The Everlasting Gospel.
The GOSPEL of JUSTIFICATION By the Righteousness of God; As 'tis Held and Preach'd in the Churches of NEW-ENGLAND: Expressed in a Brief DISCOURSE on that Important Article; Made at Boston in the Year, 1699.
By Cotton Mather.
AND, Asserted with the Attestations, of several Reverend and Eminent Persons, now most considerable in those Churches.
BOSTON, Printed by B. Green, and J. Allen for Nicholas Buttolph, and Sold at his Shop at the corner of Gutteridges Coffee-House. 1700.
The Memorable words of Luther, before he Engaged in the REFORMATION.
MI dulcis Frater, Disce Christum, et [...] Crucifixum; Disce ei cantare, et de Teipso desperans, dicere ei; Tu, Domine Jesu, es Justitia mea, Ego autem sum peccatum T [...]um; Tu assumpsisti meum, et dedisti mihi Tuum; Assumpsisti quod non eras, et dedisti mihi quod non eram. Ipse suscepit te, et peccata tua fecit sua, et suam Justitia [...] fecit Tuam. Maledictus qui haec [...] credit.
The Dedication. TO The Reverend Ministers Of the Gospel in London, Sometimes Honoured with the Name of UNITED BRETHREN.
THE Distance of a Thousand Leagues from You, whereat the Providence of our Lord Jesus Christ▪ hath placed the Churches of New-England, hath not rendred them unconcerned in Your Interests. The same Holy Spirit ▪ which, from our Common Head, animates both You and Them, with the Influences of His Grace, hath Taught them, to feel with Joy, the Smiles of Heaven upon your Interests, and with [Page] Grief, the [...]rowns of Heaven thereupon.
When You were a few years ago, becoming like the Primitive Believers for Your One Accord, and Embracing each other, with the Honourable Name of, UNITED BRETHREN; the Tidings were as cold waters to our thirsty Souls, in this far Countrey, and the Tidings were proclamed, and Received with Joy, throughout the Churches, in these American Colonies. But I will take the Leave to Transcribe and Report unto you, some words, of the Discourse here published Eight years ago, on that memorable Occasion. ‘Satan will doubtless endeavour to undermine this UNION: A certain King of England, holding a Treaty of Peace, with a French King, in an old Chappel that lay between their two Armies, both came to a good Agreement; but as they were coming out of the Chappel, a Snake suddenly crept out of the old Wall, which they seeing, Drew their Swords, and their Servants at the Door Drew likewise: Upon this, the whole Armies no less furiously than ignorantly advanced upon one another, and Commenced a Battel, wherein a most horrid Slaughter was made, before the mistake was Rectified. Alas, it often thus comes to pass;[Blessed Ʋnions page 85, 86. Printed 1692. when the Servants of God have been just Finishing a Reconciliation the Old Serpent will interpose, & interrupt it all.’
And now▪ Your Friends on this Side of the Atlantick, are with Grief making Jobs Reflection; The thing which I greatly Feared is come! [Page] With a very condolent Sympathy, we feel the Blowes, which the Two Sticks, that we thought made One, are giving to one another. We flattered our selves with Hopes, of seeing the Witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ Risen out of their Graves, when we still see those very Things upon them, that made our Apostle cry out, Nonne Cadaverosi estis? We have Heard, and Read, with no little astonishment, the Contests of Ʋnited Brethren, and the efficacious Attempts of Satan to break their Ʋnion; Unable therefore to forbear thereupon the Lamentations of the Great Austin upon the Quarrels between Jerom, and Ruffin, Vae mundo a scandalis; Ecce prorsus impletur, quod veritas ait, Quoniam abundavit Iniquitas, frigescet [...] multorum. Quis Amicus non formidetur quasi futurus inimicus, si potuit inter Hieronymum [...] Ruffinum hec quod plangimus [...]! O misera et miseranda Conditio!
Our Inveterate Adversary hath had experience for more than Five Thousand Years to teach him, That no Animosities are so fierce and strong as those that are produced by Differences in Religion; Thundrings and Lightnings, and Earthquak [...]s arise with most of Tempest, from the Fire of the Altar; because, in Controversies, of Divinity ▪ men are easily perswaded that they are Engaged in the cause of the Deity, wherein 'tis a Good-Thing for a man to be zealously affected ▪ But we in these Ends of the Earth have been taught by an experience more than Fifty Years Old, That the Minds of men are never more prone [Page] unto unjustifiable Alienations, than when their Differences in Religion turn upon the point of, A Sinners Justification before God: Strange! Nothing raises more sinful Variance, and Prejudice, in men, towards one another, than their Opinions about the Doctrines of a Sinners Reconciliation unto God; and the Controversies, about the Methods of our coming to a Peace with Heaven, cause most of Strife upon Earth.
Now albeit the Churches of New-England, have had nothing to disturb them, in their Enjoying the Comforts of Ʋnion in that Important Article of our Christian Religion, for many Lustres of years; yet we must humbly crave leave of our Ever-Honoured Brethren, in the City of London, to inform them, That it is inexpressibly Ʋncomfortable unto us, to understand the Shocks of late given to their Ʋnion, in their Controversies upon that Article.
And indeed, Sirs, 'tis no less Ʋnaccountable unto us, than Ʋncomfortable. We can see much Reason that you should Contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints, in this Great matter; but we cannot see so much Reason that you should Contend so much with one another.
We find our Worthy and Honoured Brethren, who have been distinguished by the Name of Congregational, [See, the Declaration of the Congregational Ministers, in London, against Antinomian Errors: Printed, 1698.] Expressly declaring, ‘That the Elect, before they Believe, are not personally and Actually Justifyed in the [Page] Court of Heaven, but by Believing they are so Justifyed: That God seeth the Sins of His own People, and is Displeased with them for their Sins, and when Believers do Sin, it is their Duty to Humble themselves Confess their Sins, and Pray for Pardon: That since the Sins of Believers, do Impair their Graces, and Comforts, Harden their Hearts, wound their Consciences, Hurt and Scandalize others, Grieve Gods Holy Spirit, Expose to His Fatherly Displeasure, and bring Temporal Judgments upon them; their Sins Hurt them, and they should be afraid to Commit them: That Saving Faith lies not in a full Perswasion and Assurance, that our Sins are actually Pardoned; and Marks and Signs for the Trials of our Spiritual Estate are to be sought after: and Sanctification Evidenced by the Spirit of God, unto our Consciences, is a certain Sign and Mark of our Justification; That the Law, delivered by Moses, continues in its Commands and Curses, Ʋndissolv'd; and still is of use, to convince of Sin, that we may see a need of Christ; and therefore is to be Preached; and we are to look unto it: That though men want Ability to Believe Savingly, yet its the Duty of Gospel Ministers, to make the Offer, and Testify unto them, that whoever Believes and Repents shall be Saved; and its the Peoples Duty, to make use of their Natural Faculties, with such External means and workings of the Spirit, as God affords them, that, they may Believe, and Repent, and be [Page] Saved: That our Sins were not so laid upon Christ, as to make Him every way as Sinful as we; and we are not every way as Righteous as Christ: And none may Expect to be Pardoned in a state of Unbelief and Impenitence; And continued Repentance with Holiness, are necessary to our possession of Eternal Life.’
Truly, We cannot imagine, why the Brethren of this perswasion, should be Reproached, or Suspected for Antinomians.
But we also find our Honoured and Worthy Brethren, who have been distinguished by the Name of Presbyterian, on all occasions asserting and adoring the Grace of the Holy Gospel. It were easy from the writtings of such Great men, as (to mention only one Fratrum Dulce par,) Dr. Manton and Dr. Bates, to Extract, as rare Schemes of Evangelical Truth, and Grace, as any of us all can desire. But what needs it? When besides what hath occurr'd in the Pacificatory Papers, which the most Eminent among them have sign'd and sent unto those that have been Jealous of them, their Confession of Faith, [Se Dr. Manton, on Heb. 11.4▪ And Dr. Bates, on Psal. 130.4] [Conf. of Faith, Agreed by the Assembly of Divines, at Westminster. Chap. 11. Art. 1] expressly declares, ‘Those whom God effectually Calleth, He also freely Justifieth; not by Infusing Righteousness into them, but by Pardoning their Sins, and by accounting & accepting their persons as Righteous; [Page] not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christs sake alone; not by Imputing▪ Faith it self, the Act of Believing, or any other Evangelical Obedience to them, as their Righteousness: but by Imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them; they Receiving and Resting on Him, and His Righteousness, by Faith, which Faith, they have not of themselves, it is the Gift of God.’ Brethren that are thus perswaded, cannot wit [...]out Extreme Injury, be called, Arminians.
Briefly, We have the Testimony of that Man of an Excellent Spirit, the Reverend Mr. How: ‘We are all agreed, That a Sinner, can never be Saved, but he must be Justified, and he must be Sanctified: That such Justification, and such Sanctification, are both the Effects of most absolutely free and Sovereign Grace: That the Righteousness is entirely and only Christs, by which we are Justified, and the Spirit is most entirely and only Christs, by which we are Sanctified: That whoever doth sincerely, Evangelically Believe in God through Christ, Receive Christ, and is United with Him; and by serious Repentance turn to God, and having been made willing in the day of His Power, doth now render sincere Obedience to Him; Every such one is Accepted with God: others are liable to abiding wrath: That such Faith, such Repentance, such Obedience, even in the most entire Sincerity, are not to be considered at all, as any cause of a Persons [Page] Acceptance with God; they Characterize the Accepted Person, but cause it not; no internal Work of the Holy Ghost can be any part of the Righteousness, that must Justify us before God.’
Reverend Syrs▪ let it not be a Wonder to you, that your Divisions are so to us, when we can discover so little, that is left for you to Divide upon. 'Tis a frequent Occurrence in the World, Maxima Odia ex levissimis Causis; but when such a Thing Occurs in the Church, it must certainly be reckoned among the Devices of Satan, and, why may it not be ascribed unto his Energies? However, We do not see the least Cause, for You, O ye Men of God, to be suspicious of Each other, as having a Design to betray the Protestant Religion, and maintain your Suspicions, with a strong Indisposition to be Cured of those Evil Surmises: For You, to disparage the Persons and Labours and discourage the Ministry of Each other, and seem to delight in occasions for Disparagement: For You, to write against each other, with poinant Invectives; or, do any thing but that whereby Men may know, that ye are the Disciples of the Patient JESUS; any thing that can't stand before the Thirteenth Chapter, in the First Epistle to the Corinthians.
We do acknowledge, that in Explaining the Illustrious Article of, JUSTIFICATION, there may be Varieties of Expression among you. But are they such, we beseech you, as will Justify [Page] all the Discord that hath arisen thereupon? The words of the Incomparable Dr. Owen, in his Golden Book, of Justification, [pag. 79, 80] are worthy to be written in Letters of Gold: ‘Among persons, who agree in the Substance of the Doctrine, there is some Difference about the Nature of Faith whereby we are Justified, with its proper Object in Justifying, and its Ʋse in Justification. And an instance we have herein, not only of the weakness of our Intellects, in the Apprehension of Spiritual Things, but also of the Remainders of Confusion and Disorder in our Minds, at least, how true it is, that we know only in part, while we are in this Life. For whereas, this Faith is an Act of our minds, put forth in the way of Duty to God, yet many by whom it is Sincerely Exerc [...]sed, and that continually, are not agreed either in the Nature or proper Object of it. And notwithstanding this Difference, [...] do yet all of them please God, in the Exercise of Faith, as it is their Duty, and have that Respect unto its proper Object that Secures both their Justification and Salvation. And if we cannot on this Consideration bear with, and forbear one another, in our Different Conceptions, and Expressions of those Conceptions, it is a Sign we have a great mind to be Contentious, and that our Confidences are built on very weak foundations.’
But how marvellous a thing is it, that your [Page] Contentions do continue, after one side hath gone so far as to tell the other, If you attentively and deliberately weigh, what we [...] asserted on the Article of Justification, we are Confident, it will Evidently and Ʋndeniably appear, that we perfectly agree with our Brethren, in the Evangelical Doctrine of Justification, even in the very phrases, and modes of Expression?
Honoured Sirs; We cannot conceal from you, some of those Afflictive Resentments, that your Friends as far off as America, have had upon your Contentions. We have Mourn'd, as often as we have Thought, how much the Dove like Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath been distasted by the over-flowings of Gall, that we have seen, in some Disputations; and Grieved by your Bitterness towards one another. That Spirit, in You, (O ye Followers the Lamb,) it Lusteth AGAINST Envy: You need not be told, That Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, and Envyings, are Works of the Flesh, to be mortified by that Spirit. We have Mourn'd, when we have Thought, What Scandal, and what Scoffing, hath been afforded unto our Common Enemies, by the Treats that you have given unto one another; They have had you greatly in Derision: because you have declined from the Law of the Lord, whose Dying Prayer, and Charge it was, That we should Love one another. But we Remember with Horror, what horrible Storms quickly came upon the Primitive Christians, when the Feuds among them, were such as to be [Page] Exposed upon the Pagan Theatres. We have Mourn'd, when we have Thought, what Invaluable Opportunities, to get a Redress of Troublesome Inconveniencies yet remaining upon you, have been Lost, while your Time, and Zeal hath been misemploy'd, in Studying how to Trouble one another. When your Father Abraham, was making overtures of Accommodation to his Kinsman, God immediately shew'd him the Land of Promise, and said, All this Land, unto thee will I give it. But alas, why should Good men, do any thing to delay the Enjoyment of Promised, and Expected Salvations! We have Trembled, when we have se [...]n our Nation, by a Flood of Wickedness, Ripening apace for the Judgments of God, and for an Overflowing Scourge; and we have been Afraid, lest the Day of Temptation, of late upon You, may have produced those miscarriages, that shall defeat you, of a Share, in any Notable preservation, from the Day of Destruction, that Some fear to be at hand. Were there any likelihood, that the Fury of the Caroline Persecution, could be Revived by any future changes upon the Nation, according to the Good-will, that High Church-men continue to Express unto that way of handling you, how likely would be new Sorrows to Chastise your misimprovement of your wondrously Restored Liberty▪ and, How Righteous the Dealings of God! Without such a Supposition, if little Birds will never leave off P [...]cking at one another, they may soon find, if they will give themselves the Liesure [Page] to Think, whence there may come a great Kite that may Devour all. Or, Suppose a Plague (which Mercy forbid) should e're long break forth, upon the bravest and biggest City in Europe; the Scratches that the Servants of God, have been giving to one another, (which are indeed, Abominations to be Sigh'd for!) would be but poor Marks, to recommend them unto the Angels of Protection! When the Apostle could say, to the Corinthians, I hear there be Divisions among you, it was not long before he said, Many are Weak and Sick among you, and many Sleep. In Short, We want words, to describe our Agony!
Now, because we hoped, it might have some little Tendency, towards the Cure of your Dissensions, and Distemper [...], to let you know, how uneasy they be to the Churches of New-England, where you are most Highly Esteemed, and where you have whole Provinces and Colonies, of your Ʋnited Brethren, the Pastors of those Churches, that met a while since in Boston, desired some care to be taken, That their dearest Resp [...]cts unto you, might some way be signified, with their Hearty Wishes, That the Glorious Graces of the Lord Jesus Christ which adorn you, may prevail over the Distempers of your present Controversies, and preserve among you the Blessed Name of, UNITED BRETHREN.
