"righteousness, and going about to establish their " own righteousness, have not submitted themselves " unto the righteousness of God': for Christ is the " end of the law for righteousness to every one that "believeth," Rom. x. 1 to 4. - If it be asked how this righteousness of the Lord Jesus can justify and comfort any believer, it may be answered, as he is led of the Spirit to receive it as covering his sins, and to appropriate it to himself as the means of his acceptance with God; just as Abraham, "received the sign of circumcision, " a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he " had yet being uncircumcised for the promise that " he should be heir of the world was not to Abra. “ ham, or to his seed, through the law, but through < the righteousness of faith." Rom. iv. 11, 13. Thirdly, by his Spirit. As the righteousness of Christ, procures us a meritorious acceptance, so doth his Spirit, work in usan efficient acceptance before God; and thus we may be said to be justified even by works; not by work as of merit, but as being the fruits of that faith which is first wrought and afterwards maintained in us, by the power and operation of the Spirit. On this, resteth our personal holiness. It is called a free Spirit, Psalm li. 12. because by renewing and changing our perverted and rebellious will, we are led into the glorious liberty of the sons of God: it is said to be a "Spirit of holiness," Rom. i. 4, as we have thereby spiritual life, and resurrection from the death of sin to the life of righteousness: and thus we are said to " have the first fruits of the Spirit," Rom. viii. 23. when by receiving the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body, we are freed from the power and dominion of Satan, which we are enabled to prove to our comfort when we become more in love with God and holiness. And furthermore, to prove the necessity of our being justified by the Spirit. Christ submitted to be justified by the Spirit, as set forth by the apostle Paul; "God " was manifest in the flesh, justified by the Spirit." 1 Tim. iii. 16. Need we hesitate a moment before we decide on the cause of the justification of the Son of God? If for the iniquities of his people he was stricken, for their cause like the high priests of old, he justified himself that he might be enabled to offer a perfect sacrifice for them: and for a similar reason did he also submit to personal sanctification; " And for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they " also might be sanctified through the truth," John xvii. 19. and thus God by his Spirit sanctifies the elect, or true believers; " And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus " and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. vi. 11. But to enter into the main purpose of my present subject, which is to shew the importance of these truths which in our dealings with God, Christ has thought good to enforce with that double confirmation, Amen, Amen, I say unto you, or as it is in our 66 66 translation, "Verily, verily, I say unto you:" and which from this circumstance seem leading and necessary 'features of our faith, if we would regard the honor of God, and the best interest of our souls. First, Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see Heaven open, and the angels of God, ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, John i. 51. Heaven is primarily the abode of God; where (though his glory is displayed through all his handy works), the fulness of glory, and the exceeding brightness of his person, and of his terrible majesty more fully reside. For though the Lord dwells there if any where in more immediate presence, yet the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him, 1 Kings viii. 27. The Lord of Hosts filleth all immensity with his presence. Unnumbered worlds are visited, and governed by his good Providence; and though we know nothing of his method of governing the same, yet the present idea which we have of his infinite wisdom, should lead us to maintain this truth that they are so ruled, as in securing most his own honor and glory, should secure the greatest share of good to the creatures contained therein. Further, not only is Heaven the peculiar abode and residence of the Lord God, but angels are his attendants, hearkening to the voice of his word. And if the splendid retinue of an earthly court strikes us with an idea, of the magnificence and power of the monarch to whom they belong, what idca can be too lofty to form of the magnificence of that God of whom it is declared "the chariots of God are "twenty thousand, even thousands of angels?" Psm. lxviii. 17. Of these angels it may be said they are spirits, ministering spirits who stand ready to fulfill his will. Psm. civ. 4. Heb. i. 7. From the verse under consideration, including the context, it may fairly be deduced, that a positive proof is given of Christ's essential divinity, and of his positive assertion of the same, by claiming to himself the attributes and honors of deity. Nor let it here be forgotten, that this divine person of whom we speak had just before received from the hands of John, the unction of the Holy Ghost; of whom " John bare record saying, I saw the Spirit-de"scending from Heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him," and of whom he further said, (not by his knowledge, for he declared twice " I knew him " not," as in verses 31 and 33, but by the knowledge of him that sent him to baptise with water), " Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, " and remaining on him, the same is he which bap"tiseth with the Holy Ghost." But to proceed, two of the disciples of John walking with him, declared to one another, "We have found the Mes"sias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ." Again, "Philip findeth Nathaniel, and saith unto "him, We have found him of whom Moses in the " law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Naza"reth, the son of Joseph." Nor let it be thought amiss to ask here of whom it was that these distinguished personages of old did write. And first let us hear the testimony of Moses speaking of Christ, whose day he saw and rejoiced; he says, " the "Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet "from the midst of thee, like unto me unto him ye shall hearken," Deut. xviii. 15. The similarity between Christ and Moses in a prophetical character, might be traced in a variety of instances. Yet who that rightly considers for a moment can refuse to trace the difference between divine inspiration, as imparted to a man, and divinity itself, though veiled in the inferior dignity of the mediatorial person of the Son of God? and this train of reasoning we may surely follow when adopted by the apostle Paul, who when speaking of the human nature of the Son of God, declares " this man was "counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inas"much as he who builded the house hath more ho"nor than the house," Heb. iii. 3, and of this superior personage considered in the passage quoted, as a prophet by Moses, was not Moses in another place, ashamed to entreat the sight of his glory, under the most solemn ascription of divinity to him. "And Moses said unto the Lord, See thou sayst " unto me bring up this people; and thou hast not " let me know whom thou wilt send with me. " thou hast said I know thee by name, and thou "hast also found grace in my sight. And he " (i. e. the Lord) said, My presence shall go with Yet |