A Fresh Antidote Against Neonomian Bane, Chapter 14

A Fresh Antidote Against Neonomian Bane · Chapter 14

p. 131CHAP. XIV. Other Places of Scripture Vindicated from Falſe Gloſſes.

Section 1. Mr. Cl's Falſe Gloſs on Iſa. 45.24. §. 2. His Gloſs on Jer. 23.6. Examined. §. 3. The Branch is Chriſt Prieſt as well as King. §. 4. 1 Cor. 1.30. Examined. §. 5. Rom. 4.6. Examined. §. 6. Phil. 3.9. Examined. §. 7. Rom. 5.19. §. 8. And Heb. 7.22. Examined. 9. Further of Chriſt's Suretiſhip.

Section 1. THE falſe Gloſſes of Mr. Cl. are firſt upon Iſa. 45.24. Surely ſhall one ſay, in the Lord I have righteouſneſs and ſtrength; which, he ſaith, are words of the Deity in oppoſition to Idols, and that the moſt rebellious ſhall ſubmit to him, and the ſeed of Iſrael ſhall confeſs they have righteouſneſs by him, i.e. of his beſtowing upon them in the ſame manner as they have ſtrength; for as he ſtrengthens us, ſo he makes us righteouſneſs, upon which he deals with us as righteous perſons, and juſtifies us.

Reſp. The words are the words of Chriſt who is called Jehovah in divers places by the Prophets, but that they are the words of Jehovah in the Perſon of Chriſt, I am told plainly by the Holy Ghoſt, Phil. 2.10. and Chriſt, Jehovah ſwares, that every knee ſhould bow, and every tongue confeſs, as the Apoſtle ſaith, at the Name of Jeſus, for he ſaith, he is a juſt God and a Saviour, ſo is Jeſus, and there is no God or Saviour but he; there is no other Name given, therefore this Homage that he calls for is to him as Jehovah, Saviour, foreign, Acts 4.12. 2. Its him, the ends of the earth, i.e. the Gentiles ſhould look to, to be ſaved by. 3. The great thing that hereby we are aſſured of, and promiſed irreverſibly is, that at the time when the Gentiles ſhall ſubmit to Chriſt, they ſhall acknowledge that in Jehovah the Saviour, Chriſt, they have righteouſneſs and ſtrength, its a force to the Text to render foreign by (from or by) for its plainly in Jehovah, for in Chriſt is our righteouſneſs and ſtrength, and becauſe here is two things named, its no reaſon to ſay they come p. 132to us the ſame way, the fulneſs of Chriſt both of righteouſneſs for Juſtification, by way of imputation, and ſtrength for Sanctification: Now according to theſe Men, to ſay, in Jehovah I have righteouſneſs, is to ſay, in my ſelf I have righteouſneſs and ſtrength; but it denotes that the righteouſneſs that we are juſtified by is in Jehovah, v. 25. and its that which is in Jehovah, for in the Lord ſhall all the ſeed of Iſrael, i. e. the true ſeed, he juſtified, and glory, they ſhall alſo give God the Glory of the ſtrength they receive in Grace; for as Chriſt is made of God the righteouſneſs, ſo he is made the Fountain, Head and Root of their Sanctification, and this is a ſpecial Prophecy of the latter days, when the Vail ſhall be removed, and the Glory of Chriſt ſhine more brightly than to the Jews of old, who ſought for righteouſneſs in themſelves for the moſt part, and lived upon a Neonomian righteouſneſs, Chriſt Jehovah ſaith it ſhould not be ſo when the ends of the earth came to be his inheritance, then men ſhould renounce their own righteouſneſs, and acknowledge Chriſts righteouſneſs alone to be their juſtifying righteouſneſs, yet that all Grace and Holineſs is treaſured up in him. 1. Its the righteouſneſs of God, ſuch Paul calls ſo. 2. Its the righteouſneſs of Juſtification. 3. Its a Righteouſneſs of God in Chriſt Jehovah. 4. Its a righteouſneſs made ours by Imputation. 5. Its the righteouſneſs that every true Believer is juſtified by, for ſuch are the Seed of Iſrael in the days of the Goſpel. 6. It is that righteouſneſs not only to be received to Juſtification, but to be rejoiced in; they ſhall rejoice in Chriſt Jeſus, having no confidence in their own fleſhly righteouſneſs.

§. 2. Mr. Cl. p. 31. The next is Jer. 23.6. He ſhall be called the Lord our Righteouſneſs, Much of the ſame import with the former, the words are very general without aſſigning how: Here are four Verſes treating of Chriſt: I obſerve every paſſage refers to his Kingly Office— v. 6. muſt be underſtood in a ſence correſpondent to the reſt. v. That he is the Lord that doth execute Judgment and Righteouſneſs for us; and I deny not but it may refer to a being our Righteouſneſs in ſences agreeable to Scripture, as to be the author of our righteouſneſs.

Mr. H. Its not appropriated to the Second Perſon, but to be underſtood of the Goſpel-goodneſs of God, whereby he imputeth righteouſneſs to us, when we have none according to the law of Creation — ſignifying that God hath found out a means to demonſtrate his Juſtice no leſs fully (and his goodneſs more fully) in ſaving us by this new law through his Sons Mediation, than if we had kept our firſt Innocency, or underwent eternal Judgment.

