or accept them in their Worshiping of him A guilty Conscience and an unsanctified Heart is always hypocritical and playeth false and loose in worshiping God hence Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water and the heart must first be sprinkled from an evil Conscience and body washed with pure water by the Blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ before any Man can worship God in Spirit and in Truth and I do and dare too affirm it from the Word of God that there is not a true and spiritual Worshipper of God in all the World but such as are so inwardly sprinkled and washed with the Blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ all others do worship God carnally and hypocritically not in Spirit and in Truth not sincerely and inwardly Oh therefore you that are in Christ see look to it that you worship God in the Spirit and in Truth for else there is none in all the World to do it 3. To worship God in the Spirit is to worship him in and according to his own holy Institutions Ordinances and Appointments and not according to Humane Inventions not according to Mens Traditions there is neither Spirit nor Truth in that Worship that hath not the stamp of Divine Authority upon it Voluntary Humility and Will-worship and all things of mans devising in the Worship of God and that hold not the Head Christ Jesus can minister no grace or spiritual nourishment to the Members and Joynts of the Body Eph. 4.16 compared with Col. 2.18 19 20 21 22 23. A little Leaven will leaven the whole lump and a little Superstition and Will-worship after thâ— Doctrines and Commandments of Men 〈◊〉 render the whole Worship vain and fruitleâ—â— to your selves as well as displeasing provokeâ—ing and unacceptable to God and so wheâ—â— all the ends of Worship are lost it becomâ— altogether vain as Mat. 15.9 But in vaâ—â— they do worship me teaching for Doctrine tâ—â— Commandments of men and who hath â—â—â—quired these things at your hands will 〈◊〉 day dash in pieces the confidence of all sucâ— Worshippers and evidence the vanity as weâ—â— as the impiety of all such Worship Humanâ— Traditions and Impositions of Men undeâ— what name or pretence soever whether of Eâ—â—clesiastical or of holy learned and judicioâ— persons or the Authority of the Civil Magistrate are not sufficient to warrant us iâ— our worshiping of God No no we muâ—â— to the Law and to the Testimony and iâ— they speak not according to this Word therâ— is no light or morning in them And wheâ—â— men have once rejected the Word of thâ— Lord what Wisdom is in them yea whaâ— Holiness is in them what Learning is in them yea professing themselves to be wise they are become fools and why then should you that are in Christ follow them or be led by them wherein they do not follow Christ or are led by his Word and Spirit 'T is time for us to leave them who have left the Head Jesus Christ and have gone a whoring from under their Gods What though all the World wander after and worship the Beast yet those whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life must not comply with them Rev. 13.7 8. Ye that are in Christ are the Temple of the Living God for God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols wherefore come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. And again Rev. 18 4. And having therefore dearly Beloved these promises viz. of God's receiving us and of being a Father to us and our being his Sons and his Daughters as before Let us cleanse our selvet from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 And let it be considered by you that if you be rejected of the World for not worshiping with them after their Rudiments ye shall be received of God in Christ as the true Worshippers that worship him in spirit and truth i. e. that worship him in Christ sincerely and according to his own Institution and whether it is better to please God or Men to be rejected of Men and to be received of God or to be received of Men and rejected of God judge ye for to be jâ—stified by Works and our own Righteousness and to worship God by Humane Inventions are equally hateful and abominable with God tho' highly esteemed amongst Men Jer. 44.4 Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate And Luk. 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before Men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst Men is abomination in the sight of God And for us to think within our selves that we can be justified in the sight of God by our own Works or Righteousness or that we can worship God by Humane Inventions or Mens Traditions is to think that God is altogether such an one as our selves for which certainly he will reprove us Psal. 50.21 22. And there is a secret yet strong connexion betwixt these two grand Errours viz. to be justified by Works and to worship God by and after our own Inventions for they commonly go together and stand and fall together And those that are corrupt or loose in the Doctrine of Justification are accordingly as corrupt and loose in Worship And therefore when a Professing People grow loose in the Worship of God 't is an ill Omen and just ground of godly jealousie and fear that such are unsound and loose in the Point of Justification Hence Gal. 4.8 9 10 11. And that they are not fast knit by a sincere Faith unto Christ the Head Col. 2.19 20 21 22. Let us therefore as many as are perfect be thus minded to rejoyce in Christ Jesus have no confidence in the flesh and worship God in the Spirit then and not till then are we the tâ—ue Circumcision then and not till then do we walk after the spirit and not after the flesh As therefore ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him And the God of Peace shalâ— be with you Amen The Second Part of the True Light Shining in Darkness To give to us the knowledge of Salvation to guide our feet into the way of Peace OR The Righteousness of God Manifested opened and declared as the True and only Matter of our Justification before GOD through Faith in Jesus Christ. Being one Sermon or Doctrine of five more remaining upon Rom. 3.21 22. But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference Preached first in and about the City
Rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh these two must go together in the heart and walking of a Christian You cannot rejoyce in Christ Jesus if you have or put any confidence in the flesh and ye cannot have confidence in the flesh if ye do aright rejoyce in Christ Jesus To have confidence in the flesh is to have trust and confidence in the Law and in the Deeds and Works of the Law done by you either before or after your laying hold upon Christ as your Refuge the internal Deeds of the Law which are the qualifications virtues and graces of the mind and the external Deeds of the Law which are the external actions of thy Life and Conversation both with respect to God and Man done and wrought in conformity to the holy Law of God so far as thou art able to reach it The Duties of the first Table and of the second those which respect Religion towardâ— God and those which respect Righteousnesâ— towards Man as they are or can be performed by thee these all are comprehended in the word flesh as appeareth plainly by the Apostle Phil. 3.4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof to trust in the flesh I more And then he addeth all his Legal qualifications priviledges and performances before his Conversion v. 5 6. Circumcised the eight day c. and then he adds all his own Righteousness of the Law in the internal and external Deeds of it after his Conversion and Faith in Christ v. 9. And be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith So that all his own Righteousness both before and after Conversion he sets in opposition to the Righteousness of God by Faith in Christ and this all this that is a mans own Righteousness he calleth flesh and forbids and denies any confidence or trust to be put in it either by himself or by any other man so as that he or any other person should think or judge or reckon himself righteous and justified in Gods sight by his own Righteousness either of inherent qualifications or external obedience no no this is abominable this the Apostle abhors in himself and deters all others from But on the other hand to trust alone unto Christ and rely and depend upon the perfect Righteousness of Christ which is the Righteousness of God and is made ours by Faith and not by Works this is to rejoyce in Christ Jesus but to have confidence in our own Righteousness this is to have confidence in the flesh And there are two reasons why all a mans own Righteousness is called flesh 1. Because it is weak and unable to bear the weight of mans hope and confidence as touching his being righteous thereby or justified before God and thus the Horses of the Egyptians are said to be flesh not spirit because of their weakness and inability to answer the sinful trust and confidence which the Jews had in them Isa. 31. v. 3. And 2. Because it is polluted sinful and unclean by the infirmity and imperfection of grace in the best and by the mixtures of sin and corruption that attend us in our best Duties as Isa. 64.6 But we are all as an unclean thing and our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags and therefore not to be trusted in and relied upon when we come before and have to do with God Now therefore ye that are in Christ and desire to rejoyce in Christ Jesus have see that ye have no confidence in the flesh covet earnestly the best gifts strive after the highest attainments of inherent grace and holiness but trust not to put no confidence in your own Works and Righteousness for by the Works of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight 3. And last of all See that ye worship God in the Spirit Phil. 3.2 For we are the true Circumcision which worship God in the spirit rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh So that to your rejoycing in Christ Jesus and having no confidence in the flesh you must add this also To worship God in the spirit Now to worship God in the spirit implieth these three things namely 1. To Worship God in the Spirit is to Worship God in Christ those of the Concision spoken of in the beginning of Phil. 3. Who trusted to Circumcision and the Works of the Law or their own Righteousness Worshipped God in the Deeds and Works of the Law which the Apostle here calls Flesh and so they Worshipped God not in the Spirit but in the Flesh They rested in their own Deeds and Works and looked not to Christ Jesus who was the End Perfection and Substance of the Ceremonial Law And so indeed their Worship terminated in their own Righteousness and they did not by Faith go out of themselves unto Christ and his Righteousness and so they did not Worship God in the Spirit i. e. Evangelically and by Faith in Christ but legally and presuming upon their own Merit and Worthiness without Christ and so all their Worshipping was Carnal and in the Flesh after the Old Covenant and Works but not Spiritual and Evangelical i. e. after the New Covenant and Grace To Worship God therefore in Christ and by Faith in him as your only Righteousness and always to come unto the Father by the Son this is indeed to Worship him in the Spirit relying upon his Mediation Merit Blood and Righteousness as the Mediator of the New Covenant and not upon the Old Covenant and Works 2. To Worship God in the Spirit is to Worship him sincerely and with a true heart and thus to Worship God in the Spirit is to Worship him in truth Joh. 4 23 24. But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth These Concisionisâ— did Worship God not in Truth but iâ— outward Shew and Hyporisie for they Worshiped him in the outward Circumcision oâ— the Flesh but the inward Circumcision of the Heart which is in the Spirit and Soul and Mind that was wanting that they looked not after Thus whilst they doted upon and boasted of the external Sign they lost they minded not the thing signified i. e. the internal Grace and Spirit and there was not that in the Heart and Spirit within that might accord and stand with and answer to Circumcision without i. e. the Answer of a good Conscience no the Conscience was neither sprinkled with the Blood of Christ nor sanctified by his Spirit and hence they did not they could not draw near to God with a true heart nor in that full assurance of Faith that God would either hear
