"moral impressions" beyond the word of Scripture. Observe too, he says "the life and death," excluding the proper idea of Atonement, which lies in the death of CHRIST, and so tending to resolve it into a Manifestation.

"GOD never could have wished to punish you for the sake of doing evil;"

how unspeakably bold; when GOD says he does punish the sinner, not indeed for the sake of evil, but as a just and holy GOD!

"and all the good which He could have accomplished by it, is already effected in another and a better way." p. 1791.

Here is the same assumption which was just now instanced from the writings of Mr. Scott, of Aston Sandford, that GOD cannot inflict punishment except for the sake of a greater good, or, (as Mr. A. himself has expressed it just before) "because the welfare of His government requires" it, which is an altogether gratuitous statement.

Again:

"A knowledge of the death of CHRIST, with the explanation of it given in the Scriptures, touches men's hearts, it shows the nature and tendencies of sin, it produces fear of GOD's displeasure, and resolution to return to duty; and thus produces effects by which justice is satisfied,"

observe, not by an expiation, but by the repentance of the offender in consequence of the "moral impression" attendant on the "Manifestation" of CHRIST's death,—

"and the authority of the law sustained far better in fact than it would be by the severest punishment of the guilty sinner." p. 174.

"Look at the moral effect of this great sacrifice, and feel that it takes off all the necessity of punishment, and all the burden of your guilt." p. 190.

The necessity of punishment is (according to Mr. A.) the wellbeing of the Universe: and the virtue of the great sacrifice is, not expiation, atonement in God's sight, but the moral effect of CHRIST'S death on those who believe in it. So again, in a passage lately quoted for another purpose:

"It is by JESUS CHRIST that we have access to the FATHER. This vivid exhibition of His character, this personification of His moral attributes, opens to us the way." p. 40.

1 Vide also p. 173.

Lastly, we have the same stress laid upon the facts of the Gospel as in Mr. Erskine's work, with this difference, that Mr. Erskine supposes the orthodox doctrine, or what he considers such, to be conveyed in the facts; Mr. Abbott, with the liberalism to which his predecessor leads, but which is more characteristic of this day than of fifteen years ago, seems to think that various theories may be raised about the facts, whether orthodox or otherwise, but that the facts alone are of consequence

to us.

"Such are the three great Manifestations of Himself to man, which the one Unseen All-pervading Essence has made, and exhibited to us in the Bible, and in our own experience and observation,"

-This sentence, be it observed in passing, savours strongly of Sabellianism; he has spoken of what he calls three Manifestations of ALMIGHTY GOD, as our natural Governor, as influencing the heart, and as in JESUS CHRIST, without there being any thing in his way of speaking to show, that he attributed these Manifestations respectively to THREE PERSONS. He proceeds:

"Though there have been interminable disputes in the Christian Church about the language which has been employed to describe these facts, there has been comparatively little dispute among even nominal Christians about the facts themselves." p. 39.

Such is the theology to which Mr. E.'s principle is found to lead in the hands of Mr. Abbott; a theology, (so to name it,) which violently robs the Christian Creed of all it contains, except those outward historical facts through which its divine truths were fulfilled and revealed to man.

This brief explanation of Mr. Abbott's theological system may be fitly followed up by some specimens of the temper and tone of his religious sentiments. In this way we shall be able to ascertain the state of mind which such speculations presuppose and foster.

"JESUS CHRIST had a taste for beauty, both of nature and art; He admired the magnificent architecture of the Temple, and deeply lamented the necessity of its overthrow, and his dress was at least of such a character, that the disposal of it was a subject of importance to the well paid soldiers who crucified him." p. 50, 51.

I

put

aside the utter unreasonableness of this last remark; but let us think seriously, is CHRIST GOD, or is He not? if so, can we dare talk of Him as having "a taste for nature?" It is true Mr. A. does speak in this way of the ALMIGHTY FATHER also; so that it may be said rather to prove that He has a grovelling conception of God than of CHRIST. Perhaps it will be more truly said that his irreverence towards the SAVIOUR, has led on to the other more direct profaneness. Yet a "taste for beauty of art!" This of the Eternal Son of GOD, the Creator; will it be said that He is man also? true;-but His personality is in His Godhead, if I may express myself in theological language. He did not undo what He was before, He did not cease to be the Infinite GOD, but He added to Him the substance of a man, and thus participated in human thoughts and feelings, yet without impairing (GOD forbid) His divine perfection. The Incarnation was not "a conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but a taking of the manhood into God." It seems there is need of the Athanasian Creed in these dangerous times. A mystery, indeed, results from this view, for certain attributes of Divinity and of manhood seem incom'patible; and there may be some revealed instances in our LORD's history on earth of less than divine thought and operation: but because of all this we never must speak, we have utterly no warrant to speak, of the Person of the ETERNAL WORD as thinking and feeling like a mere man, like a child, or a boy, as simply ignorant, imperfect, and dependent on the creature, which is Mr. A.'s way. In saying this, I am quite aware that the sensitiveness of a Christian mind will at once, without argument, shrink from a passage such as that commented on, but I say it by way of accounting for its aversion, which, perhaps, it may not be able to justify to others. To proceed :

"JESUS CHRIST was in some respects the most bold, energetic, decided, and courageous man that ever lived; but in others he was the most flexible, submissive, and yielding." p. 51.

