though not from the Eye of Omnisciency yet from the Eye of Vindictive Justice 3. I shall inquire how we are interested and partake of the Righteousness of Jehovah manifested in our flesh how we are Entitled to it and Invested with it Answ It is by Faith The Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that Believe The Gentiles have attained unto the Righteousness which is of Faith Rom. 9.30 With the heart man believeth unto Righteousness Rom. 10.10 The Righteousness of God is said to be Revealed from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 This is the Righteousness from first to last that Faith cleaveth to and buildeth on The Just do not for a Day a Month or a Year only subsist by Faith but they all their days live by Faith So the same Righteousness is revealed to Faith at first when it is weaker and to Faith at last when it is stronger It is said We are Justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 This Phrase is used of no other Grace It is not said We are Justified by Love Repentance or Obedience It is exceeding observable that it is not said Abraham left his Countrey quitted his Idolatry abandoned his Relations or that he Offered his Son and it was imputed to him for Righteousness but that Abraham Believed God and it was counted to him for Righteousness Gen. 15.6 which sheweth the peculiar dignity and excellency of Faith It is singularly fitted and suited to take hold of Christ and his Righteousness as a Beggar 's hand to receive an Alms. When as Love brings something to the Person beloved it is a grateful Eccho to his Love it doth Retalliate and as it were Recompense Requite and Re-pay him that Loves But Faith brings nothing L. Com. cap. 11. Justif but receives all things from Free-Grace Love poures it self out but Faith takes in Peter Martyr thinks that God chose Faith to this Office because it is a less noble Grace than Love and so all the Glory is given by it to God Love Gives and Faith Receives and it is more noble to Give than to Receive Faith looks to Christ Psal 45.22 Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved We must look unto Christ and be healed John 3.14 15. we must run to Christ Heb. 6.18 we must lean on Christ by Faith Cant. 8.5 and lean hard lean strongly on Jesus Christ we must put the very stress of our Souls on Jesus Christ and not trust partly on our selves and partly on Christ As in the Old Testament Men stretched out the hand of Faith and laid their Sins on the Head of the Sacrifice as a Type and on Christ in Truth So we must now stretch out the hand of Faith to Christ come and receive Righteousness from him Rom. 5.17 We have that Phrase of coming into the Righteousness of God Psal 69.27 This may be farther cleared by that expression Heb. 12.24 Ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament and to the Blood of Sprinkling By coming unto Christ and his Blood we come into his Righteousness we come into it as our Garment we put on Christ we are clothed with the Sun Revel 12.1 We come into this Righteousness as into our Castle Fortress City of Refuge wherein we are secure from the Lash of Conscience the Accusations of Satan the Threatnings and Curse of the Law God will not come into Judgment as an Accuser as a Witness against us Psal 143.2 Come not into Judgment with thy Servant Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do not come Ne Venias as Pagnine renders Lord come not into Judgment with me do not bring any Charge or Accusation against me God will not come into Judgment as a Plaintiff against those that are come into the Righteousness of Christ These are passed from Death to Life and shall never come into Condemnation John 5.24 When we are dismaid by looking down on and into our selves when we are full of Confusion by reason of the Deformity Filth Nakedness and Diseases of our Souls when we know not what to do and are ready to Despair Sink and be Over-whelmed then Christ Graciously calls us to look off from our selves to him for Righteousness and Salvation This is the will of the Father that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have Everlasting Life John 6.40 It is this sight of Christ and his Righteousness that revives us when our hearts were dying within us If we fix the eye of Faith on Christ God himself will fix his eye on Christ our High-Priest for our comfort and advantage The High-Priest did bear this Inscription in a Plate of Gold on his Forehead Holiness to the Lord Exod. 28.36 37 38. God doth now look on the Face and Forehead of our High-Priest who is now near to him always before him he beholds him as perfectly Holy and Devoted to God for us John 17.19 For their sakes I sanctifie my self So the eye of a Believing Man and of a Righteous God do meet on Christ Believers Feel and Run to Christ Isa 55.5 Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee As the Man-slayer was to flee to the City of Refuge and stand in the entry of the Gate of it and there declare his Cause and claim the Priviledge and Benefit of the City of Refuge Then the Elders of the City having heard his Case were to take him in and to give him a Place that he might dwel among them Josh 20.4 So an enlightned awakened humbled Sinner being sensible of his danger flies to Jesus Christ gets to the Gates of this Blessed City of Refuge there pleads his Cause God's Invitations Offers and Promises and claims the Benefit of the City of Refuge And will not Christ receive and take such into him as Noah stretched out his hand and plucked the Dove into him into the Ark Gen. 8.9 God provided by his Law that if a Servant did fly from a hard Master those that received and entertained him should not restore him again to his severe Master Deut. 23.15 Even so Convinced Broken-hearted Sinners do fly from the Law as a hard Master It was given at Horeb this is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying Drought or Dryness it gives no Water of Grace Comfort or Refreshment It was delivered in Sinai which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seneh signifying a Bramble or Brier For the Law Scratches Wounds Gores us by its Terrible Threatnings Surely those that fly from this hard Master to Christ shall not be restored to or put under the Covenant of Works again Those that receive the Peace-maker shall also receive the Atonement But the main Influence that Faith hath on our Justification is as it joyns us to and interests us in Christ By Faith we joyn our selves to Christ Zech. 2. xi Jer. 50.5 and Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 But how doth Faith act towards Christ Answ 1.
Scripture had truly asserted that Abraham believed God his Faith wrought with his Works to evidence him a sincere Believer and his Faith was made perfect by his Works that is it was provided to be genuine the strength and power of it was declared as God's strength is said to be made perfect in weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 that is discovered to be perfect 4. Paul speaks of the causes of Justification he searches after the Springs of it viz. Christ's Righteousness and Faith as receiving it but James speaks of the effects of Justification A Man whose Person is Justified before God will certainly Justifie his Faith and Sincerity before Men by Works of Righteousness 5. Paul speaks of the Justification of a Sinner James Treats of the Approbation of a Believer Paul discourses of the Righteousness that must Justifie viz. the Righteousness of Christ James Treats of the Faith that must Justifie of what kind and sort it must be not an Idle Lazy but a Working Faith Paul speaks of Justification before God Rom. 3.20 21. James of Justification before Men James 2.18 Shew me thy Faith prove it if thou canst to be a right Faith if it bring not forth Good Works 6. That James doth not speak of a proper Justification of the Person of a Man before God by Works is evident by several Arguments 1. The proper Justification of a Man is from Sins that he hath done not for Works of Righteousness that he hath wrought Good Works are not shewed before God's Tribunal but Iniquities are Covered Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is he whose sin is covered By Christ we have forgiveness of Sin and are Justified from all things from which we could not be Justified by the Law of Moses So that a Gospel Justification is a clearing us not from a false Charge but from a true Accusation Our Consciences do accuse convince and condemn us for sin John 8.9 Rom. 2.14 15. We know our Transgressions they are with us Isa 59.12 but there is no such charge of Hypocrisie that lies before God against true Believers and Saints They can appeal to God as Job Job 10.7 Lord thou knowest that I am not wicked My witness is in Heaven my Record is on high Job 16.19 Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee John 21.17 Therefore there is no proper Justification from a false Charge before God Works will only witness and Justifie from a false Charge before Men. 2. Nothing will properly Justifie us but what is Commensurate to the demands of the Law and that which will satisfie the Justice of God But there is no Obedience of ours that answers the Demands of the Law or will satisfie Justice therefore we cannot be Justified by our Works Yea Works are not the cause by which we are Justified for he that is Justified is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that worketh not Rom. 4.5 neither are Works a Causa sine qua non a Cause without which a Man is not Justified for he that is Justified is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ungodly Rom. 4.5 Abraham himself had been an Idolater Josh 24.2 and in that sense was Ungodly 3. Nothing will properly Justifie us but that which did Justifie Jesus Christ he could not be Justified except he had been fully conformable to the Commands of the Law and endured the Curse also Nothing will Justifie us the Debtors but what Justified Christ our Surety Therefore we cannot be Justified by our Works if we could then would Christ have Died in vain 4. In a proper Justification we are Justified before God Rom. 3.20 21. But our own Works cannot be imputed to us for a Righteousness before God because he seeth so many Faults Blemishes and Defects in them Philosophers say there are no pure Elements for they are mixed one with another and Divines may say there are no pure Duties and Performances in the best of Saints Paul Complains that he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go through with finish and perfect any Good Work 5. Our best works need a Pardon and therefore cannot be our Righteousness to Justifie us that which needs Forgiveness that which deserves Punishment cannot earn a reward and be accepted for a Justifying Righteousness we need an High-Priest to bear the Iniquity of our Holy things 6. If we could be Justified by our Good works we should Justifie our selves but it is God's act and not ours to Justifie It is God that Justifieth Rom. 8.33 7. In a true Justification we receive a Righteousness Rom. 5.17 And an Attonement Rom. 5.11 But our Works cannot make an Attonement for us or be a Righteousness to us 8. Works both before and after Faith are shut out from Justification before Faith Rom. 4.5 6. Rom. 3.21 22. The Righteousness of God is Manifested without the Law and the Apostle Paul not only suffered loss of all that he accounted his gain while a Pharisee but also after he was Converted he Esteemed all but Dung that he might win Christ Phil. 3.7 8 9. He durst not then dwell at home or be found in his own Righteousness 9. Abraham himself had not whereof to boast or wherein to Glory before God He could not find such a Righteousness in his Heart or such Works in his Life that he durst to trust to Hath Abraham our Father found as touching the Flesh Rom. 4.1 No surely he did not find any Righteousness or Works of his own to plead before God Therefore he that cannot find this Righteousness in himself had need to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 Though Moses was Eminently Holy yet when he drew near to God and saw that Terible Glory that appeared in the Mount he said I exceedingly Fear and Quake Heb. 12.21 He could not stand before the Law that he gave Saints have waved a Trial before God on the account of Works Psal 143.2 Though David was the Lord's servant though he did set the Judgments of God before him and was devoted to his Fear Psal 119.30 38. yet he deprecated a Trial before God on the account of his own Righteousness Enter not Lord into Judgment with thy Servant Why doth he pray so much against God's entring into Judgement with him The reason he gives is strong For in thy sight shall no Man Living be Justified For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin Rom. 3.20 21. The Law was not given to Fallen Men to Justifie them but to discover their Sins By the Law comes nothing else to an unregenerate Man but the Knowledge of Sin it allows such no Good Works at all If the Law once discovers Sin in Men farewel a Justification by the Law for ever Faith cannot Justifie it self it is so weak and accompanied with such doubts staggerings and fears And how shall Works Justifie themselves that have such defects and defilements cleaving to them Observe these four Weighty Questions proposed in the Scripture 1. The Heart is deceitful and desperately wicked Who can know it Jer. 17 9.2 Who can
