Justification by Faith · §16

A charge to the ungodly

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You ungodly one, who hear or read these words, you vile, helpless, miserable sinner, I charge you before God, the judge of all. Go straight to him with all your ungodliness. Take heed that you do not destroy your own soul by pleading your righteousness, more or less. Go as altogether ungodly, guilty, lost, destroyed, deserving and dropping into hell, and you shall then find favor in his sight, and know that he justifies the ungodly. As such you shall be brought to the blood of sprinkling, as an undone, helpless, damned sinner.

Thus look to Jesus. There is the Lamb of God, who takes away your sins. Plead no works, no righteousness of your own. No humility, no contrition, no sincerity.

In no way. That would be, in very deed, to deny the Lord who bought you. No, plead singly the blood of the covenant, the ransom paid for your proud, stubborn, sinful soul.

Who are you, who now see and feel both your inward and your outward ungodliness? You are the man. I want you for my Lord. I challenge you for a child of God by faith. The Lord has need of you.

You who feel that you are just fit for hell are just fit to advance his glory, the glory of his free grace, justifying the ungodly and him who does not work. Oh, come quickly. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you, even you, are reconciled to God.

1771 text

9. Thou ungodly one, who hearest or readest these words, thou vile, helpless, miserable sinner, I charge thee before God the judge of all, go strait unto him, with all thy ungodliness. Take heed thou destroy not thy own soul, by pleading thy righteousness, more or less. Go as altogether ungodly, guilty, lost, destroyed, deserving and dropping into hell: and thou shalt then find favour in his sight, and know that he justifieth the ungodly. As such thou shalt be brought unto the blood of sprinkling, as an undone, helpless, damned sinner. Thus look unto Jesus! There is the Lamb of God, who taketh away thy sins! Plead thou no works, no righteousness of thine own! No humility, contrition, sincerity. In no wise. That were, in very deed, to deny the Lord that bought thee. No, Plead thou singly, the blood of the covenant, the ransom paid for thy proud, stubborn, sinful soul. Who art thou, that now seest and feelest both thine inward and outward ungodliness! Thou art the man! I want thee for my Lord. I challenge thee for a child of God by faith. The Lord hath need of thee. Thou who feelest thou art just fit for hell, art just fit to advance his glory: the glory of his free grace, justifying the ungodly and him that worketh not. O come quickly. Believe in the Lord Jesus; and thou, even thou art reconciled to God.

About this text

Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.

Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.

Catalogue & scope

Sermon 5 in the 1771 Works. Romans 4:5.

This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.