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
holds Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 1 Cor. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. And I brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring unto you the testimony of God For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mens wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power That your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this World or of the Princes of this World that come to nought 3. That the great truth herein declared opened demonstrated and applyed is not mine nor of mine own but is the truth of God in Christ Jesus ministred by the Spirit to the holy Prophets of old and witnessed by them who spake not of themselves but as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 For the Prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And declared in the fulness of time by the Son of God who came from the bosom of the Father John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him And John 3.31 32 33 34. He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the Earth he that cometh from Heaven is above all And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him And also witnessed by the Holy Apostles chosen of God to that end Upon which testimony of the holy Prophets and Apostles as the Foundation Christ himself being the Chief or Head-corner stone the whole Church of God is built Ephes. 2.20 And are built upon the foudation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself be-the chief Corner-stone so that he that refuseth despiseth and rejecteth this truth in the ministry of us poor weak earthen vessels despiseth not man but God as Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And 1 Thes. 4.8 He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit Therefore thou art obliged to pay all honour reverence obedience and subjection to truth because it is Gods truth and not mans and to receive the word because it is Gods word and not ours And to receive the Word as it is indeed the word of God and not as the word of Man is the mystery of effectual or saving Faith Whereby the Faith of Gods Elect is distinguished from the common and temporary Faith of Hypocrites and temporary professors 1 Thes. 2.13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Therefore whatever infirmities thou seest or may see in us and whatever temptations in our flesâ— weaknesses wants necessities emptineâ—s nothingness let not the the word of God be refused or despised But receive it as if Christ himself was present on Earth in human shape to speak to thee with his own mouth Gal. 4.13 14 15 16. Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first And my temptation which was in my Flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus Where is then the blessedness you speak of for I bear you record that if it had been possible ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Therefore ask thy heart this question is this the truth of God or no If thy heart answereth No I do not like it nor the persons that preach it Then to the Law and to the testimony to the holy Prophets and Apostles and to Christ himself Whose testimonies are all distinctly recorded and then ask thy heart this question again Darest thou with a stiff neck and uncircumcised heart always resist the Holy Ghost as thy Fathers did so dost thou dare to do Acts 7.51 Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye If thou shouldest dare to refuse all the Prophets and Apostles who spake on earth yet there is one more who speaketh from Heaven even the Son of God himself and darest thou refuse him also Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven Consider therefore in thy heart that whatever we are or may be esteemed to be who are the poor Ministers of Christ yet though we be nothing let the Holy Prophets and Apostles be esteemed as something for they shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 And Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And the true Church of the living Ged which is cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet doth wear them as a Crown of twelve Stars upon her head And wilt thou trample them under thy feet Rev. 12.1 And there appeared a great wonder in Heaven a Woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars But however though we be nothing yet let the Son of God Jesus Christ himself be something For verily God the Father thinks him to be something When he hath given him a name that is above every name that is in Heaven and that is on the Earth That every Knee shall bowe and every Tongue confess to him as Phil. 2.9 10 11 12. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name That at the name of Jesus every Knee shall bowe of things in Heaven or things in Earth and things under the Earth And that every Tongue shall confess
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
therefore both Jews and Gentiles are all under Sin and Condemnation and that by the law The Gentiles by the light and law of nature and the work of it written in their Hearts Rom. 2.14 15 16. And the Jews by the law written in tables of Stone by Gods own hand and given unto them by Moses at mount Sinai which law was added by reason of Sin and Sin in the Jews taking occasion by the commandment became exceedingly more Sinful in them who were Jews by nature than in the Gentiles as being against more clear light and greater Obligations than the poor Gentiles were indulged with And thus is fulfilled the design of God by Moses in giving the law which was not that any Man should be justified and obtain righteousness and life thereby but that the offence against it might so much the more abound and be made to appear And Man be instructed from the desperateness of his case and the utter impossibility ever to get righteousness and life by works and the law to seek it only by Grace and Faith in Jesus Christ as Rom. 5.20 21. This position being already proved that Jews and Gentiles are all under Sin Rom. 3.9 the Apostle doth further confirm by a text out of the old Testament Rom. 3. 