Wherefore, being very sure of their Concu [...] rence to such Wishes, [...]humbly Take This Way, [Page] My Reverend Fathers and Brethren, to Sollicit your Second Thoughts upon your Controversies, and your laying aside all Strife ▪ but that of Love, May the Souls of your American Brethren, that ardently Pray and Long for it, be Refreshed, with the Melody of your Concord; and may all the Symptoms of Displeasure in you against one another, be forever so extinguished, that there may therein be no Tokens of Heavens being Displeased at both. May there be so little of any [...]arring like that between Chr [...]sostom and Epiphanius, or like that between Peter and Meletius, among any of you, that no man may Set at nought his Brother, but all may follow after the Things that make for Peace, and add unto their God [...]iness, B [...]therly-kindness. May you, Walk together in those Greater Things, wherein you are all Agreed, and in the Lesser ones, wherein you are not so, yet Value one another, as we afar off do all of you, and not count the Vertues and the Talents of the most Worthy men, to be Little worth, Except they violently Espouse a Party.
Amen; My most Honoured; and, May the God of Love and Peace hereunto say, Amen. The God of Patience and Comfort, grant you to be like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus.
[Page]The Opportunity taken thus publickly to Address you, is from the Publication of a Discourse lately delivered [...], which hath been more than once [...] of me, by some of the Faithful. It was fo [...]e [...]old by our famous Old Mr. Cotton, That he Truth of the Gospel professed in these Churches, being a Pure sort of Thing, would not be kept but in Pure Vessels; and that therefore when the Professors of the Gospel degenerated into Impurity of Conversation, the Pure Evangelical Truth, would soon be given up. 'Tis therefore but a Godly Jealousy, That in the growing Degeneracy of our Churches, there is danger lest the Evangelical Truth, especially, in the Grand Point of, Justification, come to be depraved, with the manners of the Rising Generation To do something for the prevention of such a fatal Apostasy, and for the Directing and Confirming of our Flocks in the Faith which is our Life, this little Treatise is now sent abroad And that it may be done the more Effectually, THREE of the most Eminent Persons in our Churches, (One of whom, is an Aged Polycarp, that hath been about Fourscore and Four years a Disciple of the Lord J [...]sus Christ) have kindly favoured the Treatise, with their Attestations, That it contains no other than the Faith hitherto Held and Preach'd in the Churches of New-England. As being Such, (and not at [Page] all on the account of the Unworthy Writer,) it presumes to ask a favourable Attention and Reception, from all that may see cause to Look upon it. And, As no other, than the poor Messenger, to bring it, You will Consider,
To the Reader.
THAT Celebrated saying of Luthers, That the Doctrine of Justification, is, Articulus stantis aut cadentis Ecclesiae, ha's been found most true. It is the Crisis, the chief indication of the Churches state, which will Stand or Fall with this Truth. The Churches in Galatia Embraced another Gospel, when they let go this principle, That we are Justified by the alone Righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith. The parting with this Truth has also proved fatal to the Romish Synagogue: Without doubt Paul was acted by a Prophetick Spirit, when in his Epistle to the Romans, he did so largely insist on this Subject.
We esteem the Lutheran Churches to be in several points Heterodox: And in some things (especially in the Doctrine of Free-Will) in which Luther himself (who was a great Champion) did strenuously assert the Truth, they have deserted him. Nevertheless, the Substance and Vitals of Religion have been preserved among them by their stedfast profession of the Gospel, as to this Important Article. I am sorry to [Page] find in the Acta Eruditorum, published at [...], that some of late begin to be tainted with Notions, as if mens Own works had a Causal influence into their Justification before God It seems the Translating of some Books of a famous English Divine into Latin, has proved injurious to the Gospel among those that are called Evangelicks. The Churches in this Wilderness have not for these Threescore years been troubled with Controversies of this Nature: Only one Gentleman many years since, published a Book abounding with Socinian Errors, which was Judiciously and Learnedly refused by our famous Mr. Norton.
Concerning the Author of the Discourse [...] mitted herewith, Or, concerning the Discourse it self, I have (by reason of my Relation on him) nothing to say, only that having perused it, I find that it is Consonant to the Doctrine of Justification formerly Preached and Believed, and (through Grace) still owned in the Churches of New-England.
To the Reader.
THE Justification of a Sinner, in the Sight of God, being a matter of greatest Importance, and Concernment to the Souls of men; it hath been the Practice of the Ministers of New-England, (according to my Observation) from the Beginning, frequently to acquaint their People with, or to insist upon the true Doctrine of Justification, according to the word of GOD; and the Confession of our Faith, and concurrence of the Protestant Divines and Churches in other parts of the World: and for divers of the most Eminent of the first Ministers to leave upon record the same Doctrine in their Printed works for the benefit of Posterity; Such as Mr▪ Hooker, Mr. Richard Mather, Mr. Chaney, Mr. Shepard and Mr. Norton: in which Practise they have been followed by the Minister who have succeeded them: As there was a very useful Discourse of Mr. Willard on Justification, Published some few years ago; So here is now presented to the Readers view, another little Treatise on the same Subject▪ containing no other Doctrine of Justification, then [Page] what hath been Preached and Received in New-England from the beginning.
It is true indeed that in our first times and for some few years, the Peace of these Churches was disturbed by a Company of real Antinomians, who zealously crying up the free Grace of God, and the Righteousness of Christ for Justification; but grossly neglecting, slighting and vilifying the Graces and Duties of Sanctification, they made their folly appear unto all men, and their Religion quickly came to an end. For by their general removal out of this Colony to Road-Island (a place where they might every one do what was right in their own eyes) they shewed themselves to be meer Libertines, and downright Worldlings: contenting themselves with the accommodations of a fruitful Island, they cast off the very Form of Religion; they and their Posterity (for the generality of them) living about these threescore years past, without any Churches, Ministers, Ordinances, or keeping of the Lords Day, only professing Liberty of Conscience at large, that men might there be of any Religion or no Religion, as they would themselves: this is notoriously known to all New-England. So dreadfully dangerous it is to turn the Grace of God into Wantonness, and to pervert the Doctrine of Justification.
After that Storm was over, and ever since (in my Observation) the Ministers and Churches of New-England have retained and maintained [Page] the true Doctrine of Justification, with an equal care of the true Doctrine & Practice of Sanctification to be forever joyned with it; professing also and proclaiming to all men, that we take the Law of God in his Ten Commandments to be the Rule of Life; and yet so, as to Fence against the other Extream of Establishing any Righteousness of our own, which is equally dangerous to the Souls of men, and which we all naturally and habitually are enclined to, seeking to be Justified, either by works without Ch [...]ist, or some way or other joyning them with Christ. Hence they have constantly affirmed & maintained, that the Righteousness of Christ alone, (viz. Christs Obedience to the Law in our Stead) is the only Material and Meritorious cause, and Gods gracious Imputation thereof unto Believers, is the only formal cause of our Justification; whence it is that our Sins are pardoned, and persons are accepted as righteous unto Eternal Life.
As for the Reverend and Worthy Author of this ensuing work; after he had published many fruitful Treatises on other Subj [...]cts, he hath obliged his Native Country by the Publishing of This, which we have now in our hands; which though Small in Bu [...]k, yet is Great in Worth and Usefulness; that in my apprehension it may be called Medulla Theologiae, in the matter of our Justification, and so much the rather, because it is not handled in a way of Controversy, but of clearing the Positive Truth in relation to so great a Concernment to the Souls of men.
[Page]Truly, I am not without some hope but that (through the blessing of God) it may be a means of some good, not onely to our selves in New England, but also to our Brethren in our Mother England, from whence we came. It hath too often been credibly reported here, that for several years, the dissenting Churches and Ministers in London, have been under an Hour of Temptation by means of Controversies raised amongst them, about the Doctrine of Justification, Preaching and Writing one against another, with personal reflections, and passionate expressions, causing Animosities, Distances, and Divisions, to the hindring of Edification: concerning which it may be said, as the Apostle did, My Brethren these things ought not so to be: it is to be wished they had never been, and that they may be Ex [...]inguished as soon as may be, and that all Good Means may be used for that End. And who knows but that this Servant of God, though a Junio [...] to many of the Reverend Eld [...]rs now contending (as J [...]b and his Friends) may (as another Elihu) by ascribing all the Glory of Righteousness to his Maker and R [...]deemer, and by making mention of his Righteousness, even of his only, contribute something towards the Reconciliation, right understanding, and good agreement of the Diss [...]nting Parties.
But when? O when [...] will the Lord perswade the hearts o [...] his Servants, to practise according [Page] to that professed Principle, to Bear with and Forbear one another in different Explanations of the same Truth, when they agree in the Main Substance thereof, according Phil. 3 15, 16. and Eph. 4 2, 3.
I Remember that our good old Mr. Cotton, though he differed from some of his Brethren in the Souls Preparation for Christ, yet thus Expressed himself; Our Brethren speak of Preparative Works, now though some declare such works to be preparations to Conversion, which others take to be fruits of Conversion, yet we all agree in this, that such works must be, and are, in all that are under the Effectual working of the Word and Spirit of Christ, and so the Difference is but Logical, and not Theologica [...]; for we agree in the same truth for the main, though we Express it in a different manner. In such cases if we cannot judge or speak one and the same truth, in one and the same way, we must learn, Placide ferre contra Sentient [...]es, mildly b [...]ar with difference of judgment one in ano [...]her. And Dr Owen in his Preface before that Excellent Treatise of Mr. Polhill on the Divine Will; though he doth exp [...]ess his own Dissent from some of his apprehensions in that Book, as, about the Obj [...]ct and Ext [...]nt of Redemption, yet he thus declares himself, Bu [...] where there is a [...] agreement in the Substance, and design of any D [...]ctrine (as there is between my judgment, and what is here solidly declared) it is our duty to bear with each other in things Circumstantial, and different Explanations of the same truth. [Page] (An Expression worthy to be written in letters of Gold, and graven deep in the hearts of all good men!)
I crave leave to propound another Instance▪ Whereas it is clear in Scripture, that the same Righteousness of Christ which in the Text insisted on, is called the Righteousness of God, in other Scriptures it is called the Righteousness of Faith, and that Faith is accounted to us for Righteousness, and its expressly said, We are Justified by Faith: Now, the Jewish, the Popish, the Arminian and Socinian gl [...]ss [...]s on such Scriptures being rejected as Erroneous; I have observed many years ago, in the Sermons and Writings of our Ancient Holy and Practical Divines, that lived in the Age before us, though they agreed in the same Truth for the main, yet they have gone divers ways in giving the sense of the fore-named Scripture Expressi [...]ns: As now, that▪
Faith is accounted to Believers for Righteousness.
Now they have said, Faith is to be understood.
1. Either as the Qualification of the Subject, or Per [...]ons to wh [...] this Righteousness belongs; as R [...]m. 3 22 Ʋnto all, and upon all that be [...]ieve, and ve [...]se 30. By Faith, and through Faith. It is [...] Ʋnbelievers are Condemned; therefore [...] qualified with the Grace of Faith [...] and [...] be Justified.
[Page]2. Or in relation to its Object, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jer. 23.6. He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness: and 1 Cor. 1.30. He is made of God Righteousness unto us. Hence to be Justified by Faith, and to be Justified by Christ, are made to be all one, (Gal. 2.16, 17.) because Faith finds that Righteousness by and for which we are Justified in Christ alone.
3. Or by virtue of Ʋnion with Christ, it being the nature of Faith to Ʋnite the Soul unto Jesus Christ: Hence the Name of Christ, the Lord our Righteousness, Jer. 23.6. is given to the Church, [Tho' some indeed chuse to read that place, He who shall call it is, The Lord our Righteousness.] the whole body of believers, and every believing Soul) Jer. 33 16. She sha [...] be called the Lord our Righteousness. When we are found in Christ, we have his Righteousness, (we have a Propriety in it, the p [...]ssession of i [...], and the use and good of it for our Justification [...]. Phil. 3 9) We are made the Righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor 5 last not in our s [...]lves bu [...] in him; by Virtue of a Mar [...]iage Ʋnion with Christ, whence we have Communion with him in his Righteousness (as all in all o [...]her saving good:) it is His to Glorify him, and ours to Justify us.
4 Or as Faith is an Instrumental Cause (as some) or an Instrumen [...] (as [...]hers) of receiving, [Page] apprehending and applying Christ and his Righteousness to our selves, for the use and good of our own Souls: As the Hand is the Bodies Instrument to receive a Gift; so Faith is the Souls Instrument to receive Christ and his Righteousness, as the Gift of God unto us. Joh. 1.12 Phil. 3.9.12 Rom. 5 17. we are said to receive the gift of Righteousness.
5. Or as Faith is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace We read the very word [Condition] in Luk. 14.32 [Conditions of Peace] And for the thing, it is evident of it self, because there cannot be a Covenant without a Condition; our blessed Saviour expressed the Sum of the Gospel, or Covenant of Grace, in a Conditional Promise, Mark 16.16. He that Believeth shall be Saved We cannot partake the Spiritual Good of the Promise, except we perform [...] Condition of it, though it is the Grace of God that must enable us thereunto. Phil. 2.13. Eph. 2.7, 8. Col 2.1, 2.
Justification is one of the Principal blessings of the Covenant of Grace, which cannot be enjoyed but in the way and by the means of believing
Now I b [...]seech you, why may not all these be acknowledged as O [...]thodox? Seeing they include one another, and give light one to another, and the last includes all the former? If some insist more upon one, and others insist more upon another, why should that be troublesome [Page] to any, when they all agree in the same Truth.
Finally, My hearts desire and Prayer to God in relation to the Learned and Pious Author of this work is, that he may be graciously preserved in Life and Health, and enabled by constant Supplyes of the Spirit of God, to Write Many such Useful Books as this, for the Glory of God and Edification of his People, and that he would Bless this to the attaining of those Good Ends whereunto it is designed.
To the Reader.
