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the crimes laid to the charge of the antediluvians are wickedness, and especially violence, which is opposed both to justice and to charity; and it is impossible to suppose any state of society existing, since the fall, in which both justice and charity were not virtues of daily requirement, and that in their constant and vigorous exercise. Cain, for instance, needed both, for he grossly violated both in hating and murdering his brother. 3. That strongly active devotional sentiment which Mr. Davison supposes to exist in those ages, which required something more to imbody and represent it than prayer and praise, and which with so much plastic energy is assumed to have clothed itself" with the imagery of a symbolical expression," is equally contradicted by the facts of the case. There was no such excess of the devotional principle. On Mr. Davison's own interpretation of the "more abundant sacrifice," more in quantity, one of the two brothers, first descending from the first pair, was deficient in it; the rapidly-spreading wickedness of man shows that the religious sentiment was weak and not powerful; it is not seen even in the perverted forms of idolatry and superstition, for neither is charged upon the antediluvians, but moral wickedness only; and instead of their having "a more intense perception of the being and presence of God," as Mr. Davison imagines for them, Moses declares" the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man to be only evil continually," and that even long before the flood, and while men were alive who had conversed with Adam. Thus pass away the fancies on which this theory is built; nor is that of Bishop Warburton better supported, who resolves these early oblations into a representation by action, arising out of the "defects and imperfections of the primitive language;" for of these defects and imperfections there is not only not the least evidence, but the irresistible inference from the narrative of Moses, is, that a language was in use in the first family sufficiently copious for all subjects of religion, as well as for the common intercourse of life. This notion also farther involves the absurdity and contradiction, that when man was created in perfection, he should not be endowed with the power of imbodying his thoughts in language.

If, then, the presentation of the mere fruits of the earth to God as thank-offerings and acknowledgments of dependence, cannot be reasonably accounted for without supposing a Divine institution, the difficulty is increased when animal oblations are added to these offerings, and considered also as merely eucharistical. All the difficulties just mentioned lie with equal force against such a designation of them, with these additional considerations,-1. That the putting beasts to death is an act farther removed from the idea of a mere oblation, since nothing would, without a revelation, appear less acceptable to a merciful and benevolent being. 2. A moral objection would also interpose. Man's dominion of the creatures was from God; but it was to be exercised, like his power of every other kind, upon his responsibility. Wanton cruelty to animals must, of necessity, have been considered a moral evil. To inflict pain and death upon even the noxious animals, without so clear a necessity as should warrant it, and without its being necessary to the "subduing" of the earth, could not be thought blameless, much less upon those innoxious animals which, from the beginning, were the only subjects of sacrifice. This would be felt the more strongly before flesh had been permitted to man for food, and when, so to speak, a greater sacredness was thrown around the life of the domestic animals than afterward; nor can it appear reasonable, even if we were to allow that a sort of sentimentality might lead man to fix upon the oblation of slain beasts as an expressive ritual to be added to the "Liturgy of Nature;" that, without any authority, any intimation from Heaven that such sacrifices would be well pleasing to GOD, men could conclude that a mere sentimental notion of ceremonial fitness, and giving "boldness to the representative character" of worship, would be a sufficient moral reason to take of their flocks and herds, and shed their blood and burn their fish upon altars. Mr. Davison endeavours to meet the objection to the natural incongruity of animal sacrifices as acts of worship, by distinguishing between the two conditions of animal sacrifice, "the guilt of the worshipper, and the expiation of his sin." Expiatory sacrifice, we have seen, he gives up, as not for a moment to be referred to human invention, but thinks that there was no natural incongruity

in the offering of animals as a mere acknowledgment of guilt, and as a confesssion of sin and the desert of death. But still, if we could trace any connexion between this symbolical confession and the real case of man, which is difficult, if not impossible, what could lead him to the idea, that more than simple confession of sin by the lips, and the penitent feelings of the heart, would be acceptable to God, if he had received no revelation on the subject? and if this, like the former, were a device of mere ceremonial sentimentalism, it was still too frail a ground to justify his putting the inferior creatures to death, without warrant from their Creator and Preserver. It is also equally unfortunate for this theory, and, indeed, wholly fatal to it, that the distinction of clean and unclean hearts existed, as we have already seeu, before the flood. Upon what, then, was this distinction founded? Not upon their qualities as good for food or otherwise, for animals were not yet granted for food; and the death of one animal would therefore have been just as appropriate as a symbol of gratitude, or as an acknowledgment of the desert of death, as another, a horse as a heifer, a dog as a lamb. Nay, if animals were intended to represent the sinner himself, unclean and ferocious animals would have been fitter types of his fallen and sinful state; and that they were to be clean, harmless, and without spot, shows that they represented some other. The distinction of clean and unclean, however, did exist in that early period, and it is only to be accounted for by referring it to a sacrificial selection, and that upon Divine authority.

