3. Before God no confidence will hold good but what is founded in the double righteousness of justification and sanctification ; they are inseparable, and go together in the dispensation of the new covenant : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God ; ' 1 Cor. i. 30, 'But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanc- tification and redemption.' Both are necessary, and have an influence upon our comfort and peace, and confidence towards God. The necessity of them appeareth with respect to both covenants. The first covenant, the confidence which we would cherish is checked and choked by this objection, Thou art a sinner, and God will not respect sinners. We answer it from the righteousness of ju.stification; Christ died to reconcile sinners to God. Or thus, Thou art not a sincere disciple of Christ ; to this we oppose- the testimony of our conscience, 'The Holy Ghost bearing witness therewith concerning our sincerity.' The first is the primary righteousness, and necessary for the appeasing of God's wrath ; the other is secondary and subordinate, for the clearing up of our right and claim. The righteousness of Christ or of justification procureth the blessings of the new covenant for us ; the other assureth them to us. The first is the ground of our favourable acceptance with God, the second is the secondary condition and evidence of it. The ground and foundation of our favourable acceptance with God is Christ's merit, mediation, and righteousness, a})prehended by faith ; but the evidence is our sincere walking, otherwise no certainty. In short, there having been a breach between us and God, our atonement must be made. So ' God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,' 2 Cor. v. 19. There was the foundation laid for our acceptance with God; as in ver. 21, 'He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
158 SEUMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. XXIV.
God in him.' Now it is not enough that the atonement be made, but the atonement must be received ; that breedeth solid peace, Kom. V. 11 ; and it is conveyed and applied by the Spirit on God's part, by faith on ours, Kom. v. 1 ; then the atonement is received. There need also sure signs to persuade the conscience of the reality of the applica- tion, and to make our right more full and certain, and that we are in favour with God, which cannot be otherwise than by the sincerity of our love to God and men, Gal. v. 6. Clear that once, and you may persuade and assure your hearts before him. To conclude, both the righteousness of justification and sanctification is a righteousness before him. Of justification there is no doubt but it is a righteousness before him, there is no appearing before God without it: Phil. iii. 9, 'And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith ; ' Ps. cxliii. 2, ' Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.' It is true also in its use and office, of the righteousness of sanctification. If it be sincere, though imperfect, it is a righteousness that will hold out before God, and will be graciously accepted by him : Luke i. 6, ' They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments blameless.' Though our guilty fears are mainly allayed by the applica- tion of the blood of Jesus Christ, as the ground and meritorious cause of our acceptance with God, and the only plea that we have against the charge produced from the first covenant, yet the righteousness of sanctification is at least an evidence, and confirmeth our justification by faith, and strengtheneth our plea according to the second covenant. 4. The righteousness of sanctification, which will stand before God, consisteth in our sincerity : ' If we be of the truth, we may assure our hearts before him ; ' so it is in the text, ' We are of the truth, and assure our hearts before him.' What is it to be of the truth ? The truth is the gospel, called ' the word of truth,' Eph. i. 13, John xvii. 17. He is of the truth that understandeth and believeth this doctrine, called knowing the truth and acknowledging the truth, often spoken of in the scripture, 2 John 1,2, 2 Tim. ii. 25 ; and feeleth the force and efficacy of it in his own heart : James i. 18, 'Of his own will begat he us, of the word of truth;' John viii. 32, 'And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' And then expresseth the fruits of it in the course of his life, called ' walking in the truth,' 2 John 4, and 3 John 3, 4, ' I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth which is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth;' namely, as they follow the right way, and are true disciples of Christ. Well, then, sincerity of obedience is our grand evidence and qualification. The first covenant required innocency or unsinning obedience, the second uprightness or sincere obedience : Gen. xvii. 1, ' Walk before me, and be thou perfect ; ' Ps. xxxii. 1, 2, ' Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.' The covenant which granteth and alloweth pardon of sins alloweth also sincerity as our qualification. The old covenant bringeth all things to the balance, the new to the touchstone;