judicial Tryal in the great day except it be in a way of absolution in order to the magnifying of their pardon God has long since blotted out as a thick Cloud Isa 44. 22. the transgressions of his people and as a Cloud their sins Now we know that the clouds which are driven away by the winds appear no more nor the Mist which is dryed up by the Sun appears no more other Clouds and other Mists may arise but not they which are driven away and dryed up Thus the Sins of the Saints being forgiven they shall no more return upon them they shall never more be objected against them Further The Lord saith Though your sins be as Scarlet Isa 1. 18. they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll Pardon makes such a clear riddance of sin that it is as if it had never been the Scarlet Sinner is as white as Snow Snow newly fallen from the Skye which was never sullied The Crimson Sinner is as Wool Wool which never received the least tincture in the Dye-fat you know Scarlet and Crimson are double and deep dyes dyes in grain yet if the Cloath dyed therewith be as the Wooll before it was dyed and if it be as white as Snow what is become of those dyes are they any more is not the Cloath as if it had not been dyed at all even so though our sins by reiterating them by long lying in them have made deep impressions upon us yet by Gods discharge of them we are as if we had never committed them Again The Psalmist pronounceth him blessed whose Psal 32. 1. sin is covered A thing covered is not seen so sin forgiven is before God as not seen The same Psalmist pronounceth him blessed to whom the Lord imputeth not sin Psal 32. 2. Now a sin not imputed is as not committed The Prophet Jeremiah tells us That the Iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found Now is not that fully Jer. 50. 20. discharged which shall never be found never appear never be remembred never be mentioned Thus by the many Metaphors used in Scripture to set out forgiveness of sin pardon of sin you plainly and evidently see that Jer. 31. 34. Ezek. 18. 22. God's discharge is free and full and therefore he will never charge their sins upon them in the great day But Some may object and say that the Scripture saith that God shall bring every work into Judgment with every Eccles 12 14. secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil How then can this be that the sins of the Saints shall not be mentioned nor charged upon them in the great day I Answer This Scripture is to be understood Respective c. with a just respect to the two great parties Matth 25 3â— 33. which are to be judged Sheep and Goats Saints and Sinners Sons and Slaves Elect and Reprobate Holy and Prophane Pious and Impious Faithful and Unfaithful that is to say all the Grace the Holiness the Godliness the Good of those that are good shall be brought into the Judgment of mercy that it may be freely graciously and nobly rewarded and all the wickedness of the Wicked shall be brought into the Judgment of Condemnation that â—t may be righteously and everlastingly punished in this great day of the Lord. All Sincerity shall be discovered and rewarded and all Hypocrisie shall be disclosed and revenged In this great day all the works of the Saints shall follow them into Heaven and in this great day all the evil works of the Wicked shall hunt and pursue them into Hell In this See Wisd 2. thâ—oughâ—uâ— and cap. 5. from the first verse to the tenth great day all the hearts thoughts secrets words ways works and walkings of Wicked men shall be discovered and laid open before all the world to their everlasting shame and sorrow to their eternal amazement and astonishment And in this great day the Lord will make mention in the years of all the world of every Prayer that the Saints have made and of every Sermon that they have heard and of every Tear that they have shed and of every Fast that they have kept and of every Sigh and Groan that ever they have fetcht and of all the good words that ever they have spoke and of all the good works that ever they have done and of all the great things that ever they have suffered Yea in this great day they shall reap the fruit of many good Services which themselves had forgot Lord when saw we Thee Hungry and fed Thee or Thirsty and give Math 25 34. 41. Thee drink or Naked and Cloathed Thee or Sick or in Prison and Visited Thee They had done many good works and forgot them but Christ records them remembers them and rewards them before all the World In this great day a bit of Bread a cup of cold Water shall not pass without a reward In this great day the Saints shall reap a plentiful and glorious crop as the Matth 10. 24. 25. â—ecles 11. 16. fruit of that good seed that for a time hath seemed to be buried and lost In this great day of the Lord the Saints shall find that Bread which long before was cast upon the waters But my Second Reason is taken from Christs vehement protestations That they shall not come into Judgment Joh. 5. 24. Verily Verily I say unto you he that heareth my Vide Aquâ—â— 87. Supâ—l est in l. 4. Sâ—â— dist 47. Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from death unto life Those words shall not come into Condemnation are not rightly translated the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not come into Judgment not into Damnation as you read it in all your English Books I will not say what should put men upon this Exposition rather than a true translation of the Original word further it is very observable that no Evangelist useth this double asseveration but St. John and he never useth it Jâ—h 1. 51 ch 3. 3 11 chap. 6. 26. 32 47 53 c. but in matters of greatest weight and importance and to shew the earnestness of his Spirit and to stir us up to better attention and to put the thing asserted out of all question and beyond all contradiction as when we would put a thing for ever out of all question we do it by a double asseveration verily verily 't is so c. Thirdly Because his not bringing their sins into Judgment doth most and best agree with many pretious and glorious expressions that we find scattered as so many shining sparkling Pearls up and down in Scripture As First With those of Gods blotting out the sins of his people I even I am he that blotteth
