The Law of God Ratified by the Gospel of Christ, Chapter 8

The Law of God Ratified by the Gospel of Christ · Chapter 8

p. 198CHAP. VIII.

I Proceed now to the Moral Law, concerning which the Apostle saith it is established by the doctrine of Justification through the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith without any consideration of the works of the Law performed by the person justified. By the the Moral Law I understand, the Law written in the Scripture, whereof we have a brief sum or Abridgment in the ten Commandments, which again is contracted into a narrower compass,Mat. 22. 37, 38, 39.Matt 22:37Matt 22:38Matt 22:39 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest Commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self. The Law thus abridged, is largely unfolded in other parts of Scripture, with the additions of many threatnings against disobedience, and promises to obedience. 1. then I intend to propose a general point of doctrine, and then to point at the particulars comprehended in it. The general doctrine is this,

p. 199That the Gospel teaching the free justification of Believers without consideration of any works of theirs done in obedience to the Law, 6. Doct. In general propounded.but through the Righteousness of Christ alone, applied by faith, doth establish the moral Law. So it is shewed in this Text, Through faith the Law is established. That which I desire to clear unto you is,How the Moral Law stablisht by faith. how or wherein the moral Law is established by faith: this may be shewed.

1. Negatively.

2. Affirmatively.

And so we may come to the several branches or special doctrines comprised in this general.

1. Negatively, Sect. 1. Negat.thus, The moral Law is not established, but declared to be of no use for the justification of sinners in the sight of God, by the doctrine of justification through the Righteousness of Christ imputed of God and applied by faith: Or, more briefly for help of Memory thus,

Iustification by faith in Christ, 1. Particular Doct.excludeth justification by the works of the Law. This ye may take as a point of doctrine implied in the Text, if it be compared with the Apostles foregoing discourse, to which it hath relation. For the Apostle speaketh of it as of a thing strongly proved and concluded as clear and certain, that it being declared and demonstrated that none have fulfilled the Law but all are found guilty of sin against the Law, therefore none can be justified in the sight of God by the works of the Law; hence p. 200it followeth that there is no way remaining for any of mankind to be justified and approved righteous before God, but only through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them of God and applied by faith: Hereupon ariseth the Q…estion or Objection in the Text, Do we then, &c. and the Answer is, Yea, we establish the Law, that is, it is established in other respects, and for other ends and uses, but is declared to be void and of no use at all for the justifying of sinners by any works which they can perform in obedience to the Law. So that as the Ceremonial Law is declared by the doctrine of the Gospel to be of no use either for justification of sinners or for outward observation, and yet established in other respects as hath been shewed: so the moral Law by the same doctrine of the Gospel, is declared to be of no force for justification of sinners, and yet established in other respects. For the present the Negative is to be considered. So the Apostle having spoken of the priviledges of the people of Israel above the Gentiles, as in other regards, so chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God, then moveth a Q…estion, What then? Are we better than they? No in no wise: for, we have before proved both Iews and Gentiles that they are all under sin, Rom. 3. 9, 10.Rom 3:9Rom 3:10as it is written, there is none righteous no not one. The Israelites though they had outward Church-priviledges above the Gentiles, yet were no better by Nature than they; they were children of wrath by p. 201Nature as well as others, and it was as impossible for them to be justified by their own righteousness or works of obedience to the Law, as it was for the Heathen. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. Two things may be considered here for the opening and confirming this point.ver. 20. The point cleared by, 1. General grounds.

The first is this, What grounds there are in general to prove that none can be justified by their own works p…rformed in obedience to the Law.

2. How this is declared by the doctrine of the Gospel.2. Particular declaration of the Doctrine of the Gospel. Of the former, the general grounds may be three, The first taken from the consideration of the state of man, as he is in and of himself. Three general grounds- 1. From mans state, 2. From the nature of the Law. 3. From God.The second from the Law. The third from God who is both the Lawgiver and Iudge.

1. From Man. He is from his birth a lump of flesh filled with carnal lusts and fleshly corruptions. That which is born of the flesh is flesh▪ and in this flesh dwelleth no good thing,Joh. 3. 6.John 3:6 and this carnal and fleshly mind is enmity against God▪ Rom. 7. 18.Rom 7:18it is not subservient to the Law of God,Ch. 8. 7. 8. neither indeed can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God, they are all dead in trespasses and sins▪ inclined to walk 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,Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3.Eph 2:1Eph 2:2Eph 2:3 and are by Nature the children of wrath;Gen. 6. 5.Gen 6:5 and therefore every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart by Nature is only evil p. 202continually: and therefore the Apostle counted all things which he had of himself out of Christ loss and dung, Phil. 3. 7, 8.Phil 3:7Phil 3:8for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus: all his own righteousness and best performances out of Christ were as loss and dung, and therefore of no weight nor worth towards his justification, of no value at all towardrs the satisfying of Gods justice.

If any say that after he was in Christ renewed by his spirit his works were of some value,Obj.

I Answer, 1. That is nothing to the business in hand;Answ. 1. for when once the soul is united to Christ it is already justified upon another account, scil▪ through the perfect righteousness of Christ, and none can find acceptance with God for their persons or services until they are in Christ and justified; and therefore these services and duties make nothing towards their justification, but follow upon their justification.

2. The best duties of the best saints of God in this life are not answerable to the perfect purity and exactness of the Law:2. From the Law's exactness. and that is the second ground whereby it may appear that none can be justified, or approve themselves righteous before the Lord by any works of obedience to the Law, scil.

1. The consideration of the purity and perfection of the Law.

2. The severity of the Law, not bearing with the least aberration or swerving from it or transgression against it.

p. 2031. The perfection of the Law. The Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good. Rom. 7. 12. 14.Rom 7:12Rom 7:14The Law is spiritual, it is a compleat and perfect rule of righteousness, and it is not for the imperfection of the Law that it doth not make men righteous, but it is because of the imperfection and corruption of men who cannot answer the perfection of the Law.

1. The Law requireth a full and perfect conformity of the whole man, of all the powers of the soul and affections of the heart, and so of all the sences and parts of the body, to the strait and pure rule of the Law, that there should be nothing contrary to the Law, nothing defective or wanting. This is the voice of the Law,Deut. 6. 4, 56.Deut 6:4Deut 6:56 Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, This perfect love includeth perfect knowledge, faith, &c▪and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy migbt, and these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart. The Law requireth a perfect conformity unto its self, that the whole heart and soul should be filled with the love of God, that the whole strength of the heart and soul, all the might of the inner man should be bent upon God, and carried after God in love, and so by consequent that there should be nothing in the heart or soul in the least degree contrary to the love of God, not the least love of any sin, nor the least inclination towards it; for the least declining of the heart or soul toward sin is contrary to the Law, which requireth the whole heart or soul to p. 204be given up to God in love, and that with all its strength or might: yea, the least remission of love, the want of love in the full perfection of it, is an foreign, it is against the Law, and condemned by the Law: the want of the perfection of holiness and righteousness in the …rame of the heart and soul is against the Law. I am the Lord your God, ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves, Lev. 11. 44. & 19. 18.Lev 11:44Lev 19:18and ye shall be holy, for I am holy. The Lord in his Law proposeth himself, his own perfect holiness as a pattern of holiness to men and women. So the Lord in his Law saith, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self. So that the least want of love unto our neighbour, the least defect in love is condemned, the least inclination contrary to love is forbidden. Then again whatsoever is contrary to the right order of the affections in relation to God and our neighbour is against the Law, for the Law commandeth to love God with all the mind, &c. And this is the first and greatest Commandment, that of love to our Neighbour is the second, and therefore love to God is to hold the chiefest place: and so the weighty and principal duties of the first Table, scil. those toward God are to be looked at as the principal, and love to our Neighbour is to be subordinate unto this love to God. God is to be loved for himself: Men are to be loved in the Lord and for the Lord. Now every inordinate affection, every disorder of the affections this way, is against p. 205…he Law. When the first and greatest Commandment is (as it were) turned into the second, when any man hath an higher place or greater share in thine affections then God.

The Law forbiddeth and condemneth whatsoever in the heart or soul is contrary to any Commandment of the Law: not only …ctual thoughts, but the inherent corruption, every inclination to evil, whatsoever distemper there is in the heart and soul contrary to any branch of any Command either of the first or second Table.1 Joh. 3. 4▪1 John 3:4 All sin is foreign whatsoever is contrary to the Law. Now the very inclination to sin is contrary to the Law and therefore sinful. Every inclination to distrust, to Idolatry, superstition, to the dishonour of God, &c. is condemned by the Law. This is the sin that naturally dwelleth in every one, the corruption of Nature propagated from Adam, the body of sin cross and contrary to the body of the Law in every point, in every iota or title. 3. All omissions of duties towards God and men are condemned by the Law. 4. All commissions of sin in thought, word, and deed, are condemned by the Law, every evil thought, every vain thought, every profane, …ngodly, obscene, unchast, malicious speech, every idle word, every action contrary to the Law, grosser actions, looks, gestures. And as we are to consider the perfection of the Law: so on the the other side take notice of the severity of the Law.2. Laws severity. The Law spareth not the least sin, but denounceth a curse against p. 186every one, Cursed is every one that confirmeth not all the words of the Law to do them,Deut. 27. 26.Deut 27:26 and as the Apostle hath it,Gal. 3. 10.Gal 3:10 Cursed i… every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them. Nothing contrary to the Law can escape the curse o… the Law. The word spoken by Angels, was steadfast, Heb. 2. 2:Heb 2:2and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. This word was the Law, in the delivering whereof, the Lord was pleased to use the ministry of Angels.Gal. 3. 19.Gal 3:19 Such is the severity of the Law, that it spareth no transgression or disobedience, but layeth a penalty upon every one.

3. Consider the perfect,3. From the infinite purity of God. the infinite justice, holiness, purity, majesty of God, who is both the Law giver and the Judge, who gave his pure and perfect Law, and who will judge impartially by the Law, Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?Joh. 4. 17, 18, 19.John 4:17John 4:18John 4:19 Behold he put no trust in his servants, and his Angels he charged with folly. How much less on them which dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust. Saith the Psalmist, O Lord my God thou art very great,Psal. 104. 1. &c.Ps 104:1 thou art cloathed with honour and majesty, who coverest thy self with light as with a garment: behold the Nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the ballance:Isa. 40. 15, 16.Isa 40:15Isa 40:16 behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing.ch. 6. 1, 2, 3. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity, p. 207The Prophet Isaiah in a glorious vision beheld a representation of the divine Majesty, saith he, I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up, and his train filled the Temple: about it stood the Seraphims, each one had six wings, with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly, and one cried unto another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. With what terrour, glory and majesty did the Lord appear on Mount Sinai,Exod. 19. 16. 10. 18.Exod 19:16Exod 19:10Exod 19:18 when he published the Law to the people of Israel? There were Thunders and Lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the Mount, and the voice of a Trum…et exceeding loud, so that all the people that was in the Camp trembled, and Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak because the Lord decended upon it in fire, &c. And Moses told the people, Deut. 4. 24.Deut 4:24The Lord thy God is a consuming …re,Rev. 1. 14.Rev 1:14 even a jealous God. Now lay these things together, His eyes were as a flame of fire.the woful corruption of mans Nature every way contrary to the holy Law of God as darkness is to light, having nothing in it conformable to the Law, the …umberless sins of omission and commission …f each person against the Law, the just …igour and severity of the Law denouncing …curse against every transgression and dis…bedience, the unspeakable, unconceivable, …finite purity, justice, majesty of God, who … both Law-giver and judge: And then …ow clear is it that none can be justified in p. 208the sight of God by any works of theirs performed in obedience to the Law?

