An Answer to William Sherlock, Chapter 4 · Section 2 (3 of 3)

An Answer to William Sherlock · Chapter 4 · Section 2 (3 of 3)

p. 342It is the obſervation of the Learned Dr. Prideaux, Anſwer.That in the dark age of the School-men, Paulus ceſſit Ariſtoteli, & gratia naturae: St. Paul was fain to yield to Ariſtotle, and grace to nature: And I fear it will be ſo again, we have here ſet before our eyes natural Faith: Faith natural in its believing principle, and natural in its Object; Reaſon of it ſelf, and without any elevation of Grace, may, nay, I ſuppoſe, muſt admit the things of natural Theology, as being within its own Sphere; and ſhall we call this faith, juſtifying faith, which is nature, & nothing but nature? Juſtifying Faith, if we believe Scripture, is every way ſupernatural; ſupernatural in its Principle, & ſupernatural in its Object: Supernatural in its Principle, it is called, faith of the operation of God, Gal. 2.12. It is not of our ſelves, but it is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. Not a natural gift, but a gift of meer Grace: unto you it is given to believe, ſaith the Apoſtle, Phil. 1.29. foreign, it is freely graciouſly given to you to believe, it p. 343is foreign, a good grace divinely given. Hence the ſecond Arauſican Council, expreſly tells us, that our believing is per infuſionem & inſpirationem ſpiritûs Sancti, Can. 6. Nay, the very Council of Trent pronounces an Anathema on thoſe that ſay, that a man may believe without the inſpiration of the holy Spirit: And Faith is alſo ſupernatural in its Object, it is a thing above the foreign, above meer natural Theology: It is fixed in a God in Covenant, and in his free Grace, it hangs upon Chriſt, and his ſweet-ſmelling Sacrifice; it embraces the promiſes of Grace and Remiſſion, and all theſe are ſupernatural only: As in the Authors Natural Faith, there is nothing but Nature; So in the true juſtifying Faith, there is nothing but ſupernatural Grace: But the Author gives us an inſtance of natural Faith in Abel and Enoch, who believed the principles of natural Religion, who believed that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that ſeek him: And had Abel and Enoch only a natural Faith? Did they not believe in a Meſſiah? Was that firſt precious promiſe, Gen. 3. Given to be hid and buried in oblivion? Or was it not handed down to Abel and p. 344Enoch? Surely it was, and they believed in the Meſſiah: How could they come to God without a Mediator? No man cometh to the Father but by me, ſaith our Saviour, Joh. 14.6. Or how could they be reckoned among thoſe, that foreign, ſeek out God, Heb. 11.6. Nature may grope after God, but it cannot indeed ſeek him out, as he is in his gracious Covenant without a Divine Call and Spirit: Or how could they be juſtified without Faith in a Meſſiah? By his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, Iſai. 53.11. To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that through his name, whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins, Act. 10.43. We ſee, without believing in him, there is no remiſſion, no pleaſing of God. And were Abel and Enoch without a promiſe; then they were in a meer Pagan ſtate; and what that is, the Apoſtle tells us, Eph. 2.12. Having no hope, and without God in the world; and this becauſe they were without Chriſt, and without the covenant of promiſe; as that place tells us. Now if Abel and Enoch were without God; then how could they be ſincerely Religious, or do him any true ſervice? And if they were without hope, p. 345how could they look upon God as a rewarder of them that ſeek him? Indeed, there are ſome rudera imaginis Dei in us: A natural man hath ſome obſcure notions of God, and his remunerating goodneſs, but in the Apoſtle, when God is ſaid to be a rewarder, it is not to be taken Philoſophicè, but Evangelicè; that is, that he is a rewarder of Believers in and through the Meſſiah; and the Promiſes of Grace, and eternal life made in him: Take away the word, and you take away juſtifying Faith: How ſhall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? Rom. 10.14. If Abel and Enoch had only natural Faith, and that juſtifying, meer Pagans may have the ſame, who yet have not the name Jeſus, the only name of Salvation, who never heard of the holy Ghoſt, the Fountain of all Holineſs; who have not the Goſpel, the Chariot of the holy Spirit; who know not what Grace is, in its ſupernatural nature, or in its center; the glory of heaven; notwithſtanding all this, they may have juſtifying Faith: Before the Author told us, That the Goſpel is the fulneſs of Chriſt, the principle of a Divine Life, the Wiſdom and Power of God; and yet without this Goſpel a man by p. 346meer Nature may arrive at juſtifying Faith: By theſe things I hope it appears, that the Faith of Abel and Enoch, was more than natural, even Faith in the Meſſiah: Remarkable is that of the ſecond Arauſican Council, Can. 25.Crabbe, 1. tome, 628. Abel justum, & Noe, & Abraham, & Iſaac, & Jacob, & omnem antiquorum Sanctorum multitudinem, illam praeclaram fidem, quam in ipſorum laudem praedicat Apoſtolus Paulus, non per bonum naturae, ſed per gratiam Dei credimus fuiſſe collatam: You ſee, they allow no natural Faith: Our Church, reckoning up Abel, and the reſt of the Worthies, Heb. 11. ſaith, They did not only know God to be the Maker and Governour of the World; 2. Hom. of Faith.but they had a ſpecial confidence and truſt, that he would be their God, although they were not named Christian men; yet was it a Chriſtian Faith that they had; for they looked for all benefits of God the Father, through the merits of his Son Jeſus Christ, as we now do: And in the eighteenth Article, our Church ſaith, They are to be had accurſed, that preſume to ſay, that every man ſhall be ſaved by the Law or Sect which he profeſſeth; ſo that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the light of p. 347Nature: For holy Scripture doth ſet out unto us only the name of Jeſus Chriſt, by which men muſt be ſaved. And what can be more full or zealous than theſe paſſages? I ſhall only more add the judgement of Biſhop Wren; Abelem, qui per propter que fidem Meſſiae defunctus eſt, etiamnum celebrari à nobis Christianis, at que in Eccleſiae Chriſti Martyrologiis (quae foreign, ritè appellantur, Heb. 12.1.) locum habere: Thus much touching natural Faith. The ſecond ſort of Faith mentioned by the Author, is of particular Revelations made to Noah, Abraham, and others, whereby they were juſtified: Obſerve, the Author ſaith, That in the Eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews, there are mentioned two kinds of Faith; that is, natural Faith, and Faith of particular Revelations: So that it ſeems in this Chapter (which reaches down from Abel to the Maccabees, Nay, I ſuppoſe after them, to the Incarnation of Chriſt) there is no Faith in Chriſt at all to be thought of: But Noah and the reſt had not only a Faith of particular promiſes, but a Faith in the Meſſiah too, which was that which made it juſtifying, Abraham rejoyced to ſee Chriſt's day: And that was the joy of Faith, Joh. 8.56. p. 348Jacob tells us of a Shiloh, to whom the gathering of the people ſhould be, Gen. 49.10. And ſurely he himſelf was gathered to him by Faith. Moſes eſteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treaſure in Egypt, Heb. 11.29. And ſurely he was no ſtranger to Chriſt in his Faith: Job ſaith, I know that my Redeemer liveth, Job 19.25. And O how piercing and appropriative of Chriſt was his Faith! The Fathers in Moſes's time did all eat the ſame ſpiritual meat, and all drink the ſame ſpiritual drink; for they drank of that ſpiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. And how this feeding on Chriſt ſhould be without Faith, I know not: Ʋnto us was the Goſpel preached as well as unto them, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 4.2. They were foreign, Evangelized; they had Chriſt ſet before them: And we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt we ſhall be ſaved even as they, ſaith St. Peter, Act. 16.11. We ſhall be ſaved, foreign, according to the very ſame manner as they were ſaved; that is, we and they are both ſaved by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt and his Grace. Again, it is to be conſidered, that the Sacrifices under the Law were p. 349ordained to be as Types, and ſhadows of Chriſt, to make an Atonement for ſin (as appears in Leviticus) not that the Sacrifices themſelves were an abſolute real Atonement in themſelves; but a typical one, pointing out the only true atoning expiatory Sacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt. Now either God did reveil to the Jews, at leaſt wiſe to the Believers among them; the typicalneſs, the true uſe and end of thoſe Sacrifices, or not: if he did reveil it to them, then all true Believers among them did not hang upon the Shadow, and outward Sacrifice only; but by their Faith did fix upon Chriſt and his precious Blood: but if he did not reveil it to them, the Sacrifices, even of thoſe Believers, muſt be all miſcarriages, nothing but meer blots and Errata's; they muſt be offered up not in Faith, but in miſtake, in the belief of an utter falſity; that is, in the belief of that impoſſible thing, That the blood of bulls and of goats could take away ſin: There muſt be ſuch a groſs error in modo, a miſpriſion ſo horrible; that it is not imaginable, that any one among all the millions of Sacrifices under the Law, could be rightly offered up, or accepted by God: Such hard intolerable p. 350conſequences follow this opinion, that the Ancients had no knowledge of, or Faith in the Meſſiah: On the other hand, that they had ſuch a Knowledg and Faith, may be gathered, as from other things; ſo from this conſideration, that they offered up their Sacrifices in Faith, as Abel did; that they were graciouſly accepted of by God in their offering up thoſe Sacrifices: Hence it is ſaid, that God had reſpect to Abel and his offering, conſuming it, as is thought, by fire from Heaven; and ſo giving a divine Teſtimony to it. Hence alſo we find, that when Noah offered burnt offerings, the Lord did ſmell a ſweet ſavour, Gen. 8.21. becauſe thoſe Sacrifices had an aſpect upon the ſweet Sacrifice of Chriſt, in which God is ever well-pleaſed. Moreover, if the juſtification of the ancients were, as it muſt be, built upon the foreign, the death and ſatisfaction of Chriſt; then, unleſs it were by a Faith in Chriſt, the death of Chriſt, one in it ſelf, muſt found three ways of juſtification; one by natural Faith, another by a Faith of particular promiſes; and a third by Faith in Chriſt, which ſeems very ſtrange and incongruous: Thus much touching the p. 351Ancients Faith in Chriſt; unto which I ſhall only add the Teſtimony of our Church. Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob believed, and it was imputed to them for righteouſneſs: 2. Hom. of the Paſſion.was it imputed to them only? And ſhall it not be imputed to us alſo? Yes, if we have the ſame Faith as they had, it ſhall be as truly imputed to us, as it was to them; for it is one Faith that must ſave both us and them, even a ſure and ſtedfaſt Faith in Chriſt Jeſus.

