We must now hasten to the form of this doctrine among "modern Calvinists," with. out attempting further to exhibit the links in the chain of its historic connection. "Modern Calvinism" represents the A. as that satisfaction for sin which was rendered to God, in his public character as moral governor of the world, by the perfect obedience unto death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Time nature of this satisfaction was a moral, not a pecuniary satisfaction. It preserves to the moral government of God its authority, whilst its tendency is to secure the forgiveness of sin. The value of the sufferings of Christ consists in their tendency to uphold the divine moral government unimpaired whilst pardon is extended to those who have violated it, rather than in their intrinsic excellence, which, though essential to, did not constitute their value. There was a moral necessity for Christ's sufferings and death—obstaeles to the bestowment of pardon had to be removed—the influence of the Holy Spirit had to be secured. The whole contents of Christ's earthly existence, embracing both his active and passive obedience—a dis tinction which is unsupported by the word of God—must be regarded as to the A. which he made. Of the actual sufferings of Christ immediately attending his death, it would be unpardonable to speak with confidence, so little has been revealed. It may, however, be considered whether the Savior's deprivation of his Father's coun tenance may not have been indirectly caused rather by his awful and afflicting sense of the evil of sin, than otherwise—As to the " extent " of the A., there is a broad distinc tion to be made between the suffieiency of the A., and its efficiency. It may be true that Jehovah did not intend to exercise that influence of the Holy Spirit upon all which is necessary to secure the salvation of any one, but as the A. was to become the basis of moral government, it was necessary that it should be one of infinite worth, and so in itself adequate to the salvation of all. The body called Universalists (q.v.)hold both the efficiency and ultimate sufficiency of this great event in history.
The foregoing represents the modified view of the doctrine as advocated by Dr. Payne, and as held, in all essential respects, by such men as Pye Smith and Wardlaw, which in its earlier form, and as found in the writings of Owen and Edwards, maintains that the A. was made only for the elect; and that its necessity with respect to them arose out of the eternal justice of God, which required that every individual should receive his due desert; and. consequently, that the sufferings of Christ were the endurance of punishment equivalent in amount of suffering, if not identical in nature—as Owen maintains—with that to which the elect were exposed; and, moreover, that the merit orious obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law, imputes a righteousness to those for whom the A. secures salvation, which gives them a claim to the reward of righteousness.
Our space will not allow us to present to the reader the various forms which this doctrine is made to assistne in the philosophic theology of Germany from Kant to the present time. See NEANDER. We must, therefore, confine ourselves to the presentation of those views of the doctrine advocated by our own countrymen in our own time, which may fairly represent the present state of opinion with respect to this fundamental doctrine.
Let us begin with the view of modern Unitarianism, which may very clearly and fairly be presented in the words of one of the most able of its advocates, the Rev. Prof. John James Tayler: "'There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' This can only refer to unrivaled pre-eminence, not to exclusive function. For all higher minds do, in fact, mediate between their less gifted fellow-creatures and the great realities of the invisible world. This 'one" is a human mediator, 'the man Christ Jesus'—not a being from another sphere, an angel or a God—but a brother from the bosom of our own human family. 'He gave himself a ransom for all' who embrace his offers and will hearken to his voice. He brings from God a general summons to repent; and with that he conveys, through faith, a spiritual power to shake off the bondage of sin, and put on the freedom of a new heart and a new life. He is a deliverer from the power of sin and the fear of death. This is the end of his mediation. This is the redemption of which he paid the price. His death, cheerfully met in the inevitable sequence of faith ful duty, was only one among many links in the chain of instrumentalities by which that deliverance was effected. It was a proof, such as could be given in no other way, of trust in God and immortality, of fidelity to duty. and of love for mankind. In those who earnestly contemplated it. and saw all that it implied, it awoke a tender response of grati tude and confidence, which softened the obdurate heart, and opened it to serious impres sions and the quickening influences of a religious spirit." Prof. Jowett advocates an opinion peculiarly his own, if, indeed, language so confess edly vague and indefinite can be said to embody an opinion. It is this: "that the only sacrifice, A., or satisfaction with which the Christian has to do, is a moral and spiritual one; not the pouring out of blood upon the earth, but the living sacrifice ' to do thy will, 0 God; in which the believer has part as well as his Lord; about the meaning of which there can be no more question in our day than there was in the first ages."— " Heathen and Jewish sacrifices rather show us what the sacrifice of Christ was not, than what it was. They are the dim, vague, rude, almost barbarous expression of that want in human nature which has received satisfaction in him only. Men are afraid of something; they wish to give away something; they feel themselves bound by some thing; the fear is done away, the gift offered, the obligation fulfilled in Christ. Such fears and desires can no more occupy their souls; they are free to lead a better life; they are at the end of the old world, and at the beginning of a new one."—The work of Christ is set forth in Scripture under many different figures, lest we should rest in one only. His death, for instance, is described as a ransom. It is not that God needs some payment before he will set the captives free. Ransom is deliverance to the captive. committeth sin is the servant of sin." Christ delivers from sin. "If the on shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." To whom ? for what was the ransom paid ? are questions about which Scripture is silent, to which reason refuses to answer.