righteousness in him to cloath me c. and therefore I can't but approve of the Lord Jesus as such a good as exceeds all the good that is to be found in Angels and Men the good that I see in Christ doth not only counterpoise but also excel all that real or imaginary good that every I have met with in any thing below Christ Christ must come into the will he must be received there else he is never savingly received Now before the Will will receive him the Will must be certainly informed that he is good yea the best and greatest good or else he shall never be admitted there Let the understanding assent never so much to all propositions concerning Christ as true if the judgment doth not approve of them as good yea as the best good Christ will never be truly received God in his working maintains the faculties of the Soul in their actings as he made them 13thly So far as I know my own heart I am sincerely willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in a Matrimonial Covenant according to these Scriptures Hos 2. 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Isa 54. 5. Isa 61. 10. Isa 62. 5. Cant. 3. 11. c. Through grace I am First Sincerely willing to take the Lord Jesus Christ for my Saviour and Sovereign Lord. So far as I know my own heart I do through mercy give my hearty consent that Christ and Christ alone shall be my Saviour and Redeemer It is true I do duties but the desire of my soul is to do them out of love to Christ and in obedience to his Royal Law and Pleasure I know my best Righteousnesses are but as filthy rags Isa 64. 6. And woe would be to me had I no other shelter or Saviour or resting place for my poor soul than rags than filthy rags And so far as I know my own heart I am sincerely willing to give up my self to the guidance and government of Jesus Christ as my sovereign Lord and King desiring nothing more in this world than to live and die under the guidance and government of his Spirit Word and Grace But Secondly I am willing through grace to give a Bill of Divorce to all other Lovers without exception or reservation So far as I know my own heart I desire nothing more in this world than that God would pull out right-eye sins and cut off right-hand sins I am very desirous through grace to have all sins brought under by the Power Spirit and Grace of Christ but especially my special sins my head corruptions I would have Christ alone to Rule Reign in the haven of my heart without any Competitour But Thirdly I am sincerely willing through Grace to take the Lord Jesus Christ for Better for Worse for Richer for Poorer in Sickness and in Health and in his Strength I would go with him through fire and water resolving through his Grace that nothing shall divide betwixt Christ and my Soul So far as I know my own heart I would have Christ though I beg with him though I go to Prison with him though in agonies in the Garden with him though to the Cross with him But Fourthly So far as I know my own heart I am sincerely willing First to receive the Lord Jesus Christ presently 1 John 12. Secondly to receive him in all his Offices as King Prophet and Priest Col. 2. 6. Acts 5. 31. Thirdly To receive him into every room of my soul to receive him into my understanding mind will affections c. Fourthly To receive him upon his own terms of denying my self taking up his Cross and following of him where-ever he goes Math. 16. 21. Rev. 14. 4. c. Fifthly and lastly So far as I know my own heart I do freely consent 1. To be really Christs 2. To be presently Christs 3. To be wholly Christs 4. To be only Christs 5. To be eminently Christs 6. To be for ever Christs c. Certainly that Christian that has and do's experience the particulars last mentioned under the second question that Christian may safely groundedly boldly and comfortably conclude that his faith is a true justifying saving Faith the Faith of Gods Elect and such a Faith as clearly evidences a gracious Estate and will never leave his Soul short of Heaven Now how many thousand Christians are there that have this Faith that is here described which is doubtless a true justifying saving Faith that gives a man an interest in the person of Christ and in all the blessings and benefits that comes by Christ who yet question whether they have true faith or no partly from weakness partly from temptations and partly from the various definitions that are given of Faith by Protestants both in their Preachings and Writings and it is and must be for a lamentation that in a point of so great moment the Trumpet should give such an uncertain sound The third Question or case is this viz. whether in the great day of the Lord the day of general Judgment or Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Matth. 12. 36. cap. 18. 23. in the particular Judgment that will pass upon every soul immediately after death which is the stating of the soul in an Eternal estate or condition either of happiness or misery whether the sins of the Saints the follies and Luk. 16. 2. Rom 14. 10 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13 17. 1 Pet. 4 5. vanities of Believers the infirmities and enormities of sincere Christians shall be brought into the judgment of discussion and discovery or no Whether the Lord will either in the great day of account or in a mans particular day of account or judgment publickly manifest proclaim and make mention of the sins of his people or no This question is bottomed upon the ten Scriptures in the Margent which I desire the Christian Reader to consult and upon the sad and daily complaints of many dear sincere Christians who frequently cry out O! we can never answer for one evil thought of ten thousand nor we Jâ—â— 9. 3. Psal 19. 12. Psal 143. 2. Ezr 19. 6. can never answer for one idle word of twenty thousand nor we can never answer for one evil action of a hundred thousand and how then shall we stand in Judgment how shall we look the Judg in the Face how shall we be ever able to answer for all our Omissions and for all our Commissions for all our sins of Ignorance and sins against light and knowledge for all our sins against the Law and for all our sins against the Gospel and for all our sins against soveraign Grace and for all our sins against the Remedy against the Lord Jesus and for all the sins of our Infancy of our Youth Heb. 9 27. and of old Age c. What account shall we be able to give up when we come to our particular day of Judg-ment immediately after our death or in the great and general day of account
thou didst forgive all my iniquities thou did'st blot out all my transgressions and as upon my first believing thou didst give me the Remission of all my sins so upon my first believing thou did'st free me from a state of Condemnation and interest me in the great Salvation Upon my first believing I was united to Jesus Christ and I was cloathed with the Rom 8. 1. Heb. 2 3. Righteousness of Christ which covered all my sins and discharged me from all my transgressions remember O Lord that at the very moment of my dissolution thou did'st really perfectly universally and finally forgive all my sins every debt that moment was discharged and every Score that moment was crossed and every Bill and Bond that moment was cancelled so that there was not left in the book of thy remembrance one sin no not the least sin standing upon Record against my soul And besides all this thou knowest O Lord that all my sins were laid upon Christ my Surety and that he became responsible Heb. 7. 21. 