Psam 130.3 And therefore it is added in his sight to shew that whatsoever Man may be in his own sight or in the sight of other Men like himself yet in Gods sight no flesh shall or can be justified by the works of the law And as in Condemnation there are two things First a fixing of the Guilt and therefore we say when a person is found guilty he is condemned so Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God 2ly A binding or Obligation unto the punishment which is Death and therefore we say of a Criminal when he is brought in guilty that he is a dead Man because the obligation unto punishment is now fixed upon him and he must inevitably suffer death which is the punishment due to his offence So on the other hand there are two things implyed in Justification first a just discharge and acquitment from the guilt of Sin he that is justified is not guilty in Gods sight his Sin is not imputed to him and Ps. 32 1 2. where David describeth the blessedness of a justified person saying Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 3ly There is also a dissolving and making void and null the Obligation unto punishment so that a justified person is no more in danger of that death which is the wages of Sin nor of the curse of the law and the infinite and eternal wrath of God which is the punishment due to Sin to every Sin the least Sin as well as the greatest therefore as Condemnation is called Death because of the Obligation unto punishment so justification is called Life because of the dissolving and making void that Obligation So John 5.24 where the believer is said to be passed from death to life i. e. from a state of Condemnation which is Death to a state of Justification which is Life and Rom. 5.18 It is called justification of Life And upon that account 't is Written the just shall live by Faith i. e. be justified by Faith for justification is his life 3ly But there is yet somewhat more implyed in this word Justified and that is a positive righteousness answering to the perfection of the holy law of God in the utmost extent and demand of it for though non imputation and pardon of Sin makes a Man no more a Sinner nor guilty before God yet to make him a righteous person in Gods sight there must of necessity be a positive righteousness for as it cannot consist with the perfect justice of God to justifie a Man without righteousness so it cannot consist with his veracity and justice to justifie any Man without a perfect righteousness such as is commensurate and adequate to the perfection of his law for otherwise the law should be made void even by faith itself contrary to Rom. 3.31 And to speak with holy reverence as it is impossible for God to lie so it is as impossible for him to be unjust which he should be should he justifie any Man by an imperfect righteousness it is therefore a foolish vain and wicked imagination in any person to think or affirm that a Man may be justified in Gods sight without a perfect righteousness and this I may be bold to say from the clear light of Gods holy word that he which hath not a better righteousness than his own neither is nor ever shall be justified in the sight of God and whoever he be who affims the contrary let him answer it for sure I am the judgment of God is according to truth as it iâ— written Rom. 2.2 and again Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every Man a liar thaâ— thou mightest be justified in thy sayings anâ— mightest overcome when thou art judged 3. What is here meant and what are we to understand by the deeds or works of the law Ans. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the needs of the law of or by or upon the account of the deed of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works operations or deedâ— do imply all sorts of works deeds or operatiâ—ons Internal and External 1 There are internal deeds and operatiâ—ons deeds of the mind and of the spirit withâ—in works of the inward Man wherein thâ— inward faculties of the Soul the Mind thâ— Conscience the Understanding the will and affections are operative and working in thâ— sight of God before whom our spirits arâ— naked and bare Heb. 4.13 And there arâ— internal vertues and habits and these are opâ—â—rative within and the holy law of God is Spiâ—ritual and reacheth the inward Man yea thâ— very thoughts and imaginations of the Hearâ— and than inward disposition enclination and habits Rom. 7.7 I had not known lust if the law had not said thou shalt not covet 2. There are external deeds the outward actions and deeds and operations of the light and Conversation which should all be regulated and are judged by the law which is the rule of righteousness to the inward and to the outward Man to the inward frame of Heart with all the Imaginations Thoughts Principles Habits Affections Intentions and Designs thereof and to the outward Man in all a Mans external Actions words and deeds together with the nature and tendency of them whether they be good or evil true or false sincere or feigned so Acts 5.3 4 9. and Acts 8.20 21. 2 Chron. 