Reſp. I find Mr. H. talks by roat, I ſuppoſe he did not ſo p. 133much as turn to Text when he wrote, for he ſpeaks too, ſo abſurdly, as that he manifeſts plain Ignorance of the Text, as to ſay, that its not appropriate to the Son; and indeed all that follows, but I find Mr. H. takes his blowing upon a Place of Scripture to be enough to carry away all the Sence and Authority of it. I find Mr. Cl. hath lookt much further into the Text, and ſo far contradicts Mr. H. as that it is appropriate to Chriſt, but takes it to belong to his Kingly Office what is their ſaid; but is not ſo peremptory as to deny, but it may be underſtood of Chriſt being our Righteouſneſs in other Senſes, we plead but for one Senſe, and that we ſhall endeavour to make good. The Propheſie, as Mr. Cl. ſays, belongs to Chriſt who is often entituled foreign in the Prophets; and the Prophet foretels at leaſt the Days of his Incarnation and Exaltation, the riſing up of his Glory from ſmall unlikely and contemptible Beginnings, Iſa. 53.2, 3. he is called, Iſa. 11.1. a Science foreign, out of the Stemm of Jeſſe, and foreign a Branch, or Sprout out of Davids Roots, and he is called a Branch eſpecially in that he ſprung out of the then obſcure Houſe of David as to his Humane Nature, and ſprang up in a State of Humiliation and Suffering, yet he ſhould ariſe to a glorious Throne, for he ſhould ſit upon the Throne of David to Order and Eſtabliſh it, &c. Iſa. 9.9. I deny not, but the Kingly Reign and Government is here ſpoken of, but this is not all that is ſaid of him, when he is entitled the Branch, we have not only his Kingly Qualifications ſpoken of but his Prophetical and Prieſtly, Iſa. 11.1, 2, 3, 4. As its ſaid, he ſhould Judge in Righteouſneſs, ſo its ſaid, Righteouſneſs ſhould be the girdle of his Loins, as the High-Prieſts; and ſo here he ſpeaks not only of his Kingly Juſtice, but of his Prieſtly Righteouſneſs; for he ſaith, as King he ſhall Reign and Proſper, ſo he ſhall Work Judgment and Righteouſneſs in the Earth; foreign, He ſhall Work Judgment and Righteouſneſs, i. e. ſhall in the State of his Humiliation Work out Judgment and Righteouſneſs, or while on Earth, and it ſeems to be the genuine meaning in that he had ſpoken of his Kingly Reign before, and immediately ſpeaks of Judah's Salvation and Security therein, and the Reaſon of it ſhould be that he ſhould be called the Lord our Righteouſneſs, becauſe he ſhould be ſo famous not only for Reigning Righteouſneſs, but alſo for Redeeming; and it's in this reſpect the Righteouſneſs of God, and then Gods in Jehovab Chriſt, and then ours by giving it to us, and in imputing it to us; for we find that not only the Kingly Righteouſneſs as is aſcribed to the Branch, but alſo a Prieſtly, Zech. 6.13. and what is it that ſhall be done by this Kingly Prieſt? The removal p. 134of the Iniquities of the Land in one Day, Zech. 3.9.

§. 3. Hence we ſee this Branch is Jeſus Chriſt, this Branch is ſet forth to be a King and Prieſt, He ſhall bear the Glory, and Rule, and be a Prieſt upon the Throne, Zech. 6.13. And he ſhall be ſuch a Branch as to be the Stone of Iſrael, i. e. the Corner Stone as the Lamb, Rev. 5. with ſeven Eyes, and ſhould remove and take away the Iniquity of the Land in one Day, i. e. by his Righteouſneſs, but you ſay, how comes he to be our Righteouſneſs? God makes him ſo, read the Text right, for foreign is not Paſſive in Niph, but Active, therefore its thus, this is the Name which he ſhall call him, i. e. The Lord that would raiſe up to David a righteous Branch, as King, and Prieſt, a Prieſt of the Tribe of Judah, a Melchizedeck. This God ſhall put this Name upon him, the Lord our Righteouſneſs; let us go a little further yet, and the Spirit of God will tell us the full intent and meaning of this great Name of Chriſt, ſee Jer. 33.15. And there we ſhall find the very ſame Propheſie repeated with a little Alteration, before God ſaith, The Day is come, that I will perform the good thing promiſed to the Houſe of Iſrael, and the Houſe of Judah, what's that, I will cauſe the Branch of Righteouſneſs foreign inde, by way of Eminency, the Branch that ſhall flouriſh in all Righteouſneſs, Kingly and Prieſtly, and Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, &c. He ſhall be Jeſus a Saviour of his People by Righteouſneſs, and this is the Name by which ſhe, i. e. Iſrael and Judah ſhall be called, the Church, foreign Jehovah our Righteouſneſs, Jehovah-zidkenu; now this Place, I find is a Noli me tangere to ſome Divines, let the Men that look upon the Place as ſo dangerous, read the Hebrew Text, and they muſt underſtand a great Goſpel Myſtery, that this great Name whereby the Father hath graciouſly as to us, and honourably as to him ſhould be put upon the Church, ſure its to ſhew that the Righteouſneſs of God in Chriſt is put upon the Church; that ſhe is made the Righteouſneſs of Jehovah in Chriſt, and you'll ſay, why ſo great and ſacred a Name on the Church, is not this the Name of God only, whoſe Name alone is Jehovah? Yes, Jehovah is, but Jehovah-zidkenu is Chriſt's and the Churches, and this is the new Name ſhe is called by, which the Mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken, Iſa. 62.5. but you'll ſay, it ſeems too great for the Church, and it makes Chriſt a Publick Perſon, there's no doubt of the laſt, the Church is called Chriſt, being one Myſtical Body with him, 1 Cor. 12.12. But ſeemeth it too great for the Church to be thus called? Its the new Name which the Mouth of the Lord hath given, and its a Name of a real Thing, God hath made it righteous in Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and why not as well as the Place on Mount p. 135Moriah, which Abraham called Jehovah Jireh, and its ſaid (ſaith Moſes) to this Day, in the Mount the Lord will be ſeen, and ſo Moſes Builds an Altar, and calls it Jehovah Niſſi, the Lords my Banner. Likewiſe Gideon calls an Altar Jehovah Shalom, Judg. 6.24.

