The terms justified, just, justifier; and also righteous, righteousness, righteousness of God, &c. which are so frequently used by the Apostle, convey, in the currency of the English language, different significations from those which are uniformly annexed to them in the original Greek. We are accustomed to consider the word to justify, as being synonymous with to vindicate from a particular accusation; and the justifier, as the advocate who pleads the cause of the accused. By righteousness, we are prone to understand the perfection of a moral character in general. But by such applications, the primitive significations of the words are placed at a considerable distance from each other ; so that their natural connection with themselves, and their subject, is destroyed. All these terms are derived from the same origin; and they invariably relate to a just decision, in a judicial process.* Consequently, they are equally applicable to the condemnation of the guilty, and the vindication of the innocent, or to an honourable acquittal from the charges which have been brought against him. Nor do they exclude a free pardon, or mitigation of the legal punishment, where the charge may have been substantiated. All these may be righteous judg

*

* See Note G.

ments. The first, places before the eyes of the offender, and of the public, the law, the transgression, and the penalty. The other, evinces that neither the offence nor the penalty, are applicable to the accused. His innocence has been proved, and strict justice demands that he should be acquitted. In the remission of the punishment, or mitigation of the penalty of the law, the decisions of equity consist in pronouncing the offender to be guilty; by which a very important distinction is inviolably preserved, between the guilty and the innocent. The law is protected, and the offender disgraced. His demerits and his danger are publicly made known. But such a discovery cannot be a total impediment to the exercise of mercy. If it were, mercy would cease to have an existence. Wherever the detection of guilt, and immediate exposure to severe sufferings, inspire the of fender with anguish and contrition, they also inspire a disposition in every benevolent mind, to soften the rigours of the law, if circumstances will permit; nor does such a mind apprehend that it will offend justice, either by the remission or the mitigation of the penalty, as prudence may dictate. By this constitution of our nature, we are rendered the guardians, both of justice and of clemency. We resent the

offence, but we pity the offender. Nor is this right relinquished in the establishment of civil governments. A mercy-seat is always placed somewhere. Provision is always made for occasional acts of grace. Nay, the most cruel tyrant claims to himself the right of shewing mercy, when he pleases. Were any of his subjects to litigate this privilege, they would be in danger of suffering for the insult. In cases of this kind, all that the principles of wisdom and justice require, is, that in the mode of exercising mercy, the criminal should be encouraged to reform, and not repeat his crimes; and that his fellow-subjects should be discouraged from imitating his wicked example. Where penitence is sincere, and there are sanguine hopes of reformation, although the offender has not been justified, according to the stricter sense of the word, mercy will freely consent that he shall, in the future, be treated as if he had been justified. His former offences shall no longer exclude him from the privileges common to inoffensive citizens.

If these explanations be admitted, they will, in their connection with the principles advanced in the preceding section, place the argument of the Apostle, respecting the nature of justifica

tion, in a very conspicuous point of view. It will stand thus:

Verses 19, 20. "Now we know that the injunctions of every law are binding upon the subjects of the law: but as the laws of God have never been perfectly obeyed, by his subjects and moral offspring, no one can plead his innocence. The whole human race is guilty in the sight of God. Therefore, as no one can plead his innocence, he cannot claim a right to a legal acquittal. He cannot be justified by that which condemns him. For it is by the commands and the penalties of the law that the offender is made acquainted with the nature of the offence, and the penalty which is due to it."

Verses 21, 22, 23. "But now, according to the covenant of grace, the righteous judgment, decision, or determination, of the Supreme Legislator, is manifested by an act of clemency. He no longer demands a perfect obedience to the law, as a condition of being favourably received; and thus is the law abolished, considered as a Covenant. This change in the divine proceedings, and these designs of mercy, were not totally hid from the ancient people of God under the law: but were frequently foretold by the Prophets, even his righteous determination

to require faith in Jesus Christ as the condition of acceptance; and to pardon all, indiscriminately, who shall confess with their mouths, the Lord Jesus, and believe in their hearts that God hath raised him from the dead. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile; for all have sinned, they have all dishonoured the Divine Laws and the Divine Legislator."

Verses 24, 25. "Thus, although they are found guilty, they are absolved from the penalty of their guilt; they are freely acquitted by an act of grace; and for this acquittal, this absolution, they are indebted to the Saviour of the world, whom God, his Father and their Father, has ap pointed to publish his propitious designs, and to be the medium of their execution. He died for their sins, and by this acceptable act, has he redeemed them from a state of everlasting condemnation. He is entitled to that faith in him which worketh by love, and will enable them to overcome the world.""

Verse 26. "Thus hath God manifested his equi table plans of mercy. He is strictly just in all his decisions, rewarding the distinguished merits of his Son, whom he raised from the dead, and appointed to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sin; and he acquits the criminal who receives, and who yields to the Saviour