For

cepted with him." "There is no respect of persons," saith the Apostle, " with God. when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves." Jesus Christ was "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world";" rendering salvation possible, through his merits, to all mankind. He was that promised seed, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed with the means of justification and eternal life.

The faith therefore which justifies, the same in all persons as to its spirit, consisting in a sincere persuasion of the truth of the promises and will of God, leading to reliance and obedience, is various as to its degree, and the extent of the objects on which it is exercised. In the Patriarchs it consisted in a firm belief in the various promises of mercy which God made them, and particularly the promise of the Messiah; and in a firm belief in all his commands, followed by humble reliance and obedience. In God's chosen people, justifying faith consisted in a belief in that promised Messiah, whom all the rites of their law prefigured, by whom Judah and Israel were saved. The faith required of those to whom the Gospel is proclaimed, consists particularly in that belief in Jesus Christ, as the

Acts x. 34, 35,

1 Rom. ii. 11. 14, &c.

* John i. 29.

Son of God and Saviour of the world, which produces humble reliance on his mediation, and unfeigned submission to his precepts. And the faith required of those to whom the dispensation of the Gospel is not revealed, is confidence in the Supreme Being, and obedience to his will, as far as his attributes and will are made known to them, either by the light of nature or by tradition derived from revelation, or by the secret inspirations of his grace.

Thus while the spirit of justifying faith remains the same, a sincere desire to know and to do the will of God, the truths which it is required to receive, differ according to the light and knowledge which men enjoy.

But where the Gospel is revealed, there the great object of faith is the mediation of Jesus Christ! And this mediation is the only meritorious cause of the justification of men in all ages and under all dispensations.

The last inquiry which was proposed, is,

V. What are the external means through which justification is conveyed by the Holy Spirit?

This inquiry can have respect only to those to whom the Gospel is revealed.

External means are instituted, through which justification, on his exercising true and lively faith, is conveyed to man. These are, the word, the ministry, and the ordinances of the Church, the body of which Christ is the head, and emphatically the

Saviour; which he "sanctifiesi" and to which "the Lord added the saved."

"

When man, perusing the sacred Scriptures, "believes from the heart unto righteousness, the truths and promises there contained, the word of God becomes the mean of his justification.

When, by the ministry of reconciliation, faith is quickened, strengthened, and rendered productive of good works, then the ministry becomes the channel by which justification is conveyed.

But the ordinances are the principal means and pledge of this holy grace. By baptism, on our professing sincere faith, we are placed in a justified state, that is, in the language of the Church, "called unto a state of salvation'." According to the declaration of the Apostle-" As many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death "—that is, not only into a profession of his laws and doctrine, but into a conditional participation of the merits of his death *.

Hence, in the language of all the Apostles in their epistles, baptized Christians are addressed as "called," as " elected," into a state of salvation. It is in this sense that baptism is styled

Eph. v. 23. *Rom. x. 10.

i Eph. v. 26.
1 Catechism.

j Acts ii. 47. Rom. vi. 3.

* "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, have the full efficacy of Christ's death sealed up unto us, and by virtue thereof die unto our sins."-Bishop Hall.

"the washing of regeneration," as distinct from "the renewing of the Holy Ghost." Regeneration, and renovation then, are terms of distinct signification. By regeneration is meant, our being born again into a new, a justified state, in baptism; that is, a state in which we are conditionally entitled to the blessings of salvation. And renovation, or "the renewing of the Holy Ghost," means that change of heart and life, through the operations of the Divine Spirit, which is necessary finally to secure to us the privileges of our baptismal justification. The Apostles do not call on baptized Christians to be regenerated, but to "be transformed by the renewing of their mind", and thus to "make their calling and election sure;" to secure the blessings of that state of salvation or justification into which they are called by baptism. And thus our Church, while in all her services she considers baptized Christians as "regenerated," as "called into a state of salvation," as made "members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven," prays that they may be "renewed by God's Holy Spirit ;" and exhorts them to "die unto sin, and to rise again unto righteousness," that they may finally secure the privileges of their justification, may inherit God's everlasting kingdom. The error would be fatal which would

suppose that no other spiritual change is necessary than that which takes place in baptism.

On our exercising true and lively faith, the justification, received in baptism, is assured to us in the ordinance of Confirmation, which is a pledge to those who, in faith, ratify their baptismal vows, of God's grace and favour. And this justification is constantly renewed and preserved by receiving, with lively faith, the symbols of the body and blood of Christ.

Behold then, intelligible to the humblest capacity, the whole process of our justification, of our being accounted righteous before God.

Our justification must be ascribed to the free grace of God the Father, who is pleased to accept of the righteousness of his Son Jesus Christ, as an atonement to his offended justice. This righteousness is the meritorious cause of our justification. Faith-consisting in a sincere disposition to know and to do the will of God; which disposition, where the Gospel is promulgated, must be evidenced by submission to all its truths and precepts, and humble reliance on its promises, particularly the promise of pardon through the blood of Christ-is the condition of justification. And the Holy Ghost, by the word, the ministry, and the ordinances, conveys this justification to true believers, and renews and confirms it to them.

How great then is the error of those, who contend that good works are, in no sense, neces