To the human invention of sacrifice, the objection of "will worship" has also been forcibly and triumphantly urged. "Who hath required this at your hands?" "I vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." This has the force of an axiom, which, if it ought not to be applied too rigidly to the minutiae of forms of worship when they connect themselves with authorized leading acts, yet must have a direct application to a worship which, in its substance and leading circumstance, was eminently sacrificial, if it be regarded as wholly of human device. "Thus," says Hallet, "Abel must have worshipped God in vain, if his sacrificing had been merely a commandment of his father Adam, or an invention of his own;" and he justly asks, "why we do not now offer up a bullock, a sheep, or a pigeon, as a thank-offering after any remarkable deliverance, or as an evidence of our apprehensions of the demerit of sin?" The sure reason is, because we cannot know that God will accept such "will worship," and so conclude that we should herein worship God "in vain."

The Divine institution of expiatory sacrifice being thus carried up to the first ages, and to the family of the first sinning man, we perceive the unity of the three great dispensations of religion to man, the PATRIARCHAL, the LEVITICAL, and the CHRISTIAN, in the great principle, " and without the shedding of blood there is no remission." But one religion has been given to man since his fall, though gradually communicated. "This may be best denominated THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, for its exclusive object, however modified externally, is to satisfy God's justice, through the instrumentality of the woman's predicted seed; to restore fallen man to the Divine image of holiness, by the agency of the gracious Spirit; and thus, without compromising any one of God's attributes, to reconcile an apostate race to their offended Creator."(9)

We have now adduced the scriptural evidence of the atonement made by the death of Christ for the sins of the world; a doctrine not speculative and indifferent, but vital to the whole scheme of Christianity; a doctrine which tends to produce the most awful sense of sin, and to afford the most solemn motive to repentance; which at once excites the most sublime views of the justice and mercy of Gon, and gives the most affecting exhibition of the compassion and love of Christ; which is the only ground of faith in the pardoning love of God, and the surest guard against presumption; and which, by opening access to God in prayer, keeps before man a safe and secure refuge amid the troubles of life, and in the prospect of eternity. It is the only view, too, of the death of Christ which interprets the Holy Scriptures into a consistent and unequivocal meaning. Their language is wholly constructed upon it, and, therefore, can only be interpreted by it; it is the key to their style,

(9) FABER'S Hora Mos.

their allusions, their doctrines, their prophecies, their | scattered and broken rays of early tradition. Nor has types. All is confused and delusive without it; all clear, composed, and ordered, when placed under its illumination. To Christ, under his sacrificial character, as well as in his regal claims, "give all the prophets witness;" and in this testimony all the services of the tabernacle, and the rights of the patriarchal age, concur. Christ, as "the Lamb of Gon, was slain from the foundation of the world ;" and when the world shall be no more, he will appear before his glorified saints, as "the Lamb newly slain," shedding upon them the unabated efficacy of his death for ever. Nor is it a doctrine to be rejected without imminent peril-" Verily, verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you;" words which, as Whitby justly observes, "clearly declare the necessity of faith in his body given, and his blood shed for the remission of sins, in order to justification and salvation."

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WHEN We speak of benefits received by the human race, in consequence of the atonement of Christ, the truth is, that man, having forfeited good of every kind, and even life itself, by his transgression, all that remains to him more than evil in the natural world, and in the dispensations of general and particular providence, as well as all spiritual blessings put within his reach by the Gospel, are to be considered as the fruits of the death and intercession of Christ, and ought to be gratefully acknowledged as such. We enjoy nothing in our own right, and receive all from the hands of the Divine mercy. We now, however, speak in particular of those benefits which immediately relate to, or which constitute what in Scripture is called our SALVATION; by which term is meant the deliverance of man from the penalty, dominion, and pollution of his sins; his introduction into the Divine favour in this life; and his future and eternal felicity in another.

