received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 the law is not of faith Gal. 2.12 if the inheritance be of the law it is no mere of promise gal 3.5 18. if there had been given a law that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law Gal. 3 21. that I may be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Phil 3 9 by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested Rom 3 20 31 we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Rom 3.28 if they that are of the law he heirs faith is made void Rom 4 14 if by grace it is no more of works Rom 11 6 by these places it seems there is no need of having the righteousness of the law in order to our justification The resolution of this doubt does depend upon the right understanding of what is meant by the law and by the works of the law by the law he intends a meer covenant of works abstracted from that gracious way of accomplishing of it which God has revealed in the Gospel and thus the law is utterly uncapable of justifying of us it is weak through the flesh Rom 8.3 and the way of life by the law is distinguished from that way by faith for though the covenant of works leaves room for salvation by Christ and does no way forbid such a way of salvation yet it provides no Mediator for fallen man yea is utterly silent as to a Mediator for him leaves sinful man in a perishing condition denouncing the curse against him shews him no way of salvation tells him not of any possibility of salvation the covenant of works made no provision for salvation but it gave way to mans salvation in case the righteousness of it were fulfilled by a surety so that the way of life by the law and by the Gospel are divers ways but not opposite the covenant of grace supposes a covenant of works and finds out a new way of fulfilling it yet the practise of those who sought Justification by the covenant of works alone was contrary to the doctrine of grace whosoever is justified by the Law that is seeks to be justified on conceits that he is justified by the law is fallen from grace Gal 4 5. the Law and Gospel are indeed by God in a glorious subordination one to the other but men by seeking to be justified by the covenant of works alone do set one in opposition to the other By the works of the law the Apostle understands such works as men themselves do perform in conformity to the law this is evident because he calls them his own righteousness which is of the Law Phil. 3.9 and these works are utterly uncapable of justifying us though Christs works according to the law are the matter of our justification Rom 5.19 but our personal conformity to the law being attended with so much imperfection can't justifie us we must seek our justification by the righteousness that the law requires but not by our own works according to the law Israel is not blamed for seeking after the righteousness that is the righteousness of the law but because they sought it as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. For the fuller clearing up of this Truth that Christ has performed the Righteousness that the Law required of us whereupon the satisfaction of our Consciences does so much depend I shall briefly speak to these Particulars 1. What is the Covenant of Works 2. What difference is there between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant with Adam 3. That the Covenant of Works did admit of a Mediator 4. That Jesus Christ is a Mediator 5. Christs work as Mediator was not to restore man to his former condition but to bring him to Salvation 6. That Christ has performed the Righteousness of the Law. 7. That he performed the Righteousness of the Law for us 8. That this is sufficient for the Elect of God in all Ages 9. That he has so purchased Salvation that the Elect cannot fail of it The first thing to be considered is What is the Covenant of Works as it relates to Man I shall not now consider it as the Angels are concerned in it and I shall give this deseription of it The Covenant of works is an everlasting Rule of Righteousness wherein God requires perfect Obedience as the condition of Life and forbids all disobedience on pain of Death the Explication of this may be taken up in these Propositions PROPOSITION I. The Covenant of Works is not an agreement between God and man but a rule of Righteousness between them sometimes the word Covenant is taken for a promise without condition Gen. 9.11 but frequently for a Law with promises and threathings persons indeed are not taken into the Covenant of Grace without their actual consent but this is not necessary in other Covenants as in the Covenant that God makes with the Infant seed of his People Deut. 5.3 29. Deut. 15. the children of Gods people are born under this Covenant that is under that Law with such sanctions so in the Covenant of works there is no need that Man should consent Adam did not give his consent antecedently to the making of the Covenant for he was made under it and there are millions of men that never gave any consent unto it yet hand as firmly bound by it as if they did God being infinitely mans superiour and having a Legislative power over him might make him under such a Covenant without asking his consent this covenant is nothing else but a righteous rule which God by his own authority has constituted between himself and man according unto which he will distribute awards and punishments to men In this covenant God has given Law unto himself marked out a path for himself to walk in he was at liberty might if he had pleased have forborn to exact punishment for sin might have annihilated man after a course of perfect obedience might have chose in some other way to have rewarded his obedience might have bestowed blessedness on him as an absolute free gift without any condition at all but in this covenant he has bound up himself and laid down a rule according to which he will proceed PROPOSITION II. The covenant of Works is an everlasting rule of righteousness between God and man this is a Rule that God never will vary from it is not proper to say that the covenant of works is abrogated it is very true that the condemning power of it respecting Believers is taken away but that is by the fulfilling of the Law not abrogating of it the covenant of works does yet continue in its full force it takes
solemn Ordinances founded upon this Doctrine of Salvation through the blood of Christ this Doctrine is the foundation that these Ordinances are built upon the design of these holy Ordinances is to be witnesses to us of our Redemption and Salvation by the blood of Christ and indeed the Ordinance of the Ministry is founded upon the same bottom if this Doctrine were not true there had been no occasion for these Ordinances as it was with the Sacraments of the Old Testament they were seals of the righteousness of Faith so are the Sacraments of the New-Testament and certain it is that all the Ordinances of God are built upon realities who can imagine that God would appoint any Ordinance that should be like the stock that is the graven Image a Doctrine of Vanities Jer. 10.8 God delights in no Worship but what has a good foundation in the Sacraments God requires us to worship him in a religious attendance upon him while he is teaching us this Doctrine of salvation by the righteousness and blood of Christ in the Sacraments God requires us to worship him in a religious acknowledgment of the truth of this Doctrine and this would never be if the Doctrine were not infallibly true God needs no such Worship as is not built upon a real foundation it is not suitable to give him any Worship that is not built upon realities God would never accept any such honour as this from us much less require us to give it him if this Doctrine of Salvation by the blood of Christ were not true to deny the Doctrine of Salvation by the blood of Christ is to make the Sacrament a meer mockery in the Sacrament God does by sacred Ordinances witness to the salvation of Believers and he will never prophane his own Ordinances by failing in the performance of that promise these Sacraments being Ordinances appointed of God to teach us this Doctrine of salvation by Christs blood we are thereby warranted to pray for a blessing upon them for the furtherance of our spiritual and eternal good but this we might not do if the Doctrine held forth by them were not true the Sacraments being appointed by God to testifie this Doctrine to us we have a warrant in the celebration of them and at other times to praise and bless the Lord for sending Christ Jesus to work out salvation for us but certainly if this Doctrine were not true there would be no reason for us so to do neither would the Lord accept of such praises if there were not certain salvation to be had by Christ no man alive can give a reason of the institution of the Sacraments nor salve the honour of God who has appointed them to teach us this Doctrine of salvation by the righteousness of Christ There be two things principally that may be objected against this Doctrine Objection 1. That Faith is said to be imputed for righteousness Rom. 4.3 21 22. Gen. 15.5 6. to which it may be added that Faith under the Gospel comes in the room of works that were required under the Law hence Faith and Works are so often opposed by the Apostle in the matter of Justification Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Answer 1. That Faith that is imputed to us for righteousness is believing in Jesus Christ it is not any act of Faith nor any other act of justifying Faith that is imputed for righteousness but only believing in Christ this is evident because that is the description of justifying Faith in other places of the Scripture he that believeth in him shall have everlasting life John 3 6. this Faith is described ver 22. But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead here this Faith is described 1. It is Faith on God a relying or depending upon him 2. The consideration under which this is acted on God that is as having raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead that is as having wrought out salvation for us by Jesus Christ it may be objected against this interpretation that this Faith that was imputed for righteousness to Abraham is called a blessing God Rom. 4.3 and the promise that he believed was a promise of a numerous posterity Gen. 15.1 5 6. Ans This Faith of his did include in it a believing of the promised seed and a believing on him God had before promised that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12.3 and now he promises him a posterity like the stars in number and Abraham entertains this promise as it included in it the promised seed and as Christ says rejoyced to see his day and saw it and was glad Job 8.56 this was reckoned unto him for Righteousness this is plain from Gal. 3.6 7 8. 2. Faith in Jesus Christ does inforest us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ whoever has this faith has the righteousness of Christ God might have made over this righteousness of Christ to us without any condition if he pleased or upon any other but faith was suitable and God has appointed this to be the way of our partaking in the righteousness of Christ and hereby men come to have an interest in that men come to have an interest in Christs righteousness called gold and white raiment by buying that of him that is by believing on him Rev. 3.18 The righteousness of God is through-Faith in Christ Phil. 3.9 so that all that have this faith have the righteousness of Christ 3. It is very probable that the Apostle intends no more when he sayes Faith is imputed for righteousness then this that Believers are reckoned righteous through the righteousness of Christ the phrase seems to import somewhat else then if he had said that their Faith was their righteousness to be reckoned for righteousness seems to note to be accepted in stead of personal righteousness and so Faith is accepted through the righteousness of Christ this is further confirmed from that phrase Heb. 11.7 He became heir of the righteousness which is by Faith that is of the righteousness of Christ which is applied unto us by Faith and there is no necessity of understanding any thing more by that phrase the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 13. but the righteousness which we have an interest in by Faith. 4. Yet it may be granted without danger that Faith is our evangelical righteousness but not our legal righteousness God has made two covenants with men the one is the covenant of works the other the covenant of grace in the covenant of works perfect holiness is the condition that is the righteousness that must be fulfilled in order unto life in the covenant of Grace believing is the condition and this may be called Gospel righteousness because according to the terms of the Gospel all Believers are declared righteous in the sight of God and the promise of salvation is made unto believing but believing is not our legal righteousness it does
