say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my Sin Prov. 20.9.3 Who can understand his errours Psal 19.12.4 If thou Lord should mark Iniquity who shall stand Psal 130.3 4. Though Saints as Job in their pleadings with Men held fast their Integrity Job 27.6 yet they have let go all confidence in their own Works in their approaches to God We are all as an unclean thing and our Righteousnesses are but Filthy rags Isa 64.6 10. Abraham was long before he offered up Isaac a Beleiver and a Justified person Gen. 15.6 Abraham Believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for Righteousness it is very observable that we have no mention or Record made of Abraham's Faith and Justification till now though he was called effectually near Twenty years before And why is the mention of Abraham's Faith and Justification reserved till now I answer God now promises him that the Son that should come out of his own Bowels should be his Heir and that from this Son should Spring a Seed as Numerous as the Stars of Heaven Gen. 15.45 And in Isaac Christ was Typified and promised as Isaac was a Child Raised from the dead body of aged Abraham and the dead womb of old Barren Sarah so Jesus Christ should be raised from the Dead the Apostle Paul plainly parrallels these two things Rom. 4.19.24 Abraham saw Christ's day in the Promise and Birth of Isaac John 8.56 Therefore it was exceeding proper for Moses then to record Abraham's Faith in God when Jesus Christ was promised by whom we Believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 As Abraham could not Believe in God but by the Promised Seed so we could not be Justified but through Christ Now Would Abraham go from trusting in the perfect Righteousness of the promised Seed to trust in his own defective Works and imperfect Righteousness Certain it is that there is but one way of Justification The Righteousness of God is Revealed from Faith to Faith Rom 1.17 It is not from Faith to Works but Faith at first and all along and at last apprehends this Righteousness of Christ and builds on it Therefore the Just is said to live by Faith Abraham was a Believer and Justified at his first effectual call yet Moses Testifies that many years after he Believed in God and he counted it to him for Righteousness so that Abraham's Faith acted on God through the promised Seed from first to last for Justification Here the Apostle might take ground for his assertion that the Righteousness of God was revealed from Faith to Faith Did Abraham begin in the Spirit as to his Justification and would he after this resort and repair to the Flesh to be perfected Did the Righteousness of the Messiah begin his Justification and was his own Righteousness to compleat it What would this be but to go from a Son of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 to a candle of Righteousness From a compleat ship to a broken plank From a beautiful and glorious garment to a Filthy Rag Gal. 3.27 Isa 64.6 From a sweet smelling Sacrifice to stinking and lothsom Dung Ephes 5.2 Phil. 3.8 9. 11. To assert a Second Justification before God by Works What is it but to confound the two Covenants to blend the Covenant of Works and Grace together and to form up a Bastard-Covenant that is not purely of Grace or wholy of Works but mixed and Compounded of both which the Scripture dis-claims as inconsistent Rom. 11.6 As Hagar and Sarah Ismael and Isaac could not quietly Dwell or peaceably abide together in one Family Hagar dispised Sarah Gen. 16.4 and Ismael mocked at Isaac Hagar first fled Gen. 16.6 7. and afterwards both Hagar and Ismael were cast out of Abraham's Tent Gen. 21.10 It is this seems to point at and Type out this great truth that the Covenant of Works and Grace of which these two Mothers were Types Galat. 4.24 Cannot be reconciled cannot consist together He that Beleives hath Everlasting Life John 5.24 John 6.54 And is this Title to Everlasting Life weak or crazy Must it be waved or needs it to be fortified by our Works Is it a good Title for one that begins but must another or better be sought in his progress 2. Object A second Objection is Raised by some against Christ's being our Righteousness that then we should be as Just and Righteous as Christ yea that we might be styled Saviours and Redeemers of the World I Answer This doth not follow for 1. The First Adam's Sin is imputed to us yet it is not true that we are as Great and Heinous Sinners as the First Adam We did not Exist in our own Persons as he did We did not receive a Law from God Immediately as he did or were in our own persons invested with a Lordship over all the Creatures and placed in Paradise as he was he was a publick but we are particular and private persons he Sinned in his own person we but in him Therefore though his Sin be imputed to us yet his guilt was greater than ours This parallel between the First and Second Adam may somewhat answer the Objection 2. Jesus Christ is the Author and Subject of this Righteousness but we are neither only it is imputed to us and bestowed on us 3. Jesus Christ's Righteousness is not imputed to us according to its full Value but our particular necessity as a pretious Jewel given for the Redemption of a hundred Captives None of them hath the whole Jewel given for him but it is given for every one of the hundred Captives according to his particular Exigence to obtain his liberty So Christ is said to give himself for the Church in general Ephes 5.25.26 yet every Believer according to his own need applies Jesus Christ to himself in particular as Paul did Christ he saith Loved me and gave himself for me Galat. 