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ground of justification is absolutely necessary for them, if they are ever to be accepted, or rewarded. For this the religion of Christ professes to have made ample provision. In my examination of the Character and Offices of Christ, I have attempted to show, that he has taught all which is necessary to be known, believed, or done, by us, in order to our acceptance with God; and has accomplished the expiation of our sins in such a manner, that God, in justifying us, may be just to himself, and to the Universe. Thus far, it is hoped, the way to our return from our Apostasy has been made clear and satisfactory.

The next great question, to be asked, and a question of infinite moment to every one of us, is, In what manner do we become interested in the Mediation of Christ, and entitled to the glorious blessings which he has purchased for man? This question is par tially answered in the text. Here we are said to be justified freely by the grace of God, through the redemption of Christ Jesus. In this declaration, our justification is immediately connected with the redemption of Christ, as its meritorious, or procuring, The source of it, also, on the part of God, is directly asserted; as is, also, the manner, in which it is accomplished. We are said to be justified freely; and justified by his grace. All this is, also, said to be done through, by means of, or on account of, the redemption of Christ. These subjects are intended to occupy the following discourse.

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In the course of my investigation I shall consider,

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I. In what sense mankind are justified under the Gospel. II. In what sense we are freely justified by the grace of God. I. I shall consider in what sense mankind are justified under the Gospel.

The word justify, as I observed in a former discourse, is taken from the business of judicial courts; and denotes the acquittal of a person, tried by such a court, upon an accusation of a crime. The person, accused, being upon trial found innocent of the charge, is declared to be just, in the view of the Law; and, by an easy and natural figure, is said to be justified; that is, made just. In this original, forensic sense of the term, it is obvious from what has been said in a former discourse, that no human being can be justified by the law, or before the bar, of God. As all mankind

have disobeyed this Law; it is clear, that he, whose judgment is invariably according to truth, must declare them guilty.

Still the Scriptures abundantly teach us, that, what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for a sin-offering, has, by thus condemning sin in the flesh, accomplished for multitudes of our sinful race. It is, however, certain, that justification, when extended to returning sinners, must, in some respects, be, of course, a thing widely different from justification under the Law. A subject of law is justified only when he is in the full and strict sense just: that is, when he has completely obeyed all the requisitions of the law. In this case, his obedience is the only ground of his justification; and is all that is necessary to it; because he has done every thing, which was required of him; and no act of disobedience can be truly laid to his charge. From this case, that of the penitent, under the Gospel, differs entirely. He has been guilty of innumerable acts of disobedience; and has not fulfilled the demands of the Law, even in a single instance. All these acts of disobedience are truly chargeable to him, when he comes before the Bar of God at the final trial; nor can he ever be truly said not to have been guilty of them. If, therefore, he be ever justified; it must be in a widely different sense from that, which has been already explained. The term is, therefore, not used in the Gospel because its original meaning is intended here; but because this term, figuratively used, better expresses the thing intended, than any other. The act of God, denoted by this term as used in the Gospel, so much resembles a forensic justification, or justification by law, that the word is naturally, and by an easy translation, adopted to express this act.

The justification of a sinner, under the Gospel, consists in the three following things: Pardoning his sins; Acquitting him from the punishment, which they have deserved; and Entitling him to the rewards, or blessings, due by Law to perfect obedience only.

In order to form clear and satisfactory views of this subject, it will be useful to examine the situation of man, in his progress from apostasy to acceptance, as it is exhibited in the Scriptures. In the covenant of redemption, the FATHER promised Christ, that, if he should make his soul a propitiatory sacrifice for sin, he

should see a seed, which should prolong their days*: Or, as it is expressed by God in the 89th Psalm, His seed should endure for ever, and his throne, that is, his dominion over them, as the days of Heaven. In this covenant, three things are promised to Christ, in consequence of his assumption, and execution, of the Mediatorial office: 1st, That a seed shall be given him; 2d, That they shall endure and be happy for ever; and 3d, That his dominion over them shall be co-extended with their eternal being. It was, then, certain, antecedently to Christ's entrance upon the office of Mediator, that he should not assume, nor execute, it in vain ; but should receive a reward for all his labours and sufferings; such as he thought a sufficient one; such as induced him to undertake this office, and to accomplish all the arduous duties, which it involved. This reward was to be formed of rational and immortal beings, originally apostate, but redeemed by him from their apostasy, through the atonement, made for their sins by his sufferings; particularly his death; and the honour, which he rendered to the divine law by his personal obedience. All these redeemed apostates were to endure for ever in a state of perfect holiness and happiness; and both this holiness and happiness were to be for ever progressive, under his perfectly wise and benevolent administration.