Secondly,2. The doctrine of the Gospel declares this. But there was a second thing proposed, scil. to shew how it appeareth by the doctrine of the Gospel, that none can be justified by any works performed by themselves in obedience to the Law. The Angel said to Ioseph concerning Christ, Thou shalt call his name Iesus, Mat. 1. 21.Matt 1:21for he shall save his people from their sins. He shall save them, and therefore their own works shall not save them. He shall save them from their sins, and therefore he found them in their sins, poor, guilty, condemned creatures, and such as could not be saved or justified by their own works or righteousness. The Lord Christ the night before he died said, This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Mat. 26. 28.Matt 26:28The Lord Christ did shed his most pretious blood for the remission or forgiveness of sins: He by his death and obedience satisfied the justice of God, for the sins of those who could not satisfie for themselves by any works of righteousness of their own: compare this with that of the Apostle, I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the Law, Gal. 2. 21.Gal 2:21then Christ is dead in vain. This sheweth clearly that justification by the righteousness of Christ and justification by a mans own works performed in obedience to the Law cannot stand together. Christ died to purchase forgiveness of sins, and justification for his people; but if any would be justified by p. 209the Law, they go about to frustrate the grace of God, as if Christ had died in vain. Christ is become of none effect to you, Gal. 5. 4.Gal 5:4whosoever of you are justified by the Law, ye are fallen from grace: when he saith, Whosoever, &c. he doth not grant that any are or can be justified by the Law,Heb. 7. 25.Heb 7:25 but whosoever rely upon the works of the Law for justification, hoping to be justified by the Law, they loose the benefit of Christs death and satisfaction. The Lord Christ is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, and therefore none of them do save themselves, or justifie themselves in any part.Gal. 3. 11, 12.Gal 3:11Gal 3:12 There is a most clear place to shew that justification by works, and justification by faith cannot stand together, that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith, or, the just by faith shall live, and the Law is not of faith, but the man that doth them shall live in them. Justification, righteousness, everlasting life and salvation, is obtained by faith in Christ, applying his righteousness to the soul; but the Law is not of faith, but the man that doth them shall live in them. The Law is a Covenant of another Nature, the man that doth the works of the Law shall live in them. There is no possibility of being justified by the Law, unless a man could perfectly fulfill it: this is impossible for any man to do. 1. Because of the corruption of his Nature which is every way contrary to the Law. 2. Because all, and far more than all that he can do for p. 210the time to come is due debt to the justice of God, and cannot make the least satisfaction for his sins past, no not for any one of those numberless sins whereof he was formerly guilty. 3. Because the best mans righteousness is imperfect, and falleth short of the perfection of the Law, & no righteousness can satisfie the justice of God, but that which is compleat and perfect; and therefore the righteousness and performances of the holiest men are of no account at all in the sight of God towards their justification.

But it may be said,Ohj. that the Apostle Iames saith,Jam. 2. 24.Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, Answ.and not by faith only. For Answer to this, I conceive, That this Apostle Iames here directeth his speech to this end, s…il. to shew the vanity and folly of those who deceive themselves with a shadow of faith, presumptuously fancying to themselves an interest in Christ, imagining that their sins are forgiven, and their persons justified by his death, satisfaction, and righteousness, but their faith is not sound, it is not such a faith as truly receiveth Christ into the heart, whereby Believers are made one with Christ, possessing him, partaking of his spirit which stirreth them up to conform themselves to Christ, to follow him, to bring forth the fruits of the spirit; and therefore he saith, ver. 20. Faith without works is dead. So it is a working faith which justifieth, because such a faith alone doth truly lay hold of Christ and his righteousness: On the other side, holiness and p. 211good works do not at all justifie believers in a proper sense, but evidence the persons to be justified, because they shew that such by faith unfeigned are united unto Christ, whose righteousness alone doth justifie, and therefore he saith,ver. 14. What doth it profit my Brethren, if a man say he hath faith and have not works? Can faith save him? He speaketh of such as say they have faith, not of those that have a lively saving faith indeed. So ver. 19. he speaketh to such, Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well, the Divels also believe and tremble. So that he sheweth that a dead faith is but such a faith as the Divels have, which is far from justifying and saving those that have it.

2. I conceive his meaning is, Answ. 2.that holiness and the fruits of faith do declare and manifest true believers to be justified before men. A man will say thou hast faith and I have works; shew me thy faith without thy works,ver. 18. and I will shew thee my faith by my works: as if he had said, Natural life shews it self by the motions and actings of life: so doth spiritual life evidence it self by the motions and actings of spiritual life. True faith embracing Christ and his righteousness for justification, is a principle of spiritual life: Thou therefore who pretendest to have this faith, how canst thou make it appear, how canst thou shew or declare it, when thou puttest forth no motions or actings of spiritual life?

The use of this may be,

p. 2121. To shew us the miserable and woful estat of all that are not in Christ. 1. Vse.They are no justified,The misery of all out of Christ. they cannot be justified in that condition, for there is no way for men to be justified in the fight of God by any works of their own performed in obedience to the Law, and if they be not justified, then they are condemned, there is no middle estate between these two. So the Apostle implieth, where speaking of those that are in Christ, he faith,Rom. 8. 33, 34.Rom 8:33Rom 8:34 It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? This sheweth that they that are justified and accepted as righteous in the sight of God are not condemned, and so on the contrary, they that are not justified are condemned: All then that are not in Christ are in the state of condemnation, so it is implied, ver. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. So on the other side, there is no justification, no salvation to them that are not in Christ Jesus, He that believeth not is condemned already, Joh. 3. 18.John 3:18he is condemned for his sin, the sentence of condemnation is passed upon him by the Lord, and he wanteth a sound saving faith to lay hold on Christ, and his righteousness, whereby alone he might be justified and freed from the sentence of condemnation, and therefore while poor souls remain in this condition, what can they do, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God? People may attend upon ordinances,Rom. 2. 5.Rom 2:5 perform p. 213divers duties in publick and in private, and yet still lye under the sentence of condemnation: They may make some kind of reformation, refraining from some outward gross acts of sin, they may be civil and orderly in their conversations above many other, and yet the wrath of God may still abide upon them. In this case it is not enough to alter your course in some things, but your state and condition must be altered: nothing can help you while you are out of Christ and stand upon your own bottoms.Rom. 9. 31, 32.Rom 9:31Rom 9:32 Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness: Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. Those Israelites that were zealous of the Law, and sought to be justified by it, while they were not in Christ their zeal was not according to knowledge, and they might take a great deal of pains, and use earnest endeavours to attain Righteousness, to approve themselves just in the sight of God, but all was in vain: they attained not to such a Righteousness as could bear them out in the sight of God, the righteous Judge of all the world. They were like men that run very swiftly, but run quite out of the way and never come near the mark.

But some may say Our case is not like that of the unbelieving Israelites, Obj.for we look for justification, forgiveness of sin and salvation by Jesus Christ.

p. 214I Answer;Answ. It is not the hearing of Christ preached nor an historical faith, believing that none can be justified but by the righteousness of Christ, no nor a conceipt that we are justified by him, that makes your case differ in the main from that of unbelieving Israelites: ye have some Notions which they had not, but ye are in the same state wherein they were, i. e. ye are out of Christ, and therefore while ye content your selves with this condition, your endeavours after righteousness are like those that run out of the way.

And therefore in the second place, See your extream need of the Lord Iesus, and go out of your selves, flee to him, and give your souls no rest untill ye are found in him. Consider, as ye cannot be justified by your own righteousness or works done in obedience to the Law, whether ye look upon your selves as ye are in your selves, or upon the purity, perfection, and severity of the Law, or upon the infinite justice, holiness or majesty of God; so on the contrary, Christ and none but Christ is able to justifie you by his righteousness in all these respects.

1. He is a Lamb without spot and blemish, and that from the first moment of his conception.Mat. 1. 20.Matt 1:20 So the Angel said to Ioseph, Thou Son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost, the blessed Spirit framing a body for Christ in the womb of a Virgin,Job. 14. 30.Job 14:30 free from all stain of sin. There was never any thing in him contrary to the perfect purity p. 215of the Law, no inclination to evil. Saith he, The Prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. Satan could find nothing of his in Christ to fasten upon, no sinful infirmities or Corruption in the least degree; and therefore in respect of Christ himself, he could have no power by his instruments to take away his life: but in regard of the sins of others which he took upon himself, and for which he voluntarily gave himself an offering and a sacrifice.

2. If we look to the Law, Christ hath that in him which is wanting in us, he answereth the exactest Purity and highest perfection of the Law. He was perfect in Love. That which we have, Psal. 40. is applied to Christ by the Apostle, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin-offering hast thou not required: Psa 40. 6, 7, 8Ps 40:6Ps 40:7Ps 40:8then said I, Lo I come, Heb. 10.Heb 10in the volumn of the Book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will O my God, yea thy Law is within my heart: his heart was filled with the love of God, and full of the Law of God, he was freely ready to do or suffer any thing for his Fathers glory. As the Law is holy, so he is the holy and the just one. As the Law is spiritual, so he was annointed with the holy Ghost. He received the spirit not by measure. He is a quickning spirit. As the Law is a perfect rule of Righteousness:Mat. 3. 15.Matt 3:15 so Christ fulfilled all Righteousness.

3. He endured the uttermost rigour and severity of the Law. He bare the penalty of it, Cursed is eueryevery one that continueth not in all p. 216things which are written in the book of the Law to do them: Then it followeth, Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, Gal▪ 3. 10. 13.Gal 3:10Gal 3:13being made a Curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree. The Curse of the Law is enough to swallow up all the guilty souls in the world, and to keep them under for ever, but Christ bare this Curse and overcame it, he payed the uttermost farthing that was due to the justice of God for the sins of his people: he fully discharged all those vast summs wherein they were indebted. Saith the Apostle,Eph. 5. 2.Eph 5:2 Christ hath loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. Heb. 9. 14.Heb 9:14Christ through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God. What tongues of men or Angels are able to declare the weight and worth of that which is noted in this expression, That Christ gave himself an offering and sacrifice for sins; What could the extreamest severity of the Law require more than this, when the Son of God gave himself to satisfie it.