§. 4. Mr. Cl. ſaith, that 1 Cor. 1.30. ſeems to have a great Affinity to this, for he is our Righteouſneſs, and made unto us Righteouſneſs is much alike.

Reſp. Eſpecially when God makes him our Righteouſneſs, and calls him ſo, for the Words are, Who of God is made unto us, Wiſdom, &c. But he ſaith, Chriſt is not Wiſe and Holy in our ſtead, neither doth it follow then that he is Actively Righteous in our ſtead; but the meaning is, he is the procuring meritorious Cauſe, by his perfect Obedience hath ſatisfied the Law, and procur'd a new Way of Righteouſneſs by Faith, Sanctification.

Reſp. The Words are not, Chriſt is Wiſe and Holy in our ſtead, but that Chriſt is made of God to us what he is there ſaid to be, whether Wiſdom as a Prophet to teach us, or Righteouſneſs as a Prieſt, to Cloath us with the Garment of Salvation and Robe of Righteouſneſs; and that he is made of God to be what he is in the divers Ways and manner of Being or Conveying, what we have from him, he is our Wiſdom by way of teaching, Righteouſneſs by way of Sacrifice, Sanctification by being the Treaſure of all Grace and Holineſs which God beſtows, he is Redemption, in that all the Promiſes of Inchoation and Conſummation of Redemption are yea and Amen in him. But Mr. Cl. makes Righteouſneſs and Sanctification all one, and Chriſt being to us all theſe Things one way by meriting and procuring, we have as much right to ſay too, that Chriſt is all theſe one Way, viz. by Imputation, becauſe we are ſure he is Righteouſneſs to us by Imputation, but why is Active annexed to Righteouſneſs, he might have excluded his whole Righteouſneſs by what follows, both Active and Paſſive intentionally. But is not Chriſt righteous in our ſtead, when he ſatisfied Gods Law and Juſtice in our ſtead? For what? For any wrong we had done unto the Law of God; I pray, is not that our Righteouſneſs which is Righteouſneſs in our ſtead; but theſe Men will have Satisfaction, and no Satisfaction, only a new Bargain or Purchaſe; likewiſe a Satisfaction, but not for us, ſo their Satisfaction which they will have Chriſt make is no Payment for us nor accounted ſo by God, nor any Satisfaction to him for any wrong we have done him, that which Chriſt hath done is a Purchaſe of a Righteouſneſs; he ſaith, we ſay Righteouſneſs is the Purchaſe Money, accounted to us; ſo that Chriſt is not only a Procurer and Beſtower, but he hath p. 136ſomething to procure and Purchaſe by, he hath ſomething to offer, now as God hath made Chriſt, the ſatisfying Price and Ranſom-mony, ſo he is made of God Righteouſneſs to us; but with Mr. Cl. Righteouſneſs and Sanctification is all one, this is hard dealing with Jehovah our Righteouſneſs, theſe Men are as the Jews of Old, that would not be ſubject to the Righteouſneſs of God.

§. 5. Mr. Cl. Another is Rom. 4.6. preſt to ſerve this Cauſe. As David deſcribes the bleſſedneſs of the Man to whom the Lord imputes Righteouſneſs without Works; ſay they, the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, but its clear, its not meant of any thing in another Perſon that's imputed for Righteouſneſs, but ſomething in a Mans ſelf, by the whole Tenour of the Chapter, and by ver. 9. where he ſaith, Faith was reckoned for Righteouſneſs; ſo that the Righteouſneſs imputed here ſpoken of is inherent, graciouſly accounted Righteouſneſs, but in ſtrict Juſtice is not ſo, nor according to the Original Law, &c.

Reſp. This plain Place which ſtands a Rock againſt all Popiſh and Neonomian Attempts, he calls preſt into our Service, or Cauſe; no it comes in freely, it's a Volunteer, and mighty thro' God to caſt down all their Confidence and Imaginations, where's the clearneſs in all this Chapter, or Pſalm from whence its taken? is it not clear for the Imputation of anothers Righteouſneſs? Is there any thing of ſelf-righteouſneſs? Faith is ſpoken of as accounted to Abraham for Righteouſneſs, but we have ſhewn that, that which was imputed to Abraham for Righteouſneſs, was the Righteouſneſs of the promiſed Seed; for the Goſpel, which is the Doctrine of Chriſts Righteouſneſs was Preached to him in the Promiſe, and he by Faith ſaw Chriſt's Day of Expiation and Attonement, this he reached by Faith, and it was imputed to him not Faith it ſelf, not the Arm that reached it, but the Righteouſneſs it ſelf. There's a Plain Inſtance in the Goſpel, where what the Object of Faith doth, is aſcrib'd by a Metonymy to Faith it ſelf, Mat 9.21, 22. The diſeaſed Woman touched the Hem of Chriſt's Garment, and was made whole, and Chriſt ſaith, Woman thy Faith hath made thee whole. And we ſee Mark 9.29, 30. where is the ſame Narrative, that Chriſt perceived that Vertue was gone out of him, and yet ſaith, ver. 34. Thy Faith hath made thee whole; now I would know of theſe Men, whether it was Chriſt's Vertue that healed the Woman, or the Vertue of her Faith, Faith as an Act of hers that made her whole? See Luke 7.39, 42, 47, 48, 50. Likewiſe the ſtung Iſraelites were healed by looking on the Brazen Serpent, was the healing Vertue in the Brazen Serpent, or in their own Eyes. Let us now examine then how clear it is, that the Place is not meant of the Righteouſneſs p. 137of another. The Apoſtle ſaith, that David deſcribeth the righteouſneſs of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteouſneſs without works.

