forth, and gradually to introduce, the appointed and only availing sacrifice of Christ. The law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year byyear continually make the comers thereunto perfect. The first tabernacle was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience : which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof: for the law made nothing perfect. Sacrifice and offering, and burnt-offerings, and offering for sin, thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law: then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God! Every priest standeth daily ministering, and of fering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (c). The perfect observance of the Ceremonial Law would have justified the Jew as to the observance of the ceremonies, but (c) Heb. x. 1. ix. 8-10. vii. 18, 19, x. 4—11. . no no farther. It never could have removed guilt it never could have made atonement for sin. Hence, when the Jewish converts, after the death of Christ, were clinging to the abolished ritual; were reviving it as by authority of their own, when it had ceased to have authority from God; were promising to themselves justification through its ordinances, to the disparagement and desertion of the fundamental principles of the Gospel, that a man is to be justified exclusively by faith in the blood of his Redeemer: St. Paul scruples not to denominate these ordinances rudiments of the world, weak and beggarly elements, doctrines and commandments of men (d): affirms that to trust in them is to turn from the spirit to the flesh (e): and that if a man is entangled again in their yoke of bondage Christ shall profit him nothing (ƒ). It will be manifest, however, if we examine the language and the reasoning of the Apostle, that when he pronounces that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law, he defigns to exclude the Moral Law no less distinctly and decidedly than the Ceremonial Law, from any share in the office of justifi cation. (d) Gal. iv. 3, 9. Col. ii. 20, 22. (ƒ) Gal. v. 1, 2. (e) Gal. iii. 3. Attend, Attend, in the first place, to some presumptive arguments. The general expression, that we are justified by faith, an expression repeatedly used, and repeatedly supported by equivalent terms (g), apparently excludes from the office of justification all other things; and therefore the Moral Law. When, to this general expression, are added terms unequivocally negative and exclusive; as, not by the works of the law (b)—without the deeds of the law (i)-without the law (k)without works (1) ;— and when other phrases, in substance the same with these, are brought into the account (m): the inference, that the whole law, and all legal works, are shut out, is strengthened. When, as we proceed in our inquiries, we read that we are justified by the faith of Jesus Christ our Saviour (n)—that we are justified freely by His grace (0)-(by that gracious plan of Redemption, in which we obtain an interest by faith,) for it is of faith, that it might be by grace; we have access by faith into this grace wherein we (p) stand-these expressions seem (g) Gal. iii. 24. (b) Gal. ii. 16. (1) Rom. iv. 5, 6. (n) Tit. iii. 6, 7. 13, 14, 16, 24, 25. (k) Rom. iii. 21. Rom. iii. 20. (p) Rom. iy. 16. v. 2. Rom. iii. 26. v. i. iv, F still still more pointedly to exclude the idea of a concurrent justifying power in any law, in any human work. So also the assertion, that we are justified by the blood of Christ (q), in which blood it is faith that gives us an interest, aparently excludes the concurrence of other means. But let us advance to positive proofs. The Apostle, when inculcating in the third chapter of his Epistle to the Romans the doctrine of justification by faith without the deeds of the law, avowedly comprehends the Gentiles equally with the Jews. He maintains that the Jews are in no wise better than the Gentiles: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight. But now the righteousness of God (the method of justification appointed by Him) 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, (whether Jews or Gentiles,) 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 (g) Rom. v. 9. and fee Rom. iii. 25. redemption redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. It is one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith (r). Now the Gentiles never were subjected, nor ever designed to be subjected, to the Ceremonial Law. If therefore the Ceremonial Law only were intended by the Apostle; his reasoning would be, as to the Gentiles, altogether irrelevant and nugatory. To the Moral Law they were subject; discerning by the light of nature the things of the law, shewing the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness (s). St. Paul's argument therefore, as comprehending the Moral Law, is perfectly relevant, but not otherwise. In addition to the preceding observations let it be subjoined, that the transgressions of the Gentiles, as enumerated in the passage to which the Apostle alludes (t) when he states himself to have before proved the Gentiles to be under sin, are all of them breaches of the Moral Law. Observe, in the next place, the reasoning of St. Paul concerning the justifying faith of (r) Rom. iii, 9, 20-25, 30. See also Rom. i, 16, 17 (s) Rom. ii. 14, 15. See also Rom. i. 18. and ii, 26, 27. () Rom. i. 28-32. F 2 the |