Eternal Life On account of this Righteousness being thus made theirs it is as I conceive that they are said to be Worthy Rev. 3.4 to walk with Christ in white worthy of Joyful Communion with Christ not in themselves but as in him and having his Righteousness upon them in whom they are made the Righteousness of God 3. This Righteousness is upon Believers not only for the change of their Estate at first from a State of Wrath and Condemnation to a State of Favour with God and Justification but also for the continuing of them in that Estate for ever This is that which the Apostle saith Rom. 5.21 Grace reigneth through Righteousness unto Eternal Life So that Believers stand before God in this Righteousness having it upon them all their Life as well as at their first believing and being translated into a justified Estate It is in this Righteousness in which they stand justified and not in their own Graces of Sanctification or in any of their own new obedience Thus the Holy Ghost teacheth us to judge and believe when he saith 1 Joh. 2.12 If any man sin that is if any Believer sin for of them he speaks we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is no only was or hath been but he is a propitiation for our sins And 1 Job 1.7 If we walk in the light as God is in the light the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin Our walking in the Light hath no influence at all to cleanse us from the filth contracted by the least Sin that is found with us This I take to be one reason why it is called Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 The Righteousness of the first Adam in which he was created was not so no he sinn'd and forfeited and lost it it lasted no longer than while he continued in all things contained in the Law to do them But it is not so with the Righteousness which the Messiah brings in if it be once upon us through Faith it is upon us everlastingly Thence Believers are said to be b fore the Throne of God without fault Rev. 14.5 which is much too high an expression to be used of the best Saint under Heaven on the account of his Obedient and Holy Walking nothing but the Righteousness of Christ being upon them can set them before the Throne of God without fault Of this mind was the Holy Apostle Paul when with so much vehemency and patheticalness he renounceth his own Righteousness and shuns standing in it for Justification unto Life Phil. 3.9 as dross that was of no wortlh as loss that would undoe him yea as dung which would defile him and render him abhorred This he speaks of his own Righteousness and thus his heart stood affected towards it in the business of his Justification even then when he had been converted and sanctified many years and done and suffered much for Christ in an excellent manner and with a choice and Evangelical Spirit Bellarmin indeed would have Paul there by his own Righteousness to mean nothing but his own Hypocrisie or formality and is so very angry with Chemnitius for interpreting Paul's own Righteousness there and the all things which he renounceth as comprizing them under his Grace of Sanctification and his new Obedience that he chargeth him for it with blasphemy And indeed 't is no wonder if depreciating and crying down a Man 's own Righteousness be resented as Blasphemy by a proud Cardinal an haughty Jesuit and blind Papist But the Light and Pregnancy of the Apostles Expressions are so strong and clear that it is somewhat surprizing that any pretending to be a Protestant (a) Such as Dr. Sherl See Antisoz p. 547 to 568 and Mr. Williams See Pref. p. 9. and p. 202 203 204 209. Grotius indeed goes the same way Annot. in loc And I learn by Mr. Rutherf of the Cov. p. 171. that Arminians and Socinians do so too But I do not reckon him or them among Protestants It is like Grotius and the Arminians might have it from the Racovian Catechisme cap. 9. p. 194. should lick up that Popish Self-justiciaries vomit But vain Man would be wise though he be born like the wild Asses Colt There is in us an obstinate adherency to our own Righteousness and a desperate lothness to foregoe it and be beaten off utterly from it And thence if we see we cannot have any thing of our own before Conversion to bring us into a justified State yet we struggle as for Life that somewhat of our own something done by us or inhering in us may some way or other be our Justifying Righteousness or a part of it may have some band in continuing us in that Estate though it could do nothing to bring us into it But doubtless Holy David's heart was under the conduct of the Blessed Spirit of Wisdom and Grace when he resolved to make mention of the Righteousness of God and of it only for his acceptance as well as to walk in the strength of the Lord God for his Assistance Psal 71.16 And this was not at first Conversion only that he might be put into a State of Justification but it was when he was old and gray-headed and had been sanctified and done much for God and been in a justified Estate many Years See ver 9. 