1. The Apoſtles deſign in the whole Chapter is to prove our Juſtification by a righteouſneſs which is not made up of works of our own, and the Neonomians ſay, his deſign is to prove, Juſtification by works, are not theſe contradicentia? the Apoſtle, negat ubique, they ſay, by ſome works only, the Apoſtle means works of the old law, they the works of the new; Its ſtrange the Apoſtle did not except and ſecure works of the new law; but I ſuppoſe, as for the works of the new law he never heard of them, thence his altum ſilentium about the new law and its works too. He ſaith David was juſtified, or Juſtification was with a righteouſneſs without works, and yet David might plead his own works to Juſtification, as well as any Neonomian.

1. He was no carnal Jew that ſought Juſtification by the law of Works, as appears by Pſal. 51.

2. If there was any Juſtification then by New-Law works (as indeed there was not then or now) David ſure muſt be under the New Law for Juſtification, and he muſt needs know the works thereof, whereby he expected to be juſtified; and therefore I thus argue, If David knew he was juſtified by works, and bleſſed therein, then he deals falſly, or the Apoſtle greatly miſtakes him, in ſaying that David proves the bleſſedneſs of the man, &c. the conſequent is of abſolute neceſſity, and the aſſumption muſt, tollere anteced. ut tollat conſeq. for they were both inſpired, and therefore could not deceive themſelves nor us in this great Point.

Arg. If David proves a righteouſneſs without his own works, either old or new-law works, then it muſt be works of another that he intends, for there's no righteouſneſs without works of ſome or another; if he plainly mean the excluſion of his own works, then he muſt mean ſome righteouſneſs of another, and not his own, as appears by this Pſal. 31. and alſo 51. Now we ſhall prove that David means the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and not of the New Law.

1. That righteouſneſs by which ſin is forgiven is not New-Law righteouſneſs, but Chriſt's, and without our works, but the righteouſneſs is ſuch here. The major is proved from the Neonomians themſelves, who ſay, there's no forgiveneſs in Juſtification by Works, but forgiveneſs is conſequent of it, for that they go to the old Law Bar, that the righteouſneſs whereby ſin is forgiven is the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, becauſe its expreſſed by blood, remiſſion is not without blood, and forgiveneſs being one Medium by which the Apoſtle proves Juſtification without works.

2. That righteouſneſs which covers from the eye of God's Juſtice in p. 138the law, is a righteouſneſs without our works, and anothers, and no… of the New Law, but ſuch is the righteouſneſs here ſpoken of,; ſuch as covers ſin from the eye of God's Juſtice in the Law, ſuch covering David meant, as appears Pſal. 51.9. Hide thy face from my ſin, and blot out all mine iniquity; now its ſuch righteouſneſs as will take off the Eye of Divine Juſtice from our ſins, yea cancel and blot out iniquity. Now as to the major it appears by the Neonomian Doctrine, that their righteouſneſs in Juſtification doth not cover ſin; for they ſay, its a ſinful righteouſneſs, and needs pardon, therefore their righteouſneſs cannot cover ſin, which is ſinful in it ſelf, and there can be no righteouſneſs but Chriſt's that can cover ſin; Mens own righteouſneſſes are far from being ſuch covering.

3. That righteouſneſs through which God imputeth not ſin to any chargeable therewith is a righteouſneſs of another, but this righteouſneſs without works is ſuch, Ergo. The minor is plain by the Apoſtle, for what the Apoſtle rehearſeth from the Prophet, is David's deſcription of this righteouſneſs without works. The major is clear from what went before, no man hath righteouſneſs enough to cover his own ſin. Neither can God not impute ſin where he ſees ſin to be more than righteouſneſs, God muſt impute Sin where Sin is ſeen uncovered by righteouſneſs; therefore if there be a righteouſneſs through which God imputeth not ſin, its certain its not ours, but Chriſt's only.

4. That Righteouſneſs through which God imputeth not Sin is juſtifying Righteouſneſs, and Chriſts alone, but the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſuch a Righteouſneſs. Now the major is plain, that Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is that through which God imputes not ſin, for he ſaith, Cor. 5.9. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes.

§. 4. And ſo likewiſe, Phil. 3.9. is of the ſame import [they have one anſwer for all] This Place ſhould have been handled in the former Chapter, but Mr. Cl. miſſing it there, led me out. Here Mr. Cl. ſaith, Paul diſclaims only his legal righteouſneſs which he had before Converſion, not his Goſpel Righteouſneſs, viz. his Repentance, Faith, Love, Humility, &c. And its the ſame thing Mr. H. ſaith, Med. 31. and tells us, the Proteſtants are miſtaken in their interpretation. 1. Becauſe the righteouſneſs of God is not the ſame with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, as hath been obſerved.

R. That we have diſproved, and proved it a falſe Aſſertion, and proved, that the righteouſneſs of God is the righteouſneſs of Chriſt in all the forementioned places, and is as eaſily proved here, for the righteouſneſs which he oppoſeth to his own righteouſneſs, indefinitely, without any exception, is Chriſts, that I p. 139may be found in him, in Chriſt, not having mine own righteouſneſs, therefore in Chriſt, is anothers, which righteouſneſs of mine own working is foreign, legal, as all righteouſneſs of our own by which we ſeek Juſtification is legal, it cannot in any ſence be called Evangelical, therefore Paul would be found in Goſpel righteouſneſs, which is Chriſts only, and this is God's righteouſneſs which we receive by believing, foreign.

