have, even momentarily, one desire or tendency that is contrary to the perfectness of God. And then as to its positive requirements, it demanded the perfect, unreserved, perpetual surrender of soul and body, with all their powers, to God and to His service. Not only was it required, that love to Him-love perfect and unremitted should dwell as a living principle in the heart, but also that it should be developed in action, and that unvaryingly. The mode also of the development throughout, was required to be as perfect as the principle from which the development sprang.

If any among the children of men be able to substantiate a claim to perfectness such as this, the Courts of God are ready to recognise it. The God of Truth will recognise a truthful claim wherever it is found. But if we are unable to present any such claim-if corruption be found in us and in our ways-if in every thing we have fallen short and do fall short of God's glory, then it is obvious that however willing the Courts of God may be to recognise perfectness wherever it exists, such willingness can afford no ground of hope to those, who, instead of having perfectness, have sins and short-comings unnumbered.

And if we see that such a mode of justification is, to us, hopeless, let us beware of murmuring against the strictness of the Divine requirements, as if we were displeased with God for refusing to be satisfied with less than perfectness. Such murmuring is not only useless but sinful. It has the sinfulness of rebellion, and of ingratitude too. It is in mercy that God has made known to us as the unalterable principle of His Courts, that they will not justify on the ground of personal righteousness any one who cannot prove the possession of a righteousness that is perfect-like His own, without intermission, and without flaw.

What then have we to do? We have to enquire whether the Courts of God permit that a claim to the possession of righteousness should be presented, based, not on the title of what we personally are, but on the title of what has been substitutionally effected by another. Do the Courts of God admit the principle of substitution?

This question, like the previous one, can only be decided on the authority of God. He alone can determine, and He alone can reveal, the principles of His own Courts. But His declaration, respecting the holiness of His own unbending Law, is not more plain, than is His revelation respecting a means of justification provided through a Substitute. The same Courts which would be ready to recognise

the claim of personal righteousness (if such a claim could be advanced) are also willing to admit of a claim being preferred on the ground of being beneficially interested in the substitutional righteousness of Another.

It is impossible, however, that the principle of substitutional righteousness could be recognised in the Courts of God on behalf of those who had broken God's Law, unless a provision were made for bearing its penalties, as well as for fulfilling its commandments. According to the appointment of the Law, if there be a falling short in any of its requirements, then there is not only failure in respect of the attainment of righteousness, but as a consequence of such failure, guilt, and upon all guilt the Law pronounces curse-" cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them." Consequently, if we are unable to prove the possession of perfect personal righteousness, that very inability leaves us under curse. We stand not merely as those who have failed in attaining the reward of righteousness, but as those who because of such failure are under the pronounced sentence of God's holy Law. He who has not perfect righteousness is a sinner, and every sinner is under curse.

If, therefore, grace is pleased to open a way of salvation through substitution, it is necessary that the Substitute should be One, able, both to meet all the demands of the Law in respect of righteousness, and also to bear the curse which the infraction of the Law had entailed on those, whom, as a Substitute, He represents. Such a Substitute, Christ is. He came to sustain the dignity and holiness of the Divine government, as well as to open a door of mercy. He magnified the Law by perfect obedience to all its requirements, so that not one jot or tittle passed therefrom till all was fulfilled: and He also bore in life and in death all that was appointed to be borne in order that mercy might be exercised with a due regard to the claims of justice. There may be, and there is, love in God towards sinners; but there is also wrath in God towards unpardoned sin, and that wrath demands atoning or "appeasing" sacrifice, (iλaopov.) This "appeasement" Christ supplied, and thus the governmental holiness of God, before angels and men and Satan, was glorified, not only by the perfectness with which every commandment of His Law was kept, not only by the unswerving steadfastness with which its curse was borne, but also by the excellency and dignity of the Person of Him who undertook to obey it and to suffer under it for that Person was

have, eres momentarily, one desire or tendency perfectness of God. And then as to its po demanded the perfect, unreserved, perpetual body, with all their powers, to God and to i was it required, that love to Him-love I should dwell as a living principle in the heart, be developed in action, and that unvaryingly. development throughout, was required to be as from which the development sprang.