THough man's fearful Apostasy hath not extinguished in him his eager cravings after Happiness; yet it hath not only involved him in Infelicity, but also left him in the dark, and utterly at a loss about the true way of his recovery: And, whereas Life and Immortality are brought to light by the Gospel, and men are pointed by it how to obtain deliverance from Misery, and secure to themselves Eternal Blessedness; yet such is the folly of the greatest part of them that sit under the external dispensation of it, that they pervert it to their own Destruction, and make it to them a Savour of Death, whiles, instead of being directed by it to the Grace of God, on which alone their Salvation depends, they seek to turn it into a New Covenant of Works; or else abuse the Grace of it to encourage themselves in an Ʋng [...]ly Life. How few there are that do at this day Doctrinally hold the Truth as it is in Jesus, but do verge, either to Pelagian or Arminian tenents on the one hand, o [...] Antin [...]mian and L [...]b [...]ine on the other, is lam [...]n [...]ably obvious. And if ever there was a peculiar necessity of [Page] endeavouring to state the Truth right between these, and call upon Christians to see to their principles and practices in this regard, it is now. It is certain, that there is but One way for fallen man to be Saved, and that is by Christ: It is equally certain, that they who would be Saved by Christ, must be entituled to his Righteousness; and that they may so be, they must utterly forgo their own: and Christs Righteousness becomes ours only by Faith on our part, which is thus derived to us by Gods gracious Imputation, according to the tenour of the New-Covenant. There was a Righteousness required of man, by the first Covenant, under the penalty of Death on defect; his failing in it brings him under Condemnation: If he be Justifyed, it must be consonant to the Law that Condemns him; he must then be found Righteous, else he cannot be Justifyed. That he may be so, there must be a Righteousness that answers all the demands of that Law; and this Righteousness must be his, else it will not stand for him: he hath none such Personal, nor is capable of it, as the case at present stands, since there is not only the Command to be perfectly obeyed, but the forfeiture to be Satisfyed for, which he is every way incapable of complying with in himself. It is therefore only the Righteousness of Christ that will do; and that this may be his, it must be Imputed unto him by God, which is only done upon his Believing ▪ this then alone can be his Justifying R [...]ghteousness before God. But this di [...]chargeth him not from the Law as a Rule, but adds new obligations to [Page] his performing of sincere Obedience to it: and though it be not a Condition of Justification, it is yet a Qualification of one that is Justifyed, and without which he cannot be Saved, that he be Sanctifyed throughout. A mistake then in this affair, is of no less Consequence than the loss of a Soul. The ensuing Discourse on this weighty and necessary Subject will therefore be very welcome to any that are duely concerned about their own Salvation, and desirous to be guided in the way to it. There is no Justifyed Believer but will be able to Seal to the Truths here declared, on his own Experience; and the Awakened Sinner, who is Sollicitous to be rightly informed in his greatest concern, will here have a clue to lead him right, and help him to steer safe between the rocks on the one hand, and the quicksands on the other. For my own part, I must profess, that I was abundantly satisfyed in, and not a little affected with the delivery of these Truths in the Preaching; the solidity of the matter, agreeable to the Gospel of Christ, and calculated to the sound Judgment of our most Excellent Reformers: and the manner, being with great Solemnity, for the Awakening of mens Consciences, and engaging to a serious Examination of their Foundation, and careful endeavour not to be found in any o [...]her Righteousness in the great Day: So that I was glad to hear of the making them more Capable of being a Publick benefit. The Doctrine here Delivered, is what was Declared to the Saints of Old; it is the Faith, [Page] in which alone I have any Hope of Eternal Life: If these Truths fall, the Gospel must fall with them. If the Errors of the times draw men off from this Foundation, they will be found on the Sand when the Storm cometh, and then Wo to them. I am satisfyed if the Righteousness of Christ were more prized by us, there would be more real Holiness Practised among us. My request to God is, that He will Succeed these Faithful Labours of his Servant, with all his other Industrious Endeavours, for much Good and Edification: And for the Reverend Author, my wish is, Serus in C [...]lum redeas: Let God Bless his indefatigable thirsting to do Good in his Generation, with a long continuance in his Harvest, and dayly experience of plentiful Success.
The Everlasting Gospel.
The Righteousness of God is Revealed from Faith to Faith.
THE mind of man, is never Exercised about a more Impor [...]nt CASE than This; How may Sinful Man be made Righteous? And the Mind of every Reasonable man must by Thoughts upon this Important CASE, be often cast into Agonies. God, that forms the Spirit of man within him, hath formed in the Spirit of man a Conscience, which, in all men that are not Stup [...]fied and Brutified with Senseless wickedness, does with distress think upon [Page 2] that Great Question, How may I arrive to a Righteousness, that may Entitle me unto the Favours [...] God? Unto this Great Question of every Awakened mind, there is a Satisfying Answer given in the Gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST; and there is no little Demonstration and Confirmation of the Christian Religion in this Glory of the Gospel, That no Religion else, gives an Answer to it, that will in any measure Satisfy. The Superstitions Practised among the ungospellized Nations of the Earth, to obtain a Righteousness before God, are indeed so very Ridiculous, that no part of mankind, except strangely Enchanted, could be contented with such l [...]e and Fu [...]il Practices. The very Recital of them, would be a Comedy. But the methods of obtaining Righteousness, prescribed in the Christian Religion, are full of an evidently Glorious Majesty: There is nothing in them, unworthy of a God.
That Renowned Preacher of the Gospel, our Apostle Paul, therefore tells the Church of Rome, That he is not Ashamed of Preaching the Gospel. I pray, Sir; Why not? He Replye [...], Because 'tis that which the Salvation of Sinful man, will Turn upon his Receiving, or his Rejecting of: And this is manifest, because the only way, how Sinful man may attain unto Righteousness is therein Revealed.
The Righteousness for Sinful man Revealed in the Gospel, is called, The Righteousness of God; And when it is here said, That it is Revealed from Faith to Faith, 'tis an Expression full of Emph [...] tical [Page 3] and Remarkable Significations. But the Sum of them all is, That by Faith, we Apprehend this Righteousness: And that there is to Faith Revealed, the Righteousness, wherein by Faith we are Interested
In the Epistle to the Church of Rome, the Article of a Sinners being made Righteous through Faith in the Righteousness of God, is by the Spir [...]t of Prophecy most agreeably insisted on: The Holy Spirit foresaw, that the Church of Rome, would fall into an horrible Apostasy, which would very much ly in their confounding that very Article. 'Tis an Article in which lies the very Marrow of the G [...]spel! Give Attention, O my Hearers, Give a Great Attention to this most Glorious Gospel of God; And, Hearken, O People, Every one of You.
That which now Entertains you, is this Doctrine of God your Saviour.
The Righteousness of God Revealed in the Gospel is Apprehended by the Faith of Every Sinful man that is ever made a Righteous one.
That Illustrious CASE; How the JUSTIFICATION of a Sinner is brought about? must [...]e now discoursed and discussed.
The First part of our Discourse must be, to Explain this Gospel in several Propositions.
PROPOSITION. I.
A man cannot be Righteous before God, and Accepted and Entitled unto Life, without the Righteousness of God Imputed unto him.
Now, to set this All concerning Truth, in a fair View before you all, it must be in general premised, That Righteousness is that full conformity and Obedience unto the Law of God, which gives a Right unto the Benefits, that are promised unto such Obedience.
More particularly,
We are to know, That God gave unto man, His Commandment in the way of a Covenant. The Commandment thus given by God unto man, is contained in the Moral Law God by His Commandment required man to perform all the Duties of Piety, of Equity, and of Cha [...]ity, without the least Failure in any circumstance. Love to God, Hope on God, and Joy in God, with an Observance of Every Thing that He shall either by the Light of Nature, or by further Command, enjoyn upon us; And all This, without the least, Imperfection, or Interruption ▪ This is the Moral Law. And this Commandment was put into the Form of a Covenant, by Ratifying it with Promises, and Threatnings: Promises of Blessedness, as the Recompence of Well-doing; Threatnings of Misery, upon the least Rebellion. So we read, in Matth. 19 17. If thou wilt Enter into Life, keep the Commandments [Page 5] And so we read, in Gal. 3.10. Cursed is Every One that continueth not in all Things.
We are to know, That the Commandment given by God unto man, in that Covenant, is the Rule of Righteousness. That Righteousness whereon is our Claim to Happiness, must needs relate unto some Rule or other. Indeed Righteousness is but a Regular Acting, an Acting according to Rule. The Righteousness of man, must ly in his Agreeableness unto the Rule that God hath given him. Now the Law which God gave unto man, at his First Creation, is the Rule of his Righteousness; yea, 'Tis an Eternal, [...] Inviolable, an U [...]lterable Rule. Is that Law abrogated! No, Nor never shall it be abrogated throughout Eternal Ages: God will forever Magnify it, and make it Honourable. The substance of this Law, is, T [...]at man do universally and unchangeably cleave to God, with all his Faculties, is his Best Good, and his Last End, and his Only Lord; and Obey His Will in all things that he knowes to be so, in which Way soever, and at what Time soever, it be made known unto him. And as long as God shall be God, and Man be Man, this Law will be in force; Take away this Law, and we have no standard of Righteousness left unto us. To imagine this Law so divested of its Power, to demand perfect Obedience, that What is not so, shall be accepted as Righteousness according to Law, is to speak Evil of the Law. Hence we thus Read, in Rom. 3.31. Do we [Page 6] make void the Law through Faith? God Forbid: Yea, we Establish the Law.
We are to know finally, That man by Sinning against the Commandment of God, is fallen short of Righteousness. Truly, No man is able to come up Exactly unto the will of God, in any one Point of the Law; but his Carnal mind is full of Enmity against that Will. And if he could exactly come up to it in every point of the Law, yet That could not make A [...]onement for those Violations of it, wherewith every man is Chargeable. The First man immediately Sinn'd against God, in One remarkable Instance, wherein the Sovereign Lo [...] made a Tryal of his Fidelity. Immediately poor man, lost not only his Innocency, but also his Ability He fell short of the Glory of God; and all his Offspring sell in him and with him. Hence we thus read, in Rom. 5.6. We are without Strength, and Ʋngodly.
Wherefore, That the Elect of God may be [...]aved from their Sins, and that the Justice as well as the Mercy, the Wisdom, as well as the Justice of God, may be glorified in our Salvation; Behold, what a Wonderful Thing is come to pass!
First. There is a glorious Righteousness, which our Lord JESUS CHRIST hath brought in before God, for the use of His chosen People An Angel from Heaven once told this thing to a man Beloved of God, in Dan. 9.24. The Messiah, shall bring in Everlasting Righteousness.
[Page 7]Now the Righteousness thus brought in by our Lord Jesus Christ, is not His Essential Righteousness, or the Holiness, which as He is God, belongs unto Him. 'Tis His Mediatorial Righteousness which our Lord brings in for us, or a Righteousness wherein He acts as a Mediator between God and Us. And yet this Expression also is too Wide; The whole Righteousness of our Lord, in the Discharge of His Med [...]torial Office never can be made ours. More particularly then; Tis that part of our Lords Mediatorial Righteousness, which belongs to His Priestly Office, that He brings in for us. The Righteousness of our Lord as He is our Prophet, and our King, 'tis for our Advantage. Tis for our Advantage, that, as a Prophet, He Speaks in Righteousness, and as a King, He Reigns in Righteousness. But what He does Righteously in the Execution either of His Prophetical, or His Kingly Office, is not the Righteousness intended for us. It is only as He is a Priest, that He brings in a Righteousness for His People. But still this Expression likewise is too wide. There are some things done for us, by our Lord, as He is our Priest, as namely, His Intercession with God, which are no part of the Righteousness, that He brings in for us. But then still more particularly; This Righteousness is the Sponsory Righteousness of our Lord, or the Righteousness which our Lord in the Capacity of a Surety, hath wrought out, and so brought in, for those, in whose room He became a Surety.
You are to Remember, That the Foundation, [Page 8] upon which our Lord Jesus Christ brings in a Righteousness for His Chosen People, is the Eternal Covenant of Redemption, made between God and Him. Albeit some with Impiety enough, put the Name of A Fiction, on that Eternal Covenant of Redemption, which God the Father made with our Lord Messiah; yet we cannot read the Eighty Ninth Psalm, or the Forty Ninth and Fifty Third Chapters of Isaiah, or a considerable part of the New Testament, without Believing it. Yea, that Covenant, is the Foundation of our whole Salvation, and most particularly of our Lords Coming to answer the Law of God, for our Justification In that Eternal Covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ is by God Constituted a Surety for us. The Lord-Messiah, is now Expressly called, in Heb. 7.22. A Surety: Which is as much as to say, That He came under Obligation, to pay our Debt unto God. And tho' this Name, is but once in the New Testament, put upon our Saviour, yet the Thing thereby intended, is [...]ss [...]rted the whole Bible over▪ Well; That our Lord, in pursuance of this Covenant, might actually appear in the Quality of our Surety, He became a Man. His meer becoming a Man, or, His Incarnation simply Considered, seems therefore no part of the Righteousness, which our Lord ha's provided for us. But in short, That Righteousness is, His perfect Conformity to the Law of God, which in becoming a Man, born of a Woman, He became Subject unto. Now, there are Two parts of this Righteousness. [Page 9] We owe a Double Debt unto the Law: A Debt of Satisfaction, and a Debt of Observation. As Criminal Creatures, we Owe a Debt of Satisfaction: as Rational Creatures, we Owe a Debt of Observation, to the Law of our God. Both the Penalty and the Precept of the Law, are alike Requisite now to be complyed withal, for the Honour of that glorious Governour of the world, who gave the Law. Accordingly our Lord Jesus Christ, hath answered the Law for us, and in Answering it hath fulfi [...]led all Righteousness. Our Surety had a most Holy Heart, and led a most Holy Life ▪ The Exceeding Broad Law of God, could never tax Him for any thing amiss: And He then endured a most bitter Death, even the Substance of that very Curse, which was by the Law of God, our due for our Sin. Instead of all oth [...]r Sacrifice and Offering, our Lord Messiah said, in Heb. 10.7. Lo, I Come to do thy Will, O God. Our Lord Jesus Christ, hath Endured the Paenalty of the Law for us. The Sufferings of our Lord, made a full Satisfaction, for all the wrong done by our Sin to the Law of God We are advised in 2 Cor. 5.21. God made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. And our Lord Jesus Christ, ha [...]h performed the Praecept of the Law for us. The Actions of our Lord, have been a compleat Observation of the Law, and of all that is Forbidden, and all that is Required, in it. We are advised, in Joh 8.29. He did alwayes the Things that pleased the Father. The Law which condemns man to Dy, still commands [Page 10] him to Do. Through the Sufferings of our Lord, our Sins are pardoned; but through the Doings of our Lord, we recover the Heirship of a Kingdom. Indeed meer Sufferings, as such, are no obedience. Take the Testimony of Grotius, about the Faith of the primitive Church in this point: Cum duo nobis peperisse Christum dixerimus, Impunitatem et praemium, illud satisfactioni, hoc merito Christi, distincte tribuit vetus Ecclesia. According to Law, Happiness is due to Righteousness Well; we are sure [from Gal. 4 4.] That our Lord Jesus Christ, was made under that very Law, from the Curse whereof we are delivered by His answering of it. And the Righteousness of the Law, we are sure [from Rom. 8 4] was fulfilled, by the Son of God, coming in the likeness of sinful F [...]esh. Our Lord Jesus Christ, by His perfect Righteousness, may then lay claim to Happiness. For whom? Even for those, for whom God has Admitted Him to stand as a Surety. God put our Lord under the Law, that He might thus furnish us, with a Righteousness, in all things answering the Law; a Righteousness, which Fallen man condemned by the Law, could by no means furnish himself withal; a Righteousness wherein the Honour of the Law, and of the God that gave the Law, is consulted infinitely.
Secondly. The Faithful People of the Lord Jesus Christ, have His Glorious Ri [...]h [...]eousness by God Imputed unto them. Thus we a [...]e taught, [Page 11] in Rom. 3.22. The Righteousness of God, is by the Faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that beli [...]ve. And how comes it so to be: 'Tis by a Gracious Imputation of God. The Phrase, as well as the Thing, is all over Scriptural: 'tis derided indeed, and blasphemed, by an Ʋnrighteous Generation: but those men do Err not knowing the Scriptures; or, which is worse, do Sin against their Knowledge of the Scriptures. Is it not expresly written, in Rom. 4 6, 11. God Imputeth Righteousness unto a man without works: And, Righteousness is Imputed unto all that believe? Now, when we say, The Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, is Imputed unto us, the meaning of it, is, That God, our Judge, Looks on it as belonging to us, and pleadable by us, in order to our being Judicially dealt withal, according to the merit of it. It is an Act of meer Grace, in our most Gracious God, by which He makes unto us, an Effectual Grant, of that Righteousness, which our Lord Jesus Christ, in Answering the Law, under which He voluntarily put Himself, hath provided for us, A Righteousness, which antecedently to the Imputation was not ours, is now so made ours, that for the sake thereof, we are both Absolved from the Curse of the Law, and Adjudged unto the Reward of the Heavenly Inheritance. This Imputation proceeds not on a wrong Judgment, That our Lord J [...]sus Christ has done what we did in our Rebellion, and that we have done what He did in His Obedience. But the Imputation makes that become ours, which was not so till, and which [Page 12] is not so, but by, the Imputation Thro' such an Imputation was brought about the Justification which is the first whereof we have any Express Record in the Book of God. [Gen. 15.6.]
