countrymen, by asserting a righteousness that was arrived at in some other way than through the path of obedience to their law, yet he does not omit the opportunity of trying to disarm this opposition, by avouching that this very righteousness was borne witness to by the law and the prophets. The testimonies of the prophets are various and abundant on this topic; for a view of the testimonies of the law, we refer you to Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews.

V. 22. The righteousness which is proposed by the apostle, as that which alone is valid to the object of justification, is called by him the righteousness of God. It is that the acceptance of which does not dishonour Him. It is that which He Himself has provided, and which He bestows as a grant to all who will. We cannot speak too plainly about an alternative, on which there hinges the whole eternity of a sinner. Conceive the sinner to draw nigh, in the imagination of his own merits -God says to him, I cannot receive you upon this footing, but here is a righteousness which I hold out to you, wrought not by yourself but by my Son, and I now ask your consent that you be clothed upon therewith. Come to me, consenting to be so clothed upon, and I take you into full reconciliation.'-' Unto all.' The offer of this righteousness is upon all who believe. Their belief constitutes their acceptance of the thing offered; and what was formerly theirs in offer, becomes by their faith theirs in possession. No difference.' There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

in respect of all having sinned; and there is as little difference in respect of the way in which all may be justified.

V. 23. Come short of glorifying God-' When they knew God they glorified him not as God;' and they therefore are short of having wherewith to glory of before God. Even Abraham had nothing to glory of before God; and of consequence no claim or title to be glorified by God.

V. 24. You understand that the term justify signifies, not to make a man righteous in personal character, but to hold and declare him righteous in point of law. We have already explained that it is to be understood forensically. We here understand that this justification is not wrought for, but given, and given freely. It is not a purchase, but a present. It is given by grace, which is just saying, that it is given gratis. When we say that it is not a purchase, we mean that it is not purchased by ourselves. Still however it was purchased, but by another. To redeem is to recover what is lost, but by rendering an adequate price for it. We had lost righteousness in the sight of God. Jesus Christ redeemed the righteousness that we had lost. He gave the price for it; and we are freely offered of that thing which is the fruit of His purchase.

V. 25. Set forth.' Exhibited. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Set forth before the eyes. The term propitiation is the same with what in the Old Testament is translated

mercy-seat. On the great day of atonement it was sprinkled with the blood of an appointed sacrifice. "And there I will meet thee," says God to Moses, "and will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat." It rather, however, signifies the of fering itself, than the place in which the blood of the offering was sprinkled. You know what it is to make the Being whom you have offended propitious. The propitiation is the offering by which propitiousness is obtained. Jesus Christ in dying, rendered a propitiation for the sins of the world. And you in particular have the benefit of this propitiation; He becomes your propitiation upon your having faith in His blood. There is a general faith which respects the whole testimony of God, that, if true and not counterfeit, will also respect all the particulars of that testimony. Still however there is a danger in connecting our reconciliation with this general faith; for there may be a delusive vagueness, you will observe, in the matter, and the attention may fail to be exercised on that distinct truth with which reconciliation has most expressly and immediately to do. Let it be well remarked then, that in this verse propitiation is said to be through faith in His blood. There is an appropriateness of this kind kept up in God's dealings with us. Through faith in the blood of Christ, we obtain that redemption which is through this blood, even the forgiveness of sin. It is through faith in God's promise of the Holy Spirit that we shall upon asking Him receive the Holy Spirit.

This latter act of faith brings down upon us the benefit of which it is the object, even the Spirit— as the former act of faith brings down upon us the benefit of which it is the object, even the washing away of our guilt in the blood of the Lamb. As is the faith, so is the fulfilment. Our Saviour did not ask the blind men-Believe ye that I am able to do all things?-but Believe ye that I am able to do this thing? And upon their replying—Yes, He touched their eyes and said, According to your faith so be it done unto you-and their eyes were opened. The man who has the faith that he will get the Spirit of Charity, and prays accordinglythough he should get forgiveness on the back of his prayer, is not getting according to that faith. The man who has the faith that Christ's Spirit can sanctify him, and prays for it-though he should get forgiveness on the back of his prayer, is not getting according to that faith. But the man who has the faith that the blood of Christ can wash away guilt, and prays that in this blood his guilt may be washed away, and on the back of his prayer is accepted in the Beloved and for His sake-he is getting precisely according to his faith. And thus it is that there is an accordancy between the benefits of faith, and the particular truths of revelation which faith has respect unto-when it brings down these benefits upon the believer. Faith has been compared by same theologians to the bunch of hyssop, and the blood of Christ is called the blood of sprinkling.

For as to the remission of sins that are past. To declare His righteousness, in the having remitted by his forbearance, the sins of the ages that are past.

V. 26. It is at this time that God hath set Him forth. He now shows what was before hidden from the prophets. In the fulness of time Christ is now manifested. It was a mystery in former ages, how a holy God could pardon. This is now declared; and it is now made manifest that God might be just, while He justifies those who believe in Jesus.

The following is the paraphrase of this passage.

Therefore no individual shall work out a righteousness that justifies him by his doing of the law -for the law makes his sin manifest. But now, in lack of this righteousness of man, there is manifested a righteousness of God-not consisting of our obedience to the law, though both the law and the prophets bear witness to it. This is that righteousness of God, which is received by our faith in Christ Jesus, which is offered unto all, and actually conferred on all who believe without distinction. For all have sinned and come short of rendering glory to God; and none are therefore justified in the way of reward, but receive justification as a gift of kindness, out of that which has been purchased for us by Christ Jesus-whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood; and thus to declare the righteousness of God, in His having forborne to punish the sins of