they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool*.” As the deluge, in the days of Noah, overflowed the highest mountains, as well as the lowest hills, so the forgiving mercy of our God, abounding in all ages, covers the most aggravated guilt, and hides the most heinous transgressions! The Prophet, filled with admiration at the glorious fact, exclaims, "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy: he will turn again; he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities: and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the seat."

"Justified from all things."-What is it with which we are chargeable? What is it of which conscience accuses us, and which the law of God condemns? Here is full acquittal, complete absolution, and gracious acceptance, notwithstanding all! The Apostle writes thus to the Corinthians : "Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." What a dark list is this! "And such were some of you." They were such, but an important change had taken place: ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Hence this clause in the text; "Justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." It was wise in the Apostle referring + Mic. vii. 18, 19.

* Isai. i. 18.

to the law of Moses on this occasion: for many of those who heard him venerated that law, and, on their observance of it, depended for salvation. He teaches them, therefore, its deficiency, its inefficacy; and this in order that he might convince them of the infinitely superior excellency of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There was a sense in which the law of Moses justified from some sins, so far at least as to free the transgressor from temporal punishment. Sin-offerings were appointed to expiate smaller offences; but these did not avail in cases of more flagrant crimes, as murder and adultery; the sentence of the law against such offences was death, and no exemption was allowed. Nor could the legal sacrifices ever take away guilt from the conscience, except as the penitent offender, through them, had a believing reliance on the promised Redeemer, and his atoning sacrifice. But the justification which the Gospel sets forth is not limited and partial: it is not confined to this and the other class of transgressions, but it extends to all. Whatever be the number of your sins, whatever their magnitude, whatever the aggravated circumstances attending them; if you flee to Christ the Saviour, if you lay hold of the hope set before you in the "glorious Gospel of the blessed God," you are "justified from all things." As it was vain for these Jews to expect salvation from the observances of their law, so it is equally vain for you to expect it by any acts of external obedience. It was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin, so as to atone for its guilt in the sight of God; neither is it possible for any thing you can do, or say, or suffer, to remove your transgression, to cancel your sin, or to save your soul. You may perhaps justify yourselves in your own esteem;

for a while you may appease conscience; you may also vindicate your character in the eyes of men, and maintain a reputation fair and honest in their view but this is not justification in the sight of God; nor is any man thus justified, except according to the method which God himself has devised, and in his Gospel revealed. And this method, observe, is exactly suitable, and all-sufficient: it meets the condition of the greatest sinner, the worst transgressor, the basest backslider. Do not you wish to be better acquainted with it? Do not your hearts secretly approve and desire Behold! a justifi

it?

cation "from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses," or in any other way.

"My soul, no more attempt to draw
Thy life and comfort from the law!
Flee to the hope the Gospel gives :

The man that trusts the promise lives."

III. We notice the MEDIUM through which these blessings are conferred.

The text says, "through this man ;" and " by him." It is plain who the Apostle intends. He is speaking in the foregoing verses, of Jesus Christ, as the "Son" of God; the "Holy One" of God, who was "slain," but whom "God raised from the dead;"" through this man," therefore, even Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, this exalted Immanuel, is preached unto you free forgiveness and complete justification.

1. Observe, by him these blessings were proclaimed. He announced them: he preached the Gospel with his own lips: he told sinners explicitly his errand into the world: he forgave the sins of many, pronounced their entire absolution; and said,

to all that laboured, and were heavy laden, unto me, and I will give you rest."

"Come

He commissioned his Apostles to announce the same things, to proclaim his love, the exceeding riches of his grace, the boundless stores of his compassion; to preach "repentance and remission of sins, in his name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

And he has instituted the Gospel ministry, which is to stand through all ages. Its grand object is the publication of what he himself and his Apostles published, and with a view to the same happy result. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature-Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Thus it is through Christ, as proclaiming these blessings, that forgiveness and justification are preached to you. But this is not what is principally intended.

2. Observe, then, through him they are also procured. There is no forgiveness of sins, or justification from guilt, except as resulting from the atonement of Jesus Christ: these blessings are only in virtue of the obedience, the sufferings, and sacrifice of this adorable Saviour.

we have redemption,

As it regards forgiveness, through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" " and without shedding of blood is no remission." Had the Lord Jesus lived ever so holy and useful a life; had he maintained ever so exact a conformity to the will of his heavenly Father; yet had he shrunk from suffering, had he refused to die, the forgiveness of sins had never been preached. But he refused not; he suffered most cheerfully. "He gave his life a ransom :" he " became obedient unto death, even the death of the

cross. He said, in the joyful assurance of forgiveness to sinners, through his blood; "It is finished: he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

66

Also, as it regards justification; that which is the foundation of this blessing is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Thus it is written; "As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners;" that is, by the transgression of our first parent, in consequence of which his whole posterity were involved in guilt; so by the obedience of One," that of the Lord Jesus Christ," shall many be made righteous*." He is "made of God unto us, wisdom, and righte ousness.' "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our Righteous, ness t." He hath, by his obedience unto death, brought in "everlasting righteousness;" without the least defect, or tendency to decay; a righteousness which shall not be abolished;" at once perfect in its nature, and lasting as eternity in its duration.

But all this implies the substitution of Christ in the stead of his people. He suffered not only for our good, but in our place. Hence such declarations as these ; "He who knew no sin was made sin," a sin-offering, "for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." He "once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God;" into a state of acceptance with him, and reconciliation to him; that he might bring us near to God, and make us like him. "He was wounded," not for his own sake-it was "for our transgressions : he was bruised," not for any evil which he had done; it was "for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace," or by which our reconciliation is procured,

VOL. I.

* Rom. v. 19.

ន

+ Jer. xxiii. 6.