the fulness of time was come took to himself a true humane Body and Soul was conceived by the Holy Ghost was Born of a mean Virgin lived in a mean condition was owned by a voice from Heaven to be the only begotten and beloved Son of God who Preached the glad tidings of Salvation to Sinners confirmed his Doctrine by many Miracles who died for the Salvation of sinners and that the cursed death of the Cross was raised up the third day appeared to his Disciples after his Resurrection and after forty day in the sight of many Ascended up into Heaven where now he is at the Right Hand of God making Intercession for us Sixthly How doth Jesus deliver from the Wrath of God which is to come Jesus doth deliver from the wrath of God which is to come 1. By his Death hereby he hath purchased deliverance having hereby satisfied Gods Justice Jesus in his death did in our stead undergo that punishment which our sins deserved his Body was nailed to the Cross which was a cursed death and his Soul was afflicted with the immediate impressions of Gods wrath which was so weighty and grievous that any meer creature would have sunk under it but he being God-Man did bear up and break thorow and got loose from under the burden of wrath and the bands of death and the dignity of his person put a merit upon his sufferings especially the erernal compact or aggreement between him and his Father being such and so became a sufficient satisfaction to Justice and that accepted as fully as if sinners had done it in their own persons We read that Jesus himself bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. That he gave his life a ransom for many Mat. 20. 28. That we are Redeemed with his Blood 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. That we are Reconciled through his Death Rom. 5. 10. Jesus doth deliver from wrath by his death having therein undergone it himself in the room of his People 2. By his Intercession Christ doth deliver from wrath to come having offered up himself a Sacrifice to satisfie Divine Justice for sin he pleads the merit of it at the right hand of God in the behalf of sinners for their Redemption he is called not only our Surety to satisfie for us Heb. 7. 22. But also our Advocate to Plead for us 1 John 2. 1. Our deliverance from Wrath to come the damnation and punishment of Hell doth proceed not onely from Christ's death whereby he hath purchased it but also from his Intercession whereby he doth effectually impetrate and obtain it and therefore the Apostle doth join both together in the procurement of freedom from condemnation Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh incercession for us And upon this account he is said to be able to Save unto the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to Save them to the uttermost that to come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them 3. By his Mission or sending of his Spirit effectually to call People to himself Jesus doth bring them into a state of Salvation and giveth them an actual Interest in this deliverance which he hath purchased for them and this leads to the next particular Seventhly How any do or may have a share in this deliverance by Jesus from wrath to come this is by faith in Jesus Christ which is wrought by his Spirit in effectual calling When the Lord by his Spirit doth open the eyes of Sinners and convinceth them of the guilt and evil of their sins awakeneth their conscience and worketh contrition and a sense of their misery and danger and when the Lord showeth and perswadeth them how utterly unable they are to Save themselves that no reformation or righteousness of their own which either they have or can attain unto can procure deliverance from wrath for them and withal that no meer Creature in the World is able to help them in this case and when the Lord by his Spirit doth discover himself as the only Saviour and All-sufficient and most willing to save and deliver them and withal doth most powerfully and irresistably and yet most sweetly how their wills and encline them to chuse him for their Saviour and grieving for sin and renouncing their own righteousness to call themselves and rest upon him alone for Salvation and this accompained with a free and resolved delivering themselves up to his Teaching and Government this is effectual calling wherein the Lord by his Spirit doth draw and lay hold on Sinners and enableth them by faith to lay hold on him and hence ariseth their union to and Interest in Christ and they come to have a share in the deliverance by Christ from wrath to come When the Jaylor cryed out with trembling to Paul and Silas Sirs what must I do to be saved the direction is Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be Saved Act. 16. 30 31. It is Faith that giveth an Interest in Christ and hereby an Interest in the deliverance which he hath purchased It is Faith doth unite us unto Christ whereby we are said to be in him and there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. We are justified by Faith Rom. 5. 