Acts xiii. 39.

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

If my object in the present course of sermons had been simply to produce a popular impression against the church of Rome, I doubt whether I should have selected the doctrine of justification as the subject for our thought this evening. The error, though quite as deadly, is not so glaring as in other portions of their system. But, as I said on Sunday last, my great design is to confirm you in the saving truths of Christ’s gospel, “that speaking the truth in love, we may grow up unto him in all things.” To this end there is no subject more important than the present; it touches our very life; it concerns our present peace and eternal joy; it involves the question, whether the door is closed or opened, by which the sinner can find access to God. Let us endeavour then to approach it with the seriousness due to so great a matter, and let us all lift up our hearts to the Father of lights, the giver of every good and perfect gift, that the Holy Ghost may be shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord!

The point at issue between the Church of Rome and Church of England does not relate to the justification of the heathen man, when he first approaches Christ in baptism. This they term the first justification, and acknowledge with us that it is through faith. It is with reference to what is usually called the second justification that the great difference exists between us. This is the justification of baptized Christians, of persons like ourselves, who have sinned after baptism; and the question is, What is the instrument by which justification is applied to us?

The doctrine of our Protestant church is clearly laid down in the 11th Article, “We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our works, or deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.”

The doctrine of the church of Rome is that there is righteousness infused into the mind, as warmth into the heated iron, and that we are justified by the merit of this infused or inherent righteousness; or, in other words, that our own good thoughts, good works, alms, prayers, fastings, &c. so satisfy God’s law, that in consequence of them we may claim eternal life as our own well deserved reward. The council of Trent has decreed as follows:—“If any man shall say, that men are justified either by the sole imputation of the righteousness of Christ, or the sole remission of our sins, and not by grace and charity, which is diffused in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, and is inherent in them, let him be accursed.” [19]

In other words the Church of England teaches that we are accepted before God through the righteousness of our blessed Lord, imputed freely to all that believe; the Church of Rome, that we are accepted before God through the righteousness wrought in us, and the merit of our own acts and doings. The Church of England that we are justified by faith; the Church of Rome that we are justified by works.

To those who know their Bibles, there can be little difficulty in the decision of this important question. That we are justified by faith stands forth as plainly as the summer sun in heaven.

Acts xiii. 39. “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

Romans iii. 24. “Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

26. “To declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness: that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

28. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

iv. 2, 3. “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”

Gal. ii. 16. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Here we might well leave the subject, but as this was the great battle-field of the Reformation, it may be well to examine rather more carefully into the question. In doing this we will endeavour to show—

I. That all justifying righteousness must be perfect.

II. That inherent righteousness can never justify even the regenerate.

III. That the imputed righteousness of Christ is of itself perfect and sufficient.

I. All justifying righteousness must be perfect; for justification is a legal act, and justifying righteousness is that which satisfies the law. The law, or will of God, lays down a certain rule of life and conduct, as the law of a country lays down certain regulations for the citizen. As the sovereign for his subjects, so God appoints his law for man. Now if the law be satisfied by man, then man is justified by the law. The law lays nothing to his charge; he is really free, and he is accounted free; he is fully and completely justified by his perfect fulfilment of the will of God. Such a character would stand before God in the same position as we do before the earthly judge. We are justified by our country’s laws; we enjoy our liberty, and walk through the length and breadth of our happy land, free as the winds of heaven, in our own right, and, as far as human law is concerned, our own righteousness. We have not broken our country’s laws, so we can stand up boldly before our country’s judge. Now, with reference to our country, or to the law of man, this innocence is a justifying righteousness. It secures to us a perfect freedom, it strips the law of all claim either on liberty or life. If there were a similar obedience to the law of God, that obedience would be a justifying righteousness before God. If the law were satisfied, the creature would be justified; the satisfied law would itself declare him free. The law would be disarmed of all power of threat, curse, or punishment; the righteous man would stand boldly before the judgment, and say, “I have fulfilled the law, and I now demand the crown.”