2.20 The Righteousness of Christ is not accounted our intrinsick Righteousness so indeed we should be Reputed Saviours It is imputed to us not according to its universal value but according to our particular necessity that we by it may be accounted Righteous It is imputed to us as the subjects have benefit by it but not as the causes of it as Amesius doth judiciously express it Object 3. Bellarmine further Objects that we may be perfect in this Life and so not at all need Christ's Righteousness We may see by this from whom our Quakers have taken their doctrine of Perfection It came out of Anti-Christ's Forge not out of Christ's School Answ 1. This Assertion that we may be perfect in this Life is most false and expresly contradicts the Scripture That there is not a Just Man on Earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.20 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us 1 John 1.8 We cannot say we have no sin for we have Original sin yet remaining and dwelling in us The Leprosy of sin is not perfectly purged out of
destitute of the Love of God and God that is a consuming Fire to Sinners and therefore this is a fit season for the Singing of Birds Justified Souls will sing Praises to God that heals their Backslidings and to Jesus Christ that is their Righteousness and Ransom The Redeemed of the Lord shall return to Zion with Songs Isa 35. last Though the Ark was heavy laden with Noah his Family all the Birds Beasts living creatures and suitable Food for them that was laid up in the Ark yet it did not sink but was born up by the Waters so what matter of Praise is it that we that are heavy laden with Iniquity are born up by the blood of Christ and do not sink into Predition We are guilty Creatures our mouths are stopt as we are Sinners Rom. 3.19 But O! what a wonderful and amazing change is this that we should be so Justified by the Grace of God and thorugh the Redemption of Christ that the mouths of Spiritual Enemies and accusers are stopt Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth Who shall condemn it is Jesus Christ that hath died Our Lips were sealed up with Guilt now the mouths of Accusers are stopt by Christ's Satisfaction And shall not our Lips be opened and our Tongues loosed to Sing aloud of God's Grace and of Christ's Righteousness 8. Are we willing to go out of this World to die and to be with God and Jesus Christ those that are Justified have Peace with God and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. Those that are in a Storm do dread the Shore least they should be Shipwrackt but they that have good weather do desire it Tho' Condemned Sinners shall be cast away on the Shores of a miserable Eternity yet Justified Souls shall be landed safe in the Harbour of a blessed Eternity When others pass into the Prison Justified Persons enter into the Palace of God When the Tares are reaped for the Furnace Believers are reaped for and gathered into the Garner Matth. 3.12 Will Justified Persons shun the Glorious Presenc of God or slavishly dread his Tribunal Shall Pardoned and Adopted Persons be afraid to go home to their Father and be put into the possession of their Heavenly Inheritance Are you therefore willing to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5 6 8. It is a great thing to be willing to part with the Body that is one half of us to leave it in the dark Chamber of the Grave to feed Worms to crumble to Dust to sleep for a long Night till the Morning of the Resurrection Yet Paul saith We are always confident and willing to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. The sight of Christ's Face the enjoyment of his Glory is more to me then Union with the Body Can you therefore conquer the Fears of Death Are you willing to leave your place on Earth to enjoy the Place prepared for you in Heaven to put off the Rags of Mortality that you may be clothed with the Robes of Glory to quit your Tabernacle for a Heavenly House 4. Vse O! desire earnestly and seek diligently to partake of this Righteousness of Christ 2. If you are interested in it if Jehova be your Righteousness O be thankful for it 1. O seek that Jehovah may be your Righteousness For the prosecuting of this First Branch of the Use of Exhortation I shall do two things 1. I shall lay down some Motives to quicken and urge you to seek an Interest in Christ's Righteousness 2. I shall lay down some Directions how you may partake of and be Invested with the Righteousness of Christ 1. Consider the great want and need you have of this Righteousness 1. In your Natural State you are far from Righteousness Isa 46. Ye stout-hearted that are far from Righteousness and You are free from Righteousness Rom. 6.20 that is a Carnal Man hath nothing to do with it they are not under the Empire Dominion and Command of it Men are dead Trees and therefore can bring forth no good fruit but they are corrupt Trees and are laded with evil Fruit. As they are alienated from the Life of God they cannot act for him or please him Ephes 4.8 Rom. 8.8 but as they have a Carnal Life they cannot act against him and walk contrary to him Mens thoughts are evil from their youth Gen. 8.21 yea they are born flesh John 3.6 yea the Holy Ghost goes one step farther In sin they are conceived in iniquity they are shapen Psal 51.5 they are not only idle and do not work Matth. 