not answer the demands of the Law there is a necessity of the righteousness of Christ which is legal righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 and indeed Faith could not have been the condition of salvation had it not interested us in the righteousness of the Law the covenant of Works and covenant of Grace also must be fulfilled or we cannot be saved Christ fulfilled the covenant of works for us and gives us Faith in his righteousness whereby we fulfil the covenant of Grace 5. Whereas it is added to stengthen the Objection that Faith under the Gospel comes in the room of works under the Law and therefore as works under the Law were to be the matter of justification so is Faith under the Gospel I Answer Faith does not under the Gospel properly come in the room of works for works are necessary under the Gospel unto Justification works are the purchasing cause of life only God has found out another way of performing those works than the Law speaks of namely by a Surety but yet perfect Obedience is as necessary as at first for our Justification the Gospel does not justifie us in any way of contradiction to the Law works now are the legal condition of Justification but Faith is the evangelical condition of Justification and every Believer does fulfil both those conditions one in his Surety the other in his own person Faith is the condition of the covenant of Grace and Faith interests us in the righteousness of Chrst whereby the covenant of works is also fulfilled and when the Apostle does oppose Faith and the works of the Law he does not oppose Faith to the works of the Law as performed by Christ for they work together for our Justification but he opposes it to our works that our works in obedience to the Law can never justifie us works under the Law were the purchasing cause of Justification and so they are still works under the Law were the condition of Justification and they only but now they are the legal condition and Faith is the evangelical condition Faith is all the condition required to be performed by us in our own persons Objection 2. God has made many promises of forgiveness of sins unto Obedience and so also of Salvation whereby it seems that it is not safe relying upon Christs righteousness but upon our own there be many promises of forgiveness Isai 1.16 17 18. Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings c. come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool Mat. 6.14 for if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you 1 John 3.9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Isai 55.7 let the wicked forsake his way and the righteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon So there are many promises of Salvation made unto Obedience Rom. 8.13 if ye by the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and to like purpose eternal life in spoken of as the reward of Obedience Hebr. 11.1 26. He had respect to the recompence of reward Col. 3.24 knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Answer To the first part of the Objection from promises of forgiveness made to Obedience I Answer 1. That forgiveness is not alwayes taken in Scrpture for the act of Justification whereby God does take off the sentence of eternal condemnation but many times it is taken for Gods overlooking sin so as not to bring that temporal calamity that he might have done so when God removes a temporal judgment he is said to forgive their sins Mich. 7.18 so when he forbears to destroy a people that have deserved it and only brings some less judgments on them he is said to forgive them Psal 99.8 Thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance on their inventions Psal 78.38 He forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not Numb 14.20 21 22 23. And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word c. but they shall not see the Land that I sware unto their Fathers and sometimes he bestows this pardon upon them whom he does not deliver from the sentence of condemnation and sometimes he denies this unto them whom he does deliver from a sentence of condemnation Moses's sin shall not be so forgiven but that he must dye in the Wilderness for his trespass at the waters of Meribah Eli shall not be so forgiven but that sore judgment shall come upon his Family the preventing or removing of temporal calamities whether in ward or outward is called forgiveness and this is the very thing is intended by forgiveness sometimes when God makes promises of forgiveness unto obedience and reformation the meaning is that God will prosper them and bless and not pursue them with Judgments and calamities this is evident because sometimes God promises forgiveness to a Nation in a way of obedience it is promised as a National blessing so in that Isai 1.16 17 18. therefore it does not intend deliverance from eternal condemnation for God does not promise that as a publick blessing depending upon publick reformation 2. Sometimes when God promises forgiveness unto Obedience the meaning is that if the soul do return unto God by a true work of conversion he shall be justified when men are converted they are brought into a state of acceptance with God God is reconciled unto them so that place is to be understood Isai 55.7 let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him Act 3.19 repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out and the reason why God promises forgiveness upon conversion is because Faith which is the condition of the covenant is included in conversion converted persons have Faith in Christ Jesus 3. Sometimes when forgiveness is promised unto particular acts of Obedience the meaning is that those acts of obedience are a sign that a man is in a justified condition so that is to be understood Mat. 6.14 for if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive you and that 1 John 1.9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins these things are not the condition of forgiveness much less the meritorious cause of forgiveness but they are a sign that a man is such an one to whom the promise of forgiveness does belong so any one upright act of obedience is a sign that a mans sins are forgiven and shall be forgiven in the day of Judgment because they are things that do accompany Faith in Christ though they have
covenant with him and when that covenant was broke he presently proposed a new covenant to him it is no part of the work of man to devise a way of his own head to lead to heaven but to walk in that way that God has prescribed unto him but when men trust in their own righteousness they go without book they have no word from God to warrant their way they lean unto an invention of their own this is like the practice of Jeroboam that kept a Fast in the moneth that he bad devised in his own heart 1 Kings 12.32 33. men in this way do venture their souls upon a fancy of their own God gives them no assurance that he will accept them in that way men have only their own judgments for it that this is a way of salvation God has not told them that this way satisfies him and answers his expectations but men guess that this way will do men venture it as if they were able by their own understandings to determine what way would please God and needed not any revelation in the Word they stay not for a promise but boldly venture upon God without one what madness is to desert the way that God directs to and take away of your own as if you had found out a better way to heaven than God tells you of you have an imagination that this way will do but is it not a daring thing for men to venture the eternal state of their souls upon an imagination of their own it is great folly for men to neglect the way wherein they have a promise and trust in one wherein they have none you act in this as if you did not matter though you should perish 't is strange that men should in a matter of such importance go upon such slender ground if you should be mistaken in your judgment what way pleases God your souls are lost and if you should miscarry in this way it would not he strange for you had no warrant from God for it you may miscarry and God be faithful God is under no covenant engagements unto you in this way is it not strange that men should be shie and scrupulous and afraid to trust God in such a way wherein they have his solemn promise and yet bold and daring to rely on him in such a way wherein he has given them no encouragement herein preferring their own judgment before the covenant of God. 2. God has declared against that way it is a presumptuous thing to trust in God without his Word but more presumptuous to trust in God against his Word and thus these men do for God in his word has abundantly witnessed against this way God sends men word from heaven that this way by mens own righteousness is insufficient for salvation he tells us that that was the reason of the miscarrying of the Jews because they sought as it were by the works of the Law. Rom. 9.32 he reproves men for conceitedness of their own righteousness Rev. 3.16 he tells that that if they seek Justification by the Law they are fallen from the covenant of grace Gal. 5.4 he tells them that no man living can be justified by the works of the Law Gal 2 16. Rom. 3.20 he tells they will be ruined in this way behold all ye that kindle a fire and compass your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow Isa 50.11 he declares that they are cursed that do so gal 3.10 as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse how dare any man then thrust himself upon God in this way is God wont to discourage men from their duty and threaten them in way of safety will men believe the vain imaginations of their own hearts before the positive declarations of Gods Word do men think that God reproves them when he is not angry and threatens them in jest does God speak one thing now and will he speak another at the Day of Judgment is there one rule given for conscience to judg by here and another for God to Judg by hereafter will God curse those at the Day of Judgment that he blesses now bless those that he curses now will he not judge the secrets of men according to the Gospel Rom. 2.6 men are too timorous when they dare not trust in God in that way that he has proposed and commended unto them and men are too bold when they trust in God in that way that he condemns what assurance can they have of acceptance where the Word of God gives them assurance of the contrary it is madness to challenge life in such a way as God has wittnessed against what reason can men give of such declarations if there were any bottom for Faith in their own righteousness you have a strange kind of Faith that will venture upon God though he witnesses against you what comfort can men take in such a way men had need of strong arguments to satisfie themselves that that is a way of salvation that God calls a way of damnation would God discourage them from it if it were indeed a way of salvation can men expect that God will deny his Word in the Day of Judgment to save them 3. It is against the rule of Justice for men to be saved in that way it is against the justice of the Law the Law puts in an unanswerable objection against the salvation of such men the law allows the salvation of those that believe on Christ Rom. 3.26 it has not a word to gainsay but it stands as a flaming sword to keep other men out of paradice in a way of confidence in mans own righteousness there is no way to reconcile the justice of God and mens salvation if men be saved in such a way what will become of the Law and what will become of the justice of God that stands engaged to fulfil the Law what warrant have men to expect salvation in such a way wherein God must part with his own glory before he can bestow glory upon them wherin he must deny his nature before he can satisfie their expectation how can men think that God is so in love with their performances as to pervert Judgment for their sakes and pull them into heaven by force though the Law does possibly declare against such proceedings God would not save believers but with the leave of the Law till care was taken that that might be satisfied and will he save these men to the overthrow of his Law and everlasting reproach of his justice the righteousness of the Law does not admit of their salvation 2. The law requires that the curse must be executed for sin the Law pronounceth the sinners accursed Gal 3.20 cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them