Now there is one thing self-evident respecting this justifying righteousness; namely this, It must be perfect, or it all falls to the ground. If one stone be removed from the self-supporting arch, the whole fabric falls into ruin. One leak is enough to sink the noblest ship in England’s navy. So by the laws of our country, if there be one breach of one law, our liberty is lost, our right is gone, our justifying righteousness is no more. If there be one single act of transgression, one single violation of one single statute, the law is broken, and the offender is subject to its punishment. How many a poor culprit has lost his life for one solitary act! As with the law of England, so it is with the law of God. The righteousness that can justify must be a perfect righteousness. If there be one act of disobedience, the offender becomes a sinner, and must plead for mercy, if he would hope to shun the curse. His right and righteousness are gone together; he must cease for ever to urge any claim on glory. St. James states this plainly, [23a] “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law:” and St. Paul confirms it, when he quotes the words, [23b] “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.” He does not say some things, or most things, or a great many things, but all things.

And this may point out the distinction between the righteousness which can justify, and the righteousness which may please. That which can justify must be perfect, for it must leave the law unbroken before the judge; that which can please may be defective, for it may be little more than the first risings of a filial love, than the first efforts to do the will of a loving Father. The prodigal pleased his father, when he first turned his thoughts towards his long forsaken home, but none would argue that he was then justified by his obedience. Mary pleased her Saviour, when she sat at his feet, and drank in his sacred teaching, but that one act could not justify her soul before the judgment-seat of God. David did well that it was in his heart to build the temple, but he could not appeal to that one secret, unfulfilled intention, as a justifying righteousness, which could clear his soul, or fulfil the law. To sing the song of thankful praise pleaseth the Lord “better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs,” but though we sang that song throughout eternity, it would prove nothing before the judgment-seat, it could never constitute such a righteousness that the judge could say “Well done, you have fulfilled the law.” [24]

If we bear in mind this distinction, we shall easily establish our second point, namely,

II. That inherent righteousness can never justify even the regenerate: and for this one simple reason, that the righteousness of the very best is altogether imperfect before God.

We all know what a vast change is wrought in a man when he is born again of the Holy Ghost, a change sometimes compared to a resurrection, sometimes to a new creation, and always ascribed to the arm of God’s omnipotent sovereignty. In this change the heart of stone is taken away, and the heart of flesh is granted; the eagle is transformed into the dove; the lion becomes the lamb; the wild bramble is changed into the fruitful vine; the barren waste rejoices and blossoms like the rose. Let us none lower the character of this vast and most lovely change. It is more beautiful than that of the chrysalis to the butterfly; more wonderful than that of the buried corpse to the living man; more gladdening, than when the vast world sprang out of nothing at the command of God. There are only two occasions mentioned in the Bible, in which the company before the throne are described as finding increase to their already perfect joy; the one was the creation, when “all the sons of God shouted for joy:”[25a]—the other, the gathering in of the new born penitent, for “there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” [25b]

But yet the righteousness thus implanted cannot justify, for just look at

(1) The works produced.