And it is the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ it self, that is Imputed. It is not enough to say, That the Benefits of it are Communicated unto us: For that is no Imputation. How can there an Imputation of a thing, and the thing it self not Imputed: Either the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ must be Imputed unto us, Conferred upon us, Reckoned as ours, when we are made Righteous; or else a Righteousness of our own Operation: But God knows we have None of our own. The Oracles of God have therefore told us, that herein, We receive the Gift of Righteousness thro' Jesus Christ. And by this Gift of God, the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, becomes as really our Propriety, as if we our selves in our own persons had wrought it. The Right of Inheritance, the Lawyers tell us, is the best Right, that any can have; when God has made over to us the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is as much ours, as if we came to it, by the Right of Inheritance. Hence we read, in Heb. 11 7 Of an Heir of the Righteousness by Faith. But by the Gracious Imputation of God, the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ being made ours, we now stand Righteous before God: And as we read, in Rom. 5 19 By the Obedience of One, many are made Righteous. In that Righteousness, we stand before that Righteous God, who Loves [Page 13] the Righteous: And in it, we not only have a Release from the Sentence of Death, and Hell, which belong'd unto us for our Sin, but we have also a Title to all the Blessedness of the Righteous: And, Grace Reigns thro' Righteousness unto Eternal Life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. As the Names of all the Twelve Children of Israel were Engraven on the Two Stones which were set in the Shoulder-pieces, of the High Priests curious and costly Ephod; thus our Lord Jesus Christ, appearing before God, in the Ephod of His Righteousness, His whole Israel, do by Name also appear in that Righteousness. But because the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is made the Christians, 'tis an impertinent Cavil, that then the Christian is made a Saviour of others, as is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself 'Tis the Righteousness of our Saviour, so far as we m [...]y claim ou [...] own B [...]essedness upon it, and not the Saviourship it self, that is Imputed unto us. The Saviourship, and Suretiship, is proper to our Lord Himself, and because the Vertue which is in the Head is convey'd unto the Members, 'tis frivolous thence to argue, that every one of the Members is thereby made an Head unto the rest.
Thirdly. Their Righte [...]usness is of me, saith the Lord JEHOVAH; The Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the Imputation whereof His people are made Righteous, is, The Righteousness of God. It is often, and just [...]y called so But why called so? Why; par [...]ly▪ because 'tis a Righteousness contrived by God, Appointed by [Page 14] God, and Approved by God. The Illustrious Contrivance, of, Man made Righteous in Christ, is therefore styled, in Luk. 7.30. The Counsel of God. The way of Saving men from Guilt and Wrath by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, no man durst, or could have thought of it, if God Himself had not first proposed it; And if we have the Confidence to come unto God, in any other way but This, God will Reject all our Confidence, we shall not prosper in it. But chiefly; Because the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath prepared for us this Righteousness, is God, very God, even by Nature God A man who Denies the God-Head of the Lord Jesus Christ, cannot but miss of Righteousness, and miserably Dy in his Sins. They that Follow after Righteousness, must Seek a JEHOVAH for it, or they do nothing. We are therefore informed, in Jer. 23.6. This is His Name whereby He shall be called, JEHOVAH our Righteousness. The Taghmical Art so happily of late Revived, & Improved, will demonstrate, from the Rules of the Hebrew Accentuation, that this Text, is thus to be read; & not as the Modern Jews would have it, Jehovah shall call Him, Our Righteousness An Inexpressible Dignity is now put upon the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ: It is Jehovah, that hath wrought it. The Man that hath got Ready a Righteousness for us, is God as well as Man. It must needs be a Righteousness above all available to purchase our Everlasting Blessedness; He that wrought it, is God over all Blessed for ever. We have now a Righteousness, [Page 15] arising from the Tenour of a Life, that was, The Life of God, and from the Shedding of a Blood that was, The Blood of God; namely, Of that Man, who is God, the True God, the Great God, and God the Mighty.
There is therefore a Transcendent Excellency in the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Hebrews, when they describe Things of a Surpassing Excellency, set them forth by setting the Name of God upon them; The Righteousn [...]ss of our Lord Jesus Christ, may well be called, The Righteousness of God; for, There is none like it; It hath a Divine, and a Matchless Excellency. Let men invent never so various, and never so curious wayes, for the Reconci [...]iation of a Sinner unto God, I may say unto you, I show unto you a more Excellent Way A man that is made an Owner of this Righteousness, will one day go to be among the Angels of God; and at his first coming among those Bright Angels of Heaven, he may say, Syrs, Here is one come among you, that was as abominable a Sinner as ever any in the world, and yet I have as good a Righteousness as any of you!
Certainly, Those Men do not Act like Men, that are not now solicitous to be possessed of such a Righteousness. How to become the Actual partakers of this Possession, is now to be declar'd unto you.
PROPOSITION II.
The Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is Apprehended by Faith, in order to our being made Righteous by it.
Such a Grace as Faith, is produced in the Heart of every Elect person, when God Effectually Calls that person home unto Himself. A special Design and Business of this Faith, is, To Apprehend the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that Rig [...]teousness is Actually made Ours, in and by Faith so Apprehending of it. A Justifying Faith does many Glorious Things; But Faith as Justifying does consist, in the Hearts Approving and Admiring the way of a Sinners coming to Righteousness and Sa [...]vation by the Lord Jesus Christ, as 'tis propounded in the Gospel, and Acquiescing in it; And it is to be D [...]fined unto this purpose, 'Tis a Receiving of, and a Relying on, the Gift of Righteousness from God, by our Lord Jesus Christ. Or, if we bring you the D [...]finition of it, given by some famous French Divines, Tis the Flight of a penitent Sinner to the Mercy of God, in Christ; I know who will tell us, There is more Sense and Truth in it, than in Twenty other, that seem more Accurate. It is only as doing This, that Faith, and no other Grace, but Faith does Justify u [...].
There are these Conclusions, that now call for an Acknowledgment.
[Page 17]First, Meer Natural Reason, without Revelation, both External, and Internal Revelation, would never understand the Mystery of a Sinners being made Righteous, by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the Righteousness of God, wonderfully to become the Righteousness of a Sinner; It is most Reasonably called, The Wisdom of God, in a Mystery; and, The Mystery, which hath been Hid in God. It is unto Humane Reason Incomprehensible. The Reason of Angels does Admire it, and Adore it, That God should be Manifest in Flesh, to bring it about, for Sinful Flesh to be Justified before God. Much more then it is above the Reason of silly, shallow, sinful Mortals! If a man come to understand any thing of this Mystery, it may be said unto him, as in Matth. 16.27. Flesh and Blood hath not Revealed it unto thee. We are beholden to a Revelation from Heaven, for all that we know, of the way to become Righteous. 'Tis an Impious Thing, to imagine, That without the Gospel, a man may Learn how to be Righteous. No, If our Gospel be Hid, it is Hid unto them that are Lost. Poor man in his Fall, cast himself into such a desperate and complicate Wretchedness, that nothing Ʋnderstood by man could Rescue him: He must Eternally perish, if the Infinite Ʋnderstanding of God alone, did not put forth it self to Rescue him.
The way for a Sinner to be made Righteous, is laid so High, that no Humane Reason could [Page 18] Ever have reached it. When this Mystery come [...] to be discovered in the Gospel, no man can say I thought afore [...]d that this would be the [...] This Mystery wa [...] adjusted in the Breast of [...] Almighty God alone. And its being laid [...] High, is to lay man Law; 'tis that Man [...] be kept in the closer Dependance on God [...]lone, for the Discovering of it. Yea, Thoug [...] the Gospel do discover this Mystery, yet no thir [...] will satisfy the Heart of a Sinner in it, unto the Spirit of God, which Dictated this Gospel▪ assure him of it, with a Supernatural work upon him. The Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ for an Ʋnrighteous and Self-Ruin'd Sinner, is one of those Things, whereof [...] are told, in 1 Cor. 2.14 The Natural man cannot know them, for they are Spiritually Discerned Humane Reason Illuminated by the bare Dispensations of the Gospel, may take in many Things, about the way of a Sinners being made Righteous by the Lord Jesus Christ. But Reason alone, won't perswade a man of this Thing, That God can find in his Heart, for to Save a Sinner on the Account of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of His Righteousness alone. Vain men may talk, Tis the Easiest thing in the World for a man thus to cast himself on the Righteousness of Christ, and multitudes of them that are gone to Hell have done it! But these men have sad cause to Search their own Hearts over again, Whether they have ever done it themselves? I re [...]member, I have Read of a carnal man, who having a Friend in Despair, flouted at it, saying▪ [Page 19] The person's well Enough, only they wont Believe. The man soon after this, fell into Terror of Conscience himself; and being then bidden, To [...]lieve; What? can't you Believe? with Anguishy Despair, he cryed out, Oh, There are Millions of [...]in [...] that I have been guilty of, and God hath let [...]se all the Devils of Hell upon my Soul; and how, [...], how can I Believe? When a Sinner comes to be Enlightned and Affrightned, and in horror of Soul for all his horrible Sins, it can't enter i [...]to his Heart now, that God should be free to Forgive him, and Relieve him, only for the sake of what Another ha's done for him. Such an Astonishing Mercy of God, cannot be conceived by a Distressed Sinner; and he will not be pacified without some Righteousness, and Worthiness of his own, to Commend him unto God. Hence tis said, in 1 Cor. 1.18. The Preaching of the Cross, is to them that Perish, Foolishness. A Sinner will count it Foolishness, for a man to venture himself wholly upon the Righteousness, of one who dyed upon a Cross, and who made a Righteousness for us by doing so. Tis the Almighty Spirit of God alone, who can do that Thing in Joh. 16.10. Convince the World of Righteousness, and Convince a man that the Righ [...]usness of the Lord Jesus Christ will be sufficient for him.
Secondly, A Sinners Prejudice against being made Righteous, by the Righteousness of the Lord [...]sus Christ, will never be removed, until Faith [...] infused into his mind, by an Operation of God. [Page 20] There is a Cursed Pride in the Hearts of men▪ and our Proud Hearts won't easily submit unto the way of being made Righteous, by th [...] Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. This [...] the Crime that a vast part of mankind is to be Indicted for; in Rom. 10 3. They have not sub [...]mitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God▪ The First Sin of man, was a setting up himse [...] instead of God; and the Pride whereinto man has Damn'd himself, ever since disposeth him to Self-Exaltation. Unregenerate man has the Disposition of him, that said, Cae [...]um gratis non accepiam; I'l not have Heaven, except I may pay something for it my self. About the Heart of a Sinner, we may say, as in Isa. 16.6. We have heard of his Pride, He is very Proud: And there is nothing wherein it appears Prouder, than in [...]ffectations of Saving himself. That Hateful an [...] Hellish Lust, of Spiritual Pride is marvellously gratified, by a Sinners opinion of making himself Righteous before God. But for a Sinner to cast himself upon the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, in a way▪ where All Boasting is Excluded, alas, his Pride won't let him come to that. There is abundance of Submission and Self-denyal, which in the many Changes of our Lives, we are put upon; but the Proud Heart of a Sinner will sooner Submit unto any Penan [...] whatsoever, than unto being made Righteous, by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ alone▪ and by none of his own. The Antipathy [...] the Heart of man against it, cannot in an [...] words be Livelily enough painted out. [...] [Page 21] amazing to see, how far in Devotions, how far in Austerities, the Disposition in men, to make a Righteousness for themselves will carry them. And Satan setts in, to inspire and influence, and invenome the Proud Heart of man, with yet more of this Antipathy to the way of God. The Serpent beguiles men, by alienating them from the Simplicity of this Gospel. When once a Sinner is made Righteous, by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, he is forever delivered from the Dominion of the Devil; he is now a Son of God, and no more a Slave of the Devil ▪ The Devil is therefore Extreamly concerned, that the Sinner may never fully close with the true way of Righteousness. He'l be willing that the Sinner should come to any thing, and Reform a thousand Ill Things, and Perform ten thousand good ones, and live like an Angel; so he may but be kept from This One Thing after all. We find in 2 Cor 4 4. The God of this world hath Blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the Light of this Glorious Gospel of Christ, should shine into them. How many Objections, what Subtil Evasions, does the Devil insinuate into the minds of men, against this way of coming unto Righteousness! Learned Writers have therefore Laboured with Exquisite Compositions, to confound the Gospel-Truth, of our being made Righteous, by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Their Elaborate oppositions to this Truth of God, are not easily Refelled: But, There's the Hand of Joab in them! The Sinner can't bear to let go all that is [Page 22] Laudable in himself, because if that be gone, he must be very Vile indeed: but man don't Love to be Vile! Wherefore, like a Drowning man, he will catch at any Straw. First he will Try to fetch out a Righteousness from the Works of the Law. When that fails, he will Try whether the Works of the Law, and the Grace of the Gospel together will not help him, to a Righteousness. If that fails, he will Try whether the Works of the Gospel, may not be joyned unto the Righteousness, of the Lord Jesus Christ, and come in, upon His Account, as the Matter of our Righteousness. Those Things, which want to be Justifyed themselves, must needs be brought in [...] the matter by which we are Justifyed! Thus he'l turn, and wind, and make all the Shifts imaginable, rather than come to the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Thus it will be, till Faith be wrought in the Heart of a Sinner, by the working of the mighty power of God.
Thirdly. We are not made Righteous by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, before, or without, but upon our Faith Apprehending of it. By Faith and on our part only by Faith we come to be made partakers of the Righteousness, which our Lord Jesus Christ hath provided for us. It is therefore called, The Righteousness of Faith. Why, God never gives the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ unto any man, without giving him Faith to Take the Gift of Righteousness. The Righteousness is indeed got ready for us, without and before [Page 23] any Act of ours, but we are not actually Invested with a Power to claim the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ for us, until with the Heart man Believe unto Righteousness. We are told, in Rom. 4 24 It shall be Imputed, if we Believe. This is the Everlasting language of that Book of Life, our Bible. And we are all over the Gospel taught that thing, in Rom. 5.1. Being Justified by Faith. Indeed he that weighs, what are the properties of a Condition, in the sense of the Civil Law, will easily decline saying, That Faith is the proper Condition of our Justification. However, in the sense that it is commonly taken, Even That also is to be Asserted. But it will suffice, if we say, That Faith is the Instrument of our Justification. By Faith we Accept and Apply the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, for our Justification before God: And God will not permit us to be called, Righteous, until the Faith to do This, be given us Faith does not Justify us, as it is a Work; No, 'Tis Instrumentally, and Relatively, and because it carries us unto the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ alone, for our Justification. By Faith, according to the Ordination of God, our Ʋnion with the Lord Jesus Christ, is accomplished. In that Ʋnion, the Lord Jesus Christ and Believers coalesce into one Mystical Person; The Holy Spirit in that Glorious Head above measure, does inhabit Believers in a measure, and produce between them the Ʋnion, that is between the Head and the Members. In this Ʋnion is [Page 24] founded the Imputation by which, He that knew no Sin, having been made Sin for us, we are made the Righteousness of God in Him. Accordingly, Our Lord Jesus Christ, with a wonderful prevention of His Holy Spirit first layes Hold on us, to make us Prize Him, and Choose Him, and Trust in Him for His Righteousness. And then we by Faith lay Hold on Him, crying, In this Lord let me have Righteousness! And now the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, with His Righteousness is made over unto us forever.
