We have produced pofitive Proofs of our Doctrine. We have heard an Apostle declaring the affured Happiness, and complete Justification of true Believers. Let Us now observe the fame fagacious Judge of Men and Things, difcovering the Danger of thofe Self-jufticiaries, who reject the R EDEEMER's Righteousness.

He is filled with the darkest Apprehenfions, concerning his Brethren the Jews. He is impreffed with melancholy Prefages, relating to their eternal State*. -What was the Cause of this tender Solicitude? Had they caft off all Religion, and given themselves over to grofs Immoralities? On the contrary, they were Worshippers of the true GOD; and had, in their Way, not only a Regard, but a Zeal for his Honour +-Wherefore then does this compaffionate Father in Ifrael feel the fame trembling Uneasiness for his Kinsmen according to the Flesh, as Eli felt for the endangered Ark? Himself affigns the Reafon. Because, they being ignorant of GOD's Righteousness, and going about to establish their own Righ teousness, have not fubmitted themselves to the Righteoufness of GOD. Not knowing that immaculate Holiness, which the perfect Nature, and equally perfect Law of the most High GOD, requirebeing wilfully ignorant of that confummate Obedience, which an incarnate GOD vouchfafed to perform, for the Juftification of them, who are without Strength-they established, or rather they went about; they feduloufly but foolishly endeavoured, to establish their own Righteoufnefs; to make it, fcanty and decrepit as it was, the Bafis of

* Rom. ix. 2, + Rom. x. 3.

† Rom. x. 3.

all

all their Hopes. Thus were they resting their everlafting ALL on a Bottom, not precarious only, but irreparably ruinous. A boundless Eternity the Fabric! Yet they built (wonder O Heavens !) on the Foam of the Waters! And (which added Stubbornness to their Folly) in avowed Contempt of the Righteoufnefs which is by Faith; that strong and fure Foundation, laid by GOD's own almighty Hand in Sion. For this, the good Apoftle was afflicted, with great Heaviness, and continual Sor"row." For this, He made the Prophet's pathetic Complaint his own; Oh! that my Head were Waters, and my Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might bewail, Day and Night*, the incorrigible Perverseness of my People! For my People have committed two Evils: in not thankfully fubmitting to the Righteoufnefs of GOD, they have forfaken the Fountain of living Waters: in attempting to establish their own Righteoufnefs, they have bewed themfelves out Cifterns, broken Cisterns, that can hold no Water +:

Having fhewed their fatal Error, He strengthens his Representation, by displaying the happy Succefs of the Gentiles-What fhall We fay then? This, however improbable it may feem, We confidently affirm, That the Gentiles, who followed not after Righteousness who had no Knowledge of it, and no Concern about it; even they have attained to Righteousness.Strange Affertion! How is this poffible!

Jer. ix. 1.

Jer. ii. 13.

Surely, this muft fignify more, than "attaining to "the Profeffion of a Religion, whereby they may be juf "tified and faved." To this Multitudes attain, who continue, as the Prophet speaks, tout-hearted, and far

Dd4

from

fible To be fure, the Righteousness which they attained, could not refult from any Thing perfonal could not confist in moral Virtues or religious Duties. Inftead of practifing morál Virtues, or pers forming religious Duties, they lay immersed in Senfuality, and were abandoned to Idolatry. It muft therefore be the evangelical, the imputed Righte oufnefs; even that which was wrought by CHRIST, and is received by Faith *.

Ifrael, in the mean time, the nominal Ifrael, who, with great Pretensions to Sanctity, and many costly Oblations, followed after the Law of Righteousness, hath not attained to the Law of Righteoufness. Attained. They have done nothing lefs. They are fallen vaftly fhort of it; they are pronounced guilty by it; they ftand condemned before it †-Where

fore from Righteoufnefs, Who derive no real Benefit from their Profeffion; but are rendered utterly inexcufable, and liable to more aggravated Condemnation.

Surely, the Righteoufnefs which is by Faith, cannot confift" in humbly committing the Soul to CHRIST, in the Way that he hath appointed." According to this Notion, the justifying Righteousness would fpring from Ourfelves; would be conflituted by an Act of our own, and not by the perfect Obedience of our LORD.

