made in the likeness of man, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Isaac was further typical, 66 II. In the manner of being offered. Isaac bore the wood on which he was afterwards to be placed, and voluntarily yielded up his body to be bound, and his life to be sacrificed in God's appointed way. Thus did our exalted Saviour bear his cross to the place of his crucifixion. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. It is supposed that the Saviour was offered in sacrifice to God on the very spot where Isaac was laid upon the altar. However, it is an incontrovertible fact, that Mount Calvary was one of the mountains in that small tract of country called the land of Moriah; and, from Gen. xxii. 2, it can scarcely be doubted but that it was the very spot pointed out by God to Abraham. It could not possibly be far from the spot, and, therefore, when the place for the sacrifice of Isaac was so accurately marked, it can scarcely be thought to be any other than the very place where Jesus was offered two thousand years afterwards. Besides, by whose hand was Isaac to bleed? Was it not by the hand of his father? By whom, too, did Jesus suffer, but by Jehovah's sword? "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts; smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." 'It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; he hath put him to grief." 'He spared not his Son, but delivered him up for us all." It was not man who made him so to agonize in the garden, nor was it man that caused that bitter complaint upon the cross, Eloi, Eloi. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" When the Saviour suffered, the extremity of his suferings arose from the hidings of his father's face. God removed the light of his countenance, so that the Sun of righteousness sank in a sea of horror and of blood. Nevertheless it was with the perfect concurrence of his own will that he died upon the cross. He gave himself an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour. There is one point however wherein the resemblance does not appear. For Isaac was found a substitute, for Jesus none. Neither the cattle on a thousand hills, nor all the angels in heaven, could have stood in his place. None but Jesus could have made a full atonement for our sins. He therefore saved not himself, because he was determined to save us. Let us then contemplate for a moment this scene of love. "For the transgression of my people was he stricken." Not for fallen angels, not for demons in the blackness and darkness of despair, but for our transgressions. Behold him in the garden, in dreadful anticipation of the conflict, he cries, O my father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me; and when, being in an agony, he sweat as it were great drops of blood, falling to the ground. Behold him as he stands enduring the mockery of the judgment hall, despised, and spitten upon, and scourged. Follow him to Golgotha, there the atonement is consummated-there the cross is plantedthe body is nailed to it-shades of darkness overspread the scene. In the extreme anguish of his soul, and amidst the terrors of the curse, he cries, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Struggle succeeds struggle, and at length another cry is heard-It is finished; then he bows his head, and gives up the ghost. Heaven was honored, and a way opened for the salvation of men; the types and shadows have disappearedwe need them no longer. The Redeemer hath put away sin by the sacri fice of himself. He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. These truths are the foundation of our hope. The atonement of Christ is the great wonder of the universe. Remove it and we are at once exposed to all the wrath of divine vengeance. O tear us not from the rock to which we cling; remove it not, lest you plunge us into the mighty waters! It is our sun, extinguish it, and you leave us in the midnight darkness of despair. It is our portion, deprive us of it, and you beggar us for ever and ever! No, no, it is ours, we know that the word of the Lord is tried, we know that the foundation of God standeth sure. Every christian must delight to meditate on these sublime verities. He cannot but rejoice to sit under the droppings of the Saviour's love, and break forth in the language of holy exultation, "Truly blessed is this station, low before his cross to lie; How marvellous is the love of God to man! We admire the obedience of Abraham, but God had a right to demand it, and the patriarch knew that he was about to give his son to his best and dearest friend. But what claim had we on God? Yet did he give up his son for us, for us sinners, rebels, enemies, not merely to a common death, but to the agonies of crucifixion, and to endure the wrath due to our iniquities; what stupendous love! The ocean of divine love was stirred to its utmost depths. The entire Godhead was-if with profound reverence it may be said-put into activity. The three glorious subsistences in the divine essence moved towards our earth. Every attribute and distinction of the divine nature was displayed. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, embarked their infinite treasures in the cause of human happiness, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life." Herein is love! love defying all computation. Shall any soul be affected with the pathetic details we have given in reference to Isaac, and remain insensible of the love of God. Let every heart praise him, trust him, serve him, and rest assured that he is willing to communicate all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ. "He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things." God is now reconciling the world unto himself. Fellow sinner you are encouraged to come to him ;"Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find.' The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth from all sin. "Welcome to the cleansing fount, Bread of life and living wine." What an admirable grace is faith! The faith of Abraham certainly had respect to Christ the promised seed. And behold how it operated! So will it operate in all who have it. It will keep us from staggering at any promise, however dark or improbable, and will lead us to obey every precept, however difficult or self-denying. Let us seek his faith, and while we are justified by it from the guilt of sin, let us manifest its excellence by a life of holiness. J. J. OWEN. REPLY TO "CÆSARS CLAIMS," &c. MR. EDITOR,-I have read with astonishment a paper in your last Repository, entitled "Cæsar's claims and the people's duty," and as the sentiments it contains appear to be utterly inconsistent with the principles of the New Testament, and the civil rights of Britons, I have ventured to send you a few thoughts on the article above mentioned; which, if you deem worthy a place in your periodical, you are at liberty to insert. Had the article originated with an individual professing undeviating attachment to a despotic government, and maintaining the infallibility of kings, it would not have excited so much surprise; but, coming as it does from one who professes the principles of dissent, we are astonished not only at the inconsistency of the writer, but at his rashness on obtruding on the public, notions which would not have been tolerated in the dark ages. I readily concede to our brother that "they who are indeed the people of God, are good subjects of the realms in which they live:" and I would add, the best subjects too; as the principles they have espoused are not factious, but give countenance and support to every constitution which is based on right and justice. I believe your correspondent to be prompted by good motives, in his attempt to enlighten the christian world upon the subject on which he writes; and I concur with him, that the times call upon christians to take an advanced position in exemplifying that precept owe no man any thing;" and I also believe that we dissenters are watched by the members of the National Establishment with an eagle's eye." But have not recent events convinced us that this eye is watching for an opportunity to pounce upon and deprive us of our dear-bought privileges? And further, I accord with him when he says that "the eye of God is upon us ;" but it is to watch our movements, lest we flinch one iota from maintaining that high ground of principle upon which the Gospel has placed us. The design of our brother is, to define and enforce the duty of subjects to their civil rulers; and for this purpose he has chosen as his motto "Render unto Cæsar," &c. He assumes that we are acquainted with the title "Cæsar," as denoting "the present and all subsequent civil rulers, in every part of the world; whether monarchical or republican ;" and he quotes the first verse of the thirteenth chapter of Romans to support the truth of his assertion. He also defines the higher powers as being "not only those who are by designation Cæsars, but those who are officially Cæsars." He then tells us with respect to these dignities, that "they are ordained of God," and quotes several passages to prove that the word "ordained," means properly "to appoint," as Matt. xxviii. 15, Acts xxii. 1, and xxviii. 23. But here is the root of his error: he understands the word "ordained," to mean “absolute appointment," apart from the concurrence of individuals. Hence he adds, "God appoints our civil rulers. What! appoint an ironhearted Pharoah, &c. God appoints them all." Now here it will be sufficient to say that the Greek word tasso, which in the places above mentioned is rendered "appointed," and "ordained," does not mean absolute decree, or arbitrary appointment, so as to compel an individual to pursue a course of action irrespective of his own views and feelings. Such appointments destroy free agency, and consequently responsibility. But the word means to dispose of," or "to arrange, as a general does his forces;"-of course it does not destroy a man's free will: and it appears strange that our brother should have overlooked the fact, that the individuals mentioned in Acts xxviii. 23, could not appoint a day without the consent of the apostle. Your Correspondent seems to rest his argument on Rom. xiii. 1, “the powers that be are ordained of God;" and as he has before said that the Cæsars are the powers that rule, whatever may be the form of government;" it follows that God is the author of limited monarchy in England; despotism in Turkey; and democracy in America; and consequently, whatever may be the natural tendencies of any of these forms of government is to be charged upon God. Now we think that it will not be questioned, that the natural tendency of despotism is, to produce consequences of the most fearful kind. What murders were perpetrated under the brief but despotic rule of James the Second! Look at the present state of the countries where despotism prevails:-behold Russia, Turkey, and many of the states of Asia. Has not despotism desolated the fair plains of Poland, and doomed her brave sons to the dreary mines of Siberia? Did not the Greeks for 400 years prior to that noble struggle a few years ago which won their independence, suffer oppression in all its cruel forms under the despotic sway of the Grand Seignior of Turkey? Undoubtedly but yet this is justice under another name, according to brother Kiddall; for "God has ordained the powers that be." The same observation will apply to every barbarous action which despotism has committed in