exercise of righte ousness and a cultivation of the moral powers, will be eminently fitted to encourage good morals, and quicken the pious affections. This will hold true of the above opinion respecting the way of salvation through Christ, whether that opinion be an accurate deduction from the sense of scripture or not. So far from invalidating, it helps to enforce every moral precept, not only insisting on a holy life as a necessary preparation for enjoying the benefits of Christ's death, but by maintaining that the power of conferring these benefits has been granted on the same consideration.

3. A third opinion is that, which regards the agency of Christ in the salvation of sinners as operating on men alone, and not on God. The Calvinistic scheme inculcates the notion, that the determinations of God were influenced, the rigour of his justice remitted, and his mercy called into action, by the suffering and death of Christ. This same doctrine teaches, that God was thus reconciled to his rebellious children, and induced to receive them into favour; whereas, the uniform declaration of scripture is, that God" has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ," and that "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself."

This is consistent with the character of the Supreme Being. He is unchangeable, and never was at variance with his creatures. The wicked have broken his laws, and by this reason are sub

*2 Cor. v. 18, 19.

ence; nor can they ever be reconciled to his good government, till their minds are renewed, their sins forsaken, and their characters changed. When this is done, a reconciliation will be brought about, not on the part of God, but of men. To produce this reconciliation, that is, to suppress all opposition to the wise and righteous laws of God, was the grand object of the Saviour's mission into the world.

God is the author of the whole; and every thing in the economy of redemption is to be traced to his love, and not to wrath or vindictiveness, for no such emotions can exist in the divine nature.

Not a more important truth presents itself in the whole tenour of scripture, and the whole morral work of creation, than that "God is love." The very reason why he sent his Son to be a Redeemer and a Saviour is declared to be, that he loved the world. The well being and happiness of his creatures contribute as much to his glory, as the beauty, order, and perfection of his works. In what can a holy God delightmore, than in beholding the creatures, whom he has formed with high and varied powers, enjoying the felicity, which results from the noblest exercise of these divine gifts, and which exhibits in a brilliant light the power, wisdom, and benignity of their author?

When they have unwisely forsaken his counsels, and brought misery upon themselves, it does not excite anger in their heavenly and Father, but compassion mercy. Evil and misery are defects in his moral creation, which regard for his own glory, and for the perfection of his works,' prompts him to rem: ve. But to

the wicked he cannot communicate the felicity of the blessed, till they cease from their wickedness. When they are changed, created anew, reconciled to God in holiness, turned from darkness to light, from the bondage of iniquity to the freedom of truth and righteousness, then God can bless them with spiritual gifts, and make them partakers of the rich treasures of his goodness. Jesus came to work this change, and put men in a condition in which they might receive the rewards and enjoy the blessings bestowed on those only, who are free from sin.

Now, as before observed, no person can be placed in this condition till he is released from his moral imperfections, whether these have arisen from the frailty of his nature, neglect of duty, or wilful transgression. Here we perceive the necessity of the pardoning mercy of God. But the scriptures testify, that God pardons us freely, which could not be true, if he were influenced by any thing in the nature of an equivalent for sin, a price, or the payment of a debt. Salvation is a free gift of God's love and favour, or, as the Apostle expresses it, we are "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."* And it is the sense of all scripture, that God pardons us freely, when we are reconciled to him. He could not pardon us before, without violating the rectitude of his own laws; and if he could, we should have no ability to enjoy the blessings of salvation, while in a state of wickedness and rebellion.

Here again we discover the compassion and goodness of God,

Rom. iii. 24.

in making known the terms of pardon, or rather the condition. in which pardon can be of any service to us; and also in sending Jesus Christ to afford us every possible aid and inducement to accept these terms. Repentance and obedience are the conditions, and the sole conditions, on which God has professed a willingness to accept sinners. His language is, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."* Here the promise of pardon is extended to suca as forsake their sins. The Prophets preached repentance, John the Baptist preached repentance, so did the Saviour, and so did the Apostles. It is, indeed, impressed upon us throughout the sacred oracles, as a truth never to be overlooked, that God will freely forgive those, and those only, who sincerely repent, who forsake their sins, and walk in the ways of holiness. He asks nothing more; he demands only what the sinner can render; his sovereign mercy will supply the deficiency. Pardon is not promised through Christ to the incorrigible sinner; but when, in consequence of what Christ has done, men become holy in faith and practice, their past sins will then be no longer imputed to them, but will be blotted out by the special favour of God, according to his promise.

By these reflections we are conducted to a distinct understanding of the agency of Christ in the redemption and salvation of sinners. He has been an instrument in reconciling transgressors to their Maker, and thus causing them to accept the conditions on

*Isaiah, lv. 7.