4. He is every way able and fit to stand before the infinite justice, purity, holiness, Majesty of God; he is the express Image of his Fathers person, and the brightness of his glory; and he is able to bear the brightness of his glory. Of him the Father witnessed, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased: Mat. 3. 17.Matt 3:17He being in the form of God, Phil. 2. 6.Phil 2:6thought it no robbery to be equal with God. He being God and man, as he was man did undergo the penalty and Curse of the Law, and by the p. 217power of his Godhead overcame it, and being God and man, he is able to bear the brightness of his Fathers glorious Majesty, and to stand before his perfect justice: saith the Scripture, When he had by himself purged our sin, Heb. 1. 3.Heb 1:3he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Now then in as much as the Lord Christ is every way a compleat and most perfect Saviour, Labour out of a deep sense of your lost condition in your selves, and your extream need of him, his satisfaction and righteousness, to go out of your selves, to break off your sins by repentance, to flee to Christ, to close with him by faith unfeigned; that being found in him, his righteousness may be imputed to you of God, and accounted yours, and ye may be accepted through him: Be exceedingly earnest with the Lord to work in you that pretious faith of his elect: Cry unto him to stretch out his hand, to put forth the divine power of his spirit and grace, to draw you effectually that you may come to Christ, and being cloathed with his righteousness, ye may not be found naked, but the shame of your sins may be covered, and ye may have holy boldness and confidence before the Lord. What a blessed priviledge hath the soul which can say with the Apostle, I am crucified with Christ, Gal. 2. 20.Gal 2:20nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God▪ who loved me and gave himself for me. How happy shalt thou be, if finding thy self in Christ, and p. 218finding Christ dwelling in thine heart, thou canst assure thy self that thou art washed in his bloud from all thy sins, that he hath crossed all thy sins out of the Debt Book of Gods justice, that he is thine Advocate with the Father, and the propitiation for thy sins, pleading thy cause at the right hand of God, and bearing thy name among the rest of the Israel of God, upon his breast-plate for a memorial continually: Bend thy care and endeavour to the uttermost toward this one thing necessary, to make sure of Christ, and his most perfect Righteousness.

5. Renounce all trust, abhor any degree of confidence in thine own Graces, duties, services. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, watch alwayes, fear alwaies, bring forth much fruit, labour to do holy duties in sincerity with servency of spirit, strive after perfection more & more, that thou maist fill thy mouth with arguments, abundance of evidence, that thou art truly united unto Christ by a lively principle of faith unfeigned, and so justified by his Righteousness; but do not entertain the least thought that way, as if all that thou hast done or canst do should make the least satisfaction to the justice of God for any of thy sins, or any way help toward thy justification: In a word, Take heed of splitting thy soul against either of these two Rocks, either on the one side deceiving thy self with a dead faith without holiness and fruits of faith, and so thinking thy sins to be pardoned, and thy person justified, when it p. 219is nothing so: Or on the other side resting with any confidence upon any graces or duties. Labour after these, and look upon them as evidences of the soundness of thy faith, but lean not upon them as grounds to support thy faith. So much for the Negative.

Let us now consider the Affirmative,Affirmatively. Sect. 2. whereby it may appear how and in what regard the moral Law is declared to be established by the doctrine of Faith. I conceive the Law is established in five respects:

First, By that full obedience performed to the Law by the Lord Iesus Christ.

Secondly, By that full satisfaction which he made to the Law in bearing the penalty of it.

Thirdly, In the imputation of his perfect Righteousness to Believers.

Fourthly, In that he establisheth the Law as a Rule of obedience for his people.

Fifthly, In that he conformeth his people to the Law: and these may be so many branches of the general point, and therefore so many special points of doctrine.

1. Then observe this point, That the Lord Iesus Christ did establish the Law by fulfilling it: or, He did perform full and perfect obedience to the Law, and so establish the Law: Wherein you may note two particulars,

First, That Christ did fulfill the Law.

Secondly, That in fulfilling it he did establish it,

1. Of the former; So he said, Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, p. 220I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. Mat. 5. 17.Matt 5:17I conceive this speech was delivered soon after the Lord Christ began publickly to preach, and this was seasonable to prevent or remove dangerous prejudices or mistakes. For besides that general expectation of the Messias about that time, the Scepter being departed from Iudah, and they being subject to a Forreign yoak, there were many extraordinary things which happened at the Birth of Christ; Then the Testimony which Iohn Baptist gave him,Mat. 3. 16, 17.Matt 3:16Matt 3:17 the Heavens opening, the holy Ghost descending upon him in the visible form of a Dove, God the Father by an audible voice from Heaven, proclaiming this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased; His fasting forty days and forty nights when he was led of the spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Divel;Mat. 4.Matt 4 His wonderful diligence in preaching in divers places; His glorious miracles in healing all manner of sickness and diseases, especially in delivering those that were possessed with Divels; The great multitudes of people following him from Galilee, Decapolis, Hierusalem, Iudea, and from beyond Iordan, in somuch that his fame was spread abroad suddenly beyond the borders of the Land of Israel throughout all Syria: These and the like things might well raise the peoples expectation, and give them occasion to look for some notable change to be wrought by him: and as men are lead by divers principles, are upon such occasions apt to fancy some one thing some another; so it is likely p. 221the most did expect that he should set up an earthly Kingdom; some might think that he would take away the Law, which God delivered to their Fathers by Moses, and the doctrine of the Prophets, and hereupon some might seek advantage to disparage his person and his doctrine; others might hope that he would open a door for carnal liberty, as in our dayes upon occasion of far lesser changes, some have embraced strange fancies, as if the time were come to cast off those ordinances, which Christ hath appointed to be used until the end of the world, as if an universal liberty must be granted to all corrupt opinions, Heresies, Blasphemies, under colour of favouring tender Consciences. Now the Lord to remedy these things, telleth plainly that He came not to destroy, but fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

1. He fulfilled the Ceremonial Law, by exhibiting the substance of those Types, and accomplishing those things which were signified and represented by them.

2. He fulfilled the Prophets, verifying their prophesies, teaching, doing, and suffering that which they foretold.

3. He fulfilled the Moral Law. 1. Doctrinally rejecting the …orrupt interpretations then received, and giving the true and full sense of the Law. 2. He fulfilled the Law practically, by performing full and perfect obedience to the Law,Mat. 3. 15.Matt 3:15 which is the thing in hand:Gal. 4. 4.Gal 4:4 So he said before, It becometh us to fulfill all Righteousness. God sent forth his Son made of a p. 222woman under the Law, He was made under the Law by his own voluntary act, taking upon him the Nature of man, and the office of a Mediatour between God and men (though as God he was the Lawgiver;) and therefore having put himself into this estate, he was bound to obey the Law fully in every particular, and could not have failed in one jot or tittle without being guilty of sin; and therefore all those Texts which declare his perfect Righteousness being compared with this, do prove that he performed perfect obedience to the Law:Act. 7. 12.Acts 7:12 So where Stephen calleth him the just one, 2 Cor. 5. 21.2 Cor 5:21and Paul saith, He knew no sin, 1 Per. 1. 19.scil. no sin either original or actual,1 Pet. 2. 22, 3, 18.1 Pet 2:221 Pet 2:31 Pet 2:18 either of commission or omission, in thought word or deed: and Peter saith, He was a Lamb without blemish and without spot, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: and that he suffered for sins the just for the unjust: these and the like passages compared with that place, prove that he performed perfect obedience to the Law, for being as was said made under the Law, it was absolutely necessary that he should fulfill it, that he might approve himself to be the just one, knowing no sin, a Lamb without blemish and without spot, &c. because every foreign whatsoever is against the Law is sin, whatsoever is contrary to the R…le of the Law, whatsoever is defective and falleth short of the perfect purity of the Law is sin; and therefore in as much as the Lord was made under the Law, and yet was found to be without p. 223all spot of sin, when he offered up himself in sacrifice, and poured forth his blood for the sins of the world: It is most clear, that he performed full and perfect obedience to the Law, and this was necessary:

1. That he might be a perfect High Priest. The Priest in the old Testament being a Type of Christ, was to be without outward blemish in his person or body,Lev. 21. 21.Lev 21:21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest, shall come nigh to offer the offering of the Lord made by fire: and in the next Chapter, there is a severe threatning against any of Aarons posterity,Chap. 22. 3. if having any legal uncleanness upon them, they should presume to meddle with the holy things of the Tabernacle: suppose they were polluted with Leprosie, or a running Issue, or by touching an other that was unclean, &c. This figured the perfect purity and holiness of Christ, the true and eternal High-Priest, who was to offer up himself in sacrifice to God, for such an High-Priest became us,Heb. 7. 26, 27.Heb 7:26Heb 7:27 who is holy, harmless, undefiled, seperate from sinners, made higher than the Heavens, who needeth not dayly as those High Priests, to offer up Sacrifice, first for his own sin, and then for the sins of the people, for this he did once, when he offered up himself. He is an High-Priest, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and whereas the High-Priests of the old Testament were subject to sin, and therefore needed to offer sacrifice for their own sins, as well as for the peoples; He being free from sin offered not, p. 224needed not to offer for any sins of his own: They offered dayly, often renewing their offerings, because they were imperfect, and had respect to the perfect offering of Christ, but he offered himself once for all for the sins of his people; His sacrifice being most perfect and compleat, never to be renewed.

2. It was necessary that the Lord Christ should perform full and perfect obedience to the Law, that he might be a pure offering, a spotless sacrifice to take away the sins of his people. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit,Heb. 9. 14.Heb 9:14 offered himself without spot to God, purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God? That the vertue and efficacy of Christ's blood might reach to the inward man, and purge the soul and Conscience from sin: it was necessary that he should offer up himself a sacrifice without spot, as one whom the Law could not charge with the least aberration or swerving from the perfect purity of it.

The second particular noted was, that the Lord Christ by fulfilling the Law, did establish it. Here we may consider,

First, That God gave man his Law in the Creation, writing a perfect Law of Righteousness and true holiness in the mind and heart of the first man and woman, God created man in his own Image, Gen. …. 27.in the Image of God created he him, male and female created he them. Now what was this framing of man in the image of God, but the fashioning of his p. 225heart and soul according to the wisdom, purity, holiness and righteousness of God, which was the writing and imprinting his Law upon the sould of man, as he gave to other creatures natural properties,See Eph. 4. 24. & Col. 3. 10.Eph 4:24Col 3:10 and natural instincts according to their several kinds, each of which was a Law unto them, scil. the Law of their Creation. So he imprinted the likeness of his own wisdom, Righteousness and holiness upon the first man and woman, as the Law of their Creation. Now this likeness of God, his holiness and Righteousness imprinted upon the souls of our first parents, was the same for substance with that moral Law written in the Scriptures; for as the moral Law written in the Scriptures is a declaration of the wisdom, Righteousness and holiness of God, and a rule of Righteousness and holiness to men: So was that Image and likeness of God imprinted upon the souls of the first man and woman: It was the moral Law written in their hearts and minds.

