LAW; it supposes the person taught of God; it supposes that the Law is written upon the heart by the finger of God.

Treating of justification by grace, Saint Paul inquires; "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith." We see how to understand the apostle. By works, he means the works of those who go about to establish their own righteousness, he does not mean the good works of the regenerate, for between them and faith there is no es. sential difference. The works of the regenerate exclude all boasting, because regeneration is of the grace of God. The sovereign grace and mercy of God are never more gloriously displayed, than in the conversion of We could not be said to be justified by a faith, which excludes all boasting, if faith were not a gift of mere grace. And this faith which is a gift of grace, comprehends the new heart. If it were not so, this faith would not be justifying faith Hence, preaching justification by works is not to be condemned, unless the preacher mean by works, the works of the unregenerate.

sinners.

Therefore we do not frustrate the grace of God by preaching justification as well as salvation by keeping

the LAW.

Hence it is not proper to say, that any person was ever justified contrary to law. He is no more justified contrary to law, than he is saved contrary to law. Justification by keeping the LAW, is essentially the same with justification by obeying the Gospel.

The keeping of the LAW constitutes righteousness, that righteousness which delivereth from death; a righteousness, "which is in the sight of God of great price," and which as we have shown before, is not as filthy rags. When God sprinkles clean water upon a sinner, he is cleansed of all his unrighteousness; he is made clean by "the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel;" for it is the blood of Jesus. The righteousness which Paul calls

his own, which was of the law, was not the righteousness which God had given him at his conversion; this was a righteousness of God by faith. "Touching the righteousness which is in the law," he considered himself "blameless." This righteousness was his own; for at this time he 'compassed himself with sparks of his own kindling.'

Although justification is by grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; yet this does not exclude the necessity of some qualification on our part; for as God will by no means clear the guilty, so he will by no means justify the wicked. You must keep the LAW, if you would be happy. And as you cannot be happy without, so you cannot be justified without. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.'

You will perhaps say, that to keep the LAW is more than you can do. What can you do? Can you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? for he that believeth shall be saved. Is it easier to exercise saving faith in Christ than to love God or to keep the LAW? Certainly not. And besides that faith, which does not imply love to God, will save no man. The word of God makes the path of duty plain; "but where no vision is, the people perish."

SERMON XII.

ON JUSTIFICATION,

ACTS xiii, 39.

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

BY what has been said on the subject before us, we are led to a correct understanding of the text prefixed to this Discourse, which contains the ninth inference.

IX. These words are selected from an address of the apostle Paul to the men of Israel concerning Jesus Christ. In this discourse, he reminds them of the goodness of God to their fathers, and of their ingratitude towards him: for after he had destroyed their enemies, "and divided their land to them by lot-and given them judges, about the space of four hundred and fifty years until Samuel; they afterwards desired a king. And God gave them a king-And when he had removed him he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the Son of Jesse, a man after mine heart, who shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed," says Paul, "hath God, according to his promise, raised up unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus."

This blessed Saviour, Paul preached unto the children of the stock of Abraham. He informs them, how "they that dwelt at Jerusalem and their rulers," had condemned him. And, notwithstanding they found no cause of death in him, they desired Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to see corruption, he said

on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David."-David saw corruption-but he whom God raised again saw no corruption. "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that, through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and, by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you."

This presents to view the substance of Paul's address to the people of Israel. And here we see the connexion of the words proposed for consideration.

The Jews, the people whom the apostle addresses, were seeking justification by the law of Moses, They did not look for it through the Saviour Jesus, whom Paul preached: him they rejected: him they despised and set at nought. But the apostle tells us, that "by him all who believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

To understand this declaration is, indeed, a matter of very great importance. In the first place let it be observed, that the believer is justified by Christ, and not by the law of Moses.

Christ is the only foundation of salvation, or of justification. "This is the Stone, which," Peter says, in his speech to the rulers of the people, "was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corper. Neither is there salvation in any other. for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." The law of Moses, therefore, or the works of that law, will by no means answer as a substitute in the place of Jesus Christ: nay, nothing can be substituted, in the room of Christ, as a foundation of salvation: Christ is the only ground of hope. Other foundation can no man lay.

But let it not be forgotten that this firm and precious foundation will avail us nothing, unless we build upon it. Christ will not be the Saviour of those who reject him. Notwithstanding this Sure Foundation, this Precious Corner Stone, they who die in unbelief must perish. But he who believeth shall be saved: he shall be justified from all things, from which no one can be justified by the law of Moses. Let it be considered in the second place, that though Christ has been delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification, yet something is necessary on our part that we may be actually justified and saved. Hence, "By him," "all that believe are justified from all things." Here we see not only the necessity of Christ as a foundation, but also the necessity of faith in him in order to justification and eternal life. The Jews therefore, could not be justified by the law of Moses; for, "The law is not of faith." That is, there is nothing of the nature of saving faith, in the law of Moses, or, in the works of that law, when spoken of in opposition to faith. Much therefore, depends upon the sense of the phrase, "Law of Moses," and, "works of the law." The phrase sometimes means, merely, external performances: and sometimes it means the ceremonies of that law; and sometimes it means the code of laws designed for the regulation of civil society among the Jews.

We cannot be justified by the law of Moses, when it means external performances only, or such as do not imply godly sincerity. The Scriptures, both of the Old Testament and of the New, abundantly teach us that justification and eternal life are, indeed, connected with keeping the commandments of God, or the doing of those things which are required in the moral LAW. Hence, "Not the hearers of the LAW are just before God, but the doers of the LAW shall be justified." The apostle therefore, cannot mean by the law of Moses, the actual doing of those things which are required in the moral LAW. For if we do those