it."

(Luke xi. 28.) "Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jno. viii. 31, 32.) They were not yet free, although they believed on him; neither did he intimate any need to receive any other kind of faith, or to hear any other word; all they needed was to continue in the use of what they had received, and they should know the truth by experimental acquaintance, and be made free.

CHAPTER VII.

OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH AND OBEDIENCE, AND OF IMPUTATION.

As we are advancing into the discussion of the doctrine of justification, it is expedient to advertise the reader of the order and leading principles which are stated and supported; that he may have his mind prepared for the reception of what is written, and may understand it with more ease. Justification is a subject of the utmost consequence in the life of a Christian, and ought to be correctly understood. Justification is found in Christ alone; the author [or first leader] and finisher [or perfecter] of faith; who first introduced the faith of the Gospel, first put it into practice, and first received the end of faith, the crown of righteousness. The foundation work of justification is from God alone, in the gift of his Son. This is a work of the grace of God, absolutely free, an emanation of his own eminently free love; unmoved by any goodness or worthiness, any request or desire in mankind towards God, or any thing exterior to himself, only that he fixed it on the fallen race who were in need. Accordingly as God freely gave his Son to be our Redeemer, and the foundation of our justification, he also gave with him, the Gospel of salvation, to be preached to all nations for their faith and obedience. By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for the obedience of faith, among all nations, in the behalf of his name." "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. i. 5. Greek and viii. 32.)

The first and radical ground, therefore, is Jesus Christ the crucified man, as he is exhibited in the Gospel: He is the foundation which God hath laid in Zion. "Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded." "For I determine not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified," as the proper foundation of their faith, who were to be crucified with him. And again; 66 Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you?" (1 Pet. ii. 6, 1 Cor. ii. 2, Gal. iv. 1.) The second or mediate ground of justification is faith in Christ, or in God, or in his Son. "Being therefore

justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Therefore thirdly, The proximate and finishing ground, or cause, of justification, as the fruit of the two former, in perfection, is obedience. Obedience is the crowning point in justification, and in the whole of salvation. And the faith of Christians is that which worketh by love, and by works is made perfect. "Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?" And the intention of the Gospel, from first to last, is, to bring mankind to obedience, even the obedience of faith; as will be opened in the sequel.

Thus the work of the Gospel for our salvation is built on the free grace of God which runs through the whole plan from first to last, and is the grand foundation and support of the whole building. Had he not given his Son, we could never have believed on him, and had we not believed, we could never have obeyed. Accordingly, the ground of our justification is three-fold. First, Christ the gift of God; secondly, our own faith, or believing in him; and thirdly, our own correct obedience to that faith. For notwithstanding all that God hath done for our salvation, our benefit depends finally on the reception we give the Saviour whom he hath provided, and the obedience which we yield to him. To the obedient, and none else; to them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality, God will render eternal life. Therefore, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus [τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν] the first leader and perfecter of faith ;" both his and ours.

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That JUSTIFICATION and final salvation are attained by the faith of the Gospel of Christ, is acknowledged by those who bear the name of Christ. Accordingly we read of being justified by faith and through faith. Seeing it is one God who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith." (Rom. iii. 30.) But it is also as certain that justification and salvation are not attained simply by believing, or by faith only. For although faith is a sine qua non in the terms of our acceptance with God, for "without faith it is impossible to please him;" yet it is certain that without obedience also, it is impossible to please him; accordingly we may see the grounds of our justification in the words of inspiration from God. "Who will render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by patient continuing in well-doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life; but to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace to every man that worketh good; to the Jew first and also to the Gentile; for there is no respect of persons with God." (Rom. ii. 6-11.) "But to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Heb. xiii. 16.) "Not every one who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt.

ye

vii. 21.) "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him." (Heb. v. 9.) If know these things happy are ye if ye do them." "If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." (Jno. xiii. 17, and xv. 10.) "And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight." (1. Jno. iii. 22.) "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Rev. xxii. 14.)

