A treatise on Justification

Preface

That an age, claiming distinction above most, which have preceded it, for benevolent enterprise in disseminating the Bible and Christianity, should, notwithstanding, be characterized by indistinct views of the great doctrines of religion, may at first seem contradictory. Such, however, it appears to me, is the true state of the christian world at present. A general laxness prevails as to doctrinal opinions. Indeed, not unfrequently, indifference is deemed a virtue ; and a man felicitates himself upon his liberality, because he feels no peculiar attachment to any particular religious creed. Opinions in politics are of great consequence — opinions in law, in medicine, in science, in the arts ; every where but in religion, to be without any fixed opinions, is deemed dishonourable and unworthy of a noble and generous spirit. There is no illiberality in every other department of thought and enterprise, in a man's holding and defending a series of fixed doctrines ; but by a strange inconsistency, this age denounces as bigotry and narrowness of spirit, the steadfast maintainance of the revealed system of religious truth. This feature of the age — which may be correctly designated the bigotry of liberalism — may be traced in indistinct lines on the fair countenance of the daughter of Zion, and rudely defines the measure of her conformity to this world. Hence the diminished attention to doctrines. Hence the singular fact, that in a land teeming with Bibles, and Bible Societies, and Bible Classes, and helps to Bible interpretation, Bible exposition is nearly banished from all their pulpits. What pastor ever thinks of expounding the sacred books in any continuous series of exercises ? What congregation would endure an uninterrupted course of lectures on any portion of scripture ? What preacher would venture to suspend his reputation on the delivery of fifty-two tl PREFACE.

lectures in the year on the Epistle to the Romans, oi* that to the Hebrews ? My field of observation is very limited ; but my impression is, that this most profitable description of pulpit labour has sunk into general neglect : and hence the deficiency of doctrinal knowledge: and hence the laxness of opinion : and hence the distractions and disputations in the church. With the ancient practice of lecturing continuously on some book of scripture, has fallen into disuse the reading of the old standard doctrinal writers. Books are so easily made, and so much under the dominion of fashion, that a lea* ther cover, enclosing 400 pages, is opened reluctantly and soon closed, lest its musty odor should become offensive. We are hence obliged, though at some risk, to put the old wine into new bottles. Hence the present publication. Could Boston and Owen, and Witherspoon and Edwards, find studious readers, it were unnecessary to press this little work upon public attention. The author, apprehensive that the subject on which he treats is much misunderstood — that it is of prime importance— that ignorance of it leads to serious consequencs — and that a new book, from almost any source, will, be more likely to be read than the more weighty and laboured productions of by-gone days, lias conceived the present plan, and now offers it to the christian public.

There is no new doctrine in these pages. There is very little new illustration. There is, he hopes, some novelty in the modes of argumentation, and perhaps of exposition. He also supposes that the plan of the discussion has some claims to originality ; whether this be so, and whether it he an advantage, the reader must judge. As to method, the scheme of the treatise is synthetic, as will be perceived by the scholar, upon a mere inspection of the contents. It begins with the simple elements of truth, and ascends to the highest doctrines of the moral system.

If there is any thing peculiar in the general design of the work, distinguishing it from other treatises on Justification, it will be found in the identification — or at least the attempt to identify the great principles of God's co-

PREFACE* HI

Tenants with the first Adam and the second, and their use, in man's justification, with the fundamental principles of moral rule, whose application in human government must and will secure the highest measure of human freedom and happiness. I have laboured, with what success the reader will judge, to make it appear that the doctrines of the Bible, embraced in my subject, contain the very essence of all morality, and form the substratum of all sound, social, civil and political government — that there are not two systems of morality ; one for the christian and one for the citizen ; one for heaven and the visible church, its vestibule, and another for earth and the powers of this world. But, on the contrary, that the moral being, man, is a unity ; and all the laws that can bind his conscience, are found in the Bible : and their application to him as a member of civil society, constitutes government. Thus, it appears to me, much gain must accrue to the cause of truth, by forcing away from man the delusion of a two-fold system of morals, wholly or largely dissociate from each other : and shutting them up to the conviction, that the same identical doctrines which constitute the substratum of republican government and social order, are embraced in Christianity, and by them all men will be judged in the great day.

