SERM. XXXV.1 THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST. $J phecy, the powers of healing and destroying, commu- nicated to men in such a manner as the world never saw, and astonished the spectators, all confirmed the truth o: this atonement which the apostles preached. These were the discoveries that were made so gloriously suc- cessful for the conversion of nations. These doctrines subdued kingdoms to the belief of them, and triumphed over the souls of men : Thesewere the truths that chan- ed the corrupt natures of men into virtue, piety, and goodness, that turned sinners into saints in multitudes, and raised a church for Christ in the world, in spite of all the rage of enemies, the superstitions of the priests, the learning and sophistry of the philosophers, the wild prejudices of the people, and the tyranny of princes. The primitive christian writers who were converted to the faith, teach us these same doctrines of the grace of God, through the atonement of Christ, the pardon of sin through his blood, which had so much power over their own souls. In the faith of these doctrines, and the hope of eternal life by them, they became the glorious confessors and martyrs of a crucified Christ, and cast down the tempter and the accuser by the blood of the Lamb. This is the doctrine that has been delivered down to us through all ages of the christian church; and though the antichristian powers have mingled it with many of their superstitions, yet the gates of hell have never been able to prevail against it, so as to root it out. This is the religion which, two hundred years ago, was reformed from popish corruptions, and while our blessed reformers laboured to recover and convey it to us in its primitive glory, manyof themwere called to witness and seal it with their own blood. An occasional Remark. Since these were the truths that the last, and brightest, and best revelation of God communicated to men; since this propitiation of Christ was the doctrine which the inspired apostles taught, and in which all the foregoing revelations centre, even from the beginningof the world : It is by this therefore, that all the former and darker discoveries are to be explain- ed; all the types and shadows of ceremonial worships treatise, entitled, Miscellanea Sacra, Essay L especially from page 14! to tpe end.
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