I am forry to fee this, and the preceding Interpretation, in the Works of an Expofitor, whofe Learning I admire, whofe Piety I reverence, and whofe Memory I honour. Yet I muft fay, on this Occafion, with one of the antient Philofophers; Amicus Plato, amicus Socrates, fed magis amica Veritas,

+ This, I apprehend, is the Purport of the Apostle's Speech, when He tells Us, that his Countrymen had not attained unto the Laws of Righteousness. He uses the Figure μείωσις, ,' and means more than He exprefies. He means, what St. Chryfoftom has, in his Expofition, fupplied; Παρέδης γαρ νομον, και υπεύθυνος γέροντας τη άρα. He expreffes Himself fomewhat like the dramatic Poet, who fays of certain literary Pretenders,

Qui

fore did they fo grofly mistake, and fo grievously mifcarry? Especially, as they were both fincere and affiduous in their Purfuit. Becaufe, they forfook the good old Way, in which Abraham, David, and their pious Ancestors walked. They adopted a new Scheme; and muft needs fubftitute their own, instead of relying on a SAVIOUR's Righteousness. They fought for Juftification, not by Faith, but as it were by the Works of the Law *. A Method, which their Fathers knew not; which their GOD ordained not; and which proved, as it always will prove, not only abortive, but deftructive. At this Stone they stumbled. On this Rock they split. Let their Ruin be a Way-mark, and the Apostle's Obfervation a Light-house, to my Theron.

--

Our zealous Writer tries every Expedient. He mingles Hope with Terror. Having pointed out the Rock, on which the Ifraelites fuffered Shipwreck; He directs Us to the Haven, in which Sinners may caft Anchor, and find Safety. He gives Us a fine defcriptive View of the Chriflian's complete Happinefs. He opens (if I may continue the Metaphor) a free and ample Port for perifhing Souls. Not formed by a Neck of Land, or a Ridge of Mountains, but by a magnificent Chain of fpiritual Bleffings. All proceeding from, all terminating in,

Qui fe primos effe rerum omnium exiftimant
Nec tamen funt.

That is, they are quite the reverfe.-Or like the Prophet in the Clofe of this Chapter, who affures the Believers in JESUS, They shall not be ashamed; that is, they shall e encouraged, emboldened, and "obtain Honour, and Glory, and Immortality."

46

* Rom. ix. 30, 31, 32.

in, that precious Corner-ftone JESUS CHRIST. Who of GOD is made unto Us Wisdom, and Righteoufnefs, and Sanctification, and Redemption *. Wifdom, to enlighten our ignorant Minds. Righteoufnefs t, to justify our guilty Perfons. Sanctification †, to renew our depraved Natures. Redemption, to rescue Us from all Evil; and render Us, both in Body and Soul, perfectly and eternally happy. Let it be remarked, how carefully our inspired Writer fets afide all Sufficiency, as well as all Merit in Man. He reprefents the whole of our Salvation, both in its Procurement and Application, as a Work of freeft Grace. CHRIST is, and not We Ourselves, the Author of this glorious Reftoration, the Cause of this great Felicity. He is made all this unto Us-How? Not by our own Refolution and Strength; but of GOD, by the Agency of his mighty Power, and bleffed SPIRIT. He fhews Us the all-fufficient Fulnefs of CHRIST. He brings Us with ardent Longings to CHRIST. He

* 1 Cor. i. 30.

tt Righteoufnefs and Sanctification; the former imputed, the latter inherent. This preferves a Diftinction between the noble Articles, and affigns to each a grand Share in the Oeconomy of Salvation.-To fay, that if one of the Bleffings is communicated by way of Imputation, the other fhould be communicated in the fame Manner, feeins to be cavilling, rather than arguing. Becaufe, the Subjects are of a different Nature; and therefore must be difpenfed in a different Way.-The Cocoa Tree is, to the American, Food and Clothing, a Habitation and domestic Utenfils. But muft We fuppofe it, adminiftering to all thefe Ufes, in one and the fame unvaried Method? Because, in one Refpect it is eaten, in another it is wore, muft it be thus applied in all? I am apt to think, the illiterate Savage, who enjoys the feveral Gifts, need not be taught the Abfardity of fuch a Suppofition.