ence to it, Heb. v. 7. that his distress arose from the view he had of the cruel treatment, and ignominious death which awaited him. Never was man, before or since, called to endure equally complicated suffers ings, taking all circumstances into the view, in thờ same space of time. Never had any other sufferer such a complete view beforehand of all his sufferings, Never, perhaps, had any other man feelings so exquis site, or a soul so capable of being harrowed up to the last degree. Most irreverently have the advocates for satisfaction talked, when they have presumed to say; that, if his sufferings did not arise from the wrath of God being poured out upon him, the anguish of his mind in the garden sinks his character below many of the martyrs. They have not considered the cir cumstances mentioned above: nor have they taken into the account that the martyrs had his example, and resurrection, to strengthen them; but whose example had he to encourage him? He was the first that rose from the dead. He manifested no cowardice in suffering; throughout, with firmnes; he resigned himself to the will of his Father. Had his feelings of pain and sorrow been less exquisite, his piety, his virtue, his patience had been less perfect. Had he not felt so deeply, he had been less suited to be our example in bearing sufferings, and less qualified to act the part of a merciful high priest. 9. Of Christ's exclamation on the cross, Eli, Eli, lama 'sabachthani? If he quoted these words as a prophecy concerning himself, they cannot fairly be construed to mean any thing more, than that God had so far withdrawn his protection as to suffer him to fall a victim to the rage, and malice of cruel men. The Psalm from which they are supposed to be quoted speaks of no sufferings but from the hands of men. But, when we consider all the circumstances in which they were uttered it may justly be questioned whether they were not the language of confidence. The phrase, my God, my God, is certainly language of confidence. The people and priests, surrounding him in his dying moments, mocked him as one abandoned of God, he, hearing this, addresses himself with confi dence to his Father, My God, My God, why! or, how! hast thou forsaken me? Is it as my enemies say? and soon after he said Into thy hands I commit my spirit. This was a full proof that he was confident his God had not abandoned him. While his enemies were reproaching him with being abandoned of God, he would hardly utter words which would expresss his assent to the truth of what they said. 10. Whether God forgives sins for the sake of Christ? Eph. iv. 92. Forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you, The original of this passage simply expresses that God in Christ hath forgiven us, and so Wakefield has justly rendered it. But if the common rendering be retained, and duly compared with other parts of scripture, it will be 1 found to give no support to the popular notion of atonement. Paul speaks of the Jews being beloved for the fathers" sakes; (Rom. xi. 28.) but it certainly cannot mean on account of the merit of the fathers. I should rather suppose the sense to be, on the ground of the promises made to the fathers: so on the ground of the divine promises, given us in Christ, we receive the knowledge of forgiveness of sins. Indeed as the words stand connected they are incapable of any other sense; for God is said to forgive in the manner in which christians are commanded to forgive each other: but christians are commanded to forgive each other freely, without standing upon payment, or satisfaction. Christ himself said that for the Elect's sake the days of calamity, which should come on the jewish nation, should be shortened': (Matt. xxiv. 22.) but no one will suppose he intended that on account of the merit of the elect those days should be shortened: it follows that the phrase, for Christ's sake, does not necessarily mean ou account of his merits. It shows the weakness of a cause when its advocates found arguments in its support upon what they cannot well help knowing is a mistranslation. H. Taylor, (in his Ben Mordicai's Letters) says, 'There is no expression in the Greek Testament, which necessarily signifies, that our sins are forgiven us for Christ's sake. The words,' adds he which Mr. Chubb particularly fixes upon, are these, As God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you: but the original is, as God hath forgiven you in Christ. Mr. Pyle says, 'The sense (of Eph. iv. |