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individual in particular, so as to expiate for the sins of the whole world. It is written, "behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world;""he is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world;"" that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man." It follows, that if any are lost, Christ died in vain for them.

Evander. That our blessed Saviour made an atonement for the sins of the whole world, is readily granted; but to suppose that it consisted in suffering the exact amount of evil due to transgressors, and not to consider it in a governmental point of view, as restoring that glory to the Divine law, in the view of intelligent creation, which would have been tarnished by its violation, unless its penalty had been executed on the offender, is at once to lower its efficacy, and mar its infinite beauty. If the atonement consisted in suffering the personal desert of sinners, then the plan of forgiveness is totally excluded, as I before observed, for to talk of forgiving a debt that is already paid to the full extent of the demand, is a very great absurdity; but the Son of man has power to forgive sins. If the sins of mankind were transferred to Christ, there could be no abounding merit in his atonement, unless he suffered more than their desert; in which case, the evil in the universe would be increased instead of being diminished:

Lorenzo. It is written, "who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree," which overturns your objection against our Saviour's suffering the personal desert of sinners.

Evander. It is written likewise, that " he was made sin," but it does not follow that he was made a sinner, but only an offering for sin. The manner in which he bore our sins and infirmities is not left to conjecture, but is explained by the evangelist: "When the evening was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils, and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses." He staid the sword of Divine justice that was drawn against transgressors, by making an atonement for their sins; but when he offered himself a sacrifice, we cannot suppose his human nature suffered the exact quantity of evil due to all mankind, or even what the elect would have suffered to all eternity, had they not been redeemed by his blood. His sufferings were more valuable in vindicating the honour of the Divine government, than all the sufferings that sinners could have endured. It was the dignity of the Saviour that gave value to his sufferings; he magnified the law and made it honourable, so that God could withhold the penalty due to his re

deemed, and his justice remain glorious. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, and to no others.

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Lorenzo. Does not the apostle declare, that "as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." This passage clusive, if there were no others; but on your plan, condemnation came upon all, and the free gift, unto justification of life, only upon a part. I shall leave it for you to reconcile such absurdity with the plain letter of the Scriptures.

Evander. We may select passages unconnected with the general tenor of the Scriptures, that will appear literally to oppose each other; but when taken in the grand connection, and their true meaning understood, completely harmonize. In the same epistle, the apostle declares, that God "will render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; but to them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first and also the Gentile, for there is no respect of persons with God; for as many as have sinned without

law, shall perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law." At the time the apostle wrote, salvation by Jesus Christ, was generally believed to be only to the Jews. It is evident the apostle Peter was ignorant of the extent of Christ's mission, until he witnessed the descent of the Holy Ghost upon Cornelius and his friends; and the church called him to a serious account only for mingling with the Gentiles. A principal object in the apostle's writings, was to prove and establish the doctrine, that justification, by Jesus Christ, extended to all mankind, that is, to Gentiles, as well as Jews; he says, "is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? yes, of the Gentiles also; seeing it is one God that justifieth the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith;" having the same idea in view, he says, "therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men, (Gentiles and Jews) unto justification of life.” As I understand the passage, it is simply this, that God bestows salvation as freely on the Gentiles as the Jews, without respect of persons. If this is not the meaning, and your ideas are correct, then there is a complete contradiction in the same epistle; but on my explanation, it not only harmonizes with itself, but the rest of the Scriptures.

Lorenzo. You would be understood, that your explanation only harmonizes with the general tenor of the Scriptures: this I shall not grant. Do we not read, that "it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell, and having made peace by the blood of the cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I say, whether they be things on earth or things in heaven." If Christ reconcile all things to himself, then all the race of Adam must be reconciled; it would be impossible that all should be reconciled, while part are enemies, in outer darkness, and filled with enmity; but "he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet; the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." If enmity is an enemy, that will be destroyed; as it is written, " that he might reconcile both unto God in one by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby," then all things, all enemies, all enmity, and whatsoever offends, must be subdued or reconciled to himself. St. John had a glorious revelation of that time, when Christ should convert all blasphemous tongues into instruments of praise and love; " every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." All creatures, without ex

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