Some there are who conclude and please themselves with the notion, that there is now under the gofpel, fuch an abatement in the law, that if a perfon is but fincere, he is juftified before God, on account of his fincere, though but imperfect righteoufnefs; but this is ineffect, to feek and expect justification in the way of the law, and by the deeds of the law; and such as do fe conclude, muft, I think, en If fenfes, yet in the facred fcriptures, and particularly, in the gofpel, the juftification of a finner before God, doth always mean his being difcharged from the punishment he deferved as a tranfgreffor to fuffer, and his being restored to the privileges, which, by his fin, he had forfeited. There are but two ways in which a perfon can be juftified before God, viz. By his own perfonal righteousness, or for the fake of the righteoufnefs of ano-tertain very wrong notions of the ther, as a furety yielded in his ftead. That no mere man, fince the fall, can, or ever did so keep and obey the divine law, as to be juftified on account of a perfonal righteousness of his own, will be acknowledged, even by many, who nevertheless, do practically contradict it. How many of thofe who openly and before men profefs this truth, yet do fecretly in heart, before the heart-fearching God, practically contradict it? In feeking to build up a righteousness of their own, which they dare not indeed wholly depend upon for their juftification before God, yet they hope that that, together with the righteoufnefs of Chrift, will fuffice for that infinitely important purpose. It is much the drift of the gofpel to teach and perfuade us, that no perfon of all the human race, is, or can be justified before God, on account of any perfonal righteousness of his own, or by the deeds of the law. The other way of a finner's juftification before God, is on account of the righteousness of another, as his furety yielded in his ftead; and that yielded by Jefus Chrift, as the only furety and Saviour of finners, fatisfies law and juftice, and is therefore that only which can be fufficient for a perfon's juftification in the fight of God. holy and unchangeable law of God, as if it was too ftrict before, or as if by the coming and mediation of Chrift, the law was altered in its commands and demands, under the gofpel conftitution. God did juftify the finner, releafing him from deferved punishment, and restoring him to forfeited privileges, on account, or for the fake of the finner's own perfonal righteousness, which is utterly deficient in view of the law, however fincere he may be, how would God, in fo doing, be juft? as the apostle affures us that he is; Rom. iii. 26. "To declare at this time, his righteoufnefs, that he might be juft, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jefus." It is not for the fake of any perfon's defective and imperfect righteoufnefs that God doth justify any one; but for the righteousness' fake alone of Chrift, the finner's furety, whofe righteoufnefs is fo every way adequate to all the claims and demands of the law and justice of God, so that even his holiness, truth and justice did not defcry any, even the least deficiency or imperfection in it; it is only for the fake of that law-fulfilling and juftice-fatisfying righteoufnefs of Chrift, as a furety, whom God hath appointed, and who voluntarily obeyed; and whom the believing finner doth by faith re Chrift is faid to be the end of the law for righteoufnefs, to every one who believeth in him, Rom. x. 4. and no where elfe can a righteoufnefs be found, fufficient for this infinitely important purpofe, viz. The finner's juftification before God; but in Chrift, the furety and only Saviour of finners; he hath brought in a complete and everlafting righteoufnefs, and that ceive, that God doth juftify any one of the human fallen race. So that believing in Jefus Chrift, doth very much confift in a perfon's denying all dependance upon any righteoufnefs of his own, for his jultification before God; and depending therefor folely upon the righteoufnefs of Chrift, as the finner's furety and only Saviour. He is faid to be the furety of a better testament, Heb. vii. 22. Not bet-only is fufficient for the finner's ter because of the abatement in the law (beforementioned) or because the finner may now be juftified, (if fincere) on account of his imperfect righteoufnefs; but on account of the manner, in which the benefit or privilege may now (under the gofpel) be attained by finners. Under the law, the condition of a perfon's juftification, was his yielding, in his own perfon, obedience or righteoufnefs fufficient for that purpofe. The language of that covenant was, do and live; the language of the new covenant or gofpel is, believe and live. Believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, who has yielded a moft full and complete obedience and righteouf nefs, and God is juft in juftifying thee on account of that perfect righteoufpcfs, even for the fake of that furetyfhip righteoufnefs of Chrift, who has made fuch a complete atonement for fin, and fatisfaction to divine juftice, that on its account, God is juft in juftifying every one who believeth in Jefus Chrift; just to himfelf, juft to his truths and holy law, in fo doing. There was none of that abatement (pretended) made to Chrift the furety; no, he fulfilled the law in every iota and tittle of it; he perfectly fatisfied divine juftice, and it is only on account of his perfect righteoufnefs, that any one of the guilty human race, is, or can be Juftified before God. Hence