2. You are to know that this righteouſneſs which Paul calls his own, in this Text, is the righteouſneſs of a Jew and Phariſee, not his own as a Chriſtian, this appeareth from the Verſes before v. 4. and this appears further from Rom. 10.1, 2.

R. The righteouſneſs of a Jew or Phariſee was a new-law righteouſneſs, for they were all Neonomian. Paul could not look upon himſelf as Perfect, but as to his moral converſation, comparatively blameleſs; he was ſincere, for he had great zeal, and verily thought he did God good Service in perſecuting the Church. But Mr. H. ſhould have looked to the beginning of the Chapter, where he bids them beware of abſolutely prophane, of evil workers, that carry on miſchievous Deſigns under fair Shews, and laſtly, of the conciſion, foreign, thoſe that were ſo fond of their new-law Notions, ſo as to caſt off Chriſt, or cut themſelves off from him, but we are of the true circumciſion, whereby all our fleſhly Conceits are cut off, and worſhip God in the Spirit, rejoicing in Chriſt Jeſus, and have no confidence in the fleſh, a fleſhly conceit of our own righteouſneſs, in which I had more ground to rejoice than any; and accordingly he tells how exactly he had conformed to Moſe's Law, and performed the condition of it as much as any Phariſee of them all, and had as much reaſon to expect Juſtification by this new imperfect righteouſneſs as any that now do, but Chriſt had now taught him better things, what then I counted gain, I now count loſs for Chriſt, I find I had nothing that advantaged while I was ignorant of Chriſt, and therefore I find now, that not only my Phariſaical righteouſneſs was loſs to me, but any preſent ſelf-righteouſneſs, even now at this time, foreign, I do now eſteem all things to be damage, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, &c. and account them dung that I may gain Chriſt, and he tells us what he means by that, that I may be now found in him, what in reſpect of holineſs, yea eſpecially in reſpect of righteouſneſs, not having now my own righteouſneſs, viz. that of the works of the law, foreign, that which is legal, for ſo all his righteouſneſs that a man ſeeks Juſtification by is foreign, it is of a law, but what is the righteouſneſs he would be found in? foreign, that righteouſneſs which I have by the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs p. 140which is of God, for ſuch is that by faith, the righteouſneſs which God giveth, and Chriſt hath, in whom it is, and I do receive by faith; this whole verſe treats of his Juſtification and the righteouſneſs thereof, and the following verſes treat of the the Sanctification he looks after in Chriſt; and v. 9. there its certain that Paul oppoſeth the righteouſneſs of Chriſt not only to the righteouſneſs of the law, but to his own righteouſneſs in the largeſt conſideration, any thing of his own now: What he ſaith to Rom. 10.1. is anſwered before. The Chriſtians Faith, and new Obedience, out of doubt, by God's help, are his righteouſneſs.

Reſp. Theſe men will hold their Concluſion, let the Scripture ſay what it will. Then the import of the Apoſtle muſt be thus, That I may be found in Chriſt not having mine own righteouſneſs, which is of the old law, but my righteouſneſs of the New Law through faith, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith.

Paul's righteouſneſs as a Jew and Phariſee was one thing, and Paul's Faith and Obedience, which is his righteouſneſs as a Chriſtian, is another. To which I anſwer, 1. That Paul's righteouſneſs after Converſion is here directly oppoſed to the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, for he would not be found in his own, but this righteouſneſs of Chriſt, to be found in it, i. e. by judicial Enquiry, his own righteouſneſs can't be holineſs, or the having it, for he doth not, nor would ſay, he would not be found having of holineſs.

2. There can be no Goſpel-righteouſneſs of our own that ſtands in competition with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt for Juſtification, for then its legal and fleſhly.

3. A man's own righteouſneſs, whether before or after pretended Converſion, is his own, of the ſame nature and kind, whatever he himſelf may think of it.

4. If it was Paul's Judgment that his works was only chang'd from one law to another, and thought that he was now to be juſtified by his Goſpel-Works, he was as far from the Kingdom of Heaven as before; for one law can no more juſtifie a man by his own works than another, therefore rejects all righteouſneſs of a law.

5. He is very full in expreſſing what righteouſneſs he would be found in, in no righteouſneſs of his own, for all ſuch is legal, in the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, in him, this he tells us is the righteouſneſs which faith lays hold on, and this is the righteouſneſs of God, which God imputes to Juſtification, and the ſinner receives by faith.

6. He intends not any thing here of Sanctification in this v. p. 141but ſpeaks ſingly and by it ſelf, of it in the next; neither doth he call it his righteouſneſs, but in this ver. ſets aſide all his works, tho he ſhews his value of them in their place, yet as for any place in Juſtification, he counted them but Droſs and Dung. He adds the Words of our Saviour, except your righteouſneſs exceeds the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, which is againſt him, for no mans righteouſneſs exceeds theirs, which ſtand in his own for Juſtification before God: It muſt not be our own that can, it muſt be Chriſts alone, for no other exceeds theirs.