you all as my crown and my joy in the Day of Jesus Christ And though I cannot say of you all that I have begotten you by the Gospel no blessed be God that you were in Christ before my coming amongst you and that others labours were blest for that end to you yet this also I can say of some of you now in the Church and of others not yet joyned to it that I have begotten you through the Gospel unto Jesus Christ and that you are the seal of my Ministry and the proof of Christ speaking in me and by my Ministry unto your Hearts effectually yet in you all and concerning every one of you I do rejoyce in three things Namely 1. Your Election of God known of us and manifestly appearing in you by the Sanctification of the spirit unto Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ as 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ and 2 Thes. 2.13 14. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth Whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Your abiding in the Truth and the Truth abiding in you and that you stand fast both in the Faith and love of the Truth that you may be saved When so many have departed from the Faith giving heed to seducing spirits and are as is to be feared given up to strong delusion to believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness as 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Thes. 2.11 12. Which sheweth the unction of the holy one to be in you as 1 John 2.20.21 But ye have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth But because ye know it and that no lie is of the truth and again v. 26 27. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 28. And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming And in this I do rejoyce and will rejoyce in and over you all your stedfast abiding and walking in the Truth when there are so many deserters as 2 John 1. Whom I love in the truth and not I only but also all they that have known the truth for the truth sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever And 3 John 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in truth and again John 8.31 32. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free 3. Your order in the Faith and fellowship of the Gospel as a Church which appeareth in your professed and declared subjection to the Government which Christ hath set in his Church and that because it is Christs appointment that so it should be and his Spirit works in you that willing and ready subjection and obedience as a fruit of your Faith upon which dependeth and followeth that blessed Peace that ye now have both in your own Consciences and among your selves it 's prophesied of Christ Isa. 9.7 Of the encrease of his government and of his peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever This belongs to the Kingly Office of Christ to whom only it appertaineth to give and appoint Laws for his Church and they must not appoint Laws for themselves nor can Man or any sort of Men in the World appoint or give Laws to the Church of Christ 't is Christ prerogative Royal and he alone sits and rains as King in Zion as Ps. 2.6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion Now this Government which Christ hath set in his Church is by a Faithful and approved Ministry as Pastors and Teachers freely chosen by the whole Church according to Christs mind and rightly set over them in the Lord as he hath appointed them to be Ephes. 4.11 12 13. And being so set as Acts 14.23 The Church and all the Members are to obey such and to have them in high esteem for their works sake and to be subject unto them in the true light and conduct of the word shining in their Ministry and therefore they are called Stars and Angels or Messengers from the Ministerial light and conduct they give to the Church from Christ himself the Sun of Righteousness and the Angel of the Covenant as Rev. 1.20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the even Churches The Churches therefore I say are to be subject to them and to obey them in the light of Truth shining in their Ministry from Christ the head as the Stars do shine in the Firmament with their lesser lights all borrowed from the Sun and for the proof of this let these Scriptures be considered and well weighed Heb. 13.7 8. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their conversation Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever And again v. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And 1 Tim. 5.17 18 19. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine For the scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox that treadeth out the corn and The labourer is worthy of his reward Against an elder receive not an accusation but before or under two or three witnesses Where the rule of the Ministry is secured of the double honour of Maintenance and Reverence and 1 Thes. 5.12 13. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly for their works sake And be at peace
