THE ATONEMENT
By Hugh Martin
Banner of Truth. 233 pages. £14.00
ISBN 978 1 848 712 911
Hugh Martin (1822-85), a 19th-century minister of the Free Church of Scotland, suffered mental health problems, and spent his life writing rather than preaching.
In the providence of God, the church has benefited. The Atonement (first published in 1870) is a collection of articles focusing on God’s covenant and Christ’s priestly work as they relate to the Saviour’s death. The imputation of sin to Christ (he was treated as the sinner) and the imputation of his righteousness to believers (we are treated as righteous) are clearly explained. Martin also stresses the relationship between the atonement and the moral law. Christ fully paid the punishment we deserve for breaking God’s law. He probes deeply into his subject, so this book is not easy, but it will richly repay those who take time and make the effort to read it. His books The Prophet Jonah and Simon Peter are simpler to read and were helpful to me many years ago. The Atonement will mostly appeal to pastors and to theological students. This edition is well produced with good clear print and contains a foreword by John and Sinclair Ferguson.