From hence we learn: Thirdly, Mr. Sherlock.what Faith in Christ is, which is now imputed to us for righteouſneſs, as Abraham's Faith was to him; for to make our Faith in Christ anſwer to the Faith of Abraham, and all good men in former ages (without which the Apostles argument from Abraham's being juſtified by Faith is of no force) our Faith in Chriſt must ſignifie ſuch a ſtedfaſt belief of all thoſe Revelations, which Chriſt hath made to the world, as governs our lives and actions: Abraham was juſtified by believing the Revelations, which God made to him, and we are justified by believing thoſe Revelations which Chriſt hath made of God's Will to us; for if by the righteouſneſs of Faith, you underſtand the righteouſneſs of Christ apprehended p. 352by Faith, and imputed to us; you utterly deſtroy the Apoſtles argument for our juſtification by Faith; for Abraham and all the good men of old were not juſtified by ſuch a Faith as this; they never heard of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed to us: Noah was made heir of Righteouſneſs, becauſe he believed the deluge, and prepared an Ark at Gods command. Abraham's Faith was imputed to him for righteouſneſs, becauſe he left his own Country, followed God into a ſtrange Land, believed that God would give him a ſon, and offered this ſon at God's command. Now what hath all this to do with an imputation of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs? How does it follow, that becauſe Abraham was juſtified by ſuch noble and generous acts of Faith; therefore we ſhould be juſtified by imputed Righteouſneſs, by rowling our ſouls on Christ? Theſe two Faiths are of as different kinds, as can be imagined; we cannot reaſon from the one to the other: The difference between the Faith of Abraham, and the Faith of Chriſtans is this; Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteouſneſs; we believe in Chriſt, and this is counted to us for righteouſneſs: Abraham believed the Revelations God made to him; we believe p. 353the Revelations God hath made to to us by his Son, Heb. 1.1. So that the firſt notion of Faith in Chriſt, is a firm belief of his divine Authority; which neceſſarily draws after it a belief of the whole doctrine of the Goſpel: Thus Joh. 20.31. The Chriſtian Faith is deſcribed by believing that Jeſus is the Chriſt, the Son of God: And 1 Joh. 5.5. Who is he that overcometh the world; but he that believeth, that Jeſus is the Son of God; That is, that he came from God with full Power and Authority to declare his Will, and confirm the Covenant: Abraham's faith was founded on the immediate Inſpirations of God, or the Revelations of Angels; But a Faith in Chriſt is founded on the Authority of Chriſt, which is the firſt Object of the Chriſtian Faith; and the reaſon and foundation of all other acts of Faith: Abraham had only ſome particular Revelations, as the Object of his Faith; but Christ hath made a perfect Revelation of the whole Will of God, which is the Object of our Faith: Thus the Christian Faith excels all other kinds of Faith, as much as the Goſpel excels all other revelations made to Abraham and other good men: but ſtill the end of all Faith is the ſame to govern our lives, p. 354and make us obedient in all things to God, as Abraham's was, without which no Faith can juſtifie.

The ſtreſs of this diſcourſe lyes upon two or three ſuppoſals:Anſwer. One is this, that the very act of Faith is properly, and in it ſelf, our Righteouſneſs, or the matter of our Juſtification: Another is this, that the whole nature of Faith conſiſts in an aſſent to Divine Revelation: A third is this, that Abraham had only a Faith of particular Revelations; but no Faith in Chriſt: Now, not to repeat things over and over, I have before proved, that Faith, as it is an Act, and abſolutely in it ſelf conſidered, is not our Righteouſneſs, or the matter of our Juſtification; that there is in the nature of Faith, over and above a meer aſſent, a fiducial recumbency alſo; and that the Faith of Abraham was not only a Faith of particular promiſes, but a Faith in the Meſſiah: Theſe things being before aſſerted; the anſwer is very eaſie; Our Faith in Chriſt very well anſwers to the Faith of Abraham: Abraham truſted in Chriſt, and ſo do we: Theſe Faiths anſwer one another, and that much more harmoniouſly, than if we ſay, Abraham believed particular p. 355Promiſes, and we believe in Chriſt; for there the Objects are variant: Indeed our Faith, as having more of Evangelical Light in it, is more explicit than Abraham's was; but (this being but a gradual difference) ſtill they are one Faith in ſubſtance and, center in the ſame Object, in the Meſſiah. But ſaith the Author, Abraham and the reſt never heard of imputed Righteouſneſs; no, he and Noah believed particular Revelations, and what hath this to do with imputed Righteouſneſs? Doth it follow, becauſe Abraham was juſtified by ſuch generous acts, that we ſhould be juſtified by imputed Righteouſneſs? But I muſt aſſert, that Abraham and Noah truſted in the Meſſiah, and ſo Chriſt's Righteouſneſs (though, ſuppoſe, unknown to them in ſuch a clear manner as it is to us) was imputed to them; And indeed without it, I ſee not how they ſhould have (which, no doubt, they wanted) remiſſion in Chriſt's Blood. But (ſaith the Author) The firſt notion of Faith in Chriſt is a firm belief of his Authority; the Chriſtian Faith is deſeribed by believing, that Jeſus is the Son of God, the very Christ, Joh. 20.31. and 1 Joh. 5.5. that is, that he came from God with full authority to declare his p. 356Will, and confirm the Covenant: To which I anſwer, That Jeſus is the Son of God, in its proper ſignification imports, that he is his Son by Eternal Generation, and from thence we may inferr, that his Authority is Divine: But we muſt remember, that Chriſt was a Prophet under the Old Teſtament; his Spirit, and ſurely then his Authority, was in the Prophets. The Author ſeems to hint by thoſe places, Joh. 20.31. and 1 Joh. 5.5. that juſtifying Faith conſiſts only in aſſent to divine Principles, ſuch as that (That Jeſus is the Christ, the Son of God) is; but though thoſe places in the Letter ſound only an aſſent to that divine Axiom, That Jeſus is the Son of God, yet more muſt be taken into the conſtruction; as well becauſe the Scripture, which ever conſiſts with it ſelf, doth in other places aſſert, that in juſtifying Faith, there is, over and above a meer aſſent, a fiducial Recumbency on Chriſt; as alſo becauſe wicked men, who have no juſtifying Faith, may have an aſſent to all Evangelical Axioms: Nay, the very Devils cried out, and confeſſed, That Jeſus was the Son of God, Matth. 8.29. and yet (as our Church obſerves) for all this they were but Devils.

