will not impute sin," cliap. iv. 2-8. " But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment Avas by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reigTi in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justi- fication of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous," chap. V, 15-19. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh ; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us," chap. viii. 1-4 " For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth," chap. x. 4. " And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace ; otherwise work is no more work," chap. xi. 6. " But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. " For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in hun," 2 Cor. v. 21. " Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law : for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified," Gal. ii. 16. " But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith : but. The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hatli redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," chap. iii. 11-13. " For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them," Eph. ii. 8-10. "Yea doubtless, and I count all thmgs but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him,
30 ON JUSTIFICATION.
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith," Phil. iii. 8, 9. " Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. i. 9. " That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life," Tit. iii. 7. " Once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin," Heb. ix. 26, 28. " Having by himself purged our sins," chap. i. 3. " For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanc- tified," chap. X. 14. " The blood of Jesus Christ God's Son cleanseth us from all sin," 1 John i. 7. Wherefore, " Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be gloiy and dominion for ever and ever. Amen," Rev. i. 5, 6.
These are some of the places which at present occur to remem- brance, wherein the Scripture represents unto us the grounds, causes, and reasons, of our acceptation with God. The especial import of many of them, and the evidence of truth that is in them, will be afterward considered. Here we take only a general view of them. And every thing in and of ourselves, under any consideration what- ever, seems to be excluded from our justification before God, faith alone excepted, whereby we receive his grace and the atonement. And, on the other side, the whole of our acceptation with him seems to be assigned unto grace, mercy, the obedience and blood of Christ ; in opposition unto our own worth and righteousness, or our own works and obedience. And I cannot but suppose that the soul of a convinced sinner, if not prepossessed with prejudice, will, in general, not judge amiss whether of these things, that are set in opposition one to the other, he should betake himself unto, that he may be justified.