tense, what ground or possible reason can there be, from either of these tenses being used, to conclude, that justification takes place in this life, any more than salvation and glorification should also take place in this life? The reasonable construction to be put upon all such statements in Scripture, being in the tenses they are, must be, that the particular tense was considered of no consequence by the writers, in stating the matters they have, and unless such a construction is admitted, how are many parts of Scripture to be reconciled? particularly those parts of St. Paul where he treats of justification and salvation; by a literal construction, it must be understood, that he has stated both justification and salvation take place in this life and also hereafter, sometimes the present or past tenses are used, and at other times the future tense; but by the above construction we reconcile many inconsistencies and even contradictions which must otherwise appear; and without straining language do we not as a common expression say, we are justified by faith or we are saved by grace? The time when either of these are actually obtained or received is not alluded to, the instrument, cause, or means, only are intended to be shewn and it may be particularly re

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Compare Rom. ii. 13. iii. 20. with Rom. iii. 28. v. 9. and 1 Cor. i. 18. xvi. 2. with Rom. v. 9, 10.

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marked, that neither St. Paul nor any other Scriptural writer has said in express terms, or such as will constructively bear such a meaning, that at the time man embraces faith he is at that time justified or has remission of sins. No, all the statements are of a general nature, that faith justifies, or that we have justification and salvation through the blood of Christ, and that he is the propitiation for our sins. And in the New Testament all that is stated relative to justification, invariably tends to shew the effecting cause, mean, or instrument: nor is there one single statement to shew that it is to take place in this life or on earth, or at the time the cause, mean, or instrument is used; it can only be concluded from the tenses of the verbs, and from that ground, and that ground only, many have been led into the erroneous conclusions they have made, not considering that those conclusions give rise to many more difficulties, and make numerous parts of Scripture utterly irreconcileable with other parts, when the mere change of the tenses would prevent those difficulties arising.

There are remarkable words used by Christ at the institution of the Holy Supper: "For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins d."

d Matt. xxvi. 28.

Taking the words literally the statement is not true Christ's blood at the time was not shed, but these words must be understood that his blood which would be shed, was for the remission of sins.

In the explication of texts of Scripture where so much doubt and uncertainty have been made by different constructions, the mere alteration or change of the tenses (which is nothing more than a figure called Enallage) is adhering to words as close as the nature of any writing written so long ago, and in a language ceased to be spoken many ages since, can reasonably be expected, and we find in the common translation of the Bible, the tenses very frequently altered, either to improve the sense, to clear up difficulties, or for some other purpose.

This matter is so plain and undoubted, that it seems almost unnecessary to treat or discuss it at any length, or to use many words in insisting upon it as a fact not to be disputed; and when it is considered that one of the most important objects which can be obtained relative to Scripture, namely, consistency, is thereby gained as to many matters of the greatest moment and most serious concern to Christians: and as Bishop Tomline has most judiciously observed, that "the exclusive consideration of particular texts of Scripture, without adverting to others, which

take a different view of the subject, coupled with the baneful principle of believing no doctrine that is incomprehensible, seem to have been the source of most of the errors which have prevailed in the Christian world." To which may be added, that any text or texts which relate to a particular tenet, and seem to contradict other texts, or militate against the general scope or tenor of Scripture, in all such cases a strict literal construction should not be adhered to, but the particular text or texts should have such a restricted, or as may be necessary, enlarged or varied meaning, that the general sense and intention of all parts may be reconciled with each other.

To illustrate the principle that St. Paul's statements of facts or things are not to be taken or received in a strict literal or grammatical sense, let us see what he has written in

Col. i. 13. "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

What is the real literal meaning of the words "hath translated us into the kingdom of his

• Refutation of Calvinism, p. 47.

"But he that observes St. Paul's way of writing, who more regards things than forms of speaking."-Note by Mr. Locke on Rom. iv. 16.-"Forms of speaking" must mean grammatical sense.

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dear Son?" The word "translated" clearly means " removed," and the words "kingdom of his dear Son" must mean "heaven." Christ was then "received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.". And heaven is called by Christ " my kingdom." The persons who

were included in the word "us" were himself, (St. Paul,) the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that were at Colosse; the literal meaning of the words then is, that St. Paul and the saints, and faithful brethren in Christ were then translated or removed to heaven: undoubtedly no such thing was intended by St. Paul, the proper reasonable construction of the words is, that they would hereafter be translated into the kingdom of his dear Son: and in the next verse he states the effecting means in these words:

Col. i. 14. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins."

In statements of this sort the matter, whatever it may be, is considered not to be restricted as applicable to the particular persons named, but to all Christians generally.

2 Tim. iv. 8. "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day,

g Mark xvi. 19.