juftification. Ifaiah xlv. 24, 25. "Surely fhall one fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength; even to him fhall men come, and all that are incenfed against him fhall be afhamed: In the Lord fhall the feed of Ifrael be justified and fhall glory." None of all the hunian, fallen race of mankind may glory in their own imperfect rightcoufnefs, as being in any degree fufficient for their juftification and falvation; thofe infinitely important bleffings and favours, are be stowed folely on account of the allperfect righteoufnefs of Chrift.That the finner is justified in the fight of God, on account of any righteoufnefs but that which is allperfect, leads to unanswerable difficulties and fatal errors. The juftification of a finner, in the fight of God, on account of the all-perfect righteoufacfs of Chrift, is the foundation of the Chriftian's faith. and hope, when he fees the great imperfection of his own righteoufnefs, and his foul is caft down within him, in a realizing view of his own great guiltinefs, and nonconformity to the holy and good law of God. How animating and comfortable muft it be to him, and the very foundation of his faith, hope and joy, to confider that Jefus Chrift, his furety (in whom he trufts) hath by his obedience fully fatisfied the law and juftice of God? So that in his juftification. and falvation, God's holiness, juftice and truth, are jointly united with the honors of his mercy and grace; and that therein all the divine attributes do fweetly accord and harmonize; that God is juft as well as merciful, in juftifying him that believeth in Jefus Chrift. And here I would briefly obferve, that the apoftles Paul and James, ufe the word juftification (or the thing itself) in two differ ent fenfes. The apostle Paul, in treating of the juftification of a finner before God, fhews us abundantly, that it can be only on account of the perfect righteoufnefs of Chrift, without the deeds of the law. Rom. iii. 20-31. and in many other places. The apoftle James, particularly in the 2d chapter of his epiftle, from the 14th to the 26th verfe, fpeaks of a perfon's juftifying, or proving the truth and fincerity of his faith and Chriftian profeffion before men; and fhews, in order to it, the neceffity of good works, and that it is but in vain, for a perfon to fay that he hath faith, or to profefs that he is a true difciple and follower of Chrift, who at the fame time neglects thofe good works which are properly evidential thereof, and appears to indulge himself in thofe which are contrary to fuch a profeffion. And when we confider the matter in this view (which I think is right) we may fee, that there is no contradiction nor inconfiftency at all between those two apostles. And here, let all perfons be warned against abufing this doctrine, as if it led to finful licentioufnefs; or as though finners being juftified freely of God's grace, through the righteoufnefs of Chrift, this doctrine any way allows them to live and indulge themselves in tranfgreffions of the VOL. II. No. 6. divine law. The apostle Paul, in feveral places, fhews that this is a very heinous and dangerous abuse of God's grace, through the Redeemer; particularly in the 3d chapter to the Romans, where, after fhewing in feveral verfes, the only way of a finner's juftification before God, he concludes the chapter with plainly obviating the objection against this doctrine, with faying, as in the last verfe, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid : yea, we establish the law." Though the law ceafes to be a covenant of life to believers in Chrift; yet it ceafeth not to be a rule of life to them; and their juftification of God's free, and infinite grace, through the righteoufnefs of Chrift, ought to be, and will be, a moft powerful and perfuafive motive, to their ftrivings and endeavours, to live in obedience to his holy and good rules and precepts in the gofpel; though they will not depend upon even their best obedience, but folely upon what Chrift has done and fuffered, as the ground of their justification before God. It is in Chrift, as their furety, and the only Mediator of the new covenant, that they fee they can poffibly have a sufficiency of righteoufnefs and strength, and on him they depend for righteoufnefs and strength for their justification before God, and to carry them through the whole course of their Chriftian race and warfare in this. world; and to bring them finally to heavenly glory and happiness. PHILALETHES. Cc reignty and election, this is brought | a Gentile, with whom the Jews did not affociate. By this, Peter faw that the offers of falvation were not confined to the Jews only, but were to be made to all nations, and that God is a fovereign in the difpenfation of his favors. Hence he declares as in the paffage above stated, that "God is no refpecter of perfons," &c. as one; that God is no refpecter of perfons-that he does no more for one than for another previous to their repentance: But whenever they repent, and turn to God, his compaffion is excited, and he shows them favor. To fupport this objection, the words of Peter are quoted, as recorded in Acts x. 34, 35. "Then Peter opened his mouth, and faid, of a truth I perceive that God is no refpect-pecter of perfons? It cannot mean er of perfons but in every nation, he that feareth him, and ' worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." To fhow the falfe conftruction, which, I conceive, has been put upon this paffage, and exhibit its true meaning, I would offer the following obfervations. Peter, although