to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren; saying, I will declare thy name among my brethren; in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again I will put my trust in him." (Isa. lv. 4; Heb. ii. 9, &c.) A leader, worthy to be trusted; because he would never lead in any wrong or forbidden path, and would never give ground to his enemies, but endured all things for the sake of those who would follow him. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for [or by] the unjust that he might lead us to God, [so in the Greek,] being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit." (1 Pet. iii. 18.) In perfect agreement, also, with his character as a leader of the people, and given to them of God for that purpose, to lead them to him, he is the Mediator of the New Testament, the surety of a better testament on God's behalf, and for the benefit and satisfaction of the people, as already shown. Thus he came to be in all things the salvation of God to the ends of the earth, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel.

Other particulars might be named, as his taking away, or bearing the sin of the world, but all these are either included in those already stated, or will be in those subjects yet to be considered in connection with this. But in all these things, which comprehend the purposes of his coming into the world, there is not a word of his righteousness, or what he has done and suffered, being imputed to believers for their justification. Neither is there any prospect of any man's being a partaker with Christ in his salvation and his glory, unless he first partake with him in his sufferings and death, unless he embrace the same faith of Christ, to do the will of God, walking as he walked. "For in that he died, he died unto sin once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord." "For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer we shall also reign with him : if we deny him, he will also deny us." (Rom. vi. 10, 11; 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12.).

THE

CHAPTER VIII.

SUBJECT CONTINUED, BY INQUIRING INTO THE NATURE AND DESIGN OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST, AND WHETHER IT IS IMPUTED TO US FOR JUSTIFICATION.

BUT it will be alleged that if we inquire directly into the purposes and effects of his death, we will find the doctrine of justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ well supported. We shall, therefore, inquire into his death in relation to those points, or why

it was necessary for him to die. And seeing he became man, and was subject to the ordinary infirmities of humanity, it was necessary, in the order of things, that he should experience the dissolution of the animal life, by putting off the earthly man, and should pass into glory as the proper forerunner of his people, and that his victory and triumph should be proclaimed for the encouragement of others to come forth in his name to the same reward. "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?" "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations." (Luke xxiv. 26, 46, 47.)

It was necessary he should die to confirm the new covenant, that is, the testament or will, and secure the inheritance, according to order, to the heirs of the promise. Thus it was necessary, not only that he should live a minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made to the fathers, but also, as no testament or will is confirmed until after the death of the legator, and as it was impossible for God to die, but possible for his surety of the better testament, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, it was necessary that he should die, that by his death he might confirm the legatees in the possession of the inheritance; having faithfully kept the covenant himself, and never forfeited the right of inheritance to his seed. "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first testament, they who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.” (Heb. ix. 15–18.) But this was only a shadow or sign for the time then present. For the first testament was imperfect, so that the transgressions which were under it could not be redeemed, that is, done away, and the people redeemed from them. For in that testament there was no real death of the testator, all things being in shadows; no real testator had ever appeared, capable of the suffering of death; neither had any been found to condemn sin in the true seat of it, the flesh, and set the example of dying to sin and living to God, as Jesus did, putting his people on the true line, according to the law of the Spirit of life, to come into the possession of the promised inheritance. But when Christ thus appeared as the mediator of the new and better testament, he consecrated the new and living way through the vail, that is to say, his flesh, and put the heirs on the safe way to the inheritance, redeeming them from all their transgressions, and then confirmed the whole by his death.

It was necessary that he should die, and visit the dark abodes of departed spirits, and return again amongst the living, that his triumphant victory over death and sin might be made known to all, his salvation proclaimed, and his government established as head over all things to the Church. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."

66

"For, for this cause was the Gospel preached to the dead also, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to [the purpose and work of] God in the Spirit;" accordingly the quick and the dead shall all be judged by one judge and on the same principles.

The learned Macknight, of Scotland, seems to have been compelled, by the irresistible force of literal truth, to translate vexpoîs, [necrois] correctly, the dead, which, as it would seem, to avoid giving support to the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory, or any other prospect of the Gospel's being a remedy for souls out of the earthly tabernacle, (which last idea the simple and natural translation confirms,) he has given a very unnatural and forced translation, or rather construction of the whole together, to compel the phrase, the dead, to mean in sin, notwithstanding the evident contrast stated by the words of the Apostle, between the dead and those in the flesh, which by such a construction is lost. For it is remarkable that the Apostle in the whole of this discourse hath used the term flesh, in one uniform sense, meaning the animal body. And as though he proposedly avoided the confusion of ideas which would arise by using the same words in different meanings, he hath used these two phrases, lusts of men, and will of the Gentiles, to express the evils commonly ascribed to the flesh.