25.2 Ezek. 33.31 32. So that by the deeds of the law we are to understand all the inward qualifications and inherent virtues and goodness of a Mans Heart together with all the external actions of his life done in the utmost conformity and Obedience to the law that Man can reach unto by these deeds of the law whether internal or external there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Quest. But the greater question is what law is here meant whether the Ceremonial law only or the Moral law also Those that are unsound in the Doctrin of Justification do contend that by the law here is only meant the Ceremonial law And that the Apostle Paul here and in other places contending with the Jews in this point of Justification speaketh only of the Ceremonial law and so far they yield that by the works of the Ceremonial law indeed no flesh shall be justified but the works of the Moral law are not here excluded from the matter of Mans justification insinuating thereby that a Man may be justified in Gods sight by good works done in confirmity and obedience to the Moral law Ans. In answer whereunto we do affirm and shall plainly prove that not the Ceremoâ—nial law only but the Moral law also yeâ— mainly and principally is meant by the Apostle And that law unto the works or deed whereof justification in the sight of God iâ— denied to every Man is the Moral law and not the Ceremonial law only though it iâ— true also of the Ceremonial law And this wâ— prove by two Argumenrs
contempt of that which is or may be supposed or pretended to be his own Righteousness 4 Head And then Fourthly It is called the Righteousness of God as it is that Righteousness which only is and can be accepted of God in the matter of our Justification i. e. that Righteousness by which and upon the account whereof only a man may be Righteous and Justified in his sight For there is no other Righteousness by which a man may or can possibly be Justified in the sight of God Or that God accepts of and is well pleased with but this as the matter of our Justification as hath been already proved So that this only is the Righteousness of God as his Heart doth rest in it is well pleased with it and doth always accept it by Faith in his Son Jesus Christ and is not nor can be well-pleased without it And as a broken Heart is called the Sacrifice of God Psal. 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Properly or in propriety of Speech a broken Heart or Spirit is no Sacrifice but it was that God expected with all the Sacrifices which the People offered according to Gods appointment For the Sacrifices for Sin were always slain and so were offered up to God by Death and shedding of their Blood The Holy Ghost hereby signifying that as the wages of Sin is Death so every person that sacrificed and brought his offering for Sin did deserve Death And therefore though this Death was transferred and laid upon the Sacrifices which Typically did look unto Christ and so required Faith in Christ the Lamb or Sacrifice of God Which taketh away the Sin of the World as John 1.29 Yet the very Nature and Import of all the Sacrifices did plainly declare and imply that Sin was a bitter and a very evil thing that could not be expiated with less than Death And whosoever did present his Sacrifice to be slain and offered up for Sin did ipso facto acknowledge himself a Sinner to have deserved Death and to be Consumed in the Fire of Hell as the Sacrifices were either wholly or in part burnt and consumed in the Fire after they were slain And so were offered up not by Death only but by Fire also till they were consumed Now for a man to bring his Sacrifice to be slain and burnt in the Fire and salted with Salt and yet to have no inward sense and feeling of his Sin no feeling of the wrath of God due to Sin and so no inward Repentance towards God This was most hateful and abominable in the sight of God and so the Sacrifice of that Person was not accepted but despised of God as a piece of meer Hypocrisie and outward Formality for in this Man there is neither Faith in Christ nor Repentance towards God And therefore all the Sacrifices that Men did or could offer signified nothing as to Divine acceptation without this inward sense of sin and brokenness of heart This one thing a broken heart did signifie more than all Sacrifices without it and so it is put for and by the Holy Ghost preferred to all Sacrifices whatsoever the Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and why was a broken spirit more than all Sacrifices and alone is called in the plural number not Sacrifice but Sacrifices the Sacrifices yea the Sacrifices of God but because of the Divine acceptation because God doth always accept this broken heart this contrite spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise The words are a holy Meiosis there is more implied than is exprest thou wilt not despise i. e. thou wilt certainly accept thou wilt graciously accept and be well pleased with Now therefore the Mystery is opened the meaning of this expression The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit is abundantly made clear and plain It is in this respect that a broken heart