1 And so are absolved from the guilt of Sin and all obligation unto punishment The Lord Jesus Christ having fully satisfied Gods justice for our sins by his death in our stead and this being imputed unto us through Faith and accounted as if we had done it our selves as a surety's paying our Debt is accounted by the Creditor as if we had paid it we are acquitted and no more exposed unto the wrath of God and punishment of Hell than if we had never committed any one sin to deserve it Use 1. For Information 1. See here the worth of Jesus he is the Deliverer and the only Deliverer from wrath to come Jesus Christ is a person of the greatest worth in himself the Divine and Humane Nature being united in him rendereth him infinitely glorious altogether lovely and hence it is that he is replinished with such transcendent excellencies and perfections as are not to be found again in any Creature either in Earth or Heaven and Jesus Christ is esteemed to be the most worthy person by those that know him and understand what real worth is especially sinners when awakened and made sensible of the curse which lyeth upon them for sin and the wrath of God which hangeth over them and when they come to apprehend how fearful a thing it is to fall under the strokes of Gods vengeance and see no way of escape but only by Jesus the only Deliverer from future wrath of all persons and things in the World Jesus Christ is most precious unto them never did there appear in the world a person
my heart to add Drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Moreover we read Gal. 3. 13. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Such as are guilty of any transgression of the Law whilst out of Christ are under the curse and lyable unto Gods Wrath and it is said Heb. 3. 2. That every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward Hence it is that the children of disobedience are called children of Wrath Eph. 2. 2 3. 2. The wrath of God will come upon all Hypocrites it is more peculiarly appropriated unto them as their portion Matth. 24. 51. He shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Whoever escape Gods wrath hypocrites shall not escape whoever are pardoned hypocrites shall be punished such as have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof such as make some show of outward reformation but are without inward transformation such as are like Painted Sepulchres fair and beautiful without but within full of rottenness such who make it their great business to appear Religious and take no care to be Religious but are rotten at heart and cover carnal designs with a cloke of profession as their sin is most offensive unto God here so his wrath will certainly come upon them with the greatest severity hereafter 3. The wrath of God will come upon all impenitent and unbelieving persons Luke 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Mark 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Repentance and Faith are two great duties of the Gospel and wrath is particularly threatned to such as do not obey the Gospel to such God will render indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish Rom. 2. 8 9. And Christ will come in flaming Fire to take vengeance upon them 2 Thess 1. 8. Such as are impenitent and unbelievers neglect the Salvation of the Gospel which by Faith in Christ alone is attainable and sinning against the only remedy they cannot escape Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Fourthly When this wrath of God will come 1. The wrath of God will come in part upon the wicked immediately after the separation of their Soul from the Body the souls of the wicked assoon as they are loosned by death from the ruinous Habitation of their bodies they presently appear before God and are condemned to Hell and dragd by the Devil the Jaylor into that Prison where they are bound in Chains of Darkness filled with horrour and anguish until the day of eternal Judgement The Scripture tells us of disobedient Spirits thrown into Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. 2. The Wrath of God will come in full upon all the wicked together at the last day called the day of Judgement and Perdition of the Ungodly 2 Pet. 3. 7. When the Lord Jesus shall come to Judge the World he will bring the Treasures of Gods wrath with him and render unto all the wicked that wrath and vengeance which is their due and therefore this day is called The day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God Rom. 2. 