Massachusetts Historical Society FROM THE BEQUEST OF GEORGE EDWARD ELLIS Seventh President of the Society Received September 1◠1895. THE Safety of Appearing at the DAY OF Judgement In the Righteousness of Christ Opened and Applied By Solomon Stoddard Pastor to the Church of North-Hampton in New-England Phil. 3.8 9 Yea doubtless and I do count all things but less for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that 〈…〉 To the Church of Christ in North-Hampton A Main part of the Work which the Lord Jesus has committed to me at present is to be doing service to your Souls and the Souls of your Children to be directing quickening and encouraging of you in the way unto eternal life which work requires the utmost care and diligence not only in respect of the necessity that you stand in of that blessedness which is the design and tendency thereof but also in respect of that difficulty that you will unavoidably meet withal in your pursuit of that blessedness however many men that know not their own hearts and are utterly unexperienced in the way of life may fancy it to be a matter of ease to go to heaven as if there were but a step between them and heaven and upon that account are bold to cast off all care about it at present yet such as have tried it and are walking in that way can upon plentiful experience witness to what Christ has taught us That strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life every thing in corrupt nature is opposite to it and upon this account he requires Ministers to use their utmost industry in their work Luk. 14.23 Compel them to come in I have travelled in this work among you for many years and I may say without ostentation that I have obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful I have made it my business to gain Souls to Christ and build them up in Faith and holiness principally insisting upon such things as have reached the heart of Religion and I reckon it one of the choicest mercies of the Lord towards me that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain I have great cause to bow my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and bless his Name that he has made me an instrument of bringing many among you into saving acquaintance with himself and I count it worth the while to spend the residue of my dayes in promoting the welfare of your Souls It is in pursuance of this design that this small Treatise is published not that my care is confined to your selves I owe a regard to the prosperity of other places the scope of this Discourse is to clear up the way of Salvation by Christ I meddle not with those false Doctrines that have been invented by men in opposition to this truth the Lord hath been pleased to keep these Churches sound in the Faith and does not yet lay a necessity upon his Ministers here to spend their time in the confutation of such erronions Opinions but I have made it my work to establish your hearts in this Truth to satisfie your Consciences from the Scripture in the safety of your reliance upon Christ vindicating the same from those secret workings of unbelief that are wont to rise up in the hearts of men that you and others may grow up unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding and the acknowledgment of the misteries of God even of the Father and of Christ That you may be armed against those temptations wherewith your Faith is wont to be assaulted and learn to live in all conditions upon the righteousness of Christ If the Lord please to bless this Discourse together with other endeavours of his Servants in the Countrey both in Preaching and Writing to be a means to bring many Souls to an hearty closing with Jesus Christ that will be the great security of the Countrey against that degeneracy that is begun and against those superstitious practises that are entertained in other professing places the life of Religion takes beginning in the spiritual knowledg of Christ and is maintained by the same as long as we are built upon this Rock the Gates of Hell will not prevail against us The Lord who has watched over you in the time of dayes when you lay open to the fury of the Heathen and that has given special tokens of his Presence with you in his Ordinances both in the dayes of your former Pastor and also in late times continue to own and bless you and enrich you with all the Graces of his Spirit and give you Faith to sit under the shadow of Christ with great delight Which is the Prayer of Him who is Your Servant for Jesus sake Solomon Stoddard The Safety of Appearing in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ CHAP. I. The Introduction shewing the Difficulty of Believing this Truth THere is such Light remaining in the Conscience of fallen Man as has made him inquisitive after a way of acceptance with God and though several particular persons do not ordinarily concern themselves about it yet in all Nations and Ages there have been those that have made it matter of solemn search the abundant evidence that men have of the being purity justice and greatness of God in conjunction with the testimony of their own hearts concerning their guilt has made them restless till they can come at some satisfaction in this point men have been studious in many other points from a thirst after knowledg and to gratifie their curiosity but in this enquiry they have been much influenced by the cryes and disquietness of their own burdened Consciences the fearful apprehensions of Gods anger have spurred them on to discover a way of reconciliation they have not been able so to stupifie their hearts with worldly occasions and carnal delights as to let fall the consideration of this but have been compelled from their own terrors to make that enquiry as they Mich. 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord c. Many men who have busied themselves in this enquiry have not been advantaged to attain a right resolution thereof the Heathen Nations had lost the knowledg of the way of Salvation something in Religion was handed down to them by tradition and something particularly that had a reference unto Jesus Christ especially Sacrifices but the knowledg of the respect they had to him was quite worn out among them and the light of nature is utterly deficient in this particular that light is sufficient to discover to us that God is provoked with us that knowledg flows from our understanding of the nature of God and the experience which we have of our own sinfulness but the way of reconciliation does exceed the
of it upon the heart â— Thess 1.5 God teacheth men the truth of the Gospel and thereby prevails with them to come to Christ in that way it is the Father puts forth his drawing power Joh. 6.44 45. the Gospel alwayes works effectually where it is believed and received as the truth of God 1 Thess 2.13 God carries on all his works upon the hearts of his Elect in a way of conviction the devils way of working is by blinding of man by prejudice and false reasons but Gods way of working is by teaching of men thus God carries on preparatory work and thus he carries on saving work God deals with men as with rational creatures and prevails upon their hearts in a way suitable to those natures though he put forth acts of power yet not of violence on the Will but he gains the consent of that by the discovering of those reasons that are of sufficient weight to sway it indeed the understanding and will in man being faculties of the same soul and really one and the same thing the same act of God upon the Soul that puts light into the understanding does also suitably incline the will God works all holy inclinations in the will by convincing us and making us believe those truths that are the grounds of them we believe and love believe and repent believe and fear believe and submit believe and so venture on Christ God convinces us of the truth of the Gospel and that there is sufficient righteousness for us in Christ and so we come to him John 16.10 and therefore all those that are assured of the truth of the Gospel do close with Christ and are regenerated and this leads us to the interpretation of several passages of Scripture where such Men as assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel are said to be in a good condition Rom. 10.9 If shou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe with thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved 1 Joh. 4.15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he is in God 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God 1 Joh. 5.4 Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God These passages are not to be understood of that Faith which is common to Professors that Faith that may be separated from holiness which James calls a dead Faith Jam 2. ult but of that assurance that is wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost A second thing that clears it is that when natural men fall under the awakening work of the Spirit they immediately call the Gospel in particular this truth of the safety of our appearing in Christs Righteousness into question though they might seem before to themselves and others well satisfied yet when ever they come to lie under the sense of Gods anger and Conscience is writing bitter things against them they are full of scruples and objections against the Gospel t is a long time usually before such persons can give entertainment to this Truth and when it is done it is wrought in them by the mighty power of God all that Ministers can urge upon them will not take place the choicest Evidences will not sink into them till God opens their hearts as he opened the heart of Lydia sometimes the hearts of such men will be objecting against this way in general as if there were not salvation for sinners in this way they scruple how the righteousness of one will avail for the Salvation of another c. but principally their scruples are respecting themselves in particular they are not satisfied that God calls them that there is enough in Jesus Christ for the washing away of their sins that God would take it well for them to venture themselves on Christ they think they must be better first and more broken for their sins this is directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel for the Gospel does not only teach in general that there is salvation in Christ for sinners but that it is safe for any that will be they never so blind hard-hearted impenitent and rebellious and guilty to venture themselves on the righteousness of Christ men do not only oppose the Gospel when they question whether Believers shall be saved but when they question whether there be sufficient encouragement for them to come to Christ There are two sorts of natural men that are pretenders not only to the belief of the truth of the Gospel but also to trusting in Jesus Christ which upon examination will be found to deceive themselves one sort are many unawakened sinners some of whom are not so much as civilized nor of moral conversation yet they profess to place their trust in Jesus Christ such as those the Apostle Iames expostulates with Iam. 2 14. ad finem but what ever such men say concerning their putting their trust in Christ the real foundation of this hope is an ignorance that they have offended God they may please themselves sometimes with the general notion that Christ has wrought out redemption for sinners and make a little use of Christ dying for sinners to quiet their hearts but the bottom of their confidence lies in this that they are strangers to the provoked justice of God they dont think that God is angry for their sins they live a life of carnal security Psal 50.21.55 11.9 the other sort are self-righteous sinners who say they put their confidence in Christ but their great encouragement is that they have attained somewhat that does draw the heart of God unto them there are many self-righteous men that do not profess any trust in their own righteousness they have been so trained up in the contrary Doctrine that they could not quiet their own hearts if they knew that they did it but yet under a notion of resting upon Christ they rest upon themselves their religious qualifications are their main stay they are far from putting themselves upon a strict Trial by the Law but they imagine some excellence in themselves and that is their encouragement to go to Christ the Jews made account their works would do much towards their Salvation the grace of God making up the defects thereof Rom 9.32 so do those trust partly to their works partly to Christ making a mixture of the Law and Gospel and both these sorts of men notwithstanding their pretences are strangers to the safety of appearing in Christs righteousness And as natural men do not truly believe this Doctrine so Saints themselves have but little belief of it the people of God may justly fall under that reproof Luk. 24.25 Fools and slow of heart to believe there are times when God is pleased abundantly to assure the Souls of his people of this truth 1 Thess 1.5 the fruit whereof is a sweet and quiet resting upon Jesus Christ but the natural unbelief of
is said to be justified justified in his Spirit 1 Tim. 13 16 that is by his Resurrection unto life by his sufferings he has delivered himself from that guilt that lay upon him and is become in the eye of the Law righteous CHAP III. The Proposition That it is a safe thing to appear in the Righteousness of Christ Arg I. Because Christs Righteousness is the Righteousness of the Law. THe Subject of the present discourse is That it is a safe thing to appear in the day of Judgement in the Righteousness of Christ it is safe to go before the Judgment Seat of God having no other righteousness to plead for our Justification but Christs Righteousness this Righteousness is sufficient and will prevail for the salvation of all those that have an interest in it we may with quietness depend upon it as that which will serve our turn there is no other Righteousness that can be come at that it is safe appearing in our own personal righteousness is many ways defective and uncapable of being the matter of our Justification that Righteonsness that is performed by the Saints is acceptable unto God but it can't procure the acceptance of their persons the acceptance of it self is procured by Christ Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 but we may justly venture our selves upon the righteousness of Christ other foundations will prove sandy but the Righteousness of Christ is a firm foundation for faith and therefore it was Pauls great care that he might be found not in his own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 The Truth of which Proposition I shall demonstrate by the following Arguments Arg. I. The Righteousness of Christ is the Righteousness that the Law required of us it answers the demand that the Law makes of us and therefore it is safe appearing in it There is a necessity of our having the righteousness of the Law God has stated the Law to be a rule of his proceeding towards man wherein he has set down the terms upon which he will bestow life and execute death in that Covenant he gave not onely a Law unto man but likewise to himself from which he will never swerve O it is utterly vain for any man to expect acceptance with God without that righteousness which the Law requires until the Law be answered man can lay no claim to blessedness neither can God in faithfulness bestow blessedness upon man God has bound himself to see the Law fulfilled to a tittle this Law can't be abrogated nor disanulled Saints indeed are not under the condemning power of it