No. XLII.-ON THE DEATH OF CHRIST AS A TRUE proPITIATORY SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF MANKIND.

PAGE 35. (Not only are the sacrificial terms of the law applied to the death of Christ, as has been shown in Numbers XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX. but others, which open up more fully the true nature of atonement, are superadded in the description of that great sacrifice, as possessing in truth and reality that expiatory virtue, which the sacrifices of the law but relatively enjoined, and but imperfectly reflected. Reasonable as this seems, and arising out of the very nature of the case, yet has it not failed to furnish matter of cavil to disputatious criticism: the very want of those expressions, which in strictness could belong only to the true propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, being made a ground of objection against the propitiatory nature of the Mosaic atonement. Of this we have already seen an instance in page 356, with respect to the words* Argon, and arriλurgov. The expression, BEARING SIN, furnishes another: the author of the Scripture Account of Sacrifices, (p. 146.) urging the omission of this phrase in the case of the legal sacrifices, as an argument against the vicarious nature of the Levitical atone

ment.

Such arguments, however, only recoil upon the objectors, inasmuch as they supply a reluctant testimony, in favour of the received sense of these expressions, when applied to that sacrifice, to which they properly appertained. But from this these critics seem to entertain no apprehension: and their mode of reasoning is certainly a bold exercise of logic. From the want of such expressions, as being of vicarious import, they conclude against the vicarious nature of the Mosaic sacrifices and this point gained, they return and triumphantly conclude against the vicarious import of these expressions, in that sacrifice to which they are applied. Not to disturb these acute reasoners in the enjoyment of their triumph, let us consider whether the terms employed, in describing the death of Christ as a propitiatory sacrifice, be sufficiently precise and significant, to remove all doubt with respect to its true nature and operation.

To enumerate the various passages of Scripture, in which the death of Christ is represented to have been a sacrifice,

In addition to what has been already offered upon the meaning of these words, I beg to refer the reader to the judicious observations, in Mr. Nare's Remarks on the Version of the New Testament by the Unitarians, p. 125-130. and to those of Danzius, in his treatise De ATTPOQ Meusch. Nov. Test. ex Talm. pp. 869, 870.

and the effect of this sacrifice to have been strictly propitia. tory, must lead to a prolix detail, and is the less necessary in this place, as most of them are to be found occasionally noticed in the course of this inquiry; especially in p. 131, and Numbers XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII. There are some, however, which, as throwing a stronger light upon the nature and import of the Christian sacrifice, demand our most particular attention; and the more so, because from their decisive testimony in favour of the received doctrine of atonement, the utmost stretch of ingenuity has been exerted, to weaken their force, and divert their application. Of these, the most distinguished is the description of the sufferings and death of Christ, in the liiid. chapter of Isaiah. We there find this great personage represented as one, on whom the Lord hath laid the iniquity of us all; as one who was numbered with transgressors, and bare the sins of many; as one who consequently was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; and who, in making his soul an (O) offering for sin, suffered the chastisement of our peace, and healed us by his stripes. Thus we have here a clear and full explanation of the nature and efficacy of the sacrifice offered for us by our blessed Redeemer. And as this part of scripture not only seems designed to disclose the whole scheme and essence of the Christian atonement, but, from the frequent and familiar references made to it by the writers in the New Testament, appears to be recognized by them, as furnishing the true basis of its exposition; it becomes necessary to examine, with scrupulous attention, the exact force of the expressions, and the precise meaning of the prophet. For this purpose, I shall begin with laying before the reader the last nine verses of the chapter, as they are rendered by Bishop Lowth in his admirable translation, with the readings of the ancient versions, and some occasional explanations by Vitringa, Dathe, and other expositors.

4. Surely our infirmities he hath borne:*

And our sorrows he hath (a) carried them:
Yet we thought him judicially stricken;
Smitten of God and afflicted.