5. This will be a dreadful day unto the wicked when the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and like a Stoll be rolled together and the Elements shall melt with frevent heat and be dissolved when the Sun shall become black as Sack-cloth of Hair and the Moon become like Blood when the powers of Heaven shall be shaken and the Stars shall fall from Heaven unto the Earth like Figgs from their Tree when it is shaken with a mighty Wind when there shall be Thunderings exceeding loud and Lightnings and Tempest exceeding horrid when the last Trumpet shall sound and a mighty shout shall come down from above and awaken all the Sinners that are asleep in the dust when Christ the great Judge of the World shall come forth from his Fathers house and make his appearance in the World with Millions of mighty Angels and all the Saints at his right hand clothed with Majesty and brightness of Glory and when the wicked shall come forth of their Graves and so soon as they shall open their eyes shall see Heaven and Earth on Fire about their Ears and the Lord Jesus coming towards them in flaming Fire to take vengeance upon them so soon as they open their ears shall hear the dreadful Trumpet and Shout in the Air and the Howlings and Lamentations of all their fellow Sinners about them upon the Earth O the dread and confusion which the wicked then shall be filled with when they are summoned and dragged to the Tribunal Seat of Christ and there have the Books opened before them where all their fins are written and which then will be made manifest unto the whole World and when the Sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting Fire shall be passed upon them and when the Lord shall open the Treasures of Wrath unto them and give them that portion thereof which is their due and when they shall see the mouth of Hell open beneath them and an horrible flame issuing forth from thence giving notice of a more horrible fire within which is prepared for them O the dread O the shreeks Who can dwell with such devouring Fire Who can inhabit such everlasting burnings How welcome would a great Rock or Mountain be if they could find any that would fall upon them and hid them from the wrath of the Lamb and keep off the strokes of Gods vengeance which then will be inflicted upon them but the Sentence being pronounced the Execution will follow and none can escape it from Christ's tribunal Seat the wicked will be rhrown into the fiery Prison of Hell where they will be shut down and shut in and that for ever there they will lye there they will fry and there they will cry and though always dying yet they will never dye the fire there will burn most dreadfully and continually and never be extinguished and the wicked will be tormented there in every part and in extremity and their torment will never be ended Fifthly Who this Jesus is that doth deliver from Wrath to come In the Text he is called Jesus and the reason of this name we shall find Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall Save his People from their Sins This Jesus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Man in one Person he is the Eternal Son of God of the same Essence with the Father equal to him in Power and Glory who before the world was appointed in time to be the Redeemer of Mankind and when
of such high dignity of such admirable beauty and such wonderful Love as the Lord Jesus Christ who came down from the Father and clothed himself with our nature for this end that he might become our Saviour and Redeemer our Surety and Advocat and that he might deliver us from wrath to come 2. See here the value of Christ's Death without shedding of Blood there is no Remission Heb. 9. 22. And if no remission then no deliverance from wrath to come if guilt doth remain punishment will ensue and that of God's eternal wrath in Hell It was not the blood of Bulls and Goats Sacrificed under the Law that could remove guilt and procure remission of Sin Heb. 10. 4. For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away Sin But it was through Christ's Sacrifice of himself once for all and shedding of his blood upon the Cross that Remission of sins and by consequence this deliverance from wrath to come was purchased It was not thousands of Rams or ten thousand rivers of Oil or all the Treasures of the Earth that could have procured remission of Sin because all this would have been no satisfaction unto Gods Justice but the Blood of Jesus who is God-man hath satisfied Gods Justice by his death Christ hath paid the full price which was due for sin surely then his death is of greater value than the riches were there so many of ten thousand worlds 3. Here see the excellency of Faith we read in the first Epistle of Peter of a precious Christ Chap. 2. 7. And of Christ's precious Blood Chap. 1. 19. And of precious Faith also Chap. 1. 7. Of all other graces Faith is called precious and it hath above other graces a peculiar excellency not in respect of it self so much but in regard of it's object as it doth give Interest in the precious Christ and make application of his precious Blood whereby we come to attain a share in this deliverance by Christ from wrath to come Christ is most precious as the Author of our deliverance Christ death is most precious as the merit of our deliverance and Faith is most precious as the instrument of our deliverance 4. Here see what a Priviledge it is to have the Gospel Preached amongst us which is a means to make discovery unto us of Jesus Christ the only Deliverer from wrath to come as also to work Faith in us which cometh by hearing Rom. 10. 