The grand object of our redemption was to accomplish this salvation; and the first effect of Christ's atonement, whether anticipated before his coming, as "the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world," or when effected by his passion, was to place God and man in that new relation, from which salvation might be derived to the offender.

The only relation in which an offended sovereign and a guilty subject could stand, in mere justice, was the relation of a judge and a criminal capitally convicted. The new relation effected by the death of Christ is, as to God, that of an offended sovereign having devised honourable means to suspend the execution of the sentence of death, and to offer terms of pardon to the condemned; and, as to man, that as the object of this compassion, he receives assurance of the placableness of God, and his readiness to forgive all his offences, and may, by the use of the prescribed incans, actually obtain this favour.

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this been always adverted to by those writers who have enjoyed the full manifestations of Divine truth in the Scriptures. By many, the infliction of labour, and sor row, and disappointment upon fallen man, and the shortening of the term of human life, are considered chiefly, if not exclusively, as measures adopted to prevent evil, or of restraining its overflow in society. Such ends are, doubtless, by the wisdom of God, thus effected to a great and beneficial extent; but there is a still higher design. These dispensations are not only instruments of prevention, but designed means of salvation, preparatory to, and co-operative with those gencies, by which that result can only be directly produced. The state of man shows, that he is under a checkered dispensation, in which justice and forbearance, mercy and correction have all their place, and in which there is a marked adaptation to his state as a reprieved criminal; a being still guilty, but within the reach of hope. The earth is cursed; but it yields its produce to man's toil; life is prolonged in some instances, and curtailed in others, and is uncertain to all; we have health and sickness; pleasures and pains; gratifications and disappointment; but as to all, in cireumstances however favoured, dissatisfaction and restlessness of spirit are still felt; a thirst which nothing earthly can allay, a vacuity which nothing in our outward condition can supply. There is a manifestation of mercy to save, as well as of wisdom to prevent, and the great end of the whole is explained by the inspired record. "Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, to keep back his soul from the pit." His "goodness" is designed to lead us "to repentance," his rod to teach us wisdom. "In the day of adversity, consider."

Another benefit granted for the same end, is the revelation of the will of God, and the declaration of his purposes of grace as to man's actual redemption. These purposes have been declared to man, with great inequality we grant, a mystery which we are not able to explain; but we have the testimony of God in his own word, though we cannot in many cases, trace the process of the revelation, that in no case, that in no nation, " has he left himself without witness." Oral revelations were made to the first men; these became the subject of tradition, and were carried into all na tions, though the mercy of God, in this respect, was abused by that wilful corruption of his truth of which all have been guilty. To the Jews he was pleased to give a written record of his will; and the possession of this, in its perfect evangelical form, has become the distinguished privilege of all Christian nations, who are now exerting themselves to make the blessing universal, a result which probably is not far distant. By this direct benefit of the atonement of Christ, the law under which we are all placed is exhibited in its full, though reproving, perfection; the character of "Him with whom we have to do" is unveiled; the history of the redeeming acts of our Saviour is recorded; his example, his sufferings, his resurrection, and intercession, the terms of our pardon, the process of our regeneration, the bright and attractive path of obedience, are all presented to our meditations, and, surmounting the whole, is that "immortality which has been brought to light by the Gospel." Having the revelation, also, in this written form, it is guarded against corruption, and, by the multiplication of copies in the present day, it has become a book for family reading, and private perusal and study; so that neither can we, except wil fully, remain ignorant of the important truths it contains, nor can they be long absent from the attention of the most careless; from so many quarters are they obtruded upon them.

To this is to be added another consideration. God is not merely disposed to forgive the offences of men upon their suit and application; but an affecting activity is ascribed, in Scripture, to the compassion of God. The atonement of Christ having made it morally practicable to exercise mercy, and having removed all legal obstructions out of the way of reconciliation, that mercy pours itself forth in ardent and ceaseless efforts to accomplish its own purposes, and, not content with waiting the return of man in penitence and prayer, "God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself;" that is to say, he employs various means to To this great religious advantage we are to add the awaken men to a due sense of their fallen and endan-institution of the Christian ministry, or the appointgered condition, and to prompt and influence them ment of men, who have been themselves reconciled to (sometimes with mighty efficacy) to seek his favour God, to preach the word of reconciliation to others; to and grace, in the way which he has himself ordained do this publicly, in opposition to all contempt and perin his revealed word. secution, in every place where they may be placed, and to which they can have access to study the word of God themselves; faithfully and affectionately to administer it to persons of all conditions; and thus, by a constant activity, to keep the light of truth before the eyes of men, and to impress it upon their consciences.

