Smalley:

SERMON II.

NONE BUT BELIEVERS SAVED, THROUGH THE ALL-SUFFICIENT SATISFACTION OF CHRIST.

_____________

For Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness, to Every One That believes.
–Romans 10: 4.

THE capital argument of many who maintain that everyone who believeth not shall be saved, we have particularly considered. That salvation is not a matter of just debt, on account of the redemption of Christ, hath been shown, it is presumed, beyond dispute. This then being supposed a settled point, that God is at liberty to "have mercy on whom he will have mercy; "it remains that we must have recourse to the revelation of his sovereign will in his holy word, as the only way to determine, whether all, or only a part of mankind, shall be saved.

Nothing can be concluded from the universal benevolence of God, unless we knew, as he does, what would be for the greatest universal good. At first thought it may perhaps be imagined, that if it be only consistent with justice for God to give grace and salvation to all men, his infinite goodness must necessarily incline him to save all. But it ought to be remembered, that the operations of infinite goodness are ever under the direction of infinite wisdom. God will give eternal life to every rebel creature, however deserving of eternal death, if it be best; otherwise he will not. Its being at his sovereign option whether to do a thing or not, by no means make it certain what he will think proper to do. He was no more obliged in justice to permit any sin or misery ever to take place, than he is now to permit some to be forever sinful and miserable. From his goodness and power, we should have been ready to conclude he would have prevented the former, as we now are that he will prevent the latter. "His thoughts are not our thoughts." "How unsearchable are his judgments," says the apostle, "and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?" "Were our understanding infinite, we might be able to judge, with great certainty, what he will think proper to do, on all occasions: but this not being quite the case, all conjectures respecting his determination, from what appears most desirable to us, must be very precarious. From his perfections we may be certain, in general, that he will ever do that which is wisest and best: but what is wisest and best, on the large scale of his universal administration, he alone can be supposed a competent judge.

Not leaning, then, to our own understanding, in a matter so evidently too high for us, let us, with unbiased minds, attend to revelation as our only guide on the important question, Who of fallen creatures shall be saved? Whether it seem good in the sight of God, to save mankind universally, without any conditions; or with certain limitations, and on certain terms. This question is so abundantly resolved in the inspired Scriptures, that to quote all the plain proofs that only particular characters in this world shall have any part or lot in the salvation of the next, would be to quote, as it were, the whole Bible. In the text now chosen, there is evidently implied a restriction of deliverance from the law to believers in the gospel; and in discoursing upon the words, among other things, occasion will naturally be given to adduce some part of the abundant Scripture proof, limited in opposition to universal salvation.

The apostle having spoken, in the preceding chapter, of the rejection of the Jews for their unbelief, he begins this with expressing his sincere concern for them, and his most devout wishes that they might be recovered from their delusion, and not be lost. Ver. 1; "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." However opposed any may be to us, we ought to feel entirely friendly towards them–to wish them no ill, but the greatest possible good. We ought also to entertain a charitable opinion concerning them, as far as the nature of the case will any way fairly admit. Such was the apostle’s charity in regard to his deluded countrymen. He had no doubt that many of them acted conscientiously in their zealous opposition to the gospel, really believing it to be subversive of the divine law, and a system not according to godliness. He was once of the same way of thinking, as he confessed before king Agrippa. "I verily thought with myself," says he, "that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." From his own experience, therefore, as well as from much personal acquaintance, he could testify for them that their way was right in their own eyes, though really very erroneous and wrong. Ver. 2; "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. He goes on to take notice whence their prejudices against the Christian revelation originated; namely, from wrong ideas of God. From not understanding his infinite and inflexible justice, the high demands of his holy law, and the absolute perfection required in order to legal justification in his sight. Ver. 3; "For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." Then in the text he observes, that the cause of righteousness, for which the Pharisees were so full of anxiety, was in safe hands. That effectual care had been taken that the law should sustain no dishonor, but that the spirit of it should be supported, and its ultimate design be fully obtained. "For," says he, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth." For the illustration of what is here asserted I propose,

Read the rest of this entry »

Beecher:

THE

PRESBYTERIAN REVIEW.

No. 12–October, 1882.

I.

LYMAN BEECHER ON THE ATONEMENT–ITS
NATURE AND EXTENT.