22. for them all he did dye he did lay down his life he did make his soul an offering for my sins he did become a curse he did endure thy infinite wrath he did give compleat satisfaction and a full compensation unto thy Justice for all my sins debts trespasses This is my plea O Lord and by this plea I shall stand Well saith the Lord I allow of this plea I accept of this plea as just honourable and righteous Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. But Seventhly Consider that what ever we are bound to do or to suffer by the Law of God all that did Christ do and suffer for us as being our Surety and Mediator Now the Law of God hath a double challenge or demand upon us one is of active obedience in fulfilling what it requires the other is of passive obedience in suffering that punishment which lies upon us for the transgression of it in doing what it forbids For as we are Created by God we did owe unto him all obedience which he required and as we sinned against God we did owe unto him a suffering of all that punishment which he threatned and we being fallen by transgression can neither pay the one debt nor yet the other we cannot do all that the Law requires Nay of our selves we can do nothing neither can we suffer as to satisfie God in his Justice wronged by us or to recover our selves into life and favour again and therefore Jesus Christ who was God made man did become our Surety and stood in our stead or room and he did perform what we should but could not perform and he did bear our sins and our sorrows he did suffer and bear for us what we our selves should have born and suffered whereby he did fully satisfie the justice of God and made our peace and purchased life and happiness for us Let me a little more clearly and fully open this great truth in these few particulars First Jesus Christ did perform that active obedience unto the Law of God which we should but by reason of sin could not perform in which respect he is said Gal. 4. 4. To be made under the Law that he might redeem them that were under the Law So far was Christ under the Law as to redeem them that were under the Law But redeem them that were under the Law he could not unless by discharging the bonds of the Law in force upon us and all those bonds could not be and were not discharged unless a perfect righteousness had been presented on our behalf who were under the Law to fulfill the Law Now there is a two-fold Righteousness necessary to the actual fulfilling of the Law one is an internal Righteousness of the Nature of man the other is an external Righteousness of the Life or works of man both of these do the Law require The former Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. which is the sum of the first Table And thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self which is the sum of the second Table the latter Do this and live Levit. 18. 5. He that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them is Cursed Gal. 3. 10. Now both these Righteousnesses were sound in Christ First the internal Heh 7. 26. He was holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners chap. 9. 14. And offered himself without spot to God 2 Cor. 5. 21. He knew no sin Secondly External 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth Joh. 17. 4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Math. 3. 15. He must fulfill all Righteousness Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Now concerning Christs active obedience to the Law of God these things are considerable in it First The universality of it he did whatsoever his Father required and left nothing of his Fathers will undone he kept the whole Law and offended not in one point What ever was required of us by vertue of any Law that he did and fulfilled Hence he is said to be made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. Subject or obnoxious to it to all the precepts or commands of it Christ was so made under the Law as those were under the Law whom he was to Redeem Now we were under the Law not only as obnoxious to its penalties but as bound to all the duties of it that this is our being under the Law is evident by that of the Apostle Gal. 4. 2◠Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law surely it was not the penalty of the Law they desired to be under but to be under it in respect of obedience so Math. 3. 15. Here Christ tell you That it became him to fulfil all Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all manner of Righteousness whatsoever that is every thing that God required as is evident from the Application of that general Oxiome to the Baptisme of John But Secondly The exactness and perfection of it He kept the whole Law exactly as he was not wanting in matter so he did not fail in the manner of performing his Fathers Will there was no defects nothing lacking in his obedience he did all things well what we are pressing towards and reaching forth unto he attained he was perfect in every good work and stood compleat in the whole will of his Father And hence it is that it is Recorded of him that he was without sin knew no sin did no sin which could not be if he had failed in any thing But Thirdly The constancy of it Christ did not obey by sits but constantly though we cannot yet he continued in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them This Righteous One held on his way he did not fail nor was he discouraged yea when
33. 24. everlasting death then mercy steps in and pleads I have found a Ransom the sinner shall not die but live When the Law saith ah sinner sinner thus and thus hast thou transgressed all sorts of duties thou hast omitted and all sorts of sins hast committed and all sorts of mercies thou hast abused and all sorts of means thou hast neglected and all sorts of offers thou hast slighted then God steps in and saith ah sinner sinner what dost thou say what canst thou say to this heavy charge is it true or false with thou grant it or deny it what defence or plea canst thou make for thy self Alas the poor sinner is speechless Mat. 22. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was muzzled or haltered up that is he held his peace as though he had a bridle or a halter in his mouth this is the import of the Greek word here used he hath not one word to say for himself he can neither deny nor excuse or extenuate what is charged upon him why now saith God I must and do pronounce thee to be guilty and as I am a just and righteous God I cannot but adjudg thee to die eternally but such is the riches of my mercy that I will freely justifie thee through the righteousness of my son I will forgive thy sins and discharge thee of that obligation by which thou wast bound over to wrath and curse and condemnation so that the justified person may triumphingly say who is he that condemneth He may read over the most dreadful passages of the Law without being terrified or amazed as knowing that the curse is removed and that all his sins that brought him under the curse are pardoned and are in point of condemnation as if they had never been This is to be justified to have the sin pardoned and the penalty remitted Rom. 4. 5 6 7 8. But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justisieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin It is observable that what David calleth forgiveness of sin and not imputing of iniquity St. Paul stiles a being justified But Secondly as the first part of Justification consists in the pardon of sin so the second part of Justification consists in the acceptation of the sinners person as perfectly righteous in God's sight pronouncing him such and dealing with him as such and by bringing of him under the shadow of that divine favour which he had formerly lost by his transgressions Cant. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee that is none in my account Deut. 32. 5. nor no such spots as the wicked are full of Look as David saw nothing in lame Mephibosheth but what was lovely 2 Sam. 9. 