The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-01-31
ORIGINAL SIN-vlcARIoUS PUN.
ESHMENT AND ATONEMENT

1t seems hard because our first
parents, in their innocence and SIM
plicity, should have been beguiled by
an ugly serpent to eat of the forbid
den fruit" that all of mankind should
have been condemned to vicariOus
punishment for their cupidity and Gu
riosity, yet it seems to have been in
accord with the verdict of all mankind
since the beginning of the world.
What the whole world approves it
seems ought to be sufficient for ac-
ceptance, and the best justification
for this acceptance is, perhaps, what
the renowned Dr. Samuel Johnson, ac-
knowledged as the Monarch of Lit
erature" in his day, has to say on the
subject.
Here is his justification for this Sc
we're decree against the human race:
with respect to original sin, the
inquiry is not necessary; for whatev-
er is the cause of human corruption,
men are evidently and cOnfessedly so
corrupt that all the laws of heaven
and earth are insufficient to restrain
them from crimes.
Whatever difficulty there may be
| in the conception of vicarious punish
ments. it is an opinion which has had
possession of mankind in all ages
There is no nation that has not used
| the practice of sacrifices. Whoever.
therefore, denies the prOpriety of vi
carious punishments, holds an opinion
which the sentiments and practice of
mankind have cOntradicted from the
| beginning of the world. The great
sacrifice for the sins of mankind was
offered at the death of the Messiah,
who is called in scripture the Lamb
| of God, that taketh away the sins of
! the world To Judge Of the reasOna-
| bleness of the scheme of redemption,
it must be considered as necessary to
the government of the universe that
God should make known his perpetual
and irrecOncilable detestatiOn Of NOR
al evil. He might indeed punish and
punish only the offenders; but as the
end of punishment is not revenge of
crimes, but propagation of virtue, it
was more becoming the Divine elem
ency to find another manner of pro-
ceeding, less destructive to man, and
at least equally powerful to promote
goodness. The end of punishment is
to reclaim and warn. That punish
ment will both reclaim and warn
which shows evidently such abhor-
renee of sin in God as may deter us
ctr II nj
vengeance when we have committed
it. This is effected by vicarious pun
shment. Nothing could more testify
the opposition between the nature of
God and moral evil, or more amply
display his justice, to men and angels,
to all orders and SUGGESTIONS of be-
ings, than that it was necessary for
the highest and purest nature, even
for Divinity itself, to pacify the de-
mands of vengeance, by a painful
death; of which the natural effect will
be, that when justice is appeased,
there is a proper place for the exer-
else Of mercy; and that such propitia-
ton shall supply in some degree, the
imperfectiOnS of our obedience, and
the inefficacy of our repentance; for,
obedience and repentance, such as we
can perform, are still necessary. Our
Savior has told us that he did not
come to destroy the law, but to fulfill;
to fulfill the typical law by the per
Torrance of what those types had
foreshown; and the moral law, by pre-
cepts of greater purity and higher ex-
altation.
THE peculiar doctrine of Christian
ity is that of an universal sacrifice
and perpetual Precipitation. Other
prophets only proclaimed the will and
the threatenings of God. Christ salts
fed his Justice"