attempt and therefore beware and take heed of it it is disobedience in the highest degree 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. Verses This is Spiritual wickedness and therefore greater Spiritual wickedness is that which hath in it spirits of wickedness and therefore more strong and vigorous We see by experience a little quantity of Spirits extracted by Art hath much more vigour and strength in it than a far larger quantity in the common bulk Where the spirits are not united but dissipated in the common matter vis unita fortior Here are the spirits of many sins united in one in this going about to establish a mans own righteousness in opposition to the righteousness of God For 1 st Here is the Sin of ignorance not 〈◊〉 invincible ignorance for that cannot be iâ—â—puted as Sin to any but of willful or willinâ— ignorance as the Apostle Peter reproves thâ— scoffers of the last times 2 Pet. 3.5 〈◊〉 this they are willingly ignorant of c. Theâ— might have known if they would but theâ— were not willing to know they were willing to be ignorant that so they might scoff thâ— more freely at the promise of his coming And so here men are willingly ignorant oâ— Gods righteousness that they might establish their own So Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going abouâ— to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God And v. 2. For I bear them record they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge This ignorance and want of knowledge 〈◊〉 them is no extenuation or excuse of their sin but an aggravation of it as that whereby they i. e. the Jews are left without excuse because they might and ought to have known better seeing the whole dispensation aeconomy of the Ceremonial Law was in the proper scope and tendency of it to lead them out of themselves unto Christ to seek righteousness by Faith in him and upon this account they are as much without â—xcuse as the Gentiles were Rom. 1.19 20. Who when they knew God or might have â—nown him yet did not glorifie him as God 2 ly Here is the Sin of Enmity and Rebellion of the Will against God They submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God ' â—is a Meiosis wherein more is implyed than exprest They submitted not but rebelled and set themselves against the Righteousness of God from the enmity of their Carnal mind And Christ saith unto this Generation of Men John 5.40 And ye will not come unto me that ye might have Life 3. Here is the Sin of Pride Going about to establish their own they submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God Going about to establish their own Righteousness here is the Pride of mans Heart he will exalt himself he will have somewhat of his own he will exalt his own Righteousness against the Righteousness of God and such is the Pride of man by nature that if he cannot have Righteousness and Life in himself he will not be beholden to another for it and if left to himself will rather perish eternally than go out of himself to seek Righteousness and Life in Christ. 4 ly Here also is the Sin of obstinacy anâ— willful reâ—using and rejecting the Righteousness of God in Christ though infinitely beâ—ter than their own and persisting thereiâ— in opposition to all the clear Light of God Word and those convictions of the Spirit fastned thereby upon their minds As the holy man Stephen tells them plainly Act 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised iâ— Heart and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost As your Fathers did so do ye So that all these things with some others which might be mentioned do make it plainly appear to be a very sinful and wicked attempt in man to go about to establish his own Righteousness But 3. It is also a very dangerous attempt none can engage in this attempt but with the utmost peril and loss of his Soul if persisted in a mans own righteousness is a stumbling stone at which they stumble and so fall and perish eternally So fall upon that stone which breaks them to pieces and provoke till it falls upon them and grinds them to powder Namely Christ the Foundation stone in Sion So Rom. 9.32 For theâ— stumbled at that stumbling stone as it is written Behold I lay in in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence But who are they that stumbled But those that sought not Righteousness by Faith in Christ but as it were by the works of the Law And wherefore did they stumble at Christ and his Righteousness But because they went about to establish their own Their zeal their madness for a Righteousness of their own made them blind and not able to see the Righteousness of God made them enemies unto and haters of Christ and his Righteousness and in all the world none such enemies to Christ and the Righteousness of God as these none such inveterate Persecutors of Christ and his Holy Apostles and that spake against the things Preached by them as these men did contradicting and blaspheming Act. 13.45 1 Thes. 2.15 16. Their Zeal for their own Righteousness and made them exceedingly mad raging and foaming out their own shame against the truth of the Gospel viz. The Doctrine of Free Grace and Justification by Faith in Christ alone without the Deeds or Works of the Law Use. 3. This Doctrine speaketh by way of Exhortation and that first to Sinners and secondly to Saints first to them that are out of Christ and secondly to them that are in Christ. 1. To Sinners and such as are out Christ if there be no hope for you no poâ—sibility for you to obtain Righteousness anâ— Justification by the works of the Law in thâ— sight of God then be Exhorted to escapâ— for your Lives and fly for refuge unto Jesuâ— Christ the hope the only hope the 〈◊〉 hope set before you in the Gospel Yoâ— have no hope by the Law but there 〈◊〉 hope for you in Jesus Christ Grace for thâ— greatest Sinners in the World There iâ— hope in Christ for the Jew and for the Gentile There is no man upon Earth so holy that can be justified by the deeds of the Law And there is no man upon Earth so sinful and wicked but he may obtain Righteousness and be justified by Faith in Jesus Christ Rom. 9.30 What shall we say then that thâ— Gentiles who followed not after the Law of Righteousness have attained unto righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith Oh therefore make haste and fly for refuge unto Jesus Christ. The true Heirs of Promise Heb. 6.17 are described by this Character ver 18. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hopâ— set before us And all that are or shall be Heirs of Promise must and shall fly for refuge to lay hold upon this hope which is Jesus Christ who is entered within the vail who when
