Page:Memoir of the Reverend David Wilson (2).pdf/19

 Acts iv. 11, 12. ‘We pray you, (says Paul,) in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for as that we might be made the righteousness of God in him,’ 2 Cor. v. 20, 21. It is he who believes what is testified of Jesus, that is reconciled to God, and shall stand in the judgment. For to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.—even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 'Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin,’ Rom. iv. 4—8. And ‘it is of faith, that it might be by grace,’ Rom. iv. 16. For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. vi. 23. Though the gospel reveals salvation by free grace alone, leaving no merit to the sinner, yet is there deep guilt in rejecting it. 'He that believeth in him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already; because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and in loved darkness rather than light, because deeds were evil,’ John iii. 18, 19. See too, 2 Thes. i. 8—10. ii. 10—12.

The charade's of such as believe in Jesus, will for correspond to that which he describes in his account of the judgment. For no man can be a believer in Christ without loving him—and no one can love him without being his wiling and