The mixed and checkered external circumstances of men in this present life is a providential arrangement which is to be attributed to this design; and, viewed under this aspect, it throws an interesting light upon the condition of mankind, unknown to the wisest among those nations which have not had the benefits of revealed religion, except that some glimpses, in a few cases, may have been afforded of this doctrine by the

These means are all accompanied with the influence of the Holy Spirit; for it is the constant doctrine of the

On the nature of justification, its extent, and the mode in which it is attained, it is not necessary to say, that various opinions have been asserted and defended by theologians: but before we advert to any of them, our care shall be to adduce the natural and unperverted doctrine of Scripture on a subject which it is of so much importance to apprehend clearly, in that light in which it is there presented.

Scriptures, that men are not left to the mere influence he has received this unwonted tenderness of heart, this of a revelation of truth, and the means of salvation; "broken and contrite spirit," he confesses his sins bebut are graciously excited and effectually aided in all fore God, and appears like the publican in the temple, their endeavours to avail themselves of both. Before smiting upon his breast, exclaiming, "God be merciful the flood, the Holy Spirit is represented as "striving" to me a sinner :"-thus at once acknowledging his own with men, to restrain them from their wickedness, and offence and unworthiness, and flying for refuge to the to lead them to repentance. This especially was his mercy of his offended God proclaimed to him in Christ. benevolent employ, as we learn from St. Peter, during That which every such convinced and awakened man the whole time that "the ark was preparing," the period needs is mercy, the remission of his sins, and consein which Noah fulfilled his ministry as "preacher of quent exemption from their penalty. It is only this righteousness" to the disobedient world. Under the which can take him from under the malediction of the law, the wicked are said to "grieve" and "resist" the general law which he has violated; only this which Holy Spirit; and good men are seen earnestly suppli- can bring him into a state of reconciliation and friendcating his help, not only in extraordinary cases, and ship with the Lawgiver, whose righteous displeasure for some miraculous purpose, but in the ordinary he has provoked. This act of mercy is, in the New course of religious experience and conflict. The final Testament, called justification, and to the considerestablishment and the moral effects flowing from Mes-ation of this doctrine we must now direct our attensiah's dominion, are ascribed, by the prophets, to the tion. pouring out of the Spirit, as rain upon the parched ground, and as the opening of rivers in the desert; and that the agency of the Spirit is not confined, in the New Testament, to gifts and miraculous powers, and their effects in producing mere intellectual conviction of the truth of Christianity, but is directed to the renovation of our nature, and the carrying into full practical effect the redeeming designs of the Gospel, is manifest from numerous passages and arguments to be found in the discourses of Christ and the writings of his apostles. In our Lord's discourse with Nicodemus, he declares that the regenerate man is "born of the Spirit." He promises to send the Spirit "to convince (or reprove) the world of sin." It is by the Spirit that our Lord represents himself as carrying on the work of human salvation, after his return to heaven, and in this sense promises to abide with his disciples for ever, and to be with them " to the end of the world." In accordance with this, the apostles ascribe the success of their preaching, in producing moral changes in the hearts of men, to the influence of the Spirit. So far from attributing this to the extraordinary gifts with which the Spirit had furnished them, St. Paul denies that this efficacy was to be ascribed either to himself or Apollos, though both were thus richly endowed; and he expressly attributes the "increase" which followed their planting and watering, to God. The Spirit is, therefore, represented as giving life to the dead souls of men; the moral virtues are called "fruits of the Spirit ;" and to be "led by the Spirit," is made the proof of our being the sons of GOD.