§. 7. Mr. Cl. The next Text is, by the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous. Rom. 5.19. Here Mr. Cl. and Mr. H. both exclude Chriſt's active obedience, as having nothing to do. Mr. H. ſaith, this is perfect Antinomian Faith, and excludes Repentance quite out of this life. I muſt tell him, I am ſorry he underſtands Repentance no better; thoſe that he calls Antinomian knows how to reconcile Chriſts Perfections and their Duties together, I ſee, better than he doth, as if Chriſt being a perfect Second Adam, did exclude Grace from us, where it is of his fulneſs for righteouſneſs and holineſs that we receive and exerciſe Grace, but ſo much only by the way, as a Mark upon the Dirt that he often throws on the Proteſtants and Reformers, and upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf; I muſt confeſs, that I anſwer him with more mildneſs than he deſerves. As to the excluſion of the active obedience of Chriſt, there's no ground for it in the Text, but quite contrary; the deſign of the Apoſtle in the 2d part of the Chapter, from v. 12. is to ſhew how Sin and Death entered by the Firſt Adam, and how Righteouſneſs and Life entered by the Second Adam. He accordingly compares them together as contraries, ſhews that the firſt was a Figure of the other, in his general nature, but after ſhews notwithſtanding their agreement in a general nature, how greatly they differ ſpecifically, ſin entred into the World by the Firſt Adam, by imputation of his Sin and by Propagation; ſo Righteouſneſs by Imputation, and Life as the Promiſe annexed unto the Second Adam. The Firſt Adam was a Type or Figure of the Second.

1. In that the Firſt was a Publick Foederal and Seminal Head, to all his Poſterity, ſo the Second was to all his; and therefore upon the Fall of Man from the Perfection of the Law, the Second is made under the Law, and ſtands in all the Perfection of it, as a Publick Head to all his ſpiritual Seed: Now that Chriſt's active obedience is not excluded in the Text, appears by the plain Antitheſis of the Firſt Adam's diſobedience, to the Second's obedience; for where diſobedience and obedience are ſet one againſt another, then as the one is actual ſin, ſo the other is poſitive p. 142obedience; for if only paſſive obedience be here meant, then it ſhould be ſaid, as by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the Sufferings or Satisfactions of one many were made righteous.

2. The Firſt in the Figure was a Publick Perſon, in reſpect of his actual obedience or diſobedience to the Law of God, therefore the Second Adam muſt be a Publick Perſon alſo in reſpect of his active obedience, or elſe he anſwers not to the Figure.

3. Chriſt could not be without active obedience as the Head and Root of his Church, the Root muſt be actually holy, or elſe the Branches cannot be ſo.

4. It was eſſential to his High-Prieſthood to be holy, harmleſs, &c. as ſuch, and a High Prieſt is a Publick Perſon, and ſtands for the People, I could be very large in proving that Chriſt's active obedience belongs to that righteouſneſs of Chriſt by which we are juſtified; but I ſhall not have room here. Mr. Cl. makes as if he would exclude Chriſt's active obedience only from righteouſneſs, but it is the paſſive alſo which both he and Mr. H. ſtrikes at, for he ſaith, As by Adam's ſin all his poſterity were brought into a ſtate of ſin, ſo that by the Merits of Chriſt's ſufferings they are brought into ſuch a ſtate as that they may be made righteous.

Reſp. i. e. They are brought into ſuch a capacity by Chriſt's purchaſing a new law, that they may poſſibly be righteous by their own righteouſneſs; So that Adam by his ſin brought his into a ſtate of ſin, but Chriſt by his righteouſneſs doth procure a poſſibility of a righteouſneſs for his; ſo that the Second Adam comes ſhort of the Firſt in Conveiance, whereas the Apoſtle hath much more, Rom. 5.17. If by one mans offence death reigned by one, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, hath abounded unto many, v. 15. So if by the offence of one, death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of Grace, and of the gift of righteouſneſs, ſhall reign in life by one Jeſus Chriſt.

§. 8. Mr. Cl. Chriſt is called the Surety of a better Covenant Heb. 7.22. Whence ſome infer, that he hath paid the debt of obedience to God for us; Interpreters generally aſſign two ways wherein Chriſt is a Surety, 1. By undertaking for God to us, or his becoming Security for God, that he ſhould make good his Covenant to us on his part. 2. By undertaking for us to God, that we ſhould perform the Condition of the Covenant, the firſt the Polonian Merchants, Grotius and Hammond are for; the Proteſtants generally ſtick to this latter, that Chriſt is our Surety, by undertaking for us to God; that we ſhall fulfil the Condition of the Covenant by yielding that obedience that is required of us therein.

Reſp. Mr. Cl. tells of the Merchants that they the Neonomians p. 141do trade with, and indeed moſt of their Commodities have Polonian ſtamps, not to treat ſo large as to handle all that might be ſaid of the Suretiſhip of Chriſt, it being the very Hinge of our Salvation; though the Neomonian, as well as the Polonian Merchants make very ſlight of it, and Mr. H. in Particular, becauſe he ſaith, its but once uſed in the New Teſtament. I ſay it is therefore a Pearl of great Price, for I could Inſtance in ſeveral foreign, which the Spirit of God hath uſed in the Old and New; which do expreſs ſingular Truths and Myſteries not common, I ſhall only Note ſome things generally that are Truths I will ſtand by, as 1. That Chriſt is not a Metaphorical Surety, but the moſt proper Surety that ever was, and the Exemplar of all Sureties. 2. That the Word foreign, ſignifies a Surety for Debt. 3. That is a Surety of the better Covenant, i. e. of the Covenant of Grace, not that he was a Surety of the Performance of that Covenant, but that he is the Surety in that Covenant, that is bound to pay the Debt that we owe to the Juſtice of God in the Covenant of Works which we have broken; and he is not ſuch a Surety, as to be bound to the Juſtice of God, that we ſhould pay the Debt [the Lord have Mercy on Neonomians] but he hath undertaken to pay the whole Debt for us; every Farthing, if he had been ſuch a Surety as Mr. Cl. ſpeaks of; we were in a miſerable Condition. I know the Neonomians do moſtly incline to be with their Polonian Merchants, in Mr. Cl. firſt Point mentioned as to God's Suretiſhip to us, but it's no great Matter where they be, the ſecond Particular being worſe than the former; for Chriſt to be engaged to God, that we ſhall pay the Debt that we owe to the Law of God by Adams fall and our Sin; i. e. that we ſhall ſatisfie Gods Juſtice for the wrong done, and that we ſhall perform perfect Obedience to the Law; thus much Man muſt pay, tho a poor inſolvent wretched Creature, and Chriſt hath engaged to ſee it done, but not to pay any thing of the Debt himſelf: And indeed I can prove this to be the true Account of their Doctrine; for they ſay, Chriſt hath procured and merited of God a new Law, whereby the old Law is relaxed or repealed (not paid or ſatisfied) a new one is ſet up, the Condition whereof we performing we ſhall be juſtified, but procured not, nor merited the Condition to be performed by us. Now I would fain know, whether Chriſt was a Surety for that which he never Purchaſed, is Chriſt a Surety, that we ſhall perform the Condition of the Covenant, and never merited Faith and Obedience, what a kind of Surety will they have Chriſt, to engage for our Performance, and not take care that we ſhould have the cum quo? But Mr. Cl. ſeems not to be quite ſatisfied with this ſecond p. 144Way. He adds a Third to mend the Matter a little, at leaſt to put a gloſs upon it, viz. 3. To diſcharge that Debt of Suffering, which we did owe the Law for the Tranſgreſſing of it.

