and happiness both in this world and that which is to come It requires therefore as my greatest pains so your best attention And the rather because Satan is so busie The god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them The understanding of this mysterie is the shining of this glorious Gospel Therefore he casts clouds upon it because he knowes that the right understanding of these things is that which sets open the gates of heaven to poor penitent sinners for this is life eternal to know Christ the Lord our righteousness Therefore he imployes his instruments and they raise up the mists of error to darken our understandings Our Adversaries of Rome tell us of a righteousness of works nor only in the way of precept but of counsel works of supererogation too a doing of more then the Law requires Hence their Pardons Indulgences and the like out of those overflowing merits of the Saints Nay the Jesuite hath exchang'd his poyson a generation of vipers there is amongst our selves not worthy the mention in this place O how they rend the bowels of their dear Mother the Church even denying the Lord that bought them The rather therefore let us give all diligence to search it and to finde it out And in this discovery I beseech you not to consult with your own sense and reason that is but to consult with flesh and bloud much lesse would I have you to take things upon trust because this or that man hath spoken it but because this is the foundation whereupon is built all our interest in the joy of Saints therefore consult we with the sacred Oracles the writings of the Prophets and Apostles those holy men who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Sure I am that here is the infallible truth which cannot deceive us The mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken this To return therefore to our purpose By the light of Scripture to discover to you Who is this Righteous Man For the right understanding of this we must know that there 's a twofold Righteousness a Righteousness of works and a Righteousness of Faith 1. The Righteousness of Works This is when a man continues in all things that are written in this book to do them when we perform a perfect exact unsinning obedience to the whole Law of God This righteousness of the Law is the righteousness of Works Rom. 10.5 Moses describeth the righteousness of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them So it is a righteousness in the way of doing in the way of Works Now thus we say with Paul Rom. 3.10 There is none righteous no not one I know there are some say otherwise and we hear their brags they fulfill the Law nay more then the Law requires else why do they tell us of the works of supererogation or from whence should arise that treasure of Saints merits which the Pope dispenses to redeem souls out of Purgatory So the Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous but the Apostle argues it Gal. 3.21 23. If there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that therefore we might not seek for righteousness in the way of the Law but in the way of Faith It is the Apostles peremptory conclusion Gal. 2.6 By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified And it is a clear truth For 1. Is there any that doth all things that are written in this book and continues in so doing It is a passage in the prayer of Solomon 1 King 8.46 If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not and thou be angry c. If they sin against thee but lest some should question this because he speaks it with an if therefore he brings in this sad parenthesis There is no man that sins not Not any man whatsoever not the most holy the most righteous man The words are express Eccles 7.20 There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Though there be just men upon earth yet no man so just but sometimes he sins Nor is it the language of the old Testament but of the New Jâ—m 3 2. In many things we offend all Not in some things but in many things not they but we and all we he brings in himself amongst them though he was a servant of Jesus Christ and a Minister of the Gospel 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves And Christ himself hath taught us When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven Forgive us our trespasses Why doth he teach us to pray daily for the forgivenesse of our sins but because we are daily committing of new sins even those that call God father 2. But suppose we now do all things that are written in this book and continue in so doing yet it hath been otherwise Saith Paul Before I was a persecutor a blasphemer and injurious And 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you Nay not some but all Ephes 2.1 2 3. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also we all had our conversation in times past Not ye but we also and all we Suppose then we walk at present as Zachary and Elizabeth in all the Commandements and Ordinances of God blameless yet formerly we have gone astray and if we look upon time past we must needs acknowledge we are transgressors of the Law Now who shall expiate those sins for us or quit us from that former guilt in the time of our ignorance that so we may appear as righteous in the sight of God 3. But suppose we could clear our selves of actual transgression and say with the young man in the Gospel we have kept all the Commandements of God from our youth up yet we know that we are born in sin Ephes 2.3 We are by nature the children of wrath even as others All by nature in the same condition And why children of wrath but because born in sin Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Adam begot a son in his own likeness as for nature so corruption of nature Such as the fountain is such are the streams therefore sinfull sons because descended from the loynes of sinful parents Rom. 5.12 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For that or in whom the word