Such is the wondrous and deeply affecting doctrine of Scripture. The fruit of the death and intercession of Christ is not only to render it consistent with a righteous government to forgive sin, but to call forth the active exercise of the love of God to man. His "good Spirit," the expressive appellation of the third person of the blessed Trinity in the Old Testament, visits every heart, and connects his secret influences with outward means, to awaken the attention of man to spiritual and eternal things, and win his heart to GOD.(9)

To this operation, this "working of God in man," in conjunction with the written and preached word, and other means of religious instruction and excitement, is to be attributed that view of the spiritual nature of the law under which we are placed, and the extent of its demands, which produces conviction of the fact of sin, and at once annihilates all self-righteousness, and all palliations of offence; which withers the goodly show of supposititious virtues, and brings the convicted transgressor, whatever his character may be before men, and though, in comparison of many of his fellowcreatures, he may have been much less sinful, to say before God, "Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee." The penalty of the law, death, eternal death, being at the same time apprehended and meditated upon, the bondage of fear, and the painful anticipations of the consequences of sin follow, and thus he is moved by a sense of danger, to look out for a remedy; and this being disclosed in the same revelation, and unfolded by the same Spirit, from whose secret influence

(9) "Illius esse duritiem humani cordis emollire, cùm aut per salutiferam prædicationem Evangelii, aut alia quacunque ratione in pectora hominum recipitur: illum eos illuminare, et in agnitionem Dei atque in omnem viam veritatis et in totius vitæ novitatem, et perpetuam salutis spem perducere."-Bishop JEWEL.

The first point which we find established by the language of the New Testament is, that justification, the pardon and remission of sin, the non-imputation of sin, and the imputation of righteousness, are terms and phrases of the same import. The following passages may be given in proof:

Luke xviii. 13, 14, "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other." Here the term "justified" must mean pardoned, since the publican confessed himself "a sinner," and asked mercy" in that relation.

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Acts xiii. 38, 39, "Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and, by him, all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Here, also, it is plain that forgiveness of sins and justification mean the same thing, one term being used as explanatory of the other.

Rom. iii. 25, 26, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." To remit sins and to justify are here also represented as the same act; consequent upon a declaration of the righteousness of God, and upon our faith.

Rom. iv. 4-8, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness; even as David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom GoD imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." The quotation from David, introduced by the apostle, by way of illustrating his doctrine of the justification of the ungodly, by "counting his faith for righteousness," shows clearly, that he considered "justification," "the imputing of righteousness," "the forgiveness of iniquities," the "covering of sin," the "non-imputation of sin," as of the same import; acts substantially equivalent one to another, though under somewhat different views, and therefore expressed by terms respectively convertible :-this variety of phrase being adopted, probably, to preserve the idea which runs throughout the whole Scripture, that, in the remission or pardon of sin, Almighty God acts in his character of Ruler and Judge, showing mercy upon terms satisfactory to his justice, when he might in rigid justice have punished our transgressions to the utmost. The term justification especially is judiciary, and taken from courts of law and the proceedings of magistrates; and this judiciary character of the act of pardon is also confirmed by the relation of the parties to each other, as it is constantly exhibited in Scripture. Gon is an offended Sovereign; man is an offending subject. He has offended against public law, not against private obligations; and the act therefore by which he is relieved from the penalty, must be magisterial and regal. It is, also, a farther confirmation that

in this process Christ is represented as a public Media- | tence pronounced and declared from eternity, before tor and Advocate.

The importance of acquiring and maintaining this simple and distinct view of justification, that it is the remission of sins, as stated in the passages above quoted, will appear from the following considerations:

1. We are taught that pardon of sin is not an act of prerogative, done above law; but a judicial process, done consistently with law. For in this process there are three parties. God, as Sovereign; "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? it is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?" Christ, as Advocate; not defending the guilty, but interceding for them; "It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Rom. viii. 33, 34. "And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father." 1 John ii. 1. The third party is man, who is, by his own confession, "guilty," "a sinner," "ungodly;" for repentance in all cases precedes this remission of sins, and it both supposes and confesses offence and desert of punishment. God is Judge in this process, not, however, as it has been well expressed, "by the law of creation and of works, but by the law of redemption and grace. Not as merely just, though just; but as merciful. Not as merciful in general, and ex nuda voluntate, without any respect had to satisfaction; but as propitiated by the blood of Christ, and having accepted the propitiation made by his blood. Not merely propitiated by his blood, but moved by his intercession, which he makes as our Advocate in heaven; not only pleading the propitiation made and accepted, but the repentance and faith of the sinner, and the promise of the Judge before whom he pleads."(1) Thus, as pardon or justification does not take place but upon propitiation, the mediation and intercession of a third party, and on the condition on the part of the guilty, not only of repentance, but of "faith" in Christ's "blood," which, as before established, means faith in his sacrificial death, it is not an act of mere mercy, or of prerogative; but one which consists with a righteous government, and proceeds on grounds which secure the honours of the Divine justice.

2. We are thus taught that justification has respect to particular individuals, and is to be distinguished from "that gracious constitution of God, by which, for the sake of Jesus Christ, he so far delivers all mankind from the guilt of Adam's sin, as to place them, notwithstanding their natural connexion with the fallen progenitor of the human race, in a salvable state. Justification is a blessing of a much higher and more perfect character, and is not common to the human race at large, but experienced by a certain description of persons in particular."(2) Thus some of our older divines properly distinguish between sententia legis and sententia judicis, that is, between legislation and judgment; between the constitution, whatever it may be, under which the sovereign decides, whether it be rigidly just or softened by mercy, and his decisions in his regal and judicial capacity themselves. Justification is, therefore, a decision under a gracious legislation, "the law of faith;" but not this legislation itself. "For if it be an act of legislation, it is then only promise, and that looks towards none in particular; but to all to whom the promise is made, in general, and presupposeth a condition to be performed. But justification presupposeth a particular person, a particular cause, a condition performed, and the performance, as already past, pleaded; and the decision proceeds accordingly."(3) Justification becomes, therefore, a subject of personal concern, personal prayer, and personal seeking, and is to be personally experienced; nor can any one be safe in trusting to that general gracious constitution under which he is placed by the mercy of God in Christ, since that is established in order to the personal and particular justification of those who believe, but must not be confounded with it.

3. Justification being a sentence of pardon, the Antinomian notion of eternal justification becomes a manifest absurdity. For if it be a sentence, a decision on the case of the offender, it must take place in time; for that is not a sentence which is conceived in the breast of the Judge. A sentence is pronounced, and a sen

(1) LAWSON'S Theo-politica.

(2) BUNTING's Sermon on Justification. (3) LAWSON'S Theo-politica.

man was created, when no sin had been committed, no law published, no Saviour promised, no faith exercised, when, in a word, no being existed but God himself, is not only absurd, but impossible, for it would have been a decision declared to none, and therefore not declared at all; and if, as they say, the sentence was passed in eternity, but manifested in time, it might from thence be as rightly argued that the world was created from eternity, and that the work of creation in the beginning of time, was only a manifestation of that which was from everlasting. It is the guilty who are pardoned— "he justifieth the ungodly;" guilt, therefore, precedes pardon: while that remains, so far are any from being justified, that they are "under wrath" in a state of "condemnation," with which a state of justification cannot consist, for the contradiction is palpable; so that the advocates of this wild notion must either give up justification in eternity, or a state of condemnation in time. If they hold the former, they contradict common sense; if they deny the latter, they deny the Scriptures. 4. Justification, being the pardon of sin, this view of the doctrine guards us against the notion, that it is an act of God by which we are made actually just and righteous. "This is sanctification, which is, indeed, the immediate fruit of justification; but, nevertheless, is a distinct gift of God, and of a totally different nature. The one implies what God does for us through his Son; the other, what God works in us by his Spirit. So that, although some rare instances may be found wherein the terms justified and justification are used in so wide a sense as to include sanctification also, yet in general use they are sufficiently distinguished from each other both by St. Paul and the other inspired writers."(4)

5. Justification, being the pardon of sin by judicial sentence of the offended Majesty of Heaven, under a gracious constitution, the term affords no ground for the notion, that it imports the imputation or accounting to us the active and passive righteousness of Christ, so as to make us both relatively and positively righteous. On this subject, which has been fruitful controversy, our remarks must be somewhat more extended.

The notion, that justification includes not only the pardon of sin, but the imputation to us of Christ's active personal righteousness, though usually held only by Calvinists, has not been received by all divines of this class; but, on the contrary, by some of them, both in ancient and modern times, it has been very strenuously opposed, as well as by the advocates of that more mode rate scheme of election defended by Camero in France, and by Baxter in England. Even Calvin himself has said nothing on this subject, but which Arminius, in his Declaration before the States of Holland, declares his readiness to subscribe to; and Mr. Wesley, in much the same view of the subject as Arminius, admits the doctrine of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to us upon our believing, provided it be soberly interpreted.

There are, in fact, three opinions on this' subject, which it is necessary to distinguish in order to obtain clear views of the controversy.

The first is a part of the high Calvinistic scheme, and lays at the foundation of Antinomianism, and is, in consequence, violently advocated by those who adopt that gross corruption of Christian faith. It is, that Christ so represented the elect that his righteousness is imputed to us as ours; as if we ourselves had been what he was, that is, perfectly obedient to the law of GOD, and had done what he did as perfectly righteous. . The first objection to this opinion is, that it is no where stated in Scripture that Christ's personal righteousness is imputed to us. Not a text can be found which contains any enunciation of this doctrine; and those which are adduced, such as "the Lord our righteousness," and "Christ, who is made unto us right eousness," are obviously pressed into the service of this scheme by a paraphrastic interpretation, for which there is no authority in any other passages which speak of our redemption. But to these texts we shall return in the sequel.

2. The notion here attached to Christ's representing us is wholly gratuitous. In a limited sense, it is true that Christ represented us; that is, suffered in our stead, that we might not suffer; "but not absolutely

(4) WESLEY'S Sermons.

as our delegate," says Baxter, justly, "our persons did | lar acts, deficient, and our condition could not, therenot, in a law sense, do in and by Christ what he did, or possess the habits which he possessed, or suffer what he suffered."(5) The Scripture doctrine is, indeed, just the contrary. It is never said, that we suffered in Christ, but that he suffered for us; so also it is never taught that we obeyed in Christ, but that, through his entire obedience to a course of subjection and suffering, ending in his death, our disobedience is forgiven.

3. Nor is there any weight in the argument, that as our sins were accounted his, so his righteousness is accounted ours. Our sins were never so accounted Christ's as that he did them, and so justly suffered for them. This is a monstrous notion, which has been sometimes pushed to the verge of blasphemy. Our transgressions are never said to have been imputed to him in the fact, but only that they were laid upon him in the penalty. To be God's "beloved Son in whom he was always well pleased," and to be reckoned, imputed, accounted a sinner, de facto, are manifest contradictions.

4. This whole doctrine of the imputation of Christ's personal moral obedience to believers, as their own personal moral obedience, involves a fiction and impossibility inconsistent with the Divine attributes. "The judgment of the all-wise God is always according to truth; neither can it ever consist with his unerring wisdom to think that I am innocent, to judge that I am righteous or holy, because another is so. He can no more confound me with Christ than with David or Abraham."(6) But a contradiction is involved in another view. If what our Lord was and did is to be accounted to us in the sense just given, then we must be accounted never to have sinned, because Christ never sinned, and yet we must ask for pardon, though we are accounted, from birth to death, to have fulfilled God's law in Christ; or if they should say, that when we ask for pardon we ask only for a revelation to us of our eternal justification or pardon, the matter is not altered, for what need is there of pardon, in time or eternity, if we are accounted to have perfectly obeyed God's holy law; and why should we be accounted also to have suffered, in Christ, the penalty of sins which we are accounted never to have committed?

fore, be provided for by this imputation. Suppose us guilty of violating the paternal or the conjugal duties, the duties of servants, or of magistrates, with many others, this theory is,-that we are justified by the imputation of Christ's personal acts of righteousness to us, and that they are reckoned to us, as though we had ourselves performed them. But our Lord, never having stood in any of these relations, never acquired a personal righteousness of this kind to be reckoned as done by us. That which never was done by Christ cannot be imputed, and so it would follow that we can never be forgiven such delinquencies. If it be said, that the imputation of particular acts is not necessary, but that it is sufficient if men have a righteousness imputed to them, which is equivalent to them, it is answered, the strict and peremptory nature of law knows nothing of this doctrine of the equivalency of one act to another. The suffering of an unobliged substitute, where such a provision is admitted, may be an equivalent to the suffering of the offender; but one course of duties cannot be accepted in the place of another, when justification is placed on the ground of the actual fulfilment of the law by a delegate in the place of the delinquent, which is the ground on which the doctrine of the imputation of Christ's active righteousness for justification places it. The law must exact conformity to all its precepts in their place and order, and he that "offends in one is guilty of all."

