Jehovah Our Righteousness, Sermon 2 (3 of 4)
3d. Ʋſe. Examine your ſelves, whether you can truly call Jehovah by this ſweet and comfortable Name: Is he your Righteouſneſs? Are you inveſted with this Righteouſneſs, and diſcharged from your Sins? Put theſe following Queſtions to your ſelves for Trial.
1. Did you ever come to your ſelves? Luke 15.17. Did you ever feel your ſelves to be bound with Cords of Guilt, laden with Iniquity, ready to ſink into the Bottomleſs Pit. Men muſt be Condemned before they are Juſtified; be caſt down, before they are lifted up; apply the Curſe to themſelves, before they apply the Bleſſing; hear the Sentence of Death denounced againſt them by the Law, before they partake of Juſtification of Life by the Goſpel: as the World was firſt without the Law, and then the Iſraelites were under the Law, and then Chriſt came with Righteouſneſs and Peace. So every Juſtified Sinner is firſt without the Law: he is alive, and full of hopes, becauſe he is without the Law, Rom. 7.9. he knows not the Spirituality of the Commands of the Law, nor the Severity of its Threatnings; he hath a Calm, and Peace, becauſe he never imputed his Numerous ſins to himſelf, or bound his Heinous Iniquities on himſelf. The Soul is a dead Sea, without motion towards God, and yet is a calm and quiet Sea, without dread, and fear of God. But when God intends good to the Soul, firſt the Commandment comes, Rom. 7.9. and then Sin Revives; and a Storm is raiſed in the Soul: but, in due time, Faith comes, Gal. 3.25. and then the Soul is calmed, and quieted, being Juſtified by Faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 5.1. If you were nevere burdened, you cannot be eaſed; if you were never broken, you cannot be bound up; if you were never mourners, you cannot be Comforted; if you never taſted the bitterneſs of Sin, you cannot taſt the ſweetneſs of the Grace of Chriſt, and experience his purifying Blood, and his reviving Righteouſneſs: If you are Juſtified, How did you come by Pardon, and Peace? Can you call them Naphtali, that you got them by wreſtling? It is ſaid, Iſrael ſhall be Juſtified, and ſaved, Iſa. 45.17. laſt. Jacob wreſtled with the Angel for a Bleſſing: his Conſcience might accuſe him for Fraud and Lying in procuring the Bleſſing from blind Iſaac, yet he held the Angel faſt, (ſaid he) and would not let him go except he did Bleſs him, Gen. 32.26. And for this his Name was changed, and he was called Iſrael, Gen. 32.28. When we find Sin ſtirring in us, when Conſcience accuſes, the Law curſes; God, according to the firſt Covenant, condemns; To Believe on Chriſt for Righteouſneſs, is, as Peter's walking on the Sea in a ſtorm. If we have ever felt the ſmart of our wounds, the Schorching heat of God's Wrath, the Burning Poyſon of the old Serpent in our Conſciences; If … were ever arreſted, arraigned, condemned, ſhut up, ſurely in the anguiſh of your Souls you have cryed out, (We are deſtitute of Righteouſneſs; and where ſhall we find it? we have contracted guilt, and provoked Wrath, And where ſhall we be Found?
2. Were you ever divorced from, and dead to the Law, and Covenant of Works as your Firſt Husband, and then Married to Chriſt? we are firſt joined to the Law, and the Covenant of Works, as our Firſt Husband; and it makes us a jointure of Life upon condition of perfect Obedience. The Apoſtle compares the Law to a Husband, but the froward Heart of Man is not ſubject to this Husband. The more the Commands of the Law are urged on it, the more it contradicts, and Rebels. The motions of Sin are ſaid to be by the Law, Rom. 7.5. but the Fruits of Righteouſneſs are by Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 1.11. The Law cannot Sanctifie, or Juſtifie us; this is the foreign, Rom. 8.3. the thing that is impoſſible to the Law. Have you therefore been divorced from, and become dead to the Law, Rom. 7.4. as it is a Covenant of Works? Have you deſpaired of finding righteouſneſs in your ſelves, and of obtaining a Bleſſing from the Law, and ſo have looked, and fled to Jeſus Chriſt †Heb. 12.24., as thoſe that have been purſued by ſin and the wrath of Ged? Paul ſaith, Gal. 2.16. Knowing that a Man is not Juſtified by the Works of the Law, but by the Faith of Chriſt, Even we have Believed in Jeſus Chriſt, that we might be Juſtified by the Faith of Chriſt, and not by the Works of the Law: For by the Works of the Law ſhall no Fleſh be Juſtified.
3. Are you Sanctified? Juſtification, and Sanctification always go together: as in the Natural Body, the Blood, and Spirits do flow out together; ſo the Blood and Spirit of Chriſt are always joined, John 19.34. Blood and Water Signifiing the Spirit came together out of Chriſt's Side. He comes by Water and Blood, 1 John 5.6. elſe he would be but half and imperfect Saviour: As the ſame day that the Waters went off form the Earth, and were gathered into the Sea; the Earth was adorned with Graſs, Herbs, Flowers, Trees, Gen. 9.11. So when a deluge of Wrath goeth off from the Soul, it is preſented, adorned with the grace of the Spirit, and called a Tree of Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 61.2 Thoſe that are Juſtified in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, are alſo Juſtified by the Spirit of our God, 1 Cor. 6.11. If God Loves the Soul, he makes it Lovely; If Chriſt waſhes you, he alſo makes you Kings, and Prieſts, Revel. 1.5, 6. You are no longer Vaſſals to your Luſts, but, as Kings, rule in your own Hearts. You check vain thoughts, control vile affections, ſubdue and yield your Spirits to God. You alſo are Prieſts, firſt offering up your ſelves, and then offering up Prayers and Praiſes to God. Under Chriſt's Prieſthood of Attonement, there Springs up another Prieſthood of Gratitude, and Thankſgiving. As on Chriſt, the Altar, God preſents the Fleſh, and Blood of Jeſus, as Suſtenance to us; So on the ſame Altar we offer our Souls, and Bodies, and all Spiritual performances, as precious Sacrifices to God. Juſtification is joined with ſtrength to reſiſt, and overcome Sin, Iſa. 45.24. Surely ſhall one ſay, in the Lord I have Righteouſneſs and ſtrength. Jeſus at once, Satisfied for Sin, and alſo curcified our old Man, Rom. 6.6. Chriſt ruined the Natural Life of the Firſt Adam, he deſtroyed that Life and Body that is the Subject of Sin; and the Members by which it is executed. The animal Life is a great Temptation to Sin: we are enticed by the Pleaſures, Profits, and Honours that belong to it. Chriſt therefore aboliſhed it, as an imperfect Life in himſelf, that he might deſtroy it as a Sinful Life in us. He pulled away the Earth in which this weed growes, and pulled down (as Sampſon) the very houſe in which our Luſts, as Spiritual Philiſtines dwell, as the firſt Adam's corrupt Nature paſſes with the guilt of Adam's firſt Sin, ſo the new Nature of Jeſus Chriſt, paſſeth to Souls together with his Righteouſneſs: In the ſame Teſtament that Chriſt doth diſpoſe Remiſſion of Sins, he doth alſo Bequeath a new Heart, Ezek. 36.25, 26. If God blots Sins out of his Book, he will write his Laws alſo in our Hearts. If he Reverſe the Sentence of Death paſſed on us, he will breath the Spirit of Life into us. Thoſe that are ſprinkled with Chriſt's Blood, are Redeemed from all Iniquity, and conſecrated to God. As a Redeemed People, they are obliged to be firſt Fruits to God, Revel. 14.4. and as a Regenrated People, they are enabled to be Firſtfruits to God, Jam. 1.18. Where Chriſt waſhes with his Blood, he doth alſo anoint with his Spirit.
Are we adopted? John 1.12. Have we power, and right to be called the Sons of the living God? Hoſ. 1.10. Are we the Children of the Lord Almighty? 2 Cor. 6. laſt. Juſtification is alwayes attended with Adoption. Thoſe that receive a white ſtone, that is, are abſolved, acquitted, Juſtified from all their Sins, they have alſo in this white Stone a new Name, Revel. 2.17. What is this new Name, but the Name of a Child of God? Adoption is an Amplification of our Juſtification. We are not only pronounced as Righteous, and owned as Friends; but reputed and accepted as Sons, and Daughters: are nearly Related, and greatly endeared to God. Are you the Children of God not by Hagar, the Bond Woman, but by Sarah, the Free Woman? Do you ſerve with a free Spirit, and not as ſlaves, that have no delight in God, and could wiſh his Law were totally abrogated?
5. Do you love God and Chriſt? Luk. 7.47. She loved much, becauſe much was Forgiven her. When great debts are Remitted, Heinous crimes are Pardoned, deep Spots and Stains are fetched out, this calls for higheſt, and hotteſt Love: He that covereth Tranſgeſſions ſeeketh. Love, Prov. 17.9. Then ſurely God and Chriſt have ſought our Love, by covering our Sins, Pſal. 32.1, 2. Our Iniquities are many ways aggravated, and ſo are of a Scarlet, and Crimſon Dye, Iſa. 1.18. And for this deep dye to be waſhed and fetched out; and for them to become as white as Snow and Wool, this is wonderful Mercy; For a Sinner to be as much accepted with God, as if he had never Offended, and Tranſgreſſed: Our Sins as Commited againſt God are Talents, and as they have been multiplied, 'tis a debt of Ten Thouſand Talents; and for this whole debt to be freely Forgiven, 2 Col. 13. And for the Blood of Chriſt to be the clean Water to purge away Sin, Ezek. 36.25. Revel. 1.5. this muſt needs warm, and inlarge the Heart, heighten and inflame the affections towards God. If you do not give your Hearts to God, if you do not ſet your Love on Chriſt, it is a plain Sign that you have not Taſted of the Grace of God, or experienced the Kindneſs of Chriſt in Forgiving your Sins.
