The Way to Heaven Discovered, Religious treatise · Stumbling block 18
XVIII.
The next ſtumbling block is or may be this, I fear, ſaith another poor ſtammering ſoul, that I ſhall never be ſaved; for Chriſt tels me plainly, Mat. 5. 20. that except my righteouſneſſe doe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, I ſhall not be ſaved, and I have examined my ſelf, and doe finde that my righteouſneſſe is ſo farre from exceeding theirs, that theirs doe much exceed mine.
Anſw. The Scribes and Phariſees, ſought righteouſneſſe only by the works of the Law, which made none perfect, in that the Scriptures ſaith it was weak through the fleſh, Rom. 8. 3. none were able to fulfill it, therefore Iſrael attained not to the Law of righteouſneſſe, becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law, Rom. 9. 31. our righteouſneſſe muſt exceed this, as doth the righteouſneſſe which is of faith in Jeſus (who perfectly fulfilled the Law for us) or you ſhall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven: For by the deeds of the Law, there ſhall no fleſh be juſtified, Rom. 3. 20. and we are juſtified by faith only, without the works of the Law. Now if by righteouſneſſe, was meant works of mens own acting, as temperance, obedience, mercy, and juſtice, and upright dealing, then we finde in Scripture, that Heathens have outſtript many, if not moſt of us.
1. For temperance, King Ahaſuerus, Heſter 1. 8. a Heathen King, made a law, that no man ſhould be compelled to drink, and yet many that call themſelves Chriſtians, can hardly lay aſide their drinking of healths.
2. For Obedience, when King Abimelech took Abrahams Wife, no ſooner did the Lord command him to deliver her to Abraham again, but he obeyed the command of the Lord. Jonah preached at Niniveh to the Heathen, and no ſooner did they hear him, but they did beleeve and repent.
3. For Mercy, when Paul and the reſt of the company ſuffered ſhip-wrack, the Heathen came and did receive them. See Act. 28. 1, 2, 3.
4. For Juſtice and upright dealing, the King of Sodome a Heathen, when Abraham had overcome the four Kings and brought home the Sodomites, the King of Sodome ſaid unto him, Give me the men and take thee the goods for thy pains. Belſhazza…, ſee how he kept promiſe with Daniel; for when he ſaw the hand writing on the wall, he ſaid unto Daniel, If thou wilt interp…et it for me. I will make thee the third ruler in my kingdome: Daniel told him that it tended to the ruining of him and all his houſe, and notwithſtanding this Heathen King kept promiſe with him, and made him the third ruler in the land, Dan. the 5. from the 16. to the 29. verſ. Again, conſider well this Scripture, Ezek. 5. from the 6. verſe to the end of that chapter, the Lord doth ſend heavie judgements upon his people for being out ſtript by Heathens. Verſ. 6. Shee hath changed my judgements into wickedneſſe more th…n the Nations, and my Statutes more then the Countries round about: therefore Verſ. 7. Thus ſaith the Lord God, becauſe ye multiplyed more then the Nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my Statutes, neither have kept my Judgemen…s; Verſ. 8. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I am againſt thee, and will execute Judgements in the midſt of thee, in the ſight of the Nations, and I will doe in thee, that which I have not done; and whereunto I will not doe any more the like; becauſe of all thy abominations. Verſ. 12. Therefore a third part of thee ſhall die with the peſtilence, and with famine ſhall they be conſumed in the midſt of thee; and a third part ſhall fall by the ſword round about thee, and I will ſcatter a third part into all the world, and I will draw out a ſword after them. Ver…. 13. Thus ſhall mine anger be accompliſhed, and I will cauſe my fury to rest upon them, and they ſhall know that I the Lord have ſpoken it in my zeal, when I have accompliſhed my fury in them, &c. From all which we may clearly learn, that God will not ſpare a ſinfull people, but let out his fury to the full, to the higheſt degree, ſtirre up all his wrath, pour out his full vials upon a diſobedient people, although they were known by the name of the Lords owne inheritance, if their righteouſneſſe doth not exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees. But on the contrary, if their wickedneſſe doe exceed the wickedneſſe of the Heathen, then there is no eſcaping from Gods judgements, one or other will overtake them: 1 King. 19. 15. The Lord will ſcatter them into Babylon, Moab, Ammon, Egypt, Pſal. 44. 12. So that if we look only upon the externall performance, and judge according to the outward appearance, you ſhall finde many civilized men and women out-ſtrip ſome of the Saints, but yet for all that, we are exhorted by Chriſt in ſome caſes not to judge according to the outward appearance, but to judge righteous judgement, Joh. 7. 24. Now the righteouſneſſe of a Chriſtian doth exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, and all Heathens in the world, in theſe two things.
