that which is much. Who is the man, my hearers, to whom you would most readily confide the whole of your property? He who would disdain to put forth an injurious hand on a single farthing. Of whom would you have the least dread of any unrighteous encroachment? He is the one, all the delicacies of whose principle are awakened when he comes within sight of the dividing limit, which separates justice from injustice. Who is the man whom we shall never find among the greater degrees of iniquity? He who shrinks, with sacred abhorrence, from its smallest degree. Nobleness of condition in life, is not essential as a state for nobleness of character: Nor does a man require to be high in office, to gather around his person the worth and lustre of a high-minded integrity. Humble life may be as rich in moral grace and moral grandeur, as the loftier places of society and refinement. True dignity of principle may be cherished in the breast of a man of the lowest drudgery, as well as in the bosom of him who stands entrusted with the fortunes of an empire. Moreover, that man has the brightest christian character who conscientiously observes all the punctilios of godliness. It is in a humble, and almost unnoticed walk, that he can most effectually prove to his God and his own conscience, that he is a Christian. Hence, the secret walk, the private acts of men, if noble, far the noblest of their lives. And to be faithful in those things that are little, gives the most incontestible evidence, that a man is faithful in that which is much; and consequently entitled to the highest esteem and commendation from his fellow men and the peculiar smile's and approbation of his God. Amen.

SERMON XXI.

ON JUSTIFICATION.

Romans iii. 24.

Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

THE doctrine of justification is one of the main pillars, which supports the Christian religion. It is of great importance that it be rightly understood; for it is essential to the system of divine truth, revealed in the sacred scriptures. And that we may have clear views of this fundamental article of Christianity, let us attend to the context. St. Paul, after showing that by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God, illustrates the present subject in the following manner. But now the righteousness of God without the law, is manifested; being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all, them that believe, for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.

We are now naturally called upon to attend to the explication of the term, justification.

This word is adopted from the proceedings of ju dicial courts; and denotes the acquittal of a person,

tried by such a court, upon an accusation of a crime. The person accused, being upon trial, found innocent of the charge, is declared to be just in the view of the law; and by an easy and natural figure, is said to be justified: That is, he is made, or found to be just. As the allegations, with which he may be charged, cannot be substantiated against him, he is freed from indictment, and pronounced innocent.

Now, in this original, forensick sense of the term, it is obvious' from the declarations of the context, that no human being can be justified by the law, before the bar of God. As all mankind have disobeyed this law, it is clear that he whose judgement is invariably according to truth, must declare them guilty.

Perfect beings are justified by their own obedience; since they fulfil all the demands of the divine law. To them, therefore, the religion of nature is amply sufficient to secure their duty, their acceptance with God, and their final happiness. And as such sustain the character of sinless perfection, their justification is according to a dispensation of perfect righteousness, that renders unto them rewards for personal merit.

But sinful beings cannot thus be justified; because they have not rendered that obedience, which is the only possible ground of justification by law. Consequently, some other ground of justification is absolutely necessary for them, if they be ever accepted and rewarded.

Still the scriptures teach us, 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, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. It is however certain, that justification, when extended to returning sinners, must in some respects, be a thing widely different from justification under the law. A

subject of law is justified only when he is in the full and strict sense, just: that is, when he has completely obeyed its requisitions. In this case, his obedience is the only ground of his justification, and is all that is essential to it; because he has done every thing required of him, and no act of disobedience can be truly laid to his charge.

From this case, that of the penitent under the gospel differs entirely. He has been guilty of innumerable acts of disobedience, which are all truly chargeable to him. Nor can it ever be truly said, that he has not been guilty of them. If, therefore, he be ever justified, it must be in a sense widely different from that which has been already explained. The term is, then, not used in the gospel because its original meaning, is in every sense, strictly intended; but because this term, figuratively used, better expresses the thing intended, than any other. The act of God denoted by this term. as used in the gospel, so much resembles a forensick and legal justification, that the word is naturally, and by an easy translation, adopted to express this act.

Hence, to justify." as the term is used in the gospel, is to absolve from an accusation, and to free from the condemnation of past sin by pardon. Justification, as the term is used in the divine word, stands opposed to condemnation; so that it must essentially consist in the acquittal and forgiveness of transgressions. Hear one of the Proverbs of Solomon, appropriate to the point under consideration. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just; even they both are abomination to the Lord. Again: says the prophet Isaiah, Wo unto them which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous, from him. In both of these expressions it is obvious, from the contrast of the epithets and characters, that to justify the wicked, implies to pardon and acquit them, and to treat them as righteous. And this is the sense

in which the phrase is used in the word of God, when he is said to justify penitent, believing sinners. Therefore, the justification of a sinner, comprises the forgiveness of his sins, the deliverance from their deserved punishment, and entitling him to all the blessings contained in eternal life.

I would now remark, that these three particulars are included in the pardon of sin, if the term pardon be used in its most extensive import. This word is generally used to signify only a partial removal of evil; and not a full, or complete pardon. Let an example be taken for illustration. Suppose a citizen of the United States should commit a crime, for which the law condemned him to stand on the gallows, during one hour, with a rope round his neck. On the day appointed for the disgraceful punishment, a pardon is received from the President; but with this proviso, that the criminal shall never stand as candidate for any publick office, neither be allowed to vote for any candidate to office. Such a pardon would be only a partial removal of evil; for the criminal would be deprived of some of the liberties of a free citizen. A complete pardon would not only remove the disgraceful punishment of the rope and gallows, but it would also entitle him to all the immunities of free citizens, by restoring all those privileges which he would otherwise have enjoyed, had he not committed the crime. Thus, a complete pardon of sin not only gives peace of conscience to the penitent sinner, and delivers him from the threatened penalty of the law; but also places him in such a standing, that he will receive a reward for all those acts which imply true obedience, as if he had never sinned. It is in this light, that we discern the consistency of those scriptural declarations, which teach us that the Lord will reward believers for every good work, and that he will reward every one according to his works. Hence, this is the sense in which we are to understand the term, justification, as used