He implants Us into CHRIST, and makes Us Partakers of his Merits.

In the Procefs of the fame Epiftle, the facred Penman enumerates the conflituent Parts of that great Salvation, which the SON of GOD has procured for ruined Sinners. But Ye are washed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are juftified, in the Name of the LORD JESUS, and by the SPIRIT of our GOD* Ye are washed; washed in redeeming Blood, and cleanfed from all the Filthiness of your Iniquities. Ye are fanctified; renewed in the Propenfity of your Mind, and fitted for a Life of universal Holiness. Ye are juftified; wholly delivered from Wrath, and restored to a State of complete Acceptance with the KING of Heaven. All thefe Gifts and Prerogatives, are conferred upon the unworthy Sinner, in the Name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST; in Confideration of his atoning Death and meritorious Righteousness. By the SPIRIT of our GOD; through the Efficacy of his Operation, revealing CHRIST, and working Faith in the Heart.

Read Rom. x. 4. Some Gentlemen have talked of a new remedial Law. Whereas, the Apostle speaks of the old, the unalterable, the Mofaic + Law. What is the End of this facred inviolable Rule? Is fallen Man, or the GOD-Man? If the former, then the Law muft be an abortive. Scheme, and never obtain its proper Accomplishment. If the latter, then it receives all due Obedience, and is satisfied to the very uttermoft. Therefore, CHRIST is the End of the Law.-And wherefore? For Righteousness; not that the Law fhould

1 Cor. vi. II.

+ See Rom. x. 5.

fhould be fetafide, but that a juftifying Righteousness might be wrought out. How is this to be done? Not merely by fuffering its Penalty, but alfo by fulfilling its Commands. According to that Saying, Whofo doeth them shall live, fhall be entitled to eternal Life, by them.-Is this Obedience to be performed by Us, or by our SURETY? By our SURETY, no doubt. Since the Apostle is arguing in profeffed Oppofition to all Deeds of our own; and tells Us, that the juftifying Righteoufnefs is to be had, not by our Obeying, but by our Believing; it is to every One that believeth.

Follow the Courfe of a River; it will conftantly fead You to the Ocean. Trace the Veins of the Body; they invariably unite in the Heart. Mark Jikewife the Tendency of the Law; it no lefs conftantly and invariably conducts You to CHRIST, as the Center of its Views, and the Confummation of its Demands.-The moral Law aims, at difcovering our Guilt, and demonstrating our inexpreffible Need of a SAVIOUR. The ceremonial points Him out, as suffering in our Stead; making Reconciliation for Iniquity; and purging away every Defilement with his Blood.They both direct the wretched Tranfgreffor, to renounce Himfelf, and fly to the REDEEMER. Who alone has paid that perfect Obedience, and brought in that everlafting Righteoufnefs, which the Sinner wants, and the Law exacts. Who is, therefore, the only proper Accomplishment of the one, and the only fuitable Supply for the other. 9 7600 TOW

"

What is the grand Defign of the whole Scriptures? St. Paul, afferting their divine Origin, and difplaying the gracious Purposes, which they are Aintended

intended to ferve, writes thus: All Scripture is given by Inspiration of GOD; and is profitable—for Doctrine, to declare and establish religious Truth-for Reproof, to convince of Sin, and to refute Error -for Correction *, or Renovation of the Heart, and Reformation of the Life-for Inftruction in Righteoufnefs, in that Righteousness, which could never have been learned from any other Book, and in which alone finful Men may appear with Comfort before their GOD t.

2 Tim. iii. 16. Προς επανορθωσιν.

We

+ "Was there ever fuch a Comment before?" fays Vadius. "The plain Meaning is, For training up in "Holiness of Heart and Life." Vadius forgets, that this Meaning was included in the Word of worç. Which fignifies Reftitutio in integrum. A Reftoration to Integrity of Heart, of Life, of Character.-Befides; if this was the Meaning, I afk; Where is the diftinguifhing Characteristic of the Gofpel? We have not fo much as a Hint at its grand Peculiarity, The Righteoufness of GOD, Rom. i. 17. Would the Apoftle, in defcribing very explicitly the Purport and Defign of the Scripture, omit that which is the very Life and Soul of the Whole?