1. By faith in Chriſt, whereby all the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is made his.
2. In works done in faith, which the other cannot doe; one thing done in faith, is better then a thouſand in unbelief, Rom. 14. 23.
1. Every Chriſtians righteouſneſſe, doth exceed that of the Phariſees, by ſaith in Chriſt, whereby the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is made his; by faith the poor creature ſeeth all his ſinnes, which the Spirit of God had convinced him of, laid upon Chriſt, Iſai. 53. 6. Again, by faith he cometh to ſee Chriſt made unto him, wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption,, 1 Cor. 1. 30. And ſo by faith in him, he can ſay, the Lord our righteouſneſſe, and hear the Lord ſay unto him, in me is thy fruit found. So the ſoul looking upon Chriſt, in whom he is accepted, Epheſ. 2. 13. and ſo he ſeeth all is of grace, nothing of debt; election is the election of grace, vocation is according to the good pleaſure of his will, 2 Tim. 1. 9. regeneration, was of Gods own will, Jam. 1. 18. Faith the gift of God, Phil. 1. 29. Juſtification is freely by grace, Rom. 3. 24. and a free gift: Rom. 5. 15, 18. and forgiveneſſe of our ſins, according to the riches of his grace, Epheſ. 1. 7. Eternall life the freeſt gift of God, Rom. 6. 23. & Act. 15. 11. even the life of glory, is the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3. 7. Chriſt himſelf was a token of free love, from the Father to mankinde; and as his whole work was to love, ſo his whole love was free, and as we ſaid before, there is not one ſoul that ever be loved, but it was poor, and empty; ſick, and impotent; unamiable, and filthy; regardleſſe of him, and oppoſite to him. The language of the Law is, Doe this and live, if not, die; no work, no wages: but in the Goſpell, the yoke of perſonall obedience is tranſlated from beleevers to their ſurety; there is nothing for them to pay, all that they are to doe is to hunger and feed, their happineſſe is free to themſelves, though coſtly to Chriſt, who purchaſed for them, whatſoever they would obtaine, and by his Spirit freely worketh in them, whatſoever he requires of them; and this the Lord doth freely. Firſt, that none might boaſt, but only glory in the Lord. Secondly, that none might challenge it as due, but receive it as free grace. Next, that it might be ſure to all the ſeed; whereas by the Law, and the fulfilling thereof none can be ſaved, becauſe we fail in our obedience, either in the principle from which we act, or elſe in the matter acted, or in the manner of our acting, or in the ends we have in ſo doing; but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is our righteouſneſſe, 1 Cor. 1. 30. our husband, Iſai. 45. 5. our King, Prieſt, and Prophet, Mat. 21. 11. our new and living way, the true only way, the ſafe and ſure way, the peaceable and pleaſant way: Act. 4. 12. Prov. 3. 17. Now whoſoever hath faith in Chriſt doth look upon himſelf according to the meaſure of that faith, as he is and ſtands before God the Father in and upon the account of an others (not his owne) obedience or righteouſneſſe, and ſo judges of himſelf according to the meaſure of righteouſneſſe, that is made over to him in his head Chriſt, and ſo although he finde nothing but ſinne in himſelf, from the crown of the head, to the ſole of the foot, Iſai. 1. 6. Yet as he is in Chriſt by faith, he ſeeth himſelf cloathed with the robe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, ſo he looks upon himſelf to be compleat in him, Col. 2. 10. that is, wanting nothing becauſe all things is made over by covenant by God his Father, through his Sonne: and the great myſtery of the Goſpell lyeth much in this point, as appears by the teſtimony of Paul, Col. 1. 