because it has been fulfilled for them but yet the Law stands in fotce as a rule according to which God will distribute eternal rewards Math 5.18 One jot or one tittle of the Law shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled man may break the Law but God will fulfil it the Law is never out of date and as it cannot be abrogated so neither can it be moderated God will never take up with less satisfaction then the Law admits of nor with a less perfect Obedience then the Law requires God does under the Gospel accept of imperfect Obedience but not for Justification There can be no varying from the utmost and highest demands of the Law the Law is unflexible and must be exactly attended it abates nothing so that a regular conscience can never give peace until the Law be fully answered the Law gives sin a condemning power 1 Cor 15.56 the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law therefore the Law must be answered And it is sufficient for us if we have the righteousness of the Law there is no danger of our miscarrying if we have that righteousness the sincerity of the angels in heaven is that they have the righteousness of the Law and that is a sufficient sincerity for us if we have the righteousness of the Law if we have the righteousness of the Law then we are not liable to the curse of the Law we are not threatned by the Law Justice is not provoked with us the condemnation of the Law can take no hold upon us the Law has nothing to object against our salvation that soul that has the righteousness of the Law is out of the reach of the threatnings of the law where the demand of the Law is answered the Law finds no fault the Law curses only for want of perfect obedience Gal. 3.10 yea moreover where there is the righteousness of the Law God has bound himself to give eternal life such persons are heirs of life according to the promise of the Law the law declares them heirs of life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live in them Now that the righteousness of Christ is that righteousness which the Law requireth of us is clearly held out in the Word of God Rom. 8.4 where the Apostle sets down the end of Gods sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemning sin in the flesh which is that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us the meaning of it must needs be that we might be made righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousness this righteousness is said to be fulfilled in us in as much as we have fulfilled it in our surety so Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth the end of giving Moses his Law was to drive us to Christ in whom alone we have the righteousness of the Law this is also clearly held out in all such Scriptures where Christ is said to be our righteousness and that we be made righteous by his Obedience for righteousness consists in answering the demands of the Law it is only that righteousness that the Law demands of us that can denominate us legally righteous if Christs Righteousness were not that which the Law requires of us we could not be accepted as righteous upon that account and the Scripture speaks particularly of Christs sufferings that they were those which the Law required of us Gal. 3.8 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that curse that he redeemed us from is that he endured and that was the curse of the Law and indeed herein lies the excellency of Christs righteousness where by it is a foundation of so much comfort and support unto Saints that it is that righteousness that the law requires of us this is that consideration from which conscience does take satitfaction But there lies one great objection against this that the Apostle Paul seems to make an opposition between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith and between justification by the law and justification by grace and by faith and by the promise so a man is not justified by the law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2.6
place against the sins of ungodly men being executed to the full upon them Mat. 5.18 it has taken place against the sins of the Elect upon Jesus Christ the curse having been executed upon him Gal 3.13 He baâ—k redeemed us from the curse being made a curse for us and God does bestow eternal life upon none but those who have fulfilled the righteousness of the Law in their Surety eternal life is given as a recompence of Christs Righteousness Rom. 5.21 PROPOSITION III. This covenant of Works could not be known by our first Parents any other way than by divine revelation because both the promises and threatnings of this covenant depended on the free will of God so that whatever a bilities of understanding Adam had in his first estate they were insufficient to make a discovery of them the precepts of the Law were written In the heart of man when he was first made and so they are still though not so legibly Rom. 2.15 They show the works of the Law written in their hearts and this I dont understand to be any distinct work of God from that of creating the soul for the precepts of the Law excepting that one of the Sabbath have a self-evidencing power so that supposing man to have an understanding he can't but have some knowledg of them and supposing them to have an understanding not corrupted he can't but have a clear knowledge of them but the promises and threatnings of the Law are not understood by any thing written in mens heart Conscience indeed by its own natural light does give evidence that sin is offensive to God and so affright men with expectation of wrath but it can't witness the certainty of Judgments much less of eternal condemnation except it have received some further light either from the Works or Word of God. PROPOSITION IV. The Covenant of Works does require Obedience only as the condition of life there are several other Obligations upon us unto Obedience some antecedent to the covenant of works as the infinite excellency of God the work of Creation some of them consequent as the dying love of Christ Gods giving converting Grace and many the like but the covenant of works requires it only as a condition of life and hence tho the covenant of works be fulfilled for us by Jesus Christ so that there is no engagement on us to perfect obedience as it is a condition of life yet those antecedent obligations do remain upon and we ow obedience still as a natural due Psal 95.6 that primitive obligation as we are creatures will ly upon us for ever besides those other obligations that God has laid upon us since PROPOSITION V. The covenant of works requires perfect but not personal obedience the obedience required in the covenant of works is perfect for one transgression layes man open to the curse but it does not stand upon personal obedience every one is obliged to personal obedience but this is upon another account and not by vertue of the covenant of works the covenant of works never tied us up to personal obedience as the condition of life God has been so far from binding us up to personal obedience as the condition of life that he never did propose that way unto us but from the beginning of the world constituted a publick person to act in our behalf and upon his failing immediately revealed Jesus Christ to be another publick person to act for us Rom. 5.19 PROPOSITION VI The life promised in the Covenant of works is a life of glory in heaven the promise is life Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall live in them some have thought that Adam should have had only the continuance of that blessedness which he was created in if he had kept the Covenant it is very true that there is no mention in the Covenant of his going to heaven but we have clear ground to conclude from Scripture that if man had stood he should have gone to heaven according to this promise 1. Because hell where the devils are is the reward of disobedience by the covenant of works therefore heaven where the holy angels are is the reward of Obedience it is meet the rewards should be proportionable I know it is answered that sin deserves evil at Gods hands but holiness which is due unto God does not deserve any rewards but this does not take off the force of the argument for it is by the Law that sin merits as well as holiness and hence wicked men are punished only for such sins as they commit in this life 2 Cor. 5.10 and there is as much goodness in holiness as evil in sin and it is a meet thing that God should bestow as much good in a way of obedience as he inflicts evil in a way of disobedience besides the Law expresses the punishment of sin by death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death and the reward of obedience by life Gal. 3.12 the man that doth them shall live by them therefore it is a life directly opposite to that death a life that contains as much good in it as that death doth evil those terms do mutually explain one the other 2. Because Christ in fulfilling of the law for us has purchased life for us in heaven Christ has purchased heaven for us Epb. 1.14 it is called a purchased possession and he did it by performing the righteousness of the Law for us it is by making of us righteous that we come to have a title unto eternal life Rom 5.21 Grace reigns by righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. Because Christ tells the young man in the Gospel that enquired of him what good thing he should do that he might have eternal life that if he would enter into life be should keep the Commandments Mat. 19.16 17. where we may mind that the life enquired after by the young man was a life in Heaven and that Christ in this answer is leading of him to the covenant of works upon a design to convince him of his inability to keep it 4. Because the Apostle Paul gives that as the reason that men cannot be justified by the Law because they are sinners Rom. 8.3 3.20 the Legallists that Paul disputes against expected eternal life in heaven by their works yet in all his disputes with them he never telis them that the covenant of works does not promise any such thing if he could have told them so that would clearly have cut off all their hopes but he still shows that they can't have Salvation by the Law upon this account because they can't fulfil it yea he plainly implies that the reward by the Law and Gospel are the same but the way of obtaining it is different Rom. 4.4 He that worketh has the reward by debt be that worketh not hath it by grace The second thing that falls under Consideration here is What is the difference between the Covenant of works and the
Covenant with Adam Gods covenant with Adam is generally confounded with the covenant of works to the great hindrance of our understanding of Gods dealings with Man-kind Adam indeed was made as well as we under a covenant of works under a covenant of life upon condition of perfect obedience but besides this there was a particular covenant with Adam whereby he was constituted a legal head or representative of his posterity to act in our behalf to stand or fall for us as well as himself this is plainly held forth in that he is said to be the figure of him that is to come that is of Christ Rom. 5.14 he was the figure of Christ inasmuch as he was made a publick person as Christ also was this also is evident because we sinned in him his fall is truly ours Rom. 5.12 which could not have been if we had not been in him as our representative because God had constituted him our head therefore his sin became ours Rom. 5.19 1 Cor. 15.22 There is a great difference between these two covenants there might have been a covenant of works though there never had been any such covenant with Adam constituting him a publick person that was accidental to the covenant of works God made a covenant of works with the Angels but he never appointed them any publick person to act for them but every one stood singly for himself we make a great difference between them in these three particulars 1. The Covenant of Adam proposed a particular way for the accomplishment of the covenant of works the covenant of works states the condition of life but God by â—aking Adam a publick person finds out a way for the fulfilling of this condition God has proposed two wayes for the accomplishing of the covenant of works First By making a covenant with Adam to perform obedience for his posterity this way sailed The Second was By making a covenant of redemption with Jesus Christ wherein Christ undertook to fulfil the covenant of works for us this I call the second way because tho this covenant was made first yet it was revealed last as not to take place until the covenant with Adam was violated 2. The Covenant with Adam has never been fulfilled but the covenant of works has Adam utterly sailed of performing that particular covenant made with him if that covenant had been fulfilled all mankind had been happy whereas they were all exposed to misery by him Rom. 5.12 but the covenant of works has been fulfilled Christ fulfilled it Matth. 