if we were to be judged according to the merit of it. But we are justified by faith alone,' because by it alone we receive, and become interested in, that righteousness in which we are accepted with God. This " righteousness of God," having been devised, appointed, wrought out, and revealed, for this very purpose, is fully sufficient to justify all who are interested in it, however multiplied and aggravated their sins have been.

Hence it is that St. Paul uses such decisive language on this subject: "What things were gain "to me, those I counted loss for Christ: yea, "doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of "all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him; not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ, "the righteousness which is of God by faith.""

It appears therefore, that free grace (or the gratuitous favour, sovereign love, or everlasting mercy of God,) is the source of our justification; that the righteousness and atonement of Emmanuel are the meritorious cause of it; and that faith is the only recipient of the blessing: and we are "justi"fied by his blood," because by shedding his blood he completed his obedience, as our Surety. Justification may therefore be ascribed, either to

the source, to the meritorious cause, or to the recipient of it: even as, (to use a very familiar illustration,) a drowning person may be said to be saved, either by a man on the bank of the river, or by the rope thrown out to him, or by his hand laying hold on the rope; according to the different ways in which we consider the subject.

The manner, in which faith justifies, may be illustrated, by considering in what sense a banknote pays a demand made on any person. The intrinsick value of the paper is not, perhaps, one farthing but it refers the creditor to a company who are engaged and competent to answer the demand: and therefore it is accounted to the debtor as so much paid in silver or gold. Thus faith refers God the Father to Christ, who is able and willing to answer for every believer; and therefore" it is imputed to us for righteousness." So that, if a man should die immediately after the first exercise of true faith, (as the thief on the cross did,) and before he had time to perform one farther act of obedience; he would directly enter heaven as a justified person: though all, who are spared, will certainly show their faith by their works. Nor can there be a doubt, but that the faith of Abraham and that of ancient believers, had a similar respect to the promises and testimony of God, concerning a Redeemer who was to come, or that it justified them in exactly the same

manner.

The Scriptures inform us, that "the only wise "God our Saviour" hath appointed this method of justification, that the benefit might be of grace: for faith, of that nature which has been described, expressly renounces all claim in the way of merit. It allows, that" by the works of the law no flesh can be justified in the sight of God;" it comes to him, not to buy, to earn, or to demand a recompence, but to implore mercy, the "gift of righ

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teousness," and " the gift of eternal life through "Jesus Christ;" and in that way, by which the desert of sin and the justice of God are most clearly displayed to the universe. So that in this method of " justifying the ungodly" by faith alone, the whole glory is secured to the Lord; and his justice, holiness, truth, and wisdom, as well as his abounding grace, are explicitly acknowledged and honoured. And, as faith itself is the gift of God; whilst the weakest faith justifies as certainly as the strongest, (though it does not bring such evidence of it to the conscience) so, boasting is excluded, every ground of self-preference is removed, and a foundation is, as it were, laid in the believer's heart, for the constant exercise of humility, dependence, patience, and meekness; and of that love, which constrains the redeemed sinner to "live no longer to himself, but to him that died "for him and rose again."

But it may be objected, that the Scriptures frequently speak of repentance, conversion, love, obe

dience, doing the will of God, and forgiveness of enemies, as requisite in order to our acceptance and admission to the enjoyment of our heavenly inheritance: and how can this consist with the doctrine of justification by faith alone? No doubt these things are necessary: nay, there is no salvation without them, according to the time and opportunity afforded; nor does any man come short of salvation in whom they are found. These are

things which accompany salvation;"" they either prepare the heart for receiving Christ by faith, or they are evidences that he is thus received: yet Christ himself is our whole Salvation, and faith alone receives him and appropriates the blessing; not by believing without evidence that Christ's is ours; but by applying to him, according to the word of God, that he may be ours.

Should it be further objected, that the decision of the day of judgment is always stated to be made according to men's works :" it may suffice to answer in this place, that no faith justifies, except that which works by love; that love uniformly produces obedience; and that the works thus wrought will certainly be adduced, as evidences in court, to distinguish between the true believer and all other persons.-Finally, the objection, that this doctrine tends to licentiousness, seems to have been already sufficiently answered, by the explanation given of the nature and effects of saving 2 Pet. i. 5-11.

1 Heb. vi. 9.

faith; and I shall only add a most earnest exhortation to all, who hold the doctrine, to walk so circumspectly, "that whereas men speak evil of them, as evil doers; they may be ashamed, "that falsely accuse their good conversation in "Christ.""

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Thus having explained the doctrine of justification by faith alone," through the righteousness of God, even of our Saviour Jesus Christ;2' and proved it to be that of the Holy Scriptures; I would conclude by reminding the reader of its vast importance." How-should man be just with "God?"-All our eternal interests depend on the answer, which, in our creed and experience, we return to this question: for if God hath, for the glory of his own name, law, and government, appointed a method of justifying sinners, and revealed it in the gospel; and they, in the pride of their hearts, refuse to seek the blessing in this way, but will come for it according to their own devices; he may justly, and will certainly, leave them under merited condemnation. May God incline every reader to give this subject a serious consideration, with the day of judgment and eternity before his eyes!-Nor let it be forgotten, that all the Reformers from popery, (who were eminent men, however some may affect to despise them,) deemed the prevailing sentiments concerning the way of a sinner's justification before God, ? 1 Pet. ii. 12, iii, 16,

? 2 Pet. i. 1.

Rom. x. 1—4,