cient allowance for it. Nay, it is not easy for the same persons, when they speak of the same thing at a considerable distance of time, to use exactly the same expressions, even though they retain the same sentiments. How then can we be rigorous in requiring others, to use just the same expressions with us? 3. We may go a step farther yet. Men may differ from us in their opinions, as well as their expressions, and nevertheless be partakers with us of the same precious faith. It is possible they may not have a distinct apprehension, of the very blessing which they enjoy. Their ideas may not be so clear, and yet their experience may be as sound as ours. There is a wide difference between the natural faculties of men, their understandings, in particular. And that difference is exceedingly increased, by the manner of their education. Indeed, this alone may occasion an inconceivable difference, in their opinions of various kinds. And why not, upon this head, as well as on any other? But still, though their opinions as well as expressions, may be confused and inaccurate, their hearts may cleave to God through the Son of his love, and be truly interested in his righteousness. 4. Let us, then, make all that allowance to others, which, were we in their place, we would desire for ourselves. Who is ignorant (to touch again on that circumstance only) of the amazing power of education? And who that knows it, can expect, suppose, a member of the church of Rome, either to think or speak clearly on this subject? And yet if we had heard even dying Bellarmine cry out, when he was asked, "Unto which of the saints wilt thou turn ?" "Fidere meritis Christi tutissimum :It is safest to trust in the merits of Christ :" would we have affirmed that, notwithstanding his wrong opinions, he had no share in his righteousness? 5. "But in what sense is this righteousness imputed to believers?" In this: all believers are forgiven and accepted, not for the sake of any thing n them, or of any thing that ever was, that is, or ever can be done by them, 66 but wholly and solely for the sake of what Christ hath done and suffered for them. I say again, not for the sake of any thing in them, or done by them, of their own righteousness or works. "Not for works of righteousness which we have done, but of his own mercy he saved us." By grace ye are saved through faith.-Not of works, lest any man should boast:" but wholly and solely for the sake of what Christ hath done and suffered for us. We are "justified freely, by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." And this is not only the mean of our obtaining the favour of God, but of our continuing therein. It is thus we come to God at first: it is by the same we come unto him ever after. We walk in one and the same new and living way, till our spirit returns to God. 6. And this is the doctrine, which I have constantly be lieved and taught, for near eight and twenty years. This I published to all the world in the year 1738, and ten or twelve times since, in those words, and many others to the same effect, extracted from the Homilies of our Church :"These things must necessarily go together in our justification; upon God's part, his great mercy and grace; upon Christ's part, the satisfaction of God's justice; and on our part, faith in the merits of Christ. So that the grace of God doth not shut out the righteousness of God in our justification, but only shutteth out the righteousness of man, as to deserving our justification." "That we are justified by faith alone, is spoken to take away clearly all merit of our works, and wholly to ascribe the merit and deserving of our justification to Christ only. Our justification comes freely of the mere mercy of God. For whereas all the world was not able to pay any part toward our ransom, it pleased him, without any of our deserving, to prepare for us Christ's body and blood, whereby our ransom might be paid, and his justice satisfied. Christ, therefore, is now the righteousness of all them that truly believe in him." 7. The hymns published a year or two after this, and since republished several times, (a clear testimony that my judgment was still the same) speak full to the same purpose. To cite all the passages to this effect, would be to transcribe a great part of the volumes. Take one for all, which was reprinted seven years ago, five years ago, two years ago, and some months since. "Jesu, thy Blood and Righteousness The whole hymn expresses the same sentiment from the beginning to the end. 8. In the Sermon on Justification, published nineteen, and again seven or eight years ago, I express the same thing in these words, p. 87. "In consideration of this, that the Son of God hath tasted death for every man,' God hath now reconciled the world unto himself, not imputing to them their former trespasses.' So that for the sake of his well-beloved Son, of what he hath done and suffered for us, God now vouchsafes on one only condition, (which himself also enables us to perform,) both to remit the punishment due to our sins, to re-instate us in his favour, and to restore our dead souls to spiritual life, as the earnest of life eternal." 