the World as Wind and Tyde serve We read of many that did so but never recovered their former Faith and Profession Joh. 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him And the Apostle Peter tells us It had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn aside from the holy Commandment delivered to them 2 Pet. 2.20 21. For it is happened to them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his old vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire v. 22. And ill it is for those that have sought to be justified by Faith in Christ to go back again to the Works of the Law Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whoever of you are justified by the Law ye are faln from Grace therefore having fled for Refuge unto Christ abide in him as your Refuge 2d Branch of Exhortation This Doctrine speaketh by way of Exhortation unto Saints unto Believers unto them that are in Christ and as true Heirs of Promise have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope that is sâ—t before them which is Christ I say it speaks unto them by way of Exhortation unto three things 1. To rejoyce in Christ Jesus The poor guilty Man-slayer when he had fled and got into the City of Refuge rejoyced in his Refuge because there he was safe and quiet and the Avenger of Blood could not touch him there So it becometh you much more to rejoyce in Christ Jesus your Refuge for here in Christ you are safe and quiet the Guilt of Sin the Curse of the Law and the Avenging Justice and Consuming Wrath of God cannot touch you here in your Refuge Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us and 1 Thes. 1.10 Even Jesus which hath delivered us from the Wrath to come Oh therefore rejoyce in Christ Jesus because ye are safe and quiet your Souls are safe you are now safe for ever for ever Psal. 107.30 Then are they glad because they are quiet or safe i. e. from their former dangers and fears Oh Believers be glad because ye are safe arrived in Christ your Harbour your Refuge and now ye are quiet and safe from your former dangers and fears we which have believed do enter into rest Heb. 4.3 To rejoyce in Christ Jesus doth imply three things namely 1. Thankfulness The poor guilty Man-slayer is thankful for the City of Refuge and for that he is got into the City of Refuge he bows and worships God in thankfulness and blesses God who appointed the City of Refuge and blesses God that he is now got into it So ye that are got into Christ your spiritual and heavenly Refuge bless God and be thankful for Jesus Christ and that ye are now got into Christ all is of grace of free grace that Christ was given to be a Refuge to guilty Sinners pursed by the Law and Curse and that ye were enabled to flee unto him in your distress oh give the praise and glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ And again Col. 1.12 13 14. Giving thanks to the Father c. And Rev. 1.5 Unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood 2. Satisfaction compleat satisfaction and content the Lot is faln to you in a pleasant place ye are now in the best state that ever you were in or that you can be in on this side Heaven The poor Man-slayer hath perfect satisfaction and content in his City of Refuge and though he may want many things yet he hath that which is better than all which is best of all and upon that account he rejoyceth in full contentation satisfaction and well-pleasedness with his condition So ye that are in Christ have infinitely more reason to be satisfied and rejoyce in a holy contentation and well-pleasedness in Christ for though you may want many outward comforts yea though you may suffer many afflictions and troubles in this world yet you have that in Christ which is better than all worldly comforts and which will infinitely weigh down and out-ballance all worldly afflictions and troubles Oh! therefore rejoyce in Christ Jesus in a holy contentation and well-pleasedness in Christ. Oh Christian let thy heart in this answer to the heart of God for the heart of the Father doth rest in Christ in a perfect satisfaction complacency and delight Mat. 3.1 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased If the heart of God thus rests in Christ and is well pleased let thy heart do so too 3. Reioycing in Christ Jesus doth imply a holy relyance upon him alone and resting upon him for all and that with firm trust and uâ—most dependance The poor guilty Man-slayer trusts in his City of Refuge makes it his strong Tower and Rock of defence to save him and in confidence thereof he bidâ— defiance to Death it self and to all danger and triumphs in this confidence over all his Enemies and saith Who is he that shall harm me Here he can look upon and talk with his Enemy the Avenger of Blood without danger and without fear Why even so ye that are in Christ should rejoyce in Christ Jesus in a holy relyance and resting upon him alone for all your Salvation upon his Blood to cleanse you and his Righteousness to cloath you his Wisdom to direct and conduct you his Power to preserve you his Merit to obtain all for you and his Spirit to work all in you Oh thus live by Faith and rest upon Christ for all Oh Christian this is indeed right living by Faith and walking by Faith when thou livest out of thy self upon another i. e. Christ and when thou walkest through all the darkness and wickedness of this World in a steady and firm dependance upon Christ thy Refuge thy Rock and House of defence to save thee thy Righteousness thy Wisdom thy Sanctification and Redemption here thou mayest talk with all thine Enemies and throw the Gantlet to them all in a holy triumph and rejoycing against That they can do against thee and say as Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect And as verse 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died And as verse 35. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall tribulation c. As vers 35 36. and conclude as a Conqueror yea more than a Conqueror through him that hath loved thee as vers 38 39. 2. Next to rejoycing in Christ Jesus be exhorted from this Doctrine to put no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.2
