Part 204

_Thirdly_, What think you about being justified by CHRIST? I believe I can answer for some of you: for many, I fear, think to be justified or looked upon as righteous in GOD’s sight, without JESUS CHRIST. But such will find themselves dreadfully mistaken: for out of CHRIST, “GOD is a consuming fire.” Others satisfy themselves, with believing that CHRIST was GOD and man, and that he came into the world to save sinners in general; whereas, their chief concern ought to be, how they may be assured that JESUS CHRIST came into the world to save them in particular. “The life that I now live in the flesh, (says the Apostle) is by faith of the Son of GOD, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Observe, _for me_: it is this immediate application of JESUS CHRIST to our own hearts, that renders his merits effectual to our eternal salvation. An unapplied CHRIST will do us no service at all. Others there are who go still farther: for they think that JESUS CHRIST is God-man; that he is to be applied to their hearts; and that they can be justified in GOD’s sight, only in or through him: but then they make him only in part a saviour: They are for doing what they can themselves, and then JESUS CHRIST is to make up the deficiencies of their righteousness. This is the sum and substance of our modern divinity. And was it possible for me to know the thoughts of most that hear me this day, I believe they would tell me, this was the scheme they had laid, and perhaps depended on for some years, for their eternal salvation. Is it not then high time, my brethren, for you to entertain quite different thoughts concerning justification by JESUS CHRIST? For if you think thus, you are in the case of those unhappy _Jews_, who went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit to, and consequently missed of that righteousness which is of GOD by faith in CHRIST JESUS our LORD. What think you then, if I tell you, that you are to be justified freely through faith in JESUS CHRIST, without any regard to any work or fitness foreseen in us at all? For salvation is the free gift of GOD. I know no fitness in man, but a fitness to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone for ever. Our righteousnesses, in GOD’s sight, are but as filthy rags: he cannot away with them. Our holiness, if we have any, is not the cause, but the effect of our justification in GOD’s sight. “We love GOD, because he first loved us.” We must not come to GOD as the proud Pharisee did, bringing in as it were a reckoning of our services; we must come in the temper and language of the poor Publican, smiting upon our breasts, and saying, “GOD be merciful to me a sinner:” for JESUS CHRIST justifies us whilst we are ungodly. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The poor in spirit only, they who are willing to go out of themselves, and rely wholly on the righteousness of another, are so blessed as to be members of his kingdom. The righteousness, the whole righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, is to be imputed to us, instead of our own: “For we are not under the law, but under grace: and to as many as walk after this rule, peace be on them:” for they, and they only are the true _Israel_ of GOD. In the great work of man’s redemption, boasting is entirely excluded: which could not be, if only one of our works was to be joined with the merits of CHRIST. Our salvation is all of GOD, from the beginning to the end: it is not of works, lest any man should boast: man has no hand in it: it is CHRIST who is to be made to us of GOD the Father, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and eternal redemption. His active as well as his passive obedience, is to be applied to poor sinners. He has fulfilled all righteousness in our stead, that we might become the righteousness of GOD in him. All we have to do, is to lay hold on this righteousness by faith: and the very moment we do apprehend it by a lively faith, that very moment we may be assured, that the blood of JESUS CHRIST has cleansed us from all sin: “For the promise is to us and to our children, and to as many as the LORD our GOD shall call.” If we and our whole houses believe, we shall be saved as well as the Jaylor and his house: for the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST is an everlasting, as well as a perfect righteousness. It is as effectual to all who believe in him now, as formerly; and so it will be, till time shall be no more. Search the scriptures, as the _Bereans_ did, and see whether these things are not so. Search St. _Paul_’s epistles to the _Romans_ and _Galatians_, and there you will find this doctrine so plainly taught you, that, unless you have eyes and see not, he that runs may read. Search the _Eleventh Article_ of our Church: “We are accounted righteous before GOD, only for the merits of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST by faith, and not for our own works or deservings.”