6. What free acceſs have you to God, and what joy and Delight have you in him? Are your Conſciences ſo perfected, that is, ſo perfectly purged, that you dare to draw nigh to God, and that with confidence? Heb. 7.19. Heb. 10.19. It is a great thing to have boldneſs to enter into the Holieſt Place, and to approach to the Higheſt Majeſty, Heb. 12.23. Jiſus Chriſt died to bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. Dare we to come to God the Judge of all, as being aſſured he will not Condemn us? Heb. 12.23. Do we rejoyce in God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, having now received the Atonement? Rom. 5.11. Do we rejoyce in what God is to us, in what he hath done for us, and in what he farther deſigns towards us? Can we Feaſt on Mount Ebal, Deut. 27.7.13, 14, 15. where the Curſes were Proclaimed? Can we there Triumph, becauſe Chriſt Jeſus hath redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, by being made a Curſe for us? Gal. 3.13. Are we ſo Juſtified in the Lord as to glory? Iſa. 45. laſt. In the Lord ſhall all the Seed of Iſrael be Juſtified, and Glory: Can you Glory over all Accuſers, and Accuſations? Do you glory in the Perſon in whom, and in the Righteouſneſs by which you are Juſtified? there is no exception againſt the Perſon that Juſtifieth, and there is no flaw or defect in the Righteouſneſs that is imputed: Surely ſhall one ſay in the Lord I have Righteouſneſs; ſo it is in the Hebrew, foreign, There is a full and compleat Righteouſneſs in Chriſt: as Chriſt Riſing from the dead did carry away our Sins, ſo he propagates a new Nature to the Redeemed. Is our Juſtification matter of greateſt joy to us? Iſa. 61.10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in my God, for he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteouſneſs.
7. Do you much Praiſe and Bleſs God for Reconciling, and Pardoning of you? Pſal. 103.12.3. Bleſs the Lord O my Soul, and all that is within me Bleſs his Holy Name—who forgiveth all thine iniqutites. O Lord I will Praiſe thee, For thou waſt angry with me, but thine anger is turned away, and thou doſt comfort me, Iſa. 12.1. In the times of the Goſpel it is ſaid, Men ſhall ſhew forth the Praiſes of the Lord, Iſa. 60.6. The time of the Goſpel is as a Pleaſant and Delightful Spring; The Winter is paſt, the Rain is over and gone, the time of the Singing of Birds is now come, Cant. 2.11, 12. The Spring is (as it were) a mediator between the extreme cold of Winter, and the exceſſive heat of Summer, and ſo is a fit Emblem of the times of the Goſpel in which Chriſt is Revealed as a Mediator between us that are ſo cold, as deſtitute of the Love of God, and God that is a conſuming Fire to Sinners, and therefore this is a fit ſeaſon for the Singing of Birds. Juſtified Souls will ſing Praiſes to God that heals their Backſlidings; and to Jeſus Chriſt that is their Righteouſneſs and Ranſom: The Redeemed of the Lord ſhall return to Zion with Songs, Iſa. 35. laſt. Though the Ark was heavy laden with Noah his Family, all the Birds, Beaſts, living creatures, and ſuitable Food for them that was laid up in the Ark, yet it did not ſink, but was born up by the Waters; ſo what matter of Praiſe is it, that we that are heavy laden with Iniquity are born up by the blood of Chriſt, and do not ſink into Predition? We are guilty Creatures, our mouths are ſtopt as we are Sinners, Rom. 3.19. But, O! what a wonderful and amazing change is this, that we ſhould be ſo Juſtified by the Grace of God, and thorugh the Redemption of Chriſt, that the mouths of Spiritual Enemies, and accuſers are ſtopt? Rom. 8.33, 34. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect, it is God that Juſtifieth? Who ſhall condemn, it is Jeſus Chriſt that hath died? Our Lips were ſealed up with Guilt; now the mouths of Accuſers are ſtopt by Chriſt's Satisfaction, And ſhall not our Lips be opened, and our Tongues looſed, to Sing aloud of God's Grace, and of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs?
8. Are we willing to go out of this World, to die, and to be with God, and Jeſus Chriſt? thoſe that are Juſtified have Peace with God, and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God, Rom. 5.1, 2. Thoſe that are in a Storm do dread the Shore, leaſt they ſhould be Shipwrackt; but they that have good weather do deſire it. Tho' Condemned Sinners ſhall be caſt away on the Shores of a miſerable Eternity: yet Juſtified Souls ſhall be landed ſafe in the Harbour of a bleſſed Eternity. When others paſs into the Priſon, Juſtified Perſons enter into the Palace of God. When the Tares are reaped for the Furnace, Believers are reaped for, and gathered into the Garner, Matth. 3.12. Will Juſtified Perſons ſhun the Glorious Preſenc of God, or ſlaviſhly dread his Tribunal? Shall Pardoned and Adopted Perſons be afraid to go home to their Father, and be put into the poſſeſſion of their Heavenly Inheritance? Are you therefore willing to be abſent from the Body, and to be preſent with the Lord? 2 Cor. 5, 6, 8. It is a great thing to be willing to part with the Body, that is one half of us, to leave it in the dark Chamber of the Grave, to feed Worms, to crumble to Duſt, to ſleep for a long Night, till the Morning of the Reſurrection. Yet Paul ſaith, We are always confident, and willing to be abſent from the Body, and to be preſent with the Lord. The ſight of Chriſt's Face, the enjoyment of his Glory, is more to me, then Union with the Body. Can you therefore conquer the Fears of Death? Are you willing to leave your place on Earth, to enjoy the Place prepared for you in Heaven? to put off the Rags of Mortality, that you may be clothed with the Robes of Glory? to quit your Tabernacle for a Heavenly Houſe?
4. Ʋſe. O! deſire earneſtly, and ſeek diligently to partake of this Righteouſneſs of Chriſt.
2. If you are intereſted in it, if Jehova be your Righteouſneſs, O be thankful for it.
1. O ſeek that Jehovah may be your Righteouſneſs: For the proſecuting of this Firſt Branch of the Uſe of Exhortation, I ſhall do two things. 1. I ſhall lay down ſome Motives to quicken, and urge you to ſeek an Intereſt in Chriſt's Righteouſneſs. 2. I ſhall lay down ſome Directions how you may partake of, and be Inveſted with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt.
1. Conſider the great want, and need you have of this Righteouſneſs.
1. In your Natural State, you are far from Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 46. Ye ſtouthearted, that are far from Righteouſneſs: and, You are free from Righteouſneſs, Rom. 6.20. that is, a Carnal Man hath nothing to do with it: they are not under the Empire, Dominion and Command of it. Men are dead Trees, and therefore can bring forth no good fruit; but they are corrupt Trees, and are laded with evil Fruit. As they are alienated from the Life of God, they cannot act for him, or pleaſe him, Epheſ. 4.8. Rom. 8.8. but as they have a Carnal Life, they cannot act againſt him, and walk contrary to him. Mens thoughts are evil from their youth, Gen. 8.21. yea, they are born fleſh, John 3.6. yea, the Holy Ghoſt goes one ſtep farther, In ſin they are conceived, in iniquity they are ſhapen, Pſal. 51.5. they are not only idle, and do not work, Matth. 20.6. but they are dead, and cannot work for God, 2 Col. 13. A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit, Matth. 7.17, 18. The carnal mind is enmity to God, it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; they that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God, Rom. 8.8. A Natural Man is ſo far from being Sanctified by his Religious Services, that he pollutes them all, Hag. 2.14, 15. The Sacrifice of the Wicked, that is, his beſt Actions, and the way of the Wicked, that is, his common Actions, are both an Abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8, 9. The Law will not acknowledge in, or allow to an Unconverted Man one good Work, Rom. 3.20. by the Law comes only the knowledge of ſin. The Scripture, that is the Law, hath concluded all, foreign, all things of an Unregenerate Man under Sin: all done by him, all that flows from him: all the Thoughts, Intentions, Affections, Words and Actions of ſuch. The Mind is darkneſs, Epheſ. 5.8. And can a blind Archer aim right at the Mark? The Heart is Whoriſh, Ezek. 6.9. And will a Whoriſh Heart love God, or direct any action to pleaſe him? Can a corrupt Fountain ſend forth ſweet waters? Men, till Regenerate, do nothing elſe but ſin: the Plague of the Heart infects all; the Leproſie of the Soul defiles all that a Man doth, 1 Kings 8.38. as a Fountain caſts forth its water, ſo they caſt forth their wickedneſs, Jer. 6.7. The whole Life of Men is curſed barrenneſs, or wicked fruitfulneſs. Chriſt is ſaid to be the Lamb of God, that takes away the ſin of the World, 1 John 29. it is expreſſed in the ſingular number, the ſin of the World; to Note, and ſignifie to us, that the whole Life of an Unregenerate Man is one continued ſin: wholly a courſe of Enmity, Provocations and Rebellions againſt God, Zech. 3.3, 4▪ We have that expreſſion, Take away the filthy garments. This Notes, that all the acts of an Unregenerate Man are filthy, and only filthy Garments. They are all over defiled, and therefore wholly to be taken away. But the expreſſion is otherwiſe concerning the Saints, that they waſhed their Garments white in the blood of the Lamb, Revel. 7.14. the Garments were not wholy caſt off, or put away, but waſhed. There was ſome good in them, and yet they had Spots, and Stains to be waſhed out. This is the difference between an Unregenerate, and a Regenerate Man, that an Unregenerate Man needs to be dipt wholy into the Red-Sea of the Blood of Chriſt. All is corrupt, and defiled: he needs a general Pardon for his whole Life, for all his Thoughts, Words and Actions. But as Chriſt ſaith to Peter, A Believer that is waſhed, needeth not to ſave to waſh his Feet; but is clean every whit, as one that hath been in a Bath, and there waſhed his whole Body; yet, as he comes out, and walks to his Lodging, he may defile his Feet, and need to waſh them. Believers need not Pardons for their whole State, as the Unregenerate have; but for their particular Failings, and Defects in their Actions.