alone is called the Sacrifices of God that or upon the account thereof God is well pleased yea more pleased than with all outward Sacrifices without it Even so this Righteousness which is by the Faith of Christ unto all and upon all them that believe is called The Righteousness of God because that this Righteousness only and above all others is that which carrieth the glory of the Divine acceptation God will not despise but will certainly will graciously accept this Righteousness whenever it is presented unto him upon the Faith of a repenting believing Sinner upon the Faith of him that worketh not i. e. that hath no Works or Righteousness of his own which he dares to offer or bring unto God but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly as Rom. 4.5 His Faith is counted to him for Righteousness and God is well pleased with this Man for this Righteousness sake which is alone by Faith in his Son Jesus Christ. Now that God is well pleased with this Righteousness of his Son Jesus Christ is most clearly testified by the Voice from Heaven Mat. 3. ult This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased which Voice from Heaven was heard by John when Christ was baptized of him in Jordan and was now entred upon his work of fulfilling all Righteousness as v. 15. Then cometh this Voice from Heaven c. And again when Christ was transfigured upon the Mount a little before his Death and Translation into Heaven Now when he was about to finish his Obedience and whole Righteousness of the Law for us I say then again comes this Voice from Heaven Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and this Voice was heard from the most excellent glory by Peter James and John as 2 Pet. 1.18 Which Voice from Heaven we heard when we were with him upon the holy Mount Yea this is also testified by the suâ—e Word of Prophecy Isa. 42.21 The Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness sake meaning Christ as is manifest verse 1 2 3 4 6 7. of that chap. And it is not Christ alone or as a single Person but Christ considered as the Head and Root of the whole Church and so Jehovah is well pleased for his Righteousness sake with all them that believe and do bear and present this Righteousness of Christ in the hand of their Faith before the Father as that wherein only they desire to be found and stand before him Now that God is well pleased with all such and doth graciously accept them as just and righteous before him upon the account of this Righteousness is also as clearly testified unto by the holy Scriptures Act. 13.39 And by him that is Christ all that believe are justified and accepted as such as Rom. 5.19 For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners or became sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous or become righteous in his sight And again Ephes. 1.6 To the praise of the
5.17 18. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new and as old things are passed away and all things are become new so particularly the old Covenant and old Righteousness by the Deeds and Works of the Law is passed away and a new Covenant and a new Righteousness brought in not of Works but of Grace not by the Deeds of the Law but by Faith in Jesus Christ and all things are of God as verse 18. i. e. all things of this new Creation and so this Righteousness which is by Faith of Jesus Christ is of God in a new and more peculiar and glorious way under a new head i. e. not Adam but Jesus Christ and by a new Covenant not of Works but of Grace and by a new Birth not after the Flesh but after the Spirit not of the Will of Man but of God Job 1.13 Jam. 1.18 Gal. 4.28 31. And so this Righteousness is called by a new Name The Righteousness of God as God is the Author of it and hath created it and brought it forth after a more peculiar manner and this will appear more plainly in the consideration of these three particulars namely 1 Particular First In that God of his infinitely free and soveraign Grace hath in and through his Son Jesus Christ designed and conferred this Righteousness upon us by Faith in his Son I say God of his free Grace hath conferred this Righteousness by Faith upon the Heirs of Salvation and that from all eternity the purpose and counsel of his Grace designed and conferred this Righteousness by his Son before the World was 2 Tim. 1.9 10. But according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the World began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought immortality and life to light through the Gospel What is that which is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ but this Righteousness of God as in the Text But now the Righteousness of God is manifested Now by this Righteousness of God is death abolished and immortality and life brought to light through the Gospel Now whence is this Righteousness of God and so immortality and life brought to light was it from or according to Works no but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the World began so that it was not our Works but God's free purpose and grace which designed and conferred this Righteousness and