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MISCELLANEOUS.

THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST.

"Was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ necessary to redeem the world?" To this question, asked by one of our correspondents, we return the following answer.

It was necessary, so far as the wilful and barbarous conduct of man could make any thing necessary but this necessity did not arise out of any predetermination or decree of God, which prefixed the cruel circumstances of Christ's death, nor from the operative and exciting agency of God in producing and directing those nefarious desires which led the enemies of the Lord Jesus to imbrue their hands in his blood.

His crucifixion was undoubtedly predicted; and this prediction was founded on that infinite knowledge of the Deity, which enabled him to foresee all that combination of circumstances which finally conducted the crucifiers of the Lord Jesus to perpetrate their horrid deeds against him. Whatever necessity, therefore, could originate from these circumstances, (most of which were the effect of voluntary agents abusing their freedom,) for Jesus Christ to be crucified, did actually exist, and no more. But that all this was essential to effect the redemption of the world by the death of Christ, is more than can be proved. To admit it would indeed be to destroy all human responsibility, and to remove all guilt from the consciences of those who perpetrated this daring crime. It would be to convert a crime, considered by the inspired writers of the highest magnitude, into one of the most sublime virtues-no less a virtue than contributing most

essentially to the grand work of redeeming the world by the blood of Christ!

There may be yet another sense in which we may admit the necessity of the crucifixion of Christ. Had not sin entered into the world, there would have been no necessity at all for a Redeemer, much less that he should die. But as sin did enter into the world, "and death by sin," the order of God made it necessary, that man might be rescued from its thraldom, that the Redeemer should die in man's stead. Accordingly, a Redeemer was provided, and his death, by some means, made certain: hence he is called the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;" that is, slain, or devoted as a vicarious sacrifice for man, by the wise determination of God, from the foundation of the world. At the same time, God, from whose omniscience nothing is hid, saw what would be the state of the moral world when the Redeemer should come; and according to this foresight he fixed the plan of his own operations, determining to make even this wickedness of the wicked subserve his benevolent purposes in the great work of redemption. Hence originated a sort of necessity-such a necessity as grew out of the disordered state of the moral world-that Jesus Christ should suffer crucifixion : but the wicked and cruel circumstances attending this barbarous act originated from the malicious disposition of his persecutors, and not from either the predetermination of God, or his exciting agency on their hearts.

That the death of Christ was dead." When the soldiers pierced essential to effect the redemption his side, and there came thereout of the world must be on all hands "blood and water," this circumadmitted; but it is equally plain stance was an evidence that he was that crucifixion was not the imme- already dead, and not that his death diate or effectuating cause of that was hastened by that means. His death, but only a circumstance at death was the effect of his own tending it, which could not have voluntary act in submitting to been avoided but by an act of Al- become man's substitute, and to mighty Power to destroy the free receive the vindictive stroke of agency of his crucifiers. This will Eternal Justice, which pierced appear evident, the vital springs of life, and finally severed the soul from the body.See John xix, 31-37.

1. From the fact that the agonies of death were felt by the Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, when he "poured out strong cries and tears to Him that was able to save, and was heard in that he feared;" and he doubtless would have died there under the mighty load of human guilt which he came to sustain and to expiate, had not the cup, in answer to his prayer, been removed from him. See Luke xii, 41-45, and Heb. v, 7.

2. He said unto the Jews, "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." John x, 17, 18. In perfect accordance with this solemn declaration, in which he assumes the high prerogative of deity, it is said, when expiring on the cross, that "he dismissed his spirit ;" and this-he did by an act of power peculiar to himself as sovereign of his own actions and destiny.

3. His death was miraculous: that is, it was not brought about in the ordinary course of events, as was the death of the two male factors who were crucified with him.

They died by crucifixion; and therefore, when the soldiers came to break their legs, they found them still alive; whereas Jesus was already dead, and Pilate marvelled that he was so soon

From the whole it manifestly follows, that if the death of Christ was not inflicted by crucifixion, then crucifixion was not essentially necessary to accomplish the re demption of the world; but was one of those incidental circumstances attending this awful event, which arose from the wickedness of the hearts of men, but which God, who is wise and wonderful in working, overruled and managed for the display of his infinite love.