2. All your Sins are Recorded till you are Juſtified. They are Written in God's Book; Behold it is written before me, Iſa. 65.6. The Great King Writes the Chronicle of all his Subjects, and of all their Thoughts, Words and Actions throughout the World, and all Ages. That muſt needs be an Infinite Mind that can Know, and Remember ſo many things. Mens Iniquity is ſaid to be Written, ſo to be marked before God, Jer. 2.22. and there is a Counter-part of this Record kept in the Sinner's own Conſcience, Jer. 17.1. The ſin of Judah is graven with a Pen of Iron, and the point of a Diamond. But where? It is anſwered, In the Table of their heart. From hence the ſin did flow, and hither did the guilt of it return. When a ſin is committed, and when a Debt is contracted, Conſcience keeps the Bond, and, in due time, will bring it forth, and joyn with the Judge in his Charge and Accuſation. Conſcience is now loaded with dead Works, yet ſtupid Sinners do not feel it; a Mountain of Guilt is upon them, yet they are not ſenſible of it. Sinners cannot croſs God's Book, or Cancel their own Bond: but the time is at hand, when the Guilt of Sin will revive, when Men ſhall taſte the bitterneſs, and feel the burthen of their Iniquities.
3. Till Chriſt becomes your Righteouſneſs, your Souls are ſhamefully naked, Revel. 3.17. As Men are poor, they are void of an Inherent Righteouſneſs; and, as they are naked, they are deſtitute of an imputed Righteouſneſs: they have nothing to Cloath the Soul, or hide its Sins. God's eye is a pure eye, Habb. 1.13. and a glorious eye, Iſa. 3.8▪ But how do Mens ſins offend this pure, and affront this glorious eye of God? What a Loathſome, Hateful and Abominable Creature is a Soul deprived of the Image of God, and depraved after the Image of Satan. Thy bodily nakedneſs would be abhorred by Men; And will not thy Soul-nakedneſs be more deteſted by God? How naked is the Mind without the Knowledge of God? And how naked is the Will without the Love of God? the Image of God is the Glorious Cloathing of the Soul; the want of this Image is the ſhameful nakedneſs of the Soul. Till the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is ſpread over the Soul, the Glorious Image of God is not put on it.
4. Till we are Juſtified there is a Breach between God and us; and this Breach ſtands open, and we need a Mediator to ſtand in this Breach, Pſal. 106.23. When the Wall of our Innocency is broken, we are expoſed to the Inrodes and Invaſions of Revenging Juſtice. Sin makes a large and wide breach between God and us; God, as an Enemy, may enter at this Breach to deſtroy us; a deluge of Wrath and Miſery may pour in at it, to overwhelm us. None can ſtand in this Breach but Jeſus Chriſt, as a living Advocate: and nothing can ſtop this Breach but the Dead Body of the Son of God. If the Sea makes a Breach in the Banks of Holland, the Law of the Countrey encourages them to throw Beds, or any other of their valuable Goods into the Breach to ſtop it, and they ſhall be recompenſed for them. Sin hath made a Breach, and nothing but the Precious Life of the Son of God could ſtop this Breach. The awakened Sinner conſiders how he ſhall appear before God; he inquires whether he muſt not bring and offer the Fruit of his Body for the Sin of his Soul, Mic. 6.6, 7. this is indeed chargeable, to offer to ſtop the Breach with the Sacrifice of a Child. But this is but vain; For, it is not our Firſt-born, but God's only Begotten Son, that muſt ſtop, and fill up this Breach, John 3.17, 18.
5. There is a dreadful ſtorm that in the Cloud of the Threatning hangs over the heads of Sinners, Pſal. 11, 6. God will Rain Snares, Fire, Brimſtone, and a horrible Tempeſt on the wicked, this ſhall be the portion of their Cup. This Cup ſhall duplicate page duplicate page come to their lips; this ſtorm ſhall fall on their Souls. If God Rains, the ſtorm muſt needs be Terrible, Gen. 7.4. I will Rain, ſo it is in the Hebrew. This intimates this Rain ſhould be extraordinary; it ſhould fall with great voilence; it ſhould not be as an ordinary Rain, that is, as a gentle ſweat through the pores of the Clouds; but now the Windows of Heaven ſhould be opened, Gen. 7.11. The Sinners of the old World did not believe that God had ſuch vaſt Treaſures of Waters in the Clouds, ſo, ſecure Tranſgreſſours do not now Credit that there are ſuch Treaſures of Wrath laid up to puniſh them; and as the Fountains of the great deep were then broken up, Gen. 7.11. So theſe depths of Guilt, and Terrour that are in Conſcience will one day be broken up. If God Rains, the ſtorm is inevitable: He Rains Snares, that as Sinners cannot hinder this ſtorm form above, ſo they cannot fly from it below. If God Rains Fire and Brimſton, the ſtorm will be Eternal, the Cloud of God's anger will never be wearied or waſted. If Chriſt be not Mens Paſſover, 1 Cor. 5.7. They or their Sins connot be paſſed by, or paſſed over, Micah 7.18.19. If their Sins did not fall on Chriſt, they muſt come down on their own heads, Pſal. 68.21. Though by reaſon of unbelief, God's Judgements are now far above, out of the ſight of Sinners, Pſal. 10.5. yet their Eyes ſhall ſee their deſtruction, and they ſhall drink of the Wrath of the Almighty, Job. 21.20. The long, and large Roll of the Curſe will in due time fly to them, Ezek, 52.2, 3, 4, and then will ſtay, and lie upon them for ever, Deut. 29.20. All the Curſes in this Book ſhall lye upon him.
6. All the Sins of Men are as ſo many Evidences and Witneſſes againſt Tranſgreſſors; theſe Evidences are preſerved, and kept ſafe; their Sins are hid, that they may not be loſt, Hoſ. 13.12. The Iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his Sin is hid. Their Iniquity is bound up, that in due time it may be bound on them: their Sin is ſo hid, that it ſhall be found, brought forth, and charged on them. As the Depoſitions of Witneſſes, and the Confeſſions of Criminals are ſowed up, and ſealed up in a bag to be produced at the Trial of an Offender; ſo are the Sins of Men, Job 14.17. So many Sins as Men have committed, and are unpardoned, ſo many witneſſes have they provided againſt the day of their Trial. Jer. 14.7. O Lord our Iniquities teſtifie againſt us. Read Iſa. 59.12. Our Sins are not only as dead records, but as living witneſſes; not only as matter of accuſation, but as accuſers; they cry to Heaven to kindle wrath againſt us, and pluck down vengeance on us, Gen. 18.20, 21. Sodom's Sins did cry to Heaven againſt it. Little do Sinners think that they are daily filling Gods Book with complaints, and accuſations, and filling his Treaſury with Wrath, and piling up Fuel to burn, and Torment themſelves. It is nothing elſe but the ſpeaking Blood of Chriſt, that can ſtop the mouths of theſe witneſſes, and ſilence the clamours of their Sins.
7. Every Sin deſerves Eternal death, Rom. 6. laſt. Death is foreign, the wages of Sin. The word ſignifies Soldiers wages, Luke 3.14. They that cleave to Satan, as their General, that ſtay in his Tents, Fight on his ſide againſt God, ſhall have Eternal death as wages paid to them. Tribulation is due to the Body, Anguiſh to the Soul and Conſcience of every Tranſgreſſor, Rom. 2.9. God will repay fury, Iſa. 59.18. he will render anger to his adverſaries, Iſa. 66.15.
8. Conſider there is Judgement to come, Heb. 6.2. God ſeeth all Mens Provocations, Hoſ. 5.3. Prov. 15.3. Jer. 13. laſt. And he will be a ſwift witneſs againſt them, Mal. 3.5. God hath not in vain Regiſtred the Sins of Men, the Book of God, and the Eye of the Soul ſhall be opened, no Sin ſhall be forgotten, Amos 8.7. all ſhall be brought to light, Eccleſ. 11.9. 1 Cor. 4.5. and be brought into Judgment, Eccleſ. 12.14. There will not only be a Reſurection of Bodies, but a Reviving and Remembrance of Sins. If your Sins are not pardoned, but remain before God's Face, Pſal. 90.8. They will ſhortly be reviewed by God, and ſet in order before your face, Pſal. 50.21. If you inherit the Sins of your whole life, Job 13.26. you will be Heires of Shame, Miſery, and Eternal Torments.
2. Motive: Conſider what great advantages we have in theſe times of the Goſpel, as to a participation of this Righteouſneſs of God.
1. It is now wrought out, and perfected. Jeſus Chriſt hath been a Faithful High-Prieſt, Heb. 2.17. And a Righteous ſervant, Iſa. 53.11. God devolved the greateſt truſt on Chriſt, and he undertook took the hardeſt and moſt noble work, even to make Reſtitution to God for the wrong we had done him, and to make Reconciliation for us; to appeaſe the Wrath we had provoked, and to divert form us the Puniſhment we had deſerved: The Jews thought of old, that their High-Prieſt was truſted with their greateſt concerns; and for fear he ſhould be a Sadducee, or out of heedleſsneſs, neglect any part of his Office on the day of Atonement, they uſed Solemnly to ſwear him to a full, and faithful diſcharge of his Office, in the great Work of that day. But our Lord Jeſus Chriſt was by fervent love to his Father and his People, Heartily and throughly engaged in this great Work he undertook, and hath fully diſcharged it. He glorified God on Earth, he finiſhed the Work he gave him to do, John 17.4. He would not dye till he could ſay all was finiſhed, John 19.30. foreign. How honourable a word is this to Chriſt? And how Comfortable a word is this to us? Jeſus Chriſt, as the ſlain Goat, did bear our Sins, and as the Scape-Goat he did bear them away. As God did lay Sins on Chriſt, Iſa 53.6. ſo he purged them, Heb. 1.3. and put them away. He hath been a moſt Righteous ſervant to God, his very Sufferings, that in a Moral ſence, were Puniſhments, yet, in a Legal ſence were Righteouſneſs. Jeſus Chriſt is perfected himſelf, Heb. 5.9. And he hath by one Offering for ever perfected us, Heb. 10.14. There is ſignal evidence and demonſtration, that Jeſus Chriſt hath finiſhed his Work; for he could not elſe have confidently commended, and committed his Soul to his Father, Luke 23.46. He would not elſe have been welcome to him, and Received by him, John 16.10. The World was to be convinced of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs by this argument, that he did go to the Father, and they did ſee him no more on Earth: How could he have ventured into the glorious Preſence of God, if he had not Righteouſly performed what he undertook? Would not the Father have ſent him back again into the World, if he had omitted, or left any thing undone? But Chriſt, ſaith he, ſhould be ſeen on Earth no more in the form of a Servant, to do any Work in a ſtate of Humiliation. 2. The Father Raiſed him up from the Dead, 1. Pet. 1.21. He Releaſed our Surety out of the Priſon of the Grave; which he would not have done, if the debt had not been fully paid: Therefore an Angel came down from Heaven to roll away the Stone from Chriſt's Grave, Matth. 28.2. This was an Officer from the great Judge of Heaven and Earth, to free our ſurety, and to evidence, that God was ſatisfied, and did allow Chriſt's Reſurrection. 3. The Father exalted Jeſus Chriſt by his own right Hand, Acts 5.31. And gave him Glory, that we might be encouraged, and emboldened from thence to act our Faith and hope in God, 1 Pet. 1.21. 4. Jeſus Chriſt is ſat down at the Right Hand of God in the Heavenly Sanctuary, Heb. 1.3. Heb. 12.2. What an honour was this to our High-Prieſt, to ſit down in the true Holy of Holies? When the High-Prieſt under the Law might not ſit down in the Typical Holy of Holies. And Chriſt's ſiting down did ſhew he had done his Work, and might now take his reſt. This the Apoſtle makes the great difference between Chriſt, and the Prieſts of the Law; If they ſtood dayly Miniſtring, and Offering Sacrifices that could never take away Sin; But Chriſt, When he had Offered one Sacrifice for ever, be ſat down on the Right Hand of God, Heb. 10.11, 12. The Prieſts of the Law did go on in their Miniſtry, they ſtood Offering Sacrifices, their Work was never at an end; they could never ſit down. But Chriſt hath Finiſhed his Work, and therefore is ſat down, and expects that all his Enemies ſhall be made his Footſtool, Heb. 10.13.
