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THE CONSISTENCY OF THE

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE,

Particularly that of Salvation through a Mediator, with

SOBER REASON,

BY ANDREW FULLER.

IF there be a God who created us; if we have all - sinned against him; and if there be reason to believe that he will call us to account for our conduct, all which principles are admitted by Mr. Paine ;* a gloomy prospect must needs present itself, sufficient, indeed, to render man "the slave of terror." It is not in the power of this writer, nor of any man living who rejects the bible, to assure us that pardon will have any place in the divine government; and however light he may make of the scripture docrine of hell, He that calls men to account for their deeds,

ill be at no loss how or where to punish them. But allowing that God is disposed to shew mercy to the guilty, the question is, Whether his doing so by or without a mediator be most consistent with what we know of fitness or propriety?

That pa don is bestowed through a mediator in a vast variety of instances among men, cannot be denied; and that it is proper it should be so, must be evident to every thinking mind. All who are acquainted with the common affairs of life, must be aware of the ne

• Age of Reason, Part I. p. 1. Part II. p. 100.

cessity of such proceedings, and the good effects of them upon society.*

It is far less humbling for an offender to be pardoned at his own request, than through the interposition of a third person: for in the one case he may be led to think that it was his virtue and penitence which influenced the decision; whereas in the other he is compelled to feel his own unworthiness; and this may be one reason why the mediation of Christ is so offensive. It is no wonder indeed that those who deny humility to be a virtue,† should be disgusted with a doctrine, the professed object of which is to abase the pride of

man.

As forgiveness without a mediator is less humbling to the offender, so it provides less for the honour of the offended, than a contrary proceeding. Many a compassionate heart has longed to go forth, like David towards Absalom; but, from a just sense of wounded authority, could not tell how to effect it; and has greatly desired that some common friend would interpose, and save his honour. He has wished to remit the sentence; but has felt the want of a mediator, at the instance of whom he might give effect to his desires, and exercise mercy without seeming to be regardless of justice. An offender who should object to a mediator, would be justly considered as hardened in impenitence, and regardless of the honour of the offended: and it is difficult to say what other construction can be put upon the objections of sinners to the mediation of Christ.

Again: To exercise pardon without a mediator, would be fixing no such stigma upon the evil of the of

* See Pres. Edwards' Remarks on important Theological Controversies, Chap. VI.

+ Volney's Law of Nature, p. 49.

fence, as is done by a contrary mode of proceeding.Every man feels that those faults which may be overlooked on a mere acknowledgment, are not of a very heinous nature; they are such as arise from inadvertence rather than from ill design; and include little more than an error of the judgment. On the other hand, every man feels that the calling in of a third person, is making much of the offence; treating it as a serious affair, a breach that is not to be lightly passed over. This may be another reason why the mediation of Christ is so offensive to the adversaries of the gospel. It is no wonder that men who are continually speaking of moral evil under the palliating names of error, frailty, imperfection, and the like, should spurn at a doctrine, the implication of which condemns* it to everlasting infamy.

Finally

To bestow pardon without a mediator, would be treating the offence as private, or passing over it as a matter unknown, an affair which does not affect the well-being of society, and which therefore requires no public manifestation of displeasure against it. Many a notorious offender would doubtless wish matters to be thus conducted, and from an aversion to public exposure, would feel strong objections to the formal interposition of a third person. Whether this may not be another reason of dislike to the mediation of Christ, I shall not decide; but of this I am fully satisfied, that the want of a proper sense of the great evil of sin, as it affects the moral government of the universe, is a reason why its adversaries see no necessity for it, nor fitness in it. They prove by all their writings that they have no delight in the moral

* Rom. viii. 3.

excellency of the divine nature, no just sense of the glory of moral government, and no proper views of the pernicious and wide extended influence of sin upon the moral sytem: Is it any wonder, therefore, that they should be unconcerned about the plague being stayed by a sacrifice? Such views are too enlarged for their selfish and contracted minds. The only object of their care, even in their most serious moments, is to escape punishment: for the honour of God, and the real good of creation, they discover no concern.

The amount is this: If it be indeed improper for a guilty creature to lie low before his Creator; if it be unfit that any regard should be paid to the honour of his character; if the offence committed against him be of so small account that it is unnecessary for him to express any displeasure against it; and if it have been so private and insulated in its operations as in no way to affect the well-being of the moral system, the doctrine of forgiveness through a mediator is unrea sonable. But if the contrary be true; if it be proper for a guilty creature to lie in the dust before his offended Creator; if the honour of the divine character deserve the first and highest regard; if moral evil be the greatest of all evils, and require, even where it is forgiven, a strong expression of divine displeasure against it; and if its pernicious influence be such that if suffered to operate according to its native tendency, it would dethrone the Almighty, and desolate the universe; the doctrine in question must accord with the plainest dictates of reason.

The sense of mankind, with regard to the necessity of a mediator, may be illustrated by the following similitude. Let us suppose a division in the army of one of the wisest and best of kings, through the evil spunsel of a foreign enemy, to have been disaffected.

to his government; and that without any provocation on his part, they traitorously conspired against his crown and life. The attempt failed; and the offenders were seized, disarmed, tried by the laws of their country, and condemned to die. A respite however was granted them, during his majesty's pleasure. At this solemn period, while every part of the army, and of the empire, was expecting the fatal order for execution, the king was employed in meditating mercy. But how could mercy be shewn? "To make light of a conspiracy," said he to his friends, "would loosen the bands of good government: other divisions of the army might be tempted to follow their example; and the nation at large might be in danger of imputing it to tameness, fear, or some unworthy motive."

Every one felt in this case the necessity of a mediator, and agreed as to the general line of conduct "He must not attempt,"

proper for him to pursue.

say they, "to compromise the difference by dividing the blame: that would make things worse.

He must justify the king, and condemn the outrage committed against him; he must offer, if possible, some honourable expedient, by means of which the bestowment of pardon shall not relax, but strengthen just authority; he must convince the conspirators of their crime, and introduce them in the character of supplicants; and mercy must be shewn to them out of respect to him, or for his sake."

But who could be found to mediate in such a cause? This was an important question. A work of this kind, it was allowed on all hands, required singular qualifications. "He must be perfectly clear of any participa tion in the offence," said one, or inclination to favour it: for to pardon conspirators at the intercession of one,

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