p. 357Phil. 3.8, 9. Yea, doubtleſs,Mr. Sherlock. and I account all things loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having mine own righteouſneſs, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith: By my own Righteouſneſs theſe men underſtand inherent Righteouſneſs, whatever good St. Paul had done, either while he was a Jew, or after his Converſion to Chriſtianity, this he rejects; and therefore the Righteouſneſs, which is through the Faith of Chriſt, muſt needs be an imputed Righteouſneſs, the perſonal Righteouſneſs of Chriſt apprehended by Faith and imputed to us: This is fairly offered, but what proof have they of it? That, I confeſs, I cannot learn; only it is taken for granted, that my Righteouſneſs, ſignifies inherent Righteouſneſs, and the Righteouſneſs of Faith, imputed. But they need not ſignifie ſo; my own Righteouſneſs, can ſignifie no more than that in which he placed his Righteouſneſs, whatever it was, and what neceſſity is there to underſtand this of inherent Holineſs? An External Righteouſneſs p. 358ſerves moſt mens turn very well, and this is the Righteouſneſs by which the Phariſees (and amongſt the reſt St. Paul while he was a Phariſee) expected to be juſtified: For what his Righteouſneſs was he tells us, in ver. 6, 7. Circumciſed the eighth day, of the ſtock of Iſrael, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the Law a Phariſee (who were mighty ſtrict and punctual in obſerving all external Ceremonies) and he expreſſed his zeal for the Law of Moſes by perſecuting the Chriſtian Church; and touching the righteouſneſs which is in Law he was blameleſs: which last phraſe, touching the righteouſneſs of the Law blameleſs, ſignifies only an external blameleſneſs of converſation, as Mr. Calvin acknowledges: For this was the Phariſees Notion of the Moral Law, that the obligation of it did reach no further than the outward man; and Trypho the Jew in Juſtin Martyr quarrels with the Goſpel of our Saviour for this very reaſon, That it requires the government of our thoughts and paſſions, which, he ſays, is impoſſible for a man to do: Thus we must underſtand this blameleſneſs here; unleſs we will ſay, that St. Paul, while he was a Phariſee, did perfectly obſerve the Moral Law, which thoſe, who p. 359talk ſo much of the impoſſibility of keeping Gods laws, will be loath to own: So that my own righteouſneſs which is of the Law, is ſo far from ſignifying an inherent Righteouſneſs, that it ſignified only an external one, which conſisted only in ſome external Rites, or external Privileges, or an external Civility: This Righteouſneſs he had reaſon to reject, becauſe God will reject it: This was all the Righteouſneſs he had, while he was a Phariſee, and this he accounts dung and droſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord; that is, for the ſake of the Goſpel, which is the knowledge of Chriſt, which contains a more excellent and perfect Righteouſneſs than the Law did: and that he might win Chriſt, that he might attain to Evangelical Righteouſneſs, ſuch as Christ was the Preacher and Example of: And that he might be found in him, not having his own righteouſneſs which is of the Law; that at the laſt day he might appear to be a ſound and ſincere Chriſtian, whoſe righteouſneſs does not conſiſt only in external obſervances or external conformity to Gods Law; but, that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith; that is, that inward vital Principle of p. 360Holineſs, that new Nature which the Goſpel of Chriſt requires of us, and which this Chriſtian Faith will work in us; which is a Righteouſneſs of Gods own chuſing, which he commands, and which he will reward.

We are now come to that famous place,Anſwer. Phil. 3.8, 9. Yea doubtleſs, and I count all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteouſneſs, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith. Learned Beza obſerves, That thoſe words (and be found in Chriſt) have a tacit relation to the Judgment of God: The Apoſtle here treats of Juſtification, and from that removes all things but Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs: The Author indeed would have him only to reject his external Righteouſneſs, external Obſervance, and Conformity to the Law of God, that which he had as a Phariſee, that which God will reject. But let us conſider the place: Firſt the Apoſtle ſets down a Catalogue of his Privileges; He was circumciſed p. 361the eighth day, of the ſtock of Iſrael, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the Law a Phariſee, concerning zeal perſecuting the Church, touching the righteouſneſs which is in the Law blameleſs, ver. 5, 6. But then after all, he caſts away all this Jewiſh and Phariſaical glory, What things were gain to me, thoſe I have counted loſs for Christ, ver. 7. he would not be juſtified by any of thoſe things; but doth he go no further? Doth he only exclude his external Phariſaical Righteouſneſs? No ſurely, his diſcourſe goes on, foreign, Yea doubtleſs, and I count all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, verſ. 8. foreign are Particles of amplification, as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, Nay, more than that, even now do I count all things loſs: In the 7. Verſe he caſts off his Jewiſh and Phariſaical gains, but in the 8. he puts by foreign, all things, his inherent Graces not being admitted to be the Matter of our Juſtification: In the 7. Verſ. we have foreign, in tempore praeterito, I have counted, but in the 8. we have foreign, in praeſenti, now I do count all things loſs: Hence the excellent Beza ſaith, Notandum praeſens tempus; p. 362ſic enim creſcit oratio, ut jam Apostolus, quod ad juſtificationem coram Deo attinet, omnia opera excludat, tum praecedentia, tum etiam conſequentia fidem. Exam. 'de Juſtif. pag. 135.And Learned Chemnicius ſaith, Paulum non tantùm uti praeterito tempore foreign, de operibus praecedentibus converſionem, ſed praeſenti foreign, ut oſtendai quòd operibus ſuis, etiam post renovationem fact is, non tribuat Justificationem coram Deo. Even our inherent Graces (how precious ſoever they be in Sanctification) muſt not aſſume the Royal ſeat of Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs, they muſt not be our very Righteouſneſs in Juſtification. Bellarmine indeed here cries out, Quanta, quaeſo, blaſphemia est! How great is this blaſphemy, to call good works done out of the Faith and Grace of Christ no better than dung! But Paraeus anſwers him very well, That they are not ſo called abſolutely in themſelves, but comparatively to the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; nefas enim ducit in ullis operibus fiduciam Juſtificationis ponere coram Deo: In the Matter of Juſtification, the whole Church calls her Righteouſneſs a filthy Rag; St. Paul will not there own his own inherent Graces, no more than holy Job would know his own Soul. But p. 363this is yet more clear, ver. 9. The Apoſtle would be found in Chriſt, not having his own Righteouſneſs, which is of the Law; he excludes his own Righteouſneſs, that is, his inherent Graces in the point of Juſtification; I ſay, his inherent Graces, for he had before ſhut out his external Phariſaical Righteouſneſs, ver. 7. and (his after-ſpeech being not a Battology or vain repetition, but progreſſive or expreſſive of more than went before) he doth in the 9. Verſe put by his inherent Graces, under the name of, his own Righteouſneſs; and (which further confirms this Sence) inherent Graces are in Scripture ſaid to be our own: Hence we find, my faith, and thy faith, Jam. 2.18. and our Saviour ſaith, Except your righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no caſe enter into the Kingdom of heaven, Matth. 5.20. See here, a Righteouſneſs, and that exceeding a Phariſaical one, called theirs. The Apoſtle excludes the righteouſneſs which is of the Law: In the 7. Verſe he had ſhut out the Righteouſneſs of the Law taken in the Phariſaical ſence; but in the 9. Verſe he goes on, and puts by the Righteouſneſs of the Law taken in its own ſpiritual p. 364Nature, the Righteouſneſs which the Law in its holy Commands preſcribes; and ſurely the Law calls for internal Holineſs, as well as external Conformity. In another place the Apoſtle tells us, That by the works of the Law ſhall no fleſh be justified, Gal. 2.16. No fleſh, not the holieſt Saint on earth (whoſe Righteouſneſs is as much above the Phariſees as Life is above pictures and ſhadows) ſhall be juſtified by his own Righteouſneſs or conformity to the Law. But if the Apoſtle would not have his own Righteouſneſs, which is of the Law, in Juſtification, what would he have? He would have the righteouſneſs which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith: He doth not ſay, a Righteouſneſs which is Faith or other Graces, but a righteouſneſs which is through the faith of Christ, a righteouſneſs which is of God by faith: Now inherent Graces are never in Scripture called the Righteouſneſs of God; The righteouſneſs of God is upon thoſe that believe, Rom. 3.22. not in them, as inherent Graces are: The righteouſneſs of God is in Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.21. not in our ſelves, as our Graces are: The righteouſneſs of God is one and the ſame with the p. 365righteouſneſs of Chriſt, 2 Pet. 1.1. not the ſame with our Graces: The Apoſtle therefore would have, the righteouſneſs which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith; that is, the perfect Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which Faith receives, and God accepts on our behalf. By theſe things it appears, that the Apoſtle in this place doth not only exclude external Phariſaical Righteouſneſs, but even inherent Graces in the matter of Juſtification.