In the exposition of scripture, I have followed the method of induction — referring to the parallel texts, and collating all the passages where a term or phrase occurs ; and thus enabling the reader to make scripture the interpreter of scripture, it has been my object, by this method, to bring down even verbal criticism ; and that where the originals are concerned, to the comprehension of the simple English reader. I have thought that such criticism is not only useful, but may be entertaining and interesting to such readers. The best evidence of good preaching is, that it sets all hearers to search the Bible. The hope is entertained, that such critical examinations as are interspersed among the following pages, may operate in this way.

Another feature of the plan, is its philosophical arrangement. The design has been to connect the various

IV PREFACE.

parts together in such manner as will be most easily followed up. For this reason, I have endeavoured to arrange the matter, according to those laws of mind, bv which the train of thought is regulated: so that everv preceding vehicle, with its treasure, shall have a certain aptitude to draw alter it the one precisely adapted to it. and which will secure a similar sequence.

From this, and the occasional indulgence in argumentation, and even in metaphysical disquisition and mental philosophy, it may, perhaps, be thought that the mass of plain readers will not be accommodated: whereas, for them chiefly has the book been written. Should this arise as an odjection, I reply, that sound philosophy is nothing 'more than common sense. Let the mental philosopher and metaphysician keep out technical terms, or explain them clearly, and the common mind will comprehend his philosophy. It is moreover undeniable, that the moral system of the Bible is the most stupendously grand system of philosophy the. world has ever beheld. Christianity is a system of practical and experimental philosophy. Its doctrines are founded on its facts, and 1 never could see any reason why the christian ministry — the authorised teachers of this philosophy, should labour to conceal its beauties and its glorv, by presenting only detached parts of the system, e t any well directed efforts at combining

part with par;, that the whole edifice might rise, in its beauty and grandeur, before the admiring eyes of those who are to dwell therein forever.

Besides it is the duty of the ministry to go before the flock. There ought to be constantly an ascending movement along the scale of intelligence. There is, therefore, no jnst objections to well timed and clear criticism ; nor, occasionally, to the philosophical arrangement and discussion of such parts of the subject as admit, and, indeed, require it.

As to style, plainness has been studied, perhaps to a fault ; and conciseness may sometimes run into obscurity.

A scheme of the work is prefixed. It consists of the simple headings of the chapters and sections, and in a

PREFACE. V

few instances the sub-sections, with reference for the chapters to the pages respectively.

Appended is an alphabetical index of subjects which will be found of considerable practical benefit : and also a table of texts, which have been incidentally less or more illustrated and explained.

With these remarks, the author commends this little performance to the indulgence of his kind readers — entreating them to bear in mind, that it has been prepared in the hurried intervals of a laborious avocation; and has been hastened through the press under circumstances very unfavourable to accuracy. Imperfect as it and all human productions are, he entrusts it to the guidance of that gracious Saviour, whose glory it is designed to promote ; hoping, praying and believing, that He will make it a means of blessing to many who shall be found, in the great day of final accounts, arrayed with him in the spotless robes of Immanuel's Righteousness.

THE CONTENTS OR GENERAL SCHEME.

CHAPTER I.— page 13.

On the moral government of God in general.

Section I. — The Creator absolutely supreme. Sjec. II. The Creature absolutely dependent

Sec. III. The will of God is the foundation of moral obligation. Sec. IV. The will of God revealed is the rule of duty.

Sec. V. Rational intelligence necessary to moral agency.

Sec. VI. Volition, or choice is necessary to moral agency.

Sec. VII. A moral sense is necessary to a moral agent. Sec. VIII. Self-love, or the desire of happiness implied in

moral government.

