lievers to make their calling and election sure,' and, for this end, to examine themselves whether they be in the faith;" and he furnishes them with a criterion or touchstone of their real condition in the sight of God, by specifying in detail both the works of the flesh' and 'the fruits of the Spirit."

เ

The two Apostles were combating two opposite errors, and sought to check two opposite tendencies. Paul contended against Legalism, and the self-righteous tendency which leads men 'to go about to establish their own righteousness,' and to seek Justification by the works of the Law. James contends against Libertinism, or the Antinomian tendency which leads men to pervert the Gospel itself, and to turn the grace of God into licentiousness.' Both tendencies still exist, alike in the world and in the Church for however Legalism and Libertinism may be disowned in theory, the tendency towards the one exists wherever there remains the slightest feeling of self-confidence, and the tendency towards the other, wherever there is one lust unsubdued, or the smouldering fire of indwelling sin. And for this reason, every faithful minister finds it necessary to make use, alternately, of the teaching of Paul and of James. (7)

1 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

2 Gal. v. 19; Eph. iv. 22.

LECTURE IX.

JUSTIFICATION; THE PROPER NATURE OF THE BLESSING.

THE meaning of the term, as ascertained from the usage

of the sacred writers, indicates generally the nature of the blessing which is denoted by it; but the consideration of that blessing, as it is described or exemplified in Scripture, will serve at once to define our views of its nature, and to shed a reflected light on the meaning of the term.

PROP. IV. The term 'Justification' denotes, either an act of God, or a privilege of His people; and, in both cases, that which is denoted by it includes absolution and acceptance, the full pardon of sin, admission into God's favour, and a title to eternal life.

It denotes an act of God; for 'it is God which justifieth: 'He is near that justifieth me;"—and it denotes a privilege of His people; for 'being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." In each of these aspects, some important truths have been revealed concerning it.

Considered as an act of God, who 'justifies the ungodly,' it is not a subjective operation producing a moral change in our personal character, although it is invariably 1 Rom. viii. 33; Isa. 1. 8. 2 Rom. v. 1.

accompanied by renewing and sanctifying grace; but an act which is external to us, and which effects an immediate and permanent change in our relation to God,-just such as is consequent on the sentence of a judge, by which any one is absolved from a charge of guilt,-or the act of adoption, by which any one is invested with the privileges of legal sonship. It is an act, too, which is completed at once, and not a work which is gradually accomplished by successive acts; for although we read of the continuance, as well as the commencement, of Justification, considered as the privilege of believers, and of the renewed exercise of forgiving mercy as often as they contract fresh sin, yet there is no second Justification, properly so called, but a decisive and unalterable change in our relation to God, which commences with our union to Christ, and is continued by our remaining in Him; an abiding state of Justification, which is the effect of that indissoluble union. 'There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." 'He that believeth . . . hath everlasting life, and shall never come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."2 The act of Justification introduces believers into a state of Justification, which is stable and enduring, and which is described as 'this grace wherein we stand,' and as 'a new life:' for Christ is 'our life." Justification, considered in the same aspect, is, still further, an act of God in time,-not His eternal purpose merely, as some Antinomians have held,-nor is it a mere revealing of what was always true, and is now only made known and believed; it is a real efficacious act of grace, by which God constitutes the sinner legally righteous, and accepts him as such, although till that hour he was not righteous, but guilty and condemned. It is an act of God with reference to individuals, and it takes place at a definite 1 Rom. viii. 1. 2 John v. 24; Col. iii. 4. 3 Rom. v. 2; Ps. xxx. 5.

period in the life of each,—for as long as any one remains without Christ, and in a state of unbelief, he is charged with guilt, and exposed to wrath; but as soon as he believes and is united to Christ, his state in this respect is entirely changed. All who are justified were once 'dead in trespasses and sins;" and they continued in that state, till the decisive moment when, by an act of divine grace, they were taken out of it, and placed in a state of pardon and peace. 'For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.' 'He that believeth on Christ is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.' 'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.' This act of God takes instant effect, and produces an immediate and complete change in the sinner's whole relation to Him; it bestows the full and free pardon of sin, and translates him at once from a state of condemnation into a state of favour and peace. His person is first justified, and then his services are accepted: and should he afterwards incur fresh guilt, he is not suffered to fall again into condemnation, but, as an adopted child, he 'is chastened of the Lord, that he should not be condemned with the world.' 'For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.' (1)

Considered, again, as the privilege of a believer, it includes absolution and acceptance-the full pardon of sin, admission into God's favour now, and a title to eternal life hereafter. We are not concerned at present with some

1 Eph. ii. 1.

3 John iii. 18, 36.

2 Gal. iii. 10.

4 1 Cor. xi. 32; Heb. xii. 6.

questions, which will meet us at a later stage, in regard to those requirements of the divine Law which render these two parts of Justification equally necessary,—or to the method by which they were procured by the mediatorial work of Christ,-or to the grounds on which they are respectively bestowed; we are as yet only explaining the nature of that which is denoted by the term, and establishing the fact, that, according to the clear testimony of Scripture, it consists in an entire change in the sinner's relation to God, and in this only; while it includes the pardon of sin, which delivers him from wrath and condemnation, and also the privilege of acceptance, which invests him with a title to eternal life.

The fact that the Gospel proposes to every sinner, and promises to every believer, both the free pardon of sin, and the privilege of immediate acceptance with God, including the gift of eternal life, is so evident from innumerable testimonies of Scripture, that it is seldom, if ever, denied in express terms. Both are included in the most general statement of the Gospel message: 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The free, and full, pardon of sin is one of the most precious promises both of the Old and the New Testament. 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.' 'Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' 'I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.'

1 John iii. 16.

2 Isa. lv. 7.

3 Isa. i. 18.

'I have

Isa. xliii. 25.