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long desired, and now at length revealed, the phraseology is clear and definite. "Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth no sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Ps. xxxii. 2.) latter clause of the verse contains the reason of the former. GOD imputes not sin, because He has actually taken it away by the gift of grace. He is therefore "just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. iii. 26. δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ TiσTEWS 'Inaou.) Nay, more than this; His own justice is pledged πίστεως to the justification of those who, with penitent confession, seek the remission of sins in the Church of CHRIST. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 S. John i. 9.) If we are to be justified before GOD, we must not only be forgiven but we must be cleansed. The ceremonial law could effect an outward restoration, but now, by "the ministration of righteousness," (2 Cor. iii. 9, ἡ διακονία τῆς δικαιοσύνης) “ the Holy GHOST is shed on us abundantly, that being justified by His grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Tit. iii. 6, 7, dixawlétes Tη EXEívou xáρITI.) Justification therefore is nothing less than "the creation of the new man after GOD in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph. iv. 24, ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ὀσιότητι τῆς ἀληθείας.) It is here in ordinances of grace the investiture, as hereafter, when the throne shall be set, it will be the final acknowledgment and confirmation to us of the privileges of CHRIST'S Body, "who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Cor. i. 30, δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ἁγιασμὸς καὶ ἀποAUTPwσis.) "We were washed, we were sanctified, we were justified λύτρωσις.) in the name of the LORD JESUSs and by the Spirit of our GOD." (1 Cor. vi. 11, dixaints.) "It is GOD that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth ?" (Rom. viii. 33, Oeòs ó dixav.) Hence "if any man sin, we know that we admitted to this justifying fellowship with CHRIST, have an advocate with the FATHER, JESUS CHRIST the righteous." (1 S. John ii. 1.)

While then it is readily admitted that the verb to justify (dixasov) may commonly mean to pronounce righteous' it clearly means when used with reference to God's justification of the sinner, 'to make righteous.' The two senses are of course closely connected with each other. To pronounce righteous is to send a man off acquitted of the charge which was upon him, when such a charge has been preferred. To make man righteous is the first step towards pronouncing him righteous in the great day. Redemption, or the removal of the power of sin by the death of CHRIST would be of no avail if there were no power to apply it. We are not here by nature merely as criminals expecting the sentence of death, in which case we might conceive that CHRIST's suffering the penalty of death for us-in one word His redemption-would save us from having to undergo the same, and we might live for ever to

within ourselves, 'by nature,' the sentence of death that we not trust in ourselves but in GOD which raiseth the des delivered us from so great a death." (2 Cor. i. 9.) We remain still "dead in sins' unless the redemption wro CHRIST had been made available by the power of His resur Now, therefore, "being risen together with CHRIST," we tified, for "we are made the righteousness of GOD in H Cor. v. 21, γινώμεθα δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.) The reversal fall by the work of grace is consequently complete, "that hath reigned in the condition of death, even so may grac through righteousness unto eternal life by JESUS CHRI LORD." (Rom. v. 21, διὰ δικαιοσύνης.) The state of cation is a state of restored divine life given upon conditio tending to eternal life, just as the state of fallen man was of death beginning here and to be revealed hereafter.

After this description which has been gathered mainly out writings of S. Paul, there can no doubt remain of the neces good works not merely as evidences of faith but as condit preserving that gift of justification or divine life which w received. "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves s to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of si death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. vi. 16, siç dixaioσúvny.) Not only therefore shall we, if we are since if we would be safe, we must, as the condition of attaining to teousness hereafter, "yield our members servants to the righteousness unto holiness." (Rom. vi. 19.) It still remain that "the wages of sin is death," (Rom. vi. 23) and "now made free from sin and become servants to GOD," we ha choice left us. We must "have our fruit unto holiness, an end "thereof will be everlasting life." (Rom. vi. 22.) Or we be cast out as unprofitable servants in outer darkness; there be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (S. Matt. xxv. 30.)

This is exactly in accordance with what S. James has w At our baptism we took upon us the service of GOD. Wi profession of CHRIST save us without the obedience of CH Though we are GOD's children, and have been made "free sin," we are none the less "GOD's servants," and "shall be ju by the law of freedom," to which we are now subject. S. warns us over and over again, that by the very fact of being free from sin, we are made servants, or rather bondsmen, to S. James warns us of the same in saying we shall be judge the law of freedom, that law which GOD has imposed upon whom He has set free from sin that they may be His serv Will it then be enough to say we have chosen GOD's service u we have kept it? "What doth it profit though a man say he faith and have not works? Can faith save him?" (S. James ii.

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If we are content with words instead of deeds in our dealings one towards another, then we may be content with a merely inactive profession to Almighty God. We may on the contrary be well convinced that "faith without works is dead, being alone." (S. James ii. 17.) We became "servants of obedience unto righteousness (Rom. vi. 16), and unless we can show the work of obedience we shall not attain that final righteousness to which the law of obedience should now lead us. We are called to works as a condition preparatory to receiving that inalienable righteousness and everlasting life; "Ye see then," says S. James (ii. 24), "how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only." The devils once were amongst the host of heaven. When they ceased from active obedience, they lost their heavenly life. They believe and tremble still, but their faith does not deliver them from death. So the habit also of faith itself infused into the regenerate soul loses the Divine vitality of grace unless that grace be used in those good works which GOD hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph. ii. 10.) "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (S. James ii. 26.) True it is that "having been justified by faith we had access into this grace wherein we stand" (Rom. v. 1, 2, dixaιwlévтes x TiσTEWs); but the justification of the great day will be dependent upon our "having brought forth such fruit unto holiness" that we may receive "the end" of our calling, which is "everlasting life." (Rom. vi. 22.) "If any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." So is one who has received a knowledge of the life of CHRIST, after Whose Image he is formed, and does not order his life according to it. "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of freedom, and continueth therein [not allowing "sin" any longer "to have dominion," since he knows himself to be "not under the law but under grace," (Rom. vi. 14)], he being not a "forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (S. James i. 23-25.)

