A Treatise on the Scriptural Doctrine of Justification ...

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Preface

The author of the following work was a man of an acute and active mind^ who was not unfrequently engaged in theological controversy; and always with success. Some of his publications, though important at the time, were only of local and temporary in* terest. Others of them axe of permanent; V^ue. Of this class, especially, are his '^Preservative against the Errors of Socinianism," which was reprinted some years ago; and the "Treatise on Justification," which is now before the reader. Mr. Hare was^a diUgent student of the Bible ; and in all his writings he deduces his principles and arguments exclusively from that inspired book.

In the whole range of divine truth there fs no subject of greater importance than that which is here discussed. It is one of the most prominent doctrines of the New Testament, and affects bQth the present happiness and everlasting safety of every human being.

4 SCRIPTURAL JUSTH^CATION.

Nor can any satisfactory information concerning it be gathered from any other source than the revelation which God has been pleased to furhish in the gospel of his Son. There never was an age in which the science of natural theology was cultivated with such assiduity as at present. Several of the ablest men of our times have devoted a considerable |>orlion of their lives to the study of this subject ; and have placed the result of their investigations before the world in various elaborate voluibes, not a few of which reidect honour upon the learning, industry, and taste of their respective authots. But it is in vatn that we consult these works for an answer to the question, '^ How can a sinner obtain fhe pardoning mercy of God ?" That a holy «nd upright being should be an object of the divine favour, we can easily conceive ; but how a creature whose nature id depraved, and who is personally g^lty, can become an object of God's mercy, so as to escape the |)enalty of transgression, and obtain eternal life, no huinan ingenuity can of itself explain, and no reisearches into nature can ever discover. ** The heavens" do indeed " declare the glory o{ 6od^ and the firmaitient showeth forih his faa^dy work." The earth) the air,

SCBIFTxitAL JUSTIFICATION.

and the sea axe also fell of his riches. Th perfect adaptation of every object in natur to the end for which it was intended, demo|] strates the existence of an infinitely wi^e ani designing Mind; and the magnitude of th universe displays the omnipotence of its Au tfaer : but whether he will pardon the tran^s gressors of his law, and upon what teri^ sure questions concerning which all cjreajio] is absolutely tsilent. For various evil§f wbic! exist, and which afflict mankind, remedie are provided by the God of nature ; hut th.ep are jQthers, and those of the most painfit) kind, which are never rempved, a^ fo Vfhkii no palliation has i^yer bqei^ 4i^^y9FI?<J Almighty Gpd, mi the dispens^tipns of hi provideiK^, distributes i^inuinl^eprcHl bl^s^s ings ^monig hia djapendant creatures. Hi cau«ie3 *^ his mn to shine upoi^ the evil 9n< the good, an4 sende^th ra.in i^pon the ju3t /^< the unjust." ^* He giyeth &uitfi^ sje^sions aod fiU^h the hearts of all wkk fy^ W gladness." But at the same tiiiae i]t ia unije Hiable th^ the isfroxH la ^y^H^ P^ )f^^^ marks of his ^nger, {^airthquakesi pef|i lence, ifiuiKbtions, famine, ^ickne9|>9 p^ and deadi, are m intelli^^le ^d 3tn)u^ CK)mment updn the jdeclaration of )^ word

Aat his ^' wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men."

Leaving, therefore, the mere Deist to his bewildering and interminable speculations as to the manner in which that wrath may be turned away; it is to the Bible that the conscious transgressor of his Maker's law must come for an answer to this inquiry. And here aU his doubts are anticipated, as well as his wai^s and miseries. A divine atonement for sin, in the sacrificial death of the Son of God; an atonement provided and accepted by God himself; satisfies at once both the understanding and the conscience. The argument is irresistible: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also fireelygive us all things?" The claims of justice are met; the authority of law is maintained; and hence, guilt can be cancelled in perfect consistency i^ith the glory and honour of God.

The manner in which this great benefit is obtained, and the results which follow the acquirement of it, axe both specified in the sacred record ; and the whole matter is thus subjected to personal e:q>eriment. All that

KCRIPTxHiX JTJStlFICATION. 7

believe are justified ;^^ and those who ai6 justified hare tranquillity of conscience, and purity of heart. They are filled with peace and joy ; and sin ceases to have the dominion over then), although they may be con** scious that the principles of evil still exist within them. Those principl<e8 do not reigti ; and provision is made for their utter exter* mination, and for the maturity of every Christian grace. The experiment has been made in every age, and in every place where the gospel has been faith&Uy preached; and all who have made i) declare, as with om voice, that the '^record" is true. In past ages believers have borne witness to this in poverty and want, in pain and sickness, in life and death. The haj^uness arising from the forgiving love of God has been their stay and comfort in all circumstances, and has rendered them cheerful and joyous in the prospect of their dissolution. Ten thousand happy witnesses of this truth are living at this day, among the various denominations of evangelical Christians. And theirs is notf an unsupported testimony. It is confirmed by a conduct which is at once^Uameless and useful ; alike honourable to God, and bene* ficialtomen.