5. But he was wounded for our transgressions;

Was smitten for our iniquities:

The (b) chastisement by which our peace is effected was laid upon him;

And by his bruises we are healed.

6. We all of us like sheep have strayed:

We have turned aside, every one to his own way;

And Jehovah hath made to light (c)upon him the iniquity of us all.

7. It was exacted, (d) and he was made answerable; and
he opened not his mouth:

As a lamb that is led to the slaughter;
And as a sheep before her shearers,

Is dumb: so he opened not his mouth.
8. By an oppressive judgment he was taken off;
And his manner of life who would declare?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

For (e)the transgression of my people he was smitten to death.

9. And his grave, &c.

Although he had done no wrong,

Neither was there any guile in his mouth.

10. Yet it pleased Jehovah to crush him with affliction. If his soul shall make a propitiatory sacrifice,(ƒ)

He shall see a seed, &c.

11. Of (g) the travail of his soul he shall see (the fruit) and be satisfied.

By the knowledge of him shall my servant justify (h) many;

For the punishment of their iniquities he shall (i) bear.* 12. Therefore will I distribute to him the many for his por

tion,

And the mighty people shall he share for his spoil:

Because he poured out his soul unto death;

And was numbered with the transgressors:

And he (k)bare † the sin of many:

And made intercession for the transgressors.

(a) (Carried) Bajulavit. Vitr.-Sustinet. Dath. and Doederl.—rs Toys UжEMBIVEN. Symm.-also Aq. and Theod.See Crit. Sac. tom. iv. p. 5306.

(b) (Chastisement.) Pœna exemplaris ad impetrandam nobis reconciliationem cum Deo. Vitr.-Ejus castigatio nostræ cum Deo reconciliationis causa facta est. Dath. Mulcta correctionis nostræ ei imposita fuit. Tig.1, pœna publica ad deterrendos spectantes a peccando, exemplo pœnarum, ut Ezech. v. 15. Gusset. Lex. p. 332. Pœna exemplaris, quâ alius moneatur et cohibeatur a peccando. Пagadayua. Cocc. Lex.-Michaelis (in loc.) likewise supplies many authorities, in support of the translation given by Lowth

and Vitringa.-Castigatio salutis nostræ super ipsum, patet

ובחברתו נרפא לנו,esse sensus verborum ex iis quae sequuntur

Isai. xxvi. 16. Jer. ii. xxxi. 18. xlvi. 28. Ezech. Hos. vii. 12. These pas

plaga sua curatio nobis fit, dum ille insons acerbissimos dolores sustinuit, nos sontes a peccatorum pœnis liberi manebamus, quasi Jehova ipsi nostrorum peccatorum pœnas luendas imposuerit. Rosenm.-N. B. the LXX version, idea, which seems the principal ground of Mr. Dodson's objection to the Bishop's translation, supplies no argument against it, inasmuch as this expression is frequently used by the LXX in the sense here contended for: see Levit. xxvi. 18, 23, 28. Deut. xi. 2. xxi. 18. xxii. 18. 1 Kings xii. 11, 14. 2 Chr. x. 11, 14. Ps. vi. 1. xxxviii. 1. xxxix. 11. cxviii. 18. Prov. iii. 11. xiii. 24. xix. 18. xxii. 15. 19, 30. v. 3. x. 24. xxx. 11, 14. v. 15. xxiii. 48. Wisd. iii. 5. sages, in which the words, παιδεια and παιδενω, are used by the LXX to express the Hebrew, and ', are all instances of their application in the sense of chastisement: to these there might be added many examples of the Greek word, used in this sense, from the book of Ecclesiasticus; and we find one passage in the book of Job, (xxxvii. 13.) in which the Greek translator has employed the word aideia, as expressive of the Hebrew , a rod: so familiarly did they connect with it the notion of correction.-The word is also frequently used in this sense by the writers of the New Testament: see Schleusn. Lex. on aida and aidiva.