Secondly, Consider that the great mischeivous design of the Devil,

1. Was to destroy this Law of God written in the heart of man, to deface the likeness of God, his wisdom, holiness and Righteousness, in their souls, to make void and abolish the Law of mans Creation for ever; that none of mankind should ever have either knowledge or ability or will to do any thing pleasing unto God; and therefore the Apostle declaring the woful ruines of mankind brought upon them by sin and Satan, and shewing what all are p. 226by nature, saith,Rom. 3. 10, 11.Rom 3:10Rom 3:11 There is none Righteous, no not one, there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God, none Righteous, none able to please God, none that understandeth, none that know how to do it, none that seek after God, none that have a will truly bent and resolved upon it.

2. To subject and enslave the souls of men and women to a contrary Law, Rom. 8. 2.Rom 8:2to the Law of sin and death, called a Law of sin in regard of the nature of it, and a Law of death and destruction in respect of the end toward which it leadeth: His design was to fill the souls of men with darkness, errour, false conceits about things that concern salvation, with rebellion against God, and his Law, with lusts and corruptions, inclining him to all manner of sins against the Law, and therefore it is said, they are all gone out of the way, Rom. 3. 12.Rom 3:12they have a Law of sin in their hearts and souls, that hath turned them quite out of the way, to which the Law of God directed them, and set them in a course derectly contrary to it.

3. I conceive the Devil herein aimed at two things: 1. The dishonour of God. 2. The destruction of mankind, excercising his malice both against God and man. 1. The Devils being cast down by the justice of God from their glorious estate and habitation for their Apostacy from God, and reserved under chains in darkness, acted an high degree of rebellion against God, opposing him in his Soveraignty, in h…s legislative power and Authority, p. 227striving to abolish the Law, and to deface the likeness of God's holiness out of the minds of all mankind for ever, that God should have none amongst the children of men, to serve, obey, and honour him, but all of them should become slaves and vassals to the Devils, being led captive by them at their will. 2. They aimed at the destruction of mankind, to bring them into the same condemnation with themselves, by blotting out the Law written in their minds according to which they should have walked, and according to which they shall be judged, and bringing them under a contrary Law of sin and death: so then God having written this Law in the soul, and the Devil having blotted it out, and brought mankind under a contrary Law of sin.

In the third place let us consider the work of the Lord Iesus Christ that was to destroy the works of the Devil. 1 Joh. 3. 8.1 John 3:8Saith the Apostle Iohn, He that committeth sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sinneth from the begining; for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. He that committeth sin, he that maketh sin his business, sinning with the full bent of his will, is of the Devil; He remaineth in that condition into which the Devil brought mankind at the first, subject to the Law and power of sin, which is quite contrary to that Law of righteousness and holiness which God imprinted upon the soul of man in the Creation; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning, he p. 228sinned and fell from God, and he drew men into sin, and still leadeth them on in a course of sin and disobedience against God. Now (saith the Apostle) for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil: He doth not say barely that the Son of God destroyed the works of the Devil; but for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that &c. one great work of the Devil, as ye heard, was to deface the likeness of God in the soul of man, and to bring him under a Law of sin. This work among others, Christ came to destroy, where note, 1. That no meer Creature was able to destroy this work of the Devil.

It may be some may think that good and holy Angels might be as able to undo this evil work,Obj. as Devils or evil Angels were to do it.

But it is not so, the reason is not because the good Angels have less power than the Devils,Answ. but because of the nature of that work of the Devil, for the work of the Devil was a destroying work, as hath been shewed; it was the destroying of the Law of mans Creation which was written in his soul, the defacing and blotting out of Gods hand-writing, the likeness of Gods holiness, and the subjecting of man to the destroying Law of sin; it was the taking away of mans spiritual life, by dividing him from God the fountain of life. Now to destroy or undo this destructive work of Satan, is to abolish that Law of sin and death in man, and to write that contrary p. 229Law in the soul of man, which Satan had blotted out, that is to restore man to the likeness of God, to fashion him again after the Image of God, in knowledge, Righteousness, and holiness, to raise man, whom Satan had murdered, to spiritual life. Now it requireth a far greater power to repair and restore, then to destroy, one Murderer may take away life, all the Angels in Heaven, nor all the men on earth cannot restore life to the dead: None but the living God can do it, who is the fountain of life: So the Devil, and man yeilding to the Devils suggestion, could destroy spiritual life. The Law written in the heart of man, that primitive perfection and integrity of mans Nature framed after the Image of God, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, but no meer Creatures, none but the Prince of life, the supream Law-giver, by whom all things were made, could restore spiritual life, write this primitive Law in the soul of man.

But it may be Objected, Obj.That this work which the Apostle Iohn saith Christ came into the world to do, is a work of destroying.

I Answ.Awsw. We are to consider the object of this destroying work of Christ, what it was that Christ destroyed; that was a destructive work wrought by the Devil that great destroyer and Murderer: Christ came to destroy that destruction which Satan had wrought; & to destroy destruction is to repair and restore that which was destroyed, to destroy death is to p. 230restore life: So the Apostle speaking of the Resurrection of Believers to glory, saith When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, 1 Cor. 15. 54.1 Cor 15:54and this mortal shall have put on immortality; then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Death had slain thousands of Saints, and Christ by restoring them to life, raising them to immortality and everlasting life, shall swallow up death in victory: So in the Prophecy of Hosea, Hos. 13. 14.Hos 13:14I will ransome them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from Death, O death I will be thy Plague, O Grave I will be thy destruction. The Lord may be said as it were to kill death, and to destroy or bury the grave, when he ransometh his people from death and the grave, and raiseth them up to everlasting life: So in this case, when Christ is said to destroy the destructive works of Satan, ye must understand that he was to restore that which Satan had ruined. This no meer Creature in Heaven and Earth was able to do; and therefore in the second place, the Son of God undertook it, it was a work of Almighty power to restore the Law of mans Creation, spiritual life, the Likeness of God, his Righteousness and Holiness to any of Adams posterity, to any of the seed of the woman, and to inable any of them to perform …ull and perfect obedience to the Law: None but God could do it, and therefore the Son of God, who is very God performed it. The Devil seemed for ever to have deprived mankind of the Image of God, and for ever p. 231to have disabled all the Sons of men from fulfilling the Law, but the Son of God confounded Satan herein, and destroyed this destroying work of the Devil, by restoring that which he had destroyed, by framing one of Adams posterity, one of the seed of the woman, after the Image of God in righteousness and holiness, and inabling him perfectly in every point to fulfill the Law.

Thirdly, The Apostle shews how the Son of God performed this great work, it was by the manifestation of himself; For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, &c. His manifestation was his incarnation, his being made flesh, taking the nature of man into the unity of his person, for the Son of God in his divine nature is invisible, not manifested, but when he became Man he was manifested and made visible, and so framed this humane nature thus united to his God-head after the image of God in perfect Righteousness and holiness, and inabled it to perform full and compleat obedience to the Law. And thus the work of Satan was destroyed, one of the Sons of Adam, one of the seed of the woman after the fall of mankind, being inabled to fulfill the Righteousness of the Law.

Fourthly, Ye may note by the way, that I do not speak of this as the full sense of this Text, as it this were all that Christ did in destroying the works of the Devil, and in restoring what he had ruined, but I speak of it as a part of the Apostles meaning, and a part of that work of Christ concerning the point in hand.

p. 232Fifthly, Observe that by this work Christ established the Law: For first, As the Law was given to man, so the Son of God took upon him the nature of man, and subjected it to the Law, as it is said, he was made under the Law. 2. He wrote this Law of perfect holiness and Righteousness upon this humane Soul, thus united to his God-head. 3. In this nature of man, He perfectly fulfilled the Law, by all which he acknowledged the Law to be a perfect Rule of Righteousness, which as man, he was bound to obey, and so did really confirm and ratifie the Authority of it, whereas on the contrary, they that taught m…n to seek justification, and to approve themselves as Righteous in the sight of God, by their own personal works of obedience to the Law, though they pretended to magnifie the Law, they did make void the Law, because their Righteousness was far short of what the Law required; and therefore to profess that they looked to be justified or found Righteous in the sight of God by their own imperfect works done in obedience to the Law, was to accuse the Law of imperfection, and so to make void the Law. Saith David, The Law of the Lord is perfect, Psal. 19. 7.Ps 19:7and therefore none can be justified by the Law, unless their Righteousness be perfect. Now for sinful men whose natures are contrary to the Law, whose sinful omissions and commissions are numberless, whose best works are exceedingly imperfect and defective, to profess themselves justified by the Law, is to deny the perfection p. 233of the Law, and so to abolish or make void the Law.

So much for the first particular point comprehended in the general doctrine. The second is this:

That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law by making full satisfaction to the Law:Sect. 2. where note two particulars:

1. That Christ did make full satisfaction to the Law.

2. That hereby he did establish it.

1. For the former, When Christ was gloriously transfigured upon a certain mountain in the sight of three of his Disciples,Luk. …9. 30, 31.Luke 9:30Luke 9:31 Behold there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Ierusalem. These two holy men of God, who many ages before had been taken out of this world, by an extraordinary dispensation of God, were sent to meet the Lord Christ upon this Mount; and why these two? Moses was the Lawgiver, I mean the ministerial Law-giver, the Minister, Servant, or Instrument of the Lord, by whom God who is the only authentical, the supream Law-giver, delivered, and as it were handed over his Law to the people of Israel; Elias was one of the most eminent among all the Prophets, and exceeding zealous of the Law,1 King. 18. 40. & 19. 14, 15, 16, 17.1 Kgs 18:401 Kgs 19:141 Kgs 19:151 Kgs 19:161 Kgs 19:17 and by an extraordinary warrant from God, slew divers hundreds of false Prophets for Idolatary, and for teaching the people to transgress the Law, p. 234and when he complained against Israel for their heinous sins against the Law, the Lord directed him to annoint Hazael to be King over Syria, Iehu to be King over Israel, and Elisha to be Prophet in his stead, as so many executioners of Gods justice upon backsliding Israel for their horrible sins against the Law. It seemeth then that these two were sent to shew that the Lord Jesus Christ was he of whom the Law and the Prophets spake, whom the Ceremonial Law shadowed out by Types and Figures, who was to perform full obedience to the Moral Law, and make full satisfaction for the transgressions of men against the Law, and to accomplish what was foretold by the Prophets; and it is said expresly, that they spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Hierusalem. They spake of his death and sufferings, whereby he should make full satisfaction for the sins and transgressions of men against the Law, and fulfill the sayings of the Prophets. It is not barely said he should dye or suffer death, but that he should foreign accomplish his decease, He should fully and compleatly suffer such a death as should make full satisfaction to the Law: He should undergo the full penalty of the Law, and make full payment of all the debts which the Law could charge upon his people. To make this appear more clearly, consider these particulars:

1. That the Lord Iesus Christ was very God, Joh. 1. 1, 2, 3.John 1:1John 1:2John 1:3in the beginning was the word, and the word p. 235was with God, and the word was God, the same was in the beginning with God, all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. The Son of God is called the word, God the Father manifesting himself by the Son, as a man maketh known his mind by his words or speech. There is the coessential word of God, and there is the declarative word of God; the Son of God is the coessential word of God, of the same essence with God the Father. The declarative word of God is that which we have in the holy Scriptures: So Christ prayed to his Father for his people, Sanctifie them through thy Truth, Joh. 17. 17.John 17:17thy word is truth. For this cause, 1 Thes. 2. 13.1 Thess 2:13saith the Apostle, 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 worketh effectually in you that believe. These and the like places shew the folly of those who seem to hold, that there is no other word of God but Christ, whereas it is plain, that the holy Ghost calleth the word written in the Scriptures, and the word preached and taught according to the Scriptures, the Word of God, scil. his declarative word, but Christ is the coessential or co substantial word of God: and here it i… said, He was in the beginning, declaring his eternity, when the world and the creatures in it were made, He was not made, but he was from eternity, before all things; and accordingly he saith to his Father,Joh. 17. 5.John 17:5 O Father p. 236glorifie thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was, that is, from all eternity. And the word was with God, that sheweth the personal distinction betwixt the Father and the Son, who are one God and two distinct persons, then his God-head is expresly asserted. And the word was God, the same God with the Father, all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made, all the Creatures were made by Christ of nothing, and therefore he is very God,Col. 1. 16.Col 1:16 for by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones or Dominions, or Principalities or Powers, all things were Created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist, not only all visible Creatures on Earth, but also all the glorious Angels of Heaven were created by him, and his eternity is declared, He is before all things, his Almighty power is asserted, by him all things consist. The frame of the world would fall in peices, the Beings of the Creatures would be disjoynted, dissolved, did not his Almighty Arm hold all together: He upholdeth all things by the word of power, and least any blasphemous adversary of Christ his God-head should object that Christ might create the world as a… instrument and inferiour Agent under the Father. The Apostle telleth us, All things were created,Heb. 1. 3.Heb 1:3 not only by him, but also for him; He is the principal Agent, and he is the cheif p. 237end of the Creation: They were made for his glory, a clear evidence to prove him to be very God, the same God with the Father, for it is the peculiar Prerogative of God to be the highest of the whole Creation, for whom all things were made;Rom. 11. 36.Rom 11:36 for of him, and through him,Phil. 2. 6.Phil 2:6 and to him are all things; to him in this place, and for him in the other, have the same sense, and the original is the same in both, foreign. The Apostle shews, That Christ being in the form of God, thought or judged it to be no Robbery to be equal with God, in all eternity he was in the form of God, he was really, properly, essentially God, and therefore judged it to be no robbery to be equal with God. This cutteth off all cavils, for how could it have been less then an high degree of robbery or Sacriledge, for any one that was not as truly and properly God as the Father, even the same God with the Father, to judge himself equal with God, in as much as God the Creator is infinitely above the most excellent of the Creatures.

Secondly, He took upon him the Nature of man, Joh. 1. 14.John 1:14the word was made flesh. The eternal word or Son of God who was before all time, without beginning of dayes, was pleased in the fulness of time to be made flesh, not by transmutation, but by assumption, not by turning his unchangeable God-head into flesh, but by taking flesh, that is, a true humane Nature, soul and body, into the unity of his person, so uniting the nature of man to p. 238his God-head, as to make it properly his own; to become one person with himself, the God-head being never separated again from the manhood, nor confounded with it, both natures remaining distinct, but never divided from each other, the same Christ remaining perfect God and perfect man: so where it is shewed that being in the form of God, &c. it followeth, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man, Phil. 2. 7, 8.Phil 2:7Phil 2:8&c. And without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness, God was manifest in the flesh. This is indeed a great mystery, of such an height and depth, and far exceedeth the reach of mens understandings, yet a most certain and infallible truth to be received by faith,1 Tim. 3. 16.1 Tim 3:16 and it was necessary the Redeemer of manking should be both God and man, that he might satisfie the justice of God, and bear the penalty of the Law due to the sins of the world. First, It was necessary that he should be God.

1. That he might inable the humane nature to bear the weight of Gods wrath and revenging justice to support the manhood from sinking under it, and being swallowed up of it, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it; Act. 2. 24.Acts 2:24death had taken a prisoner whom it was no way able to hold, Jesus Christ as he was man, suffered death, and lay dead in the grave, but as he was God, he raised his humane nature from the dead. p. 239Secondly, That the infinite worth and excellency of his God-head might make his sufferings of sufficient value to satisfie the justice of God, and the severity of the Law for the numberless sins of the world, the same man that suffered being one person with God, and so his sufferings, being, though not the sufferings of the God-head, yet the sufferings of God, that is, the sufferings of him who is God, and therefore it is said,Act. 20. 28.Acts 20:28 that God hath purchased a Church with his own blood. And what is there, which the blood of God was not sufficient to purchase? Secondly, It was necessary Christ should be man, that he might satisfie the Law, and bear the penalty.

1. That he might be subject to the Law; for it was impossible that the God-head should be made under the Law, because the Law received its Authority from God, and therefore could have no Authority over him; therefore he was made of a womnn, and so made under the Law.

2. That he might be in a capacity to suffer the full penalty of the Law; for it is impossible for the God-head which is the fountain of life to dye, or to bear the Curse, being the fulness of blessedness: and therefore saith the Apostle,Heb. 2. 9.Heb 2:9 We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death. He that being very God, was infinitely higher then the Angels, took into the unity of his person, a nature a little lower then the Angels, scil. the nature of man, and that for the suffering of death, and so for the satisfying of the Law.

p. 2403. That He might make Satisfaction to the Law, and bear the punishment of it in the s…me nature of man,Heb. 2. 16, 17.Heb 2:16Heb 2:17 in which the Law was transgressed and broken; for verily, He took not on him the nature of Angels, but He took on him the seed of Abraham▪ wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, to make satisfaction for the transgressions of the people against the Law, and to reconcile them to God the Law-giver.

3. He took upon him the guilt of mens sins, putting himself into the state, and standing in the state of guilty sinners, as it were putting his Name into their Bond, and voluntarily taking their debts upon himself; all we, like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. If the whole Congregation sinned,Isa. 53. 6.Isa 53:6 they were to bring a young Bullock to be offered for their sin,Lev. 4. 15.Lev 4:15 and before it was killed, the Elders of the Congregation representing all the people under the Government, were to lay their hands on the head of the Bullock before the Lord: It seemeth b… this Ceremony, they did as it were put off the sins of all the people from the guilty sinners, upon the Sacrifice: So the Lord Christ, before he suffered for the sins of his people, first took upon himself the guilt of all their sins, for he hath made him p. 241to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him,2 Cor. 5. 21.2 Cor 5:21 the guilt of mens sins was imputed unto him, and put upon his account, as his righteousness is imputed to Believers, and accounted theirs.

4. He subjected himself to the Curse of the Law, Gal. 3. 10, 13.Gal 3:10Gal 3:13due to men for their sins against the Law; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them: then it followeth, ver. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every on that hangeth on a tree. Thus he exposed himself to the flames of divine wrath, which would have been a consuming fire to a meer Creature: but as the wood of the Altar for burnt offering was overlaid with Brass that it might not be devoured by the fire: so his humane nature being united to the God-head, was so fortified to endure the burning heat of the wrath and Curse of God, that it was not consumed by it, but although the God-head was inseparably united to the manhood, and did not leave it for a moment, yet it did so withhold its divine influence from the Manhood for a time, that it suffered extream and unconceivable torments in body, but especially in soul, as appeareth in the holy story; for though God the Father loved him infinitely as his Son, and as one that was perfectly holy and righteous in his own person, yet he executed his justice upon him to the full, as he p. 242presented himself before him, burdened with the guilt of mans sins against the Law. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, Isa. 53. 10.Isa 53:10he hath put him to grief. Rom. 8. 33.Rom 8:33Saith the Apostle, He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us. He spared not his own Son; He found him engaged to satisfie the Law for the sins of men, and therefore he executed the severity of the Law upon him, and spared him not, but delivered him up for us all, saith the Text. He did as it were deliver him up with his own hand for sinners, delivering him up by the hand of his love, towards sinners, to the hand of his justice, to be punished for their sins: so that I conceive it may be said that Christ had judgement without mercy, that through him mercy might glory over judgment toward repenting and believing sinners.

Fifthly, He actually suffered death; He did shed his most precious blood, Phil. 2. 8.Phil 2:8He humbled himself and became obedient unto death,Isa. 53. 12.Isa 53:12 even the death of the Cross.Matth. 27. 50.Matt 27:50 He poured out his soul unto death. Joh. 19. 33, 34.John 19:33John 19:34Iesus when he had cried again with a loud voice, yeilded up the Ghost. When they came to Iesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his leggs, but one of the Souldiers with his Spear pierced his side,ver. 41, 42. and forthwith came thereout blood and water.

Lastly, That it might be manifest that the Prince of life was really dead for the satisfaction of the Law, He suffered his body to be caried to Prison, to be shut up in the grave, and held under the power of death untill the third day. Now in the place where he was crucified p. 243there was a garden, and in the Garden a new Sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid, there laid they Iesus. Thus ye see the Lord Jesus Christ satisfied the Law to the full, endured the rigour, and bare the penalty of it. Secondly, by satisfying the Law, and endruing the severity of it, he established the Law. I suppose it is not necessary to speak much of this particular, because the opening of the former giveth light unto it, breifly thus: 1. The Law required perfect obedience, as ye heard, the full performance of every branch and tittle of it. 2. In case of disobedience, transgression, defect, and failing in obedience, the Law denounced a grievous penalty, a Curse,Gen. 2. 17.Gen 2:17 death and destruction, as was noted also, yea the Law given to mankind in Adam, had the sentence of death annexed, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 3. Hence it followeth, that if neither the Law be fulfilled in a way of obedience, nor satisfied by the inflicting of the punishment, then it is made void, and declared to be of no force, to have lost its authority, its vigour, and to be frustrated of its end. 4. Thereupon we may infer by the rule of contraries, that the Lord Jesus Christ having in the nature of man born the full penalty, severity, and Curse of the Law, due to the sins of men against the Law, and by his God-head, to which his humane nature wherein he suffered is personally united, gave sufficient value and worth to his sufferings, to make full satisfaction to the Law, to the uttermost, that the Law in p. 244its greatest rigour could require: hence it clearly followeth, that Christ established the Law. This was a reall and full acknowledgement of the Authority of the Law; the wonderful abasement, the grievous sufferings of the Son of God, were signal evidences, infallible demonstrations of the force and authority of the Law; the Lord of glory appearing in the form of a Servant, to make way for satisfying the Law: he that is the brightness of the Fathers glory, enduring the shame of the Cross, did abundantly witness to the world the Authority of the Law. The Lord Jesus Christ spared not his most precious blood, but freely poured it forth to satisfie the Law, for the sins of his people, and thereby ratified and sealed the Authority of the Law.

