You do not clearly see that " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness ;" and that he is so to those only who " believe5." I beseech you, leave not this matter unexamined, and unde- cided, in your minds : but beg of God to reveal his Son in you ; and that you may never be suffered to rest, till you can say, with the Apostle, " I desire to be found in Christ, 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 V]
2. Those who, whilst they have these views, are afraid fully to rely upon them —
[A free and full salvation, even to the chief of sinners, and simply by faith in Christ, seems to be so rich a blessing, that it would be presumptuous in any human being to enter- tain a hope of it : and, from this feeling, many are led to put it away from them, as too great ever to be obtained. But, my brethren, if God has revealed it, and absolutely appointed it as the one only way in which he will receive sinners to himself, who are we that we should refuse it ? This is a false humility. If we could see ourselves possessed of some worthi- ness, then we should be content to receive salvation at God's hands : but, because we see our utter unworthiness, we put it from us. But this is greatly to dishonour God, and griev- ously to insult the Lord Jesus Christ ; yea, and to do despite also to the Holy Spirit, who has revealed this salvation to us. Be content to receive all freely from God, as you receive the light of the sun, and the very air you breathe. Remember, that the more unworthy you feel yourselves to be, the more will his grace be exalted and magnified. There is a righteous- ness already wrought out for you, and ready to be imparted to you. It is appointed to be received simply and solely by faith. It is " the hope laid up for you in heaven :" and you are to " wait for " it, in the exercise of earnest and continual prayer. O ! beg of the Holy Spirit to reveal it fully to your souls, and to overcome all your doubts and all your fears ; and so to work faith in your hearts, that you may be filled with peace and joy in this world, and attain, in a better world, " the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."]
s Rom. x. 2—4. h Phil. iii. 9.