(c) (Made to light upon him the iniquity of us all.) Fecit incurrere in ipsum pœnam iniquitatis omnium nostrum. Vitr. -Jova ab eo exegit pœnam peccatorum nostorum omnium. Dath.—Και κυριος παρέδωκεν αυτον ταις αμαρτίας ημών, is the present reading of the LXX: and the Old Italic as given by Augustin, as well as the several readings collected by Sabatier, follow this very nearly; rendering it Dominus eum tradidit propter iniquitates nostras: but Symm. corresponds with the received reading, Κυριος καταντησαι εποίησεν εἰς αυτόν την ανομίαν παντων ημων. The Syriac reads, Dominus fecit ut occurrerent in eum peccata nostra. The Vulgate, Dominus fecit occurrere in eum iniquitatem omnium nostrum: and Castellio, Jova in eum omnium nostrûm crimen conjecit. Crellius, indeed, to avoid the force of this clause, translates it, Deum, per Christum, iniquitati omnium nostrum occurrisse and is refuted by Outram, lib. ii. cap. v. § 3.-Rosenmuller renders the words, incursare in eum jussit crimina nostrum omnium, h. e. pœnas impietati nostræ debitas illum unice perferre jussit Jehova. And upon the whole of the 4th, 5th, and 6th verses, he gives this general exposition: Quem nos ob sua crimina atrocissimis malis a Deo affectum

existimavimus, illum eos dolores sustinuisse nunc intelligimus, qui nobis pro peccatis subeundi fuerunt.

(d) (It was exacted.) Exigebatur debitum. Vitr.--Exactionem sustinuit, vel solutio exacta fuit. Michaelis.Exigitur debitum, et ille ad diem respondit. Dath.-Mr. Dodson seems, upon very slender grounds, to object to Bishop Lowth's translation of this clause. Dr. Taylor having, in his Concordance, pronounced the word wa, to be a forensic term, signifying, he was brought forth, and Symmachus having rendered it by the word wgoonzon, appear but weak reasons for deciding this point: especially as the word goσnex might have been used by Symm. in the sacrificial sense, in which it so frequently occurs: and that it was so in this instance, is highly probable from the rendering of the Vulgate; oblatus est, he was offered:-and though this does not come up to the Bishop's idea, yet still less does it favour that, which Mr. Dodson has adduced it to support.-For the numerous and weighty arguments supporting the Bishop's translation of the word wa, see Vitr. and Pole's Syn.-see also Calasio's Concord. where under Number II. not less than twenty-one passages are cited, which coincide with this application of the word. One authority more I shall only add: it is that of the Jews themselves, who allow that was signifies, to demand rigorously what is due. Of this see a strong proof in the words of Kimchi, quoted in White's Comm. on Isai.

(e) (For.) It is curious to observe the way in which Mr. Dodson, who in his note on verse 11. charges the Bishop with " early prejudices and an undue attachment to established systems," has laboured to distort the obvious meaning of this passage, manifestly in support of a system, though not an established one. FOR the wickedness of my people, he would translate THROUGH the wickedness, &c. upon little better grounds than that it may be so translated: for as to the authority of the LXX rendering the preposition by ano, which is his principal argument, it yields him no support; the word as being frequently used in the sense of propter, as is satisfactorily shown by Schleusner, (Lex. Number 17.) who cites several instances to prove it, and amongst them Ex. vi. 9. Deut. vii. 7. Prov. xx. 4. Nah. iii. 11. evincing its agreement with the preposition in this respect to the same purport see Bielius's Lexic. in LXX, on the word: and accordingly, ano is in this very place translated ob, by Procopius; (Crit. Sac. vol. iv. p. 5300.) and Sym. renders the words by ΔΙΑ την αδικίαν. But that the word does in this place imply propter, the antecedent and impulsive cause, is not only fully proved by Vitringa, and Pole on verse 5. (see