THE NEW EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE, AND Theological Review. SEPTEMBER, 1815. ON THE MERITORIOUS GROUND OF JUSTIFICATION. DIVINES have distinguished the obedience of Christ into active and passive. By his active obedience they mean the perfect conformity of his heart and life in this world to the precepts of the moral law. By his passive obedience they intend his sufferings, and particularly his death. Though this distinction be somewhat inaccurate, since Christ was not merely passive, but voluntary and active in laying down his life, (John x. 17, 18.) otherwise it could not be considered as obedience at all; yet I do not object so much to the distinction itself, as to the use which is made of it to support a train of reasoning very opposite to what I apprehend to be the doctrine of Scripture upon this importare subject. of his own sin: but it is altogether inconclusive when applied to the death of the JUST ONE voluntarily suffering for the unjust in obedience to the commandment of his heavenly Father. This certainly was the highest act of obedience or righteousness that can possibly be conceived. In following out the above principle, they proceed to deny that sinners are justified by the death of Christ, in direct opposition to the plain testimony of Scripture. (See Isa. liii. 11. Rom. iii. 24, 25. v. 9. viii. 32. 2 Cor. v. 21. Gal. ii. 21.) They reason thus, "If his suffering the penal sanction of the law was not righteousness, it cannot with any propriety be said that he is made righteousness to us by placing his suffering and death to our account, but only by imputing that to us which was his righteousness, viz. his active obedience to the preceptive part of the law." Ibid. p. 8. Some assume it as a self-evident principle, that obedience or righteousness is essentially different from suffering punishment, and argue, "That as obedience includes not suffering penalty; so suffering But if Christ's death is not righpunishment includes not righteous-teousness, and does not justify us, ness. "Thus they exclude Christ's I ask, what is the use or design of death from being any part of his it at all? In forming an answer to obedience, and absolutely deny this they are obliged to distinguish that it can be considered as righ-justification from the remission of teousness at all. Such reasoning sins. Justification, may they, is a may indeed apply to the death of positive act; it is the imputation a criminal suffering the punishment of righteousness; but pardon is a * See Mr. Brine's Sermon on the imputation of Christ's active obedience to his people, p. 7. Many other authors might be quoted to the same purpose. VOL. I. 2 L. negative act, or a mere non-impu- It is not enough that we hold all tation of sin; which two acts do the articles of the christian faith not include each other, but proceed in some sense or other. We must upon different grounds; the former enter into the scripture ideas of upon Christ's active obedience, the them, and consider their proper latter upon his death. Ibid. p. 8. place and connection in the geneYet it is remarkable, that the ral system of divine truth, with the apostle Paul, who handles this particular ends which the word of subject most accurately, finds the God assigns to each. Every thing positive act of imputing righte- that Christ did both in his life and ousness included in what they term death was of vast importance in its the negative act of forgiving or place, and in relation to the great not imputing sin; see Rom. iv. ends of his mission; but yet every 6-9. from which it appears that thing he did had not the same parhe was unacquainted with the mo- ticular end, nor the same direct dern scholastic distinctions upon and immediate influence in prothis subject. curing justification that his death had, though subservient to that end. What I intend on this important subject will fall under the following propositions with their scripture proofs: I. That justification consists in the remission of sins, and acceptance into a state of favour with God. II. That the direct and immediate procuring cause of justification is the death of Christ, or his atoning blood, which was shed on earth, and presented to God in the heavenly sanctuary. III. That Christ's perfect conformity to the moral law, or the spotless holiness of his heart and But though we were to admit this unscriptural distinction, it affords no answer to the question; for if Christ's death were not righteousness or obedience, as is alledged, then it must necessarily follow, that it has nothing of merit or moral worth in it; and how, in that case, could it possibly procure even the non-imputation of sin, or be a sufficient ransom price to redeem an innumerable multitude unto God, as the Scriptures affirm? Matt. xx. 28. 1 Tim. ii. 6. Rev. v. 9. There are indeed many who do not carry matters quite so far. They admit that justification includes both the non-imputation of sin and the imputation of righte-life while in this world, was absoousness; and also acknowledge that lutely necessary to our justification, Christ's death may be considered as contributing to the merit and as part of his righteousness or efficacy of his sacrifice and priestobedience: but then they lay the hood. Having proved the truth of chief stress upon what they term these propositions, I shall take his active obedience to the precepts notice of some objections. of the law throughout his life, which they consider as the main thing the apostle intends by his obedience whereby many are made righteous, in Rom. v. 19. though the same apostle in the preceding context declares, that we are justified or made righteous by