But we are more particularly called upon to shew II. How this way of justifying sinners consists with, and displays, the justice of God God had exercised "forbearance" and forgiveness towards sinners for the space of four thousand years; and was now, in the Apostles' days, dispensing pardon to thousands, and to myriads. That, in so doing, God acted consistently with his own justice, the Apostle here labours to establish: he repeats it no less than thrice in the short space of our text. We shall therefore shew distinctly, how the justice of God is displayed 1. In the appointment of Christ to be our propitiation [If God had forgiven sins without any atonement, his justice, to say the least, would have lien concealed; perhaps we may say, would have been greatly dishonoured. But when, in order to satisfy the demands of justice, God sends, not an angel or arch-angel, but his only dear Son, and lays on him our iniquities, and exacts of him the utmost farthing of our is debt, then indeed the justice of God is "declared," yea, exhibited in the most awful colours. The condemnation of the fallen angels was indeed a terrible display of this attribute: yet was it no proof of justice in comparison of that more conspicuous demonstration which was given of it in the death of God's co-equal, co-eternal Son.] 2. In the requiring us to believe in him as our propi tiation [God wills that every one should come to "Christ" as a propitiation through faith in his blood, or, in other words, expressing his dependence on that blood that satisfied divine justice. As the offender under the law, when he put his hand upon the head of his sacrifice, confessed his own desert of death; and as the high priest, when he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices before the mercy-seat, confessed that the hope of all Israel was derived from that blood; so when we look to Christ as our sacrifice, or approach him as our mercy-seat, we must carry, as it were, his blood with us, and sprinkle it on our consciences before him, as an acknowledgment that by the justice of God we were deservedly condemned, and that we have no hope of mercy except in such a way as will consist with the immutable rights of justice. Thus it is not sufficient for Christ to have honoured divine justice once by enduring its penalties; but every individual sinner must also d Lev. xvi. 2. 14. honour it for himself by an explicit acknowledgment, that its demands must be satisfied.] 3. In pardoning sinners out of respect to this propitiation [That sinners are justified through Christ, may well appear an act of transcendent mercy: but it is also an act of justice; and the justice of God is as much displayed in it, as it would be in consigning sinners over to everlasting perdition. It is not an act of mercy, but of justice, to liberate a man whose debt has been discharged by a surety. But when Christ has paid our debt, and we, in consequence of that payment, claim our discharge, we may expect it even on the footing of justice itself. And whereas it is found, that no living creature ever applied to God in vain, when he pleaded Christ's vicarious sacrifice, it is manifest, that God has been jealous of his own honour, and has been as anxious to pay to us what Christ has purchased for us, as to exact of him what he undertook to pay on our behalf: so that his justice is as conspicuous in pardoning us, as it has been in punishing him.] INFER 1. How certain is the salvation of believers! [That which principally alarms those who stand before a human tribunal, is an apprehension that justice may declare against them. But there is no such cause for alarm on the part of a believer, seeing that justice is no less on his side than mercy. Let all then look to Christ as their all-sufficient propitiation, and to God as both "a just God and a Saviour." Then shall they find " that God is faithful and just to forgive them their sins," yea, is “just in justifying all that believe."] 2. How awful will be the condemnation of unbelievers! [While they slight the united overtures of mercy and justice, what do they but arm both these attributes against them? Now, if they would seek for mercy, justice, instead of impeding, would aid, their suit. At the last day, how will matters be reverse ! When justice demands the execution of the law, mercy will have not one word to say in arrest of judgment, but will rather increase the vengeance by its accusations and complaints. Let this be duly considered by us, that we may actively glorify God as monuments of his saving grace, and not passively glorify him as objects of his righteous indignation.] e 1 John i. 9. CCCLXXVI. JUSTIFICATION IN A WAY THAT EX CLUDES BOASTING. Rom. iii. 27, 28. Where is boasting then? it is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. IT may well be supposed, that any revelation, purporting to be from God, should, in addition to all external evidences, have internal proofs also of its divine original. Accordingly, if God should reveal a way of salvation to fallen creatures, we should of course expect it to be such a way, as should display the riches of his' own grace, and secure all the glory of it to himself. Now when we look into the gospel, we find precisely such a method of salvation revealed to us. And herein it differs from all the methods that ever have been devised by man: for they uniformly reserve a share of the glory, at least, to the creature: whereas the gospel gives all the glory to God alone. St. Paul, having