Notice of Recent Publications [pp. 443-477]

Notices, f Recent Publications.
The Doctrine of Atonement, as taught by the Apostles; or, the Sayings of
the Apostles exegetically expounded, with Historical Appendix. By
Rev. George Smeaton, D.D., Professor of Exegetical Theology, New
College. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. New York: Scribner, Welford &
Co. 1870.
This massive and handsome volume is a successor to another by the
same author and publishers, entitled "The Doctrine of the Atonement, as taught by Christ himself; or, the Sayings of Jesus on the
Atonement, exegetically Expounded and Classified," which we have
not yet seen, but which we find to be warmly commended by the most
competent critical authorities in Great Britain, an endorsement which
it well deserves if executed in a manner at all equal to the work now
before us. This is a thorough collation and exegetical analysis of
the utterances of the Apostles on the subject. Professor Smeaton
brings to the work that peculiar combination of scholarly, exegetical,
doctrinal, and spiritual insight, which are prime requisites to a good
theologian generally, and upon soteriology especially, and above all
upon the nature of Christ's atoning work.
We are glad to see an increasing tendency among orthodox and
evangelical theologians to repair to the sacred originals of all Christian
truth, and to ground their theology immediately and exclusively upon
the authority of the Great Teacher and his inspired apostles. Certainly here, if anywhere, we can find what the central doctrines of the
Gospel are. No richer resources can be furnished to theological
students, ministers, or professional theologians for the due fulfilment
of their respective vocations. Professor Smeaton shows ex abundanti
that the Apostles set forth an Atonement that is not merely didactic,
exemplary, symbolical, or governmental in its natutre, but is also strictly
piacular, vicarious, penal, in satisfaction of divine justice, involving the
imputation of the sins of the redeemed to Christ, and of his righteousness to them.
The historical analysis in the Appendix is also of decided ability
and value. The successive developments of the doctrine post-Apostolic, Patristic, Medieval, Lutheran, Reformed, and by such great masters as Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Melancthon, Grotius, Owen,
and a host of others are clearly exhibited. Nor has he overlooked or'
failed to understand, like so many of our Scotch brethren, the differential features of a system that has great popularity in this country, as
the following extract sufficiently shows, pp. 536-7.
'"The Grotian theory has been largely accepted in America under
the name of the Governmental Theory. Hopkinsianism was one
t hase of it, and it is sometimes designated the New England theory,
460
[JULY,