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¦ ¦ W superstition . Y $ t this gross df&rkness of heathenisiii has been -suffered , to obscure the glorious light of the gospel , by the adoption of
the popular notion of atonement , which supposes that the wrath of God was appeased , and his justice satisfied for-the sins of men by the cruel murder of Jesus , his beloved son 1 This absurd notion of
sacrifices stands completely refuted by the revelation God hath afford - ed of himself in the scriptures , as a God of love , the Father of mercies , a Being delighting in mercy , who is ever ready to forgive , and by the leading character of the
gospel , as a system of grace , or divine free favour , containing the free forgiveness of sins , and free salvation for guilty men / 52 . The Jewish sacrifices , and that of Christ have been supposed to be vicarious ; but this notion is
contrary to both reason and scripture That the righteous governor of the universe should punish the innocent in the place and stead of the guilty is repugnant to all his declarations , and abhorrent to every
feeling of justice . That the Jewish sacrifices were not vicarious , is evident ; for no sacrifice was appointed , or could be accepted in any case where life was forfeited uilder the law , and only in 6 uch a case was a vicarious sacrifice
possible . No sacrifice was appointed for the breach of any one of thie ten commands . Though Christ died for us , for bur benefit , it is nevfcrsaid in the New
Testament that he died in our stead , and the whole tenor of the gospel is fatal to such a notion . * 3 . Sacrifices have been too cdmirionly Regarded as a substitute for moral purity and personal righteousness . That the Jewish sacrifices were
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intended for no such purpose . is most evident ; for when they were offered --without regard to moral purity and personal righteousness , God declared his abhorrence of
them . Isaiah 1 , 11—15 . That the death of Christ was not designed to supply the place of personal righteousness is equally manifest ; for he did not come to be
the minister of sin : a higher de ~ gree of purity and moral righteousness is required of those who live under the gospel than was required of those who lived under the law , and the displeasure of God is still revealed from heaven
against all unrighteousness of men , 4 . It has been taken for granted , that sacrifices were originally offered for men as sinners , but the contrary is the fact ; they were offered by the righteous ^ and accepted only from the righteous , as Abel and -Noah : and the
arceptance of them was a token of God ' s approbation of the character of him who offered them ; because God did not respect or approve the person of Cain he would not accept his offering . ' See Gen . iv . 4 , 5 , 7 . Heb . xi . 4 .
The most ancient idea which tlie scriptures convey of sacrifices is , that they were gifts or presents . Abel ' s offering is called his gifts * It is natural to Conjecture that in
the infancy of the world , the pious man , from a sense of his dependence on the Almighty , and from a principle of gratitude and allegiance to him , -would select some part of his substance , jthd
present it as an offering expr ' esfsive of his feelings , and that God would give some token of his ftfc-Cepting the preterit of the gbod man . Silch a procedure would accord with the infantile ideas en-
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Remarks on Sacrifices . 44 &
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1810, page 445, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2408/page/21/
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