opened throughout the whole preceding part of this Epistle the state of fallen man, and 'the way prescribed for his acceptance with God, puts this question, "Where is boasting then?" And having told us, that it is, and must for ever be, "excluded by the law of faith," he repeats his former conclusion, and represents it as confirmed by this additional evidence of its truth; "Therefore we conclude," &c. In discoursing on these words we shall shew I. That the way of salvation (whatever it may be) must exclude boasting This will appear undeniably true, if we consider 1. The avowed design of God in the revelation he has given us [St. Paul speaking on this subject, repeats even to tautology, that God designed from the beginning to exalt his own grace, and had so planned the way of salvation, as that every part of it might redound to his own honour. All possibility of glorying was studiously cut off from man. With this view a Eph. i. 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14. and ii. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9. especially ver. 7. the knowledge of this salvation was imparted to the poor and ignorant in preference to the wise and noble: and every person that embraced it, was necessitated to seek every thing in and through Christ, that "the loftiness of man might be laid low, and that God alone might be exalted."] 2. The disposition and conduct of all that have ever embraced it [Abraham, the father of the faithful, accounted himself only "dust and ashes:" "nor had he any thing whereof to glory before God." Job, "a perfect and upright man, so that none was like him upon earth," yet spake with the utmost abhorrence of justifying himself before God. David, “a man after God's own heart," cries, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified." Isaiah, that most distinguished prophet, lamented that he was vile as a leper;h and confessed that his righteousnesses were as "filthy rags." St. Paul, who was "not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles," yea, "laboured more abundantly than they all," acknowledges himself the very "chief of sinners," desires to be found in Christ not having his own righteousness, and boils with indignation at the thought of glorying in any thing but the "cross of Christ."m If any might glory in themselves, we might suppose that the glorified saints and angels would have liberty to do so: but among them there is one only theme, "Worthy is the Lamb."n Now if the way of salvation (whatever it may be) correspond with God's design in revealing it, or with the dispositions of those who have been the most distinguished ornaments of it, then it must of necessity cut off from man all occasion of glorying in himself. We may say therefore with the Apostle "Where is boasting then? It is excluded."] Having determined this point, let us proceed to cnquire II. What is that way of salvation that does exclude boasting There are but two possible ways in which any man can be saved, namely, by works, or by faith. Many indeed 1 Cor. i. 26-29. 4 Gen. xviii. 27. Job ix. 2, 3, 20, 21, 30, 31, e Ib. ver. 30, 31. with Isaiah ii. 17. e Rom iv. 2. and xlii. 6. g Ps. cxliii. 2. Isaiah Ixiv. 6. 1 Phil. iii. 8, 9. have attempted to unite them; but that is impossible, seeing that they are distinct from, and directly opposite to each other. Let us then enquire which of the two excludes boasting? 1. Does the law of works? [The law of works says, "Do this, and live." Now suppose a man to be saved by his own obedience to this law; will he not have to boast? May he not say to a perishing fellow-creature, "I made myself to differ from you?" May he not justly take credit to himself for his own superior goodness? yea, even in heaven, may he not unite his own praises with those of his Maker, and ascribe salvation partly to himself? It is of no use to say, that our works are only in part the ground of our acceptance; and that even for them we are indebted to the operation of divine grace: for, works wrought by us are our works; and in whatever degree they form the ground of our justification before God, in that degree (be it little or great) they give us a ground of glorying: and to deny this, is to confound grace and works, which are as distinct, and as irreconcileable with each other, as light and darkness.P] 2. Does the law of faith? 66 [This says, "Believe and be saved." By this law we are constrained to receive every thing out of the Redeemer's fulness, and to acknowledge him as our ALL IN ALL." Nothing is left for us to ascribe to ourselves. The planning of salvation was the work of God the Father: the procuring of it was the work of God the Son: the imparting, continuing, and perfecting of it is the work of God the Holy Ghost. We cannot glory over a fellow-sinner, and say, "God had respect to my good qualities, (either seen or foreseen') and on account of them distinguished me from you:" no room is left but for shame to ourselves, and gratitude to God. Here then we may boldly say with the Apostle, " By what law is boasting excluded? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith."] It remains then for us to enquire III. What conclusion we are to draw from these premises Nothing can be more express than the conclusion drawn by the Apostle [We have seen that the way of salvation (whatever it be) excludes boasting; and that salvation by faith is the only way that does exclude boasting: from hence therefore the con • Rom. xi. 6. P See the preceding note. |