is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom all have sinned 4. But suppose we could quit our selves of that too that we could free our selves from all sin both actuall and originall yet then consider what must necessarily follow Surely to such a man there would be no need of Christ Mat. 9.12 They that be whole need not the physitian but they that be sick Christ is the great Physitian of the soul they that are righteous they need not a Christ only those that are sick those that are sinners If any man can be justified by the works of the law then in vain is it that Christ tasted death for every man in vain is it that he died for all men It is not mine but the Apostles inference Gal 2.21 If righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Those that pretend to the righteousness of works they do what lies in them to make the death and passion of our blessed Saviour in vain and to no purpose They have no need of him 5. But suppose that they stood in need as our adversaries will acknowledge it in another way to merit for them that they may be able to merit for themselves yet whilest they think to be justified by their works Christ will have nothing to do with them Saith our Saviour to the Pharisees who trusted in themselves that they were righteous Mat. 9.13 I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And Mat. 18.11 The Son of man is come to save that which is lost And in another place he tels us That he was not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Till therefore we finde our selves in a lost condition Christ hath no errand to us The Apostle shall conclude this point Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are faln from Grace The Churches of Galatia were exceedingly troubled with these Pharisaical Justiciaries and indeed his whole Epistle is nothing in a manner but a confutation of such proud and vain boasting and here he shewes them in few words what the issue of that was whilest they put confidence in works though they professed Christ yet thus indeed they made him of no effect they inslaved themselves to the bondage of the Law and so cast themselves out of the estate of Grace Beloved mistake me not I speak not this to remit your care and zeal of weldoing God forbid The Law must still be the rule of your holy walking Rom. 3.31 Do we make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law And this we pray Col. 1.10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all wel-pleasing being fruitful unto every good work To this we exhort and charge you 1 Tim. 6.17 You that are rich in this world that ye do good that ye be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for your selves a good foundation for the time to come that ye may lay hold upon eternall life Thus we presse you further Rom. 2.6 God will render to every man according to his works According to his works though not for his works as the meritorious cause According to our works so shall be the degree of glory Thus in the way of thankfulnesse in the way of obedience and that you may receive the crown of righteousness a greater measure and degree of glory no Papist in the world can more earnestly preach works then we do And it is observed that in lesse then one hundred years since the Reformation more works of charity have been done in England then in three hundred years before Wo is me that latter times are grown more barren in good works more fruitful in the works of darkness But so it was prophesied because iniquity shal abound the love of many shall wax cold Yet when all this is spoken it is not to merit heaven by so doing Ephes 2.8 By grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them We are created to good works yet not saved by them lest any man should boast Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory It is not of works therefore but meerly of free Grace Rom. 4.4 To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of debt And Rom. 11.6 If by Grace then is it no more of Works otherwise grace is no more grace So not to discourage Works but to take you off from that self-justification in a legal way and to build your Faith upon the sure foundation I proceed to 2. The Righteousness of Faith This is that true Evangelical Righteousness by which we stand justified before God not the righteousness of Works but the righteousness of Faith Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin 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 that believe The righteousness of God without Works the righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus There is a remarkable expression and it is worthy our observation Rom. 9.30 The Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained unto righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the Works of the Law The Gentiles which sought not after Righteousnesse they found it the Israelites which sought after Righteousnesse they found it not this is a strange mysterie but the Apostle shewes you the meaning of it The Gentiles sought not righteousnesse in the way of Works but in the way of Faith the Israelites sought it not in the way of Faith but in the way of Works The more we seek for it in this legall way the further we are carried from it Rom. 10.3 They being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse have not submitted themselves unto the righteousnesse of God It is not then the righteousnesse of Works but the righteousnesse of Faith which gives us interest in the Promises and intitles us to this rejoycing To discover therefore what this Righteousnesse is I shall shew unto you 1. That it is the Righteousnesse of Christ it is not our own righteousnesse but Christs righteousnesse Isa 45.24 25. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Not a righteousnesse wrought in us
