d the case be altered, except in the way of aggravation, if the
sentence were inflicted at the desire of the innocent man? Would any
purpose of justice be answered by such a process? Would not every
principle of equity--to say nothing of benevolence--be violated? Would
not the sufferer be as foolish and blind in his submission as the judge
arbitrary in the infliction? Is it not utterly impossible that a
transaction, perfectly analogous in principle, though infinitely more
momentous in its influences, should take place between the just Judge,
the tender Father of men, a creature made fallible by Him, and His holy
and beloved Son?

But we are told it is not for us to argue thus on the right and wrong of
a transaction which has taken place, and is continually taking place, by
Divine appointment. It is enough that God has appointed this method of
salvation.

The lawfulness of examining the Divine decrees with intent to understand
them, will be discussed hereafter. Our business now is to declare why we
do not believe this to be the appointed method of salvation, set forth
in the sacred records. Repentance (including not merely shame and sorrow
for sin, but newness of life) appears to us to stand forth on the face
of the sacred records as the grand, the sole, condition of forgiveness
of sins. The faith in Christ, which is so strenuously insisted on as a
requisite, is valuable as inducing sorrow for sin and purity of life.
Our obligations to Christ, which are so vividly described, are due to
him for the benefits he has bestowed on us through his Gospel, and not
for any subsequent arbitrary gift, which we feel it impossible for him
to have offered, for us to avail ourselves of, and for God to accept.
Our obligations to him are boundless and eternal;--for having devoted
and sacrificed his life to furnish us with the conditions of
salvation,--to teach us repentance, and incite us to holiness. He was
truly a sacrifice for men; he suffered and died because they were
sinners, and in order to bring them salvation. This the Scripture
teaches, and this we readily admit; finding, however, no intimation that
any sin has ever been forgiven on any other condition than that of
repentance; that repentance has ever failed to procure forgiveness; that
any being whatever has at any time exercised or possessed the power of
separating sin and suffering by taking either upon himself, or of
transferring both from the consciousness of another to hi