There is a constant activity to be seen amongst the people of God; they delight to do his will; they labour, and labour diligently, to relieve distress, to comfort sorrow, to spread the glad tidings of the kingdom of our Lord. Such works are the fruits of the Spirit, and they are gladdening both to God and man. To witness them in the flock is the highest joy of the Christian minister, and never do we know such true pleasure, as when we see you, dear brethren, thus striving to labour stedfastly for Christ. Ay! and they are the joy of one higher far than we. They are the fruits of the Spirit, the delight of Christ himself, the sacrifice well pleasing, acceptable unto God. St. Paul desires such results as these, when he prays, [25c] “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” And Christ himself has put his seal and stamp upon them, saying, [26a] “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” But how vain it is to suppose that they can justify! they may please the Father, but they cannot satisfy the law. They may seem fair before men, but who is bold enough to pronounce them perfect before God? For remember that motives must be considered as well as acts. See how St. Paul argues this, 1st Cor. xiii. 3, “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” What could be a nobler thing than martyrdom? What liberality equal to the consecration of all his goods to feed the poor? Yet if there be one secret, hidden defect of motive perceived by God alone, the Apostle becomes nothing, “it profiteth me nothing.” [26b] “Cut off then those things wherein we have regarded our own glory, those things which men do to please men, and to satisfy our own likings, those things we do for any by respect, not sincerely and purely for the love of God, and a small score will serve for the number of our righteous deeds.” It is with them as with the drop of water. To the naked eye it seems clear and sparkling, but when you see it under the searching light of the solar microscope, you find it full of all uncleanness. So it is with the best of human actions. To the naked eye they may appear pure and even brilliant, but let the light of divine truth beam on their inward character and motive, and there is so much defect, so much defilement, that we are filled with wonder, not because they fail to justify, but because God is so gracious as to condescend to say they please. Yea, verily! if the whole church of Christ were to select from all its multitudes the very holiest of all living men, and if that holiest of men were to select the holiest action that he ever wrought in the holiest period of his most holy life, that one act when referred to the heart searching, motive judging, law of God, would be found so tainted with defiling sin, that if his justification were to depend on its righteousness alone, he must abandon for ever all hope of life with God. “There is none that doeth good, no not one.” [27]

(2) We have here referred to outward actions, let us now trace the stream up to its source, and look at the inward state of heart, or as it is sometimes called “habitual righteousness.” Can this justify? We all know what an inward change is wrought by the Holy Ghost in those who are truly born of God. Their whole heart and mind and will are changed. They love that they once despised, they long for that which they once scorned, they walk with Jesus, whereas before they were the slaves of sin. To recur to the simile employed before, as heat is diffused through iron, so a new love, a new righteousness is spread through the soul. But yet it cannot justify, for it is not perfect. It is sufficient to please, but it is defective still. There may be great heat spread through the iron, while still the metal retains its substance. The ice may be melted, and the water retain the winter’s chill. Just so it is with the righteousness planted in us by the Holy Ghost. There is a new warmth, but the nature retains too much of its iron hardness: there is a melting of the soul, but the winter’s chill is still found in the melted spirit. This is the meaning of our article when it says “The infection of nature doth remain yea in them that are regenerate,” and this remaining corruption destroys at once all hope of justification through the righteousness of the heart. Take one or two examples from the Scriptures. There can be no doubt of the inward righteousness of David. He was “the sweet psalmist of Israel,” “the man after God’s own heart.” If the Holy Ghost ever gave the new life to any man it was to David. But was David’s inward righteousness such that he was justified? Listen to his own prayer, Ps. cxliii. 2, “Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” There can be no doubt of the change of heart in Peter. The ardour of his noble mind was nobly consecrated to Christ. But was Peter justified by his inward righteousness? See how it failed. One wave of strong temptation broke down his faith, and for the time chilled his love: so that on one evening even Peter was thrice guilty of the denial of his Lord. Could Peter then be justified by his inward love? There can be no doubt of the inward righteousness of Paul. He was God’s chosen vessel to bear his name among the Gentiles. His whole life bore witness to the constraining power of the love of Jesus. But was he justified by that inward love? Listen to his own affecting language, Rom. vii. 22–24, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

Or refer the matter to your own personal experience. It is a case that requires no farfetched arguments. There are multitudes amongst you, I am well persuaded, in whom the Holy Ghost has wrought this sanctifying change. It is your joy, your delight, your chief desire to walk with God. And now we would appeal to you. Are you walking with God so perfectly that by that righteousness you can be justified? Has there been no neglect, no languor, no forgetfulness, no sloth in his service? Has the whole life been like the vigorous, active, cheerful, service of the angels around the throne? Or, to go farther: is there any one hour that you have passed from the moment of your new birth till now, upon the perfect holiness of which you would dare to stake your salvation throughout eternity? Select the time of greatest spiritual enjoyment, the happy season when your soul glowed most fervently with the love of Jesus; when Heaven seemed the nearest, and God rose before you as the loveliest of the lovely; and decide whether you can truly say “For that time at least I did fully, completely, and without defect, rise to the measure of the perfect will of God.” How then can Rome declare that we are justified by the righteousness within us? How can she presume to curse those who differ from her sentence? How can she say “If any man say, that we are justified by the sole imputation of Christ’s righteousness, or by the sole remission of our sins, and not by an inherent grace diffused in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; let him be anathema?” Who is there either in Rome or England that can have any hope, but in free, simple, unfettered mercy—that can have any plea before the throne of God but that of the poor publican, who said “Lord be merciful to me a sinner?” [30]

