prehended by a believing Soul. Who, first, gives a firm Affent to the Gofpel; then, cordially accepts its Blefings. From a Conviction that the Doctrine is true, pafles to a Perfuafion that the Privileges are his own. When this is effected, a Foundation is Jaid for all Happiness; a Principle is wrought, to produce all Holinefs. But why was it requifite, that such a Righteoufnefs fhould be provided by GOD, and revealed in the Gofpel?-Because not Gentile, nor few, either poffeffed, or could attain, any Righteoufnefs of their own and this Righteoufnefs, though fo abfolutely necessary for their fallen State, was infinitely remote from all human Apprehenfions. The latter Affertion is felf-evident. The former is particularly demonftrated.-First, with regard to the Gentiles. The Generality of whom, were abandoned to the most fcandalous Exceffes of Vice; and they who had efcaped the groffer Pollutions, fell fhort in the Duties of natural Religion.-Next, with regard to the Jews. eufnefs of GOD by Faith, is revealed to Faith. The Propofal is truly delicate; the Claufe, thus tranfpofed, is very perfpicuous; and the Doctrine, contained in it, highly important. As a farther Recommendation of the Criticifm, We may obferve; That Sinaloon en wisews is, with the Apofle, a cuftomary and a favourite Way of expreffing Himfelf. The only Difficulty lies in the Tranfpofition, which this Interpretation requires. Whether this may be admitted, I refer to the judicious Reader.However He shall determine, it is, I think, from this Text undeniably certain; That Faith is not our juftifying Righteoufnefs, but only receptive of it.-That there is juft the fame Difference between them, as between a coftly Gift and the empty Hand; or between the Spring revealed to Hagar, and Hagar's Act of taking the Water, for the Refreshment of Herfelf and her Son. See Gen. xi. 19. Jews. Many of whom lived in open Violation of the external Commandment; and not One of them acted up to the internal Purity, required by the Mofaic Precepts.-From which Premifes, this Conclufion is deduced; that each of them had tranfgreffed even their own Rule of Action; that all of them were, on this Account, utterly inexcufable; therefore by the Works of the Law, whether dictated by Reason, or delivered by Mofes, no Mortal is juftified in the Sight of GOD. * Left any should imagine, that Righteousness may be obtained, if not by a Conformity to the Law of Nature, or the Law of Mofes, yet by an evangelical Obedience, He farther declares; That Sinners are juftified freely, without any Regard to their own Endowments, of what Kind foever; through the Redemption, the complete Redemption of JESUS CHRIST. After fuch a Manner, as may lay them low in Humiliation, even while it exalts them to the Kingdom of Heaven. After fuch a Manner, as may bring Life and Salvation to their Souls, while it ftrips them of all Pretence to Glorying; and configns the whole Honour to GOD the FATHER, and his SON JESUS CHRIST. Upon Rom. iii. 20. There feems to be a Kind of humbling or degrading Turn in the Apoftle's Language waon Ca, which may poffibly be preferved in the Tranflation, No Mortal. We may farther obferve the very nice and exact Manner of the facred Argumentation. Left it fhould be faid, and from the Authority of St. James, A Man is juftified by Works; our unerring Writer tacitly allows, That before Men this is practicable, before Men this is proper; but not www aule, not befors GOD. + Rom. i. 24. Upon the Whole; here are three Pofitions, of the last Importance-Salvation is by RighteoufnefsRighteousness is by Faith-Only by Faith, whether to the Jew, or to the Gentile. All these Particulars are confirmed by that fingle Sentence, quoted from the Prophet; The Juft, the truly righteous; fhall live, fhall inherit everlasting Life; not by his own Works, but by Faith in the Obedience of a SAVIOUR. In the Profecution of this very momentous Subject, our facred Disputant removes an Objection, which is as common, as it is plaufible. Do We make void the Law through Faith? Do We render it a vain Inftitution; such as never has been, never will be fulfilled?