of London and now more lately in the Town of Cambridge By Thomas Taylor London Printed for Nath. Crouch 1693. The True Light shining in Darkness Rom. 3.21 22 But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that Believe for there is no difference IN the foregoing Verse and the Discourse thereupon you have heard that there is no Righteousness of man whereby he can be Justified or Stand before God Now lest you should Object and say If the case be thus with Man with all Men since the fall of Adam that there is an utter failing of a mans own Righteousness so that it is now become impossible for him to be Righteous and to be Justified in the sight of God by the Deeds of the Law Then is the case desperate with him and there is no hope I say to obviate such an Objection as this and to open a door of hope oâ— a better hope to man thus desperate in himself the Apostle presently adds But now the Righteousness of God c. As if he had said Oh! ye lost and unâ—one Children of Adam cheer up your Spirits and let not your Hearts sink for tho' there is no hope for you by the Law and the works of it yet there is hope for you in Christ And though there is no Righteousness of man that can be the matter of your hope for Justification before him with whom ye have to do yet there is a better Righteousness which you may attain unto by Faith i. e. the Righteousness of God But now the Righteousness of God c. In the Text you have this Righteousness described and set out unto you by six Characters each one of which will afford a distinct point of Doctrine and deserve a particular Consideration Namely 1. It is the Righteousness of God 2. It is without the Law 3. It is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets 4. It is obtained by Faith of Jesus Christ. 5. It is by way of imputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto all and upon all that Believe i. e. by way of imputation 6. It is extended equally and alike unto all them that Believe for there is no difference i. e. betwixt one Believer and another in respect of Justification and this Righteousness of Faith The points of Doctrine accordingly are or may be these six Namely Doct. I. That the Righteousness which 〈◊〉 by Faith of Christ to all them that Believe iâ— the Righteousness of God Doct. II. That the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Christ to them that Believe is without the Law Doct. III. That the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Doct. IV. That the Righteousness of God without the Law is dispensed and brought down to us and can be obtained by us only by Faith Doct. V. That the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ is an imputed Righteousness Doct. VI. That the Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ is extended equally and alike to all them that Believe so that there is no difference We shall begin with the first of these Namely Doct. I. That the Righteousness which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all them that believe is the Righteousness of God for so the Apostle calls it in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Righteousness of God And again v. 22. Even the Righteousness of God and it is not in vain and without special reason that this Character is repeated and inculcated again and again in the Text as also in other places for herein lieth one Essential difference and characteristical distinction betwixt all other Righteousnesses that can be pretended to amongst Men and this Righteousness which is by Faith namely that this Righteousness only and above all others by way of eminency is the Righteousness of God And this will appear and be made plain in these four general Heads 1. In that God alone is the Author of this Righteousness and as he is the Father of Lights from whom every good gift and every perfect gift comes and in whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning Jam. 1.17 So this good gift this perfect gift of Righteousness by Faith in his Son Jesus Christ cometh down from above from him who is the Father of Lights And God is the Author of this Righteousness in a special and peculiar way Indeed as all things of the first Creation are of God Rom. 12. ult so all Righteousness amongst Angels and amongst Men is of God and he is the Author and given thereof The Righteousness that is found in the Elect Angels who obey his Word and do his Will whatever it is is of God and he is the Author thereof for he planted that rectitude and integrity at first in the Angelical Nature and he hath preserved the same in the Elect Angels that sinned not and them in it of his own Will And if there be any Righteousness to be found amongst Men it is still of God and he is the Author of it The Original Righteousness that was found in the first Adam before the Fall was of God as the Author of it for God made him after his own Image and planted that Original Righteousness Rectitude and Integrity in the Humane Nature conformable to that holy and righteous Law under which God put him And if there be found in Faln Man any thing that may be called Righteousness amongst Men as namely that which Men call Moral Righteousness it is certainly of God and God is the Author of it as it sheweth forth the work of his Law written at first in their hearts though now to be found only in the broken remains of it So that all Righteousness Angelical and Moral that is found amongst Angels or Men is of God and God is the Author of it as it is a part of his first Creation for he made all things very good Gen. 1.31 and Man expresly after his own Image verse 26 27. But this Righteousness which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe is of God after another manner and God is the Author of it in a more especial and peculiar way and by way of eminency above all that is called Righteousness amongst Angels or Men besides this for this Righteousness is of God and he is the Author of it as it is indeed the foundation of his new Creation and the whole Fabrick and Building of the new Creation is founded upon it and look as God's new Creation of Grace in and by his Son Jesus Christ is a more excellent Workmanship than that of his old Creation and God is the Author of the new Creature in a more especial manner so also is God the Author of this Righteousness 2 Cor.