they dream on Suppose they should keep the Law as they vainly boast yet here 's a righteousnesse beyond it a righteousnesse beyond that of Adam in the state of Innocency nay beyond that of Angels it is the righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Not in our selves but in Christ not righteous but righteousnesse it self even the righteousnesse of God in him The Righteousnesse of God 1. Therefore the most absolute exact and perfect righteousnesse that can be imagined The righteousnesse which they speak on suppose it were as big as they boast yet it is but the righteousnesse of the creature and it hath its blemishes but this is the righteousnesse of God therefore without spot and without blemish Hence we read those high expressions Cant. 4.7 Thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee And as the Spouse in the Old Testament so the Church in the New Ephes 5.27 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish 2. Therefore an unchangeable righteousnesse The righteousnesse of the creature is as the early dew which soon vanisheth Adam first in an estate of innocency but he fell away and the Angels kept not their first estate but left their own habitation and therefore saith St. Jude they are reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse to the judgement of the great day But Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not And as is himself so is his righteousnesse unchangeable Dan. 9.24 Seventy weeks are determined upon the people and upon the holy city to finish transgression and to make an end of sin and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse It must needs be unchangeable because everlasting This then is a sure rock that will never fail us Hence the Apostles triumph Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who shall condemn It is Christ that died 3. Therefore a most acceptable and wel-pleasing righteousnesse God must needs own himself the righteousnesse which is of God Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Not with whom but in whom the meaning is that God in Christ is well pleased with us also Ephes 5.2 He hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour When Jacob appeared before his father in the garments of his brother Esau See saith Isaac the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed so when we appear in the righteousnesse of Christ those white robes of our elder brother then we are unto God indeed a sweet savour in Christ Jesus Righteousnesse belongeth unto thee saith Daniel but to us confusion and Daniel found favour in Gods sight The more that we take shame and confusion to our selves the more we give God the glory of his righteousnesse and the more that we give him the glory of his righteousnesse the more shall we finde favour in the sight of God So not to denude the people but to cloathe them with that absolute and perfect righteousnesse that everlasting and unchangeable righteousnesse that acceptable and wel-pleasing righteousnesse the righteousnesse of God which is my faith But to give it yet a further vindicaon from the standers of our foul-mouth'd Adversaries take notice The righteousnesse of Faith is no Doctrine of Licentiousnesse This Doctrine doth not open a door to profanenesse but on the contrary 1 Joh. 2.1 These things write I unto you that ye sin not This is the ingagement on our souls If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins These words are recorded for us not to harden but to melt our hearts These things saith St. John write I unto you that ye sin not When Saul saw the goodnesse of David in sparing his life he lift up his voice and wept It is impossible for a man to believe that God hath done all this for him impossible I say truly and indeed to believe this that God hath wrought such a righteousnesse for us but it must needs melt us into godly sorrow that ever we should sin against so good a God It is the strongest tye that can be laid upon any rationall and ingenuous spirit This is the true Evangelical way Rom. 4.2 Know ye not that the goodnesse of God leads you to repentance This is Gods way Hos 11.4 I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jawes and I laid meat unto them These are as cords and bands as the strongest cords beyond those of Philistims Samson himself cannot break these bands if once they be laid on indeed 1 Joh. 3.3 Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure And it must need be thus if we consider 1. The end of that great work by which our righteousnesse is wrought What was his purpose in it Luk. 1.74 He hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all our daies This was his end therefore was it he delivered us that we might serve him as in righteousnesse so in the truth of holinesse Thus Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works He gave himself for us as to redeem us from our sins to justifie us so to purifie us to himself to sanctifie us that so we might be a special a peculiar people separated from the world a people zealous of good works Shall I give you a third Scripture And therefore is it that I multiply because I would have you to take notice of it Col. 1.21.23 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight Therefore was it that he took flesh upon him therefore was it that he suffered death this was his end as to reconcile us unto God so that we might be holy and unblamable and unreprovable in the sight of God And now do but seriously consider this Hath Christ thus suffered for us and will he be disappointed of that for which he suffered or do we think that we shall have our end of Christ and that Christ will lose his end of us That we shall be made the righteousnesse of God in him yet still continue in our wickednesse Be not deceived you cannot thus disappoint him of his purpose conclude rather that you have