5. Jeſus Chriſt as he is releaſed, ſo he Preaches the opening of the Priſon to us, Iſa. 61.1. God's Priſon is not Forced, or Broken, but opened in a Righteous way, our Ranſom being paid, Matth. 20.28. Chriſt therefore now comes to the Priſon-door, and ſaith to the Priſoners, Come forth, you that were hid in Priſondarkneſs, now ſhew your ſelves, and appear with boldneſs and confidence in the Heavenly Sanctuary, Iſa. 49.9.
2. The Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is now brought, Dan. 9.24. To bring Everlaſting Righteouſneſs, Eternal Redemption is now found, Heb. 9.12. foreign, Jeſus Chriſt hath found that, and brought that which is the great Foundation of our Faith, and Hope.
1. Jeſus Chriſt hath brought this Righteouſneſs near to us, Iſa. 46.13. I bring near my Righteouſneſs, it ſhall not be far off. The Saints of the Old Teſtament ſaw the Promiſes a-far off, Heb. 11.13. But we ſee Eye to Eye, Iſa. 52.8. The Manna came down from Heaven and lay about the Camp of Iſrael, Ezod. 16.14. It was near to them, and prepared Food for them, and eaſy to be gathered by them. So Chriſt Typified by it, ſaith, I am the Bread that came down from Heaven, that a Man may eat, and not dye. As this Bread was in Heaven, it was high above-us, and far off from us; but now it is come down from Heaven it is near to us, it is eaſie to come at. So the Rock is ſmitten, and the Spiritual Water flows out, follows us, is near to us, 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. As God clave the Rocks, and gave Iſrael drink, as out of the Great Depths, Pſal. 78.15. The Water was deep in the Earth, but it bubbl'd up, and guſhed out of the Rock plentifully, as if a great deep Sea, or the deep Waters that did lye low in the Earth did now riſe, and ſpring up, and break out at the clefts of this Rock. The Iſraelites could not come at thoſe deep Waters that lay in the Bowels of the Earth, till God did cauſe them to aſcend, and made a vent for them. So the ſaving Mercies of God were a great Deep, we had neither Bucket nor Rope to reach them, or to come at them; they were far off from us. But Chriſt now being ſmitten, this Rock now being cleft, deep Mercies aſcend, flow forth, follow us, come near to us. Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is brought ſo near to us, that we may eaſily come at it, and enjoy it, as the Manna was prepared Bread, ſome derive the Word from foreign, Manah, he hath prepared; this was Bread that God provided without their labour, they did not Plow or Sow for it. So Chriſt is God's Salvation, that he hath prepared, Luk. 2.29, 30, 31. As the Manna was Rained down near to the Iſraelites Camp; ſo Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is brought near to us; we may gather, receive it, take it to our ſelves by Faith. It is not difficult to obtain. Look unto me all ye ends of the earth, and be ſaved, Iſa. 45.22. Is not that eaſie to be had, that may be obtained by a look? the word of Faith is nigh to us, Rom. 10.8. Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is not remote, or a-far off, but brought very near to us, and eaſie to come at. And is not our Spiritual Drink near, and eaſie to be had? The Rock in Exod. 17.6. was to be ſmitten; but the Rock mentioned, Numb. 20.8. was only to be ſpoken to, and it ſhould give out Water. Jeſus Chriſt Typified by theſe Rocks, was to be Smitten but once, to Die but once. That which now remains to be done, is not to Smite, but to ſpeak to the Rock by the Prayer of Faith, and it will give forth Spiritual Drink to us, Rom. 10.12. The Lord is rich to all that call upon him; that is, he is not only rich in the Poſſeſſion, but alſo rich in the Diſtribution and Communication of Grace: he is not only Rich for himſelf, but for us; and thoſe that call on him, that ſpeak to this Rock, do receive abundance of Grace, and of the Gift of Righteouſneſs, Rom. 5.17. They that call on the name of the Lord ſhall be ſaved, Joel 2. laſt.
2. This Righteouſneſs is brought near to God. The Blood of the Typical Sacrifices was not carried into Heaven; it was too mean, and vile, to be brought thither. But the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt is carried into Heaven it ſelf, Heb. 9.23, 24. Our High-Prieſt is entred thither, and hath carried his Blood into Heaven, to preſent it to, and plead it before God. The very Throne of God (as the Mercy-ſeat of old, the Type of it, was ſprinkled with the Blood of the Typical Sacrifice, Levit. 16.14.) is ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt. As Chriſt brought his Righteouſneſs into the Church, as a Cordial to Revive us, ſo he brought it into Heaven as a Plea before God. As it is ſaid, The Burnt-offerings ſhould be continually before God, Pſal. 50.8. and did burn day and night on the Altar, it was never without a Fire, and a Sacrifice burning on it; So Chriſt's Sacrifice is now always before the Lord; Jeſus Chriſt ſtill repreſents it to, and pleads it before God: It is dreadful for our Sins to be continually before the Lord, Pſal. 109.14, 15. but it is ſweet for Chriſt's Sacrifice to be always before the Lord; by virtue of this our Prayers may be nigh to God day and night, 1 Kings 8.59. till he Anſwer and Fulfil them.
3. This Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is eſtabliſhed to continue for ever, Heb. 10.9. God takes away the firſt, even the Sacrifices of the Law, to eſtabliſh the ſecond, even the Sacrifice of Chriſt. This Sacrifice is fixed as the one, and only atoning Sacrifice, it is never to be removed, or to give place to any other. God hath Sworn Chriſt to be a Prieſt, Pſal. 110.4. God will never repent, or change. He will never put Chriſt out of Office, or ſubſtitute any other in his place. It is the higeſt pride to claſh with God, and for any to go about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs, as the Jews did, Rom. 10.3. and ſo to oppoſe God's Eſtabliſhment. And, as this is Pride, ſo it is pernicious Folly, becauſe nothing can eſtabliſh the Heart, or Conſcience, but the Grace of God, through the Atoneing Sacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt, Heb. 13.9. It is good for the heart to be eſtabliſhed by Grace.
4. This Righteouſneſs is now openly revealed to us. Jeſus Chriſt is evidently ſet forth as Crucified before our eyes, Gal. 3.1. God's Salvation is prepared before the Face of all People, Luke 2.31. This is the Glory of the Goſpel, that the Righteouſneſs of God is revealed in it, Rom. 1.17. And the Righteouſneſs of God is now manifeſted without the Law, Rom. 3.21. We have now received the Atonement, Rom. 5.11. God hath now reconciled us, Col. 3.2. there is a great Emphaſis in the word now: The Righteouſneſs of God is now manifeſted; we have now received the Atonement, God hath now reconciled us. It intimates, that this Righteouſneſs is now wrought out, manifeſted and exhibited, that God ſhould be Righteous, in Juſtifying us without the Works of the Law performed by us, and without the Curſe of the Law executed on us, is a deep Myſtery, and a great Secret. But Chriſt hath not hid this Righteouſneſs of God in his heart, but he hath declared, and preached it, Pſal. 40.9, 10. This is ſuch a Myſtery, that we ſhould never have known, if Chriſt had not declared it. Surely it is moſt wonderful, that God, in the nature of a creature, ſhould be ſubject, and obey: that he that Inſtructs us ſhould learn obedience himſelf, Heb. 5.8. The Father that laid Sins, inflicted Puniſhment, executed the Curſe on Chriſt, was as the Maſter; and the Son that endured all things, was as the Scholar. He learned, by experience, what a hard and difficult thing Obedience was, how coſtly and painful it was to ſubject himſelf to the Father loading him with Sins and ſorrows, chaſtiſing him for our Iniquities, bruiſing him for our Tranſgreſſions: that ſuch an Obedience ſhould be rendered by the Son, is a deep Myſtery, and we ſhould never have known it, if Jeſus Chriſt had hid it in his heart: As the Iſraelites did not know Manna, Dent. 8.3. he fed thee with Manna, which thou kneweſt not, neither did thy Fathers know; when they found it, and ſaw it firſt on the ground, they wondered, and cried out, What is this? Exod. 16.4. So the Margin renders the word very properly, and this is moſt ſuitable to the following words; for they wiſt not what it was. To ſay, they called it Manna, for they wiſt not what it was, is not ſo good, and fit a ſenſe. Some have conceived, that the phraſe, hidden Manna, was borrowed from the Iſraelites Queſtion, and Ignorance of Manna; indeed the Jews were, and all Natural Men are ignorant of the Righteouſneſs of God, Rom. 10.3. The Wrath of God is indeed revealed from Heaven to all Men by Afflicting Providences, Deſolating Deſtroying Judgments, as War, Famin, Peſtilence, Inundations and Earthquakes; but the Righteouſneſs of God is only revealed in the Goſpel. God might have ſtopt in the Revelation of his Wrath, and have gone no farther: but he hath proceeded to reveal his Righteouſneſs in the Goſpel, that he is Juſt, and the Juſtifier of them that believe in Jeſus, Rom. 3.25, 26. The Fountain is now opened, in which we muſt waſh; the Ranſom is now paid, for which we muſt be Releaſed; the Obedience is now performed, by which we muſt be Juſtified; The Sun of Righteouſneſs is now riſen with Healing under his Wings, Mal. 4.2. The glorious beams of this Sun of Righteouſneſs diſpels not only the thinner Miſts of leſſer Sins, but the thickeſt Clouds of Heinous Iniquities, that not only hide the Light of God's Countenance from us, but would pour down a ſtorm of Vengeance upon us.