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
a great and glorious truth of God in Christ but also most sure and stedfast and worthy of their utmost trust and confidence their inward relyance and dependence upon it as to their hope of Justification and Eternal Life in Christ yea an object of their Spiritual joy and delight their rejoycing in Christ their inward peace with God and comfort doth flow from it Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God and v. 2. We rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God Which we could not do if we had not perfect and compleat Righteousness by Faith in Christ as it is written Col. 2.10 And ye are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and power Now it hath been shewed how Jesus Christ as the Author of this Righteousness is exalted far above all principality and power and is made head thereof Angels Men all things in Heaven Earth being made subject to him as a reward of his obedience by which exaltion he is declared in Heaven and Earth to be Jesuâ— Christ the Righteous And therefore ye are compleat in him saith the Apostle i. e. ye have that perfect and compleat Righteousness by Faith in him by which ye are now Justified before God the Father The perfection of his Righteousness which ye have by Faith in him renders you compleat and perfect ye are compleat â—n him which you could not be if ye had not a perfect Righteousness in him by Faith to stand before God in The force of the Argument lyeth in this ye are compleatly and perfectly Righteous in him i. e. in Christ your Head and need not any thing of mans Wisdom or Works to make addition unto this Righteousness which ye had in him No no all the Wisdom of Angels and Men can add nothing to your perfection in Christ ye are compleat in him And therefore Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ as vers 8. And let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility c. as verse â—8 As if he had said there are many pretences amongst men both Philosophers and false Christians to invent and find out a Righteousness of their own after their own wisdom and after their own traditions and each striveth to exceed other in their inventions of this sort and some place their Righteousness in this and others in that work and esteem of their own superstion according to the strictness of their order and way But beware ye and let no man spoil you of your reward Spoil and Rob you of your hope of Righteousness by Faith in Christ alone without works either works of the Law or works of mans superstition fâ—r ye are compleat in him And therefore adhere unto and rely upon yea also rejoyce in this perfect Righteousness which is in him and by Faith in him alone And be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel upon any pretence whatsoever for ye are compleat in him And such is the perfection of this Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ unto all and upon all them that believe that as Rom. 10.3 'T is written for Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth The end of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now there is a twofold end of a thing there is finis extensionis the end unto which any thing is or may be extended and there is finis perfectionis the end by which any thing is perfected and consummated now Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness in both he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both finis extensionis and finis perfectionis 1. He is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finis extensionis the utmost end which the Law doth or can extend or be extended and stretched out unto Now the Law is of great and large extent as Psal. 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandement is exceeding broad Creature perfection is that which a man may easily search out and see to the end of he may search out and see the utmost extent thereof how far it can go and how far it doth extend So here saith the Psalmist I have seen an end of all perfection but thy comandment is exceding broad A man cannot so easily see to the the end of the commandment and find out the extent thereof No saith the Psalmist again It is exceeding broad The Law and Holy Commandment extends to all within as well as to all without it extends to the Soul and Spirit of a Man within to all the Internal Faculties The Mind and Conscience the Understanding Will and Affections and to all the Internal motions and operations thereof whether they be good or evil It extends to all the thoughts and imaginations of the thoughts in the heart of a man as Gen. 6.5 It extends to the Principle and End of a mans way and work as Zech. 7.5 6. It extends to the most Secret thoughts and intentions of the Heart and divideth asunder betwixt the marrow and the bones Heb. 4.12 13. It extendeth to all the words and actions of a mans Life and Conversation to all his religion and religious performances Mat. 5.23 24. and