towards the explanation of Scripture by "perception" rather than
by revelation. "The Lord appeared unto me"; "The Lord spake unto me";
say the Prophets, and they appeal occasionally to supernatural
attestation of their assertions. But the modern expository savant, wiser
to be sure than the Prophet, assures us that they arrived at their
messages by observation, by meditation, by development of thought and
character, and practically by nothing different from these things.
Accordingly, their "inspiration" was strictly speaking the same in kind
as that of a Chrysostom, or a Luther, or a Shakespeare. Do not you say
so, or imply that it is so. Do not go for mere company's sake with the
current of naturalistic thought. Sure I am that you are most unlikely,
if you do, to be the instrument of _super_natural _effects_ in your
preaching.

"WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION?"

(_c_) "What is Justification? It is, _the making man just_." Is it
indeed? I should read that sentence with alarm, if I did not know the
writer! Its sentiment is practically Roman Catholic. Moreover, it puts a
meaning on the word in question, contradicted by the common usages of
language; an important consideration when we study a Scriptural
theological term. When I "justify my opinion" I do not _make it right_,
but vindicate it as already right. When the Hebrew judge "justified the
righteous," [Deut. xxv. 1] he did not improve him, but pronounced him
satisfactory to the law. And when God, for Christ's sake, justifies you
who believe in Jesus, He does not in that act make you good; He
pronounces you, for His Son's sake, to be satisfactory to His Law, for
purposes of your personal acceptance.

"WHY DOES FAITH JUSTIFY?"

(_d_) "Why has faith such power to justify? Because, _carried out to its
fullest extent, it implies assimilation_ to its Object." Here again I
should be alarmed, if I did not know the writer's general convictions,
which are sound enough. But this particular sentence again is in full
harmony with Romanist doctrine. And, as a fact, with the Bible open, and
with usages of common language before us, it can easily be exposed as a
confusion of words and thought. Faith, carried out ever so fully, is
just faith still; personal reliance, personal confidence on God in His
Word. That reliance is His appointed (and divinely natural) way for our
reception of Jesus Christ. For our Justification, it receives Christ in
His merits; it does _that_, and that only, and al