46

Sect.

7.

24

25

Fuftification by Grace, thro' the Blood of Chrift, demonftrated above, and come fhort of the Glory and come fhort of the GloTM of GOD (e); they have failed of rendering him ry of GOD;

Rom. III. 23 that Glory that was fo juftly his Due, and thereby have not only made themselves unworthy the Participation of Glory and Happiness with him, but ftand expofed to his fevere and dreadful Difpleasure: And if any escape it, they are fuch, as being induced to embrace the Gospel, are juftified freely without pretending to plead any Merit of their own, by his rich and fovereign Grace, propofed there by Virtue of that Redemption and Deliverance which is in Chrift Jefus his well beloved Son; Whom GOD bath in his infinite Mercy propofed and exhibited to us in the Gofpel (f), as a Propitiation, through whom he may honourably discover himself as propitious to us, and converfe favourably with us, as he did with Mofes from the Mercy-Seat: An inestimable Priviledge, which we receive by Virtue of Faith in his attoning Blood, with which the Throne of GOD is, as it were, fprinkled over; as the Propitiatory in the Tabernacle was, with the Blood of the Sin-offering. (Lev. xvi. 15, 16.) And this is appointed for a Demonftration of his Righteousness in the Remiffion of Sins, which now appears to be accomplished without Reflection upon that awful Attribute, which might feem to have a Claim fo directly contrary to it; and this Remiffion extends not only to the prefent, but former, Age, and to all the Offences which are long fince past, according to the Forbearance of GOD, who has forborn to execute Judgment upon Sinners for their repeated Provocations, in Reference to that Attonement

any

24 Being juftified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jefus

Christ:

25 Whom God hath fet

forth to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteousness for the Remiffion of Sins that are paft, through the

Forbearance of GOD;

(e) Come short of the Glory of GOD.] Mr. Fleming, and after him, if I mistake not, Lord Barrington, explains this falling fhort of GOD's Glory, as fignifying, the Lofs of that Lucid Refemblance of the glorious Sheckinah, which they, after Mr. Jofeph Mede, fuppofe our firft Parents to have worn, in their primæval State. But if it were to be granted they had fuch a Glory in that State, I cannot think it would have been natural to have called it God's Glory, or to explain the Word vrapulas of losing it, which certainly fignifies a Deficiency of what might have been attained, rather than the Lofs of what is actually poffeffed. Compare Mat. xix. 20. 1 Cor. i. 7. Heb. iv. 1. Chap. xii. 15.

(f) Propofed.] Some contend that posilo here fignifies to exhibit; others that it fignifies to determine, intend, or fix upon. (Compare Bos in Loc. and Eph. i. 9, 11. Rom. i. 13.) I have chose the Word propofe, as having juft the fame Ambiguity.

1

Boafting excluded, not by the Law, but by Faith.

26 To declare, I fay, at be made. this Time his Righteoufnefs:

That he might be juft, and the Juftifier of him which

believeth in Jefus.

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By Nay: But by the Law of

what Law? Of Works?

Faith.

47

7.

Rom. III. 26.

Atonement which he knew fhould in due Time Sect.
He has, I fay, propofed his Son
for a Demonftration of his Rightecufness, which
now, in this prefent ever memorable and fignal
Time, is fo wonderfully illuftrated in the great
Tranfactions of our own Age, intended for this
Purpose, that he might be, and appear juft, and
yet at the fame Time, without impeaching in
any Degree the Rights of his Government, the
Juftifier of him who is of the Faith of Jefus,
whofoever he be (g), that is, of every one who
fincerely believes in him, and acquiefces in that
Method of Salvation which God hath published
by him, and established in his perfect Obedience
and meritorious Sufferings.

Contemplate, I beseech you, this only Way of 27
Redemption and Acceptance, and fay, where then
[is] Boafting in our own Righteousness, or on Ac-
count of any other peculiar Priviledges? Or what
Reason can any, who partake of thefe Bleffings,
have to glory in themselves? You will eafily fee,
that it is intirely excluded. And reflect farther, by
what Law is it excluded? [By the Law] of Works?
By that of Mofes, or any other Law, promifing
Life only to perfect Obedience, and threatning
all Difobedience with inevitable Death? By no
Means. This would leave a Man all the little
Reason for boafting he could poffibly have; even
that he had acted perfectly right and well, and
had all that Excellence and Worth of Character,
which a Being in his Circumftances could attain..
But if you fuppofe him to have Recourfe to the
Gofpel, by the Law of Faith it must certainly be
excluded, fince the very Conftitution of that re-
quires Perfons to acknowledge themselves Sinners,
and as guilty and indigent, to make an humble
Application to the free Mercy of GoD in Christ.