Sec. IX. Rewards and punishments are addressed to the

principle of self-love and are essential to the idea

of moral government.

Sec. X. A brief summary.

CHAPTER II— p. 37.

On the particular modifications of moral government \

as it was extended over man in his primitive

condition ; or the Covenant of works.

Sec. I. The primeval state of man, anterior to the formation

of the covenant, considered intellectually, morally and legally.

Sec. II. Of a covenant in general.

Sec. III. Of God's covenant with Adam.

VIII CONTENTS.

CHAPTER III— p. 50.

On the extent of the Covenant ; or the representative Character of Ji dam.

Sec. I. The general doctrine of representation.

Sec. II. This doctrine of Representation is taught in the laws

of nature and is essential to man's social existence.

Sec. III. Adam acted in the covenant as the representative

of all human persons — he was the moral head of the race.

Sec. IV The mode of constituting the representative relation.

Sec. V. The moral relation of Adam to his posterity ; viz :

as head of the covenant — is principal ; and his natural relation is subservient thereto ; and not vice versa.

CHAPTER IV.— p. 72.

The definition of leading terms Just, Righteous, Righteousness, Justify and Justification.

CHAPTER V.— p. 82.

The requisites to Adam 's justification by the Covenant

of works.

Sec. I. Innocence.

Sec. II. On the positive requirements of the covenant.

Sec. III. The limit of probation.

Sec. IV. Righteousness the grand requisite.

CHAPTER VI.— p 87.

On the breach of the covenant and the consequent additional requisite to Adain s justification.

Sec. I. God's condescension calculated to secure man's

affections.

Sec. II. The mysterious fact — man's fall, occasioned through

false views in the mind.

Sec. III. A loss of confidence in God, led to the fall.

Sec. IV. The effects of sin upon the legal relations and liabilities of Adam.

CONTENTS. IX

CHAPTER VII.— p 94.

On the consequences of Adam's sin, to himself and to

his posterity, physically, intellectually and

morally.

Sec I. The physical constitution of the whole race is de-

ranged, injured and enfeebled by sin.

Sec. II. Adam and all his children have suffered in their in-

tellectual powers by the fall.

Sec III. The moral affections of Adam and his posterity became depraved by his sin.

CHAPTER VIII.— p 104.

On Original Sin.

Sec I. The definition of the terms.

Sec II. The definition of the thing.

Sec. III. Of Imputation.

Sec IV. Of Condemnation.

Sec V. Of Guilt.

Sec. VI. The sin of Adam is rightfully imputed to his posterity. (1) The acts of one are imputed to another.

(2) Objection — not until that other acts himself.

(3) The a posteriori argument. (4) Objections — infants sin before birth. (5) Infant sufferings are disciplinary.

CHAPTER IX.— p 127.

Original Sin — Argument — an exposition of Romans

CHAPTER X.— p 139.

Original Sin — proved from the salvation of those that

die in infancy.

Sec I. Infants go to heaven.

Sec. II. These infants come to eternal happiness through

Jesus Christ our Lord — they are saved and are indebted to Jesus for their salvation.

Contents

Sec. III. Only sinners can be saved.

Sec. IV. Infants are guilty, condemned, polluted and sinful

beings.

Chapter I. On The Moral Government Of God In General

SECTION I.

The Creator, Absolutely Supreme.

By an original law of our being, we are led to infer causes from their effects. Changes are constantly occurring around us. We observe them. "We look for their causes among the events of the past. We look for their effects among the contingencies of the future. We reason from the one to the other and the thought rarely occurs to our minds ; that, perhaps, after all, there is no such connexion as is implied in the terms cause and effect. The one event indeed follows the other in almost uniform succession, but who can shew a reason for it? Who can reveal the chain and display to our view the links of connexion ? Can the wise men of this world unveil the mysteries of nature ? Can Newton, with all his philosophy, tell us why a stone, projected upwards, descends to the earth ? If then human wisdom utterly fails, in the simplest operations of nature — if man with all his boasted knowledge cannot explain the nature of cause and effect, and shew in what it lies, what then? Will he deny all causation ? Will he refuse to act on the belief, that certain things do always succeed certain other things ? Will he refuse to reason and thereby to acquire knowledge ? Because he cannot dive to the bottom and bring up, from the unfathomable stores of nature, all her pearls and gold, will he refuse to pick up beauteous pebbles on the strand ?