v. 27 28. and v. 40 41 42. and v. 43 44. to the end The Law in the Spirituality and purity of it extends to all that a man is every way as a man and as a Christian as considered in his place station and relations and it extends to all that a man hath and to all that a man doth Oh! well might the Psalmist say But thy Commandment is exceeding broad But yet as broad as the Commandment is and considered in the utmost extent of it the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ extendeth its self to the utmost breath and length yea to the utmost extent of the Law in the Spirituality and Purity and Diffusiveness thereof yea it doth exceed and go beyond the Law For the Law required but a mans Righteousness and Obedience as Rom. 10.5 The Man that doth these things shall live by them But lo here is a Righteousness brought in and an Obedience performed to the whole Law in the utmost extent of it by him who is God as well as Man even the Righteousness of God! And thus Christ is The end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth as the end of the Law is finis extensionis But then again Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of the Law is finis perfectionis i. e. the perfection accomplishment and finishing of the Law in the spirituality purity universality and perpetuity of it And in this sense also Christ is the end i. e. the perfection of the Law as
as Rom 10.17 So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God and as v. 14 15. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they Preach except they be sent i. e. seâ—t of God And thus God himself Preached the Gospel to Abraham Saying in thee and in thy seed shaâ—l the Families of the Earth or Nations be blessed as Gal. 3.8 compared with Gen. 12.3 and Gen. 2â— 18 So then Abrahams Faith came by â—â—aring Christ Preached 2. The Spirit of God muâ—t be given of God to thee and received of thee by hearing the Faith or Doctrine of Faith Preached as Gal. 4.2 Without which thou canst not receive the Spiritual things which the Gospel Preacheth but they will seem foolishness to thee because they are Spiritually descerned 1 Cor. 2.13 14. and 1 Cor. 1.21 22 23 24. Joh. 6.44 45. and again verse 60 66. The word preached I say will never be rightly understood till God by his Spirit openeth thy Heart to understand as Luk. 24.45 46. Acts 16.14 And thus God opened Abrahams Heart to understand the Gospel or the promise in Christ preached to him by the gift of his holy Spirit 3. This Faith must be wrought in thee by the same Spirit for this is the Faith of the operation of God as Col. 2.12 The gift of God as Eph. 2.8 Produced by the exceeding greatness of his power as when he raised Christ from the dead Eph. 1.17 18. Which was done by the power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 1.4 Rom. 8.15 And thus was Abrahams Faith wrought in him and it was given him to believe his Faith was not of himself but was the gift of God otherwise Abraham might have had whereof to boast but not before God as Rom. 4 2 3. And thus Abrahams believing God was as much of the Sovereign will of Gods grace and favour to him as his imputing Righteousness to him upon his believing And thus it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy So it was with Abraham and so it is with all the Children of Abraham and the Lord grant it may be so with thee Abraham belived God and it was counted to him for Righteousness That was the time of Gods justifying him through Faith in Christ do thou believe God as Abraham did and it shall also be counted to thee for Righteousness and this shall be the time of Gods Justifying thee through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ Even then when all these things concur in thy Faith as they did in Abrahams 1. The hearing of Faith or the word of Faith preached to thee 2. Gods giving and thy receiving the Spirit through this hearing of the Faith Preached 3. Faith wrought in thee by the same Spirit to receive Jesus Christ This time I say again and no other is or can be assigned according to the holy Scriptures for thy Justification in Gods sight When this Faith cometh into thy Soul then cometh this Blessedness of thy Justification whether it be in Circumcision or in uncircumcision Rom. 4.8 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS ADVERTISEMENT BY the inadvertency of the Printer these few Errata's have happened in the first sheet of this Book In the rest more care has been taken so that there are no faults but what are unavoidable In Page 3. of the first Epistle Line 15. for did Read do in p. 4. l. 2. for works r. words l. 14. r. did then in p. 5. l. 17. for fiery r. feirce in p. 13. l. 29. r. the Kingdom in p. 4. of the 2d Epist. dele the 42. ver of Mar. 9. r. 41. in p. 6. l. 17. r. 2. v. of Rom. 6. in p. 7. l. 19. r. into the City A Catalogue of Books Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside History 1. 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