5. The Goſpel is the Miniſtration of Righteouſneſs, 2 Cor. 3.9. and the Miniſtry of Reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.18. Chriſt, in ſprinkling Nations with the dew of the Goſpel, Iſa. 52. laſt. he doth alſo ſprinkle them with the drops of his Blood. Jeſus Chriſt is Juſtified himſelf, Iſa. 50.8. and ſo in a full capacity to Juſtifie us; and that becauſe he hath born our Iniquities, Iſa. 53.11. He that hath looſed his own pains of Death, Act. 2.24. can looſe our bonds of Iniquity. There is an exhibiting, and Communication of Righteouſneſs for Juſtification, in the Diſpenſation of the Goſpel.
3. Conſider the Excellency of this Righteouſneſs, it is clean water to waſh us, Ezek. 36.25. It is clean Linen to adorn us, Revel. 19.8. Saints are but a Candle, or Lamp of Righteouſneſs, but this is a Glorious Sun, Mal. 4.2. It is a during laſting Righteouſneſs, it is ſtyled Everlaſting Righteouſneſs, Dan. 9.24. This garment never wears, or decays: It hath been of price and virtue in all Former Ages, and it will laſt till the end of the World; yea, we may conſider whether Saints ſhall not call Chriſt by this Glorious Name (The Lord our Righteouſneſs) to Eternity. A Candle waſtes and conſumes, but ſo doth not the Sun. So this Sun of Righteouſneſs will never decay, or loſe his light and glory. The Blood of Chriſt is ſtill freſh, he appeares, even now, as if he had been but a Lamb lately ſlain, Revel. 5.6. And becauſe his Blood is ſtill ſo freſh, and the virtue of it ſo laſting, therefore the Redemption that flows from it is Eternal, Heb. 9.12. But more particularly I ſhall ſet forth the excellency of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and the pretiouſneſs of his Sacrifice in theſe Following propoſitions.
1. Jeſus Chriſt's Obedience, and Righteouſneſs, was one whole entire piece; it was a continual Series of Holy acts, without any interuption: our Righteouſneſs is made up of patches, and pieces; there are interuptions in our obedience, but Chriſt obey'd during his whole Life, and at laſt became obedient to the Death of the Croſs, Phil. 2.8. As Oxen of old did draw in the Yoke, and at laſt were Offered in Sacrifice. 2. Chriſt did neither ſtop or pauſe in his Work, or ſtray at all from his way, John 8.29.
2. Jeſus Chriſt did not pay our debt by halves, but diſcharged it at once; in an intire ſum. The Damned are always Suffering, and yet never ſatisfie God: But Jeſus Chriſt offered one Sacrifice, the vertue of which laſts for ever; and, by this one Sacrifice he perfected us for ever, Heb. 10.12.14. Chriſt hath, by this one Sacrifice, put an end to all Offerings for Sin, Heb. 10.18. Bloody Sacraments do ceaſe in the Church, and Bloody Sacrifices are much aboliſhed now out of the World.
3. Jeſus Chriſt, by his Sacrifice, hath taken down the Vail, and opened a way to the Heavenly Sanctuary. This ſhewed that the Sacrifices of the Law were weak and defective; that though they were ſtill offered, yet the Vail ſtill ſtood, and the way into the Holieſt of all was not yet made manifeſt; thoſe Sacrifices could not give acceſs to God, and entrance into Heaven: But this diſcovered the excellency and efficacy of Chriſt's Sacrifice, that when he Died, Matth. 27.50, 51. The Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; To intimate, that now a way to Heaven was made by the renting the Vail of Chriſt's Fleſh, and by ſeparating of his Soul from his Body, Heb. 10.19. Chriſt, by travelling to Heaven, hath made a way; by entring into it, he hath made a door; by landing on the Shores of a Bleſſed Eternity, he hath made a Harbour; this is a way ſtill new, a living way: This way is never ſtale, dead, or out of date; the High-Prieſt of old did kill a Sacrifice, and with the Blood of it he entred into the Typical Holy of Holies, Levit. 16.11.14. But the virtue of that Sacrifice was exhauſted, and the way made by it was dead, ſo that he could not enter again a Second year, without killing of a new Sacrifice: But Chriſt's Sacrifice is of ſuch virtue, that it makes a way always new, a living, laſting way into the Heavenly Sanctuary; that Believers in all ages may make uſe of.
4. Jeſus Chriſt hath carried his Blood into Heaven, and Sprinkled the Throne of God with it. The Mercy-Seat was ſprinkled with the Blood of the Sacrifice, Levit. 16.14. and this did figure, and teach, that the Throne of God muſt be ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt, and how admirable a change doth it make? by turning a terrible Tribunal of Juſtice into a ſweet and amiable Throne of Grace, Heb. 4. laſt. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace, Dan. 7.9, 10. God's Throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheeles as burning fire. God's Throne hath wheels to purſue Guilty Creatures, a fiery ſtream iſſued, and came forth from before him. This is a dreadful deſcription of God's Throne, as a Tribunal of Juſtice: But now as it is ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt, we have a moſt ſweet diſcovery of it, Revel. 22.1. There is a pure River of Water of Life, clear as Chryſtal, proceeding out of the Throne of God, and the Lamb, and there is a Rain-bow round about the Throne, Revel. 4.3. ſignifying the flood of God's Wrath is abated; and that Chriſt is near the Throne to prevent a condemning Sentence iſſuing out of it, and a ſtorm of Vengance falling from it.
5. Jeſus Chriſt's Blood is ſtill ſpeaking in Heaven and never ſilent, Heb. 12.24. And this ſpeaking Blood drowns the voice of the accuſer, and the cry of our Iniquities. Chriſt's repreſenting, and pleading his Sacrifice in Heaven, is his burning Incenſe before the throne, Revel. 8.3. to take away the ſtink of our Sins from the Noſtrils of God.
6. Chriſt by his death, hath dedicated, conſecrated, and confirmed a new Teſtament, Heb. 9.15, 16. The threatnings were in force before for our deſtruction, but the promiſes could not be in force for our Salvation, but by the death of Chriſt. God might have confirmed his threatnings by our death, but he hath confirmed his promiſes by the death of Chriſt. How different is the Language of the Law, and of the Goſpel? The Law ſaith, where there is an Offence, there muſt be of Neceſſity the death of the Offender: But the Goſpel ſpeakes thus; where there is a Teſtament there muſt of Neceſſity be the death of the Teſtator. Though Chriſt ſeemed to die as a Malefactor in the eye of the World, yet he died as a Teſtator in the eye of God, and Believers: Though he was emptied and impoveriſhed, ſtript of all; of his Liberty, Garments, good Name, and Life, by his Enemies; yet even then he did Bequeath all good things, and died as a Teſtator to enrich others. O! that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould as it were put himſelf out of Poſſeſſion of all, to put us into Poſſeſſion of all good things, Heb. 9.11. A Covenant could not be made between God and Sinners, but by Blood, Heb. 13.20. Thoſe words may be rendred foreign, the Shepherd of the Sheep, great, through the Blood of the Everlaſting Covenant. That Shepherd was indeed great, that by his blood could Eſtabliſh an Everlaſting Covenant. Covenants uſed to be made by killing Sacrifices, and cutting them in twain; and the Covenanting perſons paſſed between the pieces of the Sacrifices, Gen. 15.9, 10.17, 18. Jer. 34.14. Now Chriſt the great Sacrifice was cut in twain, his Soul and Body were Separated from each other, and by our paſſing through the parts of his Sacrifice by Faith we paſs (as the Hebrew phraſe is) into Covenant with God, Deut. 29.12. God might have torn us in pieces for our Covenant breaking, Pſal. 50.22. But O! what Grace is this that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould be cut in twain for the Renewing of the Covenant between God and us. Chriſt's Blood is of ſuch efficacy, that it makes the Covenant Everlaſting, always new. It is ſtyled a New Covenant, Heb. 8.8. that which will never be Antiquated, or Abrogated. God hath now put his Covenant into the beſt, and moſt Excellent form. It was firſt a promiſe, then a Covenant, but now it is ſtiled, a Teſtament. God hath finiſhed his Covenant-Diſpenſations, foreign; I will finiſh, or perfect a New Covenant. It is ſo finiſhed, that there is never to be any other Edition of the Covenant, Heb. 8.8. it hath its laſt and final Sanction; it hath the ſtrongeſt Confirmation, by the Blood and Death of Jeſus Chriſt. God hath ſpoken in theſe laſt days by his Son, Heb. 1.12. and there is nothing beyond this, but ſeeing Face to Face.
Jeſus Chriſt, by his Righteouſneſs, hath Merited the application of his Blood, and the beſtowing of all good things on us; this ſeems the faireſt ſence of thoſe words, in 2 Pet. 17. (as they ly in our Tranſlation) Simon Peter, to thoſe that have obtained like precious Faith with us, through the Righteouſneſs of God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; that is, through the Mighty Merit of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs the Elect obtain Faith it ſelf, the Spirit or Sanctification, the New Heart; theſe are the good things that our High-Prieſt brings, Heb. 9.11. Chriſt having fulfilled to the Father his Promiſe, in the Covenant of Suretyſhip and Redemption, he gives to the Elect a right to all the Promiſes of the Covenant of Grace.
