Note. The foregoing letter of Elias Hicks to Dr. Nathan Shoemaker, has been widely disseminated in manuscript, and represented by its admirers as containing some new and very rational and consistent views on the doctrine of the atonement, &c. It purports to be a deliberate reply to certain queries propounded for the author's consideration. The writer says "he considers the whole subject to be a very simple one;" and as he had nearly two months to reflect upon it before writing his answer, we may fairly conclude that he has given us his sober and matured opinion on the points in question. How "simple" he has made the subject appear, by his manner of treating it in this letter, we shall endeavour to show in our remarks.

REVIEW, &c.

His

WE suppose it will readily be admitted by all our readers, that the preceding letter exhibits the real sentiments of its author upon the several subjects of which its treats. object in writing it, as stated in the exordium, appears to have been to give, "in a very simple way," his "views of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and what was the object of the shedding of his blood on the cross, and what benefit resulted to mankind by the shedding of this blood." We would request our readers to notice this particularly, as the letter contains so much irrevelant matter that there is danger of losing sight of the main subjects.

As Elias Hicks appeals to the Holy Scriptures as the authority for his opinions, and professes to predicate his arguments upon them, we shall assume it as granted that their authority is finally conclusive. We view them as the only legitimate test of our respective sentiments, and to be consistent with his own practice, he must concur with us in such judgment. In the following pages, therefore, Scripture language must be the umpire between us.

That Jesus Christ "suffered by the hands of wicked men;""that his works were righteous and theirs wicked," are positions which we freely admit; but that his death was merely a consequence of this latter fact, or which is the same thing, that he was no more than a martyr to his principles, is to us not quite so clear. It is an assertion which we do not find supported by Scripture testimony, and as it is calculated to destroy our faith in the vicarious nature of his sufferings, we think it unsafe to adopt it.

Our Blessed Redeemer tells us himself, and there can be no higher authority, that he "came to give his life a ransom for many;" "that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life."

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Elias Hicks asks, "Did God send him into the world purposely to suffer death by the hands of wicked men ?”

His object in putting the query in this form, as well as in making the Jews put Jesus to death, merely because his works were righteous and theirs wicked, must, we think, be obvious to all. It is to destroy in the very outset, a belief in the atonement-to alarm us with the apparent absurdity of making wicked men agents in the plan of redemptionand to reduce the sufferings of the Son of God in the flesh, to a complete parallel with those of the martyrs. But Christ himself tells us that he did come purposely to suffer death, and that death was to be a ransom for many. Now, whether he suffered by wicked or righteous men, it cannot alter the nature of his sufferings they are still redeeming.

If we vary the query so as to read, Did God send him into the world purposely to lay down his life a ransom for sinners? (and we shall still preserve the plain meaning of E. H.'s query,) we are compelled to reply in the affirmative, or to deny the concurrent testimony of the Lord Jesus himself, and of prophets, evangelists, and, apostles.

That it was a prominent part of the mission of the Saviour "to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," and "to lay down his life for the sins of the whole world," is evident from the following passages of Scripture:

66 Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are 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. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation, for he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death, because he hath done no violence;

neither was any deceit in his mouth: yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul [Hebrew word, life,] an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge (or, as a more correct rendering, " by the knowledge of him,") shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities; therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered among the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah c. liii.

We have quoted the whole of this very remarkable prophecy, because it is so directly in point, that, was there not another text in the Bible to prove that the predetermined object of the Saviour's coming was to offer an atonement for sin, this of itself is amply sufficient to establish the fact, and is a most triumphant refutation of all the cavils that have ever been arrayed against the doctrine of the propitiation of Jesus Christ.

It asserts in the most positive manner that the sufferings of Christ were not on his own account, "for he hath done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth;" that they were for the sins of others; “He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; for the transgression of my people was he stricken:" that on his part they were perfectly voluntary; "He poured out his soul [life] unto death;" "he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors;" that they were well pleasing to the Father, and consistent with his will," for the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief;" "therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul [life] unto death."

With these assertions, the testimony of Christ and his apostles fully accords, as will be seen by the following "Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom

texts:

or many." Matt. c. xx. v. 28. "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be." c. 26. "But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Matt. c. xxi., v. 4.

As expressions similar to these occur frequently in the narratives of the evangelists, we may remark, that they positively assert certain things to be done, in order that the purposes of the Almighty, as predicted by his inspired prophets, might be duly accomplished; and the things asserted thus to be done, relate not only to the birth and life, but to the minute particulars of the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus.

To return to our quotations-"Oh fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken-ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory," Luke, c. xxiv. v. 25, 26. "These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Paslms, concerning me," v. 44. "And he said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." v. 46. " And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John, c. iii. v. 14. I lay down my life for the sheep; therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself—I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again, this commandment have I received of my Father." c. x. v. 15, 17, 18. Jesus saith to Pilate, "thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above." c. xix. v. 11. "Ye men of Israel hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also knowHIM being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands