If a

himself no lefs carefully, than the pofitive comforts which it enables him to procure. criminal, restored by the clemency of his fovereign to freedom, would become fenfible of the extent of the gift; in computing the enjoyments of liberty, let him not forget the fuperfeded horrors of a dungeon. On the fame principle ought every man to form his judgement, who is defirous to contemplate in their full importance the mercies of God in the plan of redemption. Together with the ftate into which he is raised, let him labour to comprehend that from which he is delivered. With the glories of life everlasting, let him contraft the blackness of eternal death.

It was by this principle that the conduct of the apostle Faul was actuated, when he addreffed his epiftle to the Romans. His primary object was to convince them that all mankind, Jews and Gentiles, were alike guilty before God; and could look for pardon and for eternal happiness only through Jefus Chrift. St. Paul well knew with what unwillingness men acknowledge a doctrine, which stands in direct oppofition to the pride of heart fo deeply rooted in our fallen nature. He knew the eagerness, the obftinacy, which we are all difpofed to manifeft, in confiding more or less upon our own righteoufnefs; the earneftness

with which we ftrain to shut our eyes against unwelcome conviction; the pains which we employ to twift and explain away the meaning of the Scriptures, in order to escape the humiliating neceffity of confeffing our own utter unworthiness and depravity in the fight of our Lord and Judge. In feveral of the early chapters therefore of this epiftle, and afterwards in the feventh and the eighth, he dwells with marked anxiety on this most important truth;-that any man who would be tried by his own works, by his own defervings, muft inevitably perish. Until an humble recognition of this truth be extorted from us by a consciousness of our guilt; we never shall be perfuaded to fly with godly fear and truly penitent hearts to the cross of Chrift for falvation. They that are whole, said our Lord to the self-righteous Pharifees, need not a phyfician; but they that are fick (a). They who are not aware of their spiritual maladies, despise and reject the Saviour who offers, and who alone is able, to heal them. But they whofe eyes are opened; they who are penetrated with a true fenfe of their deplorable condition by nature and by tranfgreffion, and feel that they are completely unable to deliver themselves from the juft anger of God; will (a) Luke, v. 31.

throw

throw themselves with joy at the feet of their Redeemer, and, with humble and grateful hearts, will accept the bleffing which he offers to bestow. They will receive him as their Lord; they will adore him as their Saviour; they, under the guidance of the Spirit of grace, will believe in Him, will love Him, and will keep his commandments. They will walk in Christ Jesus, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit: and to them there will be no condemnation (b).

It shall be my endeavour, in the present difcourfe, to explain to you, from several distinct confiderations, the nature, and the tranfcendent mercy, of juftification through Christ.

I. Confider, in the first place, the inherent and perfect and neceffary holiness of the divine law.

What is the view which the Scriptures display of the perfections of Him who gave the law? God is eternal: He is allpowerful; He knoweth all things: He is every where prefent: He is the Author and Giver of all good. But is there not yet another attribute of the Godhead ; an attribute of primary concern to man? Of the perfections which the Scriptures af cribe to God, the moft glorious is perfect ho(b) Rom. viii. 1.

3

linefs.

linefs. Hear on this fubject the dictates of Inspiration. The Lord our God is holy. Holy and reverend is his Name. There is none holy as the Lord. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, glorious in holiness! Thou only, O Lord, art holy. God is pure, and every word of God is pure. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. God cannot be tempted with evil (c). When Christ, on the evening which preceded his crucifixion, opened the fulness of his heart before God; he addreffed him by the name of Righteous Father, Holy Father (d).

vifion faw the Seraphim

When Ifaiah in his standing before the

pre

throne of Jehovah, and covering their faces. with their wings from the glory of his fence; he heard them crying one to another, with voices which fhook the pillars of the temple, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hofts (e). When St. John beheld the four living creatures, the reprefentatives of an innumerable company of Saints, furrounding the throne of the Omnipotent; he heard them pour forth in the fame language their neverceafing praises. They reft not day and

(c) Lev. xix. 2. Pf. cxi. 9; I Sam. ii. 2.

Exod. xv. II.

Rev. xv. 4.

Prov. xxx. 5. · 1 John, iii.

James, i. 13.

(d) John, xvii. 11. 25.

night, faying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty (f).

Since God then is a God of perfect holiness; the laws which he gives to his creatures must neceffarily be holy. From a holy God, nothing except that which is holy can proceed. Well do the Scriptures proclaim; The ftatutes of the Lord are right. Thy law, O Lord, is the truth; and thy judgements are righteous. The law of God is holy: and his commandments are holy and just and good (g).

You

cannot examine with attention the law of God, without perceiving its holiness. The worship which he requires of you, is holy worship. It is the worship of an humble, devout, and pious heart. God is a Spirit: and you are to worship him in spirit and in truth. The conduct which he requires you to obferve one towards another is, in every respect, according to holinefs. You are to be in all your dealings true, and faithful, and juft. You are to be filled with good-will towards all men; to be kind, liberal, tender-hearted, forgiving, long-suffering, peaceable, meek, gentle. In the government of yourselves, you are to be temperate, contented, chafte, and pure. Not only your actions, but your words alfo, and your moft fecret thoughts, are (ƒ) Rev. iv. 8. (g) Pfalm xix. 8. cxix. 142. 160. Rom. vii. 12.

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