"Was there ever fuch a Comment before?”...Yes; the Pfalmift, long ago, gave Us fuch a Comment. Speaking on the fame Subject, and addreffing Himself to the victorious RREDEEMER He fays; Ride an, because of the Word (b) of Truth, of Meekness, and Righteoufnefs. Here He opens and particularifes the Nature, End, and Effects of the divine Word. It is the Source of all that Truth, which cometh from above, and maketh wife unto Salvation. It is the Seed of all that reverential Regard to GOD, and benevolent Concern for Man, which may be expreffed by one principal Branch of each, Meeknefs. It is a Difcovery of that Righteoufnefs, by which alone the Ungodly are juftified; on which alone Men may depend for Salvation; and which could never have been the Object of their Faith, or even of their Knowledge, if it had not been revealed.

St.

We have seen the principal Scope of the Law, and the leading Design of the Scriptures: let Us add one Enquiry more. What is the chief Office of the SPIRIT? If all these coincide, and uniformly terminate in the imputed Righteousness of CHRIST; We have a Confirmation of its Reality and Excellence, great as Man can defire; I had almoft faid, great as GOD can impart. What fays our LORD upon this Point? When He, the SPIRIT of Truth is come, He shall convince the World

of

St. Paul himself, either gives Us the fame Comment, or elfe directs Us to make it, when He ftyles the Chriftian Doctrine, λofos dinasoσurns, Heb. v. 13. Which is fo called, fays a masterly Critic, Quia nos inftruit de vera Juftitia, que coram DEO valet, & que coram DEO confiftimus. Because it inftructs Us in that Righteousness, which avails for our Juftification before GOD; and by Virtue of which, We stand unblameable in his Sight.According to this Interpretation, the Apoftle confiders the Revelation, the Display, the Grant of the juftifying Righteousness, as the very Quinteffence of Scripture; that which creates its chief Diftinction; and even conftitutes its Denomination. Who then can affent to Vadius, when He would have the very Quintessence of Scrip ture, excluded from the Analysis of its Contents.

For my Part, I should fee but little Excellency in those facred Volumes, if the Blood and Righteoufness of CHRIST, did not make the most confpicuous Figure in their feveral Pages. I fhould fetch a Sigh, and fay; "Alas! here is nothing, that may recommend me to "GOD. Nothing that can give me Acceptance in his

Sight. Here is the Pole indeed, but the brazen Ser

pent is gone." For which Reafon, I cannot perfuade, myfelf, to part with or refign in my Comment, what would be an unspeakable Lofs to me, if exterminated in Fact.

*He fhall convince, feems to be the most eligible Tranflation of shy. To reprove of Righteoufnefs, founds harth. To convince of Righteousness, is proper. Befides; this

6

Word

of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment. Of Sin, because they believe not in me of Righteousness, because go to my FATHER, and ye fee me no more: of Judgment, because the Prince of this World is judged*. Is it poffible for Words to be more weighty and comprehenfive? Here is a Summary of Christian Faith, and of Christian Holinefs. Not that fuperficial Holiness, which is patched up of devotional Forms, and goes no farther than external Performances: but that which is vital, and fprings from the Heart; confifts in Power, not in mere Profeffion; whofe Praife, if not of Men, who are fmitten with pompous Outfides, is fure to be of GOD, who diftinguishes the Things which are excellent.

He fhall convince the World of Sin; of original and actual Sin. The Sin of their Nature, as well as the Sin of their Life; the Sin of their best Deeds, no lefs than of their criminal Commissions, and blameable Omiffions. Above all, of their finning against the fovereign, the only Remedy, by Unbelief; becaufe they believe not on me. He fhall convince of Righteoufnefs; of the exalted REDEEMER's Righteoufnefs, which the foregoing Conviction muft render peculiarly welcome. Convince them, that it was wrought out in Behalf of disobedient and defective Mortals; that it is abfolutely perfect, and fufficient to justify even the most Ungodly. Of all which an incontestable Proof is given, by his Refurrection from the Dead, his triumphant Afcenfion

into

Word implies the fure Succefs, which attends the Operation of the Divine SPIRIT.-Man may reprove, and no Conviction enfue. Whereas, that Almighty AGENT not only reproves, but reproves with Power; fo as to determine the Judgment, and fway the Affections. John xvi. 8, 9, 10, 11.