S SCKIPTURAL JU8TZPIGATI09.

j- To affoid inatniction to those who are seeking the blessing of justificatioBy and to assist young ministers, and the less informed among religious teachers, how to set forth this great eyangelical privilege, was the laudable design of the rery intelligent author of this small volume. The manner in which be has executed his task reflects great credit upon his judgment md piety. Without embarrassing himself by the long and metaphysical treatises which have been written upon the subject, he goes directly to the Holy ^criptureis, and in a cjear, concise, methodi- Qdli and consistent manner, places before tfaa reader what they teach concerning a sinner's justification before God; at the same tim^ applying the subject to the consciences of the different classes oi persons into whose hands his publicatiim might fall. For the question is not one of speculation, but of iBxperience and of practice.

If there is any thing in the rolunie at ' which ezcepti(Hi mi^t be taken, it is the rery frequent use of the word " acquitted,*^ in ^ sense of a sinner's justification. Both these terms are forensic ; but '' acquitted'* is not geneorally used in the sease which is here given to it. When we hear that a man was

SCRIPTUITAL JUSTIFICATIOH. 9

tried in a criminal cotirt, on a given charge, and was " acquitted," we always understand by the term that the chaiqge was not proved. No satisfactory evidence of his guilt was adduced ; or there was some defect in the process of trial. But this is not the case with a man who is justified before God. He confesses his guilt with shame and contrition ; his " mouth is stopped ;'* he acknowledges his just liability to eternal death, under the sentence of which he lies; and by au act of mere grace, through the atonement of Christ, he is freed from condemnation, and adjudged to eternal life.

It is not intended by these remarks to insinuate that Mr. Hare entertained a different Tiew of this subject ; for no man has more distinctly stated the universal guilt of mankind, and the true evangelical doctrine of justification. We merely regret the very prominent use of a term which, in popular language, does not convey the precise idea which is here attached to it. Mr. Hare, however, is so full and explicit in his statements, that there is no danger Test his meaning should be mistaken. In terms the most distinct and unequivocal, he declares that, according to the sacred writers, justification

10 SCRIPTUllAL JUSTIFICATION.

is another name for pardon. These terms are convertible, and only serve to place the same blessing in somewhat different lights. The only danger is, lest other persons, who eiqpress themselves in a less full and guarded manner, should be led by this example to the frequent use of a term which, to say the least, is not the most happy and appropriate. The latter part of the treatise is particularly valuable. The author there shows, in a very lucid and striking manner, the established-connection which there is between justification, and the witness and the fruit of the Spirit. All Antinomian abuse of the doctrine is thus cut off. Those who " are accepted in the Beloved," enjoy the abidii^ witness of their filial relation to God, producing in them unuttgjrable peace and joy: and at the same time they are so far renewed in the spirit of their minds, that they love God, and one another ; they hate all sin, and are delivered from its dominion; and they delight in thef holy law of God, obedience to which they find to be both practicable and joyous. To a man whose heart is under the constraining power of divine love, the " yoke" of Christ " is easy," and his " burden is light." ^^His commandments are not

SCBIPTUItAL JUSTIFICATION. 11

grieyous." The proof which is here adduced ^at, in the seyenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul personates a man who is in an unregenerate state, under the law, conyinced of sin, but not able to conquer it ; and that he is not describing his own experience, as a belieyer in Christ ; is particularly strong and conyincing : and this proof is the more yaluable, because of the narrow compass into which it is brought.

It is highly gratifying to see a work of such sterling merit again sent forth into the world in a neat and readable form. By it ihe esteemed author, though dead, will yet speak to mankind on the all-important subject of their salyation. Theological students will read it to adyantage ; and indeed it will be interesting and instructiye to all who desire to understand the true nature of one of the most important blessings of the eyangelical coyenant: a blessing without which they can neither be safe, nor holy, nor happy upon earth, and through eternity must be wretched beyond all that language can ex* press. On the other hand, blessed aboye all thought is the man from whose person and conscience guilt is entirely remoyed by an application of the blood of Christ; who

12 SCaiPTUHAL JUSTUriGATlON.

has always the freest access to God as his reconciled Father; and in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, both as a Comforter and a Sanctifier, like ^* a well of water, springing up into everlasting life !" The Christian salvation, which is obtained by the simple exercise of faith in Christ, and is as free as the air we breathe, consists of the two great blessings, — pardon, and a holy nature ; and he is the wisest man who secures the possession of them by a prompt and entire submission to the divine will. The ruin of ihe Jewish nation arose from an unwillingness to be justified in the way of God's ^pointment ; and they are not the only people to whom the evangelical doctrine of justificaticm is a rock of offence.

Thomas /^cksoj^.

XoM^ Sdptmbir IM, 1889.

Contents

pfef*

Intioduction 15

CHAPTER I. Of the nature of justification 21

CHAPTER n.

Of the impossibility of the justification of a sinner under the Adamic law * 44

CHAPTER in.

The sacrifice of the death of Christ, the ground of a siimer's justification 64

CHAPTER rV.

Hie active obedience of Christ not imputed for justification 83

CHAPTER V.

Of the terms upon which a sinner is justified 119

CHAPTER VI.

Page Objections to the doctrine of justification by faith,

considered • 148

CHAPTER VII.

Of the firuit of justification 180

Thb Cohclusion 8S7