LYMAN BEECHER, clarum et venerabile nomen, was President and Professor of Systematic Theology in Lane Seminary, from the time of its full organization in 1832 to the date of his resignation in 1850; and continued to be Professor Emeritus until his death in 1863. In this relation he was truly eminent as a theological teacher, though his services in that line have been somewhat obscured, in the public estimation, by the superior brilliance of his career in the pulpit, and in the more general service of the church. While he was not remarkable for the extent of his reading, or the scope or comprehensiveness of his theology-while indeed lacking in method and system, and apparently impatient of exactness in definition and completeness in demonstration, he was always vigorous, earnest, broad in his theological conceptions, and always powerful in impressing his own convictions on the minds of those who became his pupils. If they were sometimes carried from point to point in his theological cursus, without due respect for logical order or for scholastic completeness in doctrine, they were often more than compensated by the fervors which he enkindled in their breasts, and by the grandeur of his presentation of his favorite topics in the scheme of grace. Though they may not have gone forth from his training as fully drilled in technical issues, as amply supplied with theological furniture, as the graduates of some other institutions, they certainly , went out with souls fired by his teaching, and with minds well endowed practically for the task of preaching the Gospel of Christ. The impress which he made upon them in the class-room, became in most cases a permanent impact, impelling them through life, and making them conspicuously men of grace and men of power.

The manuscript lectures of Dr. Beecher have been donated to Lane Seminary by members of his family, and are now in the library of the institution. Their reading would be a curious study for adepts in the art of deciphering hieroglyphics. It may be presumed that no person has ever read the three volumes through since the venerated teacher himself laid them down. The lectures on the Atonement, here to be presented, were originally written largely by the hand of some amanuensis, and in their original form present no difficulties. But the manuscript bears traces of several distinct structural arrangements introduced at intervals; in the course of which numerals and headings are repeatedly changed, the order of topics varied, lines of thought stricken out or modified, and the general construction so far altered that it seems at times impossible to determine upon the final form of presentation. Many verbal changes also appear, dropping in wherever the vacant space on the pages furnished room i altered phrases are seen along the sides, at the bottom, over the upper line, often leaving the reader in great darkness as to their proper location in the text i and in addition to these sources of perplexity he is confronted by the almost universal lack of dots or crosses, the absence of punctuation, and a certain general indistinctness in the formation of letters which drives him well-nigh to despair. If the writer has failed at any point to get the exact word or sentence, or to catch the precise principle of construction, it has not been for the lack of diligent effort; he trusts at least that no serious mistake has been made in what has been throughout a labor of reverential love.

The lectures themselves, it should be added, present the subject for the most part in an abbreviated form only i much being left to merely verbal, and perhaps ex tempore presentation. It is the testimony of his pupils that Dr. Beecher excelled especially in such informal expositions of divine truth, and that the most valuable portions of his instruction broke in upon them at times when, under the influence. of some fresh inspiration, he made the class-room fairly glow with the splendor of his teaching. In view of the brevity and inadequacy of the present discussion, the writer has ventured at a few points to introduce further explanations from the published works’ of the author. As a compensation, some omissions of explanatory matter have here and there been made.

The publishing of these outlines of what Dr. Beecher once taught respecting the nature and extent of the Atonement, is in no way designed to revive historic differences or to stir up doctrinal controversy. What is sought is simply to bring again into view the teaching of an honored father in the Church, who a half century ago was recognized as a man of remarkable power, but who for nearly twenty years has been asleep in Jesus. It was his intention, as is announced in the preface to the first volume of his Works, to put his entire theological system into print; but the disabilities which have so often prevented the execution of a like purpose by other eminent teachers and preachers, fell into the way and frustrated his desire. His Lectures on Atheism and his six magnificent Sermons on Intemperance, together with some other valuable productions from his pen, have been preserved in printed form, but his theological lectures, as a whole, will probably survive only as a treasured heirloom in manuscript, in the library of Lane. In these circumstances, it will be of interest to many in our Presbyterian family, whatever may be their individual views of the subject discussed, to read what he wrote on so sublime and vital a theme. As his successor in the theological chair, the writer desires thus both to revive the fading memories of a great teacher, and to preserve the teaching itself in permanent form, for the instruction and edification of other minds. It is one of the irenic features of the times, that the dogmatic differences which once widely divided good men respecting both the nature and the extent of the atoning work of Christ, have been fading away relatively under the brighter consciousness of unity in both thought and experience respecting the great scriptural fact of an Atonement actually provided. And perhaps one of the most important causes tending to this happy result has been the developing capacity of men of different schools and tendencies to study opposite opinions more calmly and candidly, and to appreciate the worth really inherent in that from which they are constrained to differ. In the growth of such a spirit on every side, with all the practical consequences flowing from it, lie both the highest measure of present denominational harmony and also that progressive unification of thought and faith toward which all true men in this day are more or less consciously aspiring. In the hope that they may contribute to such results, these words of Lyman Beecher are here brought to public notice; and may God bless them to this end! E. D. MORRIS.

FROM THE MS. LECTURES OF LYMAN BEECHER, D.D. THE ATONEMENT

Read the rest of this entry »

Henry:

Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, became man; and so was and continues to be; God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever.