17. Whereby alone we come to have Interest in Jesus Christ and his deliverance Such as are without the Gospel are in darkness and unbelief and are hastening forward towards the regions of eternal darkness and they know not whither they are going It is of more use to have the Light of the Gospel than to have the light of the Sun and the total removal of this light is a greater judgement than any temporal calamity since it is the means to prevent eternal misery Vse 2. For Examination Is Jesus the only Deliverer from wrath to come it concerneth all of you them to examine your selves whether you have an Interest in this Jesus and the deliverance from wrath which he hath purchased and through him alone is to be obtain'd All of you are Sinners you were born in sin and you have liv'd in sin and should you dye in sin too as certainly as the guilt of sin doth lye upon you so certainly will the wrath of God come upon you without an Interest in Jesus Christ there can be no escaping for you you may know whether you have an Interest in Jesus Christ by your Faith by your Life by your Love by your Likeness and by your Obedience 1. If you have an Interest in Jesus Christ then you have Faith I don't mean an Historical Faith only to believe the History and report which the Gospel doth give of Jesus Christ what he hath done and suffered nor a temporary Faith which is the food presumption of some formal hypocrites whereby they may seem to cleave unto Christ when indeed their hearts cleave chiefly to sin whereby through misapprehension of Gospel Priviledges and misapplication of Gospel promises they may attain unto some kind of fleshly love and joy which endures but a while and they usually if put upon great tryals do end in open Apostacy But if you have an Interest in Christ indeed you have a true justifying Faith whereby being first convinced of sin humbled and emptied of your selves resolvedly parting with all your sins as to affection and sincerely renouncing all your own righteousness as to dependance you cast your selves upon Christ lean and depend upon him expecting remission and Salvation alone through his perfect righteousness made yours by imputation Have you by Faith discerned Christ have you by Faith applyed Christ are you by Faith joyned unto Christ have you been by Faith taken off your own bottoms and built upon Christ the chief corner stone have you by Faith been cut off your old Stock and engrossed into Christ the choice Vine have you by Faith been divorsed from sin and married unto Christ the best Husband are you indeed got unto and into Christ by Faith and have you received him into your hearts by Faith without this true faith there can be no true union to Christ without union to Christ there can be no Interest in Christ without Interest in Christ there can be no remission of sin no Salvation and deliverance from wrath to come 2. If you have an Interest in Christ you have Life 1 John 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not life He that hath an Interest in Christ the Son of God hath life he shall have Eternal life hereafter and he hath Spiritual life which is eternal life begun here such besides their natural life which they receiv'd from their Parents in their generation they have a principle of spiritual life which they receive from the Spirit of God in their regeneration they are the only persons that are quickned from their Spiritual death but he that hath not the Son hath not life such shall never see life hereafter but the wrath of God abideth on them John 3. 36. And they are spiritually dead here they are dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 1. You may know whether you have an Interest in Jesus Christ by your spiritual Life I do not say by your constant liveliness this may be wanting at sometimes in true believers but you may know it by your spiritual life you were dead but you are alive and you may know your spiritual life by your spiritual motion from sin and towards God by your spiritual senses to discern between good and evil by your spiritual appetite after Christ and his righteousness and communion with God in his ordinances and the like if these be no symptoms of this spiritual life in you it is a sign that Christ is not in you and if Christ be
not in you you have no Interest in him and his deliverance 3. If you have an interest in Christ you have Love you love Christ in sincerity Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity and you love Christ with the supremacy of your love Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother Son or Daughter more then me is not worthy of me If any Man or Woman love any person or thing in the world more than Jesus Christ they are unworthy of him and they have no interest in him or any of his benefits and therefore a dreadful curse is pronounced upon such as do not love Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha that is let him be cursed until the Lord come and when the Lord cometh the wrath of God also will come upon him If you have an interest in Christ you have likeness you are like unto Christ you have his Image upon you Jesus Christ is formed in you Gal. 4. 