5. On the doctrine of justification, the scriptures teach us, that the only meritorious cause or primary ground of it before God, is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, which includes his obedience to the moral law, and the satisfaction he made to divine justice by his expiatory sufferings:—that this righteousness is transferred to the believer by a gratuitous imputation, and being apprehended by faith, constitutes the ground of his peace, as well as the matter of his justification before God:—that it is given “unto all,” as a free and unmerited donation, and is “upon all them that believe,” Rom. iii. 22, as a rich and immaculate garment of salvation:—that the moment a sinner believes in Jesus with ever so weak a faith, his justification before God is complete, because he lays hold on the perfect righteousness of Christ. And by him _all_ that believe are justified from _all_ things. Acts, xiii. 39. “There is _no_ condemnation to them.” Rom. viii. 1.—And that the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ being, in all respects, consummate and glorious, cannot want, and will not admit of, any works of the sinner as auxiliary to his justification. For, “by the obedience of _One_ many are made righteous.” Rom. v. 19. And “to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.” Rom. iv. 5. The faith that apprehends the righteousness of Christ, is the gift of God; and, before it exists, no works deserve the name of good, because, until a man’s person is accepted, his works cannot be well-pleasing in the sight of God; and till the tree is made good, the fruit cannot be good. No good works can precede justification by faith; and therefore the 13th article properly observes, that “works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God, for as much as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ.” Which truth St. Paul confirms, by declaring, that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” Heb. xi. 6. Good works, therefore, are subsequent to justification, and are not the matter, but the evidences of it. They justify a believer before men, but his faith justifies him before God; because, the fruits of righteousness, though deserving commendation from man, are open with all their imperfection before the eye of omniscience; and “in his sight can no man living be justified.” Psal. cxliii. 2. And in order that this part of the subject may be summed up in as perspicuous and concise a manner as possible, I close it with laying before you the following distinction; viz. _A believer is justified meritoriously by the righteousness of Christ_, _instrumentally by faith_, _and declaratively by works_. In the first sense, he is justified before God; in the second, in his own conscience; and in the third, before the world. These several truths are equally inimical, by this distinction, to the pride of