3.15 and we in him Rom 8.4 3. By vertue of Adams covenant we are only liable to punishment for that sin which we committed in him for that covenant only laid duty on him as he was to act joyntly for himself and us and that covenant was at an end on his eating the forbidden fruit but by the covenant of works we are liable to punishment for our personal sins that covenant threatens death for any transgression Gal. 3.10 A Third thing to be considered is That the Covenant of Works did admit of a Mediator It will be readily granted that though the evil of sin be incomparably great yet it is not so great but that God may have compassion upon us and find in his heart to provide a Mediator for us his infinite mercy may move him to give us a Redeemer though sin do greatly provoke him The great question is Whether he has not so bound himself by his lavv as to take away all possibility of help by a Mediator Whether the Law will give way to the interposure of a Mediator Whether the Word of God does not bind him to punish the sinner in his own person if so it is a vain thing to expect any help from a Mediator for no violence may be done unto the law and the words of the curse have such a force as if they did devote the sinner unto personal ruine in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen 2 17. but we must distinguish between such threatnings as are legal and such as are personal some threatnings are personal and infallibly to be fulfilled upon these that are threatned though the threatnings of eternal destruction against impenitent sinners must unavoidably take place on them but there are some threatnings which are legal and intend no more but that the Offender must dye legally that is be punished with death either in his own person or the person of his surety thus many humane laws are to be understood thus it is among men in case of debt and there is nothing in the words of the law that does contradict this interpretaiton The words do enforce no more than this the words of the law are not any ways strained by putting this sence upon them neither is there any thing in the case of it self to oppose this interpretation for the fufferings of a furety answer the end of the Law as well as the sufferings of the Offenders Gods name is as much vindicated and there is as full a testimony given to the holiness of God by the sufferings of a surety as if the sinner had suffered in his own person there is no probability that Adam did at first understand this interpretation of the cnrse it was a secret that God kept in his own breast until there was occasion for its publication indeed from the first publishing of the Law God shewed that a publick person might perform the preceptive part of it for others and by failing therein might expose others with himself unto ruine as Adam did Which shews it also to be very fair that a publick person may suffer for us if a publick person may ruine us why may not a publick person recover us but we have no grounds to conclude that Adam knew any thing of the possibility of salvation in case he sinned but God after the Fall revealed it unto him But God has by his practice clearly given us this interpretation of the curse of the Law God himself has provided a Mediator for us and inflicted the punishment of our sins on him which shews it is no ways contradictory to his law so to do such a proceeding is agreeable to the law otherwise Go would never have had an hand in it God has shewed us how the law is to be understood in executing it on Jesus Christ and it is very unreasonable to think that there should be any thing in the law to hinder our salvation by Jesus Christ for this way of salvation has been decreed by God before the world 1 Pet. 1.20 he was foreordained before the foundation of the world and certainly he would never make such a law as should overthrow his decree the law must be so understood as not to cross his everlasting purposes of saving sinners by Christ the Apostle argues that the covenant of grace could not be disanulled by the law of Moses which was given four hundred and thirty years after Gal. 3.17 so I may
argue that the everlasting purpose of God to save us by the sufferings of Christ cannot be disanulled by a law that was made in time and therefore that law must be so understood as not to cross that design The fourth thing to be cleared is That Jesus Christ is a Mediator Though the law left room for a Mediator yet God was at liberty whether he would provide one or no but he has provided Christ and put him into this Office. Christ stands in that relation of a Mediator and this implies both duty and authority to work out all our salvation for us both as to the purchasing and also the applying of salvation That Christ Jesus is a Mediator is set down in express terms 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is peculiar to the holy Scripture Socinus would have it to signifie only Gods Interpreter and it may be that may be the meaning Gal. 3.19 it was ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator but the word generally notes one that stands between God and man to make up the breach that sin had made that this is intended in the forementioned place is evident by the next words ver 6 who gave himself a ransome for all so that his mediation consisted in giving himself a ransom or at least he was such a Mediator as did give himself a ransom this must also be the meaning of the word Heb. 9.15 and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of his death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are ealled may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance There is plainly held forth that he executed his Mediatorly Office in dying for transgression and in order to our injoying an eternal inheritance The same Mediatorly Office of Christ is held forth 1 Cor. 8.5 6. for though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him The Heathens did distinguish between their Gods into celestial and terrestial the celestial and soveraign Gods they thought to be immortal of a sublime and pure nature the terrestial were the Deified souls of famous men deceased whose Office it was to be as Mediators and Agents between the soveraign Gods and mortal men these they called Baalims or Lords unto these superior and inferior Gods hâ—d toes elegantly allude ver 6. so that when he says that to al 's there is but one Lord he means one Mediator the same Mediatorly Office of Jesus Christ is held forth forth in those titles of Prophet Priest and King which are frequently given unto him and contain under them the several parts of his Mediatorly Office There are three things requisite unto the Mediatorly Office of Christ the fitness of his person the consent of the Father and his own consent The first thing requisite was the fitness of his person whereby he was capable of discharging this Office it did not become infinite Wisdom to lay such a task on one that was uncapable of performing it and this requisite was found in Jesus Christ this undertaking was too great for any meer creature but it was not too heavy a burden for the shoulders of Jesus Christ he was fit to purchase our salvation and also to apply it and upon this account he was much prized by God he is said to be Elect and Precious 1 Pet. 2.6 as a Prince prizes some men because they are of such abilities that they are fit to serve him in the greatest Offices of the Kingdom so God having a design to save sinners he prizes Christ as a person fit to bring about that design The principal fitness of Jesus Christ for the work of Mediator consists in his being God man in our person yet we must not think that he did not enter into his Office till he was actually incarnate the incarnation was necessary to his full discharge of that work but he entred into his Office and began to fulfil it before his incarnation our sins were not actually imputed to him till his incarnation but he was a Mediator immediately upon the fall of man from that time his blood was efficacious Rev. 13.8 He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world from the time of the making of the covenant of grace he was a Mediator Heb. 12.24 and the salvation of the Patriarks in the first ages of the world was the fruit of the mediation of Christ and therefore that solemn consecration of Christ at the time of his Baptism was not unto the Office of a Mediator but the work of his publick Ministry Christ by being man was fitted as for some other parts of his Office so especially to fulfil the law for man to obey and suffer for us had he been only God he had been uncapable of obedience or sufferings had he taken upon him the nature of angels he had been uncapable of obeying and suffering for us the Mosaical Law concerning the right of redemption in the kinsman did typifie that Christ should be our kinsman this manifested what God intended but that doth not prove that there was a necessity of it but if he had assumed the angelical nature he could not have fulfilled that law that was given to man the precepts and curses of the law were fitted to mans nature and some of them could not be fulfilled By the angelical nature besides the teuour of the covenant of works with man ran thus that man must fulfil the righteousness of the law and in case of disobedience man must bear the curse of it this the Apostle shews when he teaches us that because we did partake of flesh and blood Christ also partook of the same that by death he might deliver us Heb. 2.14 and intimates ver 16. that if he had taken the nature of angels it would not have served the turn and whereas he adds that he took on him the seed of Abraham we are not to understand that there was any necessity of that any further than from the promises and prophesies thereof that he should come of that stock but he mentions his coming of Abraham as that which evidenced that he was of the same nature with us Christ by being God was fitted not only for his Prophetical and Kingly Office to the execution whereof Divine Power and Wisdom was requisite but he was also fitted for his Priestly Office so that the divine nature had an influence into the satisfactoriness of the sufferings of Christ that is held forth Heb. 9.14 how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works
was appointed to bring us into an estate of justification and salvation Jesus Christ had his Authority bestowed upon him to bring us to life John 17.2 Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him accordingly Christ has done more for our blessedness than Adam was to do Adam was to bring us out of an estate of innocency into an estate of justification but Christ has brought us out of a guilty estate into an estate of justification yea Christ has done more for our blessedness than Adam did for our ruine Adam brought us from innocency to misery but Christ has brought us from misery not back again to innocency but to blessedness in this respect that Salvation that Christ has wrought is more eminent and remarkable than that destruction that Adam wrought and for the pur chasing of this there was more required than for the restitution of us to our primitive condition the sufferings of Christ were sufficient to procure our restitution unto innocency but there was a necessity of the active obedience of Jesus Christ to bring us into an estate of blessedness Christs active obedience was necessary for us as well as his passive and this was one reason why it was requisite that Christ should continue so long upon earth that by a course of obedience for many years he might purchase eternal life for us the influence of the blood of Christ into our justification was typified by the Sacrifices the influence of the active obedience of Christ into our justification was typified by the white Garments of the Priests and the beautiful Garments of the High Priest our justification is compared to the putting on of white Raiment Rev. 3.18 some have objected against the necessity of Christs active obedience to our Justification that by his sufferings he satisfied for our sins of omission as well as of commission and if our sins of omission be satisfied for it is all one as if we had performed the duty but that is a mistake we can't he justified except obedience be performed Gal. 3.12 The man that doth them shall live in them suffering is the fulfilling of the threatning not of the command meer suffering has satisfaction but no merit in it suffering for sins of omission only removes the guilt contracted by the omission suffering for sins of omission puts us into such a condition as if the duty had not been omitted but not into such a condition as if it had been performed into such a condition as Adam was in not such as Believers are in in a sin of omission there are two things to be observed a neglect of duty towards God which is to be punished and a neglect of the condition of life which condition must be attended before life be bestowed the forgiving of an omission may be where the duty is still expected if a man fail of paying Money at the day his omission may be forgiven and yet the money may be expected The sixth Proposition for the clearing of the Argument is That Jesus Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the Law. He has answered all the demands and challenges of the Law what the Law could chalenge from us has been accomplished by and upon Christ First Christ has fulfilled Obedience unto the commands of the Law Jesus Christ lived a life of spotless holiness and integrity obedient in all things unto the command of God Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do 1 Pet. 2.22 Who did no sin neither was guil found in his mouth he lived in a perfect and absolute conformity to the Law of God all the dayes of his life and therefore he is said to know no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 concerning this active obedience of Christ I shall here only observe these two things 1. That he did all the common duties of the Law and such particular duties as were proper to the Relation that he sustained he did not sustain all relations as that of Husband and Parents and therefore the duties peculiar to such relations were not requir'd of him nor performed by him neither was there any need that he should stand in all relations and fulfil the work required of all some give that reason why Christ was in this or that condition that