if you will know when this purpose and grace or this purpose of grace in God moved him hereunto it was from all eternity before the World began and this Righteousness of God is not a Righteousness of Work or by Works but a Righteousness of Grace given us in Christ not as a reward of Works and of Debt but as a gift of free and soveraign Grace and so it is called Rom. 5. v. 17. Much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness and all that are justified by this Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ are said to be justified freely Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ And it is very much to be considered that Mans Works are always excluded and the Grace of God and the Gift of Righteousness magnified and mentioned in the business of Justification Titus 3.5 6 7. And for as much as this purpose and grace or this gracious purpose of Righteousness by Faith was given us in Christ before the World began it is manifest that Man not having then a Being or having done good or evil not Mans Works or Worthiness but Gods own free Grace and Goodness moved him to confer and bestow this gift of Righteousness as the Apostle argueth concerning Esau and Jacob Rom. 9. v. 11. For the Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth So that this Righteousness which is by Faith of Jesus Christ is the Righteousness of God as his Grace his free and soveraign Grace in Christ hath created designed from all eternity and freely conferred the same on all them that believe And thus no other Righteousness but this of Christs only is or can be called the Righteousness of God because whatever other use there may be of other Righteousnessess either Original Legal or Moral amongst men in this World yet certain it is that this Righteousness only was designed and conferred as the Gift of God's free Grace in Christ as that wherein only Man can be be justified in his sight 2 Particular This is the Righteousness of God as his Infinite Wisdom alone hath contrived and found it out For considering the case of Man now faln under sin by the transgression of the first Covenant and the first Adam and every individual person of Mankind comprehended in him were now become sinners and had lost all hope and possibility of Righteousness by the Law it was above the reach and understanding of all created Wisdom and would have put to a non-plus all the Wisdom of Men and Angels to have found out a way how Man that had lost his own Righteousness and all hope of it by the Law could ever become righteous again and be justified in the sight of God and that God might be just in justifying Man that 〈◊〉 once a sinner and transgressor of his 〈◊〉 Law And had God put the question Adam who had as much natural Undâ—â—â—standing and Wisdom as any Man ever haâ— I say had God put the question to him 〈◊〉 me Adam now that sin and death have 〈◊〉 the dominion over thee and all thy Posterâ—â—â— by thy transgressing of my Law how sin 〈◊〉 death may be destroyed and Righteousnâ—â—â— and Life brought in my Law be fulfilleâ— my Justice satisfied and Glory preservâ—â— and thou saved his mouth had been stoppeâ— and his tongue silent without any answer could not have entred into the heart of Maâ— to conceive such a Mystery of Grace as thâ—â— is And as there was none amongst Men 〈◊〉 none amongst the Angels in Heaven thaâ— could have been his Counsellor in this matteâ— or have first given unto him as Rom. 11 34 35. Who hath been his Counsellor and whâ—â— hath first given unto him No no God hath been his own Counsellor in this matter his own Wisdom hath contrived this way of Righteousness by Faith in his Son Jesus Christ as Rom. 11.33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out For I had not â—he Wisdom as well as the Grace of God â—revented Man with the revelation and maâ—ifestation of this Righteousness it had neâ—er entred into the understanding of Men or
〈◊〉 a second Adam of a more glorious Persoâ— to be brought forth in the Humane Naturâ— and of the Seed of the Woman or that thâ—â— could possibly ever be that a clean thing should be brought forth out of an unclean But behold here the Wisdom of God defeating the subtilty and the power of God defeating the malice and power of the Devil who had now got the Power of Death in his Hand as Heb. 2.14 had got the Keys of Hell and Death and had as he thought loâ—â— up Adam and all Mankind with him so fast â—ithin these Gates that none could come to â—eliver him but behold the second Adam Christ Jesus by the Power of God of the â—eed of the Woman holy harmless and â—eparate from sinners being conceived in the Womb of the Virgin and born of her withâ—ut sin according to the Promise made to Adam and now declared immediately after his fall Gen. 3.15 The Seed of the Woman shall bruise thy i. e. The Serpents Head And here as the Serpent had deceived the Woman and brought her first into the transgression so this old Serpent the Devil was deceived by the Woman of whose Seed by the Power of the highest is brought forth this second Adam this man Christ Jesus who is made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 