he is drawing out the analogy between the laws of sin and of grace, and the position of our LORD JESUS CHRIST as bearing the consequences of the one while preparing to initiate the privileges of the other. In fact the justification of man was the avowed object of every religious system. The Jewish covenant, although so mainly external, nevertheless clearly pointed to this as the ultimate object of desire. Its ordinances, ordained by GoD as equitable requirements on His part for the purpose of enabling men to retain, or else to regain, their title to His covenanted blessings, bore an evident meaning beyond that which attached to them as conditions of participating in the worldly sanctuary. These ordinances are expressed in Greek by a word of kindred etymology with justification, and it may perhaps help us for the present if we use some word which may exhibit their kindred purpose in like manner. The word "adjustment" is an awkward one, but it is perhaps the only one which supplies the want. The law provided adjustments of worship (Heb. ix. 1, dixaιúμata λargeías), by which man might have acquired a title to communion with Him if he could have kept them in spirit and in truth. By the adjustment of GOD (Rom. i. 32, Tò dixaíwμa Toũ OsoŨ,) death was the universal penalty of sin; but much as the Jews misunderstood it His just rule made it evident that "if the uncircumcision should keep the adjustments of the law" (Rom. ii. 26, тà dixaιúμata Tou vóμov)-evidently in this its true and moral requirements-they should be reckoned among His people. The outward Jewish ritual was indeed " a parable for the time then present according to which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience." It supplied only "adjustments of the flesh" (Heb. ix. 9, 10, xaμaσi σapxóc). It nevertheless δικαιώμασι σαρκός). pointed faithful worshippers, such as Zacharias and Elizabeth, who "walked in all the commandments and adjustments of the LORD blameless" (S. Luke i. 6, dixaμаσi тоu Kupioυ), to a justification which they felt to be still beyond their reach. He who would fulfil the law according to its true intent and spiritual integrity must be possessed of the Divine Spirit of Him from whom the law proceeded. Many were striving after a righteousness which should exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, but our LORD came in the power of the HOLY GHOST to exhibit for the first time this complete adjustment of the law; to fulfil the law by obedience to its outward letter and its inward spirit, and to fulfil all righteousness for the time to come, that is, to make righteousness full with the power of GoD. We see, therefore, that since "the law was weak through the flesh, GOD sent His Son that the adjustment of the law might be fulfilled in us who walked not after" the weakness of "the flesh" in which we were born, "but after" the power of "the SPIRIT" of GOD whereby we are regenerated in CHRIST (Rom. viii. 4, Tò dixxíwμa тoũ vóμov). The work of

CHRIST, then, in thus setting us right with GOD is the exact reversal of the work of Adam, by which we were put in the wrong, and lost the gift of the Divine SPIRIT as an inherent power of original righteousness. The two are contrasted forcibly by S. Paul, who gives us the analogy of fall and restoration in a mere antithetical statement without grammatical connexion. "As by one transgression, unto all men, unto condemnation: So also by one adjustment, unto all men, unto justification of life," (Rom. v. 18, di' Évòs dixaiúμatos.) "The gift of grace" recalls the whole world in CHRIST "from many offences"-by which they had aggravated Adam's sin and carried out "the judgment" which they inherited "by one" to its full results in their own "condemnation"—" to adjustment, "(Rom. v. 16, siç dixalupa.) The time of being set right with GOD having thus come (Heb. ix. 10, xaipos dioftwσews), we are, by grace, partakers of CHRIST's adjustment, and a justification of life, a living inherent justification by virtue of fellowship with the Divine SPIRIT, is the result. The book of the Revelation which exhibits the world paying the penalty which is the original due of sin (Rom. i. 32) All nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy adjustments are made manifest," Rev. xv. 4, τὰ δικαιώματά σου)-exhibits also the saints who have walked in renewed life as justified in CHRIST; for S. John saw that "to the Lamb's wife was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white; for the fine linen is the adjustments of the saints,” (Rev. xix. 8, τὰ δικαιώματα τῶν ἁγίων).