it was to sanctifie those conditions to his People and by that reason he had need have been in all conditions that the like might be sanctified to his people but it was sufficient that Christ fulfilled the whole Law as it was required of one in his station and that is enough to answer for the Elect whatever relation or condition they are in Secondly Christ did obey not only moral commands but also subjected himself to the commands of instituted Worship and as he was circumcised in his infancy so when he was adult he was Baptized and gives that reason of it because it became him to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 So Christ partook of the Lords Supper Mat. 26 29. some think that the reason why Christ was Baptized was that he might thereby shew his approbation of Johns Baptism but that might have been done by his Word and I can't think that Christ would use a fignificant ceremony if the signification had not at all belonged to him neither would he perform an act of Worship that was not proper for him only to shew his approbation another reason that is given is that it was to sanctifie our Baptisme but their Baptism was sanctified that were Baptized before besides it is not the example but the institution of Christ that sanctifies our Baptism Another reason that hereby he was inaugurated and consecrated to his Office but there is nothing leads to that he was solemnly consecrated immediately after this Ordinance has no such signification but the reason of it was because sin was imputed to him and as this Ordinance seals up to us deliverance from sin through Christs Blood so it sealed up to him deliverance from the guilt of sin through his own Blood through the shedding of his Blood he was justified 1 Tim. 3.16 and this was a Seal to his Faith and sin imputed was Sacramentally done away hereby the like may be said of his partaking of the Lords Supper Secondly Christ Jesus has likewise born the penalty of the Law the death of Jesus Christ was a legal death it was the execution of the Law the putting of Christ to death was an act of vindictive justice it was a fruit of the wrath of God this is evident because he is said to he made a curse for us the curse is the condemning sentence and execration of the Law Gal. 3.13 this the Apostle proves from Dout 21.22 23. that law was a ceremonial Law whereby they that were hanged on a Tree were ceremonially accursed to typifie the accursed death of Jesus Christ this typical reason excepted there is no reason
that presents it self for his relief is the reformation of his sins and diligent applying himself unto the duties of Religion and they are travelling this way after peace sometimes many years with a neglect of Christ men ought indeed to seek their peace with reformation but not by their reformations but men are mightily wedded to this way of seeking salvation by their own duties this is one of those things that make the work of conversion so exceeding difficult it is a difficult thing to bring men to be earnestly seeking salvation and when they are brought unto that it is very difficult to bring them to seek it in the right way they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.32 but men have no ground at all for this it is safe appearing before God in the righteousness of Christ but it is no ways safe for men to trust in their own righteousness when men make their own righteousness the ground of their confidence they do but flatter themselves and please themselves in a vain delusion their own works can never procure their acceptance with God. In prosecuting this Vse let us consider 1. Who they are that seek salvation by their own Righteousness 2. What righteousness they do attain unto 3. What are their temptations to seek their salvation in this way 4. What confidence they have in their own righteousness 5. How they do to hide it from themselves that they trust in their own righteousness 6. The vanity of mens trusting to their own righteousness The first thing to be considered is Who they are that seek salvation by their own righteousness But before I give you their characters it will be needful to premise two things 1. They that seek salvation by their own Righteousness do not expect salvation from the covenant of works as it requires perfect obedience in order unto life they dare not adventure their souls on the strictness of the Law though they had need to do so if they seek life by their own works but they do not thus they look upon their righteousness as that which will allay the Anger of God and be an inducement unto God to save them that which will win the good-will of God and draw the heart of God to them yea they look upon their righteousness as that which will bring God in their debt that God is beholden to them for their service yet they do not lay claim to blessedness by the strictness of the Law for they know and confess themselves to be sinners they pray for forgiveness which things are inconsistent with justification by their own works the Jews did not stand upon a strict covenant of works Rom. 9.31 32 they sought it as it were by the works of the Law but these men do make such a mixture of the covenant of works with the covenant of grace wherein the covenant of works is predominant they make some profession of the Gospel and yet adhere to a covenant of works therefore the Apostle tells them that if they be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing Gal. 5.2 they made account to have some benefit by Christ so they made account to have some benefit by grace therefore the Apostle tells them that whoever of them are justified by the Law are fallen from grace they did not pretend to the strictness of the Law but took in Gospel Principles into their way of justification and yet were legal all the while this makes the Apostle dispute in that manner against them Rom. 6.11 if it be grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then is is no more grace otherwise work is no more works they mingled grace and works together they made their own works the foundation of their hopes and yet took in the plea of Gods grace and Christs Righteousness they thought their own works did contribute something and the grace of God through Christ would make up their defects 2. The Saints of God have a great deal of a self-righteous spirit remaining in them and men must not conclude because they find such workings in their hearts that they are self-righteous no doubt many of the Galatians that were tainted with the doctrine of the Legallists were really converted Gal. 4.14 there was somewhat of this spirit in Peter Mat. 19.29 we have forsaken all what shall we have therefore as the people of God are not compleatly delivered from other corruptions so not from carnal confidence there is such a spirit working and sometimes prevailing in them but there is also in the Saints an evangelical spirit Phil. 3.3 we rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh they allow not themselves to have any confidence in the Flesh These things premised take these characters of those men that seek salvation by their own righteousness 1. Such men as magnifie themselves by their duties and frames they count highly of themselves because of what they do pride is the very spirit of self-righteousness The self-righteous man sets a great price upon what he does he loves to be thinking upon what he has done how his heart melted in such a duty how his affections were drawn out and enlarged in such a prayer what he has done and suffered in the cause of God he loves to chew over duties again as things that do commend him to God while another man is magnifying free-grace and the Righteousness of Christ the self-righteous man is idolizing his own services falls in love with his own beauty is taken with his own carriage and thinks that God and man should be taken with him he thinks his works do ingratiate him with God and draw the heart of God towards him so the Pharisee Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess he minds God of it what a choice man he was and thinks that God has not many such servants as himself he counts his own righteousness his riches Rev 3 17. he is rich in prayers rich in mournings rich in duties of Religion and of charity he is not brought to be poor in spirit he don't see himself without money and without price but has a considerable estate of his own to live upon he thinks that by his duties he gains somthing towards the paying for salvation Phil. 3.7 he places his confidence in those things and glories in them as a rich man boasts of his wealth so he boasts of his righteousness and despises other men as the Pharisee Luk. 18 11. I am not as other men or like this Publican whereas the spirit of a Saint is to glory in the righteousness and sufferings of Christ Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Jesus Christ 2. Such men make their duties their refuge in time of danger such men are oftentimes scared from a remembrance of their former courses and sence of present
Rom. 9.32 they sought it as it were by the works of the Law. 2. They pretend that they do not trust in their own works for tho they do take encouragement from them yet it is only as they are signs of a good estate not as the foundation of their Faith they say that Ministers do commonly give men signs from their works and qualifications to try their good estate and so does the Word of God and we find that holy men in Scripture have laid great weight upon them and they are not to be blamed for that that is not a self-righteous spirit but many men that make this pretence do make them the foundation of their Faith for they take their first encouragement from hence to come to Christ and dare not come when they can see nothing in themselves to encourage them 3. They pretend that they are not seeking salvation by their own righteousness but they are only labouring after a work of Humiliation to prepare them for Christ they have all along been instructed that there can be no true Faith without a foregoing work of Humiliation and therefore they only wait for that work in order to their coming to Christ but men do greatly deceive themselves in this thing a natural man may have a work of Humiliation but a natural man cannot heartily seek after it for every unhumbled sinner is striving against the work of Humiliation they are opposing of it either by endeavours to set up a righteousness of their own seeking in that way to escape condemnation instead of yielding to God they are flying to their strong holds sheltering themselves in their prayers reformations desires c. or else by wrangling as a person pursued runs away till overtaken and then he fights so the sinner when he sees that he can't save himself is contending with God objecting against divine proceedings thinks that Gods dealings are very hard measure Rom. 9.19 in both these methods they oppose the work of Humiliation and when a sinner thinks that he is seeking after the work of Humiliation he is opposing it he is indeed striving against the work of Humiliation when he is seeking of it as much as when he is seeking to strengthen and increase his desires and affections for indeed he is making a righteousness of Humiliation he labours after it that that may commend him to God he thinks that would ingratiate him with God he looks at Humiliation as an eminent peice of righteousness as a castle that would shelter him from the wrath of God he looks upon Humiliation as a choice frame of spirit he looks on at it as a great attainment so that those that stay away from Christ under pretence that they are not humbled and are waiting for a work of Humiliation are seeking salvation by their own righteousness 6. Let us consider the vanity of mens trusting in their own righteousness men do please themselves with an idle dream when they put their confidence in their own Righteousness all that they gain by it is to go the more pleasantly to hell mens own righteousness is but a sandy Foundation to build upon the hopes of such men shall be cut off and their trust prove a spiders web it is a needless thing for men to trust in their own righteousness there is foundation enough for Faith without that there is no need of our own righteousness to draw the heart of God to us the love of God is free and independent there is no need of our own righteousness to satisfie the Law for us Jesus Christ has done that fully there needs no addition of our own to perfect his work and it is a vain thing for men to trust in their own righteousness they idolize it and give an honour that does not belong to it yea such persons do cast great reflections upon Christ as if he laid down his life to no purpose they cast disparagement upon God they despise the love of God in sending Jesus Christ cast reflection on him as if he might have spared that cost they do what in them lies to make the death of Christ in vain yea it is a dangerous thing men think it is a great venture to depend up on the righteousness of Christ but it is a desperate venture for men to depend upon their own righteousness such whose eyes God has opened would not for a thousand worlds venture their souls upon that foundation there is not only hazard of miscarrying but certain ruine in that way the expectations of such men will end in miserable disappointment though Paul had done as much for God as any man alive yet he durst not entertain such a thought of appearing before God in his own righteousness Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law he that trusts in his own righteousness takes as certain a course to ruine his own soul as he that lives in ways of unrighteousness This appears 1. God has made no promise to you in this way there are promises made to them that trust in the Righteousness of Christ but there is not a syllable that way to those that trust in their own righteousness it is a presumptuous thing for any man to promise himself salvation in such a way wherein God does not promise it to him God indeed in the covenant of works does promise life upon the account of perfect obedience but what is that unto you who are destitute of that obedience who neither have nor ever can fullfil the condition of that covenant God also promises salvation in the Gospel to those that are sincerely godly and righteous but where does he speak one word of saving them upon the account of their own righteousness or to save those that confide in their own righteousness God is wholly silent as to any such promise if there were such a promise there would be a foundation for Faith but God gives no encouragement unto men to depend upon their own righteousness which he would certainly do if that were a way of safety for God undertakes in his Word to direct men the right way to heaven if this way had been right God would not have neglected to have promised salvation to them in this way besides it has bin Gods manner all along to deal with man in the way of a covenant to that end that men may be encouraged to walk in the right way to the obtaining of good and honour him by exercising Faith in his Word Gods manner is to propose conditions to men and give them assurance of the benefit in that way he never left mankind to guess at the way of salvation and to contrive by their own wisdom a suitable way to bring them to heaven the wisdom of man is utterly insufficient to any such work God knew his own mind what way pleased him and has bound himself unto man in that way when he first made man he entred into a
