We must not expect to be saved, or any way recommend ourselves to GOD, by any or all the works of righteousness which we have done, or shall, or can do. The LORD CHRIST is our righteousness,――our whole righteousness: imputed to us, instead of our own. “We are compleat in him,” says the scripture. “We are accounted righteous before GOD, only for the merits of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, by faith,” saith the eleventh article of our church. And if so, how are good works, my brethren, a necessary condition of our justification in the sight of GOD? The law indeed says, “Do this, and live:” but the gospel brings us the glad tidings, that “CHRIST is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” CHRIST, by his sacrifice, and perfect obedience, has every way fulfilled the law for us; and GOD will not require to be paid twice. CHRIST bought our justification with a great price, even with his own blood. It comes to us freely, without any regard to works past, present, or to come. This is the constant language of CHRIST and his apostles; and therefore, to use the words of the forementioned article, “That we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.” Observe, my brethren, justified _by_ or _through_ faith, and not _for_ faith; for faith is only a means or instrument whereby the whole righteousness of JESUS CHRIST is applied to the sinner’s soul: and whosoever does thus believe in his heart, setting to his seal that GOD is true, may be assured that his pardon is sealed in heaven; notwithstanding he has lived in an open breach of GOD’s commandments all his life-time before. “Believe, (says the apostle to the trembling ♦jailor,) and thou shalt be saved:” “Whosoever believeth that JESUS is the CHRIST, is born of GOD.” So that this faith will not be dead, idle or inactive: for ’tis not a faith of the head, or a bare assent to things credible as credible; the devils thus believe and tremble: but it is a faith of the heart, a living principle of new life, infused into the soul by the spirit of GOD, applying that inwardly, which was wrought for him outwardly by the obedience and death of JESUS CHRIST, and continually exciting the possessor of it to shew it forth by his works; not as necessary conditions, but as proofs of his justification in GOD’s sight; and as so many tokens of his gratitude and love for what GOD has done for his soul. This is what the apostle stiles a “Faith working by love.”
♦ “jaylor” replaced with “jailor”
I cannot conclude this better than in the words of a truly evangelical writer now before me. “The law (sayst thou) must be obeyed.” I answer, “CHRIST JESUS hath done that in his own person, and justified me thereby; and, for my own part, I will not labour now to fulfil the law for justification, lest I should undervalue the merits of the man CHRIST JESUS, and what he hath done without me; and yet will I labour to fulfil, if possible, ten thousand laws if there were so many: and O let it be out of love to my sweet LORD JESUS. For the love of CHRIST constrains me.”