But thus it must be, if CHRIST be not your righteousness. For GOD’s justice must be satisfied; and, unless CHRIST’s righteousness is imputed and applied to you here, you must hereafter be satisfying the divine justice in hell-torments eternally; nay, CHRIST himself shall condemn you to that place of torment. And how cutting is that thought! Methinks I see poor, trembling, christless wretches, standing before the bar of GOD, crying out, LORD, if we must be damned, let some angel, or some archangel, pronounce the damnatory sentence: but all in vain. CHRIST himself shall pronounce the irrevocable sentence. Knowing therefore the terrors of the LORD, let me persuade you to close with CHRIST, and never rest till you can say, “the LORD our righteousness.” Who knows but the LORD may have mercy on, nay, abundantly pardon you? Beg of GOD to give you faith; and, if the LORD gives you that, you will by it receive CHRIST, with his righteousness, and his All. You need not fear the greatness or number of your sins. For are you sinners? so am I. Are you the chief of sinners? so am I. Are you backsliding sinners? so am I. And yet the LORD (for ever adored be his rich, free and sovereign grace) the LORD is my righteousness. Come then, _O young men_, who (as I acted once myself) are playing the prodigal, and wandering away afar off from your heavenly Father’s house, come home, come home, and leave your swines trough. Feed no longer on the husks of sensual delights: for CHRIST’s sake arise, and come home! your heavenly Father now calls you. See yonder the best robe, even the righteousness of his dear Son, awaits you. See it, view it again and again. Consider at how dear a rate it was purchased, even by the blood of GOD. Consider what great need you have of it. You are lost, undone, damned for ever, without it. Come then, poor, guilty prodigals, come home: indeed, I will not, like the elder brother in the gospel, be angry; no, I will rejoice with the angels in heaven. And O that GOD would now bow the heavens, and come down! Descend, O Son of GOD, descend; and, as thou hast shewn in me such mercy, O let thy blessed Spirit apply thy righteousness to some young prodigals now before thee, and clothe their naked souls with thy best robe!
But I must speak a word to you, _young maidens_, as well as young men. I see many of you adorned, as to your bodies: but are not your souls naked? Which of you can say, the Lord is my righteousness? which of you was ever solicitous to be dressed in this robe of invaluable price, and without which you are no better than whited sepulchres in the sight of GOD? Let not then so many of you, young maidens, any longer forget your chief and only ornament. O seek for the LORD to be your righteousness, or otherwise burning will soon be upon you, instead of beauty!