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ed-yet there is a splendor and beauty in things to the visive eye with which forever to him is imperceivable. Therefore, the Apostle speaks to the converted Corinthians, that they had a knowledge communicated to them of a distinct and superior nature to any thing the world could afford. "God who command"ed the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, "to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the "face of Jesus Christ." Here is a light of knowledge of glory, infused into the heart, far distinguished from the knowledge acquired by a blind world, which is darkness in comparison. The believer who has had his mind opened by a divine illumination to discern this light of glory, all his former knowledge is depreciated and rejected as inferior, drossy and feculent; and he is ready to say with the Apostle, "Though before, he knew all things after "the flesh, yet henceforth he will know them so no more."

Secondly, There is in this divine knowledge, a taste of the sweetness of holiness, that the carnal mind is perfectly ignorant of. "As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word. "that they may grow thereby, if so be ye have tasted that the "Lord is gracious." Here is a certain taste of the graciousness of God, as peculiar to this knowledge, that the saints possess. All the acquisitions in the world cannot bring a man to have any proper understanding or just ideas hereof, without an experience of a relish of spiritual things arising from a divine taste. who has tasted the sweetness of honey, knows much better the relish it affords, than the most learned lectures upon it can possibly give. "Therefore, we are commanded to taste and see that "the Lord is gracious." Hence this taste of holy things enters deeply into, and is an essential constituent of this divine knowledge.

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Thirdly, A savour of spiritual matters is also a part of this holy knowledge. Attend to the scriptures: "Now thanks be "to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ Jesus,. "and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge in every place.

thereof." I shall close this subject in the words of our text, Let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving "kindness, and judgment and righteousness in the earth; for in "these things I delight saith the Lord."

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SERMON XXX.

JUSTIFICATION BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF

CHRIST.

ROMANS X. 4.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

THE justification of a sinner before God, is a doctrine of high importance in the christian system. St. Paul attends to this subject in an especial manner in this epistle. For this purpose, he delineates the character of sinners, the inflexible justice of God, the holy and unchangeable nature of the divine law, the guilt of, and the punishment due to sin, and the fullness, utility and necessity of the atonement of Christ. He explains the nature of justification with great clearness, and enforces his exposition with much strength and beauty of argument. He shows that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified, and how this comes to pass solely by the righteousness of Christ, and that those alone are the subjects of it who believe. The Apostle introduces this chapter by a most tender, affectionate, and fervent prayer for the salvation of Israel. He bears record to the warmth and greatness of their zeal, but that it was a blind, mistaken and delusive zeal, it was not according to knowledge. He testifies against their

ignorance, and the pride and vanity of their mind, in looking for the favor of God by an imaginary righteousness of their own. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about. "to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted them"selves unto the righteousness of God." They understood not the strict justice of God, the evil of sin, nor the purity of the divine law. They saw no necessity for the righteousness of Christ, but fondly conceived that a few ceremonial observances were abundantly sufficient to justify them before the most High. He points out the design of Christ's coming into the world, and draws the character of those to whom his atonement and righteousness would be beneficial..

Allow me here to lay down a few propositions, which, I hope, will tend to shed light upon this whole subject of justification, and prepare the way for what may be said upon it.

First, The eternal Jehovah is immutable in his nature, his perfections, promises and threatenings, and in all his ways.— Whatever aspects may take place in the view of created minds, respecting apparent changes in his dispensations and providence, yet one thing ought to be fixed in the faith of all christians, "that "he is the Lord who changeth not." Amidst the constant variations passing before us in this world, it is not a matter easily and stedfastly to believe. We are too apt to think God some what like ourselves, changeable and variable. But if the scriptures be true, and if creation exist, however blind and changeable we poor fallen mortals may be, with God there is no variableness nor shadow of turning. This is a proposition necessary to be ingrafted on our minds, as a foundation to the whole business of the gospel justification of sinners..

Secondly, That the law in our text principally means the moral law, consisting in love to God and our neighbour, comprehending all the implications and deductions revealed in the scriptures. This law is holy, just and good; it cannot, in the na

fure of things, be abrogated, relaxed or altered. That which is absolutely perfet in justice, holiness and goodness, cannot be changed more than the author of it. It is often said the law is a transcript of the divine attributes; if so, it must be as immutable and invariable as God himself. Hence the unchangeable ness of the law must be held as an essential principle of the gos pel plan of salvation.

Thirdly, It is impossible for any creature to be deemed and considered just with God, unless in some way he stands right in the view of the law. There are two methods in which this may take place; by a righteousness of his own, or by the righteousness of another in which he is interested, and which, by a divine constitution, is made his. By the former, angels are just before God, and in this way Adam and all his posterity would have been justified in the divine presence, had they maintained their innocence and original rectitude. But by this no sinner can possibly be justified. The law condemns him as a transgressor, and it is absolutely impossible he should ever be able to make satisfaction to it. The latter is by a sinners becoming interested in the righteousness of Christ, and by a divine constitution this righteousness made his, which can only be by free grace on the part of God, and evangelical faith on the part of the sinner.

A Fourth proposition is, none of the natural descendants of Adam, none of the guilty and sinful children of men, by any works, duties, and righteousness of their own, can justify themselves before God. For by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified.

Fifthly, That Jesus Christ assumed the human nature into a personal union with his divine nature, and in this character performed perfect obedience to the law. That God executed upon him as the substitute of sinners, all the penalty of the law incurred by them; that the ends, purposes, and intents of the law inight be fulfilled; that the glory of God and the dignity of his

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