and to the Lamb," we must have ascribed it to God and to ourselves.
Are we then to be saved by faith and works? We still an- swer, No : for in whatever degree we trust in our own works, in that degree do we rob Christ of his official dignity ; and assume to ourselves the honour due to him alone. As far as our own merits are united with his as a joint ground of our acceptance with God, so far shall we have to all eternity a ground of glorying in ourselves ; yea, so far salvation will cease to be of grace ; whereas " it is of faith that it may be by grace, and that boasting may be for ever excluded11."
Salvation must then be by faith without works, {not without works as its fruits and effects; but altogether without them, as a ground of our acceptance before God:) we must not endeavour either in whole or in part to " establish a right- eousness of our own," but seek to be clothed in the unspotted robe of Christ's righteousness. This is the declaration of God himself e ; nor did the Apostles themselves know any other way of salvation f. We must all therefore desire, with St. Paul, to be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness, but his, even his alone g.]
2. The excellency of that way —
[What can be conceived more comfortable to man than to hear of such a salvation as this ? Were we told that we must work out a righteousness of our own that should be commen- surate with the demands of God's law, who could entertain a hope of ever effecting it ? If we were required to do some- thing that should be worthy to be joined with the Saviour's merits in order to render them more effectual for our accept- ance, where should we find one single work of ours that we could present to God as perfect, and as deserving of so great a reward? The best man on earth must either sit down in despair, or live in continual suspense respecting his eternal welfare. But the righteousness of Jehovah appears at once, not only adequate to our wants, but to the wants of all man- kind; and, by trusting in that, we find rest unto our souls. Nor can we devise any other method of acceptance so honour- able to God ; since it refers all the glory to him ; and necessi- tates all the hosts of the redeemed to ascribe the honour of their salvation to him alone. In spite of all the objections too that are urged against it, we can affirm that it is eminently con- ducive to the practice of holiness. Can we think of God be- coming man in order to work out a righteousness for us, and not feel a desire to serve and honour him ? " Can we continue
d Rom. iv. 16. Eph. ii. 8, 9. e Rom# jv# 5#
f Gal. ii. 16. g Phil. iii. 9.