who hear it, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. For it is,
1. An humiliating doctrine —
[It brings down all men upon a level ; so far, at least, that they must renounce all dependence on themselves, and seek for salvation solely through the righteousness of another. It leaves no room for any man to boast, or to glory in any thing that he possesses. The best, as well as the worst, must owe their salvation simply and entirely to Christ, from first to last ]
2. An unaccommodating doctrine —
[It will not bend to men's prejudices or passions : nor must its advocates " give way to any one, no, not for an hour." Moral works, as well as ceremonial, must be excluded utterly from the office of justifying the soul; and the whole glory must be given to Christ alone ]
3. A peremptory doctrine —
[It appeals not to our reason, but demands assent to its dictates. It requires the most perfect submission to all that it inculcates ; and threatens with eternal damnation every one who withholds his assent from its truths, or his obedience to its commands. Its plain declaration is, " He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; and he that believeth not shall be damned."
On these grounds, I say, it is hated. It is esteemed licen- tious, bigoted, severe : licentious, as denying any merit to works, and therefore cutting off all motives for the perform- ance of them ; bigoted, as admitting of no relaxation, but binding all persons to receive it simply as it is ; and severe, as denouncing such heavy judgments on all who cannot bring their minds to embrace it.]
The Apostle clearly supposes that this character is essential to the Gospel ; and that it will, to the remotest ages, give the same offence. We inquire therefore,
II. Why it can never cease to do so —
Two reasons may be assigned ;
1. The Gospel must ever remain the same —
[No alteration has ever taken place in it, or ever can take place. It is a revelation of the way which God has devised for the salvation of fallen man. He gave up his only-begotten Son to die for us, and by his own blood to make an atonement
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