'Tis true; We sometimes read, That Faith is Imputed for, [or, To] Righteousness. 'Tis not unlikely that one Thing intended in it, may be This; That though Faith be the Gift of God unto us, yet God Reckons this Faith our own; for except the Faith be Reckoned our own, how should it be subservient at all, to bring unto us the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. But the main thing intended is, That the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ apprehended by Faith is Reckoned, for our Righteousness: Faith is here put for the Object of it. There is nothing more usual, than to speak that of the Instrument, which is meant of the Object, that is by that Instrument applied unto. Doth any man Scruple to say, The Hand feeds the Body? why so? Because the Hand is that which takes the Meat, that Feeds the Body. Faith Justifies a man, even as the Hand Feeds the Body. Our Faith is not the very Thing, that God Reckons to be our Righteeousness! [Page 25] For, our Faith is our own; but the Righteousness, whereby God is rendred propitious to us, is not our own. Our Faith at best is not Perfect; but it is an affront unto Heaven, to dream of standing before it, in any but a Perfect Righteousness.
Now, as the Covenant of Grace is Ordered in all things, there is an Order of things here fixed by God. If we are Justified by Faith, sure we are not Justified Before it, or, Without it. There is this Orderly Connexion, in the Golden Chain of Salvation. Rom. 8.30. First Called, [and Faith given to us,] and then Justified. We are no more Justified from Eternity, than Sanctified from Eternity, and, Glorified from Eternity. To speak of being Justified from Eternity, is to say, That we never were in any state of Sin at all. While a man is an Ʋnbeliever, how is it with him? We are told, in Joh. 3 36. The Wrath of God abideth on him. That Wrath abides not on the Justified. Believers once were, 'tis said in Eph. 2.3. The Children of Wrath. When was this, but before they were Justifyed. Every Justifyed man does most certainly please God. Yea, but we find in Heb 11.6. Without Faith it is Impossible to please God. Which is as much as to say, Without Faith tis Impossible to be a Justifyed man.
Fourthly, and Lastly. Upon Faith Apprehending the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus [Page 26] Christ, the Sinner is in that Instant by the God of Heaven pronounced Righteous. If it be now Enquired, How and where the Sinner is upon his Faith pronounced Righteous? We may thus conceive of it.
First, the state of the Believing Sinner, is Changed from Guilty, to Righteous, before the Eye of the Ʋnchangeable God. There was a Transaction between▪ God the Father, and our Lord-Messiah, from all Eternity, wherein it was Engaged, That such and such Elect Sinners, coming to Believe, should ever after that be dealt withal as Righteous before the Throne of Heaven▪ When the Ever-blessed Spirit brings a Sinner to Believe, though now there be no Change in the Almighty, yet the Almighty now [...]ees a Change in the Sinner. Every person in the Adorable Trinity, now takes Notice, of a Sinner becoming a New Creature; and this is more than if all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth took Notice of it. But then, in the Next place, the Word of God, even the Written and Sacred Word, puts upon a Believing Sinner, the character of a Righteous Believer. In this Word of God, is the Justification [...]Office. The Voice of God, is in the Word of God. This Word pronounces a Believing Soul, to be a Righteous one. The Promises of the Gospel, are Exhibited in this Word; and the Language thereof is, The Lord Jesus Christ, hath purchased a Right unto all these very great and precious Promises; They are all a Recompence due to the Obedience of the Lord Jesus [Page 27] Christ, and now, they are all thine, O Believer, upon His Account they are all thine forever.
And, in fine; It seems not Ʋnscriptural, That the Righteousness of the Returning Penitent, is pronounced and proclamed, unto the Angels of God. Upon the Repentance of a Sinner, we are sure, from Luk. 15.10. There is Joy among the Angels. Tis thus then, upon the Righteousness of a Sinner; They go together. Why may we not judge, That upon a Sinners being brought unto the Obedience of Faith, God the Judge of all then calls upon His Angels: q d. ‘Let all the Court of Heaven, and all you Ministers and Attendents of this Heavenly Court, Look upon such a Sinner, as Righteous ever after This He has Believed upon my Christ, and I have Bestowed the Righteousness of my Christ upon him forever!’
THE Second part of our Discourse, must be to Apply the Gospel, which hath been thus Explained.
It is to be deplored, even with Tears of Blood, that the most of men, yea, of those men, who sit under the Gospel, which Reveals the Righteousness of God from Faith to Faith, do miserably fall short of this Righteousness. But How, but Why, do they fall short of it? We have a full Account given of it, in Rom. 10.3. Going about to Establish their own Righteousness, they have not submitted unto the Righteousness [Page 28] of God. Wherefore it is as needful, as natural, an Exhortation, that is now to be given you.
Beware, O our Evangelised People, Beware, l [...]st by Endeavouring to Establish your own Righteousness, you loose the Righteousness of God, which hath been Revealed in the Gospel. Beware, lest you loose the Everlasting Righteousness, which the Lord Jesus Christ, hath brought in for His Chosen people, and with that Righteousness, Everlasting Happiness.
You are frequently and constantly Warned of it, That the End of all Ungodly men, will be Destruction. But it is, of infinite Consequence, that you take a further Warning from God; Even This, That Self Righteous men are Ʋngod [...]y men. Souls, Beware lest you fall into a Lamentable Snare; Be able to say, Destruction from God is a Terror to me. We are Jealous, Lest when you are Awakened by the Holy Spirit of God unto some sense of your own Sinfulness, the Evil Spirit lay you asleep again, by your own Righteousness, and Smite into your Temples the deadly Nails that shall fasten you down to the floor of the Eternal Prison. What Satan cannot accomplish as a Profane Devil, he will endeavour as an Angel of Light: And he will Secure to hims [...]lf the Possession of an House, by finding it, Empty, Swept, and Garnished.
[Page 29]We are to lay this down, for a Thing Assured; That Ʋnregnerate men do essay, and may attain, to do many Works of a very Laudable Character. Indeed all the Externals of Religion may be done by a man, that his no right Principles of Religion within him, and no Saving Acquaintance with the Lord our▪ Righteousness. It is an amazing thing, to think, how far a man may go in Religion, and yet not be found among the Righteous at the last. Ha [...]k, how it Thunders, in Matth. 7.22, 23. Many will say, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name done many wonderful [...]? And then will I profess unto them, ( [...] our Lord,) I never knew you, Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity. Even so, many will be able to say, Lord, Lord, we have done many Religious Works for thy Name; and yet our Lord not own them for any o [...] His A man whose Heart still is under the power of Sin, may yet visibly Reform and Forsake every Sin: He may yet be Equal in his Dealings with his Neighbours, and Sober in his government of himself, and Liberal in his Alms to pious Uses. He may Pray constantly, with every kind of Prayer; and Fast as well as Pray. He may spend the Lords-day devoutly; and seriously approach to the Tabl [...] of the Lord He may be very Ʋseful to the Pub [...], and Joyn himself unto the purest of Churches; and frequent the Meetings of the Faithful, and be at much pains for the Conversion of others, and Suffer many Things, yea, [Page 30] Death it self in the Cause of Christianity. What shall I say? There may be many savoury Frames in an Unregenerate man, and mighty pangs of Mourning and Fearing, and Joying, and Hoping, about the Affairs of the Eternal World; yea, and he may continue in these Frames all his days, and be in some sort a Religious man to his Dying Day. All this may a man do, and be but a Pharisee after all. There is no Regenerate man, that makes to himself a Righteousness, by any Doings of his own. Regeneration cures this Folly, and makes a man afraid and asham'd of such Foolish Attempts. But the Ʋnregenerate seek to make up a Righteousness for themselves, by their own silly Doings: And they Loose the Righteousness of God, by attempting this Impossible Thing. Wherefore, O Beware of this Ʋnbelief!
And give Attention, to a few Necessary Admonitions.
Admonition I.
Many, Many, and some of them very Curious, are the ways wherein the Deceived Souls of men, go to Establish their own Righteousness. In that Soul-undoing Vanity, whereby men go to Establish their own Righteousness, there is a Mystery of Iniquity. Original Sin, which is Deceitful above all Things, indeed spins a fine thred in this Mystery. A world of caution is necessary to preserve a man, from this path of the Destroyer, 'tis a path [Page 31] so fine, so fair, so clean! and yet it leads a man down to the Chambers of Death.
We all have occasion for this Admonition ▪ but none have more occasion for it, than those who under the Influence of a Good Education, have been visibly Blameless, and perhaps Pious, from their Early Childhood: The Young man that could say, I have kept all the Commandments from my Youth, was one that yet Lacked this One Thing; A Faith in the Obedience of the Messiah, as his only Righteousness, after all. It may be there [...] those among us, that have Lived free from [...]y known Scandal all their dayes: They have known the Holy Scriptures from their Childhood, and worshipped God, and Honoured their Parents, and abhorred every thing that look'd vicious, and been full of concern about their Salvation, ever since they can remember. You, O Souls in Peril, You above any under Heaven, have cause to beware, lest by a Reliance on some Righteousness of your own, you fall short of Heaven at the last. O follow the Pattern of the Excellent Psalmist, who could say, Psal. 7 [...].5, 10. O Lord God, Thou art my Trust from my youth: And yet, I will make mention of thy Righteousness, even of thine only.
But after all, What we say unto you, we say unto all; Be Jealous of a Self-righteous Disposition, submit therefore to some Examination.
First; It may be, you are prone to think, [Page 32] that you are in less danger of Establishing your own Righteousness, than of any other Mistake or Mischief whatsoever. I sometimes hear Unexperienced Christians, thus express themselves; Methinks to Establish my own Righteousness is the least of all my Temptations; Methinks, I see so much amiss in my self, that I find my self scarc [...] Tempted in any Degree, to dream of being Justifyed by my own Righteousness. Indeed! Saist thou so? Man, There is more cause to be Fearful of Thee, than of any man, in all the Assembly. That man, who is not aware of his Danger, to Trust in his own Righteousness, is very much in Danger of it. As it was said of some, in Rev. 3.17. Thou saiest, I have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable; So it may be said of some, Thou saiest, that thou knowest thy self to be wretched and miserable, while thou art yet vainly conceited, that thou hast need of nothing. There is an innate propensity in every man to seek a Justification by his own Righteousness; This Foolishness will not leave a man, till a terrible Correction from God, force him unto it; A man must be drag'd through the Flames of Hell, by the Terrors of God, before he come to a Right mind about it. A man that is not aware of this propensity, it may be fear'd, is yet under the Dominion of it. He'l Dy; and his Epitaph must be that of his Brother-Idolater, in Isa. 44.20▪ A Deceived Heart hath Turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his own Soul; nor say, Is there not a Lye in my Right-Hand?
[Page 33]If this discover no Self-Righteous Persons, I have another Question for it.
Secondly. Don't you utterly Despair of any Compassion from God, meerly because you have no Righteousness of your own? All Despairing Sinners, what are they, but Self-Righteous wretches: There are none, who more go to Establish their own Righteousness, than some that are least apprehensive of their doing so: And such are they, who Despair of Gods being Merciful to them▪ only because they are not. Righteous in themselves. A Sinner seeing he ha's no Righteousness of his own, falls into utter Despair, 'Tis impossible (saies he) that He who made me, should have any Mercy on me, or that He who formed me, should show me any Favour. Tell such a Sinner, That he is all this while, built upon his own Righteousness, he won't Easily Imagine it. But it is easy to Demonstrate it. The Sinner does frowardly thrust away all the Mercy of God; he concludes, 'tis impossible the Mercy of God ever should reach to such a Sinner. But why not? Sinful Soul; what is the Bottom of thy Despair? Truly, 'Tis all b [...]cause thou dost not, and thou durst not, lay Hold on the Righteousness of the Lord J [...]sus Christ. Thou can'st not Believe ▪ That the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, is enough to D [...]fend thee▪ from the Revenges of Heaven. Un [...]il thou can'st see some Righteousness in thy s [...]lf, thou can'st not Believe it possible, that ever God will do thee Good. Who [Page 34] are Invited unto the Mercy of God? We read in Matth. 9.13. I call Sinners. We read in Isa. 55.1. Ho Every one that Thirsteth, Come without Money. But some dare not come unto this Mercy: Why? Because they are all over Sinners, and because they have no Money, or Merit of their own, to Buy it for them. What is all this, O thou Unhumbled Sinner, but a lothness to Trust any Righteousness, but thy own for thy Justification?
If this also discover no Self Righteous persons, let a Third Question be seriously thought upon.
Thirdly. I pray, Deal Impartially; Do none of you fall in Love, with your selves, and with what you have done, in your own Righteousness? Those persons go to Establish their own Righteousness, who are Taken with any Thing, that they themselves have done, or set it so High, as to give or ask Applause, unto it. Saies the Apostle, in Phil▪ 3.8, 9 I Count all but Loss and Dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own Righteousness. Man, if thou dost not count Loss, and, Dung, to be a Name Good Enough for the best Thing that ever thou did'st, thou art in thy own Righteousness to this day. You have done these and those commendable Things Do you now set a Price upon the Things you have done, as if God were thereby Ing [...]atia [...]ed? Said the Pharisee in Luk▪ 18.12. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other Men are, I Fast, and I give Tithes: How the Self-Righteous Pharisee is taken with [Page 35] it! Perhaps, you can call to mind, I have Pray'd with such Frequency, I have Heard with such Affection I have given Alms with such Liberality; And I have done such and such a Piece of Service in my Generation. Don't you now set an High Account upon what you have done? Even so High, as to fall into some Discontent, when God seems to take no Notice of what you have done. If God visit you with Crosses, and Sorrows, and Refuse to Comfort you, after all that you have done to pacify Him, are not your Souls distur [...]ed within you, as if you were hardly dealt withal? You bring your Offerings to God, but God Hides His Countenance, and gives you no Comforts to Require your Offerings: Are not you now very wroth, and with a wrathful Countenance are you not ready to Resolve, That you will not any longer wait upon Him? Truly They were a sort of People, seeking Justification by their own Righteousness; of whom 'tis Reported, in Isa. 58.2, 3 They are as a Nation, that did Righteousness; wherefore have we Fasted, say they, and thou seest it not?
Are no Self Righteous Persons, yet Convicted? Let a Fourth Question then do its part upon us.