19. You are like to Christ in your disposition in humility meekness Heavenliness and the like you are not perfectly like to him yet in some measure and you imitate him more and more and endeavour after more conformity unto his Image where Pride Reigns instead of Humility where inordidate anger reigns instead of meekness where malice and revenge reigns instead of Love and forgiveness where the love of the world reigns instead of Heavenly minded ness where evil concupiscence reigns instead of mortified affections such are without likeness to Christ and they are without interest in Christ they that are graceless are also Christless and they cannot escape future wrath 5. If you have an interest in Christ you have Obedience your Faith showeth it self in your works Sam. 2. 18. And your love sheweth it self in your keeping Christ's Commandments John 14. 21. Such as do not obey Christ's but cast his Commandments behinds their back and will not that this Lord should rule over them they have neither Faith nor Love nor Life nor Likeness unto Christ and therefore be sure no interest in him Try your interest in Christ the only Deliverer from future wrath by these marks Vse 3. For Reproof and Terrour If upon search you find you are without an interest in Christ suffer the word of reproof Sinners what do you think is there no such thing as wrath to come is there no such place as Hell where the damned shall be eternally tormented what black-mouth is there that dareth to speak against this which is so clearly revealed in the Word of God surely none but such as are children of the Devil the Father of lyes will impeach the Word of God with falsehood and hereby make God a lyar who hath foretold this so plainly in the Scripture only such as are loose in their lives and deficient in their morals whose interest they think it is to do it will deny the punishment by eternal fire in Hell that so they might sin with the less check and control but when they come to feell the heat of this fire as of all others they are most like to be cast into everlasting burnings then they will be of another mind And if there be such dreadful wrath coming such a horrible fire preparing in Hell for all disobedient persons for all impenitent persons for all hypocrites and unbelievers what do you do sinners have ye not sinned have ye not by your sins deserved and are ye not by your sins exposed unto the vengeance of eternal fire is there any way for you to escape but only by Jesus Christ the only Deliverer from wrath to come and yet do you neglect him do you refuse and reject him do you shut the door of your hearts against him What! do you mind only your bodies what ye shall eat what ye shall drink and wherewithall ye shall be Clothed and to provide for a short abode in this world and in the mean time negect the Salvation of your Souls and take no care to prevent your everlasting punishment Are you not guilty of a great affront and indignity against God when he hath made such provision for your Salvation as to send his Son into the World for you and to proffer his Son with deliverance to you don 't you sin against his chief command which is to believe in and accept of this Son don 't you sin against the greatest impression of his love unto mankind don 't you spurn at his bowles and in effect say God might have kept his Son to himself for any thing you care are you not guilty of the greatest ingratitude towards the Lord Jesus Christ Never was there such a thing heard of since the foundation of the world never could such a thing have entred into your thoughts or desires as the Lord Jesus hath freely and of his own accord done for you and it is a most stupendous thing which me thinks should fill you with astonishment and admiration that the Lord of glory should take your flesh and make himself of no reputation and humble himself unto death even the cursed death of the Cross and all that he might deliver you from the curse of the Law the wrath to come and the pains of Hell for ever now when Christ by his death hath fully satisfied God's justice for your sins and purchased eternal life for your souls and out of wonderful kindness hath caused the everlasting Gospel and glad tidings of Salvation to be made known in this little nook of the Earth and cast your lot in such a spot of ground as the like is not to be found again under the whole Cop of Heaven for the pure and powerful Preaching of the Gospel I say when Jesus Christ hath sent his faithful Ministers unto you whom you may find and hear if you will look after them with this Embassage to tell you what Christ hath done for you and to make tenders of him with all his benefits to you when Christ by them lets you know how able and willing he is to Save you and knocks at the door of your hearts for entertainment that though you are such helpless and miserable Creatures without him you should notwithstanding all thus refuse Christ or neglect him that you should prefere some base lusts before him and to serve the Devil than to be saved by Christ hereby you express great contempt of Christ and are guilty of horrid ingratitude hereby you trample his Blood under your feet and you do in effect say he might have spar'd his pains in coming down from Heaven that he might have stai'd untill he had been sent for that he might have carried his Gospel to any other place for any thing you value it or him thus you deal with Christ and thrust him away from you though he come upon the most welcome errand and ought to be received with all readiness and thankfulness And