6. A crowning and most fatal objection is, that this doctrine shifts the meritorious cause of man's justification from Christ's "obedience unto death," where the Scriptures place it, to Christ's active obedience to the precepts of the law; and leaves no rational account of the reason of Christ's vicarious sufferings. To his "blood" the New Testament writers ascribe our redemption, and "faith in his blood" is as clearly held out as the instrumental cause of our justification; but by this doctrine, the attention and hope of men are perversely turned away from his sacrificial death to his holy life, which, though necessary, both as an example to us, and also so to qualify his sacrifice, that his blood should be that of "a lamb without spot," is nowhere represented as that on account of which men are par. doned.

5. Another objection to the accounting of Christ's Piscator, though a Calvinist, thus treats the subject personal acts as done by us is, that they were of a in scholastic form. "If our sins have been expiated loftier character than can be supposed capable of being by the obedience of the life of Christ, either a perfect accounted the acts of mere creatures; that, in one emi- expiation has been thus made for all of them, or an nent instance, neither the 2ct could be required of us, imperfect one for some of them. The first cannot be nor the imputation of the act to us; and, in other re- asserted, for then it would follow that Christ had died spects, and as to particular duties, Christ's personal in vain; for as he died to expiate our sins, he would obedience is deficient, and cannot be therefore reckoned not have accounted it necessary to offer such an expia. to our account. For the first, Christ was God and tion for them, if they had been already expiated by the man united in one person, a circumstance which gave obedience of his life. And the latter cannot be main. a peculiar character of fulness and perfection to his tained, because Christ has yielded perfect obedience to obedience, which not even man, in his state of inno- the law of God, wherefore, if he have performed that cence, can be supposed capable of rendering. "He, for the expiation of our sins, he must necessarily, then, that assumeth this righteousness to himself," says through that obedience, have expiated all of them Goodwin," and apparelleth himself with it, represents perfectly." Again, "If Christ, by the obedience of his himself before GOD, not in the habit of a just or right- life, had rendered satisfaction to God for our sins, it eous man, but in the glorious attire of the great Media- would follow, as a consequence, that God is unjust, tor of the world, whose righteousness hath heights and who has made an additional demand to receive satis depths in it, a length and breadth which infinitely ex- faction through the obedience of death, and thus required ceed the proportions of all men whatever. Now, then, to have the same debt paid twice." Again, "If Christ, for a silly worm to take this robe of immeasurable ma- by his obedience to the law, has merited for us the for jesty upon him, and to conceit himself as great in holi-giveness of sins, the consequence will be, that the ness and righteousness as Jesus Christ (for that is the remission of sins was effected without the shedding of spirit that rules in this opinion, to teach men to as- blood; but without shedding of blood no remission is sume all that Christ did unto themselves, and that in effected, as appears from Heb. ix. 22; therefore Christ no other way, nor upon any lower terms, than as if has not merited for us the remission of sins by the obethemselves had personally done it), whether this be dience which he performed to the law."(8) To the right, I leave to sober men to consider."(7) For the se- same effect, also is a passage in Goodwin's Treatise on cond, I refer to our Lord's baptism by John. His sub- Justification, written while he was yet a Calvinist, mission to this ordinance was a part of his personal "If men be as righteous as Christ was in his life, righteousness, and it is strongly marked as such in his there was no more necessity of his death for them, own words addressed to John, "Suffer it to be so now, than there was either of his own death, or the death of for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." any other, for himself. If we were perfectly just or But no man now is bound to submit to the baptism of righteous in him, or with him, in his life, then the just John, and the righteousness of doing so, whether per- would not have died for the unjust, but he would have sonally or by imputation, is superfluous. This may died for the just, for whom there was no necessity he also be applied to many other of the acts of Christ; should die. This reason the apostle expressly delivers, they were never obligatory upon us, and their imputa- Gal. ii. 21, 'If righteousness be by the law, then Christ tion to us is impossible or unnecessary. For the third died in vain.' I desire the impartial reader to observa case, the personal obedience of Christ is, as to particu- narrowly the force of this inference made by the Holy

(5) Gospel Defended.
(7) Treatise on Justification.

(6) WESLEY.

(8) See note in NICHOL'S Translation of the Works of Arminius, vol. i. p. 634.

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