The Son of GOD made flesh, though a man, is beyond comparison with other men; His person is not human; but to say most of all men" is to compare.

"There never was a mission, or an enterprise of any kind, conducted with a more bold, energetic, fearless spirit, than the SAVIOUR's mission," p. 52.

This sentence may not seem objectionable to many people, and as it is similar to many others in the work, it may be right to remark upon it. The truth is, we have got into a way of, what may be called, panegyrizing our LORD's conduct, from our familiarity with treatises on External Evidence. It has been the fashion of the day to speak as to unbelievers, and, therefore, to level the sacred history to the rank of a human record, by way of argument. Hence we have learned to view the truth merely externally, i. e. as an unbeliever would view it; and so to view and treat it even when we are not arguing; which involves, of course, an habitual disrespect towards what we hold to be divine, and ought to treat as such. This will in part account for the tone in which the history of the Jews is sometimes set forth. And it is remarkably illustrated in the work before us, which though pointedly addressed only to those, who "have confessed their sins and asked forgiveness," who " strive against temptation, and seek help from above," (vide p. 1.) yet is continually wandering into the external view of CHRIST's conduct, and assumes in a didactic treatise, what is only accidentally allowable in controversy.

"There is something very bold and energetic in the measures He adopted in accomplishing His work. . . . In fact, there perhaps never was so great a moral effect produced in three years, on any community so extensive, if we consider at all the disadvantages incident to the customs of those days. There was no press, no modes of extensive written communication, no regularly organized channels of intercourse whatever between the different portions of the community. He acted under every disadvantage." p. 53, 54.

Under no disadvantage, if He were GOD. But this is only part of one great error under which this writer lies. "There was no press!" What notions he has concerning the nature, the strength, and the propagation of moral truth!

"He sought solitude, He shrunk from observation: in fact, almost the only enjoyment which He seemed really to love, was his lonely ramble at midnight, for rest and prayer. . . . It is not surprising, that after the heated crowds and exhausting labours of the day, He should love to retire to silence and seclusion, to enjoy the cool and balmy air, the refreshing stillness, and all the beauties and glories of midnight among the solitudes of the Galilean hills, to find there happy communion with his Father, &c." p. 55.

The more ordinary and common-place, the more like vulgar life, the more carnal the history of the Eternal Son of GOD is made, the more does this writer exult in it. He exults in sinking the higher notion of CHRIST, and in making the flesh the Яyɛμovɩkòv of a Divine Essence. Even a prophet or apostle might be conceived to subdue the innocent enjoyments of His lower nature to the sovereignty of faith, and enjoy this world as an emblem and instrument of the unseen. But it is the triumph of Rationalism to level every thing to the lowest and most tangible form into which it can be cast, and to view the SAVIOUR Himself, not in His mysterious greatness, acting by means of human nature, and ministered unto by Angels in it, but as what I dare not draw out, lest profane words be necessary,—as akin to those lower natures which have but an animal existence.

"Another thing which exhibits the boldness and enterprise that characterized His plans for making an impression on the community, was the peculiarly new and original style of public speaking He adopted." p. 55.

"This then is the key to the character of JESUS CHRIST in respect to spirit and decision." p. 57.

"For the real sublimity of courage, the spectacle of this deserted and defenceless sufferer coming at midnight to meet the betrayer and his band, far exceeds that of Napoleon urging on his columns over the bridge of Lodi, or even that of Regulus returning to his chains." p. 59, 60.

One seems to incur some ceremonial pollution by repeating such miserable words.

"He evidently observed, and enjoyed nature. There are many allusions to His solitary walks in the fields, and on the mountains, and by the sea side; but the greatest evidence of His love for nature is to be seen in the manner in which He speaks of its beauties. A man's metaphors are drawn from the sources with which he is most familiar, or which interest him most." p. 60.

"We learn in the same manner how distinct were the impressions of beauty or sublimity, which the works of nature made upon the SAVIOUR, by the manner in which He alluded to them.... Look at the lilies of the field, says He....A cold heartless man, without taste or sensibility, would not have said such a thing as that. He could not; and we may be as sure, that JESUS CHRIST had stopped to examine and admire the grace and beauty of the plant, &c." p. 61, 62. "Now JESUS CHRIST noticed these things. He perceived their beauty and enjoyed it." p. 62.

Surely such passages as these are direct evidence of Socinian