DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9552#0373
TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC.
ent of death without an atonement for it, it may be
replied, that the perfection of divine justice, as well as
other attributes of God, should not be measured by what
are found in, and adopted by, the human race. Is it con-
sistent with our common notions of justice to visit the sins
of fathers on their descendants, as God ascribed to him-
self, (Exodus xx. 5) ? Is it consistent with our common:
notions of justice to afflict men with infinite punish-
ment for their finite guilt, as Jesus declares in Mathew
xviii. 8 ? Even in the present case, would it be consist-
ent with common notions of justice to afflict an inno-
cent man with the death of the cross, for sins committed
by others, even supposing the innocent man should
voluntarily offer his life in behalf of those others ? We
can have no idea of the perfection of divine justice,
mercy, and wrath, unless from what is revealed to us y
and as we find, in the sacred books, that sins have
been pardoned in consequence of the intercession of
righteous men, without any sacrificial atonement, we
should, therefore, be contented with those authorities,
and should not entertain doubt as to pardon being
bestowed upon those who have had the advantage of
the intercession of Jesus, exalted as he was by God
over all prophets and righteous men that ever lived.
Numb. xiv. 19, 20 : Moses prayed to the Lord,.
"Pardon, beseech thee, the iniquity of this people
according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou
nast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now ;
and the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to thy
word.'''' 2 Chron. xxx. 18—20 : " Eor a multitude of
the people, even many of Ephraim and Mannasseh,
Issachar and Zebulon, had not cleansed themselves,
ent of death without an atonement for it, it may be
replied, that the perfection of divine justice, as well as
other attributes of God, should not be measured by what
are found in, and adopted by, the human race. Is it con-
sistent with our common notions of justice to visit the sins
of fathers on their descendants, as God ascribed to him-
self, (Exodus xx. 5) ? Is it consistent with our common:
notions of justice to afflict men with infinite punish-
ment for their finite guilt, as Jesus declares in Mathew
xviii. 8 ? Even in the present case, would it be consist-
ent with common notions of justice to afflict an inno-
cent man with the death of the cross, for sins committed
by others, even supposing the innocent man should
voluntarily offer his life in behalf of those others ? We
can have no idea of the perfection of divine justice,
mercy, and wrath, unless from what is revealed to us y
and as we find, in the sacred books, that sins have
been pardoned in consequence of the intercession of
righteous men, without any sacrificial atonement, we
should, therefore, be contented with those authorities,
and should not entertain doubt as to pardon being
bestowed upon those who have had the advantage of
the intercession of Jesus, exalted as he was by God
over all prophets and righteous men that ever lived.
Numb. xiv. 19, 20 : Moses prayed to the Lord,.
"Pardon, beseech thee, the iniquity of this people
according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou
nast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now ;
and the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to thy
word.'''' 2 Chron. xxx. 18—20 : " Eor a multitude of
the people, even many of Ephraim and Mannasseh,
Issachar and Zebulon, had not cleansed themselves,