Fourthly. Deal Sincerely; Is it not meerly some little piece of your own Righteousness, that serves to quiet your Minds, when your own Guiltiness does astonish you? We Establish our own Righteousness, if our own Righteousness, be that which doth Establish us. When our [Page 36] Souls, and Hopes are shaken with an horribl [...] Tempest, from the Eternal Anger of God, what is it that settles our Souls, and allayes the Horro [...] and Fury of the Tempest? The Thoughts of a Sinner usually run in that Channel; As I have Provok'd God by Sinning, so will I now Appease Go [...] by Mending. The Rowsed Conscience of a Sinner, will sometimes Roar upon him, That he hath been a Rebel against God, all his dayes, and that the Damnation due to him, for his Rebellion, Slumbereth not. But then the Sinner throwes his Conscience into a Slumber, with purposes to be a New Man, and lead a New Life, and he fancies, that his Reformation will quit scores with the Almighty, and make amends for all his former Disobedience. As we read in Hos. 5.13. When Ephraim saw his Sickness, and Judah saw his Wound, than he went unto the King that should plead for him; yet he cou [...]d not heal you: Thus, when a Sinner sees himself Sick and Wounded, by the Wrath of God, for Sin, he goes unto his own Resolutions and Reformations, to plead for him; so the uneasiness of his mind, is as by an Opiate, a little check'd without ever being Heal'd at all. Such a Sinner, let him alone, to tell the Story of his own pretended Conversion, his Relation will be, ‘That he saw himself a Sinner, and was in Trouble of Spirit for his own Sinfulness; but God help'd him to set upon Religious Du [...]ies, and keeping better Company:’ And so, all is now come to Rights, without one word of being driven to the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ in all. And [Page 37] thus, when a Sinner falls into New Acts of Sin, that set his Conscience all on a light Fire, and the Sparkles of the Fiery Indignation of God begin to Pierce and Scald his very Soul within him; He hears the Thunder of the Wrath of God Cu [...]sing of him, and the Curses of the broken Law, rattling like so many Heated Bullets from the Cannons mouth about him; what is now the next course of the Sinner to shelter himself? It may be some Vow, or some [...]ast, or some other Extraordinary Act of Devotion, shall do this business for him: Nothing of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His Righteousness, no, Nothing of That! They that of old, were for Justification by their own Righteousness, did thus manage it, in Jer. 7. [...], 10. They would Steal, and Commit Adultery, and come and stand before God, in His House, and say, we are Delivered (that is to say, Discharged, Purified, Forgiven) to do all these Abominations. They would come with some Devotions and Sacrifices into the House of God, after their Abominations, and they counted themselves Discharged from the Old Score; they might run on upon a New Score of Abominations, till they Renew'd their Sacrifies. This is the very Spirit of Self-Righteous Persons.
And are none of them Detected yet? A Fifth Question then shall fall upon us.
Fifthly. Deal Thoroughly: After what manner is it, that you come unto the Lord Jesus Christ, for His Righteousness! A man may Establish his own Righteousness, even then when [Page 38] he is going to the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and seeming to forego his own. Are you not Labouring after some Goodness in Your selves, to prepare you for the Lord Jesus Christ? When the Lord Jesus Christ calls upon you, to Rely upon Him, for His Righteousness, don't you Excuse your selves, ‘That you are not fit for Him; It will be a presumption in you to come as yet, unto His Righteousness, while you are so full of Sin; or till your Sin be a little better Mortified?’ And now, are you not seeking after more Sorrow for Sin, more Contrition, and more Compunction, and more Humiliation; that you may come Garnished and Purified unto the Lord Jesus Christ? Hereupon, does this at last Embolden you, and Encourage you, to come unto the Lord? It may be, you durst not have cast your selves upon the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you had not first perceived some Symptoms of a Mended Heart and Life upon you Is it so? Then, O man, Thou art a Self-Righteous man. It was said, in Matth. 11.5. The Poor are Gospellized. A man is then Gospellized, when his mind is brought by the Gospel, unto the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, Revealed in the Gospel. Now a man must come altogether a Poor man, unto that Righteousness. Without an utter Poverty of Spirit, the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, cannot be aright Received. The man that will bring any thing of his own unto the Lord Jesus Christ, is not Poor enough, to have the Righteousness of God put upon him. He will needs [Page 39] bring something of his own to Eclipse the Grace of God!
Is every body still clear? Then,
Sixthly, and Lastly; Be it known unto you, That if you Live in your own Wickedness, 'tis very certain you Live on your own Righteousness. A man must have some Righteousness, to preserve the Peace of his own Soul. There is no man, but what knows, that God is a Righteous God, and that none but a Righteous Man can be Accepted with Him The worst of men will therefore patch up some Righteousness or other for themselves; they would not else be able to bear the furious Reflections of their own Guilty Minds. Hence you shall see a Silly Creature, that is an horrible Drunkard, and Swearer, and Lyer, and as Wicked a Debauch as can be, yet flatter himself with Assurance of Heaven; why? Because he payes his Debts with Honesty, and is in Charity, he says, with all the world. This Honesty and Charity now, that Sinner makes his Justifying Righteousness. But, Sirs, if you don't Entirely Dedend upon the Rig [...]eousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, you certainly go to Establish your own Righteousness. Now, 'tis most certain, That if you Entirely and Savingly Depend on the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, this would Effectually Engage you to leave every way of Wickedness. The Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ ha's purchased this Blessing for all them, to whom 'tis given, [Page 40] That they [...] be a peculiar People, zealous of Good Works. The Faith which does Receive the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, will Purify the Heart. A Justified man, cannot find in his Heart, to Sin at such a rate as he did before the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ was applied unto him. If a man be not thereupon Sanctifyed, it is apparent he was never Justifyed. A man who does not press after an Inherent Righteousness, that shall sweetly conform to the Imputed Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, makes it Evid [...]nt that this Imputed Righteousness was never bestowed upon him. As when we derive Guiltines [...] from the First Adam, we derive Cor [...]uption also, thus we receive not Righteousness from the Second Adam, if we don't Receive Holiness with it. Not only is Guiltiness removed, but also Corruption is mortified, in all that the Second Adam saves from the Deadly Iflnuences of the Fi [...]st. It follows now, that whatever man does allow himself in any way of Wickedness, this man does go to Establish his own Righteousness. Of such a man, we read, in Ezek. 33.13. He does Trust unto his own Righteousness, and commit Iniquity; all his Righteousness shall not be Remembred, but his Iniquity that he hath committed, he shall Dy for it. How often may you see the sad Experiment! There is many a man does commit Iniquity: Upon his Iniquity he falls into a grievous Consternarion; To allay his Consternation, he betakes himself unto Religious Duties: In all his Duties he flies not unto the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. This man [Page 41] will strangely Return to Commit Iniquity; And his Return to Commit Iniquity, proves that all this while, he hath Trusted unto his own Righteousness He is a Dead Man, if he continue so to do! These are some of those Points, wherein men go to shame the Counsel of the Poor, as the Psalmist Expresses it; For what is the Counsel of the Poor? 'Tis the making the Lord his Refuge; that is, a [...] the Ancients took it; His looking to be Justified, only by Faith in the Lord. Now, Examine we our selves, whether we are not thus Ensnared in the wo [...]k of our own Hands? 'Tis a Similitude that hath been sometimes used; The Souldiers took the Coat of Christ, & Four of them did cast Lots for it▪ but onely One of the Four, did obtain it. So, sayes One, scarce One in Four, of those that are called Christians, do obtain that Spiritual and Illustrious Garment, the Righteousness of Christ, for their own; and then, they have none at all. It is an Expression of Austin [...], Ego sor [...] Perveni ad Tunicam Christi.
Admonition. II.
Our own Righteousness will prove but out own Confusion, if we Expect thereby to be Justified. What shall we call the Man, who builds upon his own Righteousness? We have the Name, and the Fate of that Man, in Matth. 7.26, 27. A Foolish Man, who built his house upon [...]e Sand: It fell, and great was the Fall of it. Should men Live wholly without Religion, they would indeed not be able to Live: the very [Page 42] Bars of the Pit would break, and the smoke of Hell would fly in their faces, and they would walk about as Cain, with ghastly marks of Reprobation upon them. Wherefore, like Herod, men will do many things: but, alas, while they go to make a Righteousness, of these things, they still fall short of Entring into Rest.
O our Beloved People; may we say it of you, That you are Striving to get rid of Sin, Striving to have more broken Hearts, and Striving to lead more exact Lives! We wish, we may say it. But then, we must also say, W [...], Oh! Wo, unto the man that shall rest in these things. Men may go far, very far, in shows of Piety; but after all, if they go to make a Righteousness out of all, they are still among the Ʋnrighteous, that shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God.
Be advised;
First, Your own Righteousness, is far from coming up to the Demands of God in His Holy Law; and God will not Annul, or Alter that Holy Law. It is the voice of Heaven unto us, in Gal. 2.16. By the works of the Law shall no Flesh be Justified: And in Rom. 3.20. By the Deeds of the Law, there shall no Flesh be Justified in the Sight of God. I have known some to Live in gross Immoralities; and yet they would say, Their Peace was made with God. Why so? They owe no man any Malice; they say. Poor Soul; Is this all thy Righteousness? Man, Thou [Page 43] mayst go ten thousand times farther than this, and yet be altogether distitute of Righteousness after all. I tell you truly; As 'tis said, Job 20.6, 7. Though his Excellence mount up to the▪ Heavens, and his Head reach unto the Clouds, yet he shall perish for ever like his own Dung; Even so, Though you Lived like men in Heaven upon Earth, and though you Spoke with the Tongues of Angels, and Shed Rivers of Tears for your Sins, and pour'd out Prayers that should pierce the very Clouds more than Seven Times a day, and give all your Estates unto the poor, and your very Bodies unto the Fire: yea, though you were Prophets of God, and could Remove Mountains; Yet if you go to make any of This, your Justifying Righteousness, I earnestly testify unto you. The Holy God will abhor you after all, and at last make you the Abhorring of all Flesh. To speak in the Language of the Prophet, I will declare thy Righteousness and thy Works, for they shall not profit thee. Man, Thou art Condemned by the Law of God; Thou hast lost thy Ability to keep the Law: And if thou were't Able to keep it, would this make amends for thy former Breaches of it? No, would it not. Some indeed speak much, of Washing away their Sins by the Tears of Repentance: But it is an unsafe Speech; Mens Tears in this point, are but Sope and Nitre, which however multiplied, will never wash away their Sins. Yea, Though thou shouldest ly, like a glowing Iron in the Fires of Tophet, for a thousand Million Ages, it would not make a Compensation [Page 44] unto the Great God, for the Smallest of thy Offences: God hath Sworn by His Holiness, that nothing but the Blood of His own Son shall make Him a compensation.
Secondly. The Righteousness of your own Doings, if it be insisted on, will but keep you at [...]n Ʋndoing, and an Eternal Distance from your Only Saviour. Our Lord Jesus Christ, our Only Saviour, said once unto some Self-Justiciaries, in Matt. 21.31. Verily, I say unto you, The Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. Matthew the Publican, and Mary the Harlot came in unto the Lord Jesus Christ, when the Self-Righteous Pharisees most Ʋnjustly Rejected Him. The man that counts his own Righteousness worth pleading, will never go aright unto the Lord Jesus Christ for His: Of such 'tis said, in Rom. 9.31, 32. They attained not unto the Law of Righteousness; wherefore? Because they sought it, not by Faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. While men have any Hope of Righteousness by their own doing the Works of the Law, they will have no Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Austin long since Remarked it; That multitudes of the more moral Heathens, would not become Christians, as being by their own Vertuous Living already well-provided for: Nullum Homicidium, nullum Furtum, nullam Rapinam facio, said they; Let any wickedness be found in me, Et qui me reprehenderit, faciet me Christianum; I shall be forced then to turn a Christian immediately. [Page 45] A man will not come unto the Lord Jesus Christ; It were as easy to break the Rocks in pieces, and pull down the very Stars from Heaven, as to make a man come unto the Lord Jesus Christ, without being brought off from his own Righteousness. Nor if a man could come, would he be welcome unto the Lord Jesus Christ, without it. For our Lord says in Matth. 16.24. If any man will come after me, Let him Deny himself. And Righteous-Self, is a Self to be Denyed, as much as Any Self. 'Tis a Scandalous Omission, when in, A Treatise of Self [...]denial, the Denial of our own Righteousness, is an Article altogether Omitted. There are To [...]e, that will take no Poor into their Collection, so long as they have a Penny to help themselves. Nor will our Lord-Redeemer take any into His Righteousness, that think to help themselves by any of their own. Who shall obtain this Treasure? He that shall Sell all his own. Who shall obtain this Pearl of great Price? He that shall Sell all that he hath. Whom will the Lord Jesus Christ rescue from sinking down into a Bottomless Ocean of misery? None but the man that ha's Thrown over-board all that a Selfish Heart is ready to dote upon. The G [...]ory of Justifying a Sinner before God, our Lord Jesus Christ challenges, as His own Peculiar Glory; and sayes, My Glory I will not give unto another.
Thirdly. Shall your own Good Works afford you a Righteousness? Know it; You can do no Good Works at all, not so much as Evangelically [Page 46] Good, until you are fairly come off your own Righteousness, unto the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. For a man to think of bringing in his own Good Works, as a Righteousness before God! why, Never did such a man do any Good Works at all, in all his Life. It was Prescribed, in Tit. 3.8. Affirm constantly, That they which have Believed in God, should be Careful to maintain Good Works. And I will affirm Con [...]tantly; That a man cannot perform Good Works, until he have Believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, our God. There are no Good Works, but what have several Ingredients of Hearty Respect unto God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, adorning of them. Now without and before Ʋnion with our Lord Jesus Christ, it is not possible for a man, to do any Works, that Ingredients of Sincerity, have rendred Good. Our Lord Jesus Christ sayes unto them, who are not Ʋni [...]ed, unto Him, in Joh. 15.5. Ye can do nothing. Until the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, has Infused a New Principle into men, their Best Works are Dead Works, and not Good Works. No Ʋnjustified man, can do any Works, pleasing unto God. It is a Great Article of our Christianity; That Works done before the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Inspiration of His Holy Spirit, are not pleasing unto God, because they do not Spring from Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Until you have plainly thrown up your own Righteousness, and come unto the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, all your Works, I say [Page 47] unto you, Your very Prayers are an Abomination unto God. But then, what shall we do?
Admonition. III.
The Righteousness of God is now set before you; Take that, and Live. Oh, let this wonderful Grace of God, have a due, and a deep Impression upon our Minds! Even unto the Chief of Sinners among us, there is now made an Offer of that Righteousness which out-shines the Righteousness of all the Angels in Heaven, and which Entails upon the Subj [...]cts of it, all the Blessings of Heaven. We are all of us Drowning, yea, D [...]ning, in the black Floods of Infinite Wrath: And the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, is cast out, as a sufficient Cord, for us to lay hold upon. Who, Oh! who takes Hold of it?
If you Enquire, May I Venture to take the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Plead it before God, and Hope in it for the Mercy of God? I answer, Venture! Yea, Thou art a Gone man, if thou do not Venture. What? After all my [...]nfulness, and Filthiness! Yes, Though thou hast been the most Sinful, and Filthy wretch in all the Town, and though thou hast been as wicked Creature, as any one in all those Towns, upon which God once Rain'd Fire from Heaven for their Wickedness. Venture to Accept and Apply the [Page 48] Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. If God help thee to do it, Venture by the Help, and in the Name of God; Venture, until thou canst say, with him, in Gal. 2.16. Knowing that [...] man is not Justifyed by the works of the Law, but by the Faith of Jesus Christ; we have Believed in Jesus Christ, that we may be Justified. I remember what they said, unto Naaman, My Father, If the Prophet had bid thee do some Great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather than, when he saith unto thee, wash and be clean ▪ Thus let me say, O Sinner, would any thing be too much to Save thee from the Tremendous Vengeance of God? Thou art every Hour, liable to be Siez'd by the Vengeance of God, and cast into the Torments, and Sorrows of the▪ wrath to come. If the Lord should now bid thee, do some Great Thing, to be made Righteous and Happy, wouldest thou count any thing too Great? How much rather then, when 'tis only said unto thee, Thou hast a Righteousness provided by another for thee; Only Accept and Apply that Glorious Righteousness.
Be Counselled.