Have you Faith of God's working Col. 2.12 Hope of God's begetting 1 Pet. 1.3 Love of God's kindling 2 Thes 3.5 Deut. 30.6 Have you Evidence that you are redeemed that is bought again 1 Cor. 6.20 in that your Captivity is turned and that you are brought again Isa 52.8 Hath God saved you 2 Tim. 1.9 Is God's Salvation in a considerable degree communicated to you and executed in you God's Gifts and Calling are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 Those that God hath begun to save in Time he will not destroy to Eternity Several SERMONS ON Jer. XXIII 6. And this is his Namewhereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness IN the former part of the Verse we are informed what the Messiah should do that in his Days Judah should be saved and Israel should dwell safely In the latter Words we are instructed how he should effect this This is the Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness Salvation and Righteousness are often joyned together in the Scripture Zech. 9.9 He is Just and having Salvation My Righteousness is near my Salvation is gone forth Isa 51.5 I bring near my Righteousness it shall not be far off and my Salvation shall not tarry Isa 56.13 Paul saith the Gospel is the power of God to Salvation because in it the Righteousness of God is Revealed 1 Rom. 16 17. The Gospel could not offer and promise Salvation if it did not reveal Righteousness God will not exalt Mercy and debase and wrong Justice God will save in a way becoming of himself and that shall eminently redound to his Glory as he will magnify Grace so he will exalt Justice as Love shall shine and Grace reign so God's Holiness shall be crowned his Law magnified the truth of his Threatning be demonstrated He that is the greatest instance and gift of God's Love shall also be the most Terrible Example of his Revenging Justice and Severity In the Words we may observe 1. That a Name should be given to and put on the Messiah This is the Name whereby he shall be called 2. What this Name is he shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness 1. This is intimated that a Name should be given to the Messiah God delights in the Scripture to give several Names to the Messiah and that 1. To describe and set forth the greatness of his Person Isa 7.14 A Virgin shall conceive and bare a Son and shall call his Name Immanuel which signifies God with us God and Man were at the greatest distance and enmity with each other What a wonderful thing then is expressed in this Name that God is with us in our Nature made Man and manifested in our Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 He thus came down to us to raise us up to himself He apprehended our Nature Heb. 2.16 that he might apprehend our Persons Phil. 3.12 and espouse them to himself Hos 2.19 20. There is a wonderful Marriage of the Divine and Humane Nature in one Person that the Son of God and Believers might be joined together in one Body Eph. 5.23.29 30. An other Name of the Messiah is mentioned Isa 9.6 Vnto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given he shall be called the Mighty God the Everlasting Father Here weak Flesh and the mighty God Time and Eternity an Infant of Days and the Ancient of Days a Child lately born and the Everlasting Father meet in one Person Though the Humane Nature did cloud and eclipse yet it did not abolish or extinguish the Majesty and glory of the Divine Nature 2. God gives the Messiah a Name that points at and sets out his Office He shall be called the wonderful Counsellor the Prince of Peace Surely he is a most excellent and wonderful Counsellor that can direct and advise how Enemies may be reconciled Prisoners be enlarged Captives be released languishing dying Souls may be healed those that are lost and entangled in a woful Wilderness may get into the right way and return into the Favour and Family of God and Strangers may be adopted by and related to God and he is an Admirable Prince that can speak Peace to Enemies and give Happiness to the Miserable that shall quiet and satisfy their Souls 3. God gives Christ a Name that signifies his new Relation to a Spiritual Seed He shall be called the Everlasting Father Isa 9.6 If we consider Christ upwards so he is the Everlasting Son but if we meditate on him downwards so he is the Everlasting Father He propagates his new Nature he raises up an Holy Off-spring he begets Sons and Daughters to God as a Second Adam because the new Nature shall never perish his Spiritual Life shall never be extinguished Christ may well be stiled an Everlasting Father the Seed of the new Creature is incorruptible it lives and abides for ever in that holy Nature that springs from it 1 Pet. 1.23 4. In the Words of the Text it is said that the Branch raised up to David should be called Jehovah our Righteousness A Branch should be joined to Jehovah and so should work out Righteousness for us and derive it to us This is indeed a wonderful Name given to the Messiah and Three things are implied in it 1. That our Righteousness is not in our selves but without us it is a Robe put upon us Isa 1.10 He hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness The Righteousness of God is said to be upon all them that believe not in them Rom. 3.22 How false then is that Name that Medina on Thomas Aquinas in Prim. Secund. Quest 113. Artic. 21. by the way of Contempt doth put on the Lutherans extrinsicarii Haeretici that is Hereticks that assert an outward Righteousness imputed for Justification 2. This Text proves and demonstrates that Christ is our Righteousness that his Obedience is the Matter of our Righteousness and his Attoning Sacrifice the Meritorious Cause of our Justification God accepts us in Christ the well-beloved Ephes 1.6 We are blessed in him that endured the Curse and are forgiven for his sake who was made Sin Ephes 4. last The first Adam was the efficient cause of our Sin but the second Adam is the formal cause of our Righteousness 3. This truth the Text doth further declare and hold out that this Righteousness of Jehovah must be made ours we must be interested in it we must be invested with it else Jehovah cannot be stiled our Righteousness And how can this be but by a Donation and Imputation of this Righteousness to us God that made Christ Sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 doth also make him Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 We must believe into Christ and so believe unto Righteousness How sweetly do those Phrases answer he that believes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on and into the Son John 3. last with his Heart he believes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10.10 unto or into Righteousness I shall a little further consider of insist on and explain this Name
Kingdom Christ's Testament doth make both Children and Heires 1. Saints have their new nature from God's Gracious Covenant so they are born of the Covenant that promises a new Heart and Spirit Ezek. 36.26 and on this account are said to be the Children of the promise Rom. 9.8 And they have the Eternal Inheritance from the same gracious Covenant and so are stiled the Heires of promise Heb. 6 17.11 We cannot obtain a blessing by our own Righteousness and Works but by the Sacrifice and Death of Jesus Christ Levit. 9.22 23. This Text of Scripture is observable when Aaron had offered Sacrifice then he was to Bless the people in the Name of the Lord the form of Blessing is expressed Numb 6.24 25 26. The Lord make his Face to shine the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee When Christ was Sacrificed God hid his Face from him and did forsake him Psal 22.1 Christ's Sufferings purchased and procured this Blessing for us That God's Face may shine on us and the light of his Countenance may be lifted up upon us Jesus Christ bare the Curse Galat. 3.13 He was made a Curse that the Blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles Galat. 3.14 God promised to Abraham That in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed Gen. 22.18 Christ was the Seed meant and intended Galat. 3.8 There could be no Blessing without Redemption from the Curse and we could not be Redeemed from the Curse if Jesus Christ did not endure it There are blemishes and defects in our best Works and they deserve a Curse and therefore cannot earn and merit a Blessing but we must seek it in Christ they that are of Faith are Blessed with Faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 It is not said they are Blessed with working Abraham but with Faithful believing Abraham Abraham himself did not get the Blessing by Working but by believing He did not find that in his own Heart or Life that would warrant him to Glory in himself before God The same way that Abraham got the Blessing all his believing seed must attain it Object But here it may be Objected Is it not said Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that Feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments and Psal 119.1 2. Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart Answ No man since the Fall did ever earn a Blessing by his obedience to the Works of the Law therefore Calvin excellently observes Rom. 32. ver 1 2. that all such passages are grounded on the Blessing we have by the free and full forgiveness of our Sins Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is the man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord Imputeth not Iniquity Paul asserts that David describeth the Blessedness of the Man to whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without Works saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven Rom. 4.6 7. No man is blessed for any Righteousness or works of his own but as the person is a Believer in Christ and freely Justified by Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 Fearing God walking in his Law keeping his Testimonies are sweet Indications and Comfortable Characters who the persons are that are Blessed But it is the Forgiveness of Sin that is the true cause of our Blessedness The Mercies that God bestows are not conferred by our Covenant as if we had earned and merited them but by his Covenant as the Fruits of his meer and pure Grace Observe well this distinction which God makes between our Covenant which is a Covenant of Works and his Covenant that is a Covenant of Grace and that Good things are given by his Covenant but not bestow'd by our Covenant Weigh well the Importance of this Scripture Ezek. 16.61 62. 12. We enter into Rest by Faith in Christ and not by our own Works Heb. 4.3 We that have believed do enter into rest It is not said We that have wrought Righteousness do enter into Rest It was the Speech of Fisher Bishop of Rochester Fides Faeta Justificat sed ante partum * Treat of Justiffcation Faith that is impregnated with Good Works doth Justifie but yet before it brings them forth yet Faith doth not Justifie as it is adapted fitted or disposed to bring forth Good Works but as it respects Christ eyes his Righteousness and Obedience The Faith big with Good Works doth Justifie but not because it is so or as it is such but by virtue of its respect to Christ and the Free Promise Noah by Faith entred into the Ark and rested there it had no Rudder or Helm for him to handle and manage no Sailes for him to trim no Rigging for him to look after he did nothing to Stear or Sail the Ark up and down but he sweetly rested by Faith in the Ark He believed God would Stear and Guide it that it should not be broken dashed to pieces sink or miscarry Noah in this Temporal deliverance from the Flood saw and apprehended an Eternal Salvation from the Flood of Divine Vengeance in and by Christ the true Ark of Salvation and that blessed rest and security that is attained by Faith in him Hence the Apostle saith That Noah became Heir of the Righteousness that is by Faith Heb. 11.7 he did believe that by the Righteousness and Obedience of the Messiah to come as an Ark he should be saved from the Wrath to come This is much to be observed that the Sabbath Instituted in Paradise was the Seventh in order after Six Working days and was suited to Man's State of Innocency and did most properly belong to the Covenant of Works that Promiseth a Blessed Life and Rest after perfect Works of Righteousness wrought by us Rom. 10.5 The man that doth those things shall live by them But the Christian Sabbath is the First Day of the Week before our Six Working days and therefore is suited and fitted to the New Covenant that Promiseth a Rest to the Consciences of them that believe before uhey do Works of Righteousness Those that are Justified by Faith have peace with God through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Calvin doth think that God pointed at this in such a severe and rigid injunction of the Sabbath He that would not have us to be weary in well-doing Galat. 6.9 yet commands us to cease from our own works Nonne eo ipso pronuntiat omnia oper a nostra mala esse And Isaiah teaching us that the Sabbath is violated Quando invenitur nostra voluntas Isa 58.13 When we find our own will and pleasure doth shew a necessity of ceasing from our own Wills and Works in our Justification Calvin thus Discourses in the 1st and 6th Book against Pighius concerning Free-will we are Justified not by shewing our Good Works but by our Evil Works being hid and covered