3 4 13 14. because he saw in him the features of his friend Jonathan so God beholding his people in the face of his son sees nothing amiss in them They are all glorious within and without Psal 45. 13. Look as Absolom had no blemish from head to foot so they are irreprehensible and Jer. 2. 32. without blemish before the throne of God Rev. 14. 5. The pardoned sinner in repect of divine acceptation is without Eph. 5. 26 27. spot or wrinkle or any such thing God accepts the pardoned sinner as compleat in him who is the head Colos 2. 10. of all principality and power Christ makes us comely through his beauty he gives us white raiment to stand before the Lord Christ is all in all in regard of divine acceptance Eph. 1. 6. He hath made us accepted in the beloved All persons out of Christ are cursed enemies objects of God's wrath and Justice displeasing offending and provoking creatures and therefore God cannot but loath them and abhor them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made us favourites so Chrysostom and Theophilact render it God hath ingratiated us he hath made us gracious in the son of his love through the blood of Christ we look of a sanguine complexion ruddy and beautiful in God's eyes Isa 62. 4. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken but thou shalt be called Hephzibah for the Lord delighteth in thee The acceptation of our persons with God takes in six things 1. God's honouring of us 2. His delight in us 3. His being well pleased with us 4. His extending love and favour to us 5. His high estimation of us 6. His giving us free access to himself It is the observation of Ambrose that though Jacob was not by birth the first-born yet hiding himself under his brother's cloaths and having put on his coat which smelled most fragrantly he came into Gen. 27. 36. his father's presence and got away the blessing from his elder brother so it is very necessary in order to our acceptation with God that we lie hid under the precious Robe of Christ our elder brother that having the sweet 2 Cor. 2. 15. savour of his garments upon us our sins may be covered with his perfections and our unrighteousness with the Robes of his righteousness that so we may offer up our selves unto God a living and acceptable sacrifice not Rom. 12. 1. Isa 64. 6. Phil. 3. 9. having our own righteousness which are but as filthy rags but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Thus you see that Justification for the nature of it lies in the gracious pardon of the sinners transgressions and in the acceptation of his person as righteous in Gods sight But Secondly In order to the partaking of this grace of the forgiveness of our sins and the acceptation of our persons we must be able to produce a perfect righteousness before the Lord and to present it and tender it unto him and the reason is evident from the very nature of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Habak 1. 13 that is Habak 1. 13. Heb. And to look on iniquity thou canst not do it with patience or pleasure or without punishing it There are four things that God cannot do 1. He cannot lie 2. He cannot die 3. He cannot deny himself 4. He cannot behold iniquity with approbation and delight Josh 24. 19. And Joshua said unto the people ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins such is the holiness of God's nature that he cannot behold sin Psal 5. 4 5 6. that he cannot but punish sin where ever he finds it God is infinitely immutably and inexorably just as well as he is incomprehensibly gracious Now in the justification of a sinner God doth act as a God of justice as well
John 1. 7. imagine that there should be more demerit in any sin yea in all sin to condemn a believer than there is merit in Rom. 8. 1 33 34 35. Christ's righteousness to absolve him to justifie him The righteousness of Christ was shadowed out by the glorious Robes and apparrel of the High Priest That Exod. 30. attire in which the High Priest appeared before God what was it else but a type of Christ's righteousness The filthy garments of Joshua who represented the Church were not only taken off from him thereby signifying the removal of our sins but also a new fair garment Zach. 3. 4 5. was put upon him to signifie our being clothed with the wedding garment of Christ's righteousness If any shall say how is it possible that a soul that is defiled with the worst of sins should be whiter than the snow yea Psal 51. 7. beautiful and glorious in the cyes of God the answer is at hand because to whomsoever the Lord doth give the pardon of his sins which is the first part of our justification to them he doth also impute the righteousness of Christ which is the second part of our justification before God thus David describeth saith the Apostle the blessedness of Rom. 4. 6 7. the man to whom the Lord imputeth reghteousness without works saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Now to that man whose sins the Lord forgives to him he doth impute righteousness also Take away the filthy garments from him saith Zach. 3. 4. the Lord of Joshua and he said unto him behold I have cansed thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will cloth thee with change of raiment and what was that change of raiment surely the perfect obedience and righteousness of the Lord Jesus which God doth impute unto us in which respect also we are said by justifying faith to Rom. 12. 14. Gal. 3. 27. put on the Lord Jesus and to be clothed with him as with a garment And no marvel if being so apparelled we appear beautiful and glorious in the sight of God To her that is to Christ's Bride was granted that she should Rev. 19. 8. be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousness of saints This perfect righteousness of Christ which the Lord imputeth to us and wherewith as with a garment he clothed us is the only righteousness which the Saints have to stand before God with and having that Robe of righteousness on they may stand with great boldness and comfort before the judgment-seat of God But Thirdly Know for your comfort that this righteousness of Christ presents us perfectly righteous in the sight of God He is made to us righteousness The Robe of innocency 1 Cor. 1. 30. like the veil of the Temple is rent asunder our righteousness is a ragged righteousness our righteousnesses Isa 6â— 4. are as filthy rags Look as under rags the naked body is seen so under the rags of our righteousness the body of death is seen Christ is all in all in regard of righteousness Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to Rom. 10. 4. them that believe That is through Christ we are as righteous as if we Finis persiciens nen intersicâ—ens Aug. had satisfied the Law in our own persons The end of the Law is to justifie and save those which fulfil it Christ subjected himself thereto he perfectly fulfilled it for us and his perfect righteousness is imputed to us Christ fulfilled the moral Law not for himself but for us therefore Christ doing it for believers they fulfil the Law in Christ and so Christ by doing and they believing in him that doth it do fulfil the Law or Christ may be faid to be the end of the Law because the end of the Law is perfect righteousness that a man may be justified thereby which end we cannot attain of our selves through the frailty of our flesh but by Christ we attain it who hath fulfilled the Law for us Christ hath perfectly fulfilled the Decalogue for us and that 3 ways 1. In his pure conception 2. In his godly life 3. in his holy and obedient sufferings and all for us for whatsoever the Law required that we should be do or suffer he hath performed in our behalf Therefore one wittily saith that Christ Arctius is Telos the end or tribute and we by his payment Ateleis Tribute free we are discharged by him before God Christ in respect of the integrity and purity of his nature being conceived without sin and in respect of his life and Mat. 1. 