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THE 3ríRST F#tÓITS
UF T33a
ffiFIRIT;
OR
rD19C.'Ii.
bis
obedience completely acceptable
to
God
instead
c'
thousands of
creatures, and
fully
satisfactory for
tL'
offence
that «as
given him
by
them;
here
is
a
sacrifie
provided
equal to
tiie
guilt of
sin,
and therefore
sufficier
to
take it
away.
see
here what
a blessed
harmony there
is
betwea
the
justice
of God doing
honour
to his
own law,
and
hs
compassion
resolved
to save
a
ruined creature
:
Here
s
no
blemish cast upon the
strict justice
and
righteousnes
of
God,
when
the offender
is
forgiven
in
such a methol
as
may
do
honour
to
justice
and mercy
at
once;
Ron.
iii. 24, 25.
We
are justified
freely
by
his
grace througi
the redemption
that
is
in
Jesus
Christ;
whom
God
hata
set forth
to
be
a
propitiation through
faith
in
his
blood,
to
declare
his
righteousness,"
even his
perfect
governing
justice,
though
he passes
by
and pardons
the sins
of
a
thousand
criminal
creatures;
"
to
declare,
I
say,
at
this
time
his
righteousness,
that
he
might
appear
to be
just
to
bis own
authority
and
law,
while he
justifies the
sinful
.
man
who
believeth or
trusteth
in
Jesus
the
Mediator
as
becoming
a
proper
sacrifice
and
propitiation
for sin."
3.
By
the
sanctification
of
our nature. `there
is also
another
remarkable harmony
between the
holiness
of
God
and
his
mercy
in
this work
of
the salvation
of
sinful
man.
The guilt of
sin
is
not
only
to
be
forgiven
and
taken
away
by
a
complete atonement
and
sacrifice,
but
the sinful
nature of
this
ruined creature
is+to
be
changed
into
holiness,
is
to
be renewed and sanctified
by
the
blessed Spirit,
and
reformed
into,
the
image
of
God
his
maker: He
must not
only
be
released
from
punishment
by
forgiveness,
but
he
must
be
restored
to the
image
of
God
by
sanctifying grace
;
so
that'e
may be
fit
company
for
the
rest
of
the favourites
of
Godin
the
upper world;
that
he
may
be
qualified
to
be
admitted
into
this
society,
avhere
perfect
purity and
holiness
are
necessary for
all the
inhabitants of
this
upper
world,
and for
such
near
attend-
ants
on
the blessed
God :.I.n
-
that
happy
state
"
nothing
shall
enter
there
that
defileth
;"
Rev.
xxi. 27.
and
thére-
fore concerning
the criminals
among the Corinthians,
as
vile
and
as offensive to
the
pure
and holy
God
as they
are
represented
;
'1
Cor.
vi.
g=
11.
+viz.
"
Fornicators, ido-
Jators, adulterers,
drunkards,"
&c.
but,
it
is
said, they
are
washed,
but they,are sanctified,
but
they
are
justified