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XXI.

THE EFFICACY OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST CONSISTENT WITH THE NECESSITY OF A GOOD LIFE: THE ONE BEING THE CAUSE, THE OTHER THE CONDITION, OF SALVATION.

(PART II.)

ROMANS VI. 1.

What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.

THE same Scriptures, which represent the death of Christ as having that which belongs to the death of no other person, namely, an efficacy in procuring the salvation of man, are also constant and uniform in representing the necessity of our own endeavours, of our own good works, for the same purpose. They go further. They foresaw that in stating, and still more when they went about to extol and magnify, the death of Christ, as instrumental to salvation, they were laying a foundation for the opinion, that men's own works, their own virtue, their personal endeavours, were superseded and dispensed with. In proportion as the sacrifice of the death of Christ was effectual, in the same proportion were these less necessary: if the death of Christ was sufficient, if redemption was complete, then were these not necessary at all. They foresaw that some would draw this consequence from their doctrine, and they provided against it.

It is observable, that the same consequence might be leduced from the goodness of God in any way of representing it: not only in the particular and peculiar way in which it is represented in the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, but in any other way. Saint Paul, for one, was sensible of this; and, therefore, when he speaks of the goodness of God even in general terms, he takes care to point out the only true turn which ought to be given to it in our thoughts-" Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" as if he had said,— With thee, I perceive, that the consideration of the goodness of God leads to the allowing of thyself in sin: this is not to know what that consideration ought in truth to lead to: it ought to lead thee to repentance, and to no other conclusion.

Again; when the apostle had been speaking of the geousness of God displayed by the wickedness of man, he was not unaware of the misconstruction to which this representation was liable, and which it had, fact, experienced: which misconstruction he states

- We be slanderously reported, and some affirm, that we say, let us do evil that good may come." This nation, however, he regards as nothing less than * untair and wilful perversion of his words, and of the words of other Christian teachers: therefore he says wwwning those who did thus pervert them, "their

demnation is just:" they will be justly condemned Ar thus abusing the doctrine which we teach. The pessages however, clearly shows, that the application of Per expressions to the encouragement of licentiousness

was an application contrary to their intention;

and, in fàct, a perversion of their words.

In like manner in the same chapter our apostle had no sooner laid down the doctrine, that "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law," than he checks himself, as it were, by subjoining this proviso: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid yea, we establish the law :" Whatever he meant by his assertion concerning faith, he takes care to let them know he did not mean this, "to make void the law," or to dispense with obedience.

grace,

"that

But the clearest text to our purpose is that, undoubtedly, which I have prefixed to this discourse. Saint Paul, after expatiating largely upon the " is, the favour, kindness, and mercy of God, the extent, the greatness, the comprehensiveness of that mercy, as manifested in the Christian dispensation, puts this question to his reader-" What shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" which he answers by a strong negative-" God forbid." What the apostle designed in this passage is sufficiently evident. He knew in what manner some might be apt to construe his expressions: and he anticipates their mistake. He is beforehand with them, by protesting against any such use being made of his doctrine; which, yet he was aware, might by possibility be made.

By way of showing scripturally the obligation and the necessity of personal endeavours after virtue, all the numerous texts which exhort to virtue, and admonish us against vice, might be quoted; for they are all directly to the purpose: that is, we might quote every page of the New Testament. "Not every one

that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven."" If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." In both these texts the rewards attends the doing: the promise is annexed to

tommend to those, who so interANJA I DE DISIÄ Trings, especially ses of the eñary of the death of maraes in these passages, as sosiy vinh the stations of virtue; Ming, that theirs cannot be ur test inferences, is, by Tat we are able to do,) that it gersala, mi ties the very inferences, S VER ZEMREČ?s aware of, which they A vind her protested against. sma fram the apostolle writings in NAN NET GURSÌ with this view: and they Innà, as showing the minds of

yout in question more deterjag av gari exortation to good works, ARLASTM Kist sin could do. I 2.5, § 1 proved point, that whatever was 1. ANO MAPLE the efficacy of the death way then an apprehension,