bitter a Cup for and pluck so Heavy a Burden on Christ and exposed him to so grievous a storm and Tempest of Divine Vengeance That should not be sweet to us that was so bitter to Christ That should not be Light to us that lay so Heavy on Christ Did God forsake his Son Psal 22.1 And shall not we forsake our sins Isa 55.7 The Blood of Christ purgeth Conscience from dead works Heb. 9.14 yet with our Faith in this Blood we must joyn Repentance from dead works Heb. 6.1 As a Guilty so also a Filthy Conscience must be purged away Heb. 10.22 yet here we must be cautious Repentance doth not interest us in Christ's Righteousness neither doth it earn or deserve Pardon As Moses turned the Waters of Egypt into Blood Exod. 7.19 so the Law would turn our very Tents into Blood if there were not a Mediator and a New Gracious Covenant Repentance is the Gift of God Acts 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 If this Gift doth oblige us to God Can the exercise of it Indebt God to us We are not Justified by or for our Repentance we shall greatly mistake if we think that Repentance and New Obedience do come in the Room and place of a Perfect Legal Righteousness by Divine Acceptance but only the wise and gracious God hath so ordained it that there shall be an Order in disposing of the Benefits of the New Covenant God gives Faith and Repentance first to prepare Men to receive other Benefits of the Covenant One Grace makes way for another God strikes the Rocky hearts of Sinners and breaks them he turns the Flint into a Fountain of Water Psal 114. last And when God hath broken the Hard heart then Christ binds up the Broken heart and drops in the precious Balsom of his Blood by wounding Sinners with his Arrows and the Sword of his Word he prepares them to be his Patients and doth a Cure on them Men must be Mourners first before Christ can comfort them Isa 61.1 2. they must become Guilty in their own eyes Hos 5.15 and confess God's Actions to be Just and his Indictments to be True before Christ doth purge their Consciences and roll away their Guilt When the Sinner is Plowed with the Spirit of Contrition then Christ Sows it with the Seed of his Righteousness and the Promise of Pardon Object A great Objection is raised from James his Doctrine and words against all that I have asserted concerning Jehovah his being our Righteousness and our being Justified by his Righteousness Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he offered up Isaac James 2.21 Was not Rahab the Harlot justified by works when she received the Messengers and sent them out another way James 2.25 Again in the 24th v. it is said Ye see then how that by works a Man is justified and not by Faith only Doth not James seem to contradict Paul Rom. 4.9 We say that Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God that is Abraham hath not Righteousness of his own or Works done by himself to glory in before God therefore he cannot be Justified by Works To him that worketh not but Believeth on him that Justifieth the Ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness God imputeth Righteousness without Works Rom. 4.5 6. To this Objection I shall Answer many things 1. We must distinguish between the several sorts of Persons that Paul and James had to do with Paul's Discourse is bent against proud Justiciaries that thought to build up a Righteousness of their own by which they designed both to adorn themselves in the eye of God's Holiness and to secure themselves from the Sword of his Justice And therefore Paul Teacheth that no Righteousness of Man can weigh in God's Balance or is pleadable at the Bar of Justice We are all as an unclean thing and our Righteousnesses are but as filthy rags By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh living be Justified Rom. 3.20.21 Our Works before Regeneration are all as Brass Money our Works after Regeneration are as Mixt Mettal therefore neither of them both will pay our Rent of Obedience or satisfie our Great Landlord But James hath to do with Boasting and self-deceiving Hypocrites that pretend to Faith but it is a barren idle dead Faith They did say they had Faith but they had no Works James 2.14 they could not shew or evidence their Faith because they had no Works As the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without breathing is dead James 2.18 so is Faith if it doth not breath in Works James his design was to shame confound and silence these Hypocrites and to demonstrate that they had no true Faith at all but did grasp a Lie and hug an Idol of their own instead of True Faith Strong Faith in Abraham did shew it self in Offering up Isaac James 2.21 and weak Faith in Rahab did discover it self in aiding the Israelitish Spies and sending them safe away though this might have proved dangerous to her own Life James 2.25 2. Paul speaketh of Faith as it respects Christ's Righteousness and builds and is acted only on this before God James speaks of Faith as it is to come forth and to be demonstrated before Men. Luther compares Faith to a Queen that is in the Bride-chamber alone with Christ the Bridegroom But as this Queen comes forth and walks abroad before Men so it is attended with many Good Works that are its Handmaids that wait on it it is Faith alone that Justifieth but yet that Faith that Justifieth is not solitary or alone but always is fruitful in Good Works and hath influence on the whole Life to guide and direct it by the Light of God's Word The life that I live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Galat. 2.20 Faith animates the very Natural Life and runs through all the acts and parts of it and so subordinates them to God's Will and refers them all to his Glory Luther says Faith sweeps the House and Milks the Goats 3. The Justification that James speaks of is not a Justification of the Person but of the Faith of Abraham of his sincerity and integrity Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thy onely Son from me Not that God acquired any new knowledge that he had not before concerning Abraham but it is an expression in which God condescends to our weakness and intimates that if God had not known Abraham's Faith and Sincerity before this Illustrious Fact this Eminent Self-denying Obedience of Abraham would evidently and notoriously prove the Truth of Abraham's Faith and the sincerity of his heart towards God When Abraham did shew such readiness to offer up his Son the Scripture was then fulfilled That Abraham believed God and that it was counted to him for Righteousness This demonstrated that the
Grace and of our Justification A Condition properly taken is Influential into Right if performed it giveth Right unto the benefit promised if not performed there is no Right and therefore is a cause saith Mr. Petto in his opening of the Old and New Covenant Page 216. Faith as he saith giveth no Right John 1.12 It receives Jesus Christ and in him a Right and Title to the Blessings of the Covenant but it doth not give one Faith is not reckoned the least of that Righteousness whereby we are Justified but a means for the Applying of Jesus Christ who is our Righteousness The Covenant as to that Priviledge of it Justification is not so absolute as to be without all means yet may be absolute without any condition properly so called * Petto Page 217. Believing doth not now take the place of doing in the Old Covenant for then it must be our Righteousness unto Justification whereas that which Justifieth is called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 10.6 Phil. 3.9 therefore Faith is distinct from that Righteousness it self and is not the least Atom of it * Page 198 199. Therefore not our Believing but the Obedience of Jesus Christ is that which cometh in the Room and Stead of that doing for Life intended in the Law Rom. 5.19 Christ is the Lord our Righteousness but to note that it lieth wholly out of our selves that it is not by any of our performances but in another even in Jesus Christ it is said to be by Faith as a means of Application Faith though necessary doth receive a Title from Jesus Christ doth not give one * Pag. 201. We do not claim Salvation in the Right of any act of ours not upon the Rent of Faith we hold and claim upon the Obedience of Christ Jesus alone Rom. 5.18 19 21. If Faith be a proper condition and not an instrument let it be considered 1. Whether we are not then Justified by Faith as a work Now the Scripture distinguisheth and opposeth Working and Believing Rom. 4.5 Therefore surely Faith is not considered as a Work in Justification In a condition the dignity and perfection of the Work is properly to be attended to but an instrument respects the Excellency of the object hence a weak Faith Justifies as much as a strong Faith because we are not Justified by our own act but by the object that we look to Calvin in his Antidote against the 6th Session of the Council of Trent saith Neque et enim quicquam nostrum fides affert ad Deum sed quod ultro affert nobis Deus recipit Faith brings nothing of ours to God but only receives what he offers hence saith he it is that Faith though imperfect doth possess a perfect Righteousness because it hath no other respect but to the free Goodness of God 2. A condition is properly to be done before we have a Right to the benefit promised but Faith receives Christ immediately and feeds on him In our very Believing we are put into Possession of Christ and have the Son 1 John 5.11 12.3 To have a Right is a less benefit than we have by Faith for a Man may have a Right and not have Possession but be put to sue it but by Faith we receive the Testimony of Christ and receive Christ himself John 1.32 33. 1 John 12.4 That which is promised in the Covenant cannot properly be a condition of the Covenant In those words They shall all know me from the greatest to the least Faith seems to be promised Jer. 31.34 Faith is a manner of knowing of things upon the Testimony of another and Faith seems to be called Knowledge Isa 53.11 Besides it seems too high a thing for us thus to plead with God Lord we have performed the condition of the Covenant and therefore justly claim the benefit as due to us Surely it seems most humble for us and most for the Glory of God's Grace and of Christ's Righteousness that Faith should be considered rather as a Beggar 's hand than as a Working hand the hand Faith is not a Working hand to earn and gain a Righteousness but a Beggar 's hand to receive a gift we are said to receive the Testimony of Christ John 3.33 to receive Christ John 1.12 To receive Righteousness Rom. 5.17 To receive the Atonement Rom. 5.17 To receive the remission of Sins Acts 26.18 All these Expressions seem to point at Faith as an Instrument rather than as a condition We receive Christ as our Righteousness as our Food as our Ransom as our Medicine in the first direct acts of Faith these things do not come after believing but are received in and by Believing as a Beggar makes an Alms his own by receiving it And though we own a contrite Repenting Sinner to be the subject of Justification yet we cannot own that Repentance doth receive the Righteousness of Christ this belongs to Faith alone or that Repentance is a condition that puts any worth into us as our act of Obedience but rather that God requires it because it empties impoverishes and wholly drives us out of our selves to God's free mercy and to Christ's Atoneing Sacrifice God requires a broken Heart not for any worth in the matter of contrition but because by contrition all conceits of self-worthiness are expelled and the contrite man renounceth his own Works worth and merit and despiseth his own doings as a broken Vessel Such an one is most fit to receive the Grace and free pardon of God as Mr. Dickson well expresseth it on Psal 51.17 A Malefactor though never so Penitent is not thereby qualified to be Justified from that Capital Crime he hath committed but if just compensation be made and full Satisfaction be given to the Law as Christ hath done this may be pleaded to prevent Death Repentance is also promised in the Covenant Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart also will I give to you and a new Spirit will I put within you I will take away the Heart of Stone and give you a Heart of Flesh and therefore cannot be a proper condition of the Covenant of Grace Faith and Repentance in their own Nature do both renounce themselves as Righteousness or qualifications to make us meet to be Justified the Obedience that Christ as a surety hath performed is the proper condition on which the Covenant of Grace is built Hath Christ performed the perfect condition of the new Covenant and yet set up imperfect ones to be performed by us to give us a right to the Covenant and its Blessings 2. Some Brethren do inlarge the object of Justifying Faith and make Christ as King as well as Priest the Object of Justifying Faith or that we must receive Christ as King as well as Priest as a condition of our Justification Answ We own that the Faith that Justifieth doth receive Christ as King but we deny that it closeth with Christ as King as it is Justifying Christ as King subdues us to God