for

(8) Fuft and the fuftifier.] By juft, Mr. Taylor would understand merciful, and Mr. Locke, faithful to his Promifes; but either of these makes but a very cold Senfe, when compared with that we have here given. It is no Way wonderful, that GOD fhould be merciful, or faithful to his Promifes, tho' the Juftifier of believing Sinners: But that he should be juft in fuch an Act might have feemed incredible, had we not received fuch an Account of the Propitiation and Attonement. But our Explication is vindicated in a moft masterly and unanfwerable Manner by the worthy Author of an excellent Tract, intitled, Chrift the Mediator. pag. 85, &c. to which I with great Pleasure refer the Reader.

(h) A

481

Sect. 7.

Rom. III. 28.

29

Juftification by Faith eftablishes the Law.

for Pardon, and every other Bleffing, which is
neceffary to their final Happiness.

We therefore are come to a Conclufion of this
Part of our Argument, that a Man, of what-
ever Nation, Profeffion, or Character, is juftified
by a true lively and effectual Faith in the Gospel,
without the Works of the Law (b); that is, tho'
deftitute of any legal Works, in Confequence of
which he could claim Juftification and Life.
And this naturally leaves Room to add, [Is
GOD,] who hath established such a Method of
Juftification, the GOD of the Jews only, and not
alfo of the Gentiles? Surely he is the GoD of the
Gentiles too; fince it is very evident, that all
Claim from Works being thus univerfally given
up, the Jews and Gentiles muft in this Respect
30 ftand upon a Level. So that [it is] one GOD, the
fame eternal and unchangeable Jehovah, that will
justify the Jews who have received Circumcifion,
not by that, but by Faith, and will justify the
Gentiles too, who are ftill in their Uncircumcifion,
through the fame Faith; and therefore demands
the grateful Love, and the new Obedience of
both (i).

31

Now while we maintain this Method of Juftification and Salvation, can it be faid, that we derogate from the Honour of God's Justice, or his Law? Do we fet afide the Law by Faith, as if it were a faulty, or annihilate it, as if it were an useless Thing? GOD forbid, that we should ever infinuate fuch a Defign, or entertain such a Thought. Nay, on the contrary, we really establish

28 Therefore we

con

clude, that a Man is juftified of the Law.

by Faith without the Deeds

Jews only? Is he not alfo of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles allo:

29 Is he the GOD of the

30 Seeing it is one God, which fhall juftify the Circumcifion by Faith, and Uncircumcifion through Faith.

void the Law through Faith? 31 Do we then make GOD forbid: Yea, we establish the Law.

(b) A lively and effectual Faith, without Works, &c.] By thus guarding the Affertion we fufficiently fee, how very confiftent it is with that of St. James, (Chap. ii. 17, 23, 24.) who only in Effect afferts, that no Faith can fuffice to our Juftification, which is not in Fact productive of Obedience; and when the Matter is thus ftased, there is no Appearance of Contradiction.

(i) One GOD, who justifieth the Circumcifion by Faith, and the Uncircumcifion through Faith.] Mr. Locke would render it feeing GOD is one, and fuppofes it an Allufion to the Prediction, Zach. xiv. 9, that the Lord fhall be one, and his Name one; fulfilled by the Publication of the Gospel. But I think this fuppofed Allufion far fetched, and fee not any Occafion for fuppofing x is by Faith, and dia mws through Faith, to fignify different Things; nor can I fee what different Idea can here be affixed to them. L'Enfant renders it, he will ju Alify the Circumcifion by Faith, and the Uncircumcifion by the fame Faith.

Reflections on Juftification by Grace thro' Chrift.

L

49

eftablish the Law (k) on a firmer Foundation than Sect. 7.
ever, and place it in a jufter and more beau-
tiful Point of Light: For we fhew alfo its Ho- Rom.III. 31-
nour difplayed in the Atonement as well as the
Obedience of Chrift, and we make it of ever-
lafting Ufe, for attefting the Truth and illuftra-
ting the Neceffity of the Gofpel, as well as for
directing the Lives of Men, when they profefs
to have received it; as we fhall abundantly fhew
in the Procefs of the Difcourfe.