18. Luk. 1. 35. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Cel. 1. 20. actions being wholly conformed to the absolute righteousness of the Law and in respect of the punishment which he suffered to make satisfaction unto God's justice for the breach of the Law in these respects Christ is the perfection of the Law and the end of the Law for righteousness to them that believe Jacob got the blessing in the garment of his elder brother so in the garment of Christ's righteousness who is our elder brother we obtain Eph. â— 4. the blessing yea all spiritual blessings in heavenly places we are made the righteousness of God in him The 2 Cor. 5. ult Church saith Marlorat which puts on Christ and his righteousness is more illustrious than the air is by the sun The infinite wisdom and power of dear Jesus in reconciling the Law and the Gospel in this great mystery of justification is greatly to be magnified In the blessed Scriptures we find the righteousness of Justification to take its various denominations In respect of the material cause it is called the righteousness of the Law In respect of the efficient cause it is called the righteousness of Rom. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 9. Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 3. 24. Titus 3. 7. Christ in respect of the formal It is called the righteousness of God he imputing of it In respect of the instrumental cause it is called the righteousness of faith And in respect of the moving and final cause we are said to be justified freely by Grace The Law as it was a Covenant of works required exact and perfect obedience in men's proper persons this was legal Justification But in the new Covenant God is contented to accept this righteousness in the hand of a surety and this is Evangelical Justification this righteousness presents us in the sight of God as all fair Cant. 4. 7. as complete Colos 2. 10. as without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 27. as without fault before the throne of God Rev. 14. 5. as holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Colos 1. 22. Oh the happiness and blessedness the safety and glory of those precious souls who in the righteousness of Jesus Christ stand perfectly rightcous in the sight of God but
vers 12. Yea surely God will not do wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgment It would be high injustice in a magistrate to punish the same offence twice and it would be high blasphemy for any to assert that ever God should be guilty of such injustice Whilst Christians set up a righteousness of their own and build not upon the Rom. 10. 3. righteousness of Christ how unsetled are they how miserably are they tossed up and down sometimes fearing and sometimes hoping sometimes supposing themselves in a good condition and anon seeing themselves upon the very brink of hell but now all is quiet and serene with that soul that builds upon the righteousness of Christ for he being justified by faith hath peace with God observe Rom. 5. 1. that noble description of Christ in that Isa 32. 2. And a man that is the man Christ Jesus shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land When a man is clothed with the righteousness of Christ who is God man it is neither wind nor tempest it is neither drought nor weariness that can disturb the peace of his soul for Christ and his righteousness will be a hiding place a cover and rivers of water and the shadow of a great rock unto him for being at perfect peace with God he may well say with the Psalmist Isa 26. 3. Psal 4. 6 7 8. I will lay me down in peace The peace and comfort of an awakened sinner can never stand firm and stable but upon the Basis of a positive righteousness When a sensible sinner casts his eye upon his own righteousness holiness fastings prayers tears humblings meltings he can find no place for the sole of his foot to rest firmly upon by reason of the spots and blots and blemishes that cleaves both to his graces and duties He knows that his prayers need pardon and that his tears need washing in the blood of the Lamb and that his very righteousness needs another's righteousness to secure him from condemnation If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand Psal 130. 3. Psal 1. 5. that is rectus in curia stand that is in judgment Extremity of justice he deprecateth he would not be dealt with in rigour and rage The best man's life is fuller of sins than the firmament is of stars or the furnace of sparks and therefore who can stand in judgment and not fall under the weight of thy just wrath which burneth as low as hell it self i. e. none can stand were the faults of the best man alive but written in his forehead he was never able to stand in judgment when a man comes to the Law for Justification it convinceth him of sin when he pleads his innocence that he is not so great a sinner as others are when he pleds his righteousness his duties his good meanings and his good desires the Law tells him that they are all weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary and found Dau. 5. 27. too light the Law tells him that the best of his duties will not save him and that the least of his sins will damn him the Law tells him that his own righteousnesses are as filthy rags do but defile him and that his best services do but witness against him The Law looks for perfect and personal obedience and because the sinner cannot come up to it it pronounceth him accursed and though the Gal. 3. 10. sinner sues hard for mercy yet the Law will shew him none no though he seeks it carefully with tears but Heb. 12. 17. now when the believing sinner casts his eye upon the righteousness of Christ he sees that righteousness to be a perfect and exact righteousness as perfect and exact as that of the Law yea it is the very righteousness of the Law though not performed by him yet by his surety the Lord his righteousness and upon this foundation he stands firm and rejoyces with joy unspeakable and full of glory The Saints of old have always placed their happiness peace and comfort in their perfect and compleat Justification rather than in their imperfect and incompleat sanctification as you may see by the Scriptures in the margent with Jer. 23. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Luk. 7. 48 50. Rom. 4. 6 8. cap. 5. 1 3. Isa 38. 16 17. cap. 45. 24 25. Phil. 4. 