his blood, ver. 9. and in 2 Cor. v. 21. that it is by Christ's being made sin (i. e. a sin-offering) for us, that we are made the righteousness of God in him, i. e. justified. I. That justification consists in the remission of sins, and acceptance into a state of favour with God. The term justification or justify, is used in Scripture in a judicial or forensic sense, and signifies to make one just or righteous, not by an infusion of inherent righteousness, but by an acquittal in judgment. But there are two ways justifying or acquitting in judg ment: If the person is innocent or of righteous, then it is a finding and declaring of him to be just, who was so before. Thus God himself is said to be justified, Rom. iii. 4. and in this sense James speaks of believers being justified by works, which he exemplifies in the case of Abraham, who was declared to be a fearer of God, and approved of him in offering up his son. See Jam. ii. 21-25. Gen. xxii. 12-19. But if the person is guilty then his justification must be his acquittal from the condemnatory sentence of the law, by a free pardon of his crime, and an acceptance of him into a state of favour. Thus God is said to justify the ungodly, Rom. iv. 5. and it is in this sense that the apostle Paul uses the terms justify, justification, and sometimes righteousness, in his epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, aud Galatians. That by justification the apostle means the remission of sins, and acceptance into a state of favour, is evident, 1. From the description he gives of the natural state and character of all mankind without exception. He proves at large that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin, and that the whole world are become guilty before God, Rom. iii. 9, 10, 19, 23. and he also describes the previous character of such as are justified to have been that of sinners, enemies, and ungodly, chap. v. 6, 8, 10. who were without strength, and incapable of being justified by the deeds of the law, which requires perfect personal obedience to that end, chap. iii. 20 x. 5. and denounces the curse upon every one who continueth not in all things written therein to do them, Gal. iii. 10. Now, in what other way can guilty condemned sinners be justified, than by a free remission of their sins, discharging them from the obligation to punishment, and receiving them into favour? Their natural state and character is such that they cannot in truth, or by law be acquitted from having sinned, or from having deserved punishment, these being unalterable facts; yet by a sovereign constitution of grace, beyond the line of the law, they may, consistently both with law and justice, be freely pardoned and accepted as righteous, not working, but believing on him that justifieth the ungodly. That this is what the apostle intends by justification farther appears, the 2. From the pointed description which he gives of that capital blessing. What he terms righteousness of God without the law, and which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe," he explains thus: "Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (Gr. propitiatory) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the REMISSION OF SINS that are past through the forbearance of God: To declare at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him who be lieveth in Jesus." Rom. iii. 21—27. Here we see, that to be justified freely by God's grace is to obtain the remission of sins. It is through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ-through his propitiatoryblood; but the redemption we have through the blood of Christ is expressly and repeatedly declared to be the forgiveness of sins, Eph. i. 7. Col. i. 14. It is obtained through FAITH in his blood, which agrees with the gospel declaration, that "by him all that BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED from all things," Acts xiii. 39. and it is evident that justified in this passage is only another word for obtaining the forgiveness of sins mentioned in the verse immediately preceding. This is also clear, 3. From all those passages which oppose justification to condemnation. See Deut. xxv. 1. 1 Kings viii. 32. Rom. viii, 33, 34. Con tion FROM all things, FROM many offences, signify, but absolution from the guilt of sin and acceptance into favour? 5. Justification is expressed by imputing righteousness, Rom. iv. 3, 4, 5, 9, 22. The apostle takes this expression from Gen. xv. 6. where it is said of Abraham, and he counted (or imputed) it to him (s) unto righteousness." His design in citing this passage is to prove that Abraham was justified by faith and not by works; consequently, that all who believe are justified in the same way. Commenting upon this passage he adopts its phraseology, and instead of saying in his usual style that a man is justified by faith, he expresses the same idea by saying that a man's faith "is counted unto righteousness"-" that faith demnation is the passing of sentence against a person guilty, whereby he is subjected to penalty or punishment, and therefore the justification of a sinner, which is directly opposed to this, must be a sentence of absolution from guilt, and an acquittal from the punishment incurred by it. The apostle by way of challenge asks, "Who" And he believed in the Lord, shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?