In this covenant, then, it is promised, that the persons, here spoken of, and elsewhere declared to be a great multitude, which no man can number, of all nations, kindreds, and tongues, should be the seed, the children, of Christ; his property; and that not only in a peculiar, but in a singular, sense; not only created by him, as all other intelligent beings were, but redeemed by him also; and that at the expense of his own life.

The least consideration, however, will clearly show us, that sinners can never become Christ's in any such sense, as to be accepted by him, unless they are delivered from the sentence of condemnation, pronounced against them by the law of God. This law, I have formerly had occasion to observe, is unalterable. It is in itself perfect; and cannot be made better. God, the perfect and unchangeable Being, cannot, without denying his

*Isaiah liii. 10. Lowth.

perfection, consent to make it worse. Besides, He has declared, that the Universe shall sooner pass away, than one jot, or one tittle, of the Law shall pass, until all shall be fulfilled. Yet if this sentence be universally executed, the reward, promised to Christ in the covenant of redemption, viz. the immortal holiness and happiness of those, who in that covenant were promised to him as his seed, must of necessity fail. This sentence, therefore, will not be universally executed; because such an execution would render the promise of God of none effect.

Further; all who are involved in the execution of this sentence will not only suffer, but also sin, for ever.

But no words are necessary to prove, that a collection of sinners, continuing to sin for ever, could in no sense constitute a reward to Christ, for his labours, and sufferings, in the work of redemption. From them he could receive neither love, gratitude, nor praise. In their character he could see nothing amiable, nothing to excite his complacency. In his government of them, his goodness and mercy would find no employment, and achieve no glory. Nor could they ever be his, in the sense of the covenant of redemption.

Thus it is beyond a doubt evident, that, with regard to all those who are thus promised to Christ, the sentence of the Divine Law will not, and cannot, be executed; and that, when they appear at their final trial, they will be acquitted from the punishment due to their sins, and delivered from the moral turpitude of their character. All this is plainly indispensable to the fulfilment of the covenant of redemption. Accordingly, we find it all promised in the most definite manner, wherever the subject is mentioned in the Gospel.

The first step, in the final fulfilment of the promises, contained in this covenant, towards those who are the seed of Christ, is the pardon of their sins. Sin, until it is pardoned, is still charged to the sinner's account. Hence, he is, in this situation, exposed to the punishment, which it has deserved. The pardon of sin is, of course, attended by the exemption of the sinner from punishment; so much of course, that these things are usually considered as but one. They are, however, separable, not only in thought, but in fact. We do not always, nor necessarily punish offenders, whom we still do not forgive. The offender may have

merited, and may continue to merit, punishment; and yet sufficient reasons may exist, why he should not be punished, although they are not derived from his moral character. Forgiveness, in the full sense, supposes the offender penitent; and includes an approbation of his character as such, and a reconciliation to him of the person who forgives. But these things are not involved in a mere determination to exempt an offender from punishment. On the part of God, however, in his conduct towards returning sinners, these things are not, I confess, separable in fact.

But the sinner might be forgiven, and acquitted from the pu nishment due to his sins; and yet not be rendered the subject of future blessings: much less of the blessings, promised in the covenant of redemption. He might be annihilated. He might be placed in a state of happiness imperfect, and mixed; like that of the present world; or he might be placed in a state of happiness unmixed and perfect, and yet greatly inferior to that, which will be actually enjoyed by the penitent children of Adam. Another step, therefore, indispensable to the complete fulfilment of the covenant of redemption, is entitling them to the very blessings, which are here promised: viz. the blessings of heaven: the first blessings, as I may hereafter have occasion to show, in the kingdom of God.

These three things, which I have specified, as being involved in the justification of mankind, are all clearly included, and promised in the covenant of redemption: and the connection of them, or of our justification, with that work, as the only foundation, on which our justification can rest, is, I think, too manifest from what has been said, to be doubted.

Having thus stated what I intend by justification under the Gospel, I shall inquire,

II. In what sense we are said to be justified freely by the grace of God.

From what has been said in a former discourse, concerning the impossibility of justification by our own obedience, it is, I trust, evident, that our justification can in no sense nor degree, be said, with truth, to be merited by ourselves. In this respect therefore, if it exist at all, it must of necessity be communicated reely. It will however, be necessary to a satisfactory explana

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