8. This Righteouſneſs of Chriſt gives us a Title, and Right to the Heavenly Inheritance; it is called, Juſtification of Life, Rom. 5.18. The Righteouſneſs of God and his Kingdom are joyned together, Matth. 6.33. God's Righteouſneſs gives us a title to, and a fitneſs for God's Kingdom. Glory it ſelf ſeems to be ſtyled, The Hope of Righteouſneſs, Galat. 5.5. This Righteouſneſs of God gives us ground to hope for Heaven, and the poſſeſſion of it is Executive Juſtification in the fullneſs of it. Ainſworth underſtands thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt as meant of imputed Righteouſneſs, Pſal. 17. laſt. In Righteouſneſs I will behold thy face. This Righteouſneſs of Chriſt aſſures us we ſhall ſee God's Face: we muſt firſt come to the Fountain ſet open for ſin and uncleaneſs, that we may arrive at the Fountain of Life. We muſt touch at the Purifying Fountain, that we may have acceſs to the quickening Fountain, Pſal. 36.9. We muſt firſt draw Waters at the Wells of Salvation, Iſa. 12.3. and then the Lamb will lead us to Living Fountains of Water, and God will wipe all Tears from our eyes, Rev. 7. laſt.
4. Conſider the great benefits that they obtain, who have the Lord to be their Righteouſneſs. 1. They are not only Pardoned, but Juſtified. Pardon may be given by a Prince's Prerogative, where there is no Compenſation made for a wrong, but Juſtification is properly by an Obedience given, and ſatisfaction made to the Law. Our Pardon is not only a Fruit of Mercy, but an Act of Juſtice. God is Juſt in Juſtifying, Rom. 3.25, 26. Blood is ſprinkled on the Mercy-Seat, Levit. 16.14. to intimate, that God was in Chriſt, reconciling the world to himſelf, 2 Cor. 5.19. God did not, in a way of Sovereign Prerogative, reconcile the World to himſelf. He did it not alone by himſelf, or by a meer act of his own Will; but he was in Chriſt, reconciling the World to himſelf. Grace reigns, but it is through Righteouſneſs, Rom. 5. laſt. God is highly pleaſed by Chriſt, he honoured God's Holineſs by Obedience to the Commands of the Law, and Glorified God's Juſtice by his enduring the Curſe. Chriſt is the end of the Law for Righteouſneſs to them that believe, Rom. 10.4. All that the Law could aim at, or require, is fulfilled in Chriſt: he obeyed the Precept, and felt the edge of the Threatning; becauſe Believers are Juſtified in ſuch a Righteous way, therefore they may Glory, Iſa. 45. laſt, againſt all Accuſations and Accuſers; againſt all Dangers and Threatnings.
2. The Juſtified are Redeemed from the Curſe, and delivered from the wrath to come.
1. They are Redeemed from the Curſe, by Chriſt's being made a Curſe, Gal. 3.13. The Apoſtle uſed the Abſtract, taking it from Deut. 21. laſt. foreign, He that is Hanged is the Curſe of God, God did take order for the Burying of him the ſame day that he was Hanged, Deut. 21.22, 23. Cocceius doth think, that this very Law pointed at Chriſt, and doth Teach us, that Jeſus Chriſt by bearing the Curſe, ſo aboliſhed it, that it was Buried with him the ſame day in his Grave. As ſin is covered, and hid, Pſal. 32.1. ſo the Curſe alſo muſt be Buried out of God's ſight.
2. They are delivered from Wrath, and that becauſe Jeſus Chriſt was delivered up to Sufferings and Death. God delivered up Chriſt to Death, Rom. 8.32. and therefore Jeſus Chriſt can deliver us from Wrath, 2 Theſſ. 1. laſt. The ſins of the Elect met with Chriſt, and fell on him with great violence; the Reproaches of them that reproached God fell on him, Rom. 15.3. The Ark was ſitted to ſave Noah from the Flood, that drowned others: it was Pitched within and without, Gen. 6.11, 14. ſo that no water could come in. So Chriſt was pitched within with a perfect ſinleſs Righteouſneſs, and without with a ſpotleſs Obedience; and ſo is able to protect us from the Deluge of God's Wrath.
3. Thoſe that are Juſtified have peace with God, and may dwell ſafe from the fear of evil, Prov. 1. laſt. As in the Text it is ſaid, Iſrael ſhall dwell ſafely. The chaſtiſement of our peace was laid on Chriſt: We may put away our ſins, becauſe God laid them on Chriſt. It is a great thing to have Conſcience purged from dead works, Heb. 9.14. and to be purified from an evil Conſcience, Heb. 10.22. not to have Conſcience as a continual accuſer and tormentor. Auguſtin, in his Confeſſions, ſaith, He could remember his old ſins without horrour. A Man doth not fear a Cancelled Bond. The Iſraelites did not dread the drowned Egyptians, when they ſaw them dead on the Sea-ſhore, Exod. 14.30. The ſmart, the anguiſh, the burden of an accuſing Conſcience is not to be expreſſed. I have Read of one Pauſanias, a Lacedemonian Captain, that killed a Virgin that was brought to him, but would not be expoſed to his Luſt: After this Cruel Fact, he was ſeized with ſuch Horrour, that though he being a Heathen himſelf, had tried all the ways of Purification in uſe among them, yet he could not recover any Peace, but was a continual Terrour to himſelf. Pauſanias, a Grecian Writer, hath this Hiſtory in his Laconica. Varenius, in his Hiſtory of Japan, cap. 5. tells us of one Angarus, a Native of Japan, that Murder'd a Man, and was ſeized with ſuch Terror and Anguiſh of Mind, that he could not ſhake off, or get rid of: But, hearing of a New Religion Taught in China, and in the Eaſt Indies, he took a Voyage, and Sailed to meet with Francis Xavioeur, that by his Inſtructions he might get ſome Healing of his wounded Conſcience, and was the firſt Inſtrument to bring the Chriſtian Religion into Japan. O! what an excellent Fruit is this of Chriſt's Blood, to be delivered from the beginnings of Hell in Soul Torments, and to have the Firſt-fruits of Heaven in Spiritual Peace and Joy.
4. Thoſe that are clothed with Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, have a ſure and permanent ſtate of Juſtification; ſo that new Acts of Guilt ſhall not ſubvert and deſtroy it, or lay their Perſons under the Sentence of Eternal Death. There is a ſimple hatred and guilt; and there is a hatred and guilt redounding on the perſons of Offenders. Believers, by, and for new acts of Sin, deſerve to be hated of, and condemned by God; but guilt and hatred do not redound on their Perſons, but fall on their Sins. It is very obſervable, that though Simeon and Levi had been guilty of heinous crimes, in killing the Shechemites; yet they being probably Good Men in the Main; Jacob doth not Curſe their Perſons, but Curſes their Anger, and their Wrath, Gen. 49.7. this was ſo cruel, that it might have brought a Curſe on them; but Jacob, that was guided by the Holy Ghoſt, layes the Curſe on their evil and extravagant Paſſions, but not on their Perſons. It is expreſly ſaid, There is no Condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8.1. Jeſus Chriſt can have no Accurſed, or Condemned Members; ſuch are paſſed from death to life, and ſhall never come into Condemnation, John 5.24. Jeſus Chriſt hath Merited for Believers the Pardon of all their Sins, and Chriſt ſtill appears in the Preſence of God, to Anſwer Accuſers, and to prevent Condemnation, Heb. 9.23, 24. It would be very hard for any to aſſert, that New Acts of Sin do ſtop, or obſtruct the Interceſſion of Chriſt for Believers; If any Man ſin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous, 1 John 2.12. His Righteouſneſs doth render his Interceſſion powerful and prevalent for their pardon: the Lamb of God is foreign, taking away the ſin of the World, John 1.29. The Blood of Chriſt, foreign, doth cleanſe away ſin. It is God, foreign, Rom. 8.33. that is, Juſtifying, or that Juſtifieth. Theſe three expreſſions do note a continued act of God and Chriſt, that Chriſt is ſtill taking away ſin, cleanſing from it, to diſtill Juſtifying Believers from their Iniquities. The Iſraelites that were the Church of God, had an Atoning Sacrifice day and dight Burning on the Altar, Numb. 16.9. Pſal. 50.8. which did not only ſignifie their continual need of Pardon, that ſin might not fix and ſettle on them; but did alſo import the perpetual influence and efficacy of the Blood of Chriſt; for the keeping of Believers in a Juſtified State, and acceptance with God. If by reaſon of wrong ſteps taken, God ceaſeth to Juſtifie, and the Blood of Chriſt to ſpeak on the behalf of offending Believers, they muſt certainly be Condemned: If the guilt of one ſin redounds on the perſon, and ſticks on the Soul, a ſtate of Juſtification is deſtroyed: For how can a Man be Juſtified, and Condemned at the ſame time? if every new ſin redounds on the Perſon, and ſhuts it up under Guilt, Then how can there be any ſuch thing as a ſtate of Juſtification continuing one hour? But it is ſaid, ordinary Infirmities are pardoned without explicit or particular acts of Repentance, but it is not ſo with greater ſins. But ſhould not perſons do well to conſider, whether God hath two ways to pardon? whether a General Repentance will ſerve to remove ſome Sins, but a more particular Repentance is requiſite, that God may pardon more heinous and grievous ſins: if theſe affect the perſon, and lay him under Condemnation till deeper Repentance, and more explicit acts of Faith be put forth, What is become of a ſtate of Juſtification? Was David under Condemnation, and the Curſe, while he lay long in a