righteous 2. A Direction The way to solid and true joy is the way of the righteous Beloved we all desire solid and true joy This that which we all long after to lead a cheerfull and a comfortable life and to make a joyful and a happy end My Text directs you to the means Get into the number of the righteous This is that which will give you joy in the end joy without end and this only You think to finde it some in one way some in another some in a third one pursues it in a way of riches a second in a way of honours a third in a way of pleasures They do but please themselves in their own fancies and embrace meer shadowes Either you must finde it in a way of righteousnesse or you shall never attain to solid and soul-satisfying joy I shall first shew you where you cannot finde it and then where true joy is to be had 1. Do not seek it in the way of riches Many men think if they had but wealth enough they should have joy enough It is true perhaps if they had enough but we see it by experience Eccles 1.8 The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear fill'd with hearing So Eccles 5.10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase As the dropsie to the body so is covetousnesse to the minde Mille meis errent in montibus Agni Oh that I had a thousand lambs upon the mountains And when we have got a thousand then pauperis est numerare pecus he is but a poor man that can number his cattel The more we have the more we crave And how shall we quench his thirst which is increased by drinking Besides though we could have enough yet we are not sure to hold it Prov. 23.51 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not For riches certainly make themselves wings they flie away as an Eagle toward heaven And then the more our joy in the fruition the greater our sorrow in the losse However when death comes such as our entrance such is the exit Naked came we into the word and naked must we go out of the world We do but imbrace the cloud in stead of Juno Whilest we think to hug a happinesse in abundance Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years eat drink and be merry Death comes and our joy goes Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken from thee and then whose shall these things be 2. Do not seek it in the way of honours Many please themselves in the way of eminency Oh quam pulchrum est digito monstrari dicier Hic est what a brave thing it is to be pointed at There goes such a man So if they can but climb up into such an office or get the praise and applause of men especially the favour of such great ones Haman invited to the Queens banquet then went he to his home joyfull and with a glad heart It is true indeed a good name is as a precious oyntment and more to be desired then gold and silver yet as good as it is remember it is bonum sine sera aut clave a good without lock and key It is a thing scarce in our own keeping We stand much at the courtesie of others for it And can we chain up the winds The multitude who but yesterday would have crown'd our Saviour to day Away with him crucifie him And Haman in that height of favour with King Ahashuerus how suddenly is the wind in another corner and whilest yet at the banquet the Kings countenance is changed and he sees that evil is determined against him by the King So Herod whilest loud in the acclamations of the people The voice of God and not of man presently the Angel of the Lord smites him and Herod is eaten up of wormes He became a prey to those base flatterers so Josephus seems to give the sense though I conceive he comes short in the story and those who so applauded him were his devourers 3. Do not seek it in the way of pleasures Many go this way and think themselves the only men Whilest others are toyling in the earth of riches or swearing in a throng of offices and honours these enjoy the world at will and feast themselves upon the sweat of other mens labours Thus one sports away his time in gaming And when he hath conquered his neighbour and made himself master of anothers purse is not the box the only gainer So they shall finde it when they come to the last game when the soul lies at stake they have lost their time and now hell it sweeps all away A second swils away his time in drinking Let us fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant But doth not the aking pate and empty purse chide them to an after reckoning We to them that rise up early for strong drink that continue untill night till wine inflame them A third beastiates himself in goatish lechery Come let us take our fill of loves And when Amnon hath got his will of his sister Tamar the hatred wherewith he hateth her is more then the love wherewith he loved her And what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed A fourth perhaps of more heroick spirit he is for high atchievement and more noble action So Nebuchadnezzar pleases himself in the contemplation of his works Is not this great Babylon which I have built And whilest the word was yet in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from heaven O King Nebuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken the Kingdome is departed from thee And when Alexander hath conquered the whole world his fathers fall from his horse into the dust if he view the print of his body it will shew him that as little earth contains him as another man A fifth perhaps more contemplative of a clearer intellect he sees the folly of the world whilest so very throng and busie as Ants upon the mole-hill and he delights himself in his study to discourse with forein languages to view Natures secrets to consult with former ages This man seems to come the nearest for so the Scholar findes a pleasure in it more pleasure in his books then either the covetous in his bags or the voluptuous at his board or the lecherous in his bed or the pragmatical in the noise and tumult of his most heroick actions Yet remember though we could speak all languages yet if we speak not the language of Canaan we are amongst Gods people but as a Barbarian Or as the Apostle Though I speak with the tongue of men and Angels yea though I understood all mysteries and all knowledge yet if I have not charity I am but as a sounding brasse and as a tinkling Cymbal If there be not the sap of grace in this tree of knowledge it bears nothing but