9. This is more largely and particularly expressed in the Treatise on Justification, which I published last year. "If we take the phrase of imputing Christ's righteousness, for the bestowing (as it were) the righteousness of Christ, including his obedience, as well passive as active in the return of it; that is, in the privileges, blessings, and benefits purchased by it: so a believer may be said to be justified, by the righteousness of Christ imputed. The meaning is, God justifies the believer, for the sake of Christ's righteousness, and not for any righteousness of his own. So Calvin, (Institut. 1. 2. c. 17,) Christ, by his obedience, procured and merited for us grace or favour with God the Father. Again, Christ, by his obedience, procured or purchased righteousness for us. And yet again: all such expressions as these, That we are justified by the grace of God, that Christ is our righteousness, that righteousness was procured for us by the death and resurrection of Christ, import the same thing:' namely, that the righteousness of Christ, both his active and passive righteousness, is the meritorious cause of our justification, and has procured for us at God's hand, that upon our believing, we should be accounted righteous by him." Page 5. 66 10. But, perhaps, some will object, Nay, but you affirm, that faith is imputed to us for righteousness." St. Paul affirms this over and over; therefore I affirm it too. Faith is imputed for righteousness to every believer; namely, faith in the righteousness of Christ, but this is exactly the same thing which has been said before. For by that expression, I mean neither more nor less than that we are justified by faith, not by works: or that every believer is forgiven and accepted, merely for the sake of what Christ has done and suffered. 11. "But is not a believer invested or clothed with the righteousness of Christ?" Undoubtedly he is. And accordingly the words above-recited are the language of every believing heart: "Jesu, thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress." That is, for the sake of thy active and passive righteousness, I am forgiven and accepted of God. "But must not we put off the filthy rags of our own righteousness, before we can put on the spotless righteousness of Christ?" Certainly we must; that is, in plain terms, we must repent, before we can believe the gospel. We must be cut off from dependence upon ourselves, before we can depend upon Christ. We must cast away all confidence in our own righteousness, or we cannot have a true confidence in his. Till we are delivered from trusting in any thing that we do, we cannot thoroughly trust in what he has done and suffered. First, "we receive the sentence of death in ourselves;" then "we trust in him that lived and died for us." 12. "But do not you believe inherent righteousness?" Yes, in its proper place: not as the ground of our acceptance with God, but as the fruit of it: not in the place of imputed righteousness, but as consequent upon it. That is, I believe God implants righteousness in every one to whom he has imputed it. I believe "Jesus Christ is made of God unto us Sanctification," as well as Righteousness: or, that' God sanctifies, as well as justifies, all them that believe in him. They to whom the righteousness of Christ is imputed, are made righteous by the Spirit of Christ, are renewed in the image of God, "after the likeness wherein they were created, in righteousness and true holiness." 13. "But do not you put faith in the room of Christ, or of his righteousness?". By no means. I take particular care to put each of these in its proper place. The righteousness of Christ is the whole and sole foundation of all our hope. It is by faith that the Holy Ghost enables us to build upon this foundation. God gives this faith. In that moment we are accepted of God: and yet, not for the sake of that faith, but of what Christ has done and suffered for us. You see, each of these has its proper place, and neither clashes with the other: we believe, we love; we endeavour to walk in all the commandments of the Lord blameless. Yet, While thus we bestow Our moments below, Ourselves we forsake, And refuge in Jesus's righteousness take. His passion alone, The foundation we own: And pardon we claim, And eternal redemption in Jesus's Name. 14. I, therefore, no more deny the righteousness of Christ, than I deny the godhead of Christ. And a man may full as justly charge me with denying the one as the other. Neither do I deny imputed righteousness: this is another unkind and unjust accusation. I always did, and |