No : despite of all his pride, he is constrained to rea- 2

14 THE CREATOR ABSOLUTELY SUPREME.

son from effects to causes, and from causes to effects. Assuming the existence of a connextion, yet ignorant of what it is and how it operates, he proceeds to reason, and does reason, as correctly perhaps as if he knew the whole mystery, and rests in his conclusions with perfect confidence. On this very process of reasoning depend all our conclusions in reference to the business of this life. The farmer sows his grain ; the merchant freights his ships ; the manufacturer purchases his materials and his machinery — all because they believe that causes and effects are connected together and will continue to follow each other to the end.

Thus it is we trace such effects to their causes and these again to their causes, and these again to theirs, and so at last reach the conclusion, that a Great First Cause there must be "of causes mighty, cause uncaused"— " whose kingdom ruleth over all" and " is an everlasting kingdom and his dominion endureth throughout all generations.— The eyes of all wait upon thee ; and thou givest them their meat in due season." This grand argument, in proof of the divine existence, depends for its whole force upon that law of our minds, by which we are irresistably impelled to believe that every effect must have a cause. This argument is accounted irrefragably conclusive. All men admit its force : to have stated it clearly has enrolled Bishop Butler among the benefactors of the human race.

But now, if the argument, which follows up the depedence of material effects upon their causes, brings us to such a satisfactory conclusion ; much more, shall not that which begins with the dependence of mind upon mind, lead to results most perfectly satisfactory? If matter could not create itself, could spirit ? Ignorant of a cause adequate to the production of matter, the ancient heathen philosophers asumed its eternity. How much more reasonably might the inference be deduced, that spirit is eternal? Our souls have existed from eternity, or they have been created by ourselves or by some other being. For the belief of their eternal past existence we have no evidence. For the belief of their self creation we have not capacity ; the very thought is ab-

THE CREATURE ABSOLUTELY DEPENDANT. 15

surd. For the belief of their creation by an uncreated First Cause, we have capacity, and evidence adapted to it. The belief that spirit is the result of creating power, is as full and perfect as that matter was created. God is the father of our spirits, in a sense far higher than that in which the term is or can be applied to signify our relation to man. He formed us and the same power which produced us out of nothing, sustains the existence it commenced. In him we live and move and exist.

Let the reader mark narrowly the emotions of his own mind, when the question is asked, has God a right of absolute control over all the creatures of his hand? What is the result? Does not your heart revolt at the thought? — the rights of God. Who is this that talks about rights ? And dares he interrogate the Creator on a question of boundary ? Can he (without impiety) agitate the subject of territorial limits ? Will he venture to enquire whether God's rights over him and all, are uncontrolled and absolute? Has not the potter power over the clay ? Surely if any truth commends itself, as it were, intuitively to the heart and conscience of man, it is the absoluteness of the divine right, authority, power, over all created existence.

SECTION IL The Creature, Absolutely Dependant.

This is but the counter-part of the preceding — a different mode of expressing the same thought. He "that formeth the spirit of man within him," sustaineth that spirit and the body which it controls. In reference to to our bodies we have no self-sustaining power. Is his hand withdrawn ? We return to dust. Equally dependant upon the sustaining power of God, is the soul of man. Its immortality is not a matter of physical but only of moral necessity. It can no more exist without God than the body can. If any man ask, how God keeps us in being ; the answer must be — we know not. The fact only is known. Modes of existence are among the se-

16 THE WILL OF GOD IS THE FOUNDATION*

cret things that belong unto the Lord our God. And therefore perhaps, even the enquiry, whether the mode of dependence of rational nature and of material substance be the same, may be improper. Certainly, at least, wisdom and piety both dictate the exercise of great prudence and humility in its prosecution.