to quicken or make alive that which was dead as ver 22. who also was not as the first Adam of the earth earthy and therefore easily overcome as he was but the Lord from Heaven as ver 47. and therefore able to raise up all his after his own Image to bear the Image of the Heavenly as ver 49. and to triumph over Death and Hell as ver 55 56 57. Oh Death where is thy Sting And thus the admirable Power of God was manifest in bringing forth such a person as Jesus Christ in the Humane Nature Jesus Christ the Righteous and the propitiation for our sins and our Advocate with the Father whose office and work it was to bring down this Righteousness of God from Heaven to us 2. Instance The Infinite and Eternal Power of God was also as much seen and manifested in Christ bearing our sins in this Humane Nature in his own Body on the Tree and first let us consider what a burden what a weight sin and the guilt of sin is when it is charged and laid upon the Conscience by the Power of God and this may be considered in the Angels that sinned Angels are greater in power than we as 2 Pet. 2.11 Angels that excel in strength or Psal. 103.20 Angels who are Spirits i. e. not flesh and blood as we are weak and feeble Angels that are not hay and stubble as we are but a flaming Fire Psalm 104 4 yet these high and mighty Angel these strong and powerful Angels that were naturally the first-born of Gods first or old Creation and the excellency of Creature strength when they had once sinned and God comes to charge them with Folly and lay the guilt and punishment of sin upon them how doth it sink and break all the Powers and Spirits of the Angelical Nature and casteth them down into the deepest darkness and despair and that from the highest light glory and confidence of their First and Heavenly state and presently cast them down from Heaven to Hell 2 Pet. 2.4 so unable were they each of them to bear the burden i. e. the guilt and punishment of their own Sin And 2. Let us consider sin in man and how unable man is to stand when God shall mark Iniquity as Psal. 130. 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand i. e. none shall or can stand no Nation or Kingdom no House or Family no Person under Heaven no not the Church or People of God can stand if God should mark Iniquity and punish Sin but with his Temporal Wrath and Judgments in this World there is none could possibly stand for who can stand when God is Angry And who knoweth the power of his Wrath The Sinners of the old World did know something of it but they could not stand before it it swept them all away with the Waters of a Flood And whither did it sweep them It swept them down to Hell 1 Pet. 3.19 The Spirits now in Prison and that Prison is the Prison of Hell Luke 16.23 And in Hell c. The Sinners also of Sodom and Gomorrah did know somewhat of this Wrath but they could not stand before it They could no longer as stout and hard hearted as they were bear up under this burden and weight of their own Sin for it brought a dreadful shower of Divine Vengeance upon them a Shower of Fire and Brimstone from the Lord out of Heaven by which they all perished as Gen. 19.24 25. Francis Spira also knew somewhat of this Wrath and Burden of his own Sin when God laid it upon his Conscience in the guilt and punishment due to it but he could not stand but went despairing out of this World and without any hope or comfort as to the next as to what did appear And it may be some of you here present and if you have not I am sure others have known something of this matter when God hath been angry but for a moment and hath laid sin in the guilt of it upon Conscience It made them sink immediately under utmost despair and bereaved them of all hope comfort and patience that had not Infinite Mercy stept in to their relief they had gone despairing down to Hell The damned Spirits in Hell know more of the Power of Gods anger and the weight and burden of Sin laid upon their awakened and terrified Consciences than any in this World have done or can do and their Torments are intollerable Luke 16.24 There the Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched They are for their sin a Sacrifice to Divine Wrath and they are salted with Fire and salted with Salt and so are eternally Roasting in the Fire of Hell Mar. 9.48 49. and yet they do not know all the Power of Gods Wrath nor feel all the tormenting Power of the Fire of Hell they feel much and fear more They suffer that which is intollerable and yet they fear what they have not yet felt but must further feel and suffer to all Eternity Oh Eternity Eternity Oh the Wrath of God that is not only eternal but infinite They know not the utmost they know not the end of it nor can know For that which is Infinite hath no bounds or limits and that which is Eternal hath no end Therefore last of all Now consider this second Adam the Man Christ Jesus who though he had no sin of his own to answer to God for for he did no sin nor was guile found in his Mouth Isa. 53.9 He knew no sin as 2 Cor. 5.21 yet he had the sin of the World i. e. Jew and Gentile laid upon him and did bear it in his