Jehovah our Righteousness OR THE JUSTIFICATION OF Believers BY THE Righteousness of Christ only Asserted and Applyed IN SEVERAL SERMONS By Samuel Comlyns A. M. A Minister of the Gospel in Marleborough LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Sign of the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercer's Chappel To the Most Illustrious WILLIAM Duke of Bedford Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ May it please Your Grace I Cannot forget your Grace's Kindness and Bounty to me in a Troublesome time of Persecution from Man and a Dark-day of Visitation from God when by a Disease I was brought near the brink of the Grave In Gratitude I offer your Grace a Discourse of that Everlasting Righteousness which we have in Christ and of that Eternal Salvation we enjoy by him Some may be wrapt up in the Skirt of Providence as the Hair in the Skirt of Ezekiel's Garment Ezek. 5.3 4. for a few years yet at last be brought forth and be cast into the Eternal Fire of God's Wrath 2 Thes 8 9. It will be sad to have a Reprieve for time and then to feel a dreadful Execution for Eternity but through the Righteousness of Christ God may not only as a Patient Creditor forbear us for years but as a Righteous Judge justify and discharge us for ever Diogenes Laertius in vita Socratis tells us That Apollodorus brought Socrates a Rich Garment to put on and Die in I here Present to your Grace the Glorious Garment of Christ's Righteousness both to Live on and to Die in Our blind Ancestours at a dear rate purchased a Monk's Habit to be Buryed in but I here tender to your Grace the Beautiful Habit of our Great High-Priest to Adorn and Secure your Soul for Time and Eternity The builders of Spiritual Babel are strangely confounded in their Language they deny the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness yet promise their Benefactors that they will Communicate to them the Merits of their Order Sir Edwyn Sands in his Religion of the West Relates That he heard a Capuchin Preach and that in his Sermon as a high act of Charity he said That he would divest himself of all his Merits and put them on the Congregation that heard him but he himself would stand before God as the greatest Sinner of them all But what a high strain of Pride is this to deny the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and yet allow the Imputation of their own Merits to others as if Sackcloth could Adorn but not the Son of Righteousness Tucquet in his Spanish History informs us That Philip the Second King of Spain was when Sick directed to take a Crucifix in one hand and a Candle Consecrated to the Virgin Mary that is worshipped at Monserat in the other hand and in this posture to meet Death the King of Terrors But is it not infinitely better that the Lively Picture of Christ Crucified as drawn in the Gospel should be before the eyes of our Minds and the Son of Righteousness be grasped and held fast in the Hand of Faith that Death may be disarmed of its Sting and divested of its Terror The Doctrine of Justification asserted in this Treatise is opposed by many Socinians deny the Death of Christ to be the Price of our Redemption Others seem to over-look the Active Obedience of Christ as it were not the matter of our Righteousness The Apostle saith That Christ was made under the Law to Redeem us Gal. 4.4 5. This expression made under the Law is not to be Restrained to Christ's being made under the Curse of the Law the Phrase is otherwise taken in the same Chapter Gal. 4.21 You that desire to be under the Law Surely the Jews did not desire to be under the Curse of the Law but under the Commands of the Law as a Covenant We are poor and weak as well as guilty Creatures we need not only that Christ by enduring the Curse on the Cross should reverse the Sentence of Death but also that he should obey the Law and so take it off from us as a Covenant of Life If the Sentence of death should be abrogated for the time past and the Law stand in force as a Covenant of Life for the time to come our State would be hopeless and desperate Some account Faith to be too small and mean a thing for us to be Justified by as Naaman thought Washing in the Waters of Jordan to be too slight a Meanes to cure him of his Leprosy 2 Kings 5.11 12. and therefore by Faith they understand all Obedience to the Gospel that flowes from it as when the Jews lost the Spiritual meaning of the Sacrifices as they did Typifie Christ Isa 53.10 they thought the Offering of a Beast to be a cheap Sacrifice therefore they would arise higher and Offer the First-Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul Micah 6.7 So when some consider not or over-look the Office of Faith as it is an Instrument to receive Christ and his Righteousness for Justification they debase Faith as a mean thing and Introduce all New Obedience as the condition of Justification This is to make a Gospel Justification like a Legal Justification wherein Men's own obedience was the Matter of their Righteousness and the condition of their Justification The Wrath of God is Revealed from Heaven against us for our Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness Rom. 1.18 And how might our hearts sink if the Righteousness of God were not Revealed in the Gospel for our Comfort and Support * Cartwright Some distinguish between the Righteousness of the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.4 Phil. 3.9 The Righteousness of the Law is in some Measure fulfilled in Saints as they have Graces and do Actions in some measure conformable to the Law but yet the Scripture denies and disavows Christians having the Righteousness that is of the Law that is such a perfect and compleat Righteousness as the Law requires for Justification But it is the Righteousness of God that we must fly to and take hold of for Justification It is this Righteousness that gives us ground to conclude that God will turn again and have compassion on us Micah 7.19 and that he will not return to destroy us Hos 11.9 God will not execute the Fierceness of his Anger but express the Heat and Height of his Love in adopting us into his Family setting us at the Table to Feast and placing us in the Throne to Reign with Christ Luke 22.29 30. Rev. 3.21 We cannot break through an Host of sins and get to the Fountain of Life or venture into the Presence of God that is a Consuming Fire if we are not Armed with this Righteousness That your Grace may continually come into this Righteousness as your Fortress and Castle Live on it as your most precious Food and generous Cordial and at last be found in it as your Glorious Garment is the
and be gone out of Sodom but when he lingred they laid hold on the Hand of Lot of his Wife and of his Two Daughters and brought them out of Sodom Gen. 19.15 16. Even so Christ speaks with a strong hand to the Spouse Cant. 5.2.4.5 He not only pleaded and used Arguments why she should rise and open to him but he put in the Hand of his Spirit by the Hole of the Door His Hand was as a Key fitted to the Wards of the Lock he touched her Breasts and moved her Bowels wrought on her Affections and then she rose to open to her Beloved Hath Christ ever apprehended you as he did Paul Phil. 3.12 It is said the Converted Gentiles should follow the Church in Chains Isa 45.14 They shall come after thee in Chains Hath Christ cast sweet Chains of Light and Love about your Souls and thereby Powerfully draw you 3. Did you ever fly for Refuge and come to Christ The Heirs of Promise are said to fly for Refuge to take hold of the hope set before them Heb. 6.17 18. Men will not fly if they do not see a Cause and know a danger that is towards them Hath it been with you as with Noah's Dove it did fly Abroad but found all to be cover'd with Water and that there was no rest for the sole of her Feet and therefore she returned to the Ark and Noah stretched out his Hand and pluck'd her unto him into the Ark Gen. 8.39 So have you seen nothing but a Deluge of sin and wrath out of Christ and therefore have fled to him and he hath stretched out the Hard of his Spirit and plucked you into himself Have you joyned and given your selves to the Lord Zech. 2 11. 2 Cor. 8.5 For in the event Christ will save no more but those that are in him and of his Body Eph. 5.23 He is the head and Saviour of his Body All out of Christ must certainly sink into the mighty Sea of the wrath of God and perish everlastingly O therefore inquire whether you have ground to conclude that you are in him who is the true God and Eternal Life 1 John 5.20 As those Beasts that God would save were by him inclined to come and enter into the Ark so those that God will such are drawn to Christ John 6.44 4. Have you experienced this Salvation in the several parts of it to be executed upon you Hath Christ bound up your broken Hearts healed your wounded Spirits Isaiah 61.1 Hath he refined you from your Dross Mal. 3.23 Hath he circumcised your Hearts Col. 2.11 Have you felt Christ laying hold on your Hearts and cutting off the filthy Fore-skin that was upon them Jer. 4.4 Hath self-love been moderated reduced within its bounds The Waters covered all at first till God said Let the Waters be gathered together into one Place Gen. 1.9 So self-love overspreads the Soul till Christ doth bound and bank it in and raises up the love of God in our Souls What hath the Old Man suffered in you 1 Pet. 4.1 Have your Lusts received a deadly wound Or are you made free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 And doth it not reign in your Mortal Bodies Do you not obey it in the Lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 God justified Christ by raising him up from the Dead So the Gift of the Spirit to quicken us it 's the Execution of our Justification When God passes the Sentence of Life on Men Rom. 5.18 then he breaths and puts the Spirit of Life into them Ezek. 36.27 As the Beasts saved in the Ark were planted in the likeness of Noah's Death and Resurrection they entred into the Ark were buried in it and rose and came out of it with Noah so have we been planted in the likeness of Christ's Death and Resurrection Rom. 6.5 Hath Christ pick'd up and purged out Satan's Leaven out of our Souls and laid his own Leaven in our Hearts 1 Cor. 5.7 8. with Matth. 13.33 5. Have you answered Christ's ends in your Salvation He sayes that we being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives Luke 1.74.75 Of old in War those that the Conquerors did save alive did promise to become Servants Serva serviam Save me and I will serve thee was the words of a foiled Enemy in danger to be destroyed O hath Christ saved us when he might have destroyed us and doth not this Grace influence and oblige our Souls How much did Christ deny himself to save us and shall not we deny our selves to serve him Hath not Christ's self-denial redeemed us from Self-seeking 2 Cor. 5.14 15. He died that those that live might not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them Hath not Christ bought our Souls and hired our service for ever Hath God cloathed us with Garments of Salvation Isa 61.10 these will be also Garments of Praise Isa 61.3 Polybius tells us that if a Soldier was saved from Death in a Battel by his Fellow-Soldiers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tribunes did judge that he that was saved should crown him that saved him and through his whole Life he should honour him as his Father and do all things to him and for him as if he were his natural Parent Surely if Christ hath saved us from the wrath of God the Paw and power of Satan we shall be induced to Honour Obey and Glorify our Saviour and Redeemer Every Day shall he be praised Psal 72.15 Vse 3d. If Sinners are eminently saved in Christ's Days then I would earnestly press and exhort you to seek after Salvation For Men to be saved is the glory of Christ's Days and will you cast a Reproach and Infamy on Christ's Days by neglecting of Salvation and running upon Destruction Will you envy and grudge to Jesus Christ the glory of saving you and will you put this honour on Satan that in a day of Light he is able to blind you and in a day of Salvation to destroy you and when so much is revealed to disparage his Baits and to spoil his Market that yet you see Reason to persist in your foolish and pernicious Choice and to adhere to your bitter and mortal Enemy Shall Death and Hell have a Harvest shall Satan captivate and inslave in a Day of Salvation Two things I shall insist on to prosecute this Exhortation 1. I shall lay before you some Motives to enforce this use of Exhortation 2. I shall lay down some Directions as to what you are to do in order to the obtaining and assuring this Salvation to you 1. I shall propound and press some Motives to stir you up to seek after Salvation Motive 1. This Salvation is a very great Salvation if we consider first the way of purchasing and procuring of it The Son of God assumed the nature of a Creature emptied himself and cast a thick Vail over
of Christ 1. It is a new Name that Jehovah the Son assumes if Adam had not fallen broken the Command defaced the Image extinguished the Life of God in his Soul there had been no need that the Son of God should have assumed this Name It doth not suit the state of Man standing but the condition of Man fallen and that in order to recover and raise him up If the Law of God had remained written Holiness and Righteousness had countinued flourishing in our Souls we should have been stiled the Friends of God and have needed no attoning Sacrifice to reconcile us to God But now we are destitute and void of Righteousness and so do need that Jehovah should take this Name and become our Righteousness It may be enquired whether Christ doth not point at this Scripture when he promises to write his new Name on victorious Believers Rev. 3.12 That this Name shall be openly legible and visible on them and that they shall have the honour and benefit of it to Eternity 2. This is a Name proper and peculiar to Jehovah the Son and cannot be extended or communicated to the Father or Spirit The Father is said to beget us again 1 Pet. 1.3 And to create us after his own Image Ephes 2.10 Ephes 4.24 And we are said to be born of and sanctified by the Spirit John 3.6 1 Cor. 6.11 But yet neither the Father nor the Spirit are said to be our Righteousness Our Saviour Christ is both the sole Worker and Subject of that Righteousness whereby we are Justified 3. This is a Mysterious Name it is asked by Agur who knows the Name of God's Son Prov. 30.4 Indeed we should never have been acquainted with this secret Name of the Son mentioned in the Text if the Scripture had not revealed it to us The Righteousness of God for our Justification is a great and deep Mystery most Remote from the Sentiments of the Natural Man and if Christ had hid it in his heart we should for ever have been ignorant of it Psal 40.9 10. The Son that wrought it doth also declare and Preach it to the World Would it not have looked like an unreasonable Presumption and have been reputed intollerable Pride for us to call Jehovah our Righteousness Could we ever have aspired to or hoped for such a thing had not the Scripture given Christ this Name and taught us this Doctrine What an amazing Mystery is this that when the Law of God requires us to work out a perfect Righteousness and perform a compleat Obedience for our own Justification that now the Son of God himself hath wrought and brought this Righteousness that he that might have exacted Righteousness of us should give Righteousness to us that he who as a Law-giver obliges us to a full Conformity to his own Law should become a Subject to his Father and a Servant to his own Law O! how surprizing is this that he who Teaches us Duty should himself learn Obedience Heb. 5.8 and become obedient to Death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.7.8 If Christ had not been made under the Law Gal. 4.4 he could not have been made Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 4. This is a most Honourable Name to Christ this is promised both as an Honour and as a Reward to Jesus Christ that he should justifie many Isai 53.11 How glorious is this to Christ that he is the Righteousness of the whole Church that he provides a Garment wide large and long enough to cloath his whole Body He appears in a Garment down to the Foot Revel 1.13 that can cover and adorn all his Members Though he be but one Man yet many may be justified by his Obedience Rom. 5.19 Though he be but one Sacrifice yet his Blood is shed for many for the Remission of sins Matth. 