-GOD forbid! This were a flagrant Dishonour to the Divine LEGISLATOR and his holy Commandments. What We would utterly abhor, rather than countenance in any Degree. On the contrary, We establish the Law *; not only as We receive it for a Rule of Life, but as We expect no Salvation without a proper, without a perfect Conformity to its Injunctions.-How can this be effected? By qualifying its Sense, and foftening it into an eafier Syftem? This were to vacate the Law; to deprive it of its Honour, and its End. Its Honour; which is the moft refined Spirituality, and fublime Perfection: its End; which is to convince of Sin, and make Way for a SAVIOUR.-We establish the Law by an incomparably better Expedient; by believing in that great MEDIATOR, who has obeyed its every Precept; * Rom. iii. 31. An inconteftable Proof, that the Apoftle terats of the moral Law. Precept; fuftained its whole Penalty; and satisfied all its Requirements, in their utmoft Latitude. Farther to corroborate his Scheme, He proves it from the renowned Examples of Abraham and David.-The Inftance of Abraham is fo clear, that it wants no Comment. Any Paraphrase would rather obfcure, than illuftrate it.-The other, derived from the Testimony of the Pfalmift, may admit the Commentator's Tool. Yet not to hammer it into a new Form, but only to clear away the Rubbish; to rescue it from Mifrepresentation; and place it in a true Light. Even as David defcribeth the Blessedness of the Man, to whom GOD imputeth Righteousness without Works, faying; Blessed are They, whose Unrighteoufnefs is forgiven, and whofe Sins are covered: Bleffed is the Man, to whom the LORD will not impute Sin*. -Here is Imputation afferted-The Imputation of Righteoufnefs - Of Righteoufnefs without Works; without any Respect to, or any Co-operation from, any Kind of human Works. It is a Bleffing vouchfafed to the Ungodly; not founded on a Freedom from Sin, but procuring a Remiffion of its Guilt. Some, I know, have attempted to refolve all the Force of this Paffage, into an Argument for the Sameness of Pardon and justifying Righteousness. Whereas, the Apostle undertakes to prove, not that Pardon and justifying Righteoufnefs are identically the fame; but that Juftification, in all its Branches, and in its full Extent, is abfolutely free. To maintain which Pofition, He argues-" This "Doctrine is as true, as it is comfortable. It "agrees with the Experience, and has received the "Atteftation of David. When he fpeaks of the "bleffed *Rom. iv. 6, 7. "bleffed and happy Man, He describes Him, not "as One that has been innocent, but guilty: not "as having any Claim to the divine Favour, on "account of deferving Performances, or recom"mending Properties; but as owing all his Ac ceptance to that fovereign Grace, which forgives "Iniquities, and blots out Sin. Such is the Cafe "with regard to that evangelical Juftification, which "We preach. Even as; it is, in the Manner of its "Vouchfafement, perfectly fimilar to the Bleffedness "celebrated by the Pfalmift."-The Apoftle's Eye, is not fo directly upon the Nature of the Privilege, as upon the Freenefs with which it is granted. Nor can Any infer from the Tenour of his Reasoning, that to be forgiven, is the fame as to be made Righteous; only that both are Acts of infinitely rich Mercy; defigned for Sinners; promised to Sinners; bestowed on Sinners. Who have nothing, nothing of their own, either to boaft, or to plead, or fo much as to pretend. In the fifth Chapter, from Verfe the twelfth to the End, the facred Penman points out the Caufe, and explains the Method of Juftification, of which this is the Sum-That CHRIST, in purfuance of the Covenant of Grace, fulfilled all Righteoufnefs in the Stead of his People-That this Righteousness, being performed for them, is imputed to them-That, by virtue of this gracious Imputation, they are abfolved from Guilt, and intitled to Blifs; as thoroughly abfolved, and as fully intitled, as if in their own Perfons they had undergone the expiatory Sufferings, and yielded the meritorious Obedience.-Left it fhould feem ftrange, in the Opinion of a Jew or a Gentile, to hear of being justified by the Righteous ne's |