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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Untitled Article
such as are calculated to vindicate and secure hi $ aiilRorjUy , or in any other way to fulfil purposes best known to his infinite wisdom ? There may thus be occasion , in a dispensation of forgiveness , for something more than an invitation to repentance , a
declaration of pardon , or a perfect rule ami pattern of righteousness ; something which shaH reflect a light-oh the Divine government and character , and make impressions on the minds of the erring creatures , salutary and sea * sonable , according to the nature of their circumstances . I shall now
endeavour to answer your correspondent ' s objections , nearly in the order in which they occur . The first which I find is this ; that while I disapprove several views of this subject which others have taken , I have not advanced any clear or in- *
telligible doctrine myself . I readil y allow , that on a subject somewhat difficult as this is , and entangled in so much controversy , I may , probably , have failed either to think or to speak so clearly as I might have done ; but , at the same time , I am confident that
there is contained m my papers , not only some doctrine , but an intelligible and important one . What I advanced was this : " that the mediation of Christ , and especially his death > was the icay or method which Divine
Wisdom chose for granting to mankind remission of sirts ; i . e . deliverance from their consequences . " Now your correspondent thinks that this is saying nothing at all , and that such expressions convey only " an indefinite and indescribable doctrine . " I must allow
that my proposition may wear a somewhat questionable shape to those who wish immediately to recognize a friend or foe by the shibboleths of party ; but this T deem no proof of its being destitute of real significancy . I think it gives a simple and intelligible account of the end or final cause of our Lord * s
death , considered as an event appointed by God , and of the relation in which this event stood to the forgive * ness of sins : and these particulars appear to me to be interesting and important knowledge * And 1 think that > without going any farther , I have herein advanced something mare than your correspondent , and many other Unitarians / fairly admit ; for they vpU hardly acknowledge any $ u $ h close
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and proper connexion between the deathj of Christ and . the remission of sins a £ % here asserted . They appear to recognize na other connexion between these things than that which may be traced in the natural course of events . Because the death of Christ
appears , among other circumstances , to have been eminently conducive to the promotion of Christian faith and Virtue , and these again , lead to forgiveness , they imagine that this remote connexion is all that is intended in
the words of Scripture . But is it not obvious that , according to this mode of interpretation , any thing to whiph , in the course of events , our repeiw tance may be traced , and through that our pardon , a good book , an impres
sive sermon , a striking occurrence , maybe said to . have been for the rc-r mission of our sins , and a propitiation for them ; and that Paul's preaching had the same relation to our redemption as Christ ' s death ? But I must
be allowed to say , that such explanations appear to me no better than trifling with the subject , and frittering away the import of sacred wocda . Ta justify the language of Scripture , souie much more close ami proper connexion than this must be found ; so must there also , before it can be said with
propriety that the death of Christ was the way or method chosen by God for the remission of sinsi . Whether , therefore , there be oj- be not ia my statement all that clearness which I
might , have given it , still H goes decidedly to affirm more than your correspondent admits , and is not , therefore , so nugatory as he represents it .
But , after all , it does not appear to me any thing ver . y obscure to say that the death of Christ was the method which Divine Wisdom adopted for the pardon of our sins . However , as I desire to do my best to be understood , I will endeavour to explain . myself somewhat more presisely .
And firs ^ , on the very threshold of this discussion , I think it necessary to state clearly Wfl&tf I understand by the forcrivenegs - of « bis . Hqw I cer ~ tainly do n # t understand by forgive nesa , hi this connexion , that merciful regard aiife / a ^ Ji ^^ * * m * h \ vh * ch the Father views e ^ ry rettammg ^ vander ^ . No mediatiptt is ^ ecea - W * y for « hi 9 ; f : it fa seared by pen }
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On the Remission of Sin * . 143
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1823, page 143, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1782/page/15/
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