1. Did mankind need a Redeemer? Yes: for by our iniquities we had sold ourselves, Isa. 50:1. Did the elect themselves need a Redeemer? Yes: for we ourselves also were sometimes disobedient, Tit. 3:3. Would there have been a Redeemer if Adam had not sinned? No: for they that be whole need not a physician, Matt. 9:12. Could an angel have been our Redeemer? No: for his angels he charged with folly, Job 4:18.

2. Is Jesus Christ the Redeemer? Yes: there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ, Jesus, 1 Tim 2:5. Is he the only Redeemer? Yes: for there I is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, Acts 4:12. Is he a universal Redeemer? Yes: he gave himself a ransom for all, 1 Tim. 2:6. Did he die to purchase a general offer? Yes: the Son of man was lifted up, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, Jonh3:14,15. Is all the world the better for Christ’s mediation? Yes: for by him all things consist, Col. 1:7. Is it long [fault?] of Christ then that so many perish? No: I would have gathered you, and you would not, Matt. 23:37.

3. Is Christ in a special manner the Redeemer of God’s elect? Yes: I lay down my life for the sheep, John 10:15. Was their salvation particularly designed in Christ’s undertaking? Yes: Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him, John 17:2. Was their sanctification particularly designed? Yes: For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified, John 19:19. Is all mankind redeemed from among devils? Yes: for none must say as they did, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God, Matt. 8:29. But are the elect redeemed from among men? Yes: these were redeemed from among men, Rev. 14:4.

4. Is the Redeemer LORD? Yes: every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, Phil. 2:11. Is he Jesus a Savior? Yes: thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins, Matt. 1:21. Is he Christ anointed? Yes: for God, even thy God, as anointed thee, Heb 1:9. Is he Emmanuel? Yes: They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted, is, God with us, Matt. 1:29.

Matthew Henry, “Scripture Catechism in the Method of the Assembly’s,” in The Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. Matthew Henry, V.D.M. (London: Joseph Ogle Robinson, 1830), 878. [Bracketed insert mine, some spelling modernized; and underlining mine.]

Read the rest of this entry »

Airay:

Sins of the Many:

And of himself thus our Savior himself speaks, Mat. v. 17, ‘Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them.’Christ, then, was made subject to the law, and came into the world to fulfill the law. And therefore he was circumcised the eighth day, he was presented to the Lord after the days of Man’s purification, and, as the text says, Luke ii. 39, ‘All things were done for him according to the law of the Lord.’He gave sight to the blind, made the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to go, &c, as it was so written of him, Isa. xxxv. 5, 6. He preached the gospel to the poor, bound up the broken-hearted, preached deliverance to the captives, set at liberty them that were bruised, preached the acceptable year of the Lord, &c, as it was so written of him, chap. lxi. 1, 2. He was counted with the transgressors, though he had done no wickedness, neither any deceit was in his mouth; he bare the sins of many, and prayed for the trespassers, as it was so written of him, chap. liii. 12. In a word, whatsoever was written of him in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, all that he fulfilled. And therefore, when John would have put him back from his baptism, he said unto him, Mat. iii. 15, ‘Let he now, for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness;’ as if he had said, Stay not this act of my baptizing, for we must render perfect obedience unto the Father, in all things which he hath ordained. Henry Airay, Lectures Upon the Whole Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians (Edinburgh: James Nichol, 1864), 119. [Some spelling modernized; italics original; and underlining mine.]

Sins of the chosen:

Again, in that he says, ‘from whence also we look for the Savior,’ he signifies their patient expectation and waiting for the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he shall appear the second time, without sin unto salvation; for Christ being then already descended from the bosom of his Father, and having offered up himself without spot unto God, to take away the sins of such his chosen children as, through faith in his blood, have their consciences purged from dead works to serve the living God; now they waited and looked for the promise of his second coming, when he should come in the clouds, to be glorified in his saints, but to render vengeance unto them that know not God, nor obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Henry Airay, Lectures Upon the Whole Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians (Edinburgh: James Nichol, 1864), 310. [Some spelling modernized; italics original; and underlining mine.]

Sin of the world (John 1:29):

The most of the rest of the points I will conclude in one, which is this, that Jesus Christ is God, which we confess when we pray for grace and peace from him; that he is the Savior of the world, which we confess when we call him Jesus; that he is that counselor and great prophet, that King and Prince of Peace, that Lamb of God, slain from the beginning of the world to take away the sin of the world, which we confess when we call him Christ; and that unto him is given all power in heaven and in earth, which we confess when we call him Lord. If he, therefore, be with us, we need not to fear who be against us. For he is our God, our Savior, our Lord, our Master, our King, our everlasting High Priest. I cannot prosecute either these or the rest of the points. By these you will conjecture the rest, and easily see the epitome of Christianity concluded in this short salutation. Henry Airay, Lectures Upon the Whole Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians (Edinburgh: James Nichol, 1864), 14. [Some spelling modernized; italics original; and underlining mine.]

Read the rest of this entry »