The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1868-08-29
The Design And Extent Of The
AtOnement.
CONTINUED.


wrath. The absolute sovereignty of God /
70 tl4o inevitable consequent Of his existence
W revere and love that sOverei guty. We.
commit our ali to his supreme kingship. We |
10 net question the liqht Of God to do what /
soeyer may seem good to him at any and ali /
tlmes with any on all Of his creatures. 1t is /
not, then, 70 question Of right, but Of fact
not what God may do, but what he has done |
Aud while we adore his sovereiantv, we
most earnestly deny that be has ever made
any secret decree, either for the uncondl
u"nal salvation Of the elect OF for the uu-
conditional destruction Of the rest Of man
kind
l. II true, It is unlike ~ thing else in
the history Of his government as developed
IN providence or grace.
~. 1t IS inconsistent with the divine per
lectlons, as revealed IN creation and revela-
ton
III tits inconsistent with, and contradic-
tory 70, the sllD5cieltcy Of the atonement
Y. It IS Inconsistent with the character
ana work OF the divine mediator.
v. IL IS inconsistent with the universal
offer Of salvation
v 1t IS in direct conflict with very many
passages Of Scripture, and contrary to the
genius OF Christianity.
VII II necessarily involves the damnation
OF non-eiect infants
vii. 1t leads to fatalism
Many other objections could be urged
against this doctrine of a limited atonemeut,
but TO these l propose to cOnfne my remarks
for the present.
1. it Is, if true, unlike any thing else IN
the government Of God. IT. vain do we ex-
PIore the physical creation in vain examine
the phenomena Of mind in vain search the
revealed word, for an analogous case: no.
where IN earth, sea, or sky, can any thing
IKE ltbe found but everywhere we find con
tradlctIons to it, Before human tribunals.
IN the absence Of direct, positive, and un-
doubted proof, it Is a strong presumption In
favor OF the accused that the alleged act is
contrary to his whole life, and abhCrrent to
ms feelings, as developed by his life. ANY
court, or Intelligent jury will discharge the.
accused under such circumstances.
Now, If God be accused of partially and
injustice toward his creatures, or if it be
charged that the atOnement provided by him
is limited TO few, while all the rest are
passed by, and ordained to dishOnor and
wrath, IS 1t not q strong and overwhelming
presumption against the charge that nothing
like 1t, during his eternal years, has he ever
done Is not the Inference irresistible that
such an act is abhorUent to his very nature
And when We find in all the actions, and in
all the declarations of his laws, palpable and
direct contradictions, is not the proof over
whelminglY against the truth Of the accuse
tiOn2
Take, for example, the soil Of the earth
1t becomes worn and poor, It's fertility seem
lngly exhausted, yet everywhere has the
Creator in abundance distributed the rene
dies for Its restoration to virgin fertility
These restOratives- are not confined to any
special localities, but are universally dis
tributed over the earth; so that wherever
there is dry land, rooted with an atmosphere,
with God rain to water, and God sun to
warm, there by the free and unrestricted use
OF nature restOratIyes, man may enrich the
barren soil, and cause the desert and the soil
tirV place to rejoice and blossom as the rose.
II NC examine the physical man, we find
that the merciful Maker thereof has provided
in Itself q remedial system by which acct
dental injuries may be repaired, and OBJ
s-aaias which interrupt its functions sur
mounted Cot or burn the flesh and the
provision for healing in the system is efectual
90 repair the injury. Break a bone, and the
rhysieilu can only replace the parts, and
nature remedial system will restore sound
ness Obstruct the blood by the amputatiOn
of limb and it viii plow out a new chan
mel by which it may complete its circuit from
the heart to the extremitIes, and back again
to the fountain whence it was elected. So for
all the diseases incident to humanity there
is IN natures nldterid nedicH an eitcCtual
remedy. The limit to the application Of the
restorative is not in any restriction on the
use of the remedy, but in the ignorance of
man. These are not for one class to the eX-
clusion of all others, but are for all conditions
OF men-al that are diseased. They are not
confined Co any favored locality, but are
everywhere abundant more than enough for
the race to the end Of time and, so far as
discovered are of universal application, and
as efIicacious to one rs to another The
remedy for smallpox, that Tor lever, or for
any other disease, is the same everywhere,
and in all cases possesses the same curative
mowers. And what is still more wonderful,
fine entire curative and healing system of ma
ture is anterior to man, and coeval with crea-
ton lit seems to be anticipative of the ills
and injuries of the fallen creature. Or, in
other words, God, foreseeing that the crea-
ture he had determined to create and invest
with the dominion of the world, would, In
the exercise Of the freedom bestowed, bring
innumerable evils upon his posterity pro
vided in ddUdHce, a remedial system of heal
inc and curing, designed alike for every
unit of the race.
Now, observing these general and special,
these universal and particular arrangements
nm the part of God, in anticipation of the
phvsical evils he foresaw man would bring
anon the race by his own act of disObedl
ence. is not the conclusion Irresistible that
as he foresaw aud provided Tor the lesser
evils, SO foreseeing the greater moral death
with its consequent pollution and punish
ment-he did most sovereignty and gra
oiously, in his purpose Of infinite love, de-
termi1e TO provide the lamb slain from the
foundation Of the world as a remedy foI
this universal pollution, this loathsome and
fatal disease Of sin, this leprosy of the soul
Not for the few, but for all, as extensi e in
its design as the remedies for the body, and
unrestricted IN It's application for the cure
of all that were bitten by the fiery, Ayina
serDert" Would not such an arrangemon
be in perfect harmony with all his other
works for the happiness of man And Is
not an atonement limited by intention anC
DESIGN to the salvation of the few, while al
others. no more undeserving, notmore guilty
arc left to perish, miserably perish, unpitiel
and uucared for, totally ITreconcnable with
81, ranedial system Of nature Is it no
r,Ig unlike any thing else in creation and