Allowing the correctness of these observations, it will also follow that if Christ had died a natural death, it would not have made an atonement for the sin of the world. Indeed, a natural death to him was impossible. Death is the effect and punishment of sin; but Christ knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; and therefore his death was altogether supernatural, inflicted in a way in which no other person ever experienced death-entirely peculiar to himself, and far beyond the ordinary course of events. Hence it cannot be accounted for by any of the known laws of nature. Neither does it follow, by any fairness of reasoning, that because we deny to crucifixion, which was inflicted by the barbarous conduct of his persecutors, and not by an order from

God, the power of depriving Christ of life, that he must have died a natural death. As before said, his death was miraculous or supernatural, and could never have been effected by all the malicious ingenuity of men, had he not voluntarily submitted himself to the death of the cross: and in this astonishing act he evinced both the humanity and divinity of his sacred charac

ter.

We might urge this point still farther, from the enormous guilt with which those who conspired against the Son of God stand charged. St. Peter, in his pointed discourse on the day of pentecost, and St. Stephen, in his cutting reproaches of the Jews, both fix their attention on this horrid crime, portraying it in the darkest colours, as being the very climax of their wickedness, and the immediate precursor of their national overthrow." Him, being delivered" (to death) "by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have CRUCIFIED and SLAIN." Acts ii, 23. "Of whom," says St. Stephen, "ye have been now the BETRAYERS and MURDERERS." Ch. vii, 52. If Judas, in betraying "the Son of man with a kiss," and the Jews in demanding his cruci

fixion, were fulfilling the eternal purpose and will of God, with what justice and truth would such a tremendous charge have been made against them, of wickedly slaying and murdering the Son of God?But if all these traitorous and murderous acts were necessary to effect the redemption of the world, the actors and all their actions were equally necessary; and would you, would the God of justice, sincerity, and truth, blame them for thus being the mere passive engines of his love towards a fallen world!

Whether, therefore, our views, as above expressed, are founded in truth or not, it remains an eternal truth that the crucifiers of Christ were guilty, in the judgment of God himself, of a base and treacherous murder when they nailed Christ to the cross; and therefore they could not have been fulfilling, as they must have been if all this were necessary to accomplish the grand work of redemption, the purposes and will of the Most High. So far from this, that the Jews, by demanding the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, made themselves responsible for his murder, and drew on themselves that tremendous curse which annihilated their national existence.

NATURAL AND MORAL ABILITIES.

To the Editors of the Methodist Magazine.

HAVING seen in your August number some observations on natural and moral abilities, I beg leave to offer a few remarks on those subjects, which you are at liberty to insert in your Magazine.

A FRIEND TO TRUTH.

WHEN God created man, he he already possessed spiritual life: unquestionably endowed him with abilities to obey all his commands, and by so doing he might claim all the promised rewards. He was fully able to obey, because

he loved God, and possessed his Spirit and image. He was both naturally and morally able to obey, because he possessed all the requisite powers of soul and body, with