Reſp. Ay Sir, now you ſay ſomething, you bring a Surety with Mony in his Hands, we uſe indeed to ſay, that a Man ſhould never be bound for another, unleſs he reſolve to pay the Debt; Chriſt knew well enough how Poor we ſhould be, when he undertook this Suretiſhip: Well, let us ſee whether Chriſt clears the ſcore for us, or whether he doth leave a conſiderable part of the Debt for us to pay our ſelves: It may be, that which the Law is primarily and moſtly concern'd at, and that for a wiſe Neonomian End, viz. That if he ſhould pay all, the Sinner would prove an Idle Antinomian, and Shabby-fellow, having nothing to do himſelf, and nothing to pay; therefore Chriſt indeed paies ſome of the Debt, but laies up the Sinner in a Work-houſe to pay the reſt at his Fingers ends; For ſaith Mr. Cl. Now take it in which of theſe Three Ways you will, yet there's nothing of his paying the Debt of Active Obedience.

Reſp. A very ſad Story indeed, a great noiſe of a Surety, that would pay the whole Debt of the poor Man in Priſon, and when the Matter is ſtrictly enquired into, he hath only prevailed that he ſhould not be whipt ſo often in Bridewel, though agreed that he ſhould have the Laſh too pretty ſeverely ſometimes; but as for the greateſt Part of the Debt he muſt Work it out, at leaſt ſo far as a new Law of his which he hath procured and made doth require. Well, when all comes to all, here's nothing done to free the Sinner, but he muſt pay all the good Money by the Sweat of his Brows, for Active Obedience to the Law is indeed that which the Law ſets a High value upon, being the firſt and main Thing that it deſigns and aims at; and it doth expect not only to be ſatisfied for Diſobedience but muſt be obeyed, yea and it muſt be paied by perfect Obedience too not by imperfect: Now ſaith our Neonomian, Chriſt was no Surety to pay any of our Debt of Active Obedience; how then, hath he made no Proviſion in this Caſe? Yes truly, he hath done ſomething that may help a little, He hath taken down the old ſtrict Law that kept the Sinner at continual hard-work, and brought in a new eaſie remedying Law, then he makes choice of his own Work and buſineſs and his own Time, and work at leiſure, only muſt have the Laſh now and then, and beſure that he Work when he is going to Die, and the Condition ſhall be performed and the Debt paid. Now I only briefly argue, if Chriſt was a Surety, it was to pay all our Debt in Active and Paſſive Obedience or none; for Chriſt paid not by halves, though the Paſſive Obedience is hardeſt, yet p. 145the active is hardeſt to do, the damned can ſuffer, and ſhall, but can pay nothing of the debt by active obedience to the preceptive part of the Law. Well, Chriſt was a Surety to pay all our Debt by active and paſſive obedience, for elſe his righteouſneſs would be imperfect, the law left unſatisfied, and we moſt certain to periſh that could never pay, there is no obedience of the Saints that ſatisfies the Law, Chriſt performed that as a Publick Perſon in their Stead, as well as he bore the paſſive too, whence the payment of the Debt was full and compleat; but the Neonomians will have this part of active obedience left for us to pay, and our active obedience ſhall be imputed to us for righteouſneſs, though Chriſt's ſhall not: So to gather up theſe mens Suretiſhip of Chriſt it is thus, Chriſt in his tranſaction with the Father agrees with him, 1. That he would pay one half of the Debt, and we ſhould pay the other and the beſt half too. 2. That ſeeing therefore if we ſhould grow inſolvent as not to be able to make the payment of our part in currant Money according to the firſt Law, that he would purchaſe a new law, and not ſatisfie the old, but repeal it, and the new law ſhould make all our Braſs Money currant, and that God ſhould take that Money for our part, and for his accepting it he becomes Surety for God to us, and thus they come to agree with the Polonian Merchants.