From this review of all the passages in which the word "adjustment or dixaiaua, occurs, we see that justification is a result of the adjustment of CHRIST, Who fulfilled the requirements of the law, and is also the beginning of a living power whereby we may perform the adjustments of the law in spirit and in truth.. Justification therefore is not a mere external difference in the estimate which God makes of us, but it is a change wrought in ourselves so that we are made worthy of GOD. It is the gift of life to us who were dead. It is the gift of the power of the SPIRIT, So that we may retain that worthiness which has been given to us by abiding in the terms of our New Covenant. It is such a power as invests the Bride of CHRIST with acts of glory, which GoD accepts and shall regard with pleasure through the ages of eternity. Our justification is not a mere forensic decree setting us at liberty from certain penalties, but it is a "justification of life." (Rom. v. 18, dixaiwois Cons.) We are set at liberty from the penalty of sin by the death of CHRIST: but we need something more than this. Our justification is therefore expressly connected, not with the death, but with the resurrection of CHRIST; our new life with His new life. "He was delivered because of our transgressions, and was raised again because of our justification." (Rom. iv. 25, éyépon διὰ δικαίωσιν ἡμῶν.)

tion, as a communication of the life of the risen SAVIOU is death, so righteousness is life. When dead in sin "the servants of sin unto death," being now made alive as our righteousness, we are pledged as "the servants of unto righteousness." (Rom. vi. 16, úжaxoñs eis dixasoσúr way for CHRIST's adjustment which initiated our justific prepared by the law. Indeed the real Divine purpose of dispensation was to prepare the way for this whilst als tally convincing man of his own natural incapacity. the end of the law for righteousness," (siç dixas) — about righteousness" to every one that believeth. F describeth the righteousness which is of the law (Tŷ'r dixcr ἐκ τοῦ νόμου) that He Who doeth those things as a man in them." (Rom. x. 4, 5.) Now the law gave no power t plish its enactments, and CHRIST was the first man who so as to exhibit its righteousness. The law from Mount S calculated to show forth man's sinfulness, and to mark perfection of CHRIST's righteousness. CHRIST is the en Old Law and the beginning of the New. "Out of Zi gone forth the law for us, "and the Word of the Lo Jerusalem," (Isaiah ii. 3.) This new law of life in CHRIS with the quickening, enabling fact of our justification, an us on by obedience and spiritual adjustments of Divine life justification and life eternal. "If there had been a lay could have given life righteousness should have been by th of Moses; but righteousness must begin by the gift of life. just shall live by faith," (Rom. i. 17; Gal. iii. 11; Heb. Without life there is no righteousness. Justification is t a gift of living righteousness to the faithful in CHRIST now shall, if kept, lead on to "the crown of righteousness wh LORD the righteous Judge shall give" to His faithful pe that day." (2 Tim. iv. 8, ó τs dixaioσúvys oтépavos). The be revealed " a new heaven and a new earth wherein d righteousness." (2 S. Pet. iii. 13 ἐν οἷς δικαιοσύνη κατοικεί members of CHRIST "we by the Spirit wait for the hope of teousness by faith.” (Gal. v. 5, ἐλπίδα δικαιοσύνης ἀπεκδεχόμεθα. glory of that righteousness shall consist in the participation throne of CHRIST, and the glory of our present justification co in a participation of the life of CHRIST. "If ye know that He is teous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is b Him." (1 S. John ii. 29, i oν Tv dixaιoσúvnv.) “In this are fest the children of GoD and the children of the devil :" "H doeth righteousness is righteous even as He is righteous," (1 S iii. 10, 7, ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην δικαιός ἐστι) : and we have re the Spirit of adoption for this very end, that we may be " with the fruits of righteousness which are through JESUS C

unto the glory and praise of GOD," (Phil. i. 11, xxрräv dixαιons). Therefore the gospel is described as "the power of GOD unto salvation to every one that believeth, for the righteousness of GoD is revealed in it from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith." (Rom. i. 16, 17, dixion Beo.) The Gospel is the revelation of the righteousness of GOD, given to us as our life.