And this leads us, thirdly, to remark

III. That the imputed righteousness of Christ is of itself perfect and sufficient. This is plainly the truth denied in the decree above quoted. Justification is there ascribed in part to the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, but this alone is said to be insufficient. The article of our church and this decree have evident reference to each other. The article says “We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” The Council of Trent “If any man shall say that men are justified by the sole imputation of Christ’s righteousness, let him be accursed.” The turning point, therefore, of the whole question is the complete sufficiency of the work of Christ.

1. Consider, then, his atonement. [31] “He died, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.” He was our substitute, he took our place, he endured the curse of our guilt, “he bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” Was the price sufficient, or was it not? Was the substitute accepted, or was it not? Was the law satisfied, or was it not? If it was, the atonement was complete, the believer free, and no further justification through righteousness can be required. If not, of this one thing I am persuaded, that nothing we can do can supply the deficiency of the work of Jesus. No tears, no toils, no fastings, penances, or alms deeds can supply that which is lacking in the price paid for the sinner. If we were to weep till the ocean overflowed with the swelling tide of penitential tears, it would avail less than one single drop of the most precious blood of God’s well beloved Son. If we were to lacerate the body with fastings and self-inflicted sufferings, till the very life sunk under the penance, it would procure no gift that is not already purchased, it could satisfy no law that is not already satisfied by the life of Jesus.

2. Consider also the imputed righteousness of Christ. He made himself one of us, and became our substitute on the cross. As our representative, He bore our sins in his own body, and as our representative He is now at the right hand of God. God punished our sins in Him upon the cross. God accepts us in Him as his ransomed people. Our sins were placed to his account, and his righteousness to ours. This explains 2 Cor. v. 21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” He was not made really sinful, but sin was imputed to him; he was reckoned as a sinner; he bore the sinner’s curse. But we are made the righteousness of God in the same sense in which he was made sin; that is, righteousness is imputed to us, we are reckoned righteous, we are made heirs of the Redeemer’s glory. Now this righteousness is indeed a justifying righteousness: it is the righteousness of Christ, the righteousness of God, perfect in every thought, perfect from eternity. For ever, and for ever, has he been one with God, and never for one single moment, has one single tainted thought dared to intrude on the heavenly holiness of his most holy soul. Now if this righteousness be imputed to us, what can ours add to it? If we be justified by Christ’s merit, how is it possible that we should be any longer justified by our own? Can ours add to his? Can it supply any defects in his? Can we make up a patchwork righteousness, partly his, and partly ours? The very holiest act of the very holiest of men would be like a spot upon the sun, a stain and blemish to the perfect brilliancy of the holiness of Jesus.

Now that is the justifying righteousness of the believer. In Christ we stand, in Christ we are accepted, in Christ the law is satisfied, in Christ we are free from the curse, in Christ we have peace with God—so in Christ, and in Christ alone, must the true believer look for life.

Away, then, with all false thoughts of human merit; away with the deadly heresy that man by inherent excellence can recommend himself to God; away with the self-exalting notion that any man, at any time, can stand in any other attitude than that of a convicted sinner, freely pardoned through the blood of the Lamb. We will strive to please him, we will press on along the path of life, we will spare nothing that we may walk with God. We will long for the day when Christ’s image shall be formed in perfection within the soul. But, meanwhile, we will rest on his atonement, on his righteousness alone: and though worldly men may count it folly, though self-righteous men may deem it frenzy, though Rome may hurl against us the thunder of her anathemas, we will believe, and believe to our everlasting peace and joy, that “God hath made him to be sin for us”; and that by that one act, without the smallest human merit, “We are made the righteousness of God in him.”