death, and shall hide a multitude of sins,"* then, surely, duty to God in Christ, and the cause of those whom we deem to be without him as a Saviour, and, therefore, without God in the world, should constrain us to interfere; lest, raising no alarm, sounding no trumpet, proclaiming no danger, their blood should be required at our hand.

While, however, we are prepared to contend for the lawfulness and duty of an affectionate inroad upon the regions of spiritual error, we may remember that our movement is not purely and primarily aggressive. A volume of Lectures, preached expressly upon the controverted doctrines of Christianity, (as the Lecturer denominated his subjects,) in a chapel now occupied by one of our respected opponents, has been before the world. In these, and other similar measures, the fortress of true Christianity, the only safe munition of rocks for the souls of men, hath been attacked by mine, and sap, and open assault. And shall there be no attempt to countermine, no sally made, no arm raised, in a forward movement for the truth as it is in Jesus? Our regret is rather due to the culpable silence of the past, than to the proceeding of the present time.†

I am aware, that our opponents in these high and solemn arguments, have more than once protested against being identified with what has been called, "The Improved Version of the New Testament." But this bill of divorcement, while it doubtless dissolves the connexion between that work and the three protesters, will hardly separate it

James v. 20.

t Semper ego auditor tantum? nunquamne reponam,

Vexatus toties?"-Juv.

That silence towards some of the writers of his time, which the indignant satirist of Aquinum blamed in himself, may well form a subject of condemnation to those of us who came not to the help of the Lord, nor lifted up wea pon in his cause. There was, however, more than one honourable exception.

from its claim to have been meant as that translation, which best represented the opinions of the Unitarian body. And certainly no ordinary skill and pains have been taken to make it speak the language of that community. An author, to whom I have alluded, speaks thus in its praise. "The Unitarian Society, in the year 1806, determined to publish an Improved Version, having Archbishop Newcome's as its basis, and departing from it only when necessary. . . . . . In the year 1808 it was first published. Though this work, like every other human production, may be in several respects liable to objections, it is decidedly an improvement upon Archbishop Newcome's version; because the alterations in the translation are generally improvements; and as the text, on which it is principally founded is a more perfect one. The conductors of it, are, therefore, entitled to the cordial thanks of every thinking reader of the New Testament. The public have shown their approbation of the labours of the Editors: nearly ten thousand copies having been sold (in 1820), which is a fact highly interesting to the friend of truth, and truly important to those who mark the signs of the times." "It is, therefore," adds the author, in a specific Lecture on the various English translations of the Scriptures, "with the greatest earnestness I would recommend it to your attentive and serious perusal. The notes which are added, are, in my judgment, invaluable, and the preface is truly above all praise."*

Published, then, by the Unitarian Society for promoting Christian Knowledge and the practice of virtue by the distribution of books,-praised by the Committee, for its excellence both of text and comment, and for approaching as nearly to the apostolical and evangelical originals as the present state of sacred criticism will admit; recommended *Harris's Lectures, pp. 88, 89.

earnestly by one Unitarian minister, though partly repudiated by a successor, and his fellow-labourers, I deem myself quite at liberty, notwithstanding the protest, to say thus much concerning the Improved Version; and I shall venture to quote it, both text and interpretation. Before the doctrines and decisions of this book can be set aside, as those of a court of Unitarian judgment, the disclaimer must come from the same authority, as that by which the work was undertaken, and the recommendation issued. It is, indeed, as hard to deal with the sophisms of that book, and with the barren scheme of negatives which it upholds, as to unravel a spider's web. But more than one wing of light, and fire, and godly zeal, and sacred love, has swept over them, and they have not been able to abide the shock.

Very faithfully and conscientiously can I declare, that every personal feeling, every bias of my mental and moral constitution, unites with a deep and painful sense of insufficiency to make such an employment as the present alien to my wishes. But he who would deliver his soul, in discharging the ministry of reconciliation, must be contented to hold his personal feelings in subordination to any call, which may seem to be the voice of God. If in the following remarks I shall inflict a wound by speaking with seeming harshness, let me here, and once for all, peremptorily disavow such intention from the depths of my heart. To speak the truth in love is my dearest wish,— connected as it must be with a desire not to offend Him whose eye is upon the heart. I beg then the prayers of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, that utterance may be given unto me, to make known the mystery of the Gospel; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The subject wherewith I am entrusted is briefly this:

"THE ATONEMENT INDISPENSABLE TO THE NECESSITIES OF GUILTY MAN: AND SHOWN ΤΟ STAND OR FALL WITH THE DEITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST."

Three distinct propositions are embraced by this thesis ; each of which would occupy, with great advantage, a separate Lecture. Bear with me, therefore, if thus united they must demand more time than I would willingly have called upon you to afford me. An application of the text to my subject makes it necessary to consider

I. THE SCRIPTURAL STATEMENT OF MAN'S CONDITION, AND RELATION TO GOD.

It is contained in a few words of gloomy import, which, unless there were an intermediate agency between the wrath of the Most High, and the guilt of his creature, would enwrap that creature in a darkness of spiritual state and expectancy more deep and fearful than imagination may conceive.

1. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

The first eight chapters of the Epistle to the Romans are purely doctrinal. The theme of this momentous portion of Holy Writ is embodied in chap. i. 16. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile." All that follows is an expansion of this vast idea, maintained with a power of argument that never fails, and enforced by language glowing with love, as the Holy Ghost had enkindled it in the Apostle's heart. The Gospel is a message of salvation; of such salvation as all men need, for all are sinners. The

bane, and the antidote, the disease, and the remedy, the misery of man, and the mercy of God, the tremendous demerit of human guilt, and the transcendent preciousness of Christ's vicarious atonement, are the mighty and momentous subjects whereupon he is employed. And they are treated in a manner which stamps them, as I think, incontestably with the broad seal and signet of inspiration.

In the first chapter, the misery of the heathen is vividly described. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against their unrighteousness. They lie under his penal justice, which the offenders may neither escape nor mitigate; "because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God. They became vain in their imagination, and their foolish heart was darkened."* They were seduced into speculative errors the most gross and awful, by practical depravity. And again, by a kind of moral radiation and reflection, their speculative errors produced a corrupt and festering mass of practical depravity.

Science had done its best; philosophy had lighted up its clearest intellectual and moral beacons ; taste had spread its most captivating refinements over the civilized world. All that human wisdom could accomplish had been attempted; and in many instances to an extent which has been in all after time inimitable. Yet, as to man's dearest, truest, most enduring interest, all these appliances had left the Gentile world as helplessly and as hopelessly dead in trespasses and sins, as was Lazarus in his sepulchre, before the omnipotent mercy of the Son of God bade him come forth and live.

But may no exception to this awful state and its doom be made in favour of God's own and ancient people? Doth the Apostle predicate of the Jews that they also are in circumstances of equal misery? Yes. Their burden

Rom. i. 21.