light and knowledge to guide him in the path of duty. In this situation he needed no mediator, advocate, or intercessor, for he could personally appear before God in his own character, and intercede for himself. By obeying the law under which he was placed, he would have continued justified; but, in No: no more than the case of a single failure, he must in- vilest insect that crawls upon the cur the penalty annexed to the law. face of the earth. Will the Lord But to say that a person has a condemn him for not doing so? I natural ability to do a moral act, answer, the law has already conand yet that he has no moral abi- derned him; but the gospel interlity to do it, appears to me some- poses in his behalf, and grants him thing like a contradiction. A a reprieve. The law is not a connatural ability to do a moral act, dition of life to any child of Adam. differs not, according to my appre- But what says the gospel to such hension, from a moral ability: but a creature? "Believe on the Lord if the advocates for natural ability Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be and moral inability claim that eyes saved." But can he believe? Not constitute an ability to see without until he is taught of God, and aslight, and ears to hear without sisted by his Spirit. The Holy sound, we contend not, but invite Spirit must convince him of sin; them to make the experiment.- the light of Christ must shine into How could a person believe in him his heart; and then, and not till of whom he had not heard, or see then, is he able to believe with a the light of Christ, if the light had heart unto righteousness. Where never come to him? If man has then, I would again ask, is the a natural ability to obtain justifica- natural ability to obey either the tion by a compliance with the law law or gospel? If we appeal given to our first parents, or the to the Scriptures, this will prove moral law, I see no necessity of a the inability of the natural man to Saviour, or of an atonement. It is be saved either by the law or gosadmitted by our opponents, that pel, without grace. To instance when man fell, he lost the image only a few texts :-"The natural of God. It is also admitted that man receiveth not the things of love to God is not natural to man, the Spirit of God; neither can he but that he is "born like the wild know them, for they are spiritually ass's colt," and goes astray as soon discerned." "By the deeds of as he is born, speaking lies. Where the law no flesh shall be justified then, I would ask, is his natural in his sight." Again: "No man ability to love and obey God? If can come to me, (says Christ,) exit be admitted that man, in conse- cept the Father, which bath sent quence of the fall, comes into the me, draw him." "Faith cometh world destitute of the image of by hearing, and hearing by the God, and has need to be born word of God: how shall they hear again before he can love God, it without a preacher, and how shall must follow, I think, that he has they preach except they be sent," no natural ability to do the works &c. A natural ability to love God of the law, nor natural ability, and do the works of the law, or to

independently of divine grace, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us view man as he is in reality--a fallen, helpless creature. What says the law of God to him? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, strength, and mind." But can he do this?

believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, is contradicted both by Scripture and the experience of all God's people. A moral ability, where the gospel is preached, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, is as clear and evident as that a man with good eyes can see the light of the sun, or with good ears can hear the sound of a cannon.Though man by the fall lost the image of God, and thus became incapable of loving him, or of being justified by the deeds of the law, yet he lost neither his eyes, nor ears, nor understanding: and therefore nothing more or less is now wanting to enable him to exercise repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, than the grace of God, and this is given through the Redeemer of

sinners..

I think the great difficulty with those whose sentiments we oppose is, that in theory, they confound the law and the gospel: they do not mark the distinction between the condition of justification by the deeds of the law, and that required by the gospel. The law says, "Do this, and live." The gospel says, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and depend on his merit alone for salvation. Our opponents in this controversy tell us that believing is a fruit of the Spirit, and is subsequent to regeneration. But if so, then certainly it cannot in truth be considered as a condition of a sinner's justification, as the sacred Scriptures most assuredly assert that it is. It is granted, indeed, that a sinner cannot so believe as to receive the grace of justification, independ

ently of the direct operation of the Holy Spirit on his heart, by which he is enabled to cast himself on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus for life and salvation; for, though the exercise of the mind in believing be the same in embracing religious truth as it is in embracing any other truth, yet the power to do the former is supernatural, and is bestowed in answer to prayer, by an immediate and direct operation of the Holy Spirit on the heart. Hence no man can truly believe himself justified when he pleases. He may fancy himself justified, and while the illusion lasts, he may imagine himself happy; but the moment the truth is applied to his heart, by which he discovers his true state, the illusion is fled, and all his imaginary happiness with it. When the penitent sinner throws himself on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, depending on his merits alone for pardon and sal vation, believing in the willingness of Almighty God to save him now, there is accompanying this lively act of believing, the operation of the Holy Spirit on his heart; and when the pardon is granted, the same Divine Spirit bears witness that the work is done.

In all this gracious work the penitent sinner is active, exerting all his moral powers in obedience to God. Now, whether any fallen son of Adam has natural ability to do all this, is left to any man instructed in the school of Christ to determine. We conclude that he has neither natural nor moral ability to do this independently of divine grace.

VOL. VIII.

December, 1825.

60

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