How should this be improved to stir up poor souls without delay to turn to the Lord, Vse 1.and flee to Christ? For in as much as the Lord Jesus did both perform perfect obedience to the Law, and bear the full penalty and curse of the Law, and by both these establish the Law; it sheweth clearly that the Law standeth in full force against all that are out of Christ, they being guilty of sin against the Law, are subject to the Curse of the Law; for being not found in Christ, they have no part in his perfect righteousness and full satisfaction, and therefore are every moment in danger of the sentence of condemnation denounced by the the Law. It is true that Christ hath fully satisfied the Law: But what doth this help p. 245them that remain in their natural estate of impenitency and unbelief? That full satisfaction which Christ made to the Law, ratifieth the Authority of the Law, and proclaimeth to the world, that the Law spareth none that are under the Law, and so are all that are not in Christ, and so under grace; and therefore rest not one day in this condition; sin lieth at the door, he avenger of blood is at thy back, the voice of the Law is, pay that thou owest: It is a groundless plea to say, Christ hath paid all, if thou remainest out of Christ.

Secondly,Vse 2. If sin were so exceeding grievous and bitter unto Christ, Oh let it not be sweet and delightful unto thee! It sin imputed were such an unspeakable torment to the Lord Jesus Christ, What a shame is it for any that pretend to be members of Christ, to make it the matter of their contentment? Dost thou call thy self a Christian, and canst thou see the Son of God abased for sin, put to an open shame, buffetted, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and sweating drops of blood, exceedingly afflicted in soul, bleeding and dying upon the Cross for sin, and yet canst thou hold up thy head, take a pride in sin, glory in it, despise reproof, gain by it, thrive by it, rise by it, get preferment by it, sport and solace thy se…f with it, and still own the name of a Christian? What is this but to be an Enemy to the Cross of Christ, harbouring in thy bosom, that Enemy which fastned and nailed him to the Cross?

p. 246Thirdly,Vse 3. Here'is ground of sound comfort for them that are in Christ, He hath made full satisfaction to the Law, he hath paid the debts of his people, cancelled the bond of the Law, redeemed them from the Curse, the Law can exact no satisfaction from them, he hath fully cleared all accounts, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus, Rom. 8. 1.Rom 8:1who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit: But of this somewhat may be spoken upon the next point.

The third particular followeth. Sect 3.viz. That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law by communicating his perfect righteousness to Believers: where, as in the former points there are two Branches.

1. That the perfect righteousness of Christ is communicated to Believers.1. Branch.

2. That hereby the Law is established. Concerning the former, ye heard before of the perfect Righteousness of Christ, who both was a Lamb without spot, knew no sin, and performed compleat obedience to the Law, and also did undergo the punishment and Curse of the Law due to the sins of men and women, and so made full satisfaction to the Law. Now that which is to be cleared is this, That this perfect Righteousness of Christ is communicated to Believers.

2. How it is received by Believers.

3. What are the effects and consequents of the righteousness of Christ thus communicated and received.

p. 247For the first, 1. The righteousness of Christ is communicated to Believers, not by infusion, but by imputation, 2 Cor. 5. 21.2 Cor 5:21not so as to be inherent in them, but so as to be imputed to them; so as to be accounted theirs; for he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. As the sins of men were not infused into Christ, so as to be inherent in him, but imputed to him: so the Righteousness of Christ is not infused into Believers, so as to be inherent in them, but is imputed to them and accounted theirs. The satisfaction which Christ hath made to the Law is imputed to them, that is, reckoned to belong unto them, as if they had satisfied the Law in their own persons.Rom. 4. 22, 23, 24.Rom 4:22Rom 4:23Rom 4:24 So it is said of Abraham, it was imputed unto him for Righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him: but for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him who raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead. As if a King should pardon a great Malefactour for his Fathers sake, who had done some eminent service to the State, his Fathers deservings might be said to be imputed to him, accounted his, as if they had been his own; and when a surety payeth anothers debt, the payment is imputed to the debtour, and accounted as done by him, and he is as fully discharged and esteemed out of debt, as if he had paid it with his own mony: so Believers have no Righteousness of their own to satisfie the justice of God, but the Righteousness of Christ p. 248is imputed to them, that is accounted theirs; as if they had been perf…ctly righteous by performing perfect obedience, and making full satisfaction in their own persons to the Law; and here ye may observe who it is that imputeth the Righteousness of Christ to Believers 2. Of what nature this act of imputation is.

1. It is God that imputeth the Righteousness of Christ to Believers, saith the Apostle. David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without works; Rom. 4. 6.Rom 4:6it is God who imputeth Righteousness unto justification, and it properly belongeth to him as the supream Judge; Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that justifieth, Who is he that condemneth, it is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Rom. 8. 33, 34.Rom 8:33Rom 8:34Here the Apostle seemeth to set before us a representation of the highest Tribunal or Court of Judicature, intimating or supposing the persons indicted, the Accuser, the Judge, the Advocate; the Persons indicted or arraigned, the Elect of God, true believers: the Accuser, implied in those words Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? the Judge, God; it is God that justifieth, the Advocate▪ Christ who, first died, and so made satisfaction for the sins of his people. 2. Rose again, and by this his deliverance, out of the grave the prison of Death, made it evident that their debts were fully discharged. 3. He is at p. 249the right hand of God, which is a sure argument that he is highly in the Judges favour. 4. He improveth his interest in the Judge, by making intercession for his people, presenting his merit and Righteousness to his Father, to be imputed to them, and accounted theirs, and therein pleading his satisfaction, made in their stead, for their pardon and justification. But the thing for which I bring this place at the present is, to shew that it is God who imputeth the righteousness of Christ to Believers, it is he that justifieth, God is the efficient cause, the Authour of the imputation of Christ his righteousness to his people, and so of their justification, It is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith, Rom. 3. 30.Rom 3:30and the uncircumcision through faith, scil. all sincere Believers, whether Israelites or Gentiles. Now the works of God toward the Creatures, are the works of all the three persons of the God-head, Father, Son, and holy Ghost, and therefore Christ, as he is Mediator between God and man, presented his righteousness unto God, to be imputed to his people for their justification; as he is God, he imputeth his righteousness, merit and satisfaction to them, and justifieth them. 2. Consider of what nature this act of imputation is, whether it be an act of Justice or of Grace. I conceive this Act of God, imputing the Righteousness of Christ to his people, is an act of grace or free favour, & undeserved love; Being justified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus, Rom. 3. 24.Rom 3:24whom God hath set p. 250forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood. It is said Believers are justified freely: and then again, by his grace, the latter explaining the former; freely, that is, by his grace and free favour: for though the Righteousness and satisfaction of Christ is of infinite merit and worth; yet 1. God the Father by a pure Act of Grace, gave his Son to dye for sinners: so it is said here, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood: 1 Joh. 4. 18.1 John 4:18herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 2. Christ, as he was man, was freely chosen of God for this purpose; so God saith concerning him, Behold my servant whom I have chosen: The man Christ Jesus was freely chosen of God to become one person with the Son of God;Mat: 12. 18. the Son of Mary did not merit to be personally united to the Son of God, but was freely chosen of God, to be exalted to this incomprehensible dignity, glory and Majesty, far above all other creatures, Angels and men, and from this personal union to which he was freely chosen, proceedeth the greatness and all-sufficiency of his merit. 3. God in his Law hath denounced the penalty of death, the Curse, everlasting destruction, against every one that was guilty of sin against the Law, and he was not bound to accept of satisfaction at the hand of another in their stead, nor to hold them discharged of the guilt of their sins, upon the account of anothers sufferings for sin, and therefore it was an Act of meer p. 251grace in God, to accept of Christ his satisfaction in behalf of sinners, and to impute his righteousness to them, and to account it theirs for their justification. And so it was according to the Covenant and Agreement which God the Father freely made with Christ, according to which agreement, Believers are given to Christ: so he saith to his Father, I pray for them which thou hast given me,Joh. 17. 9.John 17:9 for they are thine: Behold I and the children which God hath given me,Heb. 2. 13.Heb 2:13 those lost sinners whom God gave to Christ, as Mediatour and Redeemer, to save them by his death and satisfaction: to them God the Father, by his grace, that is, freely imputeth the Righteousness of Christ, & accounteth it theirs, accepting them as righteous through him.

Secondly, Observe how the Righteousness of Christ is received by believers, that is, by faith unfeigned: the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,Rom. 3. 21, 22:Rom 3:21Rom 3:22 even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that beleive the Righteousness whereby Believers are justified, is the Righteousness of God; it is such a Righteousness as God hath revealed; as he hath appointed for this end; as he approveth and accepteth; such a Righteousness as he giveth to Believers, this Righteousness is received and applied by the faith of Jesus Christ: not by the faith which Christ hath, but by the faith which Believers have in Christ, not by the faith whereby Christ believeth, p. 252but by the faith whereby men believe in Christ. Believers being united to Christ by the spirit on the one side, and by faith on the other. God imputeth the Righteousness of Christ unto them, and they receive and apply it to themselves by faith:ver. 28. So in that conclusion of the Apostle, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law. In these and many other places, where faith is said to justifie, Divines understand it to be meant not meritoriously; for so Christ justifieth by his merit, procuring justification for sinners: not by way of efficiency, for so God justifieth, as the Author of justification, as the Judge, imputing Christ his righteousness to Believers, and so justifying them: not materially, for so the righteousness of Christ justifieth, as the matter of justification: not formally, for that is by way of imputation, but faith justifieth. 1. Objective, not by force of its own Act of believing, but by vertue of its Object, which it apprehendeth, scil. Christ his righteousness.

2. Instrumentally, Faith justifieth by applying the righteousness of Christ to the Believing soul, whereby it is justified.

3. Observe the effects, or Consequents of the righteousness of Christ thus imputed of God, and received by faith, they are delivered from the guilt of sin,Rom. 4. 7, 8. & 8. 1.Rom 4:7Rom 4:8Rom 8:1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Christ his righteousness is accounted theirs, and so their own sins are no longer p. 253accounted theirs, and so they are free from condemnation. There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. They are accepted as righteous in the sight of God, because the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to them, who perfectly obeyed the Law▪ and fully suffered the penalty of the Law, hereby also they have an interest in everlasting life and salvation,Rom. 8. 30.Rom 8:30 Whom he justifieth, them he also glorified. Again, a constant consequent of the righteousness of Christ communicated and imputed to Believers, for their justification is regeneration, conversion, sanctification; for the same faith which applieth the Righteousness of Christ to Believers for the forgiveness of sin, and for their justification, doth unite them to Christ, so that they partake of his spirit and sanctifying graces.