have it 's ten thousands this is too broad and hath it's thousands besides the more sober amongst the Heathens who belived a future state of happiness and looked to arrive to it by the moral Righteousness besides the Papists who assert justification by works and that we are no otherwise justified than as we are made internally righteous and this expressing it self in acts of obedience and besides Socinians and other Sects together with the Quakers who plainly affirms that we must be saved by a righteousness within which the Quakers call Christ within all which do fundamentally erre in their judgements concerning the righteousness which alone can save I say besides these it is natural unto all to seek Salvation this way all are born under a Covenant of works they are under the Law and not under Grace and when any think how they shall be saved they presently run to work and seek after a righteousness of their own and to fulfil the Law themselves and hope if they repent and lead a new life though they have sinned that God is mercifulâ— and he will pardon and save them It is an ordinary thing even where the light of truth doth shine most clearly and the Gospel is Preached most powerfully when any are convinced of sin by the beams of this light and awakened out of their security by some powerful Sermon discovering their danger of eternal ruine as the just desert of Sin they will cry out with the Jaylor what shall we do to be saved and however they be directed as he was to believe yet the most do rest in doing and not believing they fall presently upon confession of sin and sorrowing for it they fall upon reforming they will not now be drunk or swear or commit Adultery or break the Sabbath or defraud in their dealings now they begin to hear the Word and Pray in their Families and pray in their Closets and keep days of Fasting and conforms unto all the External acts of Devotion and if they can attain unto some kind of flashy affection they think all is well and if they find their hearts dull and cold and hard they may also be troubled for it not upon a right Gospel account but because they feel they want such a righteousness to present God withall as they desire or through some secret fear that their righteousness will not hold water but all this while these persons seek after salvation through a self righteousness and Christ is left out and his righteousness either unknown or utterly disregarded and neglected by them and thus many go to Hell in a way of duty their duties are the occasion of their damnation through their resting in them and expecting Salvation by them It may seem strange that any should have hopes of Salvation by imperfect servings but this I suppose may come to pass either because they don't mind the imperfections of their services for want of understanding the Law in the Spirituality of it and examining themselves by it or through apprehensions that Gods mercy revealed in his Word will Pardon them not considering that all his special Mercy in pardoning and saving is through Christ not considering that God is infinitely just and righteous as well as merciful and that there is no room for the exercise of Mercy towards Sinners until Justice be satisfied that Gods justice requireth a perfect righteousnes otherwise there cannot be a perfect justification that there must be full satisfaction to Gods justice for the breach of Gods Law otherwise there can be no clear remission and that there must be perfect righteousness made out some way otherwise we cannot be accepted by God as righteous Since therefore this satisfaction to Gods justice cannot be by our selves because being finite we cannot make an infinite compensation which infinite justice doth require and since perfect righteousness which must include both original and actual cannot be in us who are guilty both of original and actual sin and the least sin rendering for ever a personal perfect righteousness impossible and the Law curseth every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them and therefore as many as are of the Law that seeks justification and Salvation by the way of works or righteousness of the Law are under the curse Gal. 3. 10. It is clear that whoever do expect to be saved from wrath to come it must not be by their own righteousness but by anothers righteousness namely the righteousness of Christ If you would attain an interest in Christ you must be sensible of your need of him and his righteousness upon this account 2. Labour for a thorow acquaintance with the nature intendment and efficacy of the righteousness of Christ The Apostle saith of the Jews Rom. 10. 