There is a double Antitheſis in the words; Mr. Sherlock.the righteouſneſs of the Law is oppoſed to the righteouſneſs which is by the faith of Chriſt, and my own righteouſneſs to the righteouſneſs of God: Now the ſureſt way to underſtand the meaning of this, is to conſider how theſe phraſes are uſed in Scripture. The righteouſneſs of the Law (as you have already heard) is an external Righteouſneſs, which conſists in waſhings, and purifications, and ſacrifices, or an external conformity, to the Moral Law: The righteouſneſs which is by the faith of Chriſt is an internal Righteouſneſs, which conſiſts in the renovation of our Minds and Spirits, in the government of our thoughts and paſſions, which is p. 366therefore called being born again, becoming new creatures, riſing with Chriſt, putting off the old man, and putting on the new, which after God is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs: That Righteouſneſs, which God requires of us under the Goſpel, muſt be an inward Principle of Love and Obedience, which transforms us into the image of God, as if we were born again or made new creatures. The reaſon why Godſent Christ into the world, to die as a Sacrifice for our ſins, and to confirm and ſeal the new Covenant with his Blood, was, that the righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, Rom, 8.3, 4. foreign, that is, foreign, as St. Chryſoſtome expounds it; that which the Law was deſigned to work in them, but was found too weak to effect it, by reaſon of the greater power of ſin; that is, the inward holineſs and purity of mind which was repreſented and ſignified by thoſe external Ceremonies of Circumciſion, Waſhing, Purifications and Sacrifices: This was the deſign of the Goſpel, to work in us that inward Holineſs and Purity, which is the perfection and accompliſhment of the typical and figurative Righteouſneſs p. 367of the Law. I know very well that this place is expounded of the Imputation of Christ's Righteouſneſs; but is there any mention here of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt? That he fulfilled all Righteouſneſs for us, that his Righteouſneſs is imputed to us, and ſo we fulfil the Righteouſneſs of the Law in him? The Apoſtle's deſign is to ſhew the great Virtue of the Goſpel in delivering from the power of ſin, which the Law could not effect: The Law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus, (that divine and ſpiritual Law, which Chriſt hath given us, which governs our Minds, and is a Principle of Spiritual Life) makes us free from the Law of ſin and death; (from the power and dominion of ſin, which is called a Law, and the Law in our Members warring againſt the Law of our Minds: For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the fleſh (what the Law could not do, to deliver us from the power and dominion of ſin) this God effected by ſending Chriſt into the world to publiſh the Goſpel to us, and confirm the Promiſes and Threatnings conteined in it with his Blood, that the righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit: p. 368How can Imputation come in here? What pretty ſence would this make of the Apostle's Argument? The Law was too weak to make men throughly good, to conquer their ſin, reform their hearts and lives, therefore God ſent his Son into the world; What for? to give them better Laws, more excellent Promiſes, and more powerful aſſiſtances to do good? No, by no means; but to fulfil all Righteouſneſs for them, that they may fulfil the Righteouſneſs of the Law, not by doing any thing themſelves, but by having all done for them, by having Chriſt's Righteouſneſs imputed to them: There was no reaſon to abrogate the Law of Moſes for this end, it might have continued in force ſtill, and have been as available to Salvation as the Goſpel is, with the ſupplemental Righteouſneſs of Christ; but the weakneſs of the Law, the Apoſtle complains of, was not the want of an imputed Righteouſneſs (which might have been had as well under the Law as under the Goſpel, if God had pleaſed;) but a want of ſtrength and power to ſubdue the ſinful appetites of men: It was weak through the fleſh; by the prevalency of luſts, which the Law could not conquer; therefore the Goſpel must ſupply this defect, not by imputed Righteouſneſs, but by p. 369an addition of power to enable men to do that which is good, to fulfil the Righteouſneſs of the Law by a ſincere and Spiritual Obedience.