19. where he concludes that quotation Now we know that whatsoever the law saith it saith to them that are under the law intimating that the Jews must needs be concerned in this charge as well as the Gentiles And that the Prophets of the old Testament did plainly declare and confirm this truth that by the works of the law no flesh should be justified For both David and Esaias whose words these are if they would have understood them in saying there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one c. do both testifie from God by whose Spirit they speak that in the sight of God all Men are Sinners and transgressors by the law both Jews and Gentiles and that there is not one righteous Man by the works of the law in the whole World for Jew and Gentile comprehended the whole world And if so and this be true that Jews and Gentiles are all under Sin and that there is not one righteous Man by the works of the law in Gods sight then it follows as a necessary consequence that by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified Therefore we conclude c. And thus I have done with the context In the text it self we have a great foundation truth or point of Doctrin ready prepared to our Hand in words which the Holy Ghost teacheth together with the reason of it And therefore we shall take the point as it lieth in the Text c. That by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God The truth of this doctrin is expresly testified also Psal. 143.2 For in thy sight shall no Man living be justified i. e. by his own works and righteousness for otherwise there were then and are now many Men justified in Gods sight by the free Grace of God through Faith in Jesus Christ. And again Gal. 2.16 Knowing c. For the opening this position or point of Doctrin we shall take it into parts and Enquire 1 Who or what is meant by Flesh. 2 What is meant by Justified 3 What is mean by the works of the law 1 What is meant Or What we are to understand by Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not any Flesh or as it is Translated no Flesh. In answer whereunto Flesh is sometimes taken in Scripture for the Human Nature separate from the sinfulness thereof so John 1.14 And the word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flesh is here put for the Human Nature seperate from Sin as Adam had it in the state of innocency And Christ the second Adam took it in the Womb of the Virgin Mary and Heb. 10.20 Through the vail i. e. his Flesh put for the whole Human Nature which was a vail to his Godhead and which he offered upon the Cross for our Sins and so consecrated a new and living way for us into the Holiest i. e. Heaven it self And though in propriety of Speech the Flesh or Body is but a part of the Human Nature the Spirit or Soul being the other and more noble part yet is by a figure Synechdoche put for the whole as 1 Peter 2.24 where Christ is said to have born our sins in his own body on the tree Body is there put for the whole Human Nature and so the Soul or Spirit is also sometimes put as Isa. 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for Sin yet 't is manifest both Soul and Body were offered for Sin and the Soul of Christ is there put for both but in this sense of the Human Nature separate from Sin the word Flesh is not to be understood in this Text And therefore 2. Flesh is also and indeed most frequently put for the Human Nature as it is corrupt and depraved by Sin since the fall of the first Adam and so Rom. 8.3 where the law is said to become weak through the Flesh i. e. Mans Nature now corrupted by Sin and so not able to rise up unto that true and perfect holiness which the law doth require And in this sense the word Flesh is to be taken and understood in the text Shall not any flesh or shall no flesh be justified i. e. no Man that is a Sinner and corrupted by Sin as all Men now are by Nature And there is a kind of vehemency in the expression The Holy Ghost thereby casting a holy contempt upon Man that is called Flesh i. e. an unclean and a corrupt thing so Eliphas in Job 15.14 15 16. What is Man tha◠that he should be clean c. And thus shall n◠flesh be justified i. e. no Man no Person of Mankind Man Woman nor Child 2ly What it s meant And what i◠to be understood by the word justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall no Flesh be justified In answer hereto 1. To be justified in the proper significancy and notion thereof is to be made righteous to become righteous or to stand righteous before God justificari is justum fieri to be justified is to be made or to become righteous and so to stand a righteous Person in Gods sight It is a foreinsick term and here is an allusion to courts of Judicature amongst Men wherein the person arraigned is in the issue of the Plea either Condemned i. e. found Guilty and then we say such a Man is cast that is in his Plea or else is acquited and discharged and so justified in the sight of the Court as an Innocent and righteous person and so he is said to stand as
Psam 130.3 And therefore it is added in his sight to shew that whatsoever Man may be in his own sight or in the sight of other Men like himself yet in Gods sight no flesh shall or can be justified by the works of the law And as in Condemnation there are two things First a fixing of the Guilt and therefore we say when a person is found guilty he is condemned so Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God 2ly A binding or Obligation unto the punishment which is Death and therefore we say of a Criminal when he is brought in guilty that he is a dead Man because the obligation unto punishment is now fixed upon him and he must inevitably suffer death which is the punishment due to his offence So on the other hand there are two things implyed in Justification first a just discharge and acquitment from the guilt of Sin he that is justified is not guilty in Gods sight his Sin is not imputed to him and Ps. 32 1 2. where David describeth the blessedness of a justified person saying Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 3ly There is also a dissolving and making void and null the Obligation unto punishment so that a justified person is no more in danger of that death which is the wages of