ſtupid ſtate? Surely he was a Juſtified Man, or elſe he was out of Chriſt, and fallen under the Curſe. It is ſaid that God hath given Believers everlaſting life, 1 John 5.11. and, that he who believeth hath everlaſting life, John 5.24. Is the Sentence of life, Rom. 5.18. revoked by new acts of ſin? Is this gift of life retracted? Is the blood of Chriſt wiped away from the Conſcience by new Tranſgreſſions: We read that the blood of Chriſt purgeth away ſin, 1 John 1.7. but never that ſin purgeth away the blood of Chriſt, and wipes it off from the Conſcience. Let not any here miſtake me, I am no Patron of Sin, I do not plead for careleſs and looſe walking; if any indulge the Fleſh, they ſhall feel to their ſmart and coſt, that God hath Fatherly Anger, Juſtice, and Severity, and the fruits of it are terrible: God hides his Face, ſuſpends the comfortable and quickning Influences of his Spirit, ſo that the heart is hardened, Iſa. 63.17. the Church thus complains, Why haſt thou hardened our hearts from thy Fear? Jeſus Chriſt withdraws himſelf, and leaves the Soul in a dark, doubting, and diſconſolate ſtate, Cant. 5.45.6. There are alſo ſharp Temporal Afflictions laid on believers, as that the Sword ſhould not depart from David's Houſe, and that his Concubines ſhould be defiled by Abſalom, 2 Sam. 12.10, 11. yea, there may be much Trouble, and Terror of Conſcience, becauſe Unbelief is ſtrengthened by this new Guilt contracted, and the Spirit of God is grieved, and doth not powerfully apply, teſtifie, and ſeal Pardon, till explicit acts of Faith and Repentance be put forth. Yet I muſt aſſert this with the Scripture, That Believers do not again, a ſecond time, or more, receive the Spirit of bondage to fear, Rom. 8.15. The Spirit in the Word doth not teſtifie to a Believer, that he is a Condemned Man, in a ſtate of Hoſtility with God, and that God is his Enemy, as it teſtifies to Unregenerate Men. Beſides, this is much to be conſidred, that a Believer doth not Sin according to the New Man, but according to the remainders of the Old Man: It is not the new Graft that bears corrupt fruit, but the old Stock, Rom. 7.17. Now it is no more I that do it, but Sin that dwelleth in me. The New Man hates Sin, conſents to, and delights in the Law of God as good, Rom. 7.15, 16.19.22.25. I my ſelf ſerve the Law of God. He that is born of God committeth not Sin: He cannot Sin, becauſe born of God, 1 John 3.9. How then can guilt redound on the whole perſon, when the New Man, that is the predominant party, doth not Sin? If it be ſaid, that Sin committed redounds on the perſon according to the Old Man, this will amount to no more than Fatherly anger, and Temporary Chaſtiſements that fall on the Old Man, that muſt decay, be pulled down to the duſt, and periſh; but they ſhall not hinder the Salvation of the perſon, according to the New Man. It is true, that Chriſt doth direct us dayly to pray for Pardon of Sins, Matth. 6.12. And David did earneſtly, and frequently ſollicit for Forgiveneſs, Pſal. 51.1.7.9. But theſe Scriptures may be thus underſtood, that Believers (for it is of them only that I ſpeak) do deprecate the Fruits, and effects of Gods Fatherly anger, both in Temporal, and Spiritual Judgments. They petition for the turning away of God's Fatherly diſpleaſure, the removing of outward Afflictions, and Spiritual Puniſhments, the return of the ſweet ſenſe of Gods Favour, the lifting up of the light of his Countenance on them; the ſhedding abroad of his Love in them. The removing of Temporal, and Spiritual Judgements, is both a proper, and excellent Pardon. If any be otherwiſe minded, let them Anſwer a little Piece of Mr. Gilbert's written on this Subject.
Juſtified perſons have a ſure, and ſtrong ſtanding in the Grace, and Favour of God, Rom 5.2. By Faith we have an entrance into this Grace, in which we ſtand and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God. Juſtified perſons are Eſtabliſhed firmly in the favour of God: Though Hagar and Iſmael were caſt out of Abraham's Houſe, Gen. 21.10, 12, 13. yet Iſaac, the Child of the promiſe, was ſtill retained. God loves Believers with the ſame love, that he loves Chriſt with, John 17. laſt. And God's love to Chriſt is not mutable, and changeable, but fixed, and certain. Juſtified perſons may therefore challeng all accuſers, Who ſhall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect; It is God that Juſtifieth? Is there any higher Judge? Is there any other Superiour Tribunal, to which the perſon may be cited, and his cauſe drawn? It is Jeſus Chriſt that Died, and Roſe again: He was arreſted, and is releaſed, and diſcharged. He was Baptized in a deep Sea of Sorrows, and Sufferings, yet was not drowned, but Swam out to the Shores of a Bleſſed Eternity: Yea, he is aſcended into the Heavenly. Sanctuary, to plead his blood, and Repreſent his Righteouſneſs; And will not this ſtop the mouths of all gain-ſayers, and Silence all accuſers? We may now draw near to God the Judge of all, as being aſſured, he will not only Juſtifie us, but alſo plead our cauſe againſt thoſe that wrong us. Chriſt now being aſcended, he lives to execute his own Teſtament, and beſtow his own Legacies, Acts 5.31. To give Repentance, and Remiſſion of Sins. The Mercies of the new Covenant are ſure Mercies, Iſa. 55.3. Acts 13.34, 35. Becauſe Chriſt is Dead, and Riſen again to give them Faith. Jeſus Chriſt in Heaven asks for the Travel of his Soul, and the Purchaſe of his Blood, and cannot be denied: He interceeds with Authority. There was a Crown of pure Gold about the Altar of incenſe, Exod. 30.3. to intimate, that our High-Prieſt doth interceed effectually, and with Authority, John 17.24. Father, I will, that thoſe thou haſt given me, may be with me, that they may ſee my Glory. The Apoſtle Paul propoſeth a Farther Queſtion; Who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of Chriſt? and he thus anſwereth it himſelf: I am perſwaded that neither Life, nor Death, things preſent, or things to come, ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the Love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. The Love of God is fixed, the Heart of God is centred on Jeſus Chriſt, and ſhall never depart, or remove from him. Chriſt is the ſtrong and everlaſting bond whereby Gods Love is ſecured, and aſſured to us. What greater ſecurity can God give us than his Oath to perſwade us of the Immutability of his counſel: God hath twice ſworn, that the Heires of promiſe might have ſtrong Conſolation. God ſaith thus to the Church, I have ſworn that I will not be Wroth with thee; that is, to deſtroy thee, nor Rebuke thee, ſo as to diſinherit thee, Iſa. 54.9. And as God hath Sworn to ſecure us from the greateſt Evils, ſo he Swears again to aſſure us of the greateſt good. By my ſelf have I Sworn (ſaith God to Abraham) that in Bleſſing I will Bleſs thee, Heb. 6.13, 14.
Thoſe to whom Chriſt is made Righteouſneſs, do alſo receive the Holy Spirit. The clean Water of Chriſt's Blood, and the Spirit do go together, Ezek. 36.25.27. Tit. 3.5. 1 Cor. 6.11. Pſal. 51.12. Some call the gift of the Spirit Executive Juſtification; they mean that God executes the Sentence of Juſtification by beſtowing the Spirit, to break off our Chaines, burn up our Droſs, purge away our Filth, and make us free from the Law of Sin, and Death, Rom. 8.2. Though the Law of Sin be a ſtrong, and powerful Law to inſlave us; yet the Law of the Spirit of Life is more mighty to ſet us free; as Jeſus Chriſt, by his Blood, redeems us to be the Temple of God, ſo by his Spirit he comes into his Temple, takes Poſſeſſion of it, and fills it with his Glory. As we live by the Sentence of Juſtification, ſo Chriſt lives in us by the Spirit of Sanctification, Gal. 2.20. The Spirit is given as a Tree of Life, and all Graces are the Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. The Holy Ghoſt is given as the well of all Living Waters, and Spritual ſtreames, John 4.14. John 7.37, 38, 39. By Faith we drink in the very Well it ſelf, and therefore Believers can never be totally dry: He that Believeth on me ſhall never thirſt, John 6.35. Obſerve, and compare the words of God the Father, Zech. 13.7. with the words of the Church, Cant. 4. laſt. As God ſaid once, Awake, O Sword, againſt my Shepherd, againſt the Man that is my Fellow; ſmite the Shepherd: ſo the Church now ſaith daily; Awake, O North wind! and blow O South wind! upon my Garden, that the Spices of it may flow forth. Becauſe the Sword of Juſtice hath awaked terribly againſt Chriſt, the Spirit may ſweetly awake, and blow on our Soules, excite, quicken, and draw forth Grace into act and exerciſe. Chriſt gives his people the Glory that the Father gave him, John 17.22. Muſculus underſtands this Glory to be the gift of the Holy Ghoſt. The Spirit was on Chriſt, Iſa. 61.1. and given to him, John 3.34. And Chriſt communicates this glorious Spirit to his Members, as the ſoul of the whole myſtical body, and this makes them one with the Father, and the Son, and perfects them in one, becauſe they participate of the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son, and have by it a new divine Nature, and do aim at, deſign and ſeek the Glory of the Father and the Son, as they do deſign their own Glory.