The Righteouſneſs of the Law (as you have already heard) is an external Righteouſneſs: Anſwer.Thus the Author: We have heard ſo from the falſe Gloſſes of the Phariſees, we have had ſuch a rumour from the Socinians, as if the Law were but a lame imperfect thing. Socinus (as I have him quoted by Calovius) was not afraid to ſay, That Praecepta Veteris Teſtamenti were levia, vana, parùm Deo digna; but ſurely this will not down with Chriſtians: The Law is Sanctio ſancta, the Image of the divine Sanctity, the Summary of all Duties. The Pſalmiſt in the 19. Pſalm, having ſet forth how the Glory of God breaks forth from the Sun and Heavens, elevates his diſcourſe to the pure Law; which, as it enlightens the inner Man, is a brighter Luminary than the Sun, which ſhines to Senſe; and, as it comprizes all Duties within it ſelf, is a nobler Circle in Morality, than the Heavens, which environ all other Bodies, are in Nature: The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoul; the testimony of the Lord is pure, making p. 370wiſe the ſimple, ſaith the Pſalmiſt in that place: So perfect it is, that nothing is to be added to it, or diminiſhed from it, Deut. 4.3. ſo ſpiritual, that even the Saints under the Goſpel are but carnal in reſpect of it, Rom. 7.14. It calls upon us to love the Lord with all our heart, with all our ſoul, and with all our might, Deut. 6.5. to love him in ſuch a divine degree, as to love nothing elſe ſuprà, aequè or contrà, and is this external Righteouſneſs? Or what is inner purity, if this be not ſo? It tells us, Non concupiſces, and ſo meets with the very firſt riſings of corrupt Nature, with the very motions and titillations of the fleſh; it would have an heart all of purity and holineſs, without any foreign or reliques of corruption in it, and what can be more divine? St. Paul therefore ſaith, that in his Phariſaiſm he was foreign, without the Law, becauſe without a ſenſe of its ſpiritual Nature, Rom. 7.9. Unleſs we own its divine Spiritualty, we are as it were without it. In a word, whatſoever it be that makes up the juſt poſture of Man towards God or his Fellow-creatures, is there delineated in ſuch accuracy and full perfection, as no man in this life, but Jehovah p. 371our righteouſneſs only, ever arrived at: But to go on with the Author, The Righteouſneſs, which is by the Faith of Chriſt, is internal: This God requires of us under the Goſpel. Thus the Author; To which I anſwer, The Author, pag. 259. makes the Righteouſneſs of Faith in thoſe under the Old Teſtament, diſtinct from the Righteouſneſs which is by the Faith of Chriſt; and here he makes the Righteouſneſs which is by the Faith of Chriſt, to conſiſt in internal holineſs and renovation: But ſurely there were New Creatures under the Old Teſtament, as well as there are under the New; Job was a perfect, an upright man; and therefore a New Creature: David a man after Gods own heart, and therefore a New Creature: without this internal renovation there could not have been that circumciſion of the heart, Deut. 30.6. nor the law in the heart, which is made the Character of a righteous man, Pſal. 37.31. That Covenant of writing the Law in the heart, Jer. 31.33. was in ſubſtance one and the ſame in both Teſtaments: Thoſe under the Old Teſtament, unleſs regenerate, could never have entred ſo holy a place as Heaven, that foreign, or general Aſſembly p. 372(which takes in all the Saints of the Old Teſtament) is the Church of the firſt born, Heb. 12.23. There are none elſe but New Creatures in it: However the Racovian Catechiſt appropriates the New Creation to the New Teſtament; yet I muſt aſſert, that it was under both Teſtaments; but under neither was it the juſtifying Righteouſneſs: But the Author goes on, God ſent his ſon into the world, that the righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8.3, 4. that we might have inward holineſs and purity, that we might be delivered from the power of ſin, and that by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ: Thus the Author, to which I anſwer, God ſent his Son indeed into the world, that we might be ſanctified by his Spirit; but that was not all, he ſent him, that we might be juſtified by his Blood and Righteouſneſs; to which purpoſe it will be worth while to conſider that place, Rom. 8. The Apoſtle in the firſt verſe, ſets forth believers, men in Chriſt, by two excellent things; firſt, by Juſtification, There is no condemnation to them; no, though there be reliques of corruption in them, as is imported in the ſeventh Chapter, there is none; and then by Sanctification, p. 373which is in conjunction with the other; they walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit: And in the other verſes he confirms both, but inverſo ordine, firſt, he confirms their Sanctification, from the great Origen of it; the holy Spirit, The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jeſus hath made me free from the Law of ſin and death, verſ. 2. The power of the holy Spirit hath ſubdued the power of ſin; and then he confirms their Juſtification from the ſufferings of Chriſt (with which his active obedience is to be taken in conjunction) What the Law could not do in that, it was weak through the fleſh; God ſending his own Son, in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin condemned ſin in the fleſh, verſ. 3. Their ſins were condemned in the fleſh of Chriſt; there was an atonement made for them, which certainly muſt relate to Juſtification: from theſe ſufferings of Chriſt (with which his active obedience muſt be taken in conjunction) the Apoſtle inferrs, That the righteouſneſs of the law is fulfilled in us, verſ. 4. The Law was not able to juſtifie us, for want of a perfect obedience in us; but God tranſlated the impletion of the Law upon Chriſt; Chriſt fulfilled all Righteouſneſs for p. 374us: Chriſt bore the wrath of God for us, and (theſe things being imputed unto us) the Righteouſneſs of the Law is fulfilled in us: But then the Apoſtle returns again to Sanctification, and ſubjoyns, Who walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit; aſſuring us, that thoſe who are juſtified by the imputed Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, are alſo Sanctified and led by his holy Spirit: This I take to be the meaning of the place: But let us hear our Church treating upon this place in conjunction with other Scriptures:r. Hom. of Salvation. St. Paul ſaith, Rom. 3. We are juſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Chriſt: And Rom. 10. Chriſt is the end of the Law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth: And Rom. 8. That which was impoſſible by the Law; in as much, as it was weak by the fleſh; God ſending his own Son, in the ſimilitude of ſinful fleſh, by ſin, damned ſin in the fleſh; that the righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit: In theſe places the Apoſtle toucheth three things, which must go together in our Juſtification; upon Gods part his great mercy and grace; upon Christ's parts juſtice; that is, the ſatisfaction of God's juſtice, p. 375or the price of our redemption, by the offering of his body, and ſhedding of his Blood with fulfilling of the Law perfectly and throughly; and upon our part true and lively Faith in the merits of Jeſus Chriſt, which yet is not ours, but by Gods working in us: So that in our Justification is not only Gods Mercy and Grace, but alſo his Juſtice, which the Apoſtle calleth the Justice of God, and it conſiſteth in paying our ranſom, and fulfilling of the Law: And ſo the Grace of God doth not ſhut out the Justice of God in our Juſtification, but only ſhutteth out the justice of man; that is to ſay, the juſtice of our works, as to be merits of deſerving our juſtification. And therefore St. Paul declareth here nothing upon the behalf of man, concerning his justification, but only a true lively Faith, which nevertheleſs is the gift of God, and not man's only work without God; and yet that Faith doth not ſhut out Repentance, Hope, Love, Dread, and the fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every man that is juſtified, but it ſhutteth them out from the office of juſtifying; ſo that although they be all preſent in him that is juſtified; yet they justifie not all together. Theſe are the excellent words of our Church, worthy (without flattery be it ſpoken) p. 376to be written in Letters of Gold, but much more in the hearts of all true Chriſtians: We ſee here, that there is in juſtification nothing on the behalf of man but Faith only; no, internal Holineſs, Repentance, Hope, Love, Fear of God, are in the juſtified, but ſhut out from the office of juſtifying: God's Grace, and Chriſt's Righteouſneſs are the great cauſes of juſtification: But ſaith the Author, Is there here any mention of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, or the imputation thereof? I anſwer, Our Church ſurely thought ſo, and we have his paſſive Righteouſneſs expreſſed, verſ. 3. and where that is expreſſed, the active is implied: This is clear, when the Scripture ſaith, That we are made righteous by Chriſt's obedience, Rom. 5.19. It doth include his blood alſo, and when he ſaith, That we are juſtified by his blood, Rom. 5.9. It doth include his active obedience alſo, ſo that the Scripture (becauſe it expreſſes juſtification by both, and becauſe it muſt be conſiſtent with it ſelf) in expreſſing the one, includes the other: When therefore, Rom. 8.3. his ſufferings are expreſſed, his active obedience is alſo included, both therefore are intended, and withall an imputation, without which p. 377they cannot be profitable to us: But ſaith the Author, The Law could not do it; that is, the Law could not deliver from the power of ſin. I anſwer, The Law could not do it of it ſelf, and without the Spirit of Chriſt; but if that divine Spirit take the Law into its hand, and write it in the heart, I ſuppoſe there will be a New Creature: But the Author ſaith, That the righteouſneſs of the Law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit, verſ. 4. How can imputation come in here? What pretty ſence will this make of the Apoſtles argument? I anſwer, The ſence is very clear, the Righteouſneſs of the Law is fulfilled in us, by Chriſt's Righteouſneſs imputed to us; and withall, we to whom that is imputed, walk after the Spirit; the one is our Juſtification, the other our Sanctification: Both the Apoſtle proves to be in Believers, and both conſiſt very well together, as appears from the firſt verſe: There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. The, No condemnation, appertains to Juſtification, and the walking after the Spirit to Sanctification, and both ſtand very well together: As to what p. 378the Author ſaith afterwards, That there was no reaſon to abrogate Moſes's Law, it might have availed to Salvation; as well as the Goſpel, with the ſupplemental righteouſneſs of Chriſt, there might have been an imputed righteouſneſs as well under the Law, as under the Goſpel. I anſwer, That I conceive, that the Moral Law delivered by Moſes, obliges us Chriſtians, as I have before proved; and I ſuppoſe our Church is of that mind too; for I cannot imagine, that ſhe ſhould in her Catechiſm inſtruct Children in an abrogated Law: How there ſhould be an imputed Righteouſneſs without a Goſpel, I know not; it pleaſed God to found the Goſpel upon a foreign, a ſatisfaction, and that cannot be, or be profitable to us without an imputation: The impotency of the Law was, as I noted before, that it could not juſtifie us for want of perfect obedience: But God tranſlated the impletion of the Law upon Chriſt; and his Righteouſneſs being made ours by imputation, the Law is ſaid to be fulfilled in us.