to heaven when there was a better path before sure God who is infinite in wisdom would not have provided a righteousness for sinners in Christ if they could provide one for themselves this providence of God does speak you to be under a dreadful mistake Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law given that could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law Rom. 8.3 4 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Gal. 2.16 5. This way of salvation by mens own righteousness is cross to Gods design the great design of God in pardoning and saving of sinners is to glorifie the riches of his grace to let the world understand what a gracious God he is God has other methods to glorifie his other attributes by the creation of the world by his giving of the Law by eternal punishments upon wicked men and angels he glorifies his power wisdom holiness and justice but notwithstanding these works of God the pardoning grace of God lay hid but he has contrived the salvation of sinful man as for the further manifestation of his other attributes so in special to make known the riches of his pardoning and saving grace Eph. 1.7 in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Eph. 2.7 speaking of the benefits we have by Christ he gives this as the reason That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus and this way of salvation by Christ and a proper means for the furthering of this end though Christ has purchased pardon and glory for us that does not hinder the manifestation of Gods grace for though our pardon and salvation be a due debt in respect of Christ yet it is a free gift in respect of us though there be a purchase yet not by us but God sent his Son to make that purchase for us Rom. 6.23 the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord but when men seeks salvation by their own righteousness they seek it in a way directly repugnant to the design of God this is a way to exalt themselves and to rob God of his glory when men trust in themselves they glory in themselves they boast in their own excellency and not in the free grace of God for if it be of works then it is no more grace Rom. 11.6 the self-rightous man does cross Gods end if he should attain Salvation in that way God would miss his aim the self-righteous man takes a course to dash the counsels of God to pieces and make the design that was upon his heart in the salvation of Sinners come to nothing he seeks to overthrow this glorious contrivance of God for the advancement of the glory of his grace if man should have salvation as the fruit of his own earnings and the reward of his own deservings man would be blessed but the glory of grace would not be manifested Gods design would fall to the ground and the counsel of his heart for ever miscarry but the counsels of God stand for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations can it enter into the heart of any man to conceive that God will not be true to his own design but gratifie the humors of men by saving of them in such a way as is destructive to it surely men are horribly stupid to expect salvation in such a way as will not stand with Gods design what ever hopes of this kind men feed themselves with they will end in disappointment if such men be not disappointed God must be disappointed CHAP. IX USE II. Examination Whether men do believe in the Righteousness of Christ VSE II. TO put you upon the Examination whether you do put your trust in the righteousness of Christ if so then you are in a safe condition and may stand before God another day with comfort in the great day of the Lord multitudes that have made a profession of Religion will miserably fail of their expectations and that upon this account that they want the Wedding Garment but although you have many failings yet if you believe in Christ you shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 all your Religion signifies nothing as to your salvation if you do not believe in Christ if you would know then what you are like to meet withal at the day of judgment whether you shall find acceptance with the Lord when tousands shall not try your selves by this whither you do believe on Jesus Christ there be some other wayes of trial from all those things that do accompany salvation but this is the principal way to which indeed all others are reduceable there be other properties that are evidential of a mans safety but this is the foundation evidence as that which gives him his right and title to salvation 1 Joh. 5.13 I have written to you that believe on the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life examin therefore whether you do indeed believe on the Son of God there be many that say they have Faith Jam 2.14 there be many pretenders to Faith there is as much deceit in the heart about Faith as about any other grace there are imitations and resemblances of Faith such as the Scripture does give the name of Faith unto Luk. 8.13 which for a while believe all sorts of men that make prosession of the Doctrine of salvation by Christ profane men profess this and self-righteous men profess this men that were never sensible that God was indeed angry with them and men that do imagine that they have pacified him are both of them pretenders to Faith in Christ men that do indeed trust in that that they never did much provoke God and men that trust in that they have pleased him again do both make profession of their Faith in Christ therefore it stands you in hand strictly to examine whether you do indeed believe in the righteousness of Christ And you may try it these several wayes 1. By the foregoing work of Humiliation 2. By the manner of the souls first closing with Christ 3. By the living a life of Faith on Christ Jesus 4. By that holiness that does accompany and flow from Faith in Jesus Christ 1. Try your Faith by the foregoing work of Humiliation there is a preparatory work necessary before a sinners closing with Christ this is a work that comes between the rest of the foul in sin and the sinners accepting of Christ men do not immediately step out of a condition of quietness in sin into a state of salvation a tree must first be prepared bofore it be laid in the building the bodies at the resurrection must be prepared before life
to the enjoyment of himself in a way of hearkening to his counsels why did God make such a creature that should have such a capacity and such desires if he had not an heart to bestow this good upon him God satisfies the desires of every living thing heavenly glory though it be great yet it is not too much for our need he bestows upon the beasts of the earth the fish of the sea and Fowls of heaven such things as are suitable to their needs and why should we think that God is unwilling to bestow upon man what he needs if men will take the directions that he gives unto them 4. God has made heaven on purpose to bestow it upon men together with the angels the earth was made for man and so was heaven too God raised this glorious building on purpose to entertain men it is a Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 God has prepared for them a City Heb. 11.16 this was one of the first works that God ever did to prepare this place of blessedness for men he did not need any heaven for himself he was infinitely happy before heaven was made bnt he made it on purpose for such as shall come to Christ how then can we think that God is unwilling to bestow it upon them now it is made he will not say it is too good for them he turned man indeed out of Paradise that was made for him because that was made for him only so long as he retained his integrity but the heavenly Paradise was made for such as will come unto Christ 5. This is but proportionable to that design that is upon the heart of God men do not stick to do great things for the accomplishing of designs that lie much upon their hearts Princes will be at vast expence to shew their magnificence the Artist will take a great deal of pains to shew his skill and God has a design upon his heart to manifest his glory and has done great things for that end he made this glorious fabrick of heaven and earth to be as a glass wherein his glory is represented and the eternal salvation of such as you is greatly subservient to this end Eph. 1.5 6 Eph. 2.6 7 here is nothing in this contrary to Gods glory nothing that is an hindrance to it but it suits that end the mercy of God is much honoured by his pardoning and saving of sinners Micah 7.18 herein is seen what free compassion is in the heart of God it is much for the glory of God to lead sinners through all the difficulties of the way unto heaven it is much for the glory of God notwithstanding all their unworthiness to bestow heaven upon them it is much for the glory of God to have multitudes in heaven to be spectators and admirers of his glory Joh. 17.24 That they may be with me where I am to behold my glory which thou hast given me 6. There has been a great price paid for it if you had kept the covenant of works and been perfectly obedient unto God without any defect you would not have doubted of Gods readiness to accept of you and save you but here is as fair a way made for your acceptance and salvation God is fully satisfied for every jot of that glory that he promises unto you Jesus Christ has payed the full price of it according to the tenour of the covenant it is a due debt to all that are partakers of the righteousness of Christ it is an act of Justice in God to bestow salvation upon them heavenly glory is purchased glory Eph. 1.14 until the redemption of the purchased possession Discouragement 2. The many sins that he has been guilty of sometimes a Saint has a dismal frightful apprehension of his sins they appear to him as a dark cloud he knows that God is an holy and a jealous God he speaks dreadfully in his Word against sinful practices and has brought dreadful judgment upon angels and men for their sins and hence he is fearful that God will not pardon him his sins proves his great temptation hence his heart is still harping upon that string that God is an holy sin-revenging God and that he hath been guilty of abundance of sin Psal 40.12 mine iniquities take hold of me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me And there are two things especially that prove matter of temptation and make him afraid to believe One thing is the many aggravations that he sees in his sins he sins against light against covenant not withstanding abundance of mercy with a great deal of perverseness they have reiterated sins after bewailing of the same they have sinned with deliberation their sins seem to have exceeded the limits of pardoning mercy The other thing is that they fear that their sins do speak and evidence their hypocrisie they are apt to think they should not they could not do so if they were not hypocrites they fear that such carriages are not consistent with grace and thence they are much discouraged they think if they have been hypocrites all this while there is very little hope for them that would be such a provocation that they fear God would never pardon it the fear of their hypocrisie makes them fearful to cast themselves upon Christ For the removal of this discouragement Consider 1. That the law of God leaves as much room for the pardon of great fins as of little ones lesser sins and greater sins are all mortal by the law by the sentence of the law one sin is as certainly destructive as a thousand The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 and the Law does allow of the pardon of multitudes as well as of one the Law allows of the pardon of sin provided there be satisfaction the Law stands upon it to have punishment but it does not stand for personal punishment in case of great sins no more than in case of little sins the Law makes no distinction but it gives as much liberty for the pardon of great offenders as of lesser there is no tittle that way in the covenant of works that great sinners must dye in their own persons the thing that the Law looks at is that sin be punished according to the demerit thereof that the Justice of God be vindicated but God does not bind up his own hands that he may not forgive great sinners he reserves that liberty to himself in the law of punishing any sins in a surety and so of pardoning them the law admits of the pardon of any sin if there be satisfaction the reason that the sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable is not from any thing in the covenant of works but because God when he provided a surety made an exception of that sin but if sin be punished the law is satisfied the law does not forbid the pardon