20.6 but they are dead and cannot work for God 2 Col. 13. A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit Matth. 7.17 18. The carnal mind is enmity to God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 A Natural Man is so far from being Sanctified by his Religious Services that he pollutes them all Hag. 2.14 15. The Sacrifice of the Wicked that is his best Actions and the way of the Wicked that is his common Actions are both an Abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 9. The Law will not acknowledge in or allow to an Unconverted Man one good Work Rom. 3.20 by the Law comes only the knowledge of sin The Scripture that is the Law hath concluded all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things of an Unregenerate Man under Sin all done by him all that flows from him all the Thoughts Intentions Affections Words and Actions of such The Mind is darkness Ephes 5.8 And can a blind Archer aim right at the Mark The Heart is Whorish Ezek. 6.9 And will a Whorish Heart love God or direct any action to please him Can a corrupt Fountain send forth sweet waters Men till Regenerate do nothing else but sin the Plague of the Heart infects all the Leprosie of the Soul defiles all that a Man doth 1 Kings 8.38 as a Fountain casts forth its water so they cast forth their wickedness Jer. 6.7 The whole Life of Men is cursed barrenness or wicked fruitfulness Christ is said to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the World 1 John 29. it is expressed in the singular number the sin of the World to Note and signifie to us that the whole Life of an Unregenerate Man is one continued sin wholly a course of Enmity Provocations and Rebellions against God Zech. 3.3 4 We have that expression Take away the filthy garments This Notes that all the acts of an Unregenerate Man are filthy and only filthy Garments They are all over defiled and therefore wholly to be taken away But the expression is otherwise concerning the Saints that they washed their Garments white in the blood of the Lamb Revel 7.14 the Garments were not wholy cast off or put away but washed There
Grace or Good till we trust on the Righteousness of Christ by which we procured and receive all good things 2d Branch of the Vse of Exhortation Is Jehovah become our Righteousness O! admire Grace in it and bless God and Christ for it that you have such a Foundation to Build on such a Sacrifice to Feed on such a Pretious Remedy to be Healed by such an Excellent Fountain to Wash in the Clefts of such a Rock to dwell in Our Justification seemed impracticable yea impossible we could not raise up our low Valley or fill up the wide Breach that our Iniquities had made we had not wrought that Righteousness or performed that obedience that the Law requires We could neither make a Present to God's Holiness or pay a Ransom to his Justice yet God compares the Rejection of his People to that which is to us impossible Jer. 31.37 Thus saith the Lord If Heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the Earth be searched out beneath I will also cast off the Seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. O! how wonderful is this that when the Reception of Sinners might have been compared to things impossible their Rejection is compared with things impossible to us Hath God covered us with the Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 This should be a garment of Praise when we put it on we should break out into the sweetest Songs and highest Praises of God and Christ Meditate seriously on these following particulars 1. We live in the last days of the World and in the best days of the Gospel And this is the very season and time when this Scripture should be most eminently fulfilled that Jehovah should be called our Righteousness The excellency of Christ's Obedience and the efficacy of his Sacrifice is now signally manifested This Name of the Messiah is now most eminently known his Glorious Titles and style Blazon'd we are plainly told that Christ hath condemned Sin Rom. 8.3 and that God Justifies the ungodly because Christ Died for them Rom. 4.5 Rom. 5.6 Not only Sins are blotted out Isa 43.5 but Names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Things were more dark in the times of the Law though God promised remission of Sins yet there was a daily remembrance of Sin in the Sacrifices Offered up Heb. 10.3 The day of the Law was God's forbearing time Rom. 3.25 but the day of the Gospel was Christ ' bearing time 1 Pet. 2.24 Who himsel bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree And Christ did so bear them that he did bear them away He died for our Sins and he Rose again for our Justification Rom. 4. last he purged and put away Sin Heb. 13. Heb 9.26 Though God promised of Old to be the God of