26.28 As the first Adam could defile thousands more if the World should so long continue so the second Adam could justifie thousands more if they did fly to him and trust on him God is as well satisfied as if the Curse had been executed on them that believe and they are as safe as if the Law of God had been Abrogated for them Believers are clothed with change of Rayment Zech. 3.4 This one Garment is styled change of Rayment it is as effectual to Clothe and adorn us as if every time we contracted New Guilt or Spotted our selves we were furnished with a new Garment this Righteousness of Christ is the only Righteousness of Men for Justification since their Fall It is an everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 The Glory of it never fades the Virtue of it is never Exhausted it is a Righteousness that hath lasted through all Ages and will be effectual to the end of the World It is so large a Patrimony so rich an Inheritance that as Noah was so all Believers may be Heirs of the Righteousness that is by Faith Heb. 11.7 and this is glorious to Christ that he hath so filled up the Breach by his own dead Body and made it stronger than if the Wall of our Innoceny had never been broken 5. This Name of the Son of God is most comfortable to us How woful is our Natural State there is none in it Righteous no not one none that doth good no not one Rom. 3.10 11. All are under fin Rom. 3.9 all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Rom. 3.23 They have failed in the Race of Obedience and are fallen short of the Prize of Glory And O how Refreshing and Reviving is this to hear that the Son of God brings near his Righteousness Isai 46.12 The World is a Sea of Wickedness an Ocean of Impiety Where could Righteousness be found or how could it be attained But this is a most surprizing and refreshing Truth that the Son of God Incarnate should be an Isle of Innocency and Righteousness standing up in the midst of a Sea of Corruption Theodoret in one of his Orations concerning Providence observes this as a wonderful Work of God to Create Isles as so many Inns in the Sea for Ships to apply themselves to rest in and receive necessary supplies from But this is more Grace and Mercy that we that are void of Righteousness laden with Iniquity and ready to sink into the Deep and Bottomless Sea of the Wrath of God may by Faith saile and swim to this blessed Isle of Righteousness the Lord Jesus Christ and there find rest and safety from the Tossing and Threatning Waves of Divine Displeasure It is dreadful for sin to be always and ever before the Lord Psal 109.14 15. but it is most sweet and comfortable for Christ's Blood to be sprinkled on the Thrones and to be always before the eye of God We were in darkness and horrour and ready to sink under desperation and then doth this Sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings Mal. 4.2 his glorious beams do scatter the thick and black clouds of our Iniquities Isai
out of Prison Isa 49.9 that he should be wounded to heal us and be bruised to bind us up Isa 53.9 10. Isa 61.1 that a Vail should be cast over Christ's Innocency by our Iniquity taken on him that a Vail might be cast over our sins by his Righteousness imputed to us There was an Offence committed that might have remained on us and have destroyed us But O what kindness is this that there should be a Free Gift of Righteousness to relieve and justifie us Rom. 5.15 Christ Redeemed us from Destruction by devoting himself to Death for us in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to Redeem in the Arabick Fada fignifies to Devote ones self to Death This Fada is the same word with the Hebrew Phada and by comparing the two significations of the word in the two Languages we learn this excellent Truth †Vid. Oriental Lexicon That we are Redeemed by Christ's devoting himself to Death for us What we our selves should have fully wrought out that Christ hath bought and freely gives us Dan. 9.24 Rom. 5.19 O how should we admire God Who is a God like to him glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 Yet who is a God like to him pardoning iniquity and passing by Transgression and Sin Mic. 7.18 19. As he is Holy he hates sin yet as he is Gracious he pities Sinners His Holiness doth not hinder or obstruct his Mercy 3d. Vse Examine your selves whether you can truly call Jehovah by this sweet and comfortable Name Is he your Righteousness Are you invested with this Righteousness and discharged from your Sins Put these following Questions to your selves for Trial. 1. Did you ever come to your selves Luke 15.17 Did you ever feel your selves to be bound with Cords of Guilt laden with Iniquity ready to sink into the Bottomless Pit Men must be Condemned before they are Justified be cast down before they are lifted up apply the Curse to themselves before they apply the Blessing hear the Sentence of Death denounced against them by the Law before they partake of Justification of Life by the Gospel as the World was first without the Law and then the Israelites were under the Law and then Christ came with Righteousness and Peace So every Justified Sinner is first without the Law he is alive and full of hopes because he is without the Law Rom. 7.9 he knows not the Spirituality of the Commands of the Law nor the Severity of its Threatnings he hath a Calm and Peace because he never imputed his Numerous sins to himself or bound his Heinous Iniquities on himself The Soul is a dead Sea without motion towards God and yet is a calm and quiet Sea without dread and fear of God But when God intends good to the Soul first the Commandment comes Rom. 7.9 and then Sin Revives and a Storm is raised in the Soul but in due time Faith comes Gal. 3.25 and then the Soul is calmed and quieted being Justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 If you were nevere burdened you cannot be eased if you were never broken you cannot be bound up if you were never mourners you cannot be Comforted if you never tasted the bitterness of Sin you cannot tast the sweetness of the Grace of Christ and experience his purifying Blood and his reviving Righteousness If you are Justified How did you come by Pardon and Peace Can you call them Naphtali that you got them by wrestling It is said Israel shall be Justified and saved Isa 45.17 last Jacob wrestled with the Angel for a Blessing his Conscience might accuse him for Fraud and Lying in procuring the Blessing from blind Isaac yet he held the Angel fast said he and would not let him go except he did Bless him Gen. 32.26 And for this his Name was changed and he was called Israel Gen. 32.28 When we find Sin stirring in us when Conscience accuses the Law curses God according to the first Covenant condemns To Believe on Christ for Righteousness is as Peter's walking on the Sea in a storm If we have ever felt the smart of our wounds the Schorching heat of God's Wrath the Burning Poyson of the old Serpent in our Consciences If 〈◊〉 were ever arrested arraigned condemned shut up surely in the anguish of your Souls you have cryed out We are destitute of Righteousness and where shall we find it we have contracted guilt and provoked Wrath And where shall we be Found 2. Were you ever divorced from and dead to the Law and Covenant of Works as your First Husband and then Married to Christ we are first joined to the Law and the Covenant of Works as our First Husband and it makes us a jointure of Life upon condition of perfect Obedience The Apostle compares the Law to a Husband but the froward Heart of Man is not subject to this Husband The more the Commands of the Law are urged on it the more it contradicts and Rebels The motions of Sin are said to be by the Law Rom. 7.5 but the Fruits of Righteousness are by Jesus Christ Phil. 1.11 The Law cannot Sanctifie or Justifie us this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.3 the thing that is impossible to the Law Have you therefore been divorced from and become dead to the Law Rom. 7.4 as it is a Covenant of Works Have you despaired of finding righteousness in your selves and of obtaining a Blessing from the Law and so have looked and fled to Jesus Christ †Heb. 12.24 as those that have been pursued by sin and the wrath of Ged Paul saith Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a Man is not Justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Christ Even we have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law For by the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be Justified 3. Are you Sanctified Justification and Sanctification always go together as in the Natural Body the Blood and Spirits do flow out together so the Blood and Spirit of Christ are always joined John 19.34 Blood and Water Signifiing the Spirit came together out of Christ's Side He comes by Water and Blood 1 John 5.6 else he would be but half and imperfect Saviour As the same day that the Waters went off form the Earth and were gathered into the Sea the Earth was adorned with Grass Herbs Flowers Trees Gen. 9.11 So when a deluge of Wrath goeth off from the Soul it is presented adorned with the grace of the Spirit and called a Tree of Righteousness Isa 61.2 Those that are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus are also Justified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 If God Loves the Soul he makes it Lovely If Christ washes you he also makes you Kings and Priests Revel 1.5 6. You are no longer Vassals to your Lusts but as Kings rule in your own Hearts You check vain thoughts
found Heb. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ hath found that and brought that which is the great Foundation of our Faith and Hope 1. Jesus Christ hath brought this Righteousness near to us Isa 46.13 I bring near my Righteousness it shall not be far off The Saints of the Old Testament saw the Promises a-far off Heb. 11.13 But we see Eye to Eye Isa 52.8 The Manna came down from Heaven and lay about the Camp of Israel Ezod 16.14 It was near to them and prepared Food for them and easy to be gathered by them So Christ Typified by it saith I am the Bread that came down from Heaven that a Man may eat and not dye As this Bread was in Heaven it was high above-us and far off from us but now it is come down from Heaven it is near to us it is easie to come at So the Rock is smitten and the Spiritual Water flows out follows us is near to us 1 Cor. 10.3 4. As God clave the Rocks and gave Israel drink as out of the Great Depths Psal 78.15 The Water was deep in the Earth but it bubbl'd up and gushed out of the Rock plentifully as if a great deep Sea or the deep Waters that did lye low in the Earth did now rise and spring up and break out at the clefts of this Rock The Israelites could not come at those deep Waters that lay in the Bowels of the Earth till God did cause them to ascend and made a vent for them So the saving Mercies of God were a great Deep we had neither Bucket nor Rope to reach them or to come at them they were far off from us But Christ now being smitten this Rock now being cleft deep Mercies ascend flow forth follow us come near to us Christ's Righteousness is brought so near to us that we may easily come at it and enjoy it as the Manna was prepared Bread some derive the Word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manah he hath prepared this was Bread that God provided without their labour they did not Plow or Sow for it So Christ is God's Salvation that he hath prepared Luk. 2.29 30 31. As the Manna was Rained down near to the Israelites Camp so Christ's Righteousness is brought near to us we may gather receive it take it to our selves by Faith It is not difficult to obtain Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 Is not that easie to be had that may be obtained by a look the word of Faith is nigh to us Rom. 10.8 Christ's Righteousness is not remote or a-far off but brought very near to us and easie to come at And is not our Spiritual Drink near and easie to be had The Rock in Exod. 17.6 was to be smitten but the Rock mentioned Numb 20.8 was only to be spoken to and it should give out Water Jesus Christ Typified by these Rocks was to be Smitten but once to Die but once That which now remains to be done is not to Smite but to speak to the Rock by the Prayer of Faith and it will give forth Spiritual Drink to us Rom. 10.12 The Lord is rich to all that call upon him that is he is not only rich in the Possession but also rich in the Distribution and Communication of Grace he is not only Rich for himself but for us and those that call on him that speak to this Rock do receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 They that call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Joel 2. last 2. This Righteousness is brought near to God The Blood of the Typical Sacrifices was not carried into Heaven it was too mean and vile to be brought thither But the Blood of Jesus Christ is carried into Heaven it self Heb. 9.23 24. Our High-Priest is entred thither and hath carried his Blood into Heaven to present it to and plead it before God The very Throne of God as the Mercy-seat of old the Type of it was sprinkled with the Blood of the Typical Sacrifice Levit. 