But the words of the apostle Paul are not to be omitted, which serve as a farther elucidation of this subject. For concerning Christ he saith: 66 And, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross: wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow, of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the earth; and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. ii. 8-11.) The Greek word translated things, in our English Bibles, is so translated without reason; which may easily be perceived by the common reader, because inanimate and unconscious beings are not expected to bow the knee in the name of Jesus. This is only expected of those who are capable subjects of his salvation, or of the contemplation of his character and works. This text therefore, irresistibly relates to the worship paid to him and to God in his name by the inhabitants of heaven and of earth and of those under the earth, that is, of those who have departed from the material body, which they have left in the earth, but have not ascended to heaven, having not yet been saved.

He died to set forth and recommend the love of God to a dying world of men for their salvation, and to engage them to follow him and live to him who died for them. "But God hath commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life ;" if we make it our own by living as he lived. "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died

for all, that they who live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them and rose again." (Rom. v. 8, 9, 10; 2 Cor. v. 14, 15.)

These things comprehend the purposes and effects of the death of Christ in general terms. They might be stated in a number of different manners according to the variety of language used in the Scriptures, to express by various phrases one and the same thing. But to notice all these expressions distinctly would be unnecessary. My purpose is to satisfy and convince those who are in search of the truth, that there is no such doctrine as that of justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ, contained or supported in the Scripture account of the purposes and effects of his coming into the world and dying. But it may be alleged that although the point cannot be proved by considering the subject in general terms, it can, by descending to particulars, and that there are a number of concise and well-expressed arguments contained in plain Scriptures, which have not been introduced, by which it can be confirmed. We shall now have recourse to these, after once more reminding the reader of the unaccountableness, not to say the injustice of the notion, that God should fix the justification or final salvation of men, on that ground, which is not once named in all the revelations which he hath made on those subjects: that is, justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ as their surety, to pay their debt to law and justice in their room. We have seen that no such character belongs to Christ, consequently the fabric which is built on it must fall. But let us pro

ceed:

"Christ died for the ungodly," and "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (Rom. v. 6, 8.) "Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh." (1 Pet. iv. 1.) Hence it is concluded, that he died as a surety or substitute in our room and stead. And it is farther argued, that the proposition "for" [èp] signifies "in the room and stead of." If that be true, then Christ died [ep] in the room and stead of our sins, that they might not die but be saved; for it is written, "That Christ died for our [ep] sins." (1 Cor. xv. 3.) But this consequence is not only false, but too absurd to be admitted. The argument, therefore, from which it is fairly drawn, that is, that "for," [Up] necessarily signifies "in the room and stead of," is false. But the Apostle hath stated the nature and design of Christ's suffering for us, for our sakes, on our account, or in our cause, that we might follow his example; "For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." (1 Pet. ii. 21.) Thus while believers are engaged in the cause of Christ as he suffered for them, they also suffer for him.. "For to you it is given in the behalf of Christ, [ep Xplor] not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake [UTEP avrs.] (Phil. i. 29.) So in another place, the Apostle, speaking of the Gospel, saith, "Whereof I, Paul, am made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for [ep] you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, [irip r owμaros aurs] which is the church." (Col. i. 24.) And John, "In him we have known love, because he laid down his life for [rsp] us; and we ought to lay down our lives for [ep] the

brethren." (1 Jno. iii. 16.) These authorities are sufficient to show us and all candid men, that the doctrine of Christ's dying for us and for our sins, contains in it no foundation for that of his dying in our room and stead, or of vicarious obedience or sufferings, proxy payment, or surety righteousness, or the righteousness of Christ in any other character imputed to believers, on any account unless by doing as he did and being righteous on the same principle with him. that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous."

"He

But another argument for justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ, is that righteousness is imputed to them that believe. Hence it is concluded, that this righteousness which is imputed must be the surety righteousness of Christ. But we have before seen that whatever righteousness is imputed, or whatever was imputed for righteousness, was that which existed in the man, his own faith accompanied by obedience to the extent of what was required in every case. Although faith alone will never save any man, or establish any man in an abiding state of justification, it may introduce him into the path. For he who believes the truth on sufficient evidence and agrees to it in his heart, with determination to obey, has done all he can do until something farther offers; he is therefore justified. Thus Abraham's faith was counted, reckoned, or imputed to him for righteousness. But in what spirit or practice was it imputed to him? of obedience or disobedience? Not of disobedience but of obedience. For when God commanded him to circumcise all the males in his house, had he refused, or had he not from the time of believing stood in the spirit of obedience to God as far as his duty was made known, his justification had been null, and that which was imputed to him for righteousness would not have been thus imputed. And on the same principle of obedience was righteousness to be imputed to Abraham's family, whether Gentiles or Jews. "For in Jesus Christ

neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." And again; "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God." (Gal. v. 6. 1 Cor. vii. 19.) For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness, and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, being yet uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed to them also; and the father of the circumcision, to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had yet being uncircumcised." (Rom. iv. 9, 11, &c.) And what were the steps of that faith of Abraham? Obedience; which appears in every case, and by works was faith made perfect. Deny it if ye can. But "he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification." (Rom. iv. 20, &c.)