7. many others that are scattered up and down in the blessed book of God That text is worthy to be written in letters of Gold Isa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord saith the sound believer my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation He hath imputed and given unto me the perfect holiness and obedience of my blessed Saviour and made it mine he hath covered me all over from top to toe with the robe of righteousness as a bride groom decketh himself with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her self with her jewels Though a Christian's inherent righteousness be weak and imperfect â—maimed and stained blotted and blurred as it is yet it affords much comfort peace joy and rejoycing 1 Chron. 29. 9. Jâ—b 27. 4 5 6. Neh. 13. 14 22 31. Isa 38. 3. Prov. 21. 14. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 3. 4. cap. 5. 4. as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together Job was much taken with his inherent righteousness Job 29. 14. I put on righteousness and it cloathed me my judgment was as a robe and a diadem unto me Look as sober modest comely apparel doth much set forth and adorn the body in the eyes of men so doth inherent grace inherent holiness inherent righteousness when it sparkles in the faces lips lives and good works of the Saints much more beautifie and adorn them in the eyes both of God and man Now if this garment of inherent righteousness that hath so many spots and rents in it will adorn us and joy us so much what a beauty and glory is that which the Lord our God hath put upon us in clothing us with the robe of his son's righteousness for by this means we shall recover more by Christ than we lost by Adam the robe of righteousness which we have gotten by Christ the second Adam is far more glorious than that which we were deprived of by the first Adam But Seventhly Then know for your comfort that you 7. Gal. 6. 14. have the highest reason in the world to rejoyce and triumph in Christ Jesus Phil. 3. 3. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus we rejoyce in the person of Christ and we rejoyce in the righteousness of Christ 2 Cor. 2. 14. Now thanks be to God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ Deo gratias was ever in Paul â—s
mouth and ever in Austin's mouth and should be ever in a Christians mouth when his eye is fixed upon the righteousness of Christ Every believer is in a more blessed and happy estate by means of the righteousness of Christ than Adam was in innocency and that upon a three-fold account all which are just and noble grounds for every Christian to rejoyce and triumph in Christ Jesus 1. That righteousness which Gen. 3. chap. Psal 8. 5. Eâ—cles 7. 29. Adam had was uncertain and such as it was possible for him to lose yea he did lose it and that in a very short time God gave him power and freedom of will either to hold it or lose it and we know soon after upon choice he proved a Bankrupt but the righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is made more firm and sure to us it is that good part that noble portion that shall never be taken from us as Christ said to Mary Adam Luk. 10. 42. sinned away his râ—ghteousness but a believer cannot sin away the righteousness of Jesus Christ It is not possible â— John 3. 9. Râ—m 8. 35 39. for the Elect of God so to sin as to lost Christ or to strip themselves of that robe of righteousness which Christ hath put upon them The gates of â—ell shall never be able Mat. 16. 18. to prevail against that soul that is interested in Christ that is clothed with the righteousness of Christ Now what higher ground of joy and triumph in Christ Jesus can there be than this But Secondly the righteousness that Adam had was in his own keeping the spring and root of it was sounded in himself and that was the cause why he lost it so soon Adam like the Prodigal son had Luk. 15. 12. 13. all his portion his happiness his â—oliness his blessedness his righteousness in his own hands in his own keeping and so quickly lost stock and block as some speak it O but now that blessed righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is not in our own keeping but in our father's keeping Look as our persons graces and inherent righteousness are kept as in a Garrison by the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the original is a military word and signifies safe keepingâ— kept as with a Guard or in a Garrison that is well fenced with walls and works and so is made impregnable unto salvation so that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is kept for us by the mighty power of God unto salvation God the father is the Lord Keeper not only of our inherent righteousness but also of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ unto us My sheep shall never perish saith our Saviour John 10. 28 29. neither shall any pluck them out of my hand my father that gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my father's hands Though the Saints may meet with many shakâ—â—gs and tossings in their various conditions in this world yet their final perseverance till they come to full possâ—â—sion of eternal life is certain God is so unchangeable in his purposes of love and so invincible in his power that neither Satan nor the world nor their own flesh shall ever be able to separate them from a Crown of righteousness 2. Tim. 4. 7 8. A Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. A Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5 4. The power of God is so far above all created opposition that it will certainly maintain the Saints in a state of Grace Now what a bottom and ground for rejoycing and triumphing in Christ Jesus is here But Thirdly Admit that the righteousness that Adam had in his Creation had been unchangeable and that he could never have lost it yet it had been but the righteousness of a man of a mere creature and what a poor low righteousness would that have been to that high and glorious righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ which is the righteousness of such a person as was God as well as man yea that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is a higher righteousness and a more excellent transcendent righteousness than that of the Angels though the righteousness of the Angels be perfect and compleat in its kind yet it is but the righteousness of merâ— creatures But the righteousness of the Saints in which they stand clothed before the throne of God is the righte ousness of that person which is both God and man Look as the second Adam was a far more excellent person than the first Adam was The first man was of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15. 47. Look as Adam conveighs his guilt to all his children so Christ conveighs his righteousness to all his he was caput cum foedere as well as the first Adam as the Apostle speaks The second was the Lord from heaven not for the matter of his body for he was made of a woman but for the original and dignity of his person whereof you may see a lively and lofty description in Heb. 1. 