94 THE LAMB OF GOD
that the sin which man commits every hour issued in His Passion.
^ Ghastliest of all misconceptions ever put before this city or any other is the assertion that the doctrine of the Atonement implies, first, that an innocent being is made guilty in the sense of being personally blameworthy ; and, secondly, that that innocent being is punished in the sense of suffering pain for personal ill- desert. Both these propositions all clear thought discards, all religious science condemns. We have no doctrine of the Atone- ment which declares that personal demerit is laid upon our Lord, or that, in the strict sense of the word, He suffered punishment — that is, pain inflicted for personal blameworthiness. He had no personal blameworthiness. He was an innocent being, as He always will be ; and never did, can, or will suffer punishment, in the strict sense of the word.^
(3) Once more, the Death of Jesus is not represented in the New Testament as the cause of the love of God. It is its effect, its outcome. It is a parody of the Gospel to speak of Christ's having, as it were, purchased by His Death God's love for man. For "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son."
^ I recollect particularly well an answer he gave once in private conversation to the question, ''Do you believe that the sacrifice of Christ is the essential and basal thing in the Christian religion ? " The interrogator desired an answer, Yes or No. It was at the time when Drummond's position was being assailed from almost every quarter. I shall not soon forget the slow, deliberate reply : " Then my answer must be No." The questioner remarked that it was satisfactory to have such a plain answer. But there was in store for him something which probably made matters plainer still : " If I may venture a supplementary remark," said Drummond, " I would say that in my opinion the sacrifice of Christ is a part of the very essence of Christianity, but the basis of Christianity is the eternal love of God." ^
(4) And, lastly, such a conception as that of a Martyr Prophet suffering in innocence instead of sinners who had to share in his sorrow and his pain would be demoralizing to man himself. It would cut at the root of personal responsibility. But the doctrine of the Incarnation has been only half learnt if
* Joseph Cook, Monday Lectures, i. 151.
• George Adam Smith, The Life of Henry Drummond, 335.
ST. JOHN I. 29 95
we have not understood that Christ claimed to be, not only in word, but in fact, the Representative and the Recapitulation of all men. It was in the name of the race whose nature He assumed that He confessed the guilt of sin, on their behalf that He suffered the inevitable consequence of sin. He " tasted death for every man." He drank the cup to the dregs. Even alienation from the Divine love was felt by Him at last. " My God," He cried, " why hast thou forsaken me ? " Herein was the law of righteousness fulfilled.
^ Writing to Westcott, Hort says : I entirely agree with what you say on the Atonement, having for many years believed that " the absolute union of the Christian (or rather, of man) with Christ Himself" is the spiritual truth of which the popular doctrine of substitution is an immoral and material counterfeit.^
* Life and Letters 0/ Fenton J. A. Hort, i. 430.
Personal Service.
ST. JOHN — 7
Literature.
Assheton (R. 0.), The Kingdom and the Empirej 51.
Banks (L. A.), Christ and His Friends, 56.
Bickersteth (C), The Gospel of Incarnate Love, 1.
Boyd (A. K. H.), Changed Aspects of Unchanged Truths, 54.
Broughton (L. G.), The Soul- Winning Church, 62.
Burrell (D. J.), Christ and Men, 40.
Chapman (J. W.), Bells of Gold, 56.
Darlow (T. H.), The Upward Calling, 90.
Greenhoiigli (J. G.), in Men of the New Testament, 83.
Hall (W. A. N.), ''1)0 Out the Duty;' 67.
Home (C. S.), TJie Relationships of Life, 31.
Hort (F. J. A.), Village Sermons, i. 117.
Ker (J.), Sermons, ii. 100.
Liddon (H. P.), Sermons (Contemporary Pulpit Library), iv. 109.
Lightfoot (J. B.), Sermons on Special Occasions, 160.
Maclaren (A.), Expositions : John i.-viii. 62.
Matheson (G.), Rests by the River, 246.
Peabody (F. G.), Mornings in the College Chapel, ii. 58.
Price (A. C), Fifty Sermons, i. 337.
Punshon (W. M.), Sermons, i. 1.
Raleigh (A.), From Dawn to the Perfect Day, 250.
Spurgeon (C. H.), Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, x. (1864) No. 570 ; xv.
(1869) No. 855. Stuart (J. G.), Talks about Soul Winning, 63. Virgin (S. H.), Spiritual Sanity, 61. Watts-Ditchfield (J. E.), Here and Hereafter, 105. Wells (J.), Christ in the Present Age, 61. Wheeler (W. C), Sermons and Addresses, 9. Williams (H. C), Christ the Centre, 114.
CJiristian World Pulpit, xxxvii. 177 (Sloan) ; Ixiv. 139 (Gregg). Churchman's Pulpit : Mission Work : xvii. 223 (Maguire). Examiner, Feb. 2, 1905, p. 100 (Jowett).
Personal Service.
One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ). He brought him unto Jesus. — John i. 40-42.