for

cation by faith alone? The most experienced Christians will be the first to confess their state of childhood here, and will frankly own, that they find it a hard matter to believe at all times that their sin is transferred to Jesus, and that his righteousness is transferred to them. The words are speedily uttered, but it is hard to realize the wonderful, the momentous truth which they convey. No other truth, however, will give us a wellgrounded confidence in death. There is no peace the troubled soul, save in the knowledge that Christ died for sinners that he justifies the ungodly, and that our misery, not our righteousness, is our only hopeful plea for mercy. And should there be any truth in the foregoing remarks, let them prompt us to consider, whether it does not behove us to cultivate the habit of contemplating ourselves as one with Christ, rather than as isolated beings who have to work out our salvation with the grace he bestows. It cannot be denied that we are to work out our salvation, and that too with fear and trembling, for there is a command to that effect; but still there is a right as well as a wrong way of doing this; and it behoves us to " strive lawfully," or there is no promise that we shall win the prize. And what so suitable for the poor sinner, as to eye his Lord at all times, and upon all occasions? Indeed this is the gospel rule for running the Christian race patiently and zealously. The believer's faith is to have respect to Jesus, who endured the cross for us, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of God. The fact of his enduring the cross, assures us that our sin is taken away: his place, in our nature, at God's right hand, proves our acceptance in the Beloved; for looking aloft, we behold the man Jesus, and ourselves in him, righteous, sinless, and altogether pure and holy.

And can any view of ourselves, as apart from Jesus, give us repose of mind? Alas, alas, out of him we are found naked; our works, wrought in faith, and by the Spirit's aid, will not, as before observed, suffice. Our works of faith are indeed the works of sons of God, but we have need of works wrought by one, who combines with that honourable title yet another name, whose dignity we cannot reach. He who is the Son of God, and also God the Son, works after a peculiar manner, and by his obedience, many are made righteous. O Jesus, include us in the number of these blessed ones! Instruct us in the sacred art of hiding ourselves in thee. Make us to rejoice in the knowledge that thou hast clothed us with thy righteousness, that when thou shalt appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before thee at thy coming.

"And not be ashamed before Him at his coming." It will not be necessary to attempt any new exposition of the nature of the believer's confidence in the day of judgment, since it is quite apparent, that it must needs be identical with his faith and hope in the hour of death; and the ground of that faith and hope has been fully detailed. It has been declared, that Christ is himself the believer's confidence in the day of his appearing, and who but Christ can be his confidence in the day of his second coming. It has been affirmed, that nothing but the blood and righteousness of Jesus, can give comfort to the soul in the hour of death; and it must be repeated, that nothing but that blood and righteousness will give it boldness in the day of judgment. Then Christ is still our theme. Still we reiterate, None but Christ, None but Christ. We will know of nought beside him. We will speak only of his death and resurrection. And should Satan and our legal hearts suggest, Must not man's works be also spoken of, for the Scrip

ture makes mention of them, and that too in connexion with death and judgment? We answer boldly, the believer is permitted to give a decided negative to the insidious question, and this upon the clear warrant of the word of God. And let it ever be remembered, that the office of the Scripture is to convict the impenitent and unbelieving, and to console the penitent and believing. The texts, then, which may appear to be armed against the faithful, who are still, as they well know, sinners, will be found to be directed, not against sinners, as such, but against hardened rebellious sinners, who will not flee from the wrath to come to lay hold on the hope of the gospel; against sinners, who cannot be persuaded that they are guilty; against sinners, who if they confess their sins, yet hope to be their own saviours. But there is no word, however apparently alarming or appalling, which can be fairly construed into aught but grace, mercy, and peace to the believer in Jesus. And if works are spoken of to them, as indeed they are, and this too in connexion with death and judgment, it is sweetly to remind them, that their works do follow them: That the poor, miserable, scanty, polluted works of faith, in which they have themselves discovered more of evil than of good, (and how much more then shall not God discover?) are nevertheless accepted for Jesus' sake: That their insignificant donations of cups of cold water, given to little ones in the name of a disciple, do not lose their reward, (Matt. x. 42.) and that their poor services to the Lord, unheeded and unregarded by themselves, shall be acknowledged by Jesus in the day of his coming. (Matt. xxv. 34-39.) But where do we find any mention of the evil works of the saints being produced to their shame in the day of judgment. Where do we find the believer admonished to fear the scrutiny of

that great day? Far different is the language of the apostle Paul, to that which many direct us to use, in reference to the account to be given of the things done in the body. "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." The Judge himself bespeaks the royal clemency on our behalf. The Judge will pronounce no sentence of condemnation; and to what purpose then shall Satan, or the world, accuse the justified servants of the Lord? It is probable that their malice will be checked by the conviction of its impotency, and that their silence will be ensured by the foreknowledge of their defeat. But should it not be soshould Satan appear at the right hand of the believer to resist him before the throne of God, will he hear no friendly voice, uttering these consolatory words-" The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee." Is not this a "brand plucked out of the fire?" Iwill hear the well-known friend, thus rebuking the accuser of the brethren; and again he will hear the same sweet voice of love pronounce the final sentence, replete with grace-" Come,

ye

Yes, he

(Zech. iii. 1, 28.) voice of his beloved and his

blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

:

For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in, naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." Such is the felicity of the saints; such the happiness of those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; such the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord im

putes righteousness without works-'O Jesus, make it ours; introduce us too, into this state of privilege; again we pray, let us not be ashamed before thee at thy coming; give us grace now, give us faith now: continue to us that faith: be thou its finisher. Cause us to abide in thee, that when flesh and heart fail, we may find thee still present with us; and that amidst expiring worlds we may still lift up our heads, knowing that the day of our more complete redemption draweth nigh.'

29. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

In this verse we have the beginning of a new subject, which is about to occupy the attention of our divinelyinstructed teacher, viz. the important one of the new birth, which we find also again and again adverted to in the next chapter. For the same apostle, who in order that our joy may be full, instructs us so admirably in the nature of our salvation by the blood and righteousness of Christ, does not fail to enlarge also upon the glorious truth, that the subjects of this great salvation are made new creatures in Christ, by a participation of his quickening spirit. And it must be apparent to all well-instructed believers, that the grace of regeneration by the Spirit, is always linked, in the Scripture doctrine, with the remission of sins and imputation of righteousness. So that, whilst on the one hand we are to guard most carefully against the error of interweaving together our justification and sanctification, (and of making. the former depend in any degree upon the latter,) we must on the other hand magnify Ithe grace of God that bringeth salvation," and which hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that "denying ungodliness and