4. This free effectual valid abiding imputation of this righteousness unto Believers is such and it is through Faith so upon them that they are thereby constituted as righteous as Christ is righteous as their Surety When I say they are by its being upon them made as Righteous as Christ is Righteous as he is their Surety I mean it not in a way of Similitude only but in a way of Equality I am well aware that this is looked on as a monstrous absurdity and horrid impossibility by Papists and others who contend against the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ unto us at all And no wonder for Christ and his Righteousness are a stumbling stone and rock of offence to many in Israel it was so of old Rom. 9.32 33. and it will be to as long as that word 1 Pet. 2.8 stands firm that there are any in the World who are appointed to stumble at that stumbling stone But we must not foregoe a truth so certain so clear so comfortable though all the Unbelievers in the World stumble and quarrel at it That I may if possible prevent the offence I desire you would observe that I do not make comparison between the Righteousness of Christ and the Righteousness of Believers by their being sanctified and their Holy walking In this regard there is only a similitude to dream of an Equality would be prodigious Ignorance and blasphemous Madness Nor is the comparison between the Righteousness of Believers by Imputation and their Righteousness in point of Sanctification These are not the things compared together To make these equal would be foolish in
no less validly and effectually given and imputed to one than it is unto another 'T is true indeed there is a difference in the degree and measure wherein different Believers are made partakers of some of the Effects and Fruits of this righteousness yea there is a difference as to this in the same Believer at different times Sanctification and Comfort are the Effects of this righteousness and they are in different measures in different Believers and in the same Believer at different times But yet this righteousness it self is as much upon one Believer all Believers are equally justified or constituted righteous by it They that have been the greatest Sinners and are most guilty have it upon them through Faith and are as well and as much made righteous by it as lesser Sinners one who hath done evil innumerable times and whose days have been prolonged so that he is a sinner of an hundred years old hath it upon him through Faith and stands as righteous in it as an Infant of days doth All that believe are alike and equally justified Gospel-Justification admits not of any degrees that one should be more or less justified than another and therefore in this regard also there is no difference 3. This righteousness is upon all that believe in the same way viz. through Faith No more no other is required of one than of another that this righteousness may be upon him namely Faith true Faith though this true Faith may possibly be weaker in one stronger in another It is true indeed that on other accounts and for other ends and from other grounds some things may be required of some which are not required of others In some cases Restitution and in some cases Confession unto men even of secret Sins are required and insisted upon by God Levit. 6.5 Jam. 5.16 And in some Cases deeper Humiliation and greater breakings of Heart than in others are called for and requisite But this is rather for the evidencing to a Man 's own Conscience or unto others the sincerity and soundness of his own Faith and Repentance and so the assuring of that and clearing it up to them or to a mans self then that this righteousness of Christ may be upon him unto the Justification of Life If a Man have true Faith if he do truely believe this righteousness of Christ is upon him though he be possibly both weak in Faith and very defective in other graces of the Spirit and in new Obedience Nay all our New Obedience and all the graces of the Spirit comprized under that one word love are the effects and fruits of our being justified having this Righteousness upon us and not at all the means thereof It is a great and dangerous mistake to think that either our New Obedience or any other Grace but Faith hath any hand in this righteousnesses being upon us No it is through Faith and Faith only Vse This Doctrine shows you the reason and spring of that precious acceptance and sweet communion with God which Believers are admitted into and do injoy and also of their humble rejoycings and gloryings and triumphings before God notwithstanding their guiltiness and vileness in themselves by their many and great sinnings against him and notwithstanding their abasing Convictions and heart-wounding heart-breaking sense thereof They have sinned against God they are guilty before him as well as others for this is the Condition and State of all the World Rom 3.19 Every Mouth is stopped and can have nothing to speak against God when he judgeth and condemneth them for all the World is become guilty They are involved in the common Guilt and Misery and Ruine wherein all the Seed of Adam are plunged and they have that exceeding sinful sin dwelling in them which hath invaded all Adams posterity And moreover they have in their own Persons sinned against God some of them more than many others Yea they are all of them laid under Everlasting Convictions of it in their own Consciences which can never be blotted out that they are worthy of Eternal Death And some of them do with Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 walk up and down under such Convictions that they are amongst the very chief of Sinners and with David Psal 86.13 That they have deserved the very lowest Hell But yet nevertheless they have all of them precious acceptance with God all their sins are blotted out God remembers them no more for ever Heb. 8.12 Their trespasses are done away as if they had never been Isa 44.22 Jer. 50.20 and they do stand without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14.5 The reason of this wonderful abounding of Grace towards them is this Righteousness of Christ is upon them Nay they are not only pardoned and pronounced righteous notwithstanding they have done so much and such vile things against God but they are also taken into special favour with him they are made the Friends and Favourites of the God of Heaven as their Father Abraham is styled by Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.7 and by God himself Ifa 41.8 and all Believers by Christ Cant. 5. 1. Joh. 15.14 15. yea which is somewhat higher they are made Sons and Daughters unto the Lord God Almighty 2 Cor. 6.18 Gal. 3.26 Joh 1.12 Psal 45.10 Heirs of God and of Glory Co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Well may themselves be ravished with admiration and sweetest delight and call upon others to gaze and wonder at this love as the Apostle doth 1 Joh. 3.1 that ever they who were by Nature Heirs of Hell and Children of Wrath and of the Devil and who had by their sinful hateful doings made themselves manifold times more so should ever have such love bestowed upon them as to be the Sons of God But this gives the account of it they are made thus highly accepted in that Beloved whose righteousness is upon them Nor doth the Love and Favour of God rest here in having conferred such Priviledges and Dignities upon them but it goes on still so mighty is the Torrent of Love which is let out upon them it doth bring them into a living and near Communion with God Father Son and Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 1.3 2 Cor. 13 14. Though they were afar off yet they are made nigh Ephes 2.13 and they have boldness and access with confidence unto the Father Eph. 3.12 And God even the Father doth let out his heart-love and manifest it and himself unto them Joh. 14.21 22 23. Smiling upon their Souls making them to go into his House of Wine and there in a victorious and triumphant manner displaying over them his Love sometimes even to an overwhelming Cant. 2.4 5. Now if you ask whence is this and how comes it to pass that God deals with them in a way of such marvellous Grace this Doctrine tells you the righteousness of Christ is upon them Moreover The hearts of Believers are sometimes raised up unto and filled with enlarged rejoycings humble gloryings and triumphings and that before God
〈◊〉 Gal. 2.16 and Faith is called a coming to him a phrase which implyes and holds forth not onely that while we continue in Unbelief we are at a distance from Christ and that Christ is the Object of Faith but also that by believing Christ and the Believer are brought together if I may so express it As Believers dwell in Christ and Christ in them so this is by their eating his flesh and drinking his blood or eating him Joh. 6.47 with ver 54 56. In eating and drinking the Food and the drink are incorporated and made one with the Body By eating and drinking Christs Flesh and Blood he there means believing on him The Metaphor is taken from their eating the Manna and drinking of the Rook in the Wilderness or from their eating and drinking of their Sacrifices as you know they were by a positive Ordinance to do of some of them Christ indeed first lays hold on us and joyns himself to us and we being laid hold on and drawn by him do close with him and so come to co-alesce into one mystical Person with Christ This our vital Union with him is indeed begun on his part in his laying hold on us in a preventing way but it is compleated and accomplished and becomes mutual by our believing Now being thus made one with Christ his righteousness comes to be upon us unto the Justification of Life by the Ordinance Constitution and Donation of God It is as we are thus in him and made Members of him that his righteousness is upon us As a base-born Beggar and Criminal comes to have the Honour of a Princess upon her by being Married and becoming one Flesh with an high born Prince Propos 6. Nevertheless this Righteousness of Christ hath some operation on us as well as for us antecedently to our believing It hath an operation for us For it did make Atonement procure our Peace and accomplish our Reconciliation unto God These things were done and finished they were perfected by Christ in his bringing in this righteousness It hath also an operation upon us before our believing To say nothing of Gods forbearing us and showing forth all long suffering toward us during all the days of our vanity and madness of heart nor of any other excellent Mercies given to us then which when Grace comes to be grafted on them become very serviceable for the furtherance of our Salvation because it is not altogether so clear that these things which are not of a saving Nature and which are injoyed by us while we are not under the bond of the Covenant nor living Members of Christ are procured for us by his righteousness This is certain and plain that the Spirit and Faith it self are procured for us by and given to us for this righteousness which is unto Justification upon us through Faith Phil. 1.29 Faith is purchased for us by it and our justification is purchased by it and both of them absolutely obtained And it may also be said that because Justification is absolutely procured by this righteousness therefore also Faith being procured for us by the same righteousness is for the sake of it given to us that being the way ordained of God for our being justified and it being a Mercy peculiar to the Elect and a Mercy that hath Salvation accompanying it and a leading part of the application of Christ This possibly may be one thing that hath occasioned some to say that our Justification is rather the condition of our having Faith given us than our Faith the condition of our Justification I conceive they mean that if Justification had not been absolutely procured and obtained for the Elect Faith would never have been either given them or obtained for them However most certain and undeniable it is that this Righteousness operates on us antecedently unto our believing because that preventing Grace and work of the Spirit whereby Faith is wrought in us are the effects of this Righteousness as being procured by it From what hath been said Two Things follow which I will briefly note for the further clearing up this whole Matter and then pass on to the last Enquiry proposed 1. Our being justified is not the next or immediate effect or consequence of our believing but of Christs Righteousness being upon us For between our believing and our being justified there comes in our co-alescing into one Mystical Person with Christ by this Vital Union and our having his righteousness upon us unto the Justification of Life Which latter is the next fruit and consequent of that our union to him or being in him His righteousness is upon us as we are Members of him and do stand in him And this our union to him is brought about and accomplished upon and by our believing Union to Christ goes before Communion with him Union is the immediate consequent of Faith Our having this righteousness upon us is one of the first things in our Communion with Christ We are first in Christ and so have him made righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 2. Our Faith hath no hand in working out this righteousness for us nor is it any part thereof The righteousness of Christ is a garment a robe wherewith Believers are cloathed Psal 45.13 14. Isa 61.10 Rev. 19.8 But our Faith neither is a part of it nor ever took stitch in it The Apostle here in the Text doth not say this righteousness of God is by or through Faith or that it consists either in whole or in part in Faith but that it is upon us through faith Wherein he plainly distinguisheth between this righteousness and our believing and tells us it is the former namely this righteousness of God which is upon us unto justification of life whereas the latter namely faith is within us not upon us Quest 6 How comes this about and whence is it that this righteousness is through faith unto and upon all that believe Answ This Enquiry leads me to lay open before you something of the deep Counsels of the Wisdom and Grace of God in the Plot of our Salvation I shall content my self onely to point a little at the Heads of Things telling you the Story of it from its first and highest Original in these Seven Steps 1. God the Father from Eternity begat his Son the second Person in the Trinity and loving him with an infinite Love designed a special Revenue of Glory and Honour and Praise unto him as from all his Creatures in their kind and way so more eminently from and in a certain number of Mankind Even those whom he chose in him before the Foundation of the World that they should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated them unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will unto the praise of the Glory of his Grace Eph. 1.3 4 5 6. Prov. 8.22 23 24-30 The End and Upshot and last issue that all his
So the Apostle declares Rom. 5.2 3 11. We rejoyce or glory in hope of the glory of God and not only so but we glory in tribulations also And he comes over with that word again ver 11. saying and not only so but we glory in God 't is the same word in the Greek in all the three Verses though differently rendred in our Translation How do they thus glory in God 'T is through Jesus Christ who hath brougâ—t in this righteousness for them and by whose Death they were when Enemies reconciled to God and by whom they have received that Atonement They do glory before God in him only in whom they are and who is of God made righteousness unto them 1 Cor. 1.30 31. and in the unchangeableness of the Love of God towards them in Christ they do triumph even while they have before their eyes their own guiltiness in themselves and how much matter for Eternal condemnation there is in them for it is upon Christ's not being spared or abated any thing but being delivered up and dying and God's justifying all which plainly speak them in themselves obnoxious to condemnation and worthy of Death upon these things