6. As to the manner, in which a sinner is to be made righteous before God; since it has already been demonstrated, by irrefragable proof from the scriptures of truth, as well as by arguments deduced from the corruption of human nature, and the sanctions and sentence of the law, that all obedience of the sinner is insufficient towards his justification before the majesty of heaven; nothing farther in a negative way need be added, to corroborate, what is, indeed, in itself, so evident, and incontrovertible. It may, however, be necessary to quote a few scriptures, in which two of the most illustrious saints, in language of the deepest self-renunciation, disclaim any the least pretensions to justification before the most High and Holy God, howsoever they might esteem their conduct justifiable before fallible creatures, like themselves. “BEHOLD I AM VILE!” says he, who was a mirror of patience, “what shall I answer thee?” Job, xl. 4. “How can man be JUSTIFIED WITH GOD?” says the same person, “or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon and it shineth not: yea the stars are not pure in his sight; how much less man that is a worm!” Job, xxv. 4, 5. Hear how the man after God’s own heart trembleth at the thought of Jehovah’s entering into judgment with him, or any other creature. “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities; O Lord, who shall stand?” Psal. cxxx. 3. “Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for, in THY sight shall no man living be justified.” Psal. cxliii. 2.—Passages these, which are but few out of the multitudes that might be produced, to demonstrate the impossibility of being justified in ourselves before a heart-searching God, as well as the dreadful peril of abiding the sentence and scrutiny of his righteous law. 7. But how, then, can man stand before this holy Lord God, and be constituted righteous in his sight? This question cannot better be answered than in the words of the XIth article of the Church of England. “We are accounted righteous before God _only_ for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and _not_ for our _own_ works or deservings.” I quote this excellent article of our church, not with any design of establishing its authority as infallible and decisive, but merely because it affords a plain and scriptural definition of the point in question, as well as exhibits a striking proof, that our sentiments, on the mode of a sinner’s justification before God, are supported by the venerable sanction of the Church of England: and I believe it will satisfactorily appear, that it is not without scriptural ground, that she requires of all her ministers, an unequivocal and solemn subscription to this, as well as every other article in the _thirty-nine_.