16.14 is sprinkled with the Blood of Christ As Christ brought his Righteousness into the Church as a Cordial to Revive us so he brought it into Heaven as a Plea before God As it is said The Burnt-offerings should be continually before God Psal 50.8 and did burn day and night on the Altar it was never without a Fire and a Sacrifice burning on it So Christ's Sacrifice is now always before the Lord Jesus Christ still represents it to and pleads it before God It is dreadful for our Sins to be continually before the Lord Psal 109.14 15. but it is sweet for Christ's Sacrifice to be always before the Lord by virtue of this our Prayers may be nigh to God day and night 1 Kings 8.59 till he Answer and Fulfil them 3. This Righteousness of Christ is established to continue for ever Heb. 10.9 God takes away the first even the Sacrifices of the Law to establish the second even the Sacrifice of Christ This Sacrifice is fixed as the one and only atoning Sacrifice it is never to be removed or to give place to any other God hath Sworn Christ to be a Priest Psal 110.4 God will never repent or change He will never put Christ out of Office or substitute any other in his place It is the higest pride to clash with God and for any to go about to establish their own Righteousness as the Jews did Rom. 10.3 and so to oppose God's Establishment And as this is Pride so it is pernicious Folly because nothing can establish the Heart or Conscience but the Grace of God through the Atoneing Sacrifice of Jesus Christ Heb. 13.9 It is good for the heart to be established by Grace 4. This Righteousness is now openly revealed to us Jesus Christ is evidently set forth as Crucified before our eyes Gal. 3.1 God's Salvation is prepared before the Face of all People Luke 2.31 This is the Glory of the Gospel that the Righteousness of God is revealed in it Rom. 1.17 And the Righteousness of God is now manifested without the Law Rom. 3.21 We have now received the Atonement Rom. 5.11 God hath now reconciled us Col. 3.2 there is a great Emphasis in the word now The Righteousness of God is now manifested we have now received the Atonement God hath now reconciled us It intimates that this Righteousness is now wrought out manifested and exhibited that God should be Righteous in Justifying us without the Works of the Law performed by us and without the Curse of the Law executed on us is a deep Mystery and a great Secret But Christ hath not hid this Righteousness of God in his heart but he hath declared and preached it Psal 40.9 10. This is such a Mystery that we should never have known if Christ had not declared it Surely it is most wonderful that God in the nature of a creature should be subject and obey that
God's Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire God's Throne hath wheels to pursue Guilty Creatures a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him This is a dreadful description of God's Throne as a Tribunal of Justice But now as it is sprinkled with the Blood of Christ we have a most sweet discovery of it Revel 22.1 There is a pure River of Water of Life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lamb and there is a Rain-bow round about the Throne Revel 4.3 signifying the flood of God's Wrath is abated and that Christ is near the Throne to prevent a condemning Sentence issuing out of it and a storm of Vengance falling from it 5. Jesus Christ's Blood is still speaking in Heaven and never silent Heb. 12.24 And this speaking Blood drowns the voice of the accuser and the cry of our Iniquities Christ's representing and pleading his Sacrifice in Heaven is his burning Incense before the throne Revel 8.3 to take away the stink of our Sins from the Nostrils of God 6. Christ by his death hath dedicated consecrated and confirmed a new Testament Heb. 9.15 16. The threatnings were in force before for our destruction but the promises could not be in force for our Salvation but by the death of Christ God might have confirmed his threatnings by our death but he hath confirmed his promises by the death of Christ How different is the Language of the Law and of the Gospel The Law saith where there is an Offence there must be of Necessity the death of the Offender But the Gospel speakes thus where there is a Testament there must of Necessity be the death of the Testator Though Christ seemed to die as a Malefactor in the eye of the World yet he died as a Testator in the eye of God and Believers Though he was emptied and impoverished stript of all of his Liberty Garments good Name and Life by his Enemies yet even then he did Bequeath all good things and died as a Testator to enrich others O! that Jesus Christ should as it were put himself out of Possession of all to put us into Possession of all good things Heb. 9.11 A Covenant could not be made between God and Sinners but by Blood Heb. 13.20 Those words may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shepherd of the Sheep great through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant That Shepherd was indeed great that by his blood could Establish an Everlasting Covenant Covenants used to be made by killing Sacrifices and cutting them in twain and the Covenanting persons passed between the pieces of the Sacrifices Gen. 15.9 10.17 18. Jer. 34.14 Now Christ the great Sacrifice was cut in twain his Soul and Body were Separated from each other and by our passing through the parts of his Sacrifice by Faith we pass as the Hebrew phrase is into Covenant with God Deut. 29.12 God might have torn us in pieces for our Covenant breaking Psal 50.22 But O! what Grace is this that Jesus Christ should be cut in twain for the Renewing of the Covenant between God and us Christ's Blood is of such efficacy that it makes the Covenant Everlasting always new It is styled a New Covenant Heb. 8.8 that which will never be Antiquated or Abrogated God hath now put his Covenant into the best and most Excellent form It was first a promise then a Covenant but now it is stiled a Testament God hath finished his Covenant-Dispensations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will finish or perfect a New Covenant It is so finished that there is never to be any other Edition of the Covenant Heb. 8.8 it hath its last and final Sanction it hath the strongest Confirmation by the Blood and Death of Jesus Christ God hath spoken in these last days by his Son Heb. 1.12 and there is nothing beyond this but seeing Face to Face Jesus Christ by his Righteousness hath Merited the application of his Blood and the bestowing of all good things on us this seems the fairest sence of those words in 2 Pet. 17. as they ly in our Translation Simon Peter to those that have obtained like precious Faith with us through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ that is through the Mighty Merit of Christ's Righteousness the Elect obtain Faith it self the Spirit or Sanctification the New Heart these are the good things that our High-Priest brings Heb. 9.11 Christ having fulfilled to the Father his Promise in the Covenant of Suretyship and Redemption he gives to the Elect a right to all the Promises of the Covenant of Grace 8. This Righteousness of Christ gives us a Title and Right to the Heavenly Inheritance it is called Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 The Righteousness of God and his Kingdom are joyned together Matth. 6.33 God's Righteousness gives us a title to and a fitness for God's Kingdom Glory it self seems to be styled The Hope of Righteousness Galat. 5.5 This Righteousness of God gives us ground to hope for Heaven and the possession of it is Executive Justification in the fullness of it Ainsworth understands those words of the Psalmist as meant of imputed Righteousness Psal 17. last In Righteousness I will behold thy face This Righteousness of Christ assures us we shall see God's Face we must first come to the Fountain set open for sin and uncleaness that we may arrive at the Fountain of Life We must touch at the Purifying Fountain that we may have access to the quickening Fountain Psal 36.9 We must first draw Waters at the Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 and then the Lamb will lead us to Living Fountains of Water and God will wipe all Tears from our eyes Rev. 7. last 4. Consider the great benefits that they obtain who have the Lord to be their Righteousness 1. They are not only Pardoned but Justified Pardon may be given by a Prince's Prerogative where there is no Compensation made for a wrong but Justification is properly by an Obedience given and satisfaction made to the Law Our Pardon is not only a Fruit of Mercy but an Act of Justice God is Just in Justifying Rom. 3.25 26. Blood is sprinkled on the Mercy-Seat Levit. 16.14 to intimate that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 God did not in a way of Sovereign Prerogative reconcile the World to himself He did it not alone by himself or by a meer act of his own Will but he was in Christ reconciling the World to himself Grace reigns but it is through Righteousness Rom. 5. last God is highly pleased by Christ he honoured God's Holiness by Obedience to the Commands of the Law and Glorified God's Justice by his enduring the Curse Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to them that believe Rom. 10.4 All that the Law could aim at or require is fulfilled in Christ he obeyed the Precept and felt the edge of the Threatning because Believers are
by the Law By the Law is the Knowledge of our Sin not of our Righteousness Rom. 3.20 It discovers nothing but Sin in us shuts up all of ours under Sin Gal. 3.22 all the inward Operations of our Souls and all the Outward Acts of our Bodies it Condemns we are as it were put in Prison and shut up under Condemnation by the Law and all this is to cause us to find our need of and to make us Sigh and seek for a Redeemer to open our Prison-door and give Liberty to our Souls Isa 42.7 Isa 49.9 Isa 61.1 The Law if rightly understood drives us from it self I through the Law saith Paul am dead to the Law Gal. 2.19 As the Glorious Light that did shine in Moses his Face did Terrisie the Israelites and drive them from him discourage or deter them from coming near to him Exod. 34.30 32 33. So that Glorious Purity and Holiness that Impartial and Severe Justice that shines in the Face of the Law should drive us from Resting in or trusting on the Law for Righteousness and despair of ever being pronounced Righteous by it Shall the Law that was intended but for a School-Master to direct us unto Christ Gal. 3.24 be made a Father to give us an Inheritance of Righteousness But how many have grosly erred and grievously mistaken about this they have Enervated and Dispirited the Law of God they have pared off a great deal of its Purity cut off much of its Spirituality and made it to look like the Civil Law of Man as if it were given to check words and restrain outward acts but was not prescribed to the heart but the Law is like the Law-giver as he seeth the Motions of the Mind and Will so his Law forbids all evil Thoughts and Vile Affections and on this account it is called Spiritual Rom. 7.14 But the Jews especially the Pharisees did think the Law of God did not reach to Regulate or Condemn those Evils that were the meer Creatures of the Heart How else could the Elder Brother signifying the Pharisee say to God his Father Lo these many years have I served thee neither at any time have I transgressed thy word Luke 15.28 Paul when a Pharisee thought himself as touching the Righteousness of the Law to be blameless Phil. 3.6 These accounted themselves to be such Just Men that they needed no Repentance Luke 15.7 To these the Gospel is Foolishness 1 Cor. 2.14 Is it not folly to speak of Reconciliation Healing Liberty to those that never thought themselves to be Enemies to God to be Sick Prisoners or Captives How doth the Papists at this day pervert and corrupt the Law of God they call the most Spiritual part of it not a Command but a Counsel to Love God sincerely some of them will allow to be a Command but to Love him with all the Mind Soul Heart and Strength this they assert to be but a Counsel and not a Command And without this Wicked Opinion they cannot Maintain their other Errors that Men may be perfect in this Life and truly fulfil the whole Law of God Thus Men do at this day by their Corrupt Glosses False Distinctions Perverse Interpretations of the Law of God Undermine its Purity Spirituality and Perfection and so clap a Vail on Moses his Face that the Law may not be Terrible to them but that they may draw near to it and trust on it for their Justification Thus Men go about to establish their own Righteousness by derogating and detracting from the Extent and Obligation of the Law they Lower the Law that they may Heighten and Exalt their own Righteousness 3. Come to and descend into your selves that you may find out that evil Treasure that Root of Bitterness that Fountain of Iniquity that is in your selves Abraham as touching the Flesh did not find a Righteousness in himself to boast of and Glory in And can we find that in our selves that Abraham could not find in himself Rom. 4.1 2. If we cannot find Righteousness in our selves do we not need to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 To stay and trust on that Righteousness which is of God by the Faith of Christ we must desire God as Luther saith not only to turn away his Eyes from our Sins but also from our Services not only to forgive our wrong steps out of the way but also our slow steps in it when we are bought with so great a price and encouraged to run with so Glorious a Prize set before us We may see enough in our selves to Condemn us We are Children of Wrath by nature and Children of Disobedience by practice Every faculty is diseased and perverted every Work of ours is corrupted and defiled God threatens the Jews to spread the dung of their Solemn Feasts on their faces Mal. 2.3 The Beasts that were brought into the Courts of the Temple on the Feast-days did dung in them God seems to compare the faults and failings in the Jews Spiritual Sacrifices to the dung of those Beasts that were Offered up in Sacrifice Perhaps Paul may allude to this expression when he accounts his own Righteousness and priviledges to be but Dung there is some of the Dung of the Old Man that is vented in and mixed with our best performances that doth stain defile and in part at least render them unsavoury before God Sin dwells in us is present with us We can never shake it off shut it out or totally leave it behind us when we draw near to God We cannot put God in mind of one perfect duty but he can put us in mind of Thousands of defective Services performed by us If we dwell at home and trust in our selves Revenging Justice will break in upon us and destroy us If we stay abroad do not fly to and House our selves in Christ a storm of Fire and Brimstone will be Rained on us Psal 11.6 We needed Christ's Death on Earth and we want his Intercession in Heaven that the Iniquity of our Holy things may not be charged on us for our Condemnation and destruction 4. We must beware of unbelief as to God's threat'nings and take heed of Carnal security Sinners are too apt to take the shield of unbelief and to quench all the Fiery Darts of God's threat'nings which he casts at them How prone are presumptuous Sinners to give God the lie He saith There is no peace to the Wicked Isa 48. last yet Sinners do promise themselves peace though they walk in the Imaginations of their own evil Hearts Deut. 29.19 God saith of an ungodly Man That his eyes shall see his Destruction and he shall drink of the Wrath of the Almighty Job 21.20 yet he flattereth himself with vain hopes as those Jer. 5.12 Evil shall not come on us neither shall we see Sword or Famin. How dreadful is it when a Spiritual Lethargy is added to other diseases and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of slumber falls on Men Rom. 11.8