We are in the constant habit of describing the government of God over material things, under the notion of laws of matter ; and sometimes we even seem to think, that when we have given names to the different operations and orders of things, we have explained them. The truth is far otherwise. The names are a cover for our ignorance, and are useful only as arbitrary signs of the things, as to the general order of their occurrence. They explain nothing. Now if this be so in reference to material things, how much more may we expect difficulty in forming our conceptions and communicating our thoughts about the laws by which God governs the spiritual world, or even our own nature consisting of both matter and spirit ? To this form of the divine administration we apply the name of Moral Government ; and although much remains inexplicable, yet the dependence of all intelligent creatures upon God, is no doubt as real, as that of the brute creation and of inert matter. To point out some leading facts and principles is what we propose in this chapter ; and the first shall be in answer to the question, what is the ground of mor-» al obligation ?

Section III

The will of God is the foundation of Moral Obligation.

The first proof we present is the strong presumption, arising from the universal practices of human legislation. Under all forms of government among men, from the most perfect auctocracy, to the purest democracy, the expressed will of the legislature — the law-making power, is authority — is law. So fully have men adopted this principle, that they very often forget there is a will superior to theirs, by which they are bound and beyond

OF MORAL OBLIGATION. 17

which they cannot legislate with the hope of binding the human conscience. And this is father evident from the fact, that the interpreters of written law always enquire what was the will of the legislature ? What did they intend by the language ? If that can be ascertained, there is an end to the controversy ; the law is settled and must be obeyed. In other words, the citizen is bound by it.

2dly. That the will of God is the basis of moral obligation, may be argued from the difficulty — the impossibility of establishing any other. If men are not bound to do the will of God, because it is his will, what then is the true reason for obedience 1 The happiness of man, say some. Whatever will promote human enjoyment upon the whole and in the highest degree, is right and ought to be done. To this there are several serious objections.

First, It makes the creature's happiness the supreme end of his creation, contrary to the testimonies of God on this subject. " Even every one that is called by my name ; for I have created him for my glory." — (Isa. xliii. 7.) "All things were created by him, and for him." — (Col. i. 16.) " Thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." — (Rev. iv. 11,)

A second objection is found in the fact, that man, short sighted and imperfect in knowledge, could never be certain whether he was bound to do a particular act or not. For if the obligation rests in its adaptation to promote his happiness upon the whole, he must know whether it will so operate before he can feel the obligation. But can man, in one case out of a hundred, determine whether the measure proposed will in the end be beneficial to him ? Can he run down the consequences of an act into eternity and weigh all its results ? Must he not feel himself bound, until he knows the certainty that the act proposed will promote his good upon the whole ? Or must he take his first and hasty opinion for a guide ? In that case, it is manifest he can never be certain that he is right. In this, he is the mere creature of blind passion. Whatever he may, from selfish feeling, think best for him, he is obliged to do. 2*

18 WILL OF GOD MORAL OBLIGATION.

A third objection therefore, is, that this account of moral obligation runs into absolute selfishness. The immediate ^tendency and the remote consequences are, to carry away the heart from God and concentrate its affections in self. The facility with which the Sabbath breaker, the profane swearer, the drunkard, the debauchee, can engraft his favourite scion upon this stock, ought to insure its excision. What then is the basis of obligation ?

The eternal fitness of things, say others. But to this the above reasoning is in part applicable, and a sufficient reply. Who is to judge whether a given act be or be not agreeable to the eternal fitness of things ? Must man be released from moral obligation, until after he perceives in a proposed action, its adaptation to the eternal fitness of things ? Who then, of finite mortals, will ever feel the bonds of duty ?