Thus does the harmonious teaching of the Apostles illustrate the primary declaration of our LORD, when He says, "except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (S. Matth. v. 20.) That righteousness would not exceed the other, which consisted merely in a forensic exculpation. But Christian righteousness must exceed Jewish righteousness. That is, it must be of a higher order (so Alford in loc.) literally, it "must abound much more than theirs," being prolific in good works as a condition of final acceptance. And what is the ground of this thus abounding? It is because of what had been said just before. CHRIST "came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil,"-to fulfil it by obe

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thority. His righteousness is the foundation of the righte of His people. "Other foundation can no man lay than laid, which is JESUS CHRIST. Now, if any man build up foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubbl man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall de because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall tr man's work of what sort it is." (1 Cor. iii. 11-13.) N Jewish or fictitious will stand upon this foundation. The la pared the way for this exceeding righteousness, for "it that sin might become manifold," showing the variety of points of attack. The grace, however, which is in CHRIST, than equal to the requirements. "Where sin became ma grace did much more abound," and this " grace is to reign th our "righteousness," which must exceed that of the Scrib Pharisees "unto everlasting life through" our incorporatio "JESUS CHRIST our LORD," (Rom. v. 20, 21.) This righ ness never could have been effected in any by the Law, Law was intended to lead men onward to its acquisition. works of the Law could no flesh be justified in GoD's sight, the Law was the knowledge of sin.". The Law was not gi order to bring about man's justification, but to convince sin. But our LORD came calling us to "seek the kingdom and the righteousness of GOD" (S. Matt. vi. 33, T dixa AUTOũ); and "now," by a new dispensation "distinct from the the righteousness of GOD has been manifested, being witnes the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of GOD th faith of JESUS CHRIST unto all and upon all them that beli (Rom. iii. 20-22. δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως Ι. Χ.) Righ ness as an indwelling power and law of life, contrasted with

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1 Alford (in loco) says: "Unto (for the benefit of) all and upon (' over, to be shed down on,') but no real difference of meaning from eis: this repet prepositions to give force is peculiar to Paul." This is uncritical and shall to say irreverent.

Jowett says: "Of the two prepositions, eis represents the more internal a ritual relation of the Gospel to the individual soul, as ení its outward connexi mankind collectively." To this we can only say,-Why? The distinction purely arbitrary.

Peile comes nearer the meaning; "eis-looking towards, designed and for: ni-brought home to, realized unto." But this is not enough,

eis expresses the righteousness of CHRIST coming to us from without as a g ἐπί expresses it, as placed upon us, laying hold of us, moulding us to itself, law of life into which His members are brought. It corresponds very mu that other phrase of the Apostle," the form of doctrine into which ye were deliv i. e. which ye took upon you. So, "Take My yoke upon (èπí) you." (S. xi. 29.)

These two prepositions express with grammatical nicety the theological tr respects our justification. We are justified by identification with the righteo of CHRIST, which faith accepts when first brought to us, and which obedien tains abiding upon us. The eis without the éri would be of no avail. And what S. James enforces.

eousness as a straining after some external rule, is the characteristic of the kingdom of GOD; for which reason, doubtless, our LORD names the two together. "The righteousness which is of faith ( Ex TiσTEWS dixaιooúvn) speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring CHRIST down from above) or Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up CHRIST from the dead.)-[as if the righteousness whereby we must be justified were one altogether external to ourselves]-But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. [so that we must be justified finally and attain salvation by letting our lives and conversation exhibit that indwelling righteousness which was given to us as the reward of hearty faith] -for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. x. 6, 7, 8, 10. πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην.) This justification of life by the power of the indwelling SPIRIT communicated from CHRIST the Head, is the distinguishing glory of the kingdom of GOD. It is conveyed to us individually by the Sacraments of CHRIST'S Church, as is expressed in the text just quoted, where "the word " "the word of faith" (τὸ ῥῆμα, τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς πίστεως) and the confession (ὁμολογήσης) evidently point to outward ordinances as supplying the rule of the whole life. The righteousness and life of CHRIST being thus conveyed to us, we find S. Paul describing the Christian priesthood as exercising "the ministration of righteousness," ( diaxovía Tys Eixaιoσúvns,) inasmuch as they are "ministers not of the letter, δικαιοσύνης,) which killeth, but of the spirit, which giveth life." (2 Cor. iii. 6, 9.) Thus then in the kingdom of CHRIST, now that the righteousness of CHRIST is revealed as the pattern, the original, the foundation, the living principle, the communicated strength of our righteousness," we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD." (2 Cor. iii. 18.)

Let us now at length see how far the doctrine of justification can be illustrated from the grammatical connexion in which the act of justification is expressed. Although the forensic idea does not meet the theological requirements of the case, yet of course this idea lies at the bottom of the expression. We stand at the bar of GOD'S judgment, and our true forensic justification is that which will be pronounced at the last day, to which the mediatorial kingdom of CHRIST is leading us forward. GOD could not pronounce us righteous then, unless He had made us righteous now. We must therefore remember the distinction which has been already frequently noticed between our primary justification, in that we are made righteous by grace, and our final justification, if we persevere so as to be pronounced righteous in the day of revelation. The present acts of grace, however, participate somewhat of the final act of judgment. They are given with discrimination, and not by arbi