Some conceive that the Apostle alludes to those that are bit wit an Asp if that Serpent doth prick them they doze slumber and die away The Old Serpent did not only Poyson us by his bite but also stupifie us that we might not be sensible of our danger Some are so deep asleep that though they are pricked yet it will not rouse them up even so many are in such a profound sleep that though God pricks them daily with his Threat'nings yet they are not awakened to a serrious Consideration and dread of approaching destruction God threatens it as a sore Judgement to the Jews that the Prophet Ezekiel should be dumb and that he should not be a Reprover to them Ezek. 3.26 And how long was he dumb it was till Jerusalem was taken and smitten Ezek. 33.21 22. It was but the Evening before a Messenger came with these bad tidings that Ezekiel's mouth was opened and he was no more dumb Ezekiel was dumb till the Judgement denounced was executed on the Jews and then it was too late to warn and Reprove them And wilt thou provoke God to lay thee under such a Spiritual Judgment Shall Conscience be dumb and not Reprove thee til Divine Vengeance fall on thee for thy destruction Take heed that thou dost not fortify and intrench thy self in Natural Religion Morality and Formal Duties and so bear the Siege and storm of powerful Preaching God complains of the Jews by Zechary that they made their Hearts as an Adamant Stone least they should hear the Law The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies a Stone that keeps it self from being broken though it have knocks yet it preserves it self Even so the Heart of Sinners keeps it self from being broken under the many Admonitions and Reproofs of the Word Beware that such a Heart be not found in thee Do not make light of or a mock at Sin Do not put the thoughts of thy Iniquity and of God's Wrath far from thee Sin lies at the door if not sooner it will arrest thy Soul when it goes out of the Body Gen. 4.7 Solomon saith That he that rolleth a Stone it shall return upon him Prov. 26.27 So if you Presumptuously roll away your Sins from you God will Righteously return them upon you God's Threat'nings are not an empty sound Sinners shall know to their cost that God hath not said in vain That he would poure out his Fury on them Ezek. 6.10 The day of Vengeance is in God's Heart Isa 63.4 The Cup of Fury is in his Hand Psal 75.8 Though there be a mixture of all fatal and deadly ingredients yet it is without any mixture of Mercy Rev. 14.10 The storm of Vengeance hangs over the Heads of Sinners Though it is said that now God's Judgments are far above out of the sight of Sinners Psal 10.5 yet they shall be so visible that their eyes shall see their Destruction Job 21 20. thy breath is in thy Nostrils Isa 2. last and may soon go forth the Judge stands at the door and may quickly enter in James 5.9 Wilt thou run on the point of God's Sword Wilt thou venture into Eternal Burnings 5. Beware and take heed of Carnal Reason that is enmity to God and to the Righteousness of God As the Israelites slighted the Bread that God gave them from Heaven did account it as no Bread Numb 21.5 There is no Bread and then they call it light Bread as if there were nothing solid in it or as if it did afford no substantial nourishment yea Numb 11.6 they complain that their Souls was dried away as if they did grow lean weak and feeble by reason of this poor and low sort of Food So Carnal Reason misrepresents the Righteousness of Christ as if it were nothing solid or substantial The Blasphemous Papists call Imputed Righteousness Putative Righteousness as if it did only spring up in and were born from the Fantasies of Protestants Proud Nature thinks the Righteousness that is wrought and brought forth by our selves to be the only substantial and valuable Righteousness but the Spiritual-minded as Paul do account the Righteousness of God the Righteousness that is by the Faith of Christ to be the most Rich Possession and valuable Food of the Soul Phil. 3.8 9. My flesh saith Christ is Meat indeed and my Blood is drink indeed John 6.55 This is the true Bread John 6.32 6. Beg the Spirit to convince thee of sin John 16.8 9. to cut thy stock that the Graft of the Free Promise of Righteousness may be let into thy heart to raise a Storm in thy Soul that all thy Carnal Confidence and Fleshly Righteousness may be Ship-wrackt In a great and dangerous Storm Mariners will throw Silks and Satins over-board rather than perish themselves Confidence in thy best Works must be cast out that thy Soul may be preserved and brought to the desirable Haven of Christ's Righteousness As the Angel that was the Son of God Wrestled with Jacob and put his Thigh out of Joynt Gen. 32.25 even so Christ by his Spirit must powerfully Wrestle with us to Mortisie our Carnal Confidence and put our Thigh out of Joynt We are apt to trust in our selves that we are Righteous as those Luke 18.9 While we thus trust in our selves our Bone is in Joynt we are at ease and have a Carnal Feace but our Bones must be put out of Joynt that we may have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 Our Heaven of Religion and our Earth of Morality must be shaken to pieces before we will come to Christ Hag. 2.6 7. we must see our selves cast away or else we will not enter into Christ as an Ark of Salvation 7. We must fly to and trust on Christ for Justification Gal. 2.16 17. as God is said to pardon Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34.67 so it is said of Christ That he came to finish the Transgression to make an end of Sins and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity God Pardons but it is through Christ He remembers Iniquity no more Jer. 31.34 but it is because the clean Water of Christ's Blood is sprinkled upon us Ezek. 36.25 We must look off from our selves and look only to Christ there is not any thing Inherent in us or performed by us that is our Righteousness we are not Justified by what we find in our selves but by what we know in Christ Is 53.11 not by what we have done but by what the Lord Jesus Christ hath suffered Christ's Obedience and Righteousness is contradistinguished from and opposed to our Inherent Righteousness Phil. 3.8 9. we are not to stay in our selves but to be found in him We are to be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Christ did not Merit or procure that we should have a Righteousness of our own and in our selves to be Justified by We are to renounce our own Righteousness as filthy rags and to trust only on Christ's Righteousness as our next
immediate and only Righteousness for Justification Christ is not only the Meritorious cause of our Justification but the very matter of our Righteousness The Israelites did not look to the Brazen Serpent in part and partly to a Plaister of their own providing for help against the Bite of the Fiery Serpents but wholly took off their eye from themselves and Fixed it only on God's Remedy The Man that brought a Sacrifice was to lay his hand on the head of it Levit. 1.4 The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred Fulciet he shall prop up his hand by leaning strongly on the Head of the Sacrifice the same word is used of Aaron laying or leaning his hand strongly on the Head of the Scape-Goat Levit. 16.21 So we must trust stedfastly on Christ our Sacrifice we must stay our selves from sinking and falling by leaning on the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ this must be our only support The Names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were put and carried on the two shoulders of the High-Priest Exod. 28.12 to point at these sweet Truths that we must be born on the Shoulders of Christ our Great High-Priest that we may not fink down to Hell but be carried up to Heaven by him We must therefore greedily catch at and strongly take hold of the Righteousness of Christ It is said of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Took hold of the Righteousness that is by Faith as a Racer that grasps and holds fast the Prize We must strike the Root of Faith deep into the Righteousness of Christ An Anchor will not hold a Ship fast if it only ly on the ground and do not pierce deep into it So Faith will not establish our hearts if it doth not penetrate and pierce deep into Christ We must Marry Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 that he may spread his Skirt over us Ezek. 16.8 and cover our Nakedness that he may secure us from our Debts and protect us from God's Arrest By Faith we must Feed on and eat Christ and be Incorporated into him John 6.53 54 57. Surely then Christ's Righteousness will Cloth and Cover his own Body We must be engrafted into Christ as our Stock and then we shall partake of Christ's Righteousness as the Fruit that this Noble Vine doth bear as we partake of the Vital Sap of Christ for our Sanctification so we feed on the Food of Christ his Active and Passive Obedience for our Justification If the Guilt of Sin doth not set close to and press hard on our Consciences the Hand of Faith will not press and lean hard on the Head of Jesus Christ our Atoning Sacrifice 8. We must be Humble and Repent 1. We must be Humbled We think our selves to be Rich and to want nothing Rev. 3.17 till the Spirit doth as it were sue out the Statute of Bankrupt against us and shew us our Poverty that we are nothing have nothing can do nothing that is Spiritually Good till Christ doth quicken us and live in us We have a Mountain of Pride and Carnal Confidence that must be levelled Isa 40.4 Men are naturally so high and stout that they are not willing to stoop submit and be beholding wholly to the Righteousness of Christ Rom. 10. v. 3. The Israelites in the Wilderness did Murmur and Complain because it was no place of Seed Numb 20.5 But did they not receive Bread in a more easie way Was it not Rained down from Heaven on them yet they speak as if they had rather to go to Plow Sow earn and get their Bread by their own Labour than to receive it of God's free gift God is said to humble them and feed them with Manna Deut. 8.3 they did not get their Bread by the Sweat of their Face but received it as a daily Almes from God and in this sense God humbled them when he fed them with Manna Proud Sinners like the Israelites had rather Plow Sow raise Bread and Righteousness out of themselves than to receive it as a Gift from Heaven But this Tympany of Pride must be prickt our Rags our Fig-leaves our Plaisters must be pluckt away that our Shame Nakedness and Sores may appear We must come to God in the most submissive manner A Begger must not Cloath himself with Satins or Silks or put on Rings or Chains of Gold this is a Garb that contradicts his Requests as a Begger and will frustrate his design We must come to God in the most humble way to beg an Alms and sue for the gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 we must not boast of any Righteousness or plead any Works of ours but acknowledge our Sores Nakedness and Poverty 2. We must Repent and turn from Sin If thou wilt not renounce the filth and dominion of sin God may justly retain the Guilt of it and bind it on thee We must not love what we should loath retain that which we should cast away continue in that which we should break off from We must feel the weight and tast the bitterness of sin Christ only did bear our sins for Expiation but we must bear them by Remorse and Godly sorrow Ephraim said When he Repented he bear on him the Reproach of his Youth Jer. 31.19 We must take our fins to us charge and bind them on us before Jesus Christ will put them away if we see but little evil that we have committed we shall account that God had but few Faults of ours to lay on Jesus Christ and so we shall make light of Christ's Sorrows and Sufferings How can we desire God to put away our sins 2 Sam. 12 13. if we will keep sin and not put it away Job 20.12 13. Isa 1.16 17. Jer. 44.15 16 17. Was Christ's Body broken for sin 1 Cor. 11.24 And shall not our hearts be broken for it and from it Psal 51.17 A broken heart will set a price on and be a meet Patient for a bleeding and broken Christ Christ hath little Practice and few Patients in the World because Men are so hard-hearted and so few are broken in heart We must cast out our Lusts as Jonah that we may not be drowned in Perdition we must suffer in our flesh that is in our corrupt Nature 1 Pet. 4.1 that we may not suffer in our Souls and Bodies to Eternity Tho' God will be Reconciled to Sinners yet not to Sin though Christ came to shew Mercy to Offenders yet his design is to exercise Severity on the Devil's Work in us and to destroy Iniquity 1 John 38. yet it is not Repentance but Faith that receives God's Gift and Christ's Righteousness Rom. 5.17 Acts 26.18 yea Repentance being Christ's Gift Doth not Faith receive it Some say there cannot be a Fiducial act of Faith before Repentance But must we not trust on God through Christ for a new heart of flesh to be given to us Ezek. 36.26 And is not this a Fiducial Act of Faith Can we trust on Christ for any Spiritual
