are to the Divine justice, infinite reasons, why it should remit the sins of those in whose behalf these sufferings, &c, were sustained. When, therefore, a sinner goes to God for mercy, he goes, not only in the name, but with the sacrifice of Christ: this he offers, by faith, to God; that is, he brings it with the fullest confidence, that it is a sufficient sacrifice and atonement for his sins; and thus he offers to Divine justice an infinite reason why his sins should be blotted out. To this, faith can attach itself without wavering; and on this, God can look with infinite complacency and delight. And it follows, that the man whose business it is to make known the way of salvation to perishing mortals, can say with the utmost confidence to every genuine penitent, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and THOU shalt be saved."

This scheme is of God's own appointment: by it His Law is magnified and made honourable; from its very nature, it must be effectual to the purposes of its institution; and is liable to none of the objections with which all other schemes of salvation are encumbered. By it, the justice of God is as highly magnified as His mercy. "What the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God" has done by "sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin” (και περί αμαρτίας and as a sacrifice for sin,)" condemned sin in the flesh," Rom. viii, 3. And thus our salvation is of grace; of the free mercy of God in, and through Christ; not of works, nor of sufferings, that any man should boast; and thus God has the glory to eternity, while man enjoys the unspeakable gift, and the infinite benefits resulting from that gift.

In this scheme of redemption we see a perfect congruity between the objects of this redemption, and the redemption price which was paid down for them. The objects of it are the human race; all these had sinned and come short of the glory of God: it was right, therefore, that satisfaction should be made in that same nature, either by re

ceiving punishment, or paying down the Aurgov or redemption price. Now, we have already seen that, bearing the punishment due to a crime is no atonement for that crime; nor can answer any of the purposes of that original law which God gave to man in his state of innocency: and we have also seen, that no acts of delinquents, however good they may be supposed, can purchase blessings of infinite worth, or make atonement for the past. Hence, it is absolutely impossible that the human race could redeem themselves; and yet, justice and the fitness of things required, that the same nature which sinned should be employed in the work of atonement. Behold then the wisdom and goodness of God! Christ assumes human nature: -that it might be free from blot, stain, or imperfection; it is miraculously conceived, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of a Virgin; and, that it might be capable of effectually performing every redeeming act, God was manifested in the flesh. Here, then, we see the same nature suffering which had sinned; and we see all these sufferings stamped with infinite merit, because of the Deity who dwelt in that suffering humanity. Thus, Christ was man, that he might suffer and die for man; and he was God, that the sufferings and death of the man Christ Jesus might be of infinite value! The skill, contrivance, and congruity of this system, reflect as high honour on the wisdom, as on the mercy of God!

It has been stated in the commencement of this discourse, that men, by their personal transgressions, are exposed to eternal punishment; and, in consequence of the impurity or infection of their nature, they are incapable of enjoying eternal glory; and, therefore, to be saved must necessarily imply the being delivered from all the guilt of all sin, and from all its impurity; so that the soul shall be a proper habitation of God through the Spirit; and be capable of an eternal union with Him in the realms of glory. How, therefore, are these purposes to be effected by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ? St. Paul says,

Gal. iii, 22, "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." Now, the promise not only comprehends the incarnation of Christ, but also the blessings to be communicated through that incarnation. These blessings may be all summed up in these three particulars: 1. Pardon of sin 2. The gift of the Holy Spirit, for the purification of the heart; and, 3. Eternal life, as the consequence of that pardon and purification. Now, Christ, by His sacrificial death, has purchased pardon for a condemned world, and reconciliation to God; for, "God was, in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them," 2 Cor. v, 19. And we "have redemption in his blood, the forgiveness of sins,' Eph. i, 7. When reconciled to God, and thus brought nigh by the blood of Christ, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is a fruit of the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord, Psalm lxviii, 18, Ephes. iv, 8. And this Spirit, which is emphatically called the Holy Spirit, because He is not only infinitely holy in His own nature, but his grand office is to make the children of men holy, is given to true believers, not only to "testify with their spirits that they are the children of God," Rom. viii, 16, but also to purify their hearts: and thus He transfuses through their souls His own holiness and purity; so that the image of God in which they were created, and which by transgression they had lost, is now restored; and they are by this holiness, prepared for the third benefit, the enjoyment of eternal blessedness, in perfect union with Him who is the Father and God of glory, and the Fountain of holiness. This pardon and reconciliation, this holiness and purity, and this eternal glory, come all in consequence of the incarnation, passion, death resurrection, ascension, and mediation of Christ; and this complete restoration to the image and likeness of God is the utmost salvation the soul of man can possess; and being brought to eternal glory, the utmost beatification

of which a created intelligent Being is capable. And as it has been demonstrated that no scheme of salvation ever invented by man can procure or produce these blessings; and as the word of God shows that all these things are provided by the Christian system; we may confidently assert that there is no name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved: neither is there SALVATION in any other, Acts iv, 12; and with the same confidence, we can say to every sinner, and especially to every genuine penitent, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and THOU shalt be saved." The exhortation itself appears so very rational, and the basis on which it is built so very solid, that all difficulties in the way of faith or believing are completely removed; so that it seems as impossible, on this ground, not to believe, as it seemed before to credit the possibility of being saved, even through this scheme; because it has been too often recommended unaccompanied with those considerations, which prove it to be the first born of the goodness, wisdom, justice, and mercy, of the God and Father of ALL.

On a review of the whole of the preceding argumentation, it may be objected to this doctrine, as it was to St. Paul, its first systematic defender, " You make void the law through faith." To which we reply as he did: God forbid! Yea, we establish the law.

Whether we understand the term law as signifying the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic institution; or the moral law which relates to the regulation of the manners or conduct of men; the doctrine of salvation by faith establishes this law. All the law of commandments, consisting of ordinances, had respect to Christ, who alone was the object and the end of this law; and by His passion and death, the whole of its sacrificial system, in which its essence consisted, was fulfilled and established.

As to the moral law, this also is fully established by the doctrine of salvation by faith: for the faith essential to this doctrine works by love; and love is the principle

of obedience; and he who receives salvation by faith, receives at the same time, power from God to live in obedience to every moral precept; and such persons are emphatically termed the workmanship of Christ, created anew unto good works. They are born of God, and His seed remaineth in them; and they cannot sin because they are born of God. Being freed from the dominion, guilt, and inbeing of sin, they have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life; and, in a righteous life, they "show forth the virtues of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvellous light." The "very thoughts of their hearts are cleansed by the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit; so that they are enabled perfectly to love Him, and worthily to magnify His name." They show the work of the law written in their hearts, by living not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The very Spirit which is given them, on their believing in Christ Jesus, is the Spirit of holiness; and they can retain this Spirit no longer than they live in the spirit of obedience. He, who is saved by grace through faith, not only avoids every appearance of evil; but lives an innocent, holy, and useful life. Hypocrites, pretenders to holiness, and Antinomians of all sorts, have no interest in this sacred doctrine; they neither know its nature, nor power; before such swine God will not have His pearls cast; they "are of their father the devil, for his lusts they will do." Let not the doctrine suffer on their account; they have neither lot nor part in this matter; if they hold this truth in their creed they hold it in unrighteousness.

We have already seen that the law given to man in his state of innocence was most probably this: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." As he not only broke this law by his first transgression, but also lost the power to fulfil it; the object of God in his redemption, was not merely to provide pardon for the breach of this law, but to restore him to that Divine