22. to preſent you holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable in his ſight; now no man can be thus preſented, holy, unblamable, and unreprovable before God the Father, but he only that is cloathed with the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, for ſo the 28. verſe doth expound this, that we may preſent every man perfect in Chriſt. Peter beareth witneſſe to the truth hereof, 2 Pet. 3. 14. Be diligent, that ye may be found in him without ſpot and blameleſſe, Epheſ. 5. 27. that he might preſent it holy, a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing, but that it ſhould be holy, and without blemiſh, ſo Jude 24. Again 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have eſpouſed you to one husband, that I may preſent you as a chaſt Virgin unto Chriſt, not having ſpot or wrinkle, Epheſ. 5. 27. By ſpots we may underſtand greater ſinnes which defile the conſcience, and ſtain the reputation: by wrinkle, leſſer ſinnes, thoſe of infirmity, which are ſome blemiſhes to our ſpirituall beauty; and this is that righteouſneſſe that doth exceed the Scribes and Phariſees ſpoken unto by Chriſt, Mat. 5. 20. from which this queſtion was raiſed. Now we are further to conſider that all our own righteouſneſſe, as the Prophet Iſay ſaith, Iſai. 64. 6. Is as filthy rags, and we all doe fade as a leaf, and our iniquity like the winde have taken us away: Jer. 2. 22. For though thou waſh thee with nitre, and take thee much ſoap, yet thine iniquity is marked: Job 9. 30, 31. If I waſh my ſelf with ſnow water, yet mine owne cloathes ſhall abhorre me, Iſai. 28. 20. The bed of mans owne righteouſneſſe is ſhorter then that a man can ſtretch himſelf on it, and the covering is narrower, then that a man can wrap himſelf in it, Iſai. 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire, walk in the light of your fire, and in the ſparks that ye have kindled, this ſhall ye have of mine hand, ye ſhall lye down in ſorrow, Phil. 3. 8, 9. Paul ſaith, Yea doubtleſſe, and I count all things but loſſe and dung, that I may winne Chriſt. Verſ. 9. And be found in him not having mine own righteouſneſſe, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe which is of god by faith: and yet this Paul had as many fleſhly priviledges as any man, for he ſaith, Phil. 3. 4. If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might truſt in the fleſh, I more, circumciſed the eight day, of the ſtock of Iſrael, of the tribe of Benjamin, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law, and profited in the Jewiſh Religion above many my equals, and for my converſa…ion, as touching the righteouſneſſe of the Law, I was blameleſſe, Phil. 3. 6. But all this is but dung: Yea doubtleſſe, and I count all things but loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, and doe account them but dung, that I may winne Chriſt, and be found in him, not having mine owne righteouſneſſe, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe of God by faith, Phil. 3. 10. That ſo I may live out of my ſelf in the Spirit upon Chriſt, unto God above the world, under ordinances, looking to election behind, and perfection before.
2. The righteouſneſſe of a Chriſtian, doth exceed the righteouſneſſe of a Heathen; yea, and the Scribes and Phariſees alſo, in this; he endeavours to walke more by rule, then by example; whereas the Scribes walke more by example, then by rule: again, a true Chriſtian is willing to be ſearched in all things, the other is not: again, he is not only willing to do, but to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt, ſo is not the other: again, he mournes in ſecret when God is diſhonoured, the other mournes when ſelfe is diſhonoured: laſtly, an upright heart doth all things to the glory of God; when he hath done any good thing, if he doth not apprehend God glorifyed by it, he is not ſatisfyed, 1 Cor. 10. 31. So then a Chriſtians righteouſneſſe doth exceede that of the Scribes and Phariſees, in theſe foure enſuing things;
1. In the matter.
2. In the ground.
3. In the forme.
4 In the erd,
he propoundeth to himſelfe in