tain indefinite innate something within, misnamed moral inability, which the sinner cannot overcome, and which the Deity must first remove before a right volition can take place; is to suppose all men born in a state in which they must necessarily sin on, until God removes from their hearts this insuperable barrier to holiness. What is it else than a delusive idea enveloped in misapplied terms? What else than to say that man has ability to do his duty, and yet has it not? Certainly the term inability cannot with propriety be applied to any thing in the sinner, which it is in his power to remove; nor can there be any more propriety in predicating ability of any one, whose volitions are impeded by an innate impediment which he cannot surmount, either by his own strength, or by the help of gracious aid, which is actually offered to him and which he has power to accept.

4. The part which it is required of us to perform, or the conditions on which the benefits of this covenant are applied

to us.

These conditions have been somewhat various in different ages, according as the features of this covenant have been more or less clearly revealed. There have usually been four gradations acknowledged in the successive publication of this covenant which have been termed economies:

The Adamic, the Abrahamic, the Mosaic, and finally, the Christian as fully developed by our Lord and his inspired servants, and recorded for the use of future generations in the New Testament. In each of these economies, the condition of salvation was in substance, faithful obedience to the light enjoyed. It is unnecessary to enter into a discussion of any but the last. Before the advent of Christ, the children of God exercised faith, more or less definite, in the Messiah to come. Under the last economy, in which we live, the conditions are repentance,1 and

1 Mark 1: 15. Repent ye, and believe the gospel. Luke 13: 3. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

faith in Jesus Christ. These conditions may indeed be reduced to one, namely faith; because this by its very nature presupposes repentance. Accordingly the Scriptures often mention faith alone; "We are justified by faith," says the apostle Paul to the Romans..

Whenever any individual performs these conditions, on which the blessings of the covenant of grace are bestowed, he is represented by the word of God as being in a state of

III. Justification,

that is, he is no longer under the curse of God's law, but is regarded by the moral governor and judge as an heir of heaven, and as entitled to all the blessings necessary for his preservation and growth in grace. The nature of justification is, therefore, easily understood.

Justification is that judicial act of God, by which the believing sinner is declared to be entitled to the benefits of the Saviour's merits. Or more amply defined, Justification is that judicial act of God, by which, a believing sinner in consideration of the merits of Christ, is released from the penalty of the law, and is declared to be entitled to heaven.

a) The source of our justification is the benevolence or grace of God.

b) The ground of this justification of the sinner is not his own works, but is none other than the above mentioned basis of the covenant of grace, the merits of Christ.2

1 Acts 16:31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

2 Rom. 3: 21. 22. 28. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets : even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference.-Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law. Rom. 4: 3. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed

c) The subjects of this act, are all those sinners, who have a living faith in the Saviour of men.1 This doctrine the Reformers considered of cardinal importance, and Luther called it the articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesia, the article with which the church must stand or fall.

d) The import of this justification, is not only remission of all the punishment due to our sins, but also a right to eternal life,2 and all the gracious aid necessary to its attainment.

e) The evidences of justification are and can be none other than the evidences of a true and living faith, namely good works,3 and a life of evangelical obedience. If you have sincerely mourned over your sins, if you have felt your inability to save yourself, if you sincerely love and have cordially embraced the plan of salvation through a crucified Saviour, if whilst you are devoting your soul and body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to his service, you nevertheless feel the imperfection of your best works, and habitually rely for heaven solely on a Saviour's blood; then, reader, may you joyfully indulge the hope, that you are justified by faith, are a child of God, and an heir of heaven! O glorious hope!

No room for mirth or trifling here,

For worldly hope or worldly fear,

God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. John 3: 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.

1 Rom. 3: 28. sup.

2 Rom. 5: 1. 2. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 James 2: 20. 21. 23. But wilt thou know, O vain man! that (mere speculative) faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered up Isaac his son on the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

But oh when both shall end,
Where shall I find my destined place?
Shall I my everlasting days

With fiends or angels spend?

Nothing is worth a thought beneath,
But how I may escape that death
Which never, never dies!

How make my own election sure ;
And when I fail on earth, secure

A mansion in the skies.

f) This justification takes place at the moment when the sinner first attains a living faith in the Redeemer.

g) And, finally, from this state of justification the believer cannot fall, save by deliberate and wilful abandonment of the path of christian duty. This is another glorious feature of the gospel scheme of salvation. Notwithstanding the numberless frailties and infirmities, which mingle with our best services, the Lord will not cast us off. Though we are surrounded by temp tations and trials, which constitute necessary ingredients in our state of probation; yet shall we not be tempted above our strength, yet shall nothing, neither tribulation nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor the sword, nor death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In short, nothing can eject us from a state of justification, but a deliberate, wilful act of our own, by which we renounce our allegiance to the Saviour, and are no longer willing to accept mercy on the terms of the gospel.2

1 Wherefore, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

2 Rom. 8: 35. 38. 39.

That such deliberate transgressions, however, as bring the sinner into a state, in which it is morally impossible that he should be saved, cannot leave him in a state of justification, seems almost self-evident. Is Paul warning the Corinthians 1 against impossibilities, when he says to them: "Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall"? and the Romans when he said, thou standest by faith; yet be not highminded, but fear? Was Peter in a state of justification at that instant when he voluntarily denied his Lord? or David in the moments of his uncleanness and guilt? It cannot be. These works of sin are incompatible with the existence of a living faith, and living faith is essential to justification. The truth on this subject is more definitely stated by the prophet Ezekiel.3 "When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done, shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die."

Let him, then, who thinks he standeth, take heed lest he fall!

1 1 Cor. 10: 12.

3 Ezek. 18: 24.

2 Rom. 11:20.