he had been with Chrift through all his miniftry, feen his miracles, received his inftructions, and a commiffion to go forth and preach his gofpel, had not yet obtained juft ideas of Chrift's vifible kingdom in this world. He confidered the offers of falvation as confined to the Jewish nation, being the defcendants of Abraham, from whofe feed God had promifed the Saviour fhould arife. But God, as a holy fovereign, having mercy on whom he will have mercy, brought Peter to fee and acknowledge his mistake. Though the gofpel had been preached only to the Jews, yet God had determined to fend it to the Gentiles, and thus convince the apoftles, that he is no refpecter of perfons. To prepare the way for this, God fent an angel to Cornelius, a devout man, who was ignorant of the plan of falvation by Jefus Chrift, directing him to go to Peter for inftruction. God alfo taught Peter, in a vifion, to receive Cornelius, although he was Here let us enquire, in what fenfe God may be faid to be no ref that God treats all mankind alike, as fome affert; for facts abundantly prove the reverfe. We fee that fome are favored with firm, robuft, and healthy conftitutions, and fcarcely know what it is to feel ficknefs, or pain; while others know as little what it is to enjoy health, or eafe. And this difference takes place without any distinction, asto moral character. Some have an abundance of this world's goods, while others, of the fame moral character, have fcarcely enough to fupport nature, and would gladly receive even the crumbs, which fall from the tables of the rich. Many labor, and toil hard thro' life, and can fcarcely obtain a comfortable fupport, being constantly fubject to loffes and difappointments; while to others, every thing feems to turn to advantage, and wealth rolls in upon them like a flood. Some are raised to honor and preferment, and receive the adulation of the furrounding multitude; while others, equally wor thy, and perhaps much more fo, remain unnoticed, and die in obfcurity. Indeed, it is abundantly evident, that there is a great dif parity in the fituation, circumftances, and treatment of mankind, by the Deity, separate from any confideration of their moral characters. For, among the healthy, rich, and honorable, are the hum ble Christian, who loves God, obeys his commands, and delights in the paths of piety; and the proud and haughty, the profane and vicious, the profligate and abandoned, who neither fear God, nor regard man, but delight in the fervice of Satan. So likewife among thofe, who are always feeble and infirm, and who are defti. tute, even of the neceffaries of life, are the truly pious, who delight in divine things; and the vile and infamous, the pefts of fociety. Facts teach us, that in these refpects, God does not treat all mankind alike. There are alfo facts recorded in fcripture, which prove that all mankind do not receive the fame treatment from God. Noah and his family, fome of whom were wicked perfons, were very differently treated from the rest of the antediluvian world. God alfo fhowed more love and favor to Jacob, than to Efau his brother. He fays, before either of them had an existence," Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated." God fhowed more favor to Jofeph than to the rest of his brethrenmore to Mofes, Joshua, David, Solomon, and many of the prophets, than to others of the fame nation. He has alfo much more highly favored fome nations than others. To fome he has afforded great profperity, to others the reverfe. To fome he has given a revelation of himself and character, the knowledge of a Saviour, and the plan of falvation; while others are left in darkness and barbarifm, with very little more than the light of nature to teach them the being of a God, his attributes and perfections. That God is no refpecter of perfons, does not, therefore, imply that he loves and treats all alike; for fact proves the reverfe. Neither does it imply that he does no more for one than for another. He did more for Abraham than he did for his brethren. They were all an idolatrous nation, and were very ignorant of the character of the true God. But God faw fit to take Abraham from among his idolatrous brethren the Chaldees, regenerate his heart, bring him into the land of Canaan, which he gave to him for a poffeffion, with a promise that from his feed the Saviour fhould arife. He did vaftly more for the Ifraelites than for any other nation in their time. He preferved them from famine; delivered them from bondage; cleft a paffage for them. through the Red Sea; deftroyed their purfuers; fed them, in a miraculous manner, with bread from heaven, and with water from a rock; defended them from their enemies; carried them to the fertile land of Canaan, and gave it to them for a poffeffion. He gave them the beft laws, and inftitutions, and was called their God in a peculiar fenfe. God does more for one nation than for another, at the prefent day. He does more for this nation, than for the heathen, He gives as his word, teaches us his character and our duty, and points us to a glorious immortality, by a crucified Saviour. So alfo among individuals, God does more for one than for another. He endues one with greater abilities than another, and places him in a more eligible fituation. To fome he gives ten talents, to others five, and to others one. He awakens fome to attend to the means of grace with anxious concern for their fouls, and brings them to realize the importance of religion; while others are left to remain ftupid and fecure. He re |