To the ſame purpoſe the Apoſtle diſcourſes, Mr. Sherlock.Rom. 7.4, 5, 6. Wherefore, my Brethren, you alſo are become dead to the Law, by the body of Chriſt, (who p. 379put an end to that imperfect diſpenſation by his death) that you ſhould be married to another, even to him who is raiſed from the dead, that we ſhould bring forth fruit unto God; for when we were in the fleſh, (under that carnal and fleſhly diſpenſation of the Law of Moſes) the motions of ſins, which were by the Law (which grew more boiſterous and unruly by the prohibitions of the Law, verſ. 8.) did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death; That is, did betray us to thoſe wicked actions, which end in death: But now we are delivered from the Law; that being dead, in which we were held, that we ſhould ſerve in newneſs of the Spirit, and not in the oldneſs of the Letter: So that the reaſon why the Law of Moſes was abrogated, was, becauſe it could not make men good, it nurſed them up in a ritual external Religion, taught them to ſerve God in the Letter by Circumciſion, Sacrifices, or external conformity to the Letter of the Law; but the Goſpel of Chriſt alone teacheth us, to worſhip God in the Spirit; to offer a reaſonable Sacrifice to him; to fulfill the foreign, all the internal Righteouſneſs, of which thoſe legal Ceremonies were the Signs and Sacraments: This is the plain meaning of the p. 380Apoſtles, which can never be reconciled with imputed Righteouſneſs, which would make his argument fooliſh and abſurd: Therefore he tells us in other places, what little reaſon we have to be ſo zealous for the Law of Moſes, ſince we have the perfection of it in the Goſpel: what need is there of the circumciſion of the fleſh, which the Law required? When in the Goſpel we have the circumciſion made without hands, foreign, of that fleſhly circumciſion: What need of legal waſhing and purgations? When they are all fulfilled in the waſhing of regeneration, in the Goſpel baptiſm: Thus we are compleat in Christ, who bath perfectly inſtructed us in the will of God, and inſtiluted ſuch a Religion as is the perfection of all Ceremonies, Col. 2. We muſt now offer another Sacrifice, than the Law of Moſes commanded, not the Sacrifices of dead beaſts, but of a living and active ſoul, Rom. 12.

The Apoſtle,Anſwer. Rom. 7. verſ. 4. Shews that we are dead to the Law by the body of Chriſt; that is, by Chriſt crucified, we have remiſſion, and the holy Spirit, and ſo are dead to the curſing and irritating power of the Law, that we might bring forth fruits of holy works to God: Before, when we were in the p. 381fleſh, in our corrupt unregenerate eſtate, the motions of ſin, which were accidentally irritated by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death; that is, to bring forth ſinful actions, which tend to death, verſ. 5. But now ſaith the Apoſtle, we are delivered from the Law, from the curſe and irritating power of it, That being dead wherein we were held, that we ſhould ſerve in newneſs of Spirit, and not in the oldneſs of the Letter, verſ. 6. That is, in thoſe new Divine Prinples, which our ſpirits have from Gods, not in the old nature, which by the outward Letter of the Law is irritated unto ſin: This I think is the ſcope of the Apoſtle, he diſcourſes of the regenerate and unregenerate; the one dead to the Law, the other irritated by it; he diſcourſes not of the difference between thoſe under the Old Teſtament, and thoſe under the New; for the regenerate under the Old Teſtament, were dead to the curſing and irritating Law; they had internal Righteouſneſs, which the Author calls foreign; they had the circumciſion of the heart, Deut. 30.6. which in the Author is the foreign, of the fleſhly circumciſion, they had the law in the heart, p. 382Pſal. 37.31. And by conſequence they had true regeneration, in which (ſaith our Author) all the legal waſhings and purifications are fulfilled; they were not irritated by the Law, but delighted in it, as in their joy, choice, treaſure, hony-comb of ſweetneſs, and what not, as appears in the Pſalms: They ſerved in the newneſs of the Spirit, in new Divine Principles, which they had from the holy Spirit, in the eaſineſs of the New Creature; to which the Will of God is natural: Even in their Rituals and Sacrifices, they knew all muſt be done in newneſs of Spirit, in the exerciſes of internal Graces. The very Heathens themſelves, thought that they were to Sacrifice, Mente candidâ, & expurgatâ conſcientiâ: How much more did the ſervants of God under the Old Teſtament do ſo; they knew, that there were better Sacrifices than the outward ones: Sacrifices of righteouſneſs, Pſal. 4.5. And ſacrifices of a broken ſpirit, Pſal. 50.17. They underſtood, that the heart, the truth in the inward parts, was more than all the reſt: On the other hand, the unregenerate under the New Teſtament, they are in the fleſh; the motions of ſin carry all before them; they have nothing of internal p. 383Righteouſneſs, they are uncircumciſed in heart, as well as in fleſh; they are baptized, yet want the foreign, of regeneration; they are irritated by the Law, their inward malignity ſwells and riſes againſt the holy commands which ſtand in Scripture as ſo many damms and bars to their impetuous luſts: Whatever they do in Evangelical Ordinances, they do all in the oldneſs of the Letter, the Letter, the outward Rule preſſes them to Duty; but there is no inward acting of Faith, no ſuavity of Love or holy Affections; all is done in a dead, dull, flat manner, nothing is minded but the opus operatum, the meer external work. By this we ſee clearly where the difference lies: Its true, the Ceremonials of Moſes were abrogated by Chriſt, but, I ſuppoſe, the Moral Law was not, its own intrinſecal Rectitude and Righteouſneſs immortalizes it ſo, that it ſtands faſter than the Pillars of Heaven and Earth, and muſt be ſo as long as God is God, and Man Man: The Reaſon of Man muſt be bound in duty to point to God as the Primum Verum, and the Will of Man to reſign to him as the Primum Amabile: theſe are Foundations never to be ſhaken: The p. 384foreign, of the Law amounts to ſo much more than the inherent Righteouſneſs of all Saints put together, that it is no were to be found, but in the perfect ſpotleſs obedience of Chriſt; neither can that be made ours but by imputation.