2 3. so his righteousness also must needs be far more excellent absolute glorious and every way all-sufficient to satisfie the infinite justice of God and the exact perfection of his holy Law than ever Adam's righteousness could possibly have done Remember sirs that that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is called the righteousness of God He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now that righteousness that we have by Jesus Christ is called the righteousness of God 1. because it is such a righteousness as God requires 2. As he approves of and accepts 3. As he takes infinite pleasure and delight and satisfaction in The Righteousness the Apostle speaks of in that Scripture last mentioned is not to be understood of the essential righteousness of Christ which is infinite and no ways communicable to the creature unless we will make a creature a God but we are to understand it of that righteousness of Christ that is imputed to believers as their sin is imputed to him Now what a Well of salvation is here what three noble grounds and what matchless bottoms are here for a Christian's joy and triumph in Christ Jesus who hath put so glorious a Robe as his own righteousness upon them Ah Christians let not the consolations of Job 15. 11. God be small in your eyes why take you no more comfort and delight in Christ Jesus why rejoyce you no more in him not to rejoyce in Christ Jesus is a plain breach of that Gospel command Rejoyce in the Lord alway that is Phil. 4. 4. rejoyce in Christ and again I say rejoyce saith the Apostle he doubleth the mandate to shew the necessity and excellency of the duty so Phil. 3. 1. Finally my brethren rejoyce in the Lord. Now
Christ which is infinitely better than our own yea better than our very lives may I not say yea better than our very souls The branch Christ Jesus is called Jehovah Tsidkenu the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. And this is his name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESS Where note first to be called by this name is to be so really for Christ is never called what he is not and so he is to the same purpose elsewhere Mat. 1. 23. called Immanuel God with us that is he shall be so indeed God with us so here he shall be called the Lord our righteousness that is he shall be so indeed Secondly observe this is one of his glorious names that is one of his Attributes which he accounts his excellency and his glory Now all the attributes of Christ are unchangeable so that he can as easily change his nature as his name Now remember that this imputed righteousness of Christ procures acceptance for our inherent righteousness when a sincere Christian casts his eye upon the weaknesses infirmities and imperfections that daily attend his best services he sighs and mourns but if he looks upward to the Imputed Righteousness of Jesus Christ that shall bring forth his infirm weak and sinful performances perfect spotless and sinless and approved according to the tenour of the Gospel so that they become spiritual sacrifices he cannot 1 Pet. 2. 5. but rejoyce For as there is an imputation of righteousness to the persons of believers so there is also an imputation to their services and actions As the fact of Psal 106. 31. Phineas was imputed to him for righteousness so the imperfect good works that are done by believers are accounted righteousness or as Calvin speaks are accounted for righteousness they being dipped in the blood of Christ tincta sanguine Christi i. e. they are accounted righteous actions and so sincere Christians shall be judged Rev. 11. 18. cap. 20. 12. Mat. 25. 34 35 36 37. according to their good works though not saved for them And 't is observable in that famous process of the last judgment that the supreme judge makes mention of the bounty and liberality of the Saints and so bestows the Crown of life and the eternal inheritance upon them so that though the Lord 's faithful ones have eminent cause to be humbled and afflicted for the many weaknesses that cleaves to their best duties yet on the other hand they have wonderful cause to rejoyce and triumph Heb. 13. 20 21. 1 Cor. 6 11. Mal. 4. 2. that they are made perfect through Jesus Christ and that the Lord looks at them through the righteousness of Christ as fruits of his own spirit The Sun of Righteousness hath healing enough in his wings for all our spiritual Maladies The Saints prayers being perfumed with Rev. 8. 3 4. Christ's odours are highly accepted in heaven Upon this bottom of Imputed Righteousness believers may have exceeding strong consolation and good hope through grace that both their persons and services do find singular acceptation with God as having no spot or blemish at all in them Surely Righteousness imputed must be the top of our happiness and blessedness Rom. 4 5 6. But Ninthly and lastly know for your comfort that Imputed Righteousness will give you the greatest boldness before God's Judgment-seat There is an absolute and indispensible necessity of a perfect Righteousness wherewith to appear before God The holiness of God's nature the righteousness of his Government the severity of his Law and the terrour of wrath calls aloud upon the sinner for a compleat Righteousness without which Psal 1. 5. there is no standing in judgment That Righteousness only is able to justifie us before God which is perfect and that hath no defect nor blemish in it such as may abide the tryal before his Judgment-seat such as may fitly satisfie his justice and make our peace with him and consequently such as whereby the Law of God is fulfilled Therefore it is called the Righteousness of God such a Rom. 10. 3. Righteousness as he requires as will stand before him and satisfie his justice so the Apostle saith The righteousness Rom. 8. 4. of the Law must be fulfilled in us Now there is no other Righteousness under heaven whereby the Law of God was ever perfectly fulfilled but by the righteousness of Christ alone no righteousness below the Righteousness of Christ was ever able to abide the tryal at God's judgment-seat and fully to satisfie his justice and pacifie his wrath A gracious soul triumphs more in the Righteousness of Christ Imputed than he would have done if he could have stood in the Righteousness in which he was created This is the crowning comfort to a sensible and understanding soul that he stands righteous before a Judgment-seat in that full exact perfect compleat matchless spotless pearless and most acceptable Righteousness of Christ imputed to him The Righteousness Râ—m 3. 21 22. cap. 10 3. â—hil 3. 9. of Christ is therefore called the Righteousness of God because it is it which God hath assigned and which God doth accept for us in our justification and for and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous before his seat of Justice There is an indispensible necessity that lies upon the sinner to have such a Righteousness to his justification as may render his appearance safe and comfortable in the day of Judgment Now there is no righteousness that can abide that day of fiery tryal but the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us Paul that great Apostle had as fair and as full a Certificate to shew Phil. 3. 4 5 6. Act. 23 6. 2 Cor. 11. 22. for a legal Justification as any person under heaven had but yet he durst not stand by that righteousness he durst not plead that righteousness he durst not appear in that righteousness before the dreadful Judgment-seat But oh how earnest how importunate is he that he may be found in that great day of the Lord in the Mediatory Righteousness Phil. 3. 9 10. of Christ and not in his own personal righteousness which he looked upon as filthy rags as dross dung dogs meat the great thing that he most strongly insists up on is that he might be clothed with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness for then he knew that the Law could not say black was his eye and that the Judge upon the Bench would pronounce him righteous and bid him enter into the joy of his Lord a joy too great to enter into Mat. 25. 21 23 24 him and therefore he must enter into that when the match is made up between Christ and the soul that soul bears her sovereigns name The spouse of the first Adam and her husband had both one name God called their Gen. 5. 2. name Adam in the day that he made them so the Spouse of the second Adam in the change of her