every age of the world. And Sir, are we now to be told that our forefathers committed sin in struggling so gloriously for our freedom and independence? and that they violated the laws of God in resisting the iniquitous attempts to extinguish the very notion of liberty and to reduce us to the vilest slavery? Did Sidney and Hampden bleed in a wrong cause? No! may their mantle fall on But according to brother K., our ancestors did wrong in opposing the powers that were ordained of God; and as they wrenched from a tyrant's grasp that to which he was justly entitled, we ought in strict justice, to hail with applause every attempt which may be made to impose again that yoke the British nation which she wore in the days of the Stuarts. us! upon We all acknowledge that Civil Government is necessary to keep society together; the Bible recognizes this sentiment in its instructions to obedience; but the New Testament, which is the rule of our faith and conduct, does not so much as hint at any form of government; and our Saviour abstained from interfering with all civil affairs; and if God had constituted all human governments, surely he would have given us some pattern on which they might be framed. And it is evident from the account of the institution of monarchy under the old dispensation, recorded in the eighth chapter of 1 Samuel, that God was displeased at the conduct of the Israelites in asking a king; and gave them one as a curse rather than a blessing. And as brother K. insists so strongly on Rom. xiii., we think that a moment's thought as to the situation of the christians at Rome will shew the importance of the advice of the apostle; for having been brought out of barbarism to enjoy the glorious liberty of the sons of God, it is not unreasonable to suppose, that they would feel themselves somewhat elated in the possession of such exalted privileges; and hence they would be apt to look with contempt on those who were not so highly privileged as themselves; and they would be easily tempted to imagine that they, as freedmen of Jesus, ought not to be obedient to idolatrous rulers; but, though they were enjoined to obey, yet, as the celebrated Robert Hall accurately observes, "The limits of every duty must be determined by its reasons; and the only ones assigned by Paul in this chapter, or that can be assigned for submission to civil authority, are its tendency to good. Wherever, therefore, this shall cease to be the case, submission becomes absurd, having no longer any rational view. But at what time this evil shall be judged to have arrived, or what remedy it may be proper to apply, christianity does not decide, but leaves to be determined by an appeal to natural reason and right. By one of the strongest misconceptions in the world, when we are taught that christianity does not bestow upon us any new rights, it has been thought to strip us of the old; which is just the same as it would be to conclude, because it did not first furnish us with hands, or feet, it obliges us to cut them off." Having passed from the appointment of civil rulers, brother K. then proceeds to say, "That to these higher and heavenly ordained powers certain property belongs, which property is holden by their subjects;" and adds, "that the requirement of the Lord sheweth this, Render," &c. He here says that subjects hold property belonging to their rulers. Who tells him so? Does the Bible? Then where is the chapter and verse? Do the laws of nations acknowledge this principle? Then where is the section and statute? Where in our statute book? Surely our government ought to be much obliged to brother K. for this information, for he seems to be aware of the existence of laws of which no one besides himself has heard. But, in support of his position, our brother says, that our Lord's requirement, Render," &c., proves the point he is labouring to establish; and here he says the question occurs, What things are Cæsars? In other words, what is that which subjects hold, that can be demanded as their own by the higher powers (the government) under which we live?" And, to solve this question, he refers to the conduct of Jesus when the question was asked him, "Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar?" and, as Jesus said, "Render," &c., brother K. affirms that this proves that God has given all worldly possessions to Cæsar, and that he has retained for himself only the things belonging to our conscience. But does this appear from the text? Jesus did say, Render," &c.; but he did not say what:-and who shall affirm that we are to render to Cæsar all our property? Brother K's. rendering is as strange as it is new; for he says, that because some things are Cæsars, therefore all are. This is like saying, that, as a garden contains one flower, therefore it contains every flower that is known in the botanical world. Really, sir, “every child will see" that this is bad logic; but yet on this ground brother K. takes his stand, and affirms that no one has one inch of land, or one piece of money, or a house, or a barn, of which the higher powers cannot, by act of parliament, by tax or tribute, penalty or confiscation, deprive him. The idea is ineffably absurd. It appears from the narrative, that the Pharisees and Herodians attempted to ensnare Jesus by propounding the question, "Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar?" and, as he knew that the former were great advocates for the liberty of the Jews, and the latter for the Roman power, he shrewdly referred them to their own current coin, on which was impressed the image of Cæsar; and, having drawn from them the confession that the image and superscription were Cæsars, he then said, Render," &c.; but he does not say how much, nor VOL. 5.-N.S. 2 T |