Hence Chriſt is foreign,Mr. Sher-Jock. the end of the Law, the perfection and accompliſhment of it, for Righteouſneſs to them that believe, Rom. 10.4. That is, the Goſpel of Chriſt requires that Rightcouſneſs of us, which the Law did only typifie and repreſent, that holineſs and purity of mind; which is the perfection of all legal Righteouſneſs: For that Christ ſhould be the end of the Law, by imputation of his Righteouſneſs to us, hath no foundation in the Text. The Apoſtle explains what he means by this in the following verſes, where he gives us a deſcription of the righteouſneſs of the Law, and the righteouſneſs of Faith: The righteouſneſs of the Law is an external conformity, to the letter of the Law; the man that doth them ſhall live in them; that is, ſhall enjoy all the Temporal Bleſſings of Canaan, which were promiſed to the obſervance of the Law: But the Righteouſneſs of Faith, is a firm and ſtedfast belief of the Divine Authority of Christ, p. 385that he is the Lord, and more particularly a belief of his Reſurrection from the dead, as the last and great confirmation which God gave to the divinity of Chriſt's Perſon and Doctrine: This is that Faith that overcometh the world, and purifies the heart, and transforms us into the likeneſs of God; which is the perfection of all the ritual righteouſneſs of the Law. Ʋpon this account Chriſt is ſaid to be made to us Righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 1.20. He of God is made to us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption: He is our Wiſdom, as he is our great Prophet who inſtructs us in true Wiſdom; our Righteouſneſs, as we are justified by Faith in him, by a ſincere belief of his Goſpel, which is the only Righteouſneſs acceptable to God; our Sanctification, becauſe the law of the ſpirit of life in him makes us free from the law of ſin and death; our Redemption, as by theſe means he bath delivered us from the bondage of the Jewiſh Law, from the idolatrous Customs of the Heathens, and the tyranny of wicked Spirits, and the wrath of God, which is the merit of ſin.

Chriſt is the end of the Law, Anſwer.even of the Moral Law, and what did that call for? Not external Conformiſty only, p. 386but all Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, and that in pure ſinleſs perfection; this our Faith or inherent Graces, becauſe imperfect, can never amount to: The Law therefore hath its end only in the perfect ſpotleſs Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and, that being made over to Believers by Imputation, Chriſt is truly ſaid to be the end of the Law for righteouſneſs to the believer. The man that doth them ſhall live in them. Rom. 10.5. that is, ſaith the Author, ſhall enjoy the temporal bleſſings of Canaan. Indeed the Racovian Catechiſt will go no further; Nuſquam in Lege Moſis reperies vitam aeternam promiſſam, ſaith he: But we find the Saints in the Old Teſtament fixing their Faith upon eternal Life; My Redeemer liveth, and I ſhall ſee him, ſaith Job, Job. 19.25, and 27. Abraham deſireth a better country, that is, an heavenly, Heb. 11.16. The juſt ſhall live by his faith, Hab. 2.4. which is interpreted of eternal Life, Rom. 1.17. Whoſoever ſhall call on the name of the Lord ſhall be ſaved, Joel 2.32. that is, with eternal Life, as it is applied, Rom. 10.13. Paul ſaid no other things, than the Prophets and Moſes did, Act. 26.22. and yet ſurely he ſpake of eternal Life: Moſes and the Prophets are frequent in promiſing p. 387the Meſſiah, and in him all the Promiſes are contained. Do this and live, is meant of eternal Life; a Curſe, that is eternal Death, is threatned to the violaters of the Law, Gal. 3.10. therefore Life and that eternal is promiſed to the keepers of it. When the Lawyer asked, What ſhall I do to inherit eternal life? our Saviour anſwered him, that he must keep the Law, Luk. 10.25, 28. If the Law did not promiſe eternal Life, then it did not threaten eternal Death, and by conſequence Chriſt, who redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, redeemed us only from a temporal one: But to paſs on. Chriſt of God is made unto us righteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 1.30. that is, ſaith the Author, we are juſtified by Faith in him, by a ſincere belief of his Goſpel: That we are juſtified by Faith in Chriſt, I acknowledge, but not in the Authors ſence; he makes Faith properly and as an Act to juſtifie; he makes the nature of Faith to conſiſt only in a firm aſſent: But I have before proved, that Faith juſtifies as it receives Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs; and that juſtifying Faith,, over and above aſſent, includes in it a fiducial Recumbency. Christ is made to us righteouſneſs one of theſe p. 388two ways, either by the Graces of his holy Spirit imparted to us, or elſe by his perfect Obedience imputed to us; He is not made Righteouſneſs to us by the Graces of his Spirit imparted to us, for with reſpect to theſe he is made Sanctification to us; and Sanctification and Juſtification muſt not be confounded: As we have holy Graces from him to ſanctifie us, ſo we have Righteouſneſs from him to juſtifie us: He is therefore our Righteouſneſs, becauſe his perfect Righteouſneſs by Imputation becomes ours. Bellarmine. ſpeaking of this place, at ſ…interprets it of the inherent Righteouſneſs in us, which comes from Chriſt; but afterwards, as convicted of the truth,De Juſi…. 11.2. cip. 10. he ſaith, Nobis imputari Chriſti juſtitiam & merita, cùm nobis donentur & applicentur, ac ſi nosipſi Deo ſatisfeciſſemus; That the Righteouſneſs and Morits of Chriſt are imputed to us, when they are given and applied to us, as if we our ſelves had ſatiſfied God. Further, our Author upon this Text ſaith, That Christ is our wiſdom, as he is cur Prophet; our Righteouſneſs, as we are juſtified by believing the Goſpel; our Sanctification, as we have the Law of the Spirit of life; and our Redemption, as by theſe means p. 389he hath delivered us. I ſee not what room is left here for the redeeming Blood of Chriſt; nevertheleſs I ſuppoſe the Author meant to include the ſame.

This is the foreign,Mr. Sherlock. the foundation of all other mistakes, that by the Righteouſneſs of the Law, and the Righteouſneſs of Works, most men underſtand an internal Holineſs, and then conclude, That if this Righteouſneſs will not pleaſe God, nothing but an imputed Righteouſneſs can; though I ſhould rather have concluded that nothing can: But the truth is, the Righteouſneſs of the Law and of Works in the New Teſtament ſignifies only an external Righteouſneſs, which cannot pleaſe God; and that internal Holineſs, which they call the Righteouſneſs of the Law, is that very Righteouſneſs of Faith, which the Goſpel commands, and which God approves and rewards, and this imputed Righteouſneſs is no where to be found, that I know of, but in their own Fancies.

The Righteouſneſs of the Law and of Works in the New Testament ſignifies only an external Righteouſneſs: Anſwer.Thus the Author: And yet before the Author quoting that Text, Rom. 8. That the righteouſneſs of the Law might he p. 390fulfilled in us, interprets it of internal holineſs in us: I confeſs it is not meant of our internal Holineſs; but neither doth it ſignifie external Righteouſneſs only: The righteouſneſs of the Law, Phil. 3.6. doth by the circumſtances of the Text intend only an external Righteouſneſs; but the righteouſneſs of the Law, ver. 9. reaches to an internal one; for, as I before noted, the Apoſtles ſpeech there is progreſſive, and expreſſes more than it did before. The Works of converted Abraham are excluded from Juſtification, Rom. 4.2. and yet ſurely they were more than external ſhadows; By the works of the law ſhall no fleſh be juſtified, Gal. 2.16. not only the Phariſee with his external Righteouſneſs, but no fleſh, not the holieſt man on earth ſhall be juſtified by the works of the Law. The Law in the New Teſtament plainly calls for internal Holineſs; it is a holy, juſt, good, ſpiritual Law, forbidding Concupiſcence, the very firſt riſings and imperfect births of Corruption, Rom. 7. commanding the love of God with all the Heart, Soul and Mind, Matth. 22.37. And therefore it would be very ſtrange, if the Righteouſneſs or the Works of this Law (which is p. 391repreſented in the New Teſtament as a divine ſpiritual Law) ſhould in the ſame New Teſtament ſignifie no more than external Righteouſneſs, no more than the meer ſhell or outward ſuperficies of true Sanctity, and that too in Epiſtles written not to Jews or Phariſees, who hung about the Letter of the Law, but to the Romans, Galatians, Philippians, who, I ſuppoſe, underſtood it better: They could not but ſee ſome hints of inward Purity in the Books of Pagan Philoſophers; and it is inimaginable, that they ſhould look for leſs in the Law of God: Though the Phariſees, who had only an external Righteouſneſs themſelves, conſtrued that Law, according to their Model; yet why the believing Romans, Galatians, Philippians, who had internal Graces in themſelves, ſhould do ſo, I ſee no reaſon: Neither is it to me credible, that the Romans, who in the Epiſtle to them had the pure Spirituality of the Law ſet before them, ſhould ever conſtrue the Righteouſneſs or Works of the Law mentioned in that Epiſtle to be only external. As for internal Holineſs, God indeed approves of it, but not as that which is the matter of our Righteouſneſs in Juſtification.