The second Branch of the point is,2. Branch. That the Lord Iesus Christ by communicating his perfect Righteousness to Believers doth establish the Law. This clearly followeth upon those things which have been spoken, for in as much as the Lord Jesus Christ performed obedience to the Law, and suffered the full penalty of the Law, and then communicated his perfect Righteousness to Believers, making them one with himself, uniting himself to them by his spirit, and uniting them to himself by faith, that so himself and his perfect Righteousness might become theirs, and that hereby they might be justified and accepted p. 254as righteous in the sight of God. This was an effectual declaration, a real acknowledgment of the force and Authority of the Law: for hereby he witnessed that the Law was such an authentical and indispensable rule of righteousness, that none could be justified and accepted as righteous in the sight of God the supream Lawgiver and Judge, but by such a Righteousness as was fully answerable to the Rule of the Law, and therefore because in this corrupt state of Nature, wherein all mankind are, since the fall, no man could have performed perfect obedience to the Law in his own person, but all must have lain under the sentence of condemnation, and utterly perished. The Lord Christ having taken upon him the Name of Jesus, and the office of a Saviour and Redeemer, to save his people from their sins, yet would not save them in an illegal and irregular way, not by his royal prerogative without respect to the Law, but by fulfilling the Righteousness of the Law in his own person, and then communicating his perfect righteousness to them, investing them with it, cloathing them with this spotless and glorious robe of his Righteousness. On the other side, the contrary doctrine of justification by the works of the Law, teaching that men might be delivered from Condemnation, and approve themselves as righteous in the sight of God, by their own inherent holiness and works performed by them in obedience to the Law, did deny the force, the vigour and Authority of the Law, because the holiness p. 255and performances of the best of them did fall far short of the perfection of the Law. Now to say that men may be justified by the works of the Law, whose works did not answer the righteousness required in the Law, was to declare the Law to be void, to have lost its power, to condemn the transgressours, of the Law. But Christ having fulfilled the righteousness of the Law, and born the full punishment of it, and communicated his righteousness to Believers; hath dearly and abundantly ratified the Authority of the Law, and so as the Apostle saith,Rom. 10. 4.Rom 10:4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth. The Law attaineth its end in Christ, because He hath fully answered and satisfied the Law, and communicateth his perfect righteousness to his people, that they might be justified and saved without the least prejudice to the Authority of the Law.

The use of this may be, Vse 1.to stir up Believers exceedingly to admire and magnifie the Lord Iesus Christ, who being very God, the supream Law-giver, from whom the Law received all its force and Authority, was pleased by a voluntary Act of his love to become man and so to be made under the Law; to subject himself to the Authority and power of the Law, to perform perfect obedience to the Law, and to bear the Curse of it, and then as it were to make over, and communicate to poor guilty condemned sinners, this his perfect righteousness for their justification and salvation; and therefore the Apostle prayed thus for Believers that Christ p. 256may dwell in their hearts by faith,Eph. 3. 17, 18, 19.Eph 3:17Eph 3:18Eph 3:19 That ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. It is an height and depth which Creatures cannot reach, a breadth and length which they cannot measure, but those that have interest in Christ,Jer. 23. 6.Jer 23:6 and his perfect righteousness, should labour to view and surveigh it diligently, that they may see into it more and more, and advance and magnifie the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Iehovah their Righteousness.

Secondly,Vse 2. This may take down the natural pride of mens hearts, the best of Adams posterity except Christ alone, would have been accursed and condemned wretches, had they not been justified and saved by a borrowed Righteousness, by the Righteousness of another, even of Christ, communicated and imputed to them, and accounted theirs, Where is boasting then? it is excluded: Rom. 3. 27.Rom 3:27By what Law? of works? nay, but by the Law of faith, that is, by the doctrine of the Gospel, which declareth that the only way for men to escape condemnation, and to appear righteous before God, is to become poor in spirit, and as wretched, guilty, lost creatures, to go out of themselves, and renounce all hope and confidence in themselves, and all their own abilities, duties, and performances, and to flee to Christ alone, that they may be justified by his righteousness, and accepted of God in him, to come as poor naked wretches, that have never a rag of p. 257their own to cover their shame, and to beg of Christ white rayment, the spotless covering of his righteousness: this doctrine excludeth boasting, and confoundeth pride, if there be any thing for which thy heart is apt to be lifted up, either to think highly of thy self, or to despise others, remember that if thou art an unbeliever, thou standest guilty, and condemned before the Lord, and so hast cause instead of exalting thy self to be exceedingly abased, and to be restless, until thou be delivered from condemnation, and hast obtained pardon and justification through the righteousness of Christ: If thou art a true believer, remember thou art justified by a righteousness which was never wrought by thee in any part, but wholly and only by the Lord Jesus Christ, and out of the riches of grace and mercy, communicated and imputed to thee, whereof thou wast as unworthy as any of them that lye under the sentence of condemnation; Hast thou not then a double cause of humiliation? 1. Because of thine own guiltiness and unworthiness in thy self. 2. Because so rich a favour was freely bestowed upon thee; for the greater the gift is which is bestowed upon unworthy persons, the more cause have they to be low in their own eyes, the bounty of the giver, and greatness of the gift, casteth shame upon the unworthiness of the receiver.

Thirdly,Vse 3. This may encourage the worst of men and women, the chief of sinners, to come to Christ, and to turn to the Lord. Here is a perfect p. 258Righteousness, a full Satisfaction, here is a Saviour and Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who hath performed perfect obedience to the Law, and suffered the punishment of the Law due to the greatest sinners, for the greatest sins: and therefore as was noted before, he is called Iehovah our Righteousness; for though Believers are not justified by the essential Righteousness of Christ, as God; yet I conceive the infinite worth of the infinite Iehovah, God the Son, raiseth that righteousness which he hath wrought for sinners, to such an unspeakable value, as is sufficient for the sins of the whole world: How inexcusable then is their neglect, who rather lye in their sins, then seek to Christ? And on the other side, what a door of hope is opened to them who are discouraged through the greatness of their sins; What can hinder thee from receiving pardon and obtaining full forgiveness? Not the greatness of sin, for Christ hath done and suffered that which is abundantly sufficient to answer all, nothing can hinder thee but an impenitent and unbelieving heart.

Fourthly,Vse 4. Let Christians be stirred up exceedingly to labour after truth of faith, and strength of faith; for as the Righteousness of Christ is that for which Believers are accepted as righteous with God: so saith is that grace whereby it is applied to the soul, the Father of the distressed child cryed out and said with tears,Mark 9. 24.Mark 9:24 Lord I believe, help mine unbelief: and the Apostles said unto the Lord,Luk. 17. 5.Luke 17:5 Increase our p. 259Faith. Pray earnestly for faith, and for strength and increase of Faith, that ye may be established in the faith, and confirmed in the assurance of your interest in Christ, and his perfect righteousness: this is the Sheild which quenched the fiery darts of the Devil. What may Christians expect, that the Devil should rather aim at, than the destroying or weakning of their faith, to divide them from Christ, to dissolve the marriage bond between him and them, to strip them of their wedding garment, the robe of Christ's Righteousness? And what should Christians endeavour more than the strengthning of their faith?

Fifthly,Vse 5. Let all that are in Christ, justified by the Righteousness of Christ, labour to walk as becometh those that are partakers of so rich a blessing. This was one great end of Christ his coming into the world, and performing this glorious work of Redemption, that he would grant unto us,Luk. 1. 74, 75.Luke 1:74Luke 1:75 That we being delivered out of the hand of our Enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life: and therefore the Apostle having spoken at large of this doctrine of justification by faith in Christ his Righteousness,Rom. 12. 1….Rom 12:1 exhorteth Believers thus, I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies as a Sacrifice, living, holy, acceptable unto God, &c. of him are ye in Christ Iesus, 1 Cor. 1. 30.1 Cor 1:30who of God is made unto us, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: those to whom Christ is made righteousness for their justification, to them p. 260he is made sanctification, conforming them to himself in holiness. Justification and Sanctification are, 1. Distinct. 2. Unseparable, neither to be confounded together, nor separated from each other: They are distinct, Sanctification is no cause nor part of justification. No man is justified for his holiness, but only for the righteousness of Christ. On the other side, sanctification and holiness is unseparably joyned with justification; whosoever is justified is also sanctified, when sin is forgiven, it is also mortified.

Do not flatter your selves with a perswasion of the pardon of your sins, and the justification of your persons, while ye want the beginning of sanctification. Saith the Apostle, Ye are washed, 1 Cor. 6. 11.1 Cor 6:11ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of our God. All that are washed from the guilt of sin in the name of Christ, and by the virtue of his blood, being made partakers of righteousness unto justification, are also washed by his sanctifying spirit and grace, from the filth and pollution of sin, and made partakers of his holiness.

In the next place, we have the fourth particular,Sect. 4. Doct. That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law, by making it a rule of obedience to his people. 1. Christ made the Law a rule of obedience to his people. 2. Hereby he established the Law▪

1. Concerning the former,Mat. 5. 17, 18.Matt 5:17Matt 5:18 the Lord Christ saith, Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, I am not come to destroy, p. 261but to fulfill; for verily I say unto you, till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled, the Law is established as a perpetual rule to direct Christians in the ordering of themselves, all the powers of their souls, affections of their hearts, their thoughts, words, and actions; and therefore Christ himself in divers passages following, presseth, not only the outward but also the inward observation of the Law, a certain man asked Christ this question,Mat. 22. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. 40.Matt 22:35Matt 22:36Matt 22:37Matt 22:38Matt 22:39Matt 22:40 Which is the great Commandment in the Law? Iesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: This is the first and great Commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self: on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. I conceive the Lord Christ in this answer doth clearly confirm the Law, as a Rule of obedience by his Authority. 1. He doth as it were open the bowels of the Law, and discover the soul and spirit of it, shewing that it consisteth in two things, 1. Intire, and perfect love to God. 2. As subordinate hereunto, sincere love to our Neighbour. 1. Because all things commanded in the Law are, either love to God and man, or such things as love supposeth, as the knowledge of God, or such affections, thoughts, words, actions▪ as accompany or flow from love. 2. All sins of omission or commission towards God or man, are either want of love, or such as proceed from the p. 262want of love. Now in that Christ doth so highly extol these two Commandments which comprehend the substance of the Law, he established the Law as a rule of obedience for his people.