First. Despise, and [...]nounce, all your own Despicable Righteousness. The Best Things that ever you did, What are they? There's Badness enough in them, to make you Ashamed of them. Said they of old, in Isa. 64.6. All our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rugs; Even like the Nasty Plaisters, that are laid upon lothsome▪ Ʋlcers ▪ [Page 49] Art thou willing to appear clothed with none but such Nasty Plaisters? There are Blemishes enough, in the most Splendid of all our Duties, to Defile them, to Deform [...]hem, to render them very Faulty▪ The Holiest of men may say, as indeed some of them have with much Reflection said, I never did any Good work in all my Life, but the Lord shew'd me some Sinful circumstance attending of it ▪ Christian, There are Motes in thy brightest Sun-Beams; there are Spots in thy whitest Garments; there is a world of Dross and Alloy among thy finest Gold: If thou art a Christian, thou art sensible of it. Yea, and when we have with Tears bewayled our own Defects, we have cause to Cry out with him, of old, Lava meas Lacrymas, Lord, My Tears themselves want washing! We read of, The Iniquity of our Holy Things. When we have been waiting upon God, in our most Holy Things, we may after all say with that Perfect and Ʋpright man▪ in Job 40 4▪ Behold, I am Vile! The Exceeding Broad Law of our God; Let us Consider that, and all our pretences to Perfection in the most glorious Action that ever we did, will all come to an End at once. Luther speaks of one who had Lived very Holily; which when some Applauded him for; True, said he, In your Eyes: But the Eyes of man are not like the Eyes of God! That man, who pretends to have answered the the Law of God in any One Action, is, to speak truly, An Ignorant and an Arrogant Fool. Man, Single out any One Action, even the most Exact, that ever thou didst, and if thou dare [Page 50] to put thy Everlasting State upon a Decision by the Exactness of That, thou art a Lost man, against the world; All the Angels in Heaven can't Save thee from Confusion world without End. When one told the Dying Arch Bishop of Magdeburgh, That the Merit of his Good Works would procure a place in Heaven for him, he Cry'd out, Nul [...]o Modo; O by no means: But the Good Works of Christ are sufficient for me. And when Bellarmine had been Essaying to maintain Justification by our own Works, with an Astonished Soul, at last he Cryed out, After all, the best way is to plead the Mercy of God, thro' Christ alone. What said the Psalmist, and Servant of God! In Psal. 142.3. O Lord, Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, for in thy sight shall no man Living be Justifyed. One of the Ancients ha's this Note upon it, Non dicit, cum Hoste, sed cum Servo. It is not said, Enter not into Judgment with a Rebel, but, with a Servant. When we have Served God never so Faithfully, and Zelously, none of our Services will serve to Justify us.
Secondly. Repair now to the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only Refuge, by God set before you. In the Gospel, you have the Tenders of the best Righteousness made unto you. Make now your Echo's to those Tenders of the Gospel. As when, the Tidings of Grace, were brought from Heaven unto Mary, Luk. 1.38 Mary said, Behold the Handmaid of the Lord: Be it unto me according to [Page 51] thy Word! Thus, when we are told of a Righteousness wrought out by the Lord Jesus Christ, which we that have none of our own, are all call'd upon, to take for our Own forever, let our surprized Souls thereupon say, Behold, a Poor Sinner against the Lord; Be it unto me according to this Marvellous Word. Souls, Be not stout-hearted, which is to be far from Righteousness. The Avengers of Sin are pursuing of us; Fly, O Sinner, Fly for thy Life. Whither shall I Fly? Saist Thou. The Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, is a City of Refuge, that God hath set open for thee: Fly into that, saying with him, in Phil 3.9. Let me be found in Christ, [the Expression seems to allude unto the City of Refuge, (if not unto Isa. 61.10.] not having my own Righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God, by Faith. It was foretold in Isa. 45.24 Surely shall one say, In the Lord I have Righteousness. Oh! That many an One would now say so; And say, as all Good men use to do, When I Look on my self, I Sink, I Dy, I Perish; but when I cast an Eye on my Lord Jesus Christ, I am alive again.
To proceed aright in that Great Action, of Repairing to the Lord Jesus Christ, for His Righteousness, is indeed a Point of no small Importance. 'Tis therefore needful, that in the first Place, you Cry to the God of all Grace, for that Grace which will Enable you [Page 52] to Believe in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be sensible of that Glorious Truth, in Eph 2.8 By Grace are ye Saved, through Faith; and that not of your selves: it is the Gift of God. And, then let your cry to Heaven be, Lord, let thy Grace bestow that Gift of Heaven, a True Faith upon me. Never did any man aright Believe in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ who only in his own strength Attempted it Seeing then, That no man can Come unto the Son of God, Except the Father Draw him, Let your Eye, and your Cry be to God, with that Petition, Draw me, O Lord, that I may Run unto thy Righteousness. But then, 'tis needful, that in the next Place, you Cry Mightily to God, for that Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, on which you would now Believe. It is an observable Expression, in Isa. 45.25. In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be Justified. Israel was one, who came to be so called, by Wrestling for a Blessing. Them that would be Justified by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, God will have to Wrestle for it, with Importunate Supplications. With Agonies of Importunity then Wrestle with God, Oh, most Merciful God, I am Justly and Sadly undone, if thou do not grant me the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ; whatever thou deny me, Oh, Deny me not that Righteousness. Faith first breathes, its First Breath is, in Prayer. Your Prayer for the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, must be the first Essay and Salley of your Faith unto it.
[Page 53]And then finally, Profess, Try whether you cannot with a Triumphing Soul profess, That you do Believe in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, alone. God now demands of you, Whether you do indeed Believe on His Righteousness? Try, O Try, whether you can't make this Answer to the Demand, in Mar 9 17 Lord, I believe, Help thou my Ʋnbelief. Place thy self, O Sinner, before the Judgment Seat of that Holy God, unto whose Judgment thy Sin hath made thee obnoxious: and let His Infinite Holiness, fill thee with Astonishment. See that Holy God passing a Terrible [...] of Eternal Death upon thee; and Hea [...] Him demanding of thee, what thou hast to say, Why this Doom should not be fulfilled, and this Death inflicted, or, why thou shouldest be accepted into His Favour! Justifying Faith is no where found, but in the Soul of a Convinced Sinner, beholding himself by the Law of God, a Condemned Sinner, and pursuing his D [...]liverance by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ from the Condition, which he is by the Law of God cast into. Faith is not understood, by them who describe it, altogether without respect unto the previous work of the Law on the Conscience of a Sinner. Now having felt this work, Then let thy Reply be, Lord, I have nothing, nothing at all to plead, but only the Righteousness of my Lord Jesus Christ▪ That Righteousness has answered thy Law in all things Thy Grace hath made me an offer of that Righteousness: In that [Page 54] Righteousness therefore I place all my Hope for ever-more.
In fine; We will describe the solemn Transaction of a Soul Repairing to the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, from the Heaven-taught Experience, of those who have thus left on Record, the way of their proceeding in it.
Their Spirits being exceedingly distressed, at the view of their own manifold Vilenesses, which they bitterly bewayled before the Lord, they have thus at length concluded.
‘And yet after all this, Lord, By the Help of thy Grace, I Believe, that my precious Lord Jesus Christ, our Immanuel, hath fully obeyed and suffered thy will, as a Surety, in the room of Elect Sinners. I Believe that the Righteousness of this our Surety, is tendered unto me for me to Depend upon it, that for the sake thereof, I may become Accepted with God. I Believe that whenever thou dost enable me to Depend upon this Righteousness, thou dost immediately Absolve me from all my Guiltiness, and pronounce me a dear Son, a pleasant Child, whom thou wilt surely have mercy upon. Yea, I Believe that the horrible and prodigious Greatness of my Sins, does nothing to render me uncapable of this Great, and Free, and Rich Grace of Heaven. Oh my God, in this Belief, I cast my self at the Feet of the Lord Jesus Christ; There will I now ly Waiting, Looking, yea, [Page 55] Assured, There to Receive thy Favours. Now I know, That my Debts to the Dreadful Justice of God are all paid. All that my God will now demand of me, is to Love Him, and Praise Him, and Glorifie my Glorious Redeemer for ever-more.’
Syrs, Upon a Transaction thus managed, there presently issues from the Throne of God, that Order concerning you, that there was about Joshua in the Vision, Take away the filthy Garments from him: The Almighty declares unto you; Behold, I have caused thine Iniquity to pass from thee, and I will cloath thee with change of Raiment.
Very far toward such a Transaction, did seem disposed, when he came to Dy, that Great Emperour Charles V. one of the greatest men that ever lived. He thus, according to the Account of De Thou, then Reasoned with himself.
‘That in himself, he was altogether unworthy to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, by his own merits; but that his Lord God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who Enjoy'd it on a double Title, by an Heirship from His Father, and by the Desert of His Passion, was content with the former Himself, and had freely grantest unto Him the latter Title: That accordingly on His Free Grant, he laid claim thereunto, and in the confidence thereof he should not be confounded: for the Oyl of Mercy is poured into the Vessel of [Page 56] Faith; and this is the Faith of a man Despairing in himself, but Relying on his Lord; Alioquin proprijs meritis fidere, non Fidei esse, sed perfidiae.’
Lastly; Being thus invested with the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, count not your selves Released from the Good Works required in the Law of Righteousness Grievous Confusion and Vexation, hath arisen in the Church of Christ, by the corrupt minds of men, Abusing the Evangelical Doctrine, of Justification by Faith in the Righteousness of God. The [...]e [...] Ʋngodly men, who Turn the Grace of God into wantonness; and Libertines, Who because our Lord Jesus Christ hath answered the Law for His people, count themselves at Liberty from the Law to all intents and purposes. Our Justification by the Righteousness of our lord Jesus Christ, must be defended in the sound and safe sense of the Glorious Gospel, against the Depravations of Ʋngodly Antinomianism. We must come to the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, sound▪ in this Faith: The Mystery of our being made Righteous, by God manifest in Flesh, is a Mystery of Godliness: It hath all over a Tendency to Godliness. It is very certain; That our having an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, when we Sin, is written to us, that we may not go on to Sin. If any man be so vile, as to make this Inference, 'Tis only the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, by which I am to be Justified; and therefore I am at liberty to go on in the way [...] of Ʋnrighteousness: Ah, Deceived [Page 57] Soul, 'Tis plain, that thou art not yet Justifyed; Thy Spot is not the Spot of the Justifyed; Such a venemous Inference is Incompatible to a Justifyed man: Thou art yet among the Ʋnrighteous, that shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God.
Wherefore,
First. Remember, I beseech you, That the Moral Law, is to be Received by every Christian alive, as the Everlasting Rule of his Life. That Law which the God of Heaven Epitomized in the Ten Commandments, written by Himself on the famous Tables of Stone; 'tis a Law which all Christians are forever bound unto the Observation of It is a Caution, that our Lord Jesus Christ hath given us, in Matth 5.17. Think not that I am come to Destroy the Law And accordingly, both our Lord Jesus Christ, and His Apostles, often direct us unto the Law, as obliging us, to Love the Lord our God, and Love our Neighbours. When Moses went up to Receive the Two Tab [...]es, on which the Decalogue was written, he was attended with Joshua, when he Received the other Precepts, he was attended with Aaron and his Sons Might not this import, That the Decalogue was to be observed under the Gospel, in the Times of Jesus, as well as of Moses: The other Precep [...]s [...] during the Priest-hood of Aaron? It is well Expressed by Tertullian, Libertas in Christo non f [...]cit Innocentiae Injuriam, manet Lex [...]ota Piètatis. 'Tis not possible, That men should be se [...] free from [Page 58] their Obligations to Glorify God. The ways in which we are to Glorify God are prescribed in the Moral Law. To Abolish this Law, would be to say, That men shall cease to be a Creature, and owe nothing to his Creator. Indeed, we have a Compleat Righteousness in our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath Answered the Law for us. Yea, but for all This, in whatever we come short of Answering the Law our selves, we must Mourn for it as a Sin, and Loath and Judge our selves for it. Although we are, In Christ free from Condemnation, Yet upon our falling short of doing what is Enjoyned in the Law, we must Condemn our selves, and Exclaim, O wretched man that I am! 'Tis true, the Law is, by the Accession of the Gospel, brought into some New Circumstances of Grace; but still, that Law is a Rule of Life unto us, and it will be in Force, till the very Heavens be no more. Is it not the Definition of Sin, in 1 Joh. 3.4. Sin is the Transgression of the Law. If we have no Law, we could have no Sin. But they that are Justifyed by the Righteousness of God, yet, alas, do fall into Sin every day: If we say, we have no Sin, the Truth is not in us: And a Sin is not at all the less a Sin, but it is rather an aggravated Sin, for being done by One whom the Lord Jesus Christ hath Justified from Sin. When the Lord hath shewed thee, O man, what is the Good Thing, even His Messiah, and His Righteousness, He then Requires thee to Glorify ▪ His Messiah, by Doing Justly, by Loving Mercy, by Walking [...]umbly with thy God.
[Page 59]Secondly. Our Good Works, or Sincere Essayes, to observe the Moral Law, are necessary to Justify that Faith in the Righteousness of God, by which our persons are Justified. Every Jewel ha's a Counterfeit. And, How shall we know that our Faith in the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ for our Justification, is not a Counterfeit? Now the Marks of a Justifying Faith are the Works, whereto a Believer is thereby disposed. Sayes the Apostle, in Jam 2 20 Wilt thou know, O Vain man, that Faith without Works is Dead? Christians, a Workless Faith is a Worthless Faith ▪ It is an Incautelous and a Dangerous passage, that I have Read; Men are too apt to think their Peace depends on the subduing of Sin. If their Sins be subdued, then they may have Peace, and if they cannot be subdued, then no Peace; Let subduing of Sin alone for Peace. But, wilt thou know, O Vain Antinomian? If thy Faith do not subdue thy Sin, it is a False Faith; And, if a man go to Bless himself, saying, I shall have Peace, though Sin remain unsubdued in him, There is no Peace, saith my God, unto that Wicked man. We are to Try our Justifying Faith, by This; Is our Sin subdued by this Faith? And, through Faith are we alwayes abounding in the works of the Lord?
It will be of great use, to have this a little more clearly stated. Mind it then;
The Apostle Paul, teaches us. That no man is Justif [...]ed by works, but a man is Justified only [Page 60] by Faith. But the Apostle James teaches us, That a man is Justifyed by Works, a man is not justified by Faith alone. And yet, however some of the Ancients, as well as Luther, stumbled at this Appearance of Contradiction, they are far from Contradicting one another. Paul treats of our Justification before God, and the Right unto Everlasting Life, thereon granted unto us. This is only by Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. James treats of that which may manifest our Justification unto Men that See and Hear our Profession of our Faith. Here Works are Significant. The Conscience of a man may be distressed with a Twofold Accusation. First, A man may be Accused of Iniquity It may be said, Thou hast broken the Law, and wrong'd the God that gave the Law, and the dreadful Curse of that Law, now belongs unto thee. Our Answer to This Accusation is, My Lord Jesus Christ hath fully Obey'd the Law of God, and Suffer'd for my Disobedience; and I do by Faith Rely on this Righteousness of my Lord Jesus Christ, for Eternal B [...]essedness. But next, A man may be Accused of Hypocrisy It may be said, Thou Talkest of thy Faith, but is it not meer Talk? How canst thou prove, that thy Faith is any more than what is in the very Devils themselves? The Answer to this Accusation must be, The Works of a Sanctified man, which I am doing every day, are the proof of my Faith ▪ Accordingly, It is asserted by Paul; That a man is Justifyed alone by Faith; but it is asserted by James, That a man is not Justified by a Faith which is alone. The Question [Page 61] discoursed by Paul is, How a Guilty person may come to be Acquitted by the Lord, from all the Guilt that lyes upon him? The Answer to this Question, is, Not by any Works of our own, but only by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is, on our part, only by Faith applyed unto us. The Qu [...]stion discoursed by James, is, Whether a man pretending to Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be Saved, though he continue without the Works of an Holy Life agreeable thereunto? The Answer to this Question, is, No, such a man ha's no Saving Faith at all. Wilt thou know, O Vain man? 'Tis a Vanity in any man, to Profess, that he hath a True Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, if his Faith be not Fruitful in those Good Works, which may Justify the mans Profession. In short, A True Faith, will be a Divine Principle in the Soul, inclining and assisting a man, to Live unto the Glory of that Lord, who ha's made him Righteous ▪ And particularly, our Forgiving the Trespasses of others against our selves, is a thing of Great Note, among those Good Works, which are to demonstrate the Faith, and the State of One whose Trespasses against God, are Forgiven, through Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Soul, If thou canst not Forgive, it is a sad sign upon thee, Thou never wast Forgiven. It was well said therefore by John Hus, Ʋbi bona opera non-apparent ad Extra, ibi Fides non est ad intra: Faith is not within, if Good Works are not without. A Vain Faith it is, that [Page 62] becomes not Visible, and Incarnate, by Good Works upon it.