If any among the children of men be able to perfectness such as this, the Courts of God it. The God of Truth will recognise a truthf fund. But if we are unable to present any ruption be found in us and in our ways—if i Allen short and do fall short of God's glory, 1 however willing the Courts of God may be to wherever it exists, such willingness can afford those, who, instead of having perfectness, have si unnumbered.

And if we see that such a mode of justificatio let us beware of murmuring against the strictn quirements, as if we were displeased with Go satisfied with less than perfectness. Such murmu less but sinful. It has the sinfulness of rebellion too. It is in mercy that God has made known to principle of His Courts, that they will not justi personal righteousness any one who cannot prove righteousness that is perfect-like His own, w and without flaw.

What then have we to do? We have to e Courts of God permit that a claim to the possessi should be presented, based, not on th but on the title of what has been Do the Courts of God admit the

This question, like the pr authority of God. He alon the principles of His ow

ed as valid (and it must be recan be disproved) we are said ount of Christ's vicarious ober Christum." In the first case,

the second, "I have trusted" >>pointed to be trusted in for

d should be contested; if the v a pretended faith,—that we e have it not, then, it becomes have sprung from our faith ing. Thus, whilst our claim putation of righteousness is plea on the ground of being tional work of Another) yet genuine, is grounded on the own to have flowed from it. neficially interested in the r having faith, and thereCourts of God, we are said ts our claim to having our n our works, and therefore to be justified by works. › the perfectness of God, ding to the perfectness of ve living faith: but if it ounced righteous on the nothing less than that all s, and all my deeds, have e, perfect according to the not in itself perfect, may m to the possession of genone imperfect feeling would to be pronounced righteous

o meet the claims of God on the stitute has done and suffered for Nothing can be more perfect than If He has borne the punishment ne it, and we are free: if He has

Immanuel-" the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts." The dignity of the Person must not be overlooked whilst considering the perfectness of the work. All, therefore, who are recognised in the Courts of heaven as having such an One as their Substitute, must necessarily be regarded as effectually freed from the penalty of their guilt, seeing that their Substitute has borne that penalty for them; and as possessed of perfect righteousness, seeing that their substitute has presented His own righteousness in their stead.

Some modern writers, indeed, reject the doctrine of Christ's vicarious fulfilment of the Law on behalf of His people, as if it were not needed; and as if the righteousness referred to in such texts as, "He is the Lord our righteousness"-and "the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe," referred to something higher than any righteousness which could result from Christ's obedience to the Law. But let us beware of speaking or thinking lightly of the Law of God, or of the service of Him who undertook to obey it for His people. That Law was a transcript of the holiness of God; and none but One who was holy as God, and who was God, could meet its claims. Consequently, it is impossible that there can be anything higher, anything more perfect than the obedience rendered by Immanuel to the Law of God. Nothing can be more perfect than that which is perfect. Light that hath no darkness at all is light that hath no darkness at all; and such light can in no respect be surpassed or exceeded. Prolongation of development cannot make perfectness more perfect. When a heavenly perfectness which had been from everlasting and shall be to everlasting, was manifested for thirty and three years on this earth, the perfectness so exhibited was in no respect less excellent than that which had been in the ages that preceded, or which shall be in the ages that succeed, the period of its earthly development. The waters brought to David from the well at Bethlehem, and which he poured out before the Lord, were not less pure or less crystal because they were a part-a portion merely, of the well from which they were taken. As to purity and excellency there was no difference between the waters and the well. As was the well, such were the waters. Not indeed that such an illustration is adequate; for the fountain. was, so to speak, present when He was in the earth who is "God over all, blessed for ever." The development, however, of the fulness that is in Him was, no doubt limited during the days of His earthly service. It was limited as to time, and it was displayed but in part.