Secondly, In this speech, he had respect, not only to the ten Commandments delivered Exod. 20. but also to the doctrine of the Prophets throughout the old Testament, saying, On these two, &c. The Prophets opening and enlarging in particulars, what is generally comprized in the ten Commandments: and if we compare this with what we had before, where he saith, he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets; we may gather, that he established the Law delivered by Moses, and expounded by the Prophets, as a Rule of obedience to his people. Again, how frequently doth the spirit of Christ in his Apostles establish the Law, as a rule of obedience for his people. What are those things which the Apostles by the Authority of Christ and his Name, require of Christians but things commanded in the Law? And what are those sins which they call upon Christians to shun, but sins forbidden in the Law? Let Love be without dissimulation: Rom. 12. 9.Rom 12:9abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good, &c. What multitudes of instances might be given in this kind,1 Tim. 1. 5.1 Tim 1:5 and therefore saith the Apostle, The end of the Commandments is Charity out of a pure heart, and of a good Conscience, and of faith unfeigned. These are things required in the Law.Tit. 2. 11, 12.Titus 2:11Titus 2:12 The grace of God which bringeth salvation p. 263to all men, hath appeared, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. The Gospel and word of grace which Christ hath revealed to the world, and confirmed by his death, teacheth those things which are the substance of the Law; and therefore Christ hath established the Law, for a Rule by which his people are to act and walk, As he which hath called you is holy, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 161 Pet 1:151 Pet 1:16so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Lev. 11. 44.Lev 11:44because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy. The spirit of Christ in the Apostle, alledgeth the very word of the Law as ratified by the Authority of Christ, as a rule of holiness to which his people must conform their hearts and lives. But it may be Objected,Obj. that divers passages of the new Testament make against this, such as these,1 Tim. 1: 9.1 Tim 1:9 The Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient. And the Apostle saith to them that are in Christ, Ye are not under the Law, Rom. 6. 14.Rom 6:14but under grace. God sent forth his Son made of a woman, Gal. 4. 4, 5.Gal 4:4Gal 4:5made under the Law, to redeem them that are under the Law. Answ.Fo Answer to thes… things, consider, That the Law may be considered two wayes. 1. As a Covenant of works, severely requiring full and exact obedience and perfect righteousness upon pain of the Curse: and so Believers being in Christ, are not under the Law but under grace. The Lord hath reconciled them to himself in Christ, received them into a Covenant of grace, discharged them of the curse of the Law, and sentence of condemnation, p. 264justified and accepted them as righteous through the righteousness of Christ, given them access to his mercy seat, so that the Law is not made for a righteous man, as a covenant of works. Believers are not to be judged according to the rigour and severity of the Law, nor subject to the curse or condemnation of the Law, and therefore the Apostle saith, Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us: but the lawless and disobedient natural persons, being out of Christ, and standing upon their own bottom, and so being to answer the justice of God upon their own account, are under the Law as a Covenant of works, and subject to the malediction, Curse and condemnation of the Law.Gal. 3. 13.Gal 3:13 Secondly, The Law may be considered as a Rule of life, as a direction to true Believers, guiding them in the wayes of God, teaching them how they ought to walk and to please God, how to walk answerably to his saving mercies, and spiritual blessings communicated to them in Christ: and in this regard the Law is established by Christ, for the use of his people; and so I conceive in this sense, the Law is so far from being a Covenant of works, that it becometh a part of the Covenant of grace, or a Rule subservient to the Gospel.1 Thes. 4. 2, 3.1 Thess 4:21 Thess 4:3 So the Apostle telleth the believing Thessalonians, Ye know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Iesus, the Commandments which he delivered to them were given by the Lord Jesus, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by vertue of his Authority and p. 265Commission received from him? Now what Commandments were these? Even the same that are delivered in the Law, in some of which the Apostle giveth instance: First in general, This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should be sanctified, and so conformed to the Law of God in all things.

Then in special, That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, not in the lusts of Concupiscence, &c. In a word, the Law is of use both unto them that are out of Christ, and to them that are in Christ: To the former it discovereth the contrariety of their Natures, hearts, and lives, to the mind and will of God, their utter disability to fulfill the Law, and thereupon makes known unto them their woful estate, that they lye open to the wrath and Curse of God, and the danger of everlasting condemnation: and so the Law may be of use: 1. To take down the natural pride that is in men and women, to cause them to see their own vileness and lost condition, to renounce all confidence in their own imaginary righteousness, to abase themselves to the dust before the Lord,Rom. 3. 20.Rom 3:20 For by the Law is the knowledge of sin. Secondly, The Law may be of use to such, to drive them out of themselves, to seek after the remedy, to cause them to flee to Christ, that they may be washed in his blood from all their sins, justified by his perfect righteousness, and so redeemed from the Curse of the Law, and delivered from the wrath to come. 2. To true Believers the Law may be useful.

p. 2661. To humble them, and make them poor in spirit, and low in their own eyes. And that, 1. In respect of their state by Nature. 2. In respect of their present condition, now that they are renewed by grace. In the former respect, they may see in the glass of the pure and holy Law of God, the woful deformities and blemishes of their souls, as they were of themselves, their numberless omissions and commissions, and being inlightned by the spirit of Christ, these things are the more manifest to them. Secondly, In respect of their present condition, as they are renewed by grace though they have the spirit of Christ conforming them in some degree to the Law, yet by comparing both the frame of their souls, and their thoughts, words, actings, conversations, with the pure and spiritual Law of God; they find themselves far short of the mark, and that they need daily renewed acts of grace and free pardon from the mercy seat.

Secondly, The Law is of use to direct them, to shew them what frame of spirit, what wayes are pleasing to the Lord, who is the Law-giver, and Author of the Law.

3. The Law is useful to Believers, to quicken them and stir them up more and more, to purge themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, to cleanse their hearts from those corruptions which are contrary to the Law, and to labour after an increase and growth in all holy and sanctifying graces, and to strive after farther perfection, saith the Apostle, p. 267Brethren, Phil. 3. 13, 14▪Phil 3:13Phil 3:14I count not my self to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus. It seemeth the Apostle, notwithstanding that great measure of the spirit of Christ, which he had received, and the great improvement made of his Talents, the eminent services done to the Church, yet looked upon the mark, as being far before him, a great way beyond him, that is, that he was far short of the perfection of holiness and righteousness which the Law required, and therefore he did reach forth and press forward with all his might. When the best Christians find how far they fall short of that height of perfection which the Law calleth for, scil. to love the Lord their God with all the heart, and all the mind, and all the soul, and all the might, &c. May not this be a powerful motive to quicken them, to use all holy endeavours for the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God?

Secondly, The Lord Christ, by making the Law a rule of life and holy obedience for his people hath established the Law. It is true he hath redeemed sincere Believers from the Curse of the Law, but that was done without the least prejudice to the force and authority of the Law, because himself did bear the Curse in his own person, and so he did both save his people from the Curse of the Law, and yet fully satisfie the Law, but p. 268herein did Christ put an high degree of honour upon the Law, that though he had made full satisfaction to the Law, in behalf of his people, yet he will have the Law to remain as a Directory and Rule of holiness and righteousness for those that are appointed hei…s of salvation. He hath made the Law a Rule for the ordering of his Royal family, of his spiritual Kingdom. The Lord Christ hath exalted the Law to a great height of dignity, in that himself being the Law-giver, and having united Believers to himself by his spirit, and ruling in their hearts by his grace, yet requireth them to attend to the Law as the Rule by which they should regulate and order their hearts and wayes.

The use of this may be, first to shew the errour of those who seem to deny the use of the Law for Believers in any kind, as if they were to bring them in Bondage under a Covenant of works. How usual is it with men to mistake the meaning of the holy Scripture, and in special to take those things as absolutely meant, which are to be understood only in some respect. So in this case, because the Scripture sheweth that Christians are not under the Law, therefore they seem to say, they have nothing to do with the Law, and that the Law hath not any thing to do with them: but though they are free from the Curse of the Law, yet the Law is still of great use to them, to guide them in such a course of holy obedience wherein they are to glorifie God,2 Pet. 2. 18, 19,2 Pet 2:182 Pet 2:19 and to walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing. p. 269The Apostle I conceive speaketh of such licentious libertines, and Antinomian teachers, who when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them that live in errour, while they promise them liberty, they themselves are yet servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought in bondage. Is it not common with many to complain of bondage under the Law, who on the other side remain in a miserable bondage under their lusts?

Secondly,2. Vse. This may open the eyes of those self-deceivers, who pretend faith in Christ, as if their sins were pardoned through his satisfaction, and their persons justified by his righteousness without the works of the Law, and thereupon sin securely, not caring to order their hearts and waye… according to the Law, nor to make it the rule of their lives: The Apostle notably sheweth the folly of such, for having proved that Believers are freely pardoned and justified by the righteousness of Christ, without any consideration of their own works done in obedience to the Law, insomuch that he saith, Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Rom. 5. 20.Rom 5:20whereas sin abounded in men,Chap. 6. 1, 2. the grace and free love of God did much more abound, and gloriously manifest it self through Christ towards Believers, in pardoning their sins, and accepting them as righteous; thereupon he proposeth a question or Objection, What shall I say then? Shall we p. 270continue in sin that grace may abound? as if some licentious person turning the grace of God into laciviousness, should say, if our best works be of no force or weight at all towards our justification on the one side, and the grace of God on the other side, be gloriously illustrated by occasion of our sins, why should we fear to sin against the Law, or be careful to walk according to that Rule. The Apostle answereth by way of detestation, God forbid; or, let it not be: Let not so vile a thought enter into the heart of any Christian.

Secondly, By way of confutation, How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? know we not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were Baptized into his death; therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into his death, that like as Christ was raised up from the de…d by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life, as if he had said, they that are justified by the righteousness of Christ applied by faith, are by the same faith united unto Christ, and therefore dead to sin, as Christ died for sin; and raised to newness of life, as Christ rose from the dead; the spirit of Christ thus manifesting the vertue of Christ his death, and the power of his Resurrection in them, and so leading them in the way of holy obedience according to the rule of the Law. They therefore that fancy to themselves pardon of sin, justification, and salvation through faith in Christ, and give up p. 271themselves to walk according to their own lusts, and not according to the Law of God, do highly dishonour Christ, and delude their own souls; for the Apostle Peter speaking of him, And him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. The Lord Jesus Christ is exalted to be both a Prince and a Saviour, to rule and to save as a Prince, to give repentance whereby men and women are subjected to his government, and to his holy Law; and as a Saviour to procure for them forgiveness of sin and justification. They then who would have their sins pardoned through Christ, but not their souls subjected to the will and Law of Christ, they would have but an half Christ; they would have Christ the Saviour, but not Christ the Prince; and this is the way to have no Christ at all, no portion nor interest in Christ. I beseech you therefore as you love your souls, take heed of this soul deceiving fancy; and as you desire Christ for your Saviour, so obey Him as your Prince, according to his holy Law, which He hath established as a Rule of life for his People.

FINIS.

Texts of Scripture Explained occasionally.

2 Thes. 2. 1, 2, 3. page 10.

Rom. 7. 18. p. 16.

Revel. 8. 13. p. 50.

1 King. 18. 40. p. 59.

Mat. 13. 22, 30. p. 61.

Acts 7. 37. p. 83.

Joh. 4. 19, 20, 21. p. 83.

Gen. 22. 18. p. 91.

Lev. 1. 4. p. 105.

2 King. 3. 20. p. 108.

Dan. 9. 21. p. 108.

Heb. 10. 5, 6, 7. p. 115.

1 Cor. 9. 13, 14. p. 119.

1 Cor. 10. 18. p. 126.

2 Cor. 2. 4. p. 147.

1 Cor. 6. 18, 19. p. 148.

Num. 23. 5. p. 158.

Rom. 1. 19. p. 179.

Rom. 5. 13, 14. p. 188.

Amos 2. 4, 5. p. 191, 192, 193.

Gal. 5. 4. p. 209.

James 2. 24. p. 210.

1 John 3. 8. p. 227, &c.

Luke 9. 30, 31. p. 233, 234.

John. 1. 1, 2, 3. p. 234, 235.

Mat. 22. 35, to 40. p. 261, 262.

End of the text · John Maynard, The Law of God Ratified by the Gospel of Christ (1674)