We are thrown back upon the will of God as the only ground of moral obligation. Man is bound to do what God commands, and to abstain from what he forbids, simply because He commands and forbids. Beyond and above this there is no reason. Direct reference to this reason is essential to moral virtue. Here again appeal is made to the general sense of mankind. We always estimate the worth of an action by the measure of its regard to this standard. God's will was, that Israel should sufTer most distressing calamities at the hand of the Assyrian. " Against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil and to take the pray, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets." But we award no virtue to the Assyrian, for the obvious reason, that he had no regard at all to the divine will in all he did. " Howbeit, he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so." — (Is. x. 7.) When an action is done regardless of God's will, no honor is shewn to him and the practical judgment of mankind refuses the award of virtue.

Such finally is the doctrine of the Bible. It knows no foundation of right or wrrong — no obligation but God's will. But as the same passages may often establish the two points viz. the obligation and the rule of action, let us take them in connexion.

WILL OF GOD — RULE OF DUTY. 19

Section IV

The will of God revealed is the rule of duty.

It is self-evident that it cannot rule, direct, govern us, unless it is applied. Accordingly, it has been made known in divers manners and at sundry times. Let us keep our eye upon the position, that the rule and its obligation are the will of God made known. Multitudes of passages might be quoted, a sample follows. "Thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." — Gen. u, 17. " Make thee an ark of Gopher wood, &c." — vi, 14. "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth."-— Dan. iv, 35. "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." — Rom. ix, 15. "I seek not to do mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."— John v, 30. " My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." — iv, 34 — vi. 38. "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." — Psalms xi, 8. "Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister and mother."'— Mark m, 35.

From these passages, no man can well avoid seeing that — 1. God's own rule of action is his own will — higher and holier there can be none.

2. To the will of God, Jesus, the Saviour of men, uniformly referred, as containing the obligation and the rule of his own action. Even when the desires of his perishable nature — his animal body, were for escape, yet his soul felt the binding obligation of the divine will" — " not as I will, but as thou wilt." Reader, does not this settle the question ? If the son of God looked no higher— no lower — no farther, why should you?

3. To man, compliance with the will of God, because it is the will of God, is the perfection of moral virtue. He who does so comply is a son of God — a brother of the Lord of glory, the man of Calvary. No

20 WILL OF GOD— RULE OF DUTY.

higher motive can draw, no stronger obligation can bind us. A loftier aim exceeds our conception, a lower falls short of God's requirement and our high destinies.

It remains only to enquire how this will is made known to us. And to this the answer is prompt, viz: In his two books — the book of providence and the book of revelation.

In God's book of providence he is daily displaying his will. All that occurs around us whatever be the agency, is according to his will. "Whether prosperity or adversity be our lot, we are called upon to acquiesce without a murmur.

In his book of revelation he has recorded the great principles of his government, both preceptively and practically. He prescribes rules ot faith and rules of dutv. He addresses his law and his gospel, his precepts and his promises, and his examples to be shunned or to be imitated, to the proper faculties o( our nature, which constitute us rational and accountable beings.

In addition to the above, the reader's attention is invited to a striking fact, viz : that whenever the heart of man is pierced and his soul is bowed down before the majesty oi heaven — whenever he begins to feel, in the deep consciousness of his agitated bosom, that his accountabilities are fearful and must be met, he enquires, according to the doctrine we advocate, "what wilt thou have me to do LM Does not even* man who has been taught oi God know this to be true \ Is there not therefore a revealed testimony in every sanctified heart to the correctness ot the rule and the reality of its obligation ? I nqestionably this is the very principle of christian fortitude and christian heroism. Under its genuine influences, the renewed man has only one enquiry in reference to any proposed enterprise — is it the will of God? Satisfied of this, his heart tells him. it must be done. Difficulties, dangers, peril, privations, hardships, persecution, rack, torture, burning, death — all present no obstacle — onward he presses in the path marked out for him by the will of his Father. Obedience to that is his only responsibility.