his people Gen. 17.7 yet the Vail stood up in the times of the Law as if Men should be shut out from Heaven from God and his Glorious presence but the Vail is now Rent and the way laid open to the Heavenly Sanctuary therefore we have more matter of and motives to Praise than the Church of God had of Old 2. That we are Justified freely by God's Grace Rom. 3 24. O! what a wonder is this that we that were called Transgressors from the Womb Isa 48.8 should call Jehovah our Righteousness to Eternity That we that have not wrought Righteousness yet should be made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 That we should be Justified without the Law Rom. 3.21 That our Sins that are our own should not be imputed but that the Righteousness that is not our own should be imputed We have peace with God not because we have committed no Trespasses but because they are not imputed 2 Cor. 5.19 There is much in our Hearts and Lives that is Odious and Abominable before God only it is hid and covered Psal 32.1 2. We have contracted a vast debt but it is remitted Psal 103. c. 1. v. 2 We have committed Heinous Crimes but they are not charged on us There is that dwelling in us and done by us that exceedingly displeases God's eye and provokes his anger but this is not remembred against us or put to our account The Law imputes nothing to us but what is our own is inherent in us or done by us but here is the Righteousness of another given and therefore imputed to us it doth not grow in us or spring out of us but is rained on us As God commended his Goodness to Israel that he brought them into Canaan to possess Houses they never built Vineyards they never planted Wells they never digged Dout. 6.11.12 So God commends his Grace to us that he gives us a Righteousness that we never wrought our selves The Gentiles that did not follow after Righteousness yet attained to Righteousness by Faith Rom. 9.30 O what astonishing Grace is this That we that have not run the race of Obedience should yet win and attain the prize of Righteousness Though Abraham was an Idolater Josh 24.2 yet he is styled Righteousness in the abstract by reason of his Justification who hath called Righteousness so it is in the Hebrew from the East Isa 41.2 3. That yet it should cost Christ so dear to be The Lord our Righteousness How greately did the Soul of Christ Travel Isa 53.11 that our pardon and peace might be born As he was God he suffered much in our commission of Sin he was greived wearied vexed pressed under our Iniquities as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves Amos 2.13 and that after this he should suffer so much more for the Expiation of them He was wounded pierced bruised Isa 53.10 O how wonderful is this that Christ so freely and without our sollicitation did so readily undertake to be a Surety Psal 40.6 7 8. Lo I come I delight to do thy will O my God! yet this was the will of God that the Body Heb. 10.10 yea the Soul of Christ should be Offered up Isa 53.10 God himself seems to speak of this undertaking of Jesus Christ with Admiration Jer. 30.21 Who is this that ingageth his Heart to approach to me It was no small matter to approach to God as Priest and to be a Sacrifice to draw near to God that was a Jealous God and Furious as it is expressed Nahum 1.2 To approach to God sitting on a Fiery Throne holding of a Flaming Sword Cloathed with the Garments of Vengeance If Christ's Love had not been Fervent and his purposes fixed he would never have engaged his Heart to draw near to a God so terrible and to undertake so hard a service to make Reconciliation with an angry and to make restitution to a wronged God O how amazing is this Fruit of Christ's undertaking that we may draw nigh to God that is a consuming Fire and yet not to be hurt but be refined by him This was a great Miracle that Daniel's three Companions walked in the midst of the Fiery Furnace and yet had
Kingdom Christ's Testament doth make both Children and Heires 1. Saints have their new nature from God's Gracious Covenant so they are born of the Covenant that promises a new Heart and Spirit Ezek. 36.26 and on this account are said to be the Children of the promise Rom. 9.8 And they have the Eternal Inheritance from the same gracious Covenant and so are stiled the Heires of promise Heb. 6 17.11 We cannot obtain a blessing by our own Righteousness and Works but by the Sacrifice and Death of Jesus Christ Levit. 9.22 23. This Text of Scripture is observable when Aaron had offered Sacrifice then he was to Bless the people in the Name of the Lord the form of Blessing is expressed Numb 6.24 25 26. The Lord make his Face to shine the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee When Christ was Sacrificed God hid his Face from him and did forsake him Psal 22.1 Christ's Sufferings purchased and procured this Blessing for us That God's Face may shine on us and the light of his Countenance may be lifted up upon us Jesus Christ bare the Curse Galat. 3.13 He was made a Curse that the Blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles Galat. 3.14 God promised to Abraham That in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed Gen. 22.18 Christ was the Seed meant and intended Galat. 