2 3 4. I bear them record they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge for they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteouness unto every one that believeth And as it was with the Jews of Old so it is with many nominal Christians now who may be led only by a blind zeal to work out their own Salvation in a way of doing and it is through their ignorance of the righteousness of Christ called here the righteousness of God either because it is the righteousness alone which God will accept or which God hath found out and provided for men which sence it must have Rom. 3. 21. 22. But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifest even the righteousness of God which is by Faith in Jesus Christ c. That is the righteousness which God doth accept and hath appointed for our justification or it is called the righteousness of God because it is the righteousness of Christ who is God-man no other righteousness than of such a person being sufficient for man in his fallen estate I say through the ignorance of this righteousness of Christ many Christians seeking after a righteousness in order to their Salvation they go about to establish their own righteousness that is a personal righteousness and endeavour the gaining of Heaven in a way of doing and so do not submit themselves to the righteousness of God It is through Pride so natural unto every one that they are loth to be beholding wholly unto another and therefore they would have something of their own to commend them unto God and therefore they do not submit unto the righteousness of Christ which God hath provided for them Therefore you must labour to be clear in your understanding what this righreousness of Christ is there are two things requisite and absolutely necessary unto fallen man The first is satisfaction unto Gods Justice for his sins and without this there can be no escape of eternal death and misery because guilt doth oblige unto punishment
and this cannot be removed until Gods Justice be satisfied the other is perfect actual obedience unto Gods Law and without this there can be no attaining eternal Life and Glory the first Covenant of works so Man in his fallen State being still in force Do this and Live and the Soul that sinneth shall dye now man being finite cannot satisfie Gods justice for his sins and being a Sinner cannot yield perfect actual obedience to Gods Law but the Lord Jesus Christ hath done both for man 1. Christ by his sufferings and death upon the Cross did make satisfaction unto Gods justice he being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And undergoing equivalent punishment punishment unto the damned storment and being God-man though the humane nature only did suffer yet the Divine nature in the same person did put an infinite value upon the sufferings of the humane and so became a sufficient satisfaction unto Gods infinite justice and hereby he hath purchased remission of sins and deliverance from wrath to come 2. Christ hath yeilded perefect actual obedience unto the Law he hath fulfilled all righteousness that not having a righteousness perfect of our own his might he made ours and we might attain life thereby this passive and active obedience of Christ which you should labour to understand and that Christ had not this righteousness for himself he had no sin of his own to suffer for but it was in our stead and as our surety and this righteousness was intended for us and being the righteousness of such a person is highly efficacious to attain that for which it was designed as will appear by the Covenant 3. Labour for a thorow understanding of the Covenant and that both the Covenant which God made with Christ in the behalf of man and the Covenant which God hath made with man through Christ 1. Acquaint your selves with the Covenant God made with Christ in the behalf of man whatever worth and value there was in the righteousness of Christ yet God might have required a personal righteousness and satisfaction and Christ's righteousness might have stood us in no stead but God did eternally Covenant and agree with Christ that if he would take Humane nature and work out a righteousness for fallen man it should be accepted that if he would take to him the body he should prepare for him and make his Soul an Offering for sin that is suffer what his justice did require for the sins of Man that he should see his Seed and justifie many Isa 53. 10 11. It is through this Covenant with Christ that Christ righteousness is accepted in the behalf of Sinners God having agreed before that so it should be 2. Acquaint your selves with the Covenant God hath made with Man through Christ wherein upon the account of Christ God hath promised remission of sins and eternal life Heb. 10. 16 17. This is my Covenant that I will make with them saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their hearts and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more 1 John 2. 