It may be thought by some that the subject of Justification is trite and exhausted; that, as one of the “commonplaces” of Theology, it was conclusively determined and settled at the era of the Reformation; and that nothing new or interesting can now be introduced into the discussion of it. It is not necessary to say in reply to this, as some might be disposed to say, that “what is new in Theology is not true, and what is true is not new;” for we believe, and are warranted by the whole history of the Church in believing, that Theology, like every other science, is progressive, – progressive, not in the sense of adding anything to the truth once for all revealed in the inspired Word, but in the way of eliciting and unfolding what has always been contained in it, – of bringing out one lesson after another, and placing each of them in a clearer and stronger light, – and discovering the connection, interdependency, and harmony, of all the constituent parts of the marvellous scheme of Revelation. In this sense, Science and Theology are both progressive, the one in the study of God’s works, the other in the study of God’s Word; and as human Science has not yet exhausted the volume of Nature, or reached the limit of possible discovery in regard to it, much less has human Theology fathomed the depths of Scripture, or left nothing to reward further inquiry into “the manifold wisdom of God.” There may be room, therefore, for something new, if not in the substance, yet in the treatment, even of the great doctrine of Justification, – in the exposition of its scriptural meaning, and in the method of adducing, arranging, and applying the array of its scriptural proofs.