Prov. xiii. 8, The ransom [atonement] of a man's life are his riches, &c. 102. (32) xxi. 18, The wicked shall be a ransom [an atonement] for the righteous; and the transgressor for the upright. EFFECT. Saving a man's life. MEAN. A sum of money given. EFFECT. Deliv erance of the righteous from dangers, or mischiefs. MEAN. The sufferings of the wicked. The righteous shall be delivered at the expense of the wicked. The wicked shall suffer that the righteous may escape. EFFECT. The deliverance and prosperity of Israel. MEAN. Great calamities brought upon the Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Sabe opia and Seba for ans. thee, 104. (34) Psal. xlix. 7, None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom [atonement]for him: (Ver. 9,) that he should live for ever, and not see corruption. 105. (35) Num. xxxv. 31, Ye shall take no satifaction [atonement] for the life of the murderer, which is guilty of death; but he shall be surely put to death. Ver. 32, And ye shall take no satisfaction [atonement] for him that mightest be delivered, and made happy, I brought great calamities upon other nations. EFFECT [of this negative atonement] non-exemption from death. MEANS. No consideration; nothing any man can give or do to God. EFFECT in the first case, non-exemption from death: in the second, no release from confinement in the city of refuge. MEAN. In both cases, no equivalent in money, or otherwise. REFLECTIONS UPON THE PRECEDING EXAMINATION. 107. THESE are all the places where the word caphar, as it hath any respect to atonement, is to be found with no relation to sacrifices. In passing a judgment upon. them the first thing to be done, is to sort them according to the different cases to which they belong. And (1) Obs. In some cases persons make atonement for themselves, as No. 1, 5, 12, 14, 17, 18, 20, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 35, 36, 37. In other cases atonement is made for them by others, as No. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 24, 32, 33, 34. (2.) One place, No. 16, relateth to the Messiah; the examination of which we wave at present, for the reason already given. (3.) One to the disannulling of an agreement, No. 25. (4.) Six relate to the dealings of one man with another, No. 17, 18, 30, 31, 36, 37. In these cases one person is supposed to be obnoxious to the resentment or justice of another; and the atonement or ransom is made by giving, doing, or saying something to content, appease, and reconcile the offended party. (5.) Three seem to be mixed cases, relating partly to God, and partly to man. No. 6, 26, 35.-No. 6 proposeth both satisfaction to the Gibeonites, and the remo val of the famine which God had inflicted. -No. 26, the death due by the law of God to the owner of the ox, that had slain a man, by the permission of the same law might be bought off with a sum of money paid to man.-No. 35, God permitted no atonement for a murderer, &c. and man was not to take any bribe to exempt him. from punishment. (6.) The remaining twenty-six are cases between the most high God and man, and relate to his favour or displeasure, and to judgments or blessings from him alone. No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34. In two of those cases sin is neither expressed nor implied, No. 32, 33. In the rest it is. Now here we are to consider, 1, the effect of the atonement; and, 2, the means by which it was made. 108. I. The effect is the pardon of sin variously expressed or implied. (1.) No. 5, the effect is not quite certain. (2.) Sometimes it is expressed by the forgiveness, or taking, or purging away, or cleasing of sin; as No. 2, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15. |