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sacrifice conveys, then eternal life would have been claimed as the reward of merit. Sacrifice was therefore appointed, as a measure of subservience to the necessary instruction and discipline of those ages, during which a full developement of the evangelical scheme would have been premature.

While the sacrificial ordinance was thus adapted to operate as a guard against the abuse to which the doctrine of a future state was liable, it would at the same time yield the strongest support and confirmation to that doctrine itself.

The original and inborn corruption of the human race, indeed, is a doctrine, which man by nature cannot discover, and to which, even when favoured with better guidance, he frequently evinces no little repugnance. But as to the actual guilt of each individual, the consciousness of this must be inherent in every mind, which has been instructed in the common principles of moral obligation. How then by a being, thus labouring under an inward conviction of guilt, could the hope of eternal life have been warrantably entertained? To him sacrifice, viewed as a divine institution, would open a door of hope: it would convey an assurance in unison with the true foundation of a believer's confidence. Being of universal prevalence, it would speak with an authority, little inferior to a dictate or an instinct of nature, proclaiming to mankind the placability of God", and the pos

n "The various methods of propitiation and atonement which "fear and folly have dictated, or interest and artifice tolerated, in "the different parts of the world, however they may sometimes reproach and degrade humanity, at least shew the general consent " of all ages and nations in their opinion of the placability of the

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sibility of their own forgiveness. Thus would the hope of a future life at once be strengthened and placed upon its right basis. Thus would man be put in possession of that great evangelical principle, in which God has provided the springs of comfort to a sinner in the prospect of death: a principle which natural religion could never teach, but without which neither the proof of future rewards could ever be established, nor the hope of them warrantably entertained.

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I will conclude with the words of a learned and pious divine, which apply with equal propriety to the subject, of this and of the foregoing chapter. "Whensoever we find God," says Dr. Stanhope,

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promising pardon, and admitting men to recon"ciliation and friendship with him, there is involved "a virtual promise of future happiness and immortality. Consequently, every prediction of a Re"deemer and recovery from sin, every sacrifice in"stituted and offered from the beginning of the "world, whereby the offerer was represented as at

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peace with God, his guilt transferred upon the "beast, and a vicarious punishment accepted for his "own; each of these, I say, was a shadow and pledge of a future happiness. And in this respect, "the assurances of life and immortality are of a "date with our first parents' fall "."

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"Divine Nature." Rambler, No. 110. "Sacrifice teaches, that though life be the forfeit of sin, yet God will, in mercy, accept "another life in lieu of the offender's." Rev. exam. with Candour. • Boyle's Lectures, vol. i. p. 701,

CHAPTER VI.

SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE DOCTRINE

WHICH HAS BEEN MAINTAINED IN THE FOREGOING

CHAPTERS.

THE foregoing parts of this dissertation have not been wanting, we trust, in that submission to the authority of Scripture which ought to predominate in every religious inquiry. It seems however desirable, that a more particular attention should be bestowed on certain portions of the sacred writings, the language of which discovers a remarkable concurrence and harmony with that general view of the subject, the justice of which we are desirous to maintain.

The general tenor of Scripture, in the views of a future life which are afforded in both the Old and New Testaments, seems designed to exhibit the prospects of happiness in that state, as subsisting only in connexion with, and in dependence upon, the sacrifice of Christ. That sacrifice is therein set forth to us, as the only meritorious cause of man's justification, and therefore, by necessary consequence, the indispensable foundation of his hopes respecting a future life. The doctrine of life and immortality is peculiarly and exclusively the doctrine of the cross of Christ. It is a stream issuing from the wounds of the Redeemer.

Thus, it is designated by St. Paul as "the promise "of life which is in Christ Jesus P:" a form of words which manifestly indicates, that the doctrine thus described was peculiar to the Christian plan of re

P 2 Tim. i. 1.

demption, and one by which it was essentially distinguished from every other religious dispensation.]

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"Is the Law then against the promises of God? "God forbid for if there had been a law given "which could have given life, verily righteousness. "should have been by the Law 9." The Law contained in itself no provision, by virtue of which righteousness could be imputed to man: in other words, it provided no means of human justification. This deficiency arose from two causes. First, it imposed obligations which the fallen nature of man had never been able to fulfil: secondly, it provided no means intrinsically available towards expiating transgression; since it is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats, which forms the matter, of the Levitical sacrifices, can take away sin. The Law then, according to the text, was characterized by two deficiencies, both of which are supplied in that more perfect dispensation which hath succeeded in its place. It provided neither for the justification, nor the eternal happiness, of those who were subject to it. If there had been a law which could have given life, then justification might have been by the Law. How plainly are we directed, in this reasoning, to seek for that justification in the Gospel, which the Law could not afford. This very circumstance of defect in the latter dispensation, is urged, as the most cogent and irresistible motive for embracing the former. By the same form of reasoning we are authorized to conclude, that as justification cannot be by the Law, therefore the Law cannot give life. We

4 Gal. iii. 21.

see then, how closely united with each other are these two deficiencies of the Law. The Law cannot give eternal life, because it cannot give justification to man: for justification must necessarily in order of time be precedent to immortal happiness. Justification is effected, only through the merits of Christ : hence arises the necessity of a Redeemer. Justification is obtained individually, by that act of the mind, whereby a believer, among other necessary principles of faith, embraces the merits of Christ as the ground of his hope: hence arises the necessity of believing the Gospel.

We therefore conclude, that the Law did not promise, because it could not give, eternal life. For if the Law could not give eternal life, it is plain, that a promise of that blessing could never have been introduced into it as its appropriate sanction. If however that promise had, in express terms, been in any way introduced into the Law, how could it have been kept separate and distinct, in the contemplation of the Israelite, from the sanction itself? We may ask again, if the Law had disclosed such a promise, where would have been the inducement to embrace the Gospel ? Where would have been those striking marks of excellence and superiority, by which the latter is now so conspicuously distinguished in its contrast with the earlier dispensation? How would it have been possible, on this supposition, to have established the doctrine of justification on that footing on which the apostle has now placed it? Would it not in that case have obviously occurred to every Jew and judaizing Christian, to have replied to the above cited argument of St. Paul, which is now unanswer

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