condition from Christ and Christians are name-sakes caput corpus unus est Christus Aug. The head is called Christ and the members are called Christ â— Cor. 12. 12. Christ is called Solomon Cant. â—â— cap. 3. 1â— in Hebrew Shâ—lomâ—h of peace and the Church is called Shulamite by heâ— Bride-grooms name Cant. 6. 13. a single to a married estate with Christ the Lamb had a change of her name The head is called The Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. and so is the Church Jer. 33. 16. In those days shall Judah he saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith she shall be called The Lord our righteousness here is a sameness of name As Christ is called The Lord our righteousness so his spouse is called The Lord our righteousness Oh happy transnomination Christ's Bride being one with himself and having his Righteousness imputed to her is called The Lord our righteousness and therefore they may with the greatest chearfulness and boldness bear up in the great day of account who have the perfect Righteousness of Christ imputed to them especially if you consider 1. That this Righteousness is of infinite value and worth 2. That Dan. 9. 24. it is an everlasting righteousness a righteousness that can never be lost 3. That it is an unchangeable Righteousness Though times change and men change and friends change and providences change and the Moon Mal. 4. 2. change yet the Sun of Righteousness never changes Jâ—mes 1. 17. in him is no variableness neither shadâ—w of turning 4. That it is a compleat and unspotted Righteousness an unblameable Righteousness and unblemished Righteousness and therefore God can neither in Justice except or object against it In this Righteousness the believer lives in this Righteousness the believer dies and in this Righteousness believers shall arise and appear before the judgment-seat of Christ to the deep admiration of all the elect Angels and to the transcendent terrour and horrour of all Reprobates and to the matchless joy and triumph of all on Christ's right hand who shall then shout and sing Isa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bride-groom decketh himself with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her self with jewels Oh how 2 Thes 1. 10. will Christ in this great day be admired and glorified in all his Saints when every Saint wrap'd up in this fine Linnen in this white Robe of Christ's Righteousness shall shine more gloriously than ten thousand Suns In the great day of the Lord when the Saints shall stand before the Tribunal of God clothed in the perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ they shall then stand recti in curiâ they shall then be pronounced righteous even in the Court of Divine Justice which sentence will fill their souls with comfort and the souls of sinners with astonishment Suppose Rev. 20. 12. cap. 12. 10. we saw the believing sinner holding up his hand at God's Bar the books opened the accuser of the brethren present the witnesses ready and the Judg on the Bench thus bespeaking the sinner at the Bar Oh sinner Râ—m 7. 12 14 16. Gâ—l 3. 10. sinner thou standest here indicted before me for many millions of sins of commission and for many millions of sins of omission thou hast broken my holy just and righteous Laws beyond all humane conception or expression and hereof thou art proved guilty What hast thou now to say for thy self why thou shouldst not be eternally cast Upon this the sinner pleads guilty but withal he earnestly desires that he may have time and liberty to Mat. 25. 41. plead for himself and to offer his reasons why that dreadful sentence Go you cursed c. should not be passed upon him The liberty desired being granted by the Judg The sinner pleads that his surety Jesus Christ hath by his blood and sufferings given full and compleat satisfaction to Divine Justice and that he hath paid down upon Heb. 10. 10 14. the nail the whole debt at once and that it can never stand with the holiness and unspotted justice of God to demand satisfaction twice If the Judge shall farther object Gal. 3. 10. I but sinner sinner The Law requireth an exact and perfect Righteousness in the personal fulfilling of it now sinner where is thy exact and perfect righteousness Upon which the believing sinner very readily chearfully Isa 45. 24. humbly and boldly replies my righteousness is upon the Bench In the Lord have I Righteousness Christ my Surety hath fulfilled the Law on my behalf The Laws Righteousness consists in two things 1. In its requiring perfect conformity to its commands 2. In its demanding satisfaction or the undergoing of its penalty upon the violation of it Now Christ by his active and passive obedience hath fulfilled the Law for Righteousness and this active and passive obedience of Jesus Christ is imputed to me his obeying the Law to the full his perfect comforming to its commands his doing as well as his dying obedience is by grace made over and reckoned to me in order to my justification and salvation and this is my plea by which I will stand before the Judg of all the world Upon this the sinners plea is accepted as good in Law and accordingly he is pronounced righteous and goes away glorying and rejoycing triumphing and shouting it out sla 45. 25. Righteous Righteous Righteous Righteous In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory And thus you see that here are nine springs of strong consolation that flow into your souls through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness unto you But The sixth Plea that a believer may form up as to the ten Eccl f 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. câ—p 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 5. Scriptures in the Margent that referâ— to the great day of account or to a man's particular account may be drawn from the consideration of Christ as a common person a representative head one that represents another man's person and acts the part of another according to the appointment of the Law the acceptation of the Judg so that what is done by him the person is said to do whose person he doth represent And so was Adam a common person and that by an act of God's Sovereignty appointing him in making a covenant with him so to be Rom. 5. 15 16 17 18 19. We were all iâ— Adam as the whole Countrey is in a Parliament-man An although wâ— chose not yeâ— God chose for â—s and he did represent all Man-kind And hence it comes to pass that his sin is imputed unto us and made ours so in our Law an Attorney appears in the behalf