This gift of life enabling us who of ourselves must ever be "unprofitable servants" to yield ourselves in obedience after the likeness of CHRIST "a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto GOD, which is our reasonable service, as Christians, is "the mystery hidden from the ages and generations," (Col. i. 26,) "of which the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto us, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of CHRIST which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of CHRIST and the glory that should follow; unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported by them that have preached the Gospel with the HOLY GHOST sent down from heaven," (1 S. Pet. i. 10-12.) They were indeed in the consummation of all things to partake of this glory, but their life on earth was to close with their earnest desire unrealized. Until the HOLY GHOST was given and CHRIST glorified, the living justification could not be imparted to any, for it is a consequence of CHRIST's resurrection. The worthies of the Old Testament therefore waited as "prisoners of hope to be delivered out of the pit wherein was no water," (Zech. ix. 11); but when CHRIST had descended into hell, then "many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after His resurrection," (S. Matt. xxvii. 53.) "The Gospel was " at length "preached to them that were dead that" though they must be judged according to men in the flesh" for what they had done in the body, yet they might attain what their own efforts could not avail to procure, and might "live according to GOD in the Spirit." (1 S. Pet. iv. 6.) "These all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: GOD having provided some better thing for us, that they without us," that is, before the justification of CHRIST was revealed, "should not be made perfect," (Heb. xi. 39, 40); but now "unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of GOD," (Eph. iii. 10); and "CHRIST hath made in Himself of twain one new man, coming and preaching peace to us that were far off, and to them that were nigh," (Eph. ii. 15, 17); so that we in Him " are come to the city of the living GOD... to the general assembly and Church of the first-born ... and to the spirits of just men made perfect." "In Him every one that believeth is justified from all things from which men could not be justified by the law of Moses," (Acts

xiii. 89,) justified, not by the mere removal of outward ritual impurity, "the filthiness of the flesh," but by "the answer of a good conscience toward GOD," since "baptism saves us by virtue of the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST." (1 S. Pet. iii. 21.) "He that is dead is justified from sin," (Rom. vi. 7, dedixalwτai,) and "as CHRIST was raised from the dead by the glory of the FATHER, SO we also are to walk in newness of life," for "we are dead unto sin, but alive unto GOD in CHRIST JESUS Our LORD." (Rom. vi. 4, 11.)

This description of our justification gathered from various parts of Holy Scripture exhibits to us the scheme of the Gospel as a system by admission to which we were justified at the first and in which we are to abide by good works, so that we may be found in the fruitful glory of His justification at the great day. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of GoD, and are to be justified," are to be perfected according to the law of CHRIST's justifying life, not by the unaided efforts of natural obedience, but "freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS." (Rom. iii. 24, dixαιúμevos.) This justifying life which is held by us now δικαιούμενοι.)1 under certain conditions of probation shall be the permanent glory of the redeemed in heaven according to the words of the angel, "He that is righteous, let him be righteous still," (Rev. xxii. 11, ¿ δίκαιος δικαιωθήτω ἔτι),—justified by an inalienable habit of perfected righteousness, acknowledged by all creation in the likeness of CHRIST who was the foundation of his life of righteousness upon earth, and with whom he now appears that he may dwell with Him for ever in glory.

How

We have now traced out the Scriptural teaching upon justification sufficiently far to see that it does not mean merely an imputation of righteousness but a gift of righteousness." He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD." (Prov. xvii. 15.) then can this be the very attribute of God Himself that He justifieth the ungodly? (Rom. iv. 5, dixaιouvтa tòv àσεß.) Clearly δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἀσεβῆ.) because He can justify the ungodly in a way that no one else can. He can create man anew in CHRIST JESUS unto good works," (Eph. ii. 10,) so that by the Divine Justification the sinner actually ceases to be what he was. GOD therefore passes no false verdict, accounting sinners to be what they are not; but the work of restoring grace in CHRIST is an act of spiritual creation, making "those who were sometime darkness to be light in the LORD." (Eph. v. 8.) So in the Psalm to which the Apostle refers as describing the blessedness of the free gift of righteousness, so

1 On the distinction between the continual process implied by the present participle and the initiating act of God through which we were justified by faith at the beginning of our Christian life, vide Sermon II. in Chamberlain's Theory of Christian Worship.