IMPROVEMENT.

ET our whole Souls rejoice in this glorious Display of the Divine Mercy, in fo beautiful an Harmony with Divine Juftice, in our Redemption by Chrift; to which the Apoftle in this Section bears fo noble a Teftimony. We are all become guilty before GOD; fo that if he Ver. 20. Should mark Iniquity, no Flesh living could be justified before him: Let us therefore with all Reverence and Efteem, and with all Joy embrace, the Righteousness of GOD, as now attefted by the Law and Prophets, by Chrift and his Apoftles; which fhall be upon all Believers without any Difference: Humbling ourselves deeply in the Prefence of GOD, as thofe who have finned, and come fhort of his Glory; and feeking to be justified freely by his Grace, thro' the Redemption that is in Chrift Jefus.

Ver. 21.

Ver. 22,

Ver. 23.

Ver. 24.

To him let us continually look, as the great Propitiation; exercifing Faith Ver. 25, in bis Blood, and rejoicing, that thofe, which feemed to our feeble Apprehenfions the moft jarring Attributes, are now reconciled and glorified. Let us readily acknowledge that, Boafling is excluded, and in the grateful Ver. 27.. Overflowings of our Souls fall down before that Throne, whence Pardons are difpenfed, and confefs "that this Act of Grace is our only Plea ;" and that we must remain humble before God for ever, in a Senfe of the Demerit of our Sins and the Abundance of his Mercy.

Let Jews and Gentiles unite in Thanksgivings to GoD, and in Love to Ver. 29-30. each other, as having been all involved in the fame Condemnation, and all Partakers of the fame Compaffion. And let Chriftians remember, that God intended by this illuftrious Difplay of Grace, not to fuperfede, Ver. 31. but to establish his Law. May we therefore make it our Concern, that

not

(k) We establish the Law.] Some render it, Nay, but we are the Perfons that obferve the Law; which is a juft and ftrong Thought, (Compare Rom. viii. 3, 4.) but I think not the proper Signification of re,For the Juftice of this Inference, See Chrift the Med pag. 90-96.

VOL. IV.

G

30 Sect. 7.

Abraham was not justified by Works : not only the Actions of our Lives, but the Sentiments of our Hearts, be directed and determined by it; as it is now inforced by more powerful Motives, than when it appeared in its unallayed Terrors.

Sect. 8.

The Apostle here fhews, that Abraham and David fought Fuftification in fuch a Way as the Gofpel recommends, that is, by Faith. Rom. IV. 1,--- 1 2.

I

ROMANS IV. 1.

ROMANS IV. 1.

HAT fhall we fay
then that Abraham

WHAT
our Father, as pertaining to
the Flesh, hath found?

HAVE been obferving to you, that we Christians, by maintaining the Doctrine of JuRom. IV. 1. ftification by Faith, inftead of fuperfeding and enervating, do indeed establish the Divine Law, and affert in the most convincing Manner both its Authority and Purity. For the Illuftration of this therefore, let us confider the important Inftance of Abraham, and the Manner in which he was juftified. What then shall we fay, that the holy Patriarch Abraham, our revered Father, according to the Flesh bath found effectual in this Refpect (a)? And to what must his Juftification, For and Acceptance with God be afcribed?

2

1

any

2 For if Abraham were

qntwol whereof

if Abraham were juftified by Circumcifion, or by the juftified by Works, he hath
Merit of other Works, rather than by the free
Grace and Mercy of GoD, then he hath fomething
in which he may glory (b): But it is certain, by

what

(a) Hath found.] Some would tranfpofe the Words, and render them "Shall we fay, that our Father Abraham hath found, that is, obtained Juftification and Life, according to the "Fleb, that is, by Circumcifion, and obferving the carnal Rites of the Mofaick Oeconomy ?" But when the natural Order and usual Import of the Phrafe makes fo eafy and fo good a Senfe, I can fee no Reason for admitting this Conftruction. Raphelius fhews, that Herodotus and other authentick Greek Authors ufe upon, for obtaining, and that by Merit. Annotat. ex Herod. in Loc.

(b) He hath fomething in which he may glory.] This feems to intimate, that the Jews maintained not only the Neceffity, but the Merit of the Jewish Obfervances; elfe it might have been replied, that Abraham was indeed juftified upon his being circumcifed, but that it was by the Grace of GoD, in feeely annexing the Promife of Juftification and Life to fuch a Rite.

(c) A