by the righteousness of another appears to supersede all occa- sion for any righteousness of their own. They can see no more suitableness or sufficiency in such a Gospel, than Naaman could see in the direction given him to wash in Jordan in order to cure his leprosy.
Thus, in the very constitution of the Gospel, there is much which has a tendency to kill those who are not of a humble mind.
But the Gospel is thus fatal, not only to those who reject it, but to many, also, who imagine that they have 7'eceived it. For, through the corruption of the human heart, the very principles of the Gospel are themselves often perverted ; so that even " the grace of God is turned into lasciviousness," and " Christ himself is made a minister of sin." This was the case with some in the apostolic age : and it is the case with some at this time also. There are at the present day some who so embrace the letter of the Gospel, as altogether to overlook its spirit ; and who so glory in a salveition fitiished for them, as to disregard the salvation that remains to be accomplished in them : and thus they take occasion, from the freeness and fulness of the Gospel salvation, to represent all demands of labour and watchfulness on their part as legal: and because God has undertaken to work in them both to will and to do his will, they cannot see any necessity for them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Thus, I say, some take occasion, even from the promises, to rest satisfied without attaining the things promised.
But, besides these, there are others, who take occasion from the precepts of the Gospel, to make their obedience to tliem a joint ground of their hope. They see rewards promised to obedience ; and they know not how to distinguish between a reward of grace, and a reward of debt ; or between that which forms their justifying righteousness before God, and that which shall be approved in those who are already justified. Thus, by uniting their own righteousness with that of Christ, they make void all that Christ has done, and perish without any interest in his salvation.
Thus even the new testament, as externally administered, but not rightly and vitally apprehended, may " kill," no less than the law itself. And so St. Paul has told us, that the word which he preached, whilst " to some it was made a savour of life unto life, became to others a savour of death unto death °."]
But, when internally and spiritually received, it '* giveth life"—
o 2 Cor. ii. 16.