-who is he that CONDEMNETH?" meaning that no creature can do it with effect, and the reason he gives is, "It is God that JUSTIFIETH, i. e. frees and acquits from every charge by which they were subjected to pupishment. Rom. viii. 33, 34. The law is termed the ministration of DEATH and CONDEMNATION, because it could not give life to sinners, but condemned them to death. In opposition to this the gospel is termed, "The ministration of was reckoned to Abraham unto RIGHTEOUSNESS," i. e. of justifi- righteousness,” ver. 5, 9. i. e. unto cation, 2 Cor iii. 7, 9. because it justification. It is evident that the reveals the way of pardon and ac- blessing conferred by the imputaceptance to life through Christ, tion of righteousness is the redeclaring that "whosoever believeth mission of sins; for the apostle in him shall receive remission of cites David's words to that pursins," Acts x. 43. And as it is only pose, and calls them a description for sin that men stand condemned of the " blessedness of the man by the law of God, so whatever unto whom the Lord IMPUTETH removes the guilt of sin, must free RIGHTEOUSNESS without works;” from the condemnation due to it: the words are, "Blessed are they Now this is completely done in whose iniquities are forgiven, whose justification, and "therefore there sins are covered: Blessed is the is now no condemnation to them man to whom the Lord will not that are in Christ Jesus," Rom. impute sin," ver. 6, 7, 8. Now if to viii. 1. That justification is the have one's sins forgiven, covered, remission of sins is also plain, or not imputed, be a proper description of" the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord IMPUTETH RIGHTEOUSNESS without works," then to have righteous 4. From our being said to be justified from sin: "Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are JUSTIFIED (aroness imputed, or to be justified, Tα) FROM ALL THINGS," (i. e. is to obtain the forgiveness of sins. from all sins) "from which ye 6. Justification is much the same could not be justified by the law as reconciliation to God. The only of Moses." Acts xiii. 39. So like- difference seems to be this, that wise the free gift of righteousness the former respects men considered is said to be (x) "FROM many as sinners, the latter as enemies, offences unto justification." Rom. which is little else than a verbal 7. 16. Now what can justifica-distinction. The apostle having 66 66 said that we are JUSTIFIED by tween an exemption from punishChrist's blood," changes the ex-ment, and a title to that life and pression into our being RECON- blessedness which lies in the enCILED to God by the death of enjoyment of the divine favour. his Son." Rom. v. 9, 10. And in The gospel promise to whosoever his epistle to the Colossians, having believeth is variously expressed, said that they were sometimes such as, "he shall receive the realienated and enemies in their mission of sins"-be "justified mind by wicked works, adds, yet from all things"- "be saved," &c. now hath he RECONCILED in the Acts x. 43. xiii. 38, 39. xvi. 31. body of his flesh through death," Rom. x. 9. but these expressions chap. i. 21, 22. Now the benefit are of the same import, and equiobtained in receiving the recon- valent to that most frequently used ciliation, is the remission of sins; by our Lord, viz. he "shall not for the same apostle says, "that perish, but have eternal life," God was in Christ RECONCILING John iii. 15, 16. v. 24. vi. 40, 47.the world to himself, NOT IM-The redemption in Christ's blood PUTING THEIR TRESPASSES unto them," 2 Cor. v. 19. by which we have the remission of sins, is not a mere freedom from 7. Though justification, as we punishment, or exemption from have seen, consists in the forgive- the curse of the law; for he died ness of sins, yet not exclusive of " for the redemption of the transacceptance into a state of favour gressions that were committed with God. Divine forgiveness is under the first covenant, that they not a mere negative act, as some who are called might reccive the affirm, consisting only of the non-promise of ETERNAL INHERIimputation of sin, and a non-in-TANCE." Heb. ix. 15. which cerfliction of punishment. An earthly tainly means eternal life: for we judge may indeed free a criminal are justified by his grace" from the temporal punishment through that redemption, "that which he deserves, without re- we might be made heirs, accordceiving him into the enjoyment of ing to the hope of ETERNAL his special favour or friendship; LIFE." Tit. iii. 7. The design of but the gospel never represents Christ's being lifted up on the divine forgiveness in this partial cross, and giving his flesh and light, but always includes in it an blood, was to procure the life of acceptance into a state of favour the world, that "whosoever beand entitling to positive happiness. lieveth on him might have eternal Men frequently amuse themselves life, and be raised up at the last and others with imaginary dis- day," John iii. 14, 15. vi. 51, 53, 54. tinctions, founded merely upon The apostle infers from God's the negative and positive forms of " NOT SPARING his own Son, expression, which often include but DELIVERING HIM UP for us each other, and mean the same all," that "with him also he will thing without any existing medium. freely give us ALL THINGS," Not to perish-not to be con- Rom. viii. 32. which must cerdemned--not to come into con-tainly include all spiritual and demnation, is, in other words, to be saved-to have passed from death unto life-to have everlasting life, John iii. 15, 16, 17. chap. v. 24. So in justification there is no medium between the non-imputation of sin and the imputation of righteousness, nor be eternal blessings. Hence justification is termed JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE, Rom. v. 18. for those who obtain it "shall REIGN IN LIFE by one, Christ Jesus," ver.17. From the whole, it is evident that justification consists in the remission of sins, and acceptance |