sins upon him Christ was legally guilty of our sin and God punished him 1 Pet 2.24 He bare our sins in his own body upon the tree sai 53.4 Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows Rom 4.25 He was delivered for our offences And here we may take notice of a great difference between the first and second Adam The first Adam brought the guilt of one sin upon us but Jesus Christ takes away the guilt not only of that but of our innumerable personal Transgressions and this the Apostle minds Rom 5.16 And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences to justification the first sin that Man is guilty of layes him open unto death and his after sins do multiply his Obligations unto death but do not expose him unto so many several deaths yet they do expose him unto a sorer and greater degree of eternal death where there are several sins meeting in the same person they are to be punished with an aggravated death one death must be endured equivalent to so many several deaths for every sin must be accounted for in the day of judgment Eccles 12.14 and therefore Christ that he might procure a remission of all our sins bore a punishment proportionable to them all he was punished for them all Isai 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions what he redeemed us from that he endured himself Gal. 3.13 only it must be remembred that by reason of the dignity of his person that sorrow which he endured was a greater measure of punishment that it would have been in us The Eighth thing to be considered is That the Righteousness of Jesus Christ is sufficient for the Elect of God in all ages he has an everlasting Priesthood and the vertue of his Sacrifice dos cotinue from the beginning to the end of the World therefore he is said to bring in everlasting Righteousnes Dan. 9.24 His Righteousness was efficacious for the ages before his coming though it was not then actually wrought out in former Generations this righteousness was available for justification as a man may be discharged of a Debt because of the Bond of his Surety before the money is paid so Christ was preached as the way of Salvation from the very fall of Adam Gen. 3.15 The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head the way that the Patriaks were justified was by Faith in Christ Rom. 4.3 hence they are said to be saved by Grace Act 15 11 the Covenant which was made with Abraham was made in consideration of the righteousness of Christ Gal 3 17 The covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ Christ was actually slain after the World had stood about four thousand years but he was reckoned as slain from the foundation of the World Rev 13 8 the vertue of his blood reached unto the first ages of the world that is implied Heb. 9.25 26. Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High Priest entereth every year into the holy place with the blood of others for then must be often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Hence there was through him remission of the sins that were past Rom 3 25. he died for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament Heb 9 15 the means of the salvation of the Fathers was accomplished in the dayes of the Gospel they were saved before but the price of this Salvation was payed when Christ died that is intended by that expression Heb. 11 40 God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect His Righteousness is also efficacious for all ages after his coming Christ payed for the salvation of those Generations that were not born then he satisfied for sins that were not then committed for God has appointed the Gospel to be Preached to the end of the World Mat. 28 19 20 yea Christ appointed that his death should be shewed forth in the Lords Supper unto the day of Judgment 1 Cor. 11 26 in the Redemption of Christ God shewed grace to the ages to come Eph 2 7 there will be some saved by Christ in all Ages to the end of the world Eph 3 31 the Saints under Antichrist are said to be redeemed by Christ Revel 14 6. The reason of this everlasting efficacy of Christs Righteousness is from Gods acceptance God might accept it as well before it was wrought out as after and it was as easie for Christ to redeem millions of men as one Christ being a Surety the same righteousness that will serve for one will serve for all as it is with the sin of Adam it is as sufficient to condemn millions as one and if Christ had been to redeem many more he needed not to have done or suffered any thing more what is done by the representative is reckoned to all them whom he represents The last Proposition for the cleaning of the Argument is That Christ has so purchased Salvation that the Elect cannot fail of it and herein lies one great difference between the first Adam and the second though the first Adam made us Heirs of death yet there is a possibility of our escaping destruction but the second Adam has so made us Heirs of life as that it is impossible that we should miss thereof that is intended Rom. 5 17. If by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they that receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in lise by one Jesus Christ Christs purchase gives us such a title to Salvation as that there can be no failure of it 2 Thes 2.16 God has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through Grace the reason of the difference is because there was an exception in the Law that we must dye except our Surety died for us but the promise of eternal life which Christ has purchased does admit of no exception the promise made unto Christ does admit of no exception Psal 72 17. Men shall be blessed in him according to that promise to Jacob all the Families of the earth should be blessed in his seed and the promise made unto Believers does admit of no exception there are many promises that have a limited interpretation some are indefinite and some are conditional but this promise is absolute and universal Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but might have everlasting life Before I leave this Argument it is needful to answer one Objection which is this If Christs Righteousness be that which the Law requires of us then God would deal with those that have an interest in that as he would have done if they had performed
that righteousness themselves as he would have done if Adam had kept the covenant of works but he don't do thus the promise in the covenant of works is life which includes all manner of felicity but Believers are far short of felicity they have much sin remaining in them are left to fall into many sins they are liable to very sore and dreadful afflictions and to death the promise of the Law is not fulfilled to them therefore it seems they have not the righteousness of the Law. Ans 1. These sorrows do not come upon the People of God for want of a perfect righteousness or for want of compleat satisfaction and this is an evdence of it because those sorrows do not come in a way of vindictive justice or vengeance though they are for the matter of them the same with the curses of the Law yet not for the manner they do not come to satisfie God for sin those Saints that have the most sin have not always the most sorrow to be left unto sin is not a curse to the people of God Hezekiah was left to sin in mercy 2 Chron 32.31 It was that be might know what is in his heart and so their afflictions Rev. 3.19 Whom I love I rebuke and chasten Jer 24 5 I have sent them into the land of the Chaldeans for their good Sin opens a door to afflictions but God brings them in mercy All the wayes of the Lord are merccy and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies Psal 25.10 2. Though Christ has fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for us yet God is not absolutely bound to reward the righteousness of Christ just in the same manner as he would have done the righteousness of Adam though the righteousness be the same yet there may be circumstantial differences in the reward blessedness is the reward of righteousness but there may be so the circumstantial parts of the reward that may differ as it was with the sufferings of Christ he suffered not in all things the same that the Elect should have done but yet he suffered as much so it is here Christ has purchased perfect blessedness for us yet he has not so purchased it that God is bound to bring us presently and at once into the possession of it Christ has purchased the good of the covenant of works viz. blessedness to be dispensed to us according to the tenor of the covenant of grace viz. to have it begun here and perfected hereafter therefore he is called The Mediator of the new covenant Heb. 12.24 and his seed is called the blood of the everlasting covenant Heb. 13.20 3. There is special reason also why God should not wholly deliver his people from sin and sorrow in this world the special reason why he leaves them to sin is to take occasion thereby for the magnifying of his pardoning grace there are also weighty reasons why he exercises his people here with many sorrows in particular that he may vindicate his own holiness and that he may carry on the work of Sanctification in them in a way suitable unto the nature of Man. CHAP. IV. The second Argument from the Prophecies and Tâ—pes of the Old Testament the third Argument from God's love in giving his Son to dye for us the fourth Argument from the Exaltation of Christ Argument 2. GOd has foretold in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament that Christ should bring us to Salvation by his righteousness therefore it is safe appearing before God therein God has foretold this both in the plain Prophecies that he gave to the ancient Church and in those Types that he gave them wherein this Truth was represented 1. It was foretold in the Prophecies of the Old Testament God by degrees did reveal much of the way of Salvation unto the Church of Israel though it fell abundantly short of those manifestations which he has given in Gospel times yet what was then made known serves as a great confirmation of the truth of the Gospel and I shall not insist on such Prophecies as do only hold forth Salvation by Christ without revealing the particular way of it as where it is said the seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head that in him all the Families of the earth should be blessed that he should be a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the ends of the earth though I might make good the Argument from hence for our condition was such that Christ could not save us without working out righteousness for us but I shall only urge such Prophecies as do hold forth Christs saving of us by his righteousness of which there are these four sorts 1. It was foretold that the Church should have their righteousness from Christ that they should derive their Justification from him Isai 45.24 Surely shabl one say in the Lord Jehovah have I rightousness and strength righteousness is not here taken for holiness or the righteousness of sanctification but the righteousness of justification the Church has its sanctification from Christ by infusion and assistance and their justification from him by the imputation of his righteousness and henco that Name The Lord our Righteousness is given to Christ Jer. 23 6 and the same name is given to the Church Jer. 33.16 both of them in remembrance that the Church does derive her Righteousness from Christ accordingly Christ is said to bring in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 2. It was foretold that Christ should dye for our sins the death of Christ was not onely foretold but also upon what account it should be 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures this we have at large set down in Isa 53 where we may mind 1. What he suffered namely death besides many other calamities he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter ver 7 he was cut off out of the land of the living ver 8. God made his soul an offering verse 10. 2. Vpon what account he suffered the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all ver 6. 3. What benefit redounds to us by his sufferings by his knowledge that must not be understood subjectively but objectively by the knowledg of him shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities 3. It was foretold that Christ should effect our salvation by doing that for us that sacrifice and burnt offering could not do Psal 40 6 7 8. sacrifice and offering thou didst not desice but mine ears hast thou opened c. concerning which Scripture you may observe these things 1. That the thing that sacrifices could not effect for us was our reconciliation there was some imagination in men that sacrifices should make their peace but God did not accept them upon that account 2. When he says mine ears hast thou opened he speaks concerning Christ this we have the authority of the Apostle for Heb. 10.5 3. By this phrase is imported the Obedience and