Thirdly. A Justifying Faith cannot but from the very Nature of it, have a Sanctifying Force, upon the Heart of the Believer. For, the same Faith, which Embraces the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Priest for Atonement, (and As doing this, it Justifies!) embraces Him also as a King for Government. Faith ha's other Designs besides that of Justification, for which it is equally concerned. To Receive Christ in one office, and Exclude Him in another, is not Faith but Ʋnbelief. A Justifying Faith, Receives Christ the Sacrificer, and the Intercessor, and in that Notion, it Justifies. But is this all? No, It also, according to Col. 2.6. Receives Christ the Lord. And so, it Receives a Law from that Lord. A True Faith, is for a whole Christ. The Holy Spirit of God, Infuses not the Habit of Faith into us, without Infusing the Habit of Every other Grace. To imagine a Dead Faith infused by the Spirit of Life, would be a black Reflection, on the conduct of Heaven. Yea, at the Infusion of this Grace, that Holy Spirit Himself comes to dwell in the Hearts, of His People; And will not He make them Holy, think you? Be assured, Sirs, There is no man made Righteous but what is therewithall made Holy, and what Groans, and Longs, and Strives to be made more Holy. Tho' God Justify the Ʋngodly, yet He lets no Justifyed man continue an Ʋngodly one. Faith wrought by the Holy Spirit of God, will never Indulge the Believer in Ʋnholiness.
[Page 63]More than so; A Justifying Faith, Propounds and Obtains the Salvation of the Soul. Now, our Sanctification, is no small part of that Great Salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath Redeemed us by His Righteousness. What for? We are informed in Tit. 2.14. To purify unto Himself a peculiar People, Zealous of Good Works. A main Thing bought for us, by the Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, is, that we may be made Happy, by our Enjoying a Resemblance of that Righteousness, in our own Obedience unto God. And Faith aims at this Benefit, in coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let no man be mistaken; Our Salvation is not meerly the Fruition of the Good Things Reserved for us, in the Unseen and Future Bliss: but it is also the Sanctity and Obedience that makes us meet for those Good Things. To be set at Liberty from the Devil, and have a Will and a Strength to do those Good Works which are contrary to the Works of the Devil; This, This is the Beginning of our Salvation; And Faith Esteems it so: The Faith, which cannot be disappointed, Esteems it so! Faith cannot be perswaded, that it ha's Received a Pardon of Sin, Except it may also Receive a Power against Sin. A Power against Sin, is an Everlasting Token and Effect, of our having the Pardon of Sin. Should Sin be left unmortifyed, Faith would cry out, Lord, I am not Saved, I am not Saved, while I remain in this Condition! Obedience to God, is Liberty and Happiness to a True Faith; Sin is the worst Slavery in the World.
[Page 64]We may add; A Justifying Faith, is an Ingenuous Thing. If a man have the least Grain of True Faith in him, he will make that Enquiry, in Psal. 116.12. What shall I render to the Lord, for all His Benefits! And upon this Enquiry, Faith Resolves as the Lord Himself Directs, By Obedience to show its Thankfulness, unto the Lord, who has Loved us, and Washed away our Sins, in His own Blood. That Obedience that was once to have been our Justifying Righteousness, is now▪ Endeavoured by Faith, as a Piece of Thankfulness, to our Lord Jesus Christ, for Justifying us, by His Righteousness. We read, in Gal. 5.6 Faith works by Love. Christian, Thy Faith wil Discern and Admire the Love of God unto thee, in helping thee to the Righteousness of thy Lord Redeemer. The Faith of this Love, will Work upon thy Heart, until it hath Raised an unquenchable Flame of Love in thee, unto Him that hath so Loved thee. And if thou Love the Lord, thou wilt then Hate the Evil: All Sin will become Hateful to thee, as the worst Evil in the World. Yea, Thy Love to God, will set thee to Work, in Cleansing thy self from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, and perfecting H [...]liness in the Fear of God. If they that are made Righteous, by the Lord Jesus Christ, should continue Wicked in their D [...]sposi [...]ions and Conversations, This Would be an horrible Reproach unto our Lord Jesus Christ, as if He were, A Patron of Sin; and as if He were. A God that had Pleasure [Page 65] in Wickedness. But a True Faith, will never let a man be so Foolish and Ʋnwise, as thus Reproachfully to Requite the Lord. The Return, which our Lord Jesus Expects, for His Mercies unto us, is, That we Devote our selves unto the Service of our Lord: And Faith owns▪ That this is now, a most Reasonable Service▪ Faith of the Right sort, cannot but argue after such a sort as This; What? Has my Lord Jesus Christ made me Righteous? Oh, then let me Glorify Him, with my Spirit, and my Body, which He has bought for Himself with such a price! Where Faith ha's Ennobled the Heart, of any man, there is no motive to Good Works more powerful than This upon him: If he could think▪ I shall escape Hell, yea I shall merit Heaven, by well-doing; this would not so powerfully move him, as to think, By well-doing, I shall Glorify my Lord Jesus Christ; who has done so much for me! That man ha's no Faith in him, on whom this Thought ha's not a very Constraining Efficacy.
Fourthly. A Sanctifyed Heart, in this World, is a needful Qualification and Preparation, for a Glorifyed State in another. There is no passing into the Holy Heavens, without being, as 'tis Expressed in Col. 1.12. Made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. But without a Chang'd Heart, a New Heart, and an Holy Heart, a man is not made meet for that Holy Inheritance. None but the Pure in Heart, [Page 66] are fit for the Beati [...]ck Sight of the most Holy God. The Holy Employments, and the Holy Enjoyments of the Heavenly World, would be for ever distastful unto us, if we should not carry Holy Hearts into that World. Except God here, Work us for that Self-Same Thing, every Thing in Heaven will be disagreeable unto us. The Ʋnclean may not enter into the Temple of God. The Satisfactions of Heaven, must here first be Inlaid into the very Frame of our Souls, or else they will never Satisfy us. Were an Ʋnsanstifyed man, on that Holy Mountain, he would not be able to say, 'Tis Good to be here! Heaven it self, would be rather a Torment, than a Content, unto an Ʋnsanctifyed Soul. 'Tis a Solemn, and a certain Admonition▪ in Heb. 12.14. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Though we shall not Go to Heaven, For our Good Works, we cannot Go to▪ Heaven Without them.
We are all horribly depraved with Original Sin, derived from our First Father unto us A Time is here allow'd unto us, to get a Deliverance from that Image of the Devil. Such an Ʋnion with the Lord Jesus Christ, as is Productive of a Likeness to Him, helps us to our Deliverance. Now, O man, if thou art, a [...] thy Death, found utterly uncured of the Distempers, and the Disorders in Original Sin brought upon thee, and utterly distitute of a [Page 67] Principle of Holiness, the Characters of Hell upon thy Soul, will become Eternally Indelible▪ and Intolerable Griefs and Fears, and Hellish Horrors, must unavoidably attend a Soul, that has those Characters, and Impressions of Sin upon it, until the very Heavens be no more.
Fifthly; and, Lastly: It must not be Forgotten, and I wish it were more clearly Ʋnderstood, That even Justifyed Persons, if they do not Walk with God, and Walk very Circumspectly, may Expose themselves, to the Fatherly, and the Terrible Displeasure of God. Some clear Thoughts of this matter, are greatly wanting among the People of God, and would prevent Great Errors and Follies, that me [...] on both sides do frequently fall into.
I pray your Attention.
You are to know, That upon Faith in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, a Sinner is Perfectly Justifyed. The Law of God, no more binds him over, to suffer the Wrath and Curse of God, which is Threatned in the Law. The Curse of God, no more can take hold upon him; and he ha's a Formal Pardon of all his Former Sins, with a Vertual Pardon of all his Future Sins. The Act of God, as a Judge, in thus Justifying of a Believing Sinner, Admits of no Repetition, and [Page 68] no Intercision. Let a Sinner be once Justified, and Absolved from the Sentence of the Law upon him, he is then wholly so, and ever so.
But for all this, Let it not seem Strange unto you, if I tell you, That there is what we may call, a Filial Guilt, wherein a Justifyed Person may become obnoxious to the Fatherly Wrath of God. It is an unsound Position in certain Sermons too much cryed up, among Injudicious Readers; Though a Believer, after he be a Believer, do Sin often, yet God no longer Stands Offended and Displeased with him.
You may thus Conceive of it.
The God of Heaven ha's in the Gospel, Required us to Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, by Endeavouring utmost Obedience to that Law, which our Saviour hath answered for us. And He ha's Threatned our Grosser Neglects of that Obedience, not with Eternal Confusion, as He did in the Law; but with Paternal Correction. The Paternal Correction whereto our Scandalous Faults, will now Expose us, lies in a Variety and Severity of Divine Judgments, to be dispens'd in this World unto us. The Divine Judgments, under which we may fall, by our Falls into Rebellion against our Heavenly Father, are both Spiritual and Temporal ▪ The Spiritual Judgments, which Godly men may by their Sins bring upon themselves, are Internal Desertions, [Page 69] wherein the Spirit of God witholds Influences of Grace and Joy from them. The Temporal Judgments, are External Afflictions; And especially such as carry Notable Retaliations in them. One End of these Judgments, is to Amend, and Reform, and cure the miscarriages of Godly Men, and promote a Due Repentance in them: And yet another End of these Judgments, is, to vindicate the Holiness of our Lord Jesus Christ, and make all that saw the Miscarriages of those Godly men, to see that the Lord of the Holy Angels, will allow no such Things, in any that belong unto Him. When Godly men, have by any piece of notorious Ʋngodliness, Laid themselves open to these Judgments of God, their way to be Saved from the Judgments, is to plead the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ over again, and thereon penitently to Confess and Forsake all that has been Amiss. They that already have what we may call, A Legal Pardon, may yet want, what we may call, A Gospell Pardon, or the dissolution of their obligation to suffer the Judgments of God upon Earth; and by penitent Prayer, they are every day to seek such a Pardon. These Thoughts, are all over Countenanced in the Oracles of God. Wherefore, Let those that have Believed unto Righteousness, yet learn to Pass the Time of their Sojourning here in Fear.
[Page 70]Know, First, That if you don't Live Exceedingly Watchfully and Fruitfully, and Holily, God will withdraw much of His Holy Spirit from you▪ And among other Consequences full of Darkness, that will follow upon the Withdraw of the Holy Spirit, one will be, That you will not Enjoy the Seal of it. The Seal of the Holy Spirit, is a special Operation thereof, producing a solid, powerful, wonderful, and well-grounded perswasion of our Justification. Our Justification, may be Hopefully, but will not be Joyfully Eviden [...] unto us, without such a Special Operation of the Holy Spirit giving Evidence thereunto. When we set our selves to prove our Justification from our Sanctification, we do Well, we work Right, we are in an orderly way of proceeding▪ But yet we shall not well see our Sanctification, except a Special Operation of the Holy Spirit, help our sight. And if we do see out Sanctification, yet our Sight of our Justification ▪ will be but feeble, except a Special [...]Operation of the Holy Spirit shall comfort us. Our own Argument may make us a little Easy, and we ought to be found in that Rational Way [...] of Arguing; but this meer Argument will not bring us to that Joyful peace of Soul, that will carry [...] [...] Triumphantly through the Dark Valley of the Shadow of Death, and make us Triumph over our Doubts, our Fears, and all our Discouragements. It is the Spirit of God Gloriously [Page 71] Coming in upon our Hearts, that will Seal unto us our Justification, and cause us to Rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of glory: Which when He does, the Symptomes of a Regenerate Soul, do always accompany it. Now, Christians, If you don't maintain a very strict Walk with God, that Seal of the Holy Spirit will be denied unto you. Though you may be Justified, yet the Holy Spirit of God, will not let you see that you are so. The Holy Spirit of God being sadly Grieved by your Sins, will Retire from you; and the Evil Spirit shall then smite you either with Terror, or [...]ith Slumber. Man, If thou dost not look upon this Calamity, as more Dreadful a [...]d Bitter than Death, 'tis very sure, Thou wast never yet a Justified man; Thou art yet in the Gall of Bitterness, and the Bond o [...] Iniquity. And let me freely say unto you. To see a man wallowing in Loathsome Filthiness, and yet Enjoying the Peace of Justified man; Oh, 'Tis a doleful Spectcle! 'Tis impossible to see a man with a [...]lacker Brand of Reprobation upon him.
Kno [...], Secondly; That if you don't use [...]n [...]rous care, to keep a Conscience void [...]ffence, you may Incurr such Disasters up [...] your selves and your Houses; as may be [...] Astonishment, of all Spectators. Oh, Think [...] the Things that in the Providence of a [Page 72] provoked God, befell David and his Family; Think on Ʋzzah; Think on Hezekiah; yea, on Moses and Aaron. Think on the House of Gideon, Think on the House of Eli; (They were Justified men, I believe, every one of Them!) and beware, Lest for Sins like Theirs, the burning Indignation of God break forth upon you, in amazing Instances. Mark what I say; Do you grow remarkably Remiss in your Devotions? Then if you belong to God, some very sore Humiliation is probably hastening upon you. Or, Do you wrong any of your Neigbour [...], especially the Widows, or the Orphans, or such as are Eminent Servants of the Lord Je [...]us Christ? You'l find God the Avenger of al [...] such. Tis not your being Justified for the Life to Come, that will secure you from ve [...]y Calamitous Chastisements in this Life, if you Despise any Commandments of God. If th [...] Name of God come to be Blasphemed among others by your Misdemeanours, God will make others to see his Dislike of those your [...]isdemeanours, by Exemplary Chastisements, though you may be Justified from the Vengance [...] Eternal Fire. God will never deal [...] you as Prisoner [...], but as Children; and yet [...] ha [...] Rods for you; and He Expects that [...] should Fear His Rods. Consider these [...] And Walk in the Fear of God.
[Page 73]I conclude with the words of our Christian Tully; Hactenus de Imputatione Justitiae Christi, sine qua nemo unquam, aut Salvatus est; aut Salvari queat. ‘Thus far we have discoursed on the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ, without which, no man was ever Saved, or can be.’
Boston Lecture: 27. d. 5. m. and 24. d. 6. m. 1699.