These are a few out of many passages of Scripture which show in plain terms that our acceptance with God depends as much on obedience as faith, not to say much more, because there may be faith without obedience, but not obedience without faith. Therefore all who have obedience are justified; but not any who have faith without obedience. And after all which the Apostle hath written of the necessity of faith, and of being justified by faith, it is remarkable that he hath never said, By faith alone. But the apostle James hath brought the matter out in plain terms; that justification by faith without works is altogether a false notion, and counts faith without works no more towards justification than the body without the spirit towards a living man. As therefore the spirit is the substance and source of life to the man, so is obedience, or works, the true source and ground of justification. The Apostle's words are so clear and argumentative that they appear sufficient to satisfy and convince any unbiassed mind. "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works," if thou canst; or, as the generality of Greek copies read: "Show me thy faith by thy works," if thou hast any, for no evidence short of this will do," and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man! that faith [if thou hast it] without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God. then, how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise, also, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Ye see,

It has been argued that the justification of which James speaks, is only the evidence or justification of a man's faith. But the Spirit by the Apostle saith, it is the man who is justified; and that is more to those who are governed by revelation, than the sayings of a thou

sand to the contrary. And however true, which is not to be disputed, that Abraham was justified by faith, it is so far from being by faith alone, that all things pertaining to the whole matter, as well as the Apostle's testimony, show, that without obedience he had not received a particle of justification. Touching the offering of his son Isaac, it is plain enough, that his justification before God, and his securing the blessing to himself and his posterity, rested in his obedience; as it is written, "For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, that because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which' is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice." (Gen. xxii. 12, &c.) And in this act of obedience, according to the words of James as quoted above, "The Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." But all this will not disannul or pervert the doctrine that Abraham was justified by faith, for his faith was the source and spring of his obedience, and without believing he had not obeyed. As it is again written; "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead." (Heb. xi. 17, &c.) But Abraham was not justified by faith without obedience; for he was justified by works, while his faith wrought by works, and by works was faith made perfect. Obedience therefore, even the obedience of faith, is the proximate, finishing and perfecting cause of every man's justification.

And with respect to the promise of a seed by Sarah, of which it is said, "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness," (Rom. iv. 3,) it is to be observed, he did all that was for him to do in the case, and when he was told to do more he obeyed. He in the first instance offered a variety of animals in sacrifice, as God bade him, and afterwards when the promise was renewed, at the command of God, he circumcised himself and all the males in his house. And that was the time of which the Apostle speaks with so much energy of Abraham's faith, that "Being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, [for at the time of the first promise he was not of that age] neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God, through unbelief; but was strong in the faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." (ver. 19, 22.) This was that faith which was accompanied with such manifest fruits of obedience as stated above. To believe God is to do well, and unquestionably a righteous matter, and justly imputed for righteousness, when the spirit of obedience is included, as shown, in its place; but without obedience justification can never be perfected in any one. The known truth is that Abraham was a righteous man in his day and time, before any of these things

were said of him. He believed God and obeyed him, from the time that God called him saying, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house; for by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out not knowing whither he went." (Gen. xii. 1; Heb. xi. 8.) Thus Abraham obeyed and forsook his father's house, for the promise of God which was far off; a work which few in our days are willing to do for the substance when it has actually come. No wonder, then, that such a man's faith was imputed to him for righteousness, when it was so firm and always accompanied with obedience. It was therefore imputed to him for righteousness, to serve the purpose in his day, until the day of perfect righteousness should come.

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"Not by

"But if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory, but not before God." And though he hath not whereof to glory before God, that is not to prevent him from having the justification and approbation of his own conscience, and that, too, on such terms as God acknowledges and approves. For if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God; even though we have no cause of boasting before him, we may be justified and accepted. Or will God reject a man and condemn him for doing his duty? Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt." This is the common order of works and rewards among men. Besides, no work of men, either professed or performed, engaged God to show mercy to the fallen race of men, either to Abraham as the father of the faithful, or to any of his children. All this is of his free grace, according to his own nature of love. works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Tit. iii. 5.) But query; Is the Apostle to be understood that the Jews and others before them, who did the works which God commanded them, earned a reward of debt, or that God owed them any thing for their services? Or did they not, under the whole dispensation of the law, receive every blessing by promise? For if God gave the inheritance to Abraham by promise, as the Apostle asserts, (Gal. iii. 18,) his family must have received it by the same, as far as they had it at all. Accordingly they pleaded, from time to time, the promise of God made to their father Abraham. "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." To him that worketh not. Query Is it to him who yields not obedience to the truths which he believes, that his faith is counted for righteousness? or to him who has the faith of his father Abraham and walks in the steps of that faith, which always led him to the most punctual obedience? or in other words, as it now pertains to the Gospel, who has the faith of Jesus Christ, who always did the things which pleased the Father? For "it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead."

What works then were these which are excluded from justification? The ceremonial works of the Mosaic law, and all such; which are dead works, beggarly elements, and have no tendency to justify