it is that the Apostle bottoms that challenge and raiseth that triumphant persuasion and Song of assurance which he there uttereth in the Name of all Believers Rom. 8.32 33 34 35 38 39. Believers have given them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and they do greatly rejoyce in the Lord even in the Lord who was angry with them and their Souls are joyful in their God whom they know they have sinned against But how comes this to pass Is it because their sins are through tract of time out of Gods thoughts and Memory No a thousand years are with him but as one day He is an Eternal God and they are as fresh and present before him as if they were just then in committing Is it because God thinks better of their sins than formerly he did when he frown'd upon them and wrote bitter things against them No their sins are as distasteful to him as much hated by him as ever they were nor will he ever to Eternity have a better thought of any of them Is it because Believers are become more vain and senseless and slightly-spirited than they were in those former days of bitterness and anguish No verily they have more of the heart of Flesh than they then had and there is in them now a deeper sense of the evil of sin and a deeper work of the Spirit of Humiliation and more thorow thawings and meltings of heart before the face of God then ever Whence is it then and how comes it to pass that Believers are made even in the view of their own endless sin and guiltiness yet to triumph and rejoyce with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory It is hence God hath cloathed them with the Garments of Salvation he hath covered them with the robe of Righteousness as the Prophet speaks Isa 61.10 This righteousness of Christ is upon them and thence they have the consolations of God delighting their Souls and abounding in them Lastly There are not only such great and precious things injoyed by Believers while here but there are also things high and glorious laid up and reserved for them hereafter when they shall be here no more There shall be a Glory revealed in them far beyond all compare with any of the afflictions that they meet with in this World Rom. 8.18 They are now indeed the Sons of God and that is such manner of Love and so great that Men and Angels may stand and gaze and wonder at it But though now already they be thus loved nevertheless it doth not yet appear what they shall be Only we know that when the only begotten of God the Prince of Life and Lord of Glory shall appear then shall they appear with him in Glory and they shall see him as he is and they shall be made like him even these vile Bodies shall by him be fashioned like his own Glorious Body Colos 3.4 1 Joh. 3.1 2. Phil. 3.21 And in that day the world shall see and know and they themselves shall everlastingly feel that Christ is in his Father and they in Christ and he in them Joh. 14.20 And that both Christ and the Father too have loved them as the Father hath loved Christ and that very lo e wherewith the Father hath loved Christ himself shall be in them for ever John 15.19 Joh. 17.23 26. But now if you ask as she sometimes did concerning another great work of love and wonder Luke 1.34 How can these things ever be seeing they are such sinful such guilty such vile and loathsome and hateful Creatures in themselves This Text this Doctrine answers all in this one word The righteousness of Christ is through Faith unto them all and upon them all without difference who do believe Let your hearts answer and eccho back as Maâ—ries there did ver 38 45. Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it to me according to thy word Stagger not you at these great things as incredible as impossible ever to be done for you who are so ashamed of and do so exceedingly abhor your selves and who are worthy of nothing but to be rejected and abhorred of God eternally but believe take them in by Faith and by Faith receive the gift of this righteousness and then there shall most assuredly be a performance unto you even unto you of those things that have been told you from the Lord. ROM iii. 22. 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 THE Point of Doctrine observed from these words you may remember was to this purpose Doctrine There is a Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all without difference who do believe Six things have been proposed to be spoken to for the clearing up of the Doctrine viz. 1. What is this Righteousness of God and why so called 2 How it is unto and upon all that believe 3. What is the import and meaning of that word without difference 4. What is this Faith of Jesus Christ 5. What reference hath this faith unto this Righteousness being on Believers 6. Whence is all this and how comes this about Of these particulars I have already gone through the three former and know not any need either to retract or to explain further what was then delivered so shall it go with your Souls so will God deal with every one of you as you receive or reject those Truths of his That which is now before me is those other three remaining particulars for the clearing up of the Doctrine and the further application of it And hereto I now address my self Q. 4. VVhat is this Faith of Jesus Christ Answ By Faith