3.8 There could be no Blessing without Redemption from the Curse and we could not be Redeemed from the Curse if Jesus Christ did not endure it There are blemishes and defects in our best Works and they deserve a Curse and therefore cannot earn and merit a Blessing but we must seek it in Christ they that are of Faith are Blessed with Faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 It is not said they are Blessed with working Abraham but with Faithful believing Abraham Abraham himself did not get the Blessing by Working but by believing He did not find that in his own Heart or Life that would warrant him to Glory in himself before God The same way that Abraham got the Blessing all his believing seed must attain it Object But here it may be Objected Is it not said Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that Feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments and Psal 119.1 2. Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart Answ No man since the Fall did ever earn a Blessing by his obedience to the Works of the Law therefore Calvin excellently observes Rom. 32. ver 1 2. that all such passages are grounded on the Blessing we have by the free and full forgiveness of our Sins Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is the man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord Imputeth not Iniquity Paul asserts that David describeth the Blessedness of the Man to whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without Works saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven Rom. 4.6 7. No man is blessed for any Righteousness or works of his own but as the person is a Believer in Christ and freely Justified by Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 Fearing God walking in his Law keeping his Testimonies are sweet Indications and Comfortable Characters who the persons are that are Blessed But it is the Forgiveness of Sin that is the true cause of our Blessedness The Mercies that God bestows are not conferred by our Covenant as if we had earned and merited them but by his Covenant as the Fruits of his meer and pure Grace Observe well this distinction which God makes between our Covenant which is a Covenant of Works and his Covenant that is a Covenant of Grace and that Good things are given by his Covenant but not bestow'd by our Covenant Weigh well the Importance of this Scripture Ezek. 16.61 62. 12. We enter into Rest by Faith in Christ and not by our own Works Heb. 4.3 We that have believed do enter into rest It is not said We that have wrought Righteousness do enter into Rest It was the Speech of Fisher Bishop of Rochester Fides Faeta Justificat sed ante partum * Treat of Justiffcation Faith that is impregnated with Good Works doth Justifie but yet before it brings them forth yet Faith doth not Justifie as it is adapted fitted or disposed to bring forth Good Works but as it respects Christ eyes his Righteousness and Obedience The Faith big with Good Works doth Justifie but not because it is so or as it is such but by virtue of its respect to Christ and the Free Promise Noah by Faith entred into the Ark and rested there it had no Rudder or Helm for him to handle and manage no Sailes for him to trim no Rigging for him to look after he did nothing to Stear or Sail the Ark up and down but he sweetly rested by Faith in the Ark He believed God would Stear and Guide it that it should not be broken dashed to pieces sink or miscarry Noah in this Temporal deliverance from the Flood saw and apprehended an Eternal Salvation from the Flood of Divine Vengeance in and by Christ the true Ark of Salvation and that blessed rest and security that is attained by Faith in him Hence the Apostle saith That Noah became Heir of the Righteousness that is by Faith Heb. 11.7 he did believe that by the Righteousness and Obedience of the Messiah to come as an Ark he should be saved from the Wrath to come This is much to be observed that the Sabbath Instituted in Paradise was the Seventh in order after Six Working days and was suited to Man's State of Innocency and did most properly belong to the Covenant of Works that Promiseth a Blessed Life and Rest after perfect Works of Righteousness wrought by us Rom. 10.5 The man that doth those things shall live by them But the Christian Sabbath is the First Day of the Week before our Six Working days and therefore is suited and fitted to the New Covenant that Promiseth a Rest to the Consciences of them that believe before uhey do Works of Righteousness Those that are Justified by Faith have peace with God through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Calvin doth think that God pointed at this in such a severe and rigid injunction of the Sabbath He that would not have us to be weary in well-doing Galat. 6.9 yet commands us to cease from our own works Nonne eo ipso pronuntiat omnia oper a nostra mala esse And Isaiah teaching us that the Sabbath is violated Quando invenitur nostra voluntas Isa 58.13 When we find our own will and pleasure doth shew a necessity of ceasing from our own Wills and Works in our Justification Calvin thus Discourses in the 1st and 6th Book against Pighius concerning Free-will we are Justified not by shewing our Good Works but by our Evil Works being hid and covered