25. This is the promise which he hath promised even eternal life If ever you be saved from eternal wrath and attain eternal life it must be by vertue of this New Covenant of Grace wherein God doth engage himself to give what his Son hath purchased 3. Labour to be acquainted with the nature and use of faith which is the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace the Tenour of the Covenant of work was Do and Live the Tenour or that required to give an interest in the Covenant of grace is Believe and Life Faith joyns the Soul unto Christ the Mediatour of this Covenant and giveth an actual interest in him and his purchase and whatever is promised through him in the Covenant Faith is a resting of the Soul alone upon Christ and an application of the promises of Pardon and life unto the Soul Faith is not only a discerning but applying or laying hold on Christ's righteousness without us whereby it is imputed to us or accounted once by God as if it had been our own personal righteousness If ever you would be justified that is have your sins pardoned and your persons accepted as perfectly righteous in the sight of God it must be by Faith renouncing your own righteousness as imperfect and insufficient apprehending and applying resting and trusting in Christ's perfect righteousness 4. Apply your selves unto God in Prayer that he having given his Son for you would also him give to you and that he would give you Faith to receive him and apply him beg this again and again with confession of your sins and sense of your want of Christ and never leave asking until you obtain attend also upon the Word where it is Preached most purely and powerfully for the working of Faith which cometh by hearing Rom. 10. 17. And then in the strength of the Lord put forth the hand to lay hold on Christ and labour to cast your selves upon him resigning withall your selves up unto him not only to be saved but also taught and ruled by him Obj. I know it will be objected that if we seek thus to be delivered from wrath to come by Jesus Christ and Faith in his righteousness without us and not by internal righteousness and that of works that this will open a door to Licentiousness Ans I Answer That this is an old Objection against the Doctrine of justification by Faith even in the days of the Apostles when the Doctrine was first Preached But as then so also now this Doctrine doth not give any liberty to sin for however we cannot be saved by inherent righteousness and any of our good works yet we cannot be saved without them none assert more highly that there must be Regeneration and Sanctification a new heart and new life otherwise there can be no admission into Heaven no escaping of the damnation of Hell Yea further we say that the same Faith which is an instrument of justification is also a part of Sanctification being a heart purifying grace Act 15. 9. That as Faith is a hand to lay hold on Christ's righteousness without us so it is a hand to receive supplyes of grace and spirit from Christ for the quickning of us unto newness of Life yea I may say there can be no real inherent righteousness withou an interest by Faith in Christ's imputed righteousness there may be some thing like it a righteousness of some kind there may be but not of the right kind not a righteousness which springs from the true principle which is saith and therefore not a righteousness that is pleasing unto God for without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. So that if you would have inherent righteousness and walk so as to please God you must belive in the Lord Jesus and fetch grace from him in whom all fulness doth dwell Col. 1. 19. If you would have lust mortified the world crucified and overcome the Devil who endeavoureth by his temptations to draw you unto sin you must by Faith draw vertue and strength to do it In a word if you would deny Ungodliness and Worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and Godly in this present evil world you must do it by Faith But how to attain the principle and practice of Godliness I may else where give direction Had I room I might speak much by way of exhortation to such as have attained an interest in Christ and the deliverance purchased by him in a word learn to admire free grace to be very thankful and watchful to endeavour the bringing others to Christ to adorn your profession to be blameless and harmless the Disciples of Christ without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation among whom you should shine as Lights in the World here that so you may shine like Stars yea like Suns in the Kingdom of your Father for ever FINIS Books of this Author Printed God's Terrible Voice in the City being a Re-Plague and Fire in London Christ's certain and sudden appearance to Judgement Fire and Brimstone from Heaven in the Burning of Sodom formerly From Earth in the Burning of Aetna lately In Hell to Burn the wicked eternally These Printed for George Calvert and to be Sold at his Shop at the Golden Ball in Duck-lane Words whereby we may be Saved and Words of advice to young Men. Printed for T. Parkhurst and to be Sold at his Shop at the Golden Bible on Londen-Bridge The Foundation of God Standeth Sure or an Answer to W. Pens Sandy Foundation Shaken