§. 9. The Word uſed Heb. 7.22 is foreign it ſignifieth, praes ſatisfactionibus obnoxius, one made liable to make ſatisfaction for another, and therefore ſponſor & fide-juſſor; Praes we are told was an ancient Title of a Surety being one that anſwer'd the cauſe of the Commonwealth, to which he was bound, for any it had a complaint againſt, therefore he was asked by the Magiſtrate when he appeard, num praes ſit, he anſwered Praes ſum, which imported two things, 1. That he appeared praes ſum quia prae ſum, i. e. coram, I appear before you. 2. That he appeared not for himſelf, but for another, in his place or room, as a publick Perſon, and Repreſentative of the perſon or perſons for whom he appear'd; what he did he did in the perſon of him that was repreſented by him, and ſo owns himſelf either fide-juſſor on his behalf, or ſponſor, for that the perſon charged ſhould give ſatisfaction, or he himſelf would do it; but when the perſon repreſented is apparently inſolvent, and never likely to be otherwiſe, the Sponſor's obligation is not upon conditional terms, if the Principal do not, but he becomes bound abſolutely to pay the whole Debt; Chriſt was thus an abſolute Surety for Man inſolvent to God in his Law and Juſtice, to pay the whole Debt due from Man to God: For it was clear to both the Father and the Son, that upon the foreſeen Fall Man would be an abſolute Bankrupt, p. 146and never able to pay a Farthing of the Debt; hence ſaith Dr. Gouge, Chriſt was a Surety to God for Man, of whom the Law required two things, 1. Perfect obedience to the Laws Precepts. 2. Full ſatisfaction for ſin, both theſe Chriſt performed, Rom. 5.19. 2 Cor. 5.21. Gal. 3.13. according to whoſe judgment we hold the Doctrine of the Suretiſhip of Chriſt. Then from what hath been ſaid, we may conclude. That the Suretiſhip of Chriſt doth eminently belong to his Mediatorial Office, whereby he hath abſolutely engaged himſelf in the Covenant of Grace, to ſtand and appear for, to anſwer for us, and ſatisfie all the Demands of Juſtice in the Law, according to the full, true and perfect tenor of it, on the behalf of all the Elect, and hath anſwered, ſatisfied, and doth appear for them accordingly. I ſhall ſpeak to this Deſcription particularly, in Brief. 1. This Suretiſhip eminently belongs to his Mediators Office, becauſe hereby he Mediates to make up the Difference between God and Man; and was called to it by his Father. 2. Becauſe it belongs to his Prieſtly Office, as the Text ſhews, in ſo much that his Father conſtituted him Surety, by that Oath whereby he made him Prieſt after the Order of Melchizedeck, ver. 20, 21. And by ſo much, he was a better Surety and Prieſt than any of Old, in that God never ſware that any of them ſhould be Prieſts for ever after the Order of Melchizedeck. 3. It eſſentially belongs to his Mediators Office in making Reconciliation, as might be amply ſhewn, if theſe and other Places be conſidered, Heb. 2.17. Eph. 2.17. Col. 1.20, 21. Rom. 5.10. 2 Cor. 5.18. 2. In that he is a Surety of the better Teſtament, becauſe its that better Teſtament that his Mediators Office, more eminently and fully, according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace ſhines forth in, called the New Teſtament, Heb. 9.15. The fuller and clearer, and moſt laſting Revelation of Chriſt, where he is ſet as the only High prieſt over the Houſe of God, and the Surety thereof, here in better Teſtament or New Teſtament, is an expreſs Oppoſition to the Old Teſtament Diſpenſation, which was the Exhibition of the Covenant of Grace more legally and vaild, and under temporal Promiſes; and therefore the Apoſtle calls faulty, compare Heb. 8. with 2 Cor. 3. wherefore Chriſt is called the High-prieſt and Surety of this better Teſtament, the Covenant being therein more perſpicuous and manifeſt; wherein Chriſt hath his Conſtitution and Eſtabliſhment as Surety to his Church. 3. He hath become Surety by Covenant engagement unto God, if thou ſhalt make thy Soul an Offering for Sin, &c. Lord I come to do thy Will, &c. all this is by way of Covenant-Agreement, freely engaging on both ſides; therefore he is Surety by this Covenant, and not for himſelf; p. 147but for Sinners, Debtors to Gods Law, therefore a Publick Perſon. 4. He is to ſtand for others to repreſent them before God, for what Promiſes are made to him is to them in him; and its i. e. what he doth is for them, what he engageth to pay is in their Perſons and Room. 5. He promiſeth abſolutely to pay their Debts, and all the Debts and Demands of that Law both as to Active Obedience and Paſſive, both as to Obedience and Suffering, the Debt of Obedience to the Preceptive Part of the Law, and the Debt of Puniſhment as to the vindictive Part of the Law, and in order thereto to write himſelf Debtor, to bear their Sins, and to be made Sin by Imputation, and this he doth not conditionally, if they don't Pay, but abſolutely knowing they could never Pay, nor upon Terms of their performing the Condition of a New Law; but by abſolute Obligation to perform the Conditions of this Law which they had offended and broke, and by bearing this Sin and Curſe of this Law, and reconciling them to God in reſpect of this Law, and that not by giving an equivalent but by paying the ſame, according to the true intent and meaning of the Tenor of the Law. 6. This Engagement he performed as to us in Time, but to God that dwells in Eternity, there's no Time, nor Succeſſion; Chriſt was ſet up from Eternity, Prov. 8. as Surety, a Thouſand Years are to God but as one Day, and much leſs, therefore Chriſts Execution of his Suretiſhip on Earth in the Days of his Fleſh was Eternally before the Lord; hence he is ſaid to be ſlain from the Foundation of the World; hence the faithful before his coming had a full foreign, or Remiſſion of Sin through this Covenant Relation of Chriſt, there was not a foreign or paſſing them by for Remiſſion, till Chriſt was actually Slain, but they had the Vertue of his Death as fully as we, Heb. 4.15. 7. He continues our Surety that hath paid, ſtanding and pleading his full Satisfaction for us, therefore is our Surety now ſince Payment, carrying his own Blood into the Holieſt of all, and there making Intercſſion for us.