"saved by faith, by works, by the word of God, by baptism, by grace," and by many other things, as well as by the death of Christ, yet no one supposes, that we can be saved by either of these singly, but by all combined.

Tillotson has well described the offices of Christ in procuring salvation. "By all he did and suffered for us in the days of his flesh, and in the state of his humiliation, and by all that he still continues to do for us, now that he is in heaven at the right hand of God, he hath effected and brought about the great work of salvation. His doctrine and his life, his death and sufferings, his resurrection from the dead, and his powerful intercession for us at the right hand of God, have all a great influence in reforming and saving mankind; and by all these ways and means he is the author and cause of our salvation." " Thus Jesus redeems men or takes away their sins, by all his actions and doctrines together, and by the power and influence of his religion to reform the wicked, regenerate their depraved hearts, and convert them to holiness of life and temper.

Such is the view of many Christians concerning the mode of salvation through Christ; and now it may be permitted to

*Tillotson's Works, vol. vii. p. 2069. The opinion of Tillotson on the atonement seems to have resembled those of Butler, Price, and Magee; yet, perhaps, he -speaks more explicitly than they have done respecting the death of Christ as in some way affecting divine justice. See his Sermon entitled, Christ the Author, and Obedience the Condition of Salvation.

inquire, what its natural tendency ought to be on practical morals and religion? Does it encourage

men

to harbour a single evil thought, purpose, or desire, to neglect a single duty of piety or charity? Does it hold out any substitute for personal holiness, or any incitements to the vicious propensities? Does it conceal

the odiousness of sin and its dreadful consequences, or relax the obligations of moral duty, or

weaken the sense of accountableness to God for every thought and action? Does it degrade the majesty of the law, or enfeeble the authority of the divine commands, or lessen the certainty of a future judgement and righteous retribution?

Not one of those questions can be answered in the affirmative. The view above described has not even this negative tendency; and in truth, it is remarkable for nothing more, than its positive moral and religious bearing; that is, if you will allow morals and religion to consist in good practice. It finds no efficacy in any scheme of redemption, nor any hope for the sinner, without repentance and obedience, devout submission to the will of God, and profound reverence of his holy character. Nor does it take repentance for an empty name, nor look for its value alone in emotions of sorrow, and remorse of conscience for past guilt. To repent is to reform, to forsake sin, to do good where evil has been done before. It is to make our faith a purifying principle, to amend the heart, subdue the passions, banish evil desires, to love where we have hated, and to return kindness for injury. To repent is to examine and watch our own hearts, love God supremely, and our neighbour as

our

selves. Whoever sincerely obeys, will sincerely repent. Obedience ensures repentance. The latter is turning from evil, the former is doing good; the one inspires | respect for the divine laws, the other applies them to practice. Both are absolutely essential to salvation through Christ.

Can that opinion, which regards a good life as the foundation and means of final acceptance with God, and of eternal felicity, can such an opinion be charged with having an unfavourable influence on morals? The charge is equally absurd, and ill founded, and demands no refutation. It is enough to have stated facts; the conclusion is self evident.

Nor is it a just inference, which some have drawn, that this view unduly exalts human merit. The truth is, that in relation to God, no merit on the part of man is supposed. The whole is of divine mercy, it is the exclusive work of God, the merit is his, and to him belongs all the praise. By his compassion alone he was inclined to save and bless his creatures; he sent his Son to redeem them from their sins by publishing the conditions of pardon, and performing works to aid their restoration to holiness, which could not have been performed without light, guidance, and support from heaven. The actions of men have no merit, except as the testimony of obedience. They are of no value as a pree of salvation. God saves freely. Every act of obedience is an act of duty, and is so far meritorious, as to deserve the promised reward, because God has promised it, and not because any benefit is conferred on him. As far as there is any merit in complying with the conditions of

divine forgiveness, so far is human merit exalted by the above views of the manner of salvation, and no farther.

Finally, the comparative moral tendency of the Calvinistic and Unitarian schemes of atonement, may be expressed in few words. Calvinists ascribe salvation to a cause, which puts all human agency out of the question, renders personal holiness unnecessary, and personal responsibility impossible. Unitarians, on the contrary, refer the original cause of salvation to the mercy of God, and dare not indulge any hope of immortal glory, which does not rest on a faithful obedience to the divine laws, as revealed and confirmed by Jesus Christ. Calvinists inculcate morals, it is true, but they have found out a way of salvation, which does not require good morals, or rather in which they can be of no service. The more rigid principles of Unitarians demand perfect obedience without any such discouragement to virtuous and holy living. Calvinists to be religious, must believe one thing and practice another; with Unitarians, faith and practical religion are in harmony.