p. 392Let us now conſider in what ſence the Apoſtle oppoſes his own Righteouſneſs to the Righteouſneſs of God; Mr. Sherlockand there is no great difficulty in this; for the Apoſtle tells us, that by his own Righteouſneſs he means the Righteouſneſs of the Law, and by the Righteouſneſs of God the Righteouſneſs of Faith; and what that is you have already heard: Thus in Rom. 10.3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteouſneſs, and going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, have not ſubmitted to the righteouſneſs of God: Where, their own Righteouſneſs, which the Jews ſo obſtinately adhered to, was the Righteouſneſs of the Law; and the Righteouſneſs of God, which they were ignorant of, and would not ſubmit to, was the Righteouſneſs of Faith: For this was the great Controverſie between the Jews and Apoſtles (which is the Subject of this Epiſtle) Whether men were to be juſtified by the Law of Moſes, or by the Goſpel of Chriſt, by a Legal or Evangelical Righteouſneſs, as appears from Rom. 9.3. Iſrael, who followed after 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; that is, The Iſraelites, p. 393who purſued ſo earnestly after Righteouſneſs, are excluded from Righteouſneſs or forgiveneſs of ſins, and are under a Curſe, becauſe they did not look for Righteouſneſs and Justification in the way, which God preſcribed, which is by Faith in Chriſt or by Chriſtianity, but by the obſervance of the Law of Moſes. Now the most obvious reaſon, why the Righteouſneſs of the Law is called their own Righteouſneſs, and the Righteouſneſs of Faith Gods Righteouſneſs, is, becauſe this Legal Righteouſneſs was a way of Juſtification, not of Gods appointment, but their own chuſing; God never deſigned that any man ſhould be juſtified to eternal Life by obſerving the Law of Moſes, but yet they confidently expected Juſtification by that Law, and for that reaſon rejected the Goſpel of Christ: But the Righteouſneſs of Faith is a Righteouſneſs of God's chuſing, this he approves and accepts of for the Juſtification of a ſinner: By this the Elders obtained a good report; by this Enoch and Noah and Abraham were juſtified before God: And therefore this may well be called the Righteouſneſs of God, becauſe this he appointed, and this he will own and reward.

Our own Righteouſneſs is, I confeſs,Anſwer. p. 394the Righteouſneſs of the Law, and the Righteouſneſs of God is a Righteouſneſs by Faith, or through Faith, becauſe Faith receives it, but it is not Faith it ſelf; The righteouſneſs of God is reveiled from faith to faith, Rom. 1.17. Were Faith it ſelf the Righteouſneſs of God, the words muſt amount to no more than this; Faith is reveiled from Faith to Faith. We are made the righteouſneſs of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. and who ever conſtrued thoſe words thus, We are made Faith in him? Faith is inherent in our ſelves, but the Righteouſneſs of God is in Chriſt, who is Jehovah our Righteouſneſs. The Jews went about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, Rom. 10.3. but it doth not appear, that that was a meer external one; we find, that they had a zeal of God, Ver. 2. which ſurely was internal. Zeal is a mixture of Love and Anger: They had, at leaſt in pretence, a love to God and his Glory; and an anger at the Chriſtian Faith, as ſuppoſing it an enemy to God and his Law. All the Jews were not Phariſees, nor did they ſtick meerly in the Letter or husk of external Righteouſneſs; the Scribe could ſay, That the love of God with all the heart, was more than all burnt-offerings p. 395and ſacrifices, Mark 12.33. and ſome Jewiſh Rabbins ſay, That the heart of man anſwers to the holy place; there a place muſt be made for the Shecinah, the divine Majesty to dwell in, and it muſt be the holy of Holies. No queſtion the Jews, at leaſt ſome of them, did know, that there muſt be ſome inward Sanctity; but ſtill they ſtuck in their own Righteouſneſs, they would not ſubmit to be juſtified by the Righteouſneſs of another. Our inherent Graces, as before I noted, are called our own in Scripture, but never the Righteouſneſs of God; that is not our own but anothers, that is, Chriſt's, and made ours only by Imputation. Iſrael followed after righteouſneſs, but attained not to the Law of righteouſneſs; wherefore? Becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the Law, Rom. 9.31. they attained not to the Law of Righteouſneſs: Had the Righteouſneſs of the Law been only an external one, they might have reached it; but the Law called for all Righteouſneſs and that in pure ſinleſs perfection, and that they attained not, becauſe they ſought it not in Chriſt, in whom perfect Righteouſneſs is, but in themſelves, where p. 396it could not be found: But to go on, God never deſigned that any man ſhould be justified to eternal life, by obſerving the Law of Moſes: So the Author: Its true, God never intended to juſtifie us fallen Creatures by our own Righteouſneſs, or by the Righteouſneſs of the Law performed by us: But if (as the Author told us before) Abel and Enoch were juſtified by a belief of the Principles of natural Religion: If Noah was juſtified by believing the Deluge; if Abraham was juſtified by believing the particular Revelations made to him, why might not the Jews be juſtified by believing the Law of Moſes? Abraham and all the good men in thoſe days were juſtified by ſuch a firm belief of the Being and Providence of God, and the partcular Revelations made to them, as made them careful in all things to pleaſe God: Thus the Author, pag. 255. Why might not Jews before the Incarnation of Chriſt be juſtified by ſuch a firm belief of the Law of Moſes, as made them careful to pleaſe God? The Law of Moſes was a Revelation too, in its Morals pointing out a perfect Sanctity and Righteouſneſs; and in its Typicals aiming at Chriſt, the body and ſubſtance of them all.

p. 397There is one Metaphorical expreſſion ſtill behind, Mr. Sherlock.The unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Eph. 3.8. Where by the unſearchable riches of Chriſt is meant the Goſpel: The Apoſtle calls it unſearchable riches, becauſe the grace of the Goſpel is not a narrow ſtinted thing, not confined to a particular Nation, as the Law was, but is offered to all mankind: The Goſpel contains thoſe glorious diſcoveries of Gods goodneſs to all mankind, as may well be called the riches of his Grace: And is it not a great violation of the Majeſty of Scripture, to ſport and toy with words and metaphors, as ſome men with this riches of Grace? That he is rich, becauſe he hath a rich dowry,Brooks riches of Chriſt. having all the world given him, that he keeps open houſe, and maintains all the Creation, that he doth enrich all the Saints, and all of the Saints, their Underſtandings with glorious light, their Conſciences with quickneſs, &c. that he after all this vaſt expence is never the poorer, that he is rich in Houſes, Lands (though he had not a place whereon to lay his head) Gold, Silver, Temporals, Spirituals, that he is the great Lord and owner of all: Theſe are ſine things to perſwade young women to accept of Chriſt for their Husband.

p. 398By the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Anſwer.I ſuppoſe, are meant the infinite merits of Chriſt; the Goſpel is the Charter of them, but no more his riches, than the Deeds and Evidences are the Lands and Mannors, which they convey: The merits of Chriſt are an infinite inexhauſtable Treaſure, and that becauſe the fulneſs of the Godhead dwells in him: But, I hope, no man will ſay, that the fulneſs of the Godhead dwells in the Goſpel: I ſee nothing of ſport or toying in the words of Mr. Brook, but very ſober and excellent truth: Though our Saviour had not Houſes or Lands here, yet he promiſes an hundred-fold to thoſe which forſake them for his names ſake: That of the young women, I paſs by as a toy, which poſſibly may gratifie ſome fancies, more than they do mine.