He flees to Chrift continually "to bear the iniquity of his holieft actions"-] Thus he magnifies the law while the objector himself makes it void III. That the perfon, who objects to falvation by faith alone, does indeed make void the law Objections against the doctrine of faith are raised from a pretended regard for the law But the perfon who blends faith and works effectually undermines the whole authority of the law 1. Its commanding power [He is ftriving to do fomething which may ferve in part as a ground of his juflification But he can do nothing which is not imperfect Therefore he fhews that he confiders the law as less rigorous in its demands than it really is Confequently he robs it in a measure of its commanding power 2. Its condemning power [He never thoroughly feels himfelf a loft finner→ He does not freely acknowledge that he might be juftly curfed even for his moft holy actions- He even looks for juftification on account of that which in itself deferves nothing but condemnation-] Thus the advocates for the law are, in fact, its greatest enemies Whereas the advocates for the gospel are the truest friends to the law alfo INFER 1. How abfurd is it for perfons to decide on religion without ever having ftudied its doctrines ! [In human feiences men forbear to lay down their dogmas without fome previous knowledge of the points on which they decide But in theology all, however ignorant, think themselves competent to judge They indeed, who are taught of God, can judge But unenlightened reafon does not qualify us to de termine Let us beware of indulging prejudices against the truthLet us feek to be "guided into all truth by the Holy Spirit"-] 2. How excellent is the falvation revealed to us in the gospel ! [Salvation by faith is exactly fuited to man's neceffities— It is alfo admirably calculated to advance the honour of God Every man that is faved magnifies the law, and confèquently the lawgiver The commanding and condemning power of the law are equally glorified by the finner's dependence on the obedience and fufferings of Chrift But in thofe who are condemned, its fanctions only are ho noured— Thus is the law more honoured in the falvation of one, than in the deftruction of the whole human race Let all then admire and einbrace this glorious falvation-] LXXII. THE WORLD'S AND THE CHRISTIAN'S GOD CONTRASTED. Mic. iv. 5. All people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord God for ever and ever. THERE may be idolatry where there is no outward act of worship The prophet foretells its prevalence even under the gofpel difpenfation — In the words before us he contrafts I. The practice of the world The world at large have other gods befides Jehovah [They do not acknowledge a plurality of gods But they pay to the creature the regard due to God alone→ This, in the fight of God, is no other than idolatry -] Every one has his own peculiar god [Men's purfuits vary according to their fituations in life Age, inclination, intereft, will alfo influence their choiceTheir predominant luft is their god-] "In the name of this god they walk" [They yield obedience to their favourite paffion They depend on it for happiness They delight in it as their jupreme good Ver. 1-4. That Rom. i. 25. That this is their practice appears from Scripture and experience [St. Paul affirms it refpecting all in their unregenerate ftate Every one feels it to be true with refpect to himself- But all do not perfift in this evil way; as appears from II. The determination of the Chriftian The regenerate as well as the unregenerate has his God [He has not the fame god as formerly He now acknowledges God in Chrift to be his God—] [He boldly confeffes his divine Mafter On him he depends for prefent and future bleffings- [He knows the guilt and folly of spiritual idolatry — "for ever and Scripture and experience confirm thefe obfervations alfo [With what energy do the faints of old fpeak on this fubject & !-Every believer now alfo holds the fame language-] INFER 1. The nature of true converfion [Convertion confifts in "turning from idols to the living God" Let us then ferve Chrift, as others ferve the world-] 2. The wisdom of those who are converted [What can the gods of the world do for them?But the Chriftian's God is an all-fufficient and eternal portion Let all, then, imitate the example of Joshua1-] Rom, iii. 10-12. Tit. iii. 3. • Ifai. xxvi. 13. Pf. xvi. 4. f Exod. xxi. 6. See John vi. 68. Pf. lxxiii. 25. Phil. iii. 8. Gal. vi. 14. Judg. x. 14. Elijah's irony may well illuftrate this, 1 Kings xviii. 27. Joh. xxiv. 15. LXXIII. OUR LORD'S DESIRE TO BE GLORIFIED IN HEAVEN. John xvii. 4, 5. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own felf, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. THE promifes of God do not fuperfede the use of prayer They are rather encouragements to it, as being a guide to our defires, and the ground of our hopes- It is neceffary on our part in order to obtain the performance of them 2 The neceffity was laid upon our Lord himself — reward I. Our Lord's appeal Chrift acted in the capacity of a fervant He confiders now his work as completed, and fpeaks of it in that view did He appeals to the Father 1. That he had "glorified him on earth "-This he In his life [The whole of his life was conformed to the divine will Not the fmaileft blemith could be found in it-] In his doctrine [He declared the Father to the world He directed perfons to himfelf only as the way to the Father--] In his miracles [Thefe, though wrought by his own power, were afcribed to the Father — Hence the Father was particularly glorified by them -] [In this he moft eminently glorified the Father Even Ezek. xxxvi. 37. b Pf. ii. 7. C John xiv. 10. e John xiii. 31, 32. Even Peter in his death is faid to glorify God!-- Much more did Jefus both in the manner and end of it-] 2. That he had " finished the work which had been given him to do" He had fulfilled the law [This was part of his commiffion It was neceffàry that he thould fulfil it, both that the law might be honoured, and that a righteoufnefs thould be wrought out for us He did fulfil it in every point-] He had fatisfied the demands of justice [He had undertaken to expiate fin by the facrifice of himfelf It was neceffary he fhould do fo as our furety He did it by bearing our fins in his own body on the tree He paid our debt to the uttermoft farthing-] He had introduced a new difpenfation [He had fulfilled and abrogated the Mofaic ritualHe had fet up the kingdom of God among men He had commiffioned and qualified men to carry it on-] This appeal afforded him juft ground for the petition he proceeded to offer II. The petition he grounds upon it He had before prayed to be glorified on earth, ver. 1.He now prays to be glorified in heaven He had a glory with the Father before the world was [He was from eternity with God ε—— As God he had equal glory with the Father-] This glory he had laid afide [He veiled his godhead in human flesh Being in the form of God he took on him the form of a fervant Hence he is faid to have " made himself of no reputation"-] He now defired to refume it [The ends for which he had laid it afide were accom plifhed It was therefore expedient that he fhould refume it-] He f John xxi. 19. John i. 1. |