JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH NECESSARY TO THE HONOUR OF GOD, AND THE HAPPINESS OF MAN.
Rom. iv. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace ; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.
TO many the doctrines of the Gospel appear mere arbitrary appointments ; and justification by works seems as much entitled to our approbation as justifi- cation by faith alone. But the doctrines of the Gospel are grounded on absolute and indispensable necessity : we are shut up to them: we have no other ground of hope. After man had fallen, it was not possible that any law should be given him whereby he might regain his lost happiness. If such a law could have
been devised, God would have given it in preference to the plan of salvation provided in the Gospel ; as St. Paul tells us ; " If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the lawa." But a Saviour was necessary ; and justification by faith in him was necessary, indispensably necessary,
I. For the honour of God —
It is surely meet that God should have the undi- vided honour of all that he has done —
[He lias made the universe for the express purpose of* glorifying himself in the works of his handsb; and both the celestial and terrestrial bodies reflect upon him the honour due unto his namec. In the various dispensations of his providence also God has respect to his own glory, " upholding all things by the word of his power," and ordering all things, even from the rise and fall of empires to the preservation of a sparrow, or the falling of a hair from our headd.
But, if in the works of creation and providence God have all the glory, shall he not much more have it in the work of redemption ? Who first devised that wondrous work ? The counsel of peace was between the Father and the Son from all eternity e. Who prevailed upon the Father to give his only Son out of his bosom to be our surety and substitute, and to accept his vicarious sacrifice in our behalf? All this was the result of God's " eternal purpose which he purposed in himself," " according to the counsel of his own will, and to the praise of the glory of his own grace f." We may further ask also, How is it that this salvation is imparted to the souls of men ? Do men attract his notice first by their own superior merits ? or do they of themselves begin to seek his favour ? Does not God in every instance prevent them with the blessings of his good- ness ; and of his own good pleasure give them " both to will and to do£?" Now all this exercise of love and mercy is intended by God himself to shew to the whole universe " the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus V Is he then, or is he not, to have the glory of this work ? Is it meet, that, when he gives all, and his crea- tures receive all, the crown should be taken from his head, and be placed on the head of those, who, but for the super- abundance of his grace, must all have perished like the fallen
a Gal. iii. 21. b Rev. iv. 11. • c Ps. xix. 1.
d 1 Sam. ii. 6—8. Isai. xlv. 5—7. e Zech. vi. 13. Eph. iii. 9.
f Eph. i. 9—12. and iii. 10, 11. s Phil. ii. 13.
h Eph. ii. 7.