'SECTION U. 511 all'that the metaphorical prophecies foretold? Why do these apostles use thevery same foreign language, and the same dark expressions as the prophets do, if it were their design to explain them so far from their literal andmost obvious meaning ? Do bothprophets and apostles,. and Christ himself in the midst of them,- all conspire to let in the light of natural religion upon the corrupted and benighted world only by such obscure phrases as these ? If they all mean no more by these sacrificial words than Agrippa does, would not any plain and impartial reader be tempted to think the NewTestament was written to puzzle us as much as to instruct us ? And how is it possible that a common reader could ever find out the true meaning of the word,of God in such an important point of faith and hope as this? Set all these phrases of atonement before a heathen, and do you think he would learn natural religion by them, or derive Agrippa's creed from them ? No : by no means. Or if we should suppose, and it must be granted, that some of the doctrines of christianity relating to the death of Christ might be delivered in figurative speeches, and dark sentences, at first, for wise purposes by Jesus our great Master in his own life- time, before the accomplishment of those events to which the doctrines referred, yet can it be supposed that his missionaries the apostles should never make a clearer explication of them after these events were fulfilled, and tell us that they meant very littlemore than the religion of nature ? Could they not have said this in plainer terms than in the phrases which they hava written, and which I have cited ? Is it possible that Agrippa himself, when he reads the writings of the prophets and apostles without any prejudice, should believe that all these sacrificial phrases of the Old and New Testament, with many more of the like kind, signify nothing but a restoration of natural religion by Jesus Christ, with a martyrdom to vindicate his mission ? Can he honestly think they convey no tidings to men of a real and proper atonement madefor our sins by the sufferings of our bles- sed Saviour, and of which we are to partake by receiving him according to the gospel ? I own I am surprised to think that any man who professes to submit his belief to the word of God should refuse so very plain and express á truth. Are net these the gentlemen who are continually_giving us caution to keep close to scripture, to use the words and expressions of scripture on all matters of revelation, to speak of the doc- trines of the gospel as Christ and his apostles speak? Are not these the persons who are extremelyjealous of admitting any thing into christianity, but what Christ and his apostles have taught expressly in the New Testament ? Are they not per- petually insisting upon it, that we must take our religion from scriptureitself? And do we not effectually .obey this their caution xk3
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