Sin nor of the curse of the law and the infinite and eternal wrath of God which is the punishment due to Sin to every Sin the least Sin as well as the greatest therefore as Condemnation is called Death because of the Obligation unto punishment so justification is called Life because of the dissolving and making void that Obligation So John 5.24 where the believer is said to be passed from death to life i. e. from a state of Condemnation which is Death to a state of Justification which is Life and Rom. 5.18 It is called justification of Life And upon that account 't is Written the just shall live by Faith i. e. be justified by Faith for justification is his life 3ly But there is yet somewhat more implyed in this word Justified and that is a positive righteousness answering to the perfection of the holy law of God in the utmost extent and demand of it for though non imputation and pardon of Sin makes a Man no more a Sinner nor guilty before God yet to make him a righteous person in Gods sight there must of necessity be a positive righteousness for as it cannot consist with the perfect justice of God to justifie a Man without righteousness so it cannot consist with his veracity and justice to justifie any Man without a perfect righteousness such as is commensurate and adequate to the perfection of his law for otherwise the law should be made void even by faith itself contrary to Rom. 3.31 And to speak with holy reverence as it is impossible for God to lie so it is as impossible for him to be unjust which he should be should he justifie any Man by an imperfect righteousness it is therefore a foolish vain and wicked imagination in any person to think or affirm that a Man may be justified in Gods sight without a perfect righteousness and this I may be bold to say from the clear light of Gods holy word that he which hath not a better righteousness than his own neither is nor ever shall be justified in the sight of God and whoever he be who affims the contrary let him answer it for sure I am the judgment of God is according to truth as it iâ— written Rom. 2.2 and again Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and every Man a liar thaâ— thou mightest be justified in thy sayings anâ— mightest overcome when thou art judged 3. What is here meant and what are we to understand by the deeds or works of the law Ans. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the needs of the law of or by or upon the account of the deed of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works operations or deedâ— do imply all sorts of works deeds or operatiâ—ons Internal and External 1 There are internal deeds and operatiâ—ons deeds of the mind and of the spirit withâ—in works of the inward Man wherein thâ— inward faculties of the Soul the Mind thâ— Conscience the Understanding the will and affections are operative and working in thâ— sight of God before whom our spirits arâ— naked and bare Heb. 4.13 And there arâ— internal vertues and habits and these are opâ—â—rative within and the holy law of God is Spiâ—ritual and reacheth the inward Man yea thâ— very thoughts and imaginations of the Hearâ— and than inward disposition enclination and habits Rom. 7.7 I had not known lust if the law had not said thou shalt not covet 2. There are external deeds the outward actions and deeds and operations of the light and Conversation which should all be regulated and are judged by the law which is the rule of righteousness to the inward and to the outward Man to the inward frame of Heart with all the Imaginations Thoughts Principles Habits Affections Intentions and Designs thereof and to the outward Man in all a Mans external Actions words and deeds together with the nature and tendency of them whether they be good or evil true or false sincere or feigned so Acts 5.3 4 9. and Acts 8.20 21. 2 Chron. 25.2 Ezek. 33.31 32. So that by the deeds of the law we are to understand all the inward qualifications and inherent virtues and goodness of a Mans Heart together with all the external actions of his life done in the utmost conformity and Obedience to the law that Man can reach unto by these deeds of the law whether internal or external there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Quest. But the greater question is what law is here meant whether the Ceremonial law only or the Moral law also Those that are unsound in the Doctrin of Justification do contend that by the law here is only meant the Ceremonial law And that the Apostle Paul here and in other places contending with the Jews in this point of Justification speaketh only of the Ceremonial law and so far they yield that by the works of the Ceremonial law indeed no flesh shall be justified but the works of the Moral law are not here excluded from the matter of Mans justification insinuating thereby that a Man may be justified in Gods sight by good works done in confirmity and obedience to the Moral law Ans. In answer whereunto we do affirm and shall plainly prove that not the Ceremoâ—nial law only but the Moral law also yeâ— mainly and principally is meant by the Apostle And that law unto the works or deed whereof justification in the sight of God iâ— denied to every Man is the Moral law and not the Ceremonial law only though it iâ— true also of the Ceremonial law And this wâ— prove by two Argumenrs
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