Israel out of his sight and cast Judah and Jerusalem also out of his presence 2 Kings 24.20 And God removed Judah out of his sight 2 Kings 24.3 because the King and the People did evil in his sight 2 Kings 24.9 19. They were not cast out of the sight of God's Omniscient Eye but from the Eye of his gracious and Fatherly Providence 3. God will at last Rain a Hell from his Angry Face 2 Thes 1.9 Those that known not God and obey not the Gospel shall be Punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Face of the Lord the same Face shall shine a Heaven of Happiness into the Souls of the Saints and shall Frown an Hell of Misery into the Souls of the Wicked 2. If God hide his Face from our Sins Love will come up into his Face and look out at his Eyes on Believers and Saints Psal 4.6 Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance on us the Love that was secret and hidden in the Heart comes up into his Face and is manifested to and shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Cant. 8.10 I found Favour in his Eyes Love and Kindness sparkles in and looks out from the Eyes God looks with a pleasing Countenance on his People the Spiritual Day doth break and Dawn and the Sun of Righteousness doth Arise and Shine in the Hearts of Believers Malachy 4.2 Psa 130.5 6. and the Countenance of God is said to behold the upright Psal 41. last that is with complacency and delight he withdraweth not his Eyes from the Righteous Job 36.7 He sets his Eyes on them for good Jer. 24.6 I will set mine Eyes on them for good If Sin be not set before God's Face God may take good out of his Treasury for us and bestow it on us Hos 14.2 yea God will set us before his Face for Ever Psal 41.12 That we may still dwell in his Presence Psal 140. last and behold his Face in Righteousness Psal 17. last Psal 16. last 2. It is most desirable for God to blot out all our Iniquities for 1. It is the most dreadful Evil and Curse that can be wished for Sin not to be bloted out Psal 109.14 Let not the Iniquity of his Mother be blotted out 2. If God do not blot out Iniquitie he may by sudden Judgement and sore Vengeance blot persons out of the Land of the Living Gen. 7.4 Every Living Substance that I have made I will destroy in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will blot out Corrupt Men are Evil lines of being and it is said It repented God that he had made Man on the Earth it greived him at his Heart Gen. 6.5 Man is so cross and contrary to the very end of his Creation that God did blot out the Old World of Men by the Flood if Men are bloted out of the World in their Sins Where must they be lodged but in a miserable Eternity 3. If we consider what Sin is What a valuable Mercy is it for it to be bloted out 1. It is a mist a thinner or a thicker Cloud according to its Nature and aggravations Isa 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy Transgressions and as a Cloud thy Sins Sin is as a hiding Cloud it hinders the light of God's Countenance from shining on us Isa 59.2 Your Sins have hid his Face from you 2. It is as a storming Cloud Psal 11.6 The Lord will rain Fire and Brimstone on the Wicked this shall be the portion of their cup. If Men suffer here They are cast into the hand of their Transgression Job 8.4 In the Hebrew it is That God did cast Job's Children into the hand of their Transgression If their Iniquities are punished hereafter they do for them fall into the hands of God Heb. 10.31 2. Sin is a debt Matth. 6.12 Forgive us our debts These debts are recorded in the Creditor's Book God saith Behold it is written before me Isa 65.6 and it is registred also in the debter's Book Jer. 17.1 It is written it is graven that is the Sin of Judah on the Table of their Heart Sin is called a debt because the Sinner owes God Glory to be raised out of his Sufferings and Eternal Torments And it is desirable this debt should be blotted out to prevent God's arrest and our Eternal Imprisonment 3. Sin is a crime a capital crime and that which is kept safe as matter of accusation against the Sinner It is as it were sowed up in a bag Job 14.17 As the depositions of Witnesses and the confessions of Malefactors are kept safe against the Assizes and day of Trial. Yea Mens Sins are sealed up among God's Treasures Deut. 32.34 God speaks of the Israelites bitter and corrupt Fruit and then puts this question Is not this laid up in store with me Is it not scaled up among my Treasures God hath a Treasury of knowledg of all past things and Sins are sealed up among these Treasures But what a kind of capital crime is Sin I answer 1. It is Rebellion against God I have Nourished and brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me A Rebellious Subject with us a Rebellious Son among the Jews was put to Death What Homage do we owe to God our King What Obedience should we render to God our Father 2. Sin is Spiritual Whoredom and Adultery Hos 4.12 They have gone a Whoring from under their God Thou hast destroyed such as go a Whoring from thee Psal 73.27 Adultery was capital it was punished with death by the Law of God Men loath God and love the Creature 3. Sin is Robbery and Stealing Mal. 3.8 Ye have Robbed me God saith My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23.26 But the Heart of Men goeth after their Coveteousness Ezek. 33.31 Though they are by Baptism and a Solemn Covenant devoted to God yet they Sacrilegiously alienate themselves from God Isa 24.5 They broke the Everlasting Covenant Is it not our benefit to have our Crimes blotted out 4. If Sin be not blotted out God cannot write his Laws in our Hearts Jer. 31.33 34. God promiseth to write his Laws in the Heart And why It is thus answered vers 34. For I will forgive their Iniquity and I will Remember Sin no more Forgiveness of Sin is the root of all the Promises and Covenant-Blessings 5. God cannot record any Good thoughts words or works of ours if Sin be not blotted out Mal. 3.16 A Book of Remembrance was written before him for those that feared the Lord and thought on his Name Sin doth so corrupt and stain our best Works that nothing might be recorded for our honour or advantage Nehemiah prays that God would not wipe out his good deeds Neh. 13.14 6. If Sins be not blotted out the time is coming when God's Book will be opened Revel 20.12 God will review Men's Sins look on them and
Grace or Good till we trust on the Righteousness of Christ by which we procured and receive all good things 2d Branch of the Vse of Exhortation Is Jehovah become our Righteousness O! admire Grace in it and bless God and Christ for it that you have such a Foundation to Build on such a Sacrifice to Feed on such a Pretious Remedy to be Healed by such an Excellent Fountain to Wash in the Clefts of such a Rock to dwell in Our Justification seemed impracticable yea impossible we could not raise up our low Valley or fill up the wide Breach that our Iniquities had made we had not wrought that Righteousness or performed that obedience that the Law requires We could neither make a Present to God's Holiness or pay a Ransom to his Justice yet God compares the Rejection of his People to that which is to us impossible Jer. 31.37 Thus saith the Lord If Heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the Earth be searched out beneath I will also cast off the Seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. O! how wonderful is this that when the Reception of Sinners might have been compared to things impossible their Rejection is compared with things impossible to us Hath God covered us with the Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 This should be a garment of Praise when we put it on we should break out into the sweetest Songs and highest Praises of God and Christ Meditate seriously on these following particulars 1. We live in the last days of the World and in the best days of the Gospel And this is the very season and time when this Scripture should be most eminently fulfilled that Jehovah should be called our Righteousness The excellency of Christ's Obedience and the efficacy of his Sacrifice is now signally manifested This Name of the Messiah is now most eminently known his Glorious Titles and style Blazon'd we are plainly told that Christ hath condemned Sin Rom. 8.3 and that God Justifies the ungodly because Christ Died for them Rom. 4.5 Rom. 5.6 Not only Sins are blotted out Isa 43.5 but Names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Things were more dark in the times of the Law though God promised remission of Sins yet there was a daily remembrance of Sin in the Sacrifices Offered up Heb. 10.3 The day of the Law was God's forbearing time Rom. 3.25 but the day of the Gospel was Christ ' bearing time 1 Pet. 2.24 Who himsel bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree And Christ did so bear them that he did bear them away He died for our Sins and he Rose again for our Justification Rom. 4. last he purged and put away Sin Heb. 13. Heb 9.26 Though God promised of Old to be the God of his people Gen. 17.7 yet the Vail stood up in the times of the Law as if Men should be shut out from Heaven from God and his Glorious presence but the Vail is now Rent and the way laid open to the Heavenly Sanctuary therefore we have more matter of and motives to Praise than the Church of God had of Old 2. That we are Justified freely by God's Grace Rom. 3 24. O! what a wonder is this that we that were called Transgressors from the Womb Isa 48.8 should call Jehovah our Righteousness to Eternity That we that have not wrought Righteousness yet should be made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 That we should be Justified without the Law Rom. 3.21 That our Sins that are our own should not be imputed but that the Righteousness that is not our own should be imputed We have peace with God not because we have committed no Trespasses but because they are not imputed 2 Cor. 5.19 There is much in our Hearts and Lives that is Odious and Abominable before God only it is hid and covered Psal 32.1 2. We have contracted a vast debt but it is remitted Psal 103. c. 1. v. 2 We have committed Heinous Crimes but they are not charged on us There is that dwelling in us and done by us that exceedingly displeases God's eye and provokes his anger but this is not remembred against us or put to our account The Law imputes nothing to us but what is our own is inherent in us or done by us but here is the Righteousness of another given and therefore imputed to us it doth not grow in us or spring out of us but is rained on us As God commended his Goodness to Israel that he brought them into Canaan to possess Houses they never built Vineyards they never planted Wells they never digged Dout. 6.11.12 So God commends his Grace to us that he gives us a Righteousness that we never wrought our selves The Gentiles that did not follow after Righteousness yet attained to Righteousness by Faith Rom. 9.30 O what astonishing Grace is this That we that have not run the race of Obedience should yet win and attain the prize of Righteousness Though Abraham was an Idolater Josh 24.2 yet he is styled Righteousness in the abstract by reason of his Justification who hath called Righteousness so it is in the Hebrew from the East Isa 41.2 3. That yet it should cost Christ so dear to be The Lord our Righteousness How greately did the Soul of Christ Travel Isa 53.11 that our pardon and peace might be born As he was God he suffered much in our commission of Sin he was greived wearied vexed pressed under our Iniquities as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves Amos 2.13 and that after this he should suffer so much more for the Expiation of them He was wounded pierced bruised Isa 53.10 O how wonderful is this that Christ so freely and without our sollicitation did so readily undertake to be a Surety Psal 40.6 7 8. Lo I come I delight to do thy will O my God! yet this was the will of God that the Body Heb. 10.10 yea the Soul of Christ should be Offered up Isa 53.10 God himself seems to speak of this undertaking of Jesus Christ with Admiration Jer. 30.21 Who is this that ingageth his Heart to approach to me It was no small matter to approach to God as Priest and to be a Sacrifice to draw near to God that was a Jealous God and Furious as it is expressed Nahum 1.2 To approach to God sitting on a Fiery Throne holding of a Flaming Sword Cloathed with the Garments of Vengeance If Christ's Love had not been Fervent and his purposes fixed he would never have engaged his Heart to draw near to a God so terrible and to undertake so hard a service to make Reconciliation with an angry and to make restitution to a wronged God O how amazing is this Fruit of Christ's undertaking that we may draw nigh to God that is a consuming Fire and yet not to be hurt but be refined by him This was a great Miracle that Daniel's three Companions walked in the midst of the Fiery Furnace and yet had