6. The Prayers of Juſtified perſons are acceptable to, and powerful with God; for the Spirit that teſtifies God's Grace to Believers, doth make Interceſſions in them. As a Spirit of Grace it gives Encouragement to Prayer, as a Spirit of Supplication, it gives aſſiſtance in Prayer, Zeck. 12.10. Rom. 8.26. This is the Fire from Heaven, that warms our cold hearts, and kindles all our Sacrifices, that they may flame upwards. The Prayer of a Believer is, foreign James 5.16. A deep in-wrought Prayer, it is not born in the lips, but ſprings from the Soul. Luther on Geneſis well expreſſes it, it is not Spuma oris, ſed ſingulus cordis; The Foam of the Mouth; but the Throbbing, and Sighing of the Heart. The Holy Ghoſt breaths in Holy Affections, and the Soul then breaths out holy deſires, and expreſſions. Saints pray as foreign, as thoſe that are poſſeſſed, and acted mightily by the Spirit of God; hence it is that they ſo ſtrive, and wreſtle with God; and their prayers are ſo much valued and deſired by Chriſt. Thoſe are wonderful words, Cant. 2.14. Chriſt ſaith to the Church, Let me ſee thy face, let me hear thy voice. He that ſeeth his Father's Face above, deſires to ſee Petitioners Faces below: He that hears the Songs, the Hallelujahs of Angels, of Saints in Heaven; deſires to hear the Voice, the Suits of Believers on Earth. And as their Prayers are deſired, ſo they are accepted. The Prayer of the upright is God's delight, Prov. 15.8. They Pray in Chriſt's powerful Name, John 16.23, 26. and he adds the Incenſe of his Merits to the Prayers of all Saints, Rev. 8.3. and ſo takes away the Iniquity of their Holy Things. The Altar had a Grate of Braſs, Exod. 27.4. the uſe of it was, to ſeparate the Earthy, and Groſſer part of the Sacrifice, and to let the Aſhes through. So Chriſt is an Altar that hath a Grate, he ſeparates our ſins, our defects, our weakneſſes, from our ſervices; yea, he is the Altar on which our Offerings muſt be laid, and that renders our Sacrifices acceptable to God, Iſa. 60.7. It is ſaid, that the Offerings of Believers ſhall aſcend foreign, upon Good-Will my Altar. God ſpeaks, and puts this glorious Name on Chriſt: Good-Will my Altar. What an encouragement is this to Saints, that are Spiritual Prieſts to offer Holy Sacrifices? ſeeing they have Good-Will for their Altar? God is ſo pleaſed with, and delights in Chriſt, that he calls him, Good-Will my Altar.
7. All the outward and Temporal Mercies of Juſtified Perſons are heightened and ſweetened to them by the Spring from whence they flow, and they have a new taſt. He delivered me (ſaith David) becauſe he delighted in me, Pſal. 18.19. In love to my Soul (ſaith Hezekiah) he hath delivered me from the pit of corruption, having caſt all my ſins behind his back, Iſa. 38.17. Even Temporal Mercies are Glaſſes, in which they ſee their Father's Face, and are Stairs, or Ladders, by which their Hearts are raiſed to God. Jehoſhaphat had an Eſtabliſhed Kingdom, Riches and Honour in abundance; And what was the fruit and effect of this? his heart was lifted up in the ways of God, 2 Chron. 17.5, 6. Earthly Enjoyments do uſually fuel Men's Luſts, but they fed and inflamed Hezekiah's Love to God: they are, to Carnal Men, Weights that preſs them down: the Proſperity of Fools doth deſtroy them, Prov. 1.32. but, through Grace, they are Wings to raiſe Saints Souls to God. Believers enjoy their outward Mercies by a Spiritual Right; they have them by Promiſe, Heb. 11.9. Canaan was the Land of Promiſe, and Abraham was Heir to it by the Righteouſneſs of Faith, Rom. 4.13. Sacrifices were ſlain that Typified Chriſt, and then God entred into a Covenant with Abraham, gave, and aſſured Canaan to him, Gen. 15.8, 9, 10, 17, 18. Believers have a Right to Earthly things by God's Promiſe, and Chriſt's Death, who is the Heir of all things, Heb. 1.2. Earthly things are but as Cyphers; but God adds a great Figure to them, to make them ſignifie ſomething, Gen. 17.8. I will give thee the Land of Canaan, and I will be thy God: they are to Believers but additional things, as an over-plus caſt into the Kingdom of God, as the Principal, Matth. 6.33. So the Country of Sihon, and Og the King of Baſhan were given to Iſrael, that they might have a paſſage to Canaan their Inheritance, Deut. 2.30. Deut. 3.1. So God gives the Earth to his People, that they may have a paſſage through it to their Heavenly Country.
8. All the Afflictions of Juſtified perſons, 1. Are allayed, and mitigated. Saints do acknowledge, that God puniſhes them leſs than their Iniquities do deſerve, Ezra 9.13. the Wind is not ſo high, the Furnace is not ſo hot, the Burden is not ſo heavy, as their ſins do Merit: yet God, as a Father, accounts the Sufferings of his People to be too much, Iſa. 40.1. Thou haſt received double at the hand of the Lord for thy ſins. Theſe Sufferings, that are not enough to Rigorous Juſtice, are too many to Fatherly Mercy: He ſtops his Hand, ſheathes his Sword, throws away his Rod, when yet our Sins call for more Strokes and Stripes. He refines us, but not with Silver, Iſa. 48.10. he doth not ſo long keep us in the Furnace of Affliction till our Droſs is quite ſeparated and conſumed; for then our whole life would be nothing elſe but a Series of Miſery, and Sufferings. 2. Our Afflictions have a new face; they are not the fruits of pure Vindictive Juſtice, or Wounds from an Incenſed Implacable Judge; but Chaſtiſements from a Father: who, tho' he Corrects in time yet is pacified, and reconciled for Eternity: Yea, Afflictions ſpring from God's Care of us, and Love to us. Whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth. If you endure chaſtening, God dealeth with you as ſons, Heb. 12.6, 7. Thoſe that are without Chaſtiſement are Baſtards, and not Sons: thoſe that are an Illegitimate ſpurious ſeed the Father is aſhamed to own, and acknowledge them, or to take any care about their breeding and education, and regards not to correct them when they do amiſs: but a Lawful Poſterity are better bred, duely taught, and timely corrected; and God Chaſtens them with Judgment, not in Anger, Jer. 10.24. God may be ſaid to Correct with Judgment when he conſiders their Relation, and the Nearneſs of his People to him, Lam. 2.20. Behold! O Lord! and conſider, to whom haſt thou done this? and, when God conſiders, rather how little his People can bear, than how much they deſerve; and God hath gracious ends in Afflicting his People, 1. That they may not be Condemned, and periſh with the wicked World, 1 Cor. 11.32. We are judged and chaſtened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World. 2. God Afflicts to purge away ſin, to ſeparate us from our droſs of Iniquity, and ſin of Hypocriſie, Iſa. 1.25. this is the fruit and end of Corrections to take away ſin, Iſa. 27.9. to drive away that Spiritual folly that is in our hearts. God is a Refining Fire, that he may not be a conſuming fire, as a Phyſitian takes away Blood, to allay a Feaver, and cure a Diſeaſe. 3. God deſigns, by Afflictions, to make us partakers of his Holineſs, Heb. 12.10, 11. that we might learn more to live to him, and be brought more to live on him, that we might leſs ſolace our ſelves in the Creature, and more delight in himſelf: that we might be more conformed to him, and be better fitted to converſe with him. Though Afflictions are Puniſhments to the Old Man, to pull it down; yet they are Mercies to the New Man, to build it up. A poor Man would quietly ſuffer his Lord to pull down an old decaying ſinking Cottage, if he did believe that he deſigned to raiſe, and build up a ſtrong and better Houſe: all Afflictions tend but to waſt, and extinguiſh the life of the Firſt Adam in the Body, to make room for, and to let in the glorious life of Chriſt into it at the Reſurrection. 4. This is a weighty and powerful conſideration, to leſſen, and lighten the anguiſh and bitterneſs of our Afflictions; that Juſtification gives a Fatal and Mortal Blow at the root of them. The time is coming, when the Inhabitants of Zion ſhall not any more ſay, that they are ſick, for their Iniquities ſhall be forgiven them, Iſa. 33. laſt. God ſhall wipe away all tears from the eyes of Saints: there ſhall be no more pain, ſorrow, or crying, no more Death, Revel. 21.4. No more Curſe, Revel. 22.3. The days of Saints mourning ſhall be at an end, Iſa. 60.20. All Afflictions are but ſhort and momentary, and therefore but light, 2 Cor. 4.17.
9. Death is an Advantage to Juſtified Perſons. Death is theirs, 1 Cor. 3.22. To die is gain, Phil. 1.21. In Death the Wicked Fear the greateſt evil, but the Righteous hope for the greateſt good, Prov. 14.32. When the Body falls under the Bondage of Corruption, the Souls of Believers are perfectly freed from the Bondage of Sin. Though it be a Mournful Seed-time to our Fleſh, it is ſown in corruption, 1 Cor. 15.42. yet it is a Joyful Harveſt to the Spirit, for it reaps Everlaſting Life, Gal. 6.8. Death, that is in it ſelf, the moſt terrible thing, hath Colour put into its pale Cheeks; and it is changed into a comfortable thing. Death in Chriſt is the purchaſe of all our happineſs; and Death, to Believers, is the way to poſſeſs it: by Chriſt's Death they are Heirs in Reverſion; by their own Death they are Heirs in Poſſeſſion: that which utterly impoveriſhes others, greatly enriches them: that which kills the Body, perfectly cures the Soul. When our baſer part ſhall return to the Duſt, feed Worms, dwell in the darkneſs of the Grave; our better part ſhall be called up to the Marriage Feaſt, to ſee the Face of God, and dwell in glorious Light, and Reign in a Bleſſed Life. Chriſt hath made Death Mortal, and threatens to be a Plague, a Deadly diſeaſe to it, and to be Deſtruction to the Grave, Hoſ. 13, 14.
10. Juſtified Perſons ſhall Riſe by the Power of Chriſt their Head, and Second Adam, 1 Cor. 15.22. His Spirit will find out the Ruines and Rubbiſh of its old Temple, and build it up again, as a Glorious, and Everlaſting habitation for it ſelf, Rom. 8.11. in Saints that ſhall be found alive at the laſt day; mortality ſhall be ſwallowed up of life, 2 Cor. 5.4. Dead Saints ſhall be raiſed, and, in them, Death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory, 1 Cor. 15.54. a Body ſhall be formed up again; ſo the Grave ſhall loſe its Victory, this Body ſhall be animated, and alive, ſo Death ſhall loſe its ſting, 1 Cor. 15.55. when the Soul bears the Image of Chriſt in Holineſs, 2 Cor. 3. laſt. and the being in a Glorious Immortality, 1 Cor. 15.49. then we ſhall be ſatisfied with his likeneſs, Pſal. 17. laſt. then Chriſt will give his Members clear and full Evidences of their Adoption, Rom. 9.23. when their Bodies ſhall be redeemed from the Bondage of Corruption; and Soul and Body both ſhall poſſeſs a lot in the Heavenly Canaan, Dan. 12. laſt. As Saints die to the Lord, Rom. 14.8. ſleep in him, 1 Theſ. 4.14. ſo they ſhall be made alive in Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15.21, 22.