for many false Prophets are gone out into the World And we shall first try the first of these Doctrines As namely Quest. 1. Whether Gods Elect or any sort of men were justified from all Eternity as some do say and affirm And unto this we answer affirmatively in two things Namely 1. That there is and was a gracious purpose which God had purposed in himself from all Eternity to Justifie and save his Elect through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ Ephes. 1.9 According to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself And again 2 Tim. 1.9 But according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began And the Apostle in the Context doth not only plainly imply but expresly declare the same when he saith Rom. 8.28 To them who are the called according to his purpose and then ver 30. Whom he called them he also justified Therefore there is and was such a purpose in God before the World began to call and justifie them 2. That all that have been are now or hereafter shall be justified through Faith in Jesus Christ from the Foundation of the World to the end thereof have been are now and shall be Justified according to this Purpose which God hath Purposed in himself before the World began and no otherwise as Ephes. 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance And this Inheritance cannot be obtained without free Justification by Grace as Tit. 3 7. Being Predestinated according to the Purpose of him who worketh all things after or according to the Counsel of his own Will For in that he saith all things 't is manifest that he worketh this one thing amongst all the rest even his Justifying his Elect through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ after or according to this Counsel of his own Will and Ephes. 1.3 4. Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Amongst which Spiritual Blessings that of Justification must be acknowledged to be one and none of the least or last of those blessings It followeth ver 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World And again 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and graee which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began And this also is plainly declared in the Context Rom 8.30 Whom he did Predestinate them he also Called and whom he called them he also Justified And if you will ask how The answer is According to his Purpose as ver 28. According to this Purpose he calleth them and according to this Purpose he justifieth them So that thus far we do consent and agree 1. That there is and was a purpose in God from all Eternity to Justifie his Elect through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ And 2. That all that are justified are justified according to this Purpose which God had purposed in himself But then we distinguish betwixt being under a purpose of Grace from all Eternity to be justified And being Justified from all Eternity and therefore though we grant and affirm the former yet we deny the latter Namely Neg. That Gods Elect or any person in this World are or is or ever were or was justified from all Eternity This Doctrine of Justification from Eternity I say we truly reject disown and deny as a false and unsound Doctrine and contrary to the Holy Scriptures all which will more than sufficiently appear in these following Particulars Part. 1. This Doctrine in the consequent of it doth deny destroy and overthrow the truth and true Doctrine of Gods Election and Predestination which the Holy Scriptures do establish and which is one fundamental point of the true Christian Faith and from whence doth spring as from a Fountain all the parts of our Salvation This is called The Foundation of God which standeth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 And this is that from whence as from a Fountain all the parts of our Salvation do spring and proceed Ephes. 1.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. There are two parts of this Election of God namely foreknowledge and predestination Rom. 8.29 For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate Now there neither is nor can be any foreknowledge or fore-ordaining of that which is from Eternity for nothing can be said to be before Eternity And foreknowledge and predestination must be before the things foreknown and predestinated and therefore if Justification were from Eternity there could be no foreknowledge or predestination thereof To speak with a holy reverence God cannot be said to foreknow himself or to fore-ordain his own blessedness and enjoyment of himself alone 't is true the blessedness of God doth consist in that knowledge and injoyment of himself which he hath in and of himself eternally But he could not fore-know himself or fore-ordain himself this blessedness because he hath and had this eternally and nothing can precede or be before eternity Even so God could not be said to foreknow and predestinate his Elect to Justification and Salvation through Faith in his Son Jesus Christ if they were Jâ—stified from all Eternity And besides it is â—ritten Gal. 3.8 For the Scripture foreseeing thaâ— God would justifie the Heathen through Fâ—â—â—h preached the Gospel before-hand to Abraham saying in thee shall all the Nations be blessed Now the Scripture could not foresee that which was from Eternity the Scripture may and doth declare that which was from Eternity as John 1.1 2. and 1 John 1.2 3. but the Scripture cannot be said to foresee that which was from Eternity yet the Scripture did foresee that God would justifie these elect Heathen through Faith therefore these Heathen were not Justified from Eternity though they were elected from eternity he therefore that saith he was justified from eternity and doth teach men so doth by consequence overthrow the Foundation of Gods Election and deny that himself and those he so teacheth were either fore-known or predestinated of God to Justification and Salvation through Faith in Christ. Part. 2. This Doctrine of Justification from Eternity doth by necessary consequences destroy and overthrow the Doctrine and Faith of reconciliation which is also another fundamental point of the Christian Faith Reconciliation must go before Justification at least in the order of Nature though not of time God must be first reconciled to that person in Christ whom he justifieth in Christ as 2 Cor. 5.18 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and then their justification follows not imputing to them their trespasses Reconciliation must be first and then Justification follows for God Justifies a sinner upon the account of the price paid and satisfaction made by Jesus Christ as Rom. 5.10 If when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son c. Now reconciliation was not nor could be from Eternity
glory of his Grace wherein or in which Grace he hath made us accepted in the Beloved We were not so by Nature or by our own Works and Righteousness but we are made so by Grace through this Obedience or Righteousness of his Son who alone is the Beloved and that you may see 't is through this Righteousness that we are made accepted and stand before him as righteous 't is added in v. 7. immediately following In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins for though forgiveness of sins or non-imputation of sins is only expressed which is but a part of our Redemption and Justification yet imputation of Righteousness is also implied and necessarily inferred as Rom. 4.6 7 8. The Apostle doth infer the imputation of Righteousness out of David Psal. 32.1 2. Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin for unto this man the Lord doth impute Righteousness without Works as v. 6. for else the Apostles Argument were of no force and that the Lord is not well pleased with or accepteth any person as righteous but in and through this Righteousness of his Beloved Son apprehended by Faith is also as clearly testified in Heb. 11.6 For without Faith it is impossible to please God Where he proves that Enoch was a Believer and an Heir of the Righteousness that is by Faith because he had before his Translation received this Testimony that he pleased God which he could not do without Faith nor can any man else under the whole Heavens be able to please God without this Faith for the Scripture faith it is impossible And thus have we finished the doctrinal part namely That the Righteousness which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe is the Righteousness of God 1. As God is the Author of it 2. As it is the Righteousness of that wonderful Person who is God-Man 3. In opposition to a Man 's own Righteousness And 4. As God is well pleased with it The Use of this Doctrine is by way of Inference and hence we may infer 1. That this Righteousness which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe is a perfect and compleat Righteousness The perfection of this Righteousness is argued from its Author which is no less than God â—â—mself and that as it is the design and gift of his own free and Soveraign Grace in Christ and as it is the admirable contrivance of his Infinite Understanding and Wisdom and also as it is the effect and product of his Infinite and Eternal Power manifested both in Christ and also in and towards them that believe as hath been shewed Now if it be the Righteousness of God in such a special and peculiar manner as it is the Foundation of his New Creation and making all things New in Christ and that the New Creature is raised and stands before God in his Son Christ upon this Foundation of Righteousness by Faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law Then certainly it is a most perfect and compleat work of God For He is a Rock and his work is perfect as Deut. 32.4 And sure I am that none can come after God to mend what he hath so curiously wrought either by adding to or taking ought from it And if the question be put as Eccles. 2.12 What can the man do that cometh after the King Much more may it be put What can the man do that cometh after God And the answer is at hand i. e. just nothing at all he cannot take ought from or add ought unto that which God hath done No no Man cannot add one cubit to his Stature or make one Hair of his Head White or Black as Luk. 12 25. and Mat 5.36 And this is the perfection of Gods works of Creation and Providence that there nothing can be added to or taken from that which God made No that which is crooked cannot be made strait that which is wanting cannot be numbred All Created Wisdom and Power in Angels or Men canâ—not reach the works of God so as to add the least thing which God hath left out or diminish that which God hath put into it And as all Gods works of the First or Old Creation were perfect in their kind Gen. 1.31 And God saw every thing that he had Created and Made and behold it was very good And the goodness of the work lay in the perfection thereof according to its kind every Creature being wrought after the counsel of his own will which is his rule in working Ephes 1.11 Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will And being wrought in a tendency and subserviency to his own glory which is his end in working All things that God had made answering exactly in their kind to the perfect rule of his will and pleasure and to the perfect end of their Creation viz. The Glory of their Great Creatour and Benefactour This was their goodness this was their perfection and in this respect they were all very good and perfect as they were the works of God He is a rock and his work is perfect Now if it be thus with all Gods works of the First or Old Creation how much more must it be so in the works of his New Creation in Christ which do as far exceed and are as far above the works of the Old Creation as Heaven exceeds and is above the Earth Now this Righteousness of God by Faith in his Son Jesus Christ is the glory of his Grace in Christ 't is the curious and admirable contrivance of his Infinite Wisdom 't is the product and work of his Infinite and Eternal Power all the Divine attributes shine forth together in joynt lustre and glory in the face of Christ and the work of Righteousness by Faith in him Oh! what a perfect work then must this needs be that is and shall be the admiration of Angels and Men to all Eternity As hath been shewed And the perfection of this work of Righteousness by Faith in Christ will appear if we consider it is wrought exactly after the Counsel of his own will i. e. the will of his own Soveraign Grace in Christ and it answereth perfectly his highest end i. e. his own glory It gives all the glory to God in and by his Son Jesus Christ and cuts off all boastingâ— and glorying from man as hath been declared And therefore there must needs be a glorious perfection in this Righteousness of God unto which nothing can be added by man or by the Sons of men and in which there is nothing wanting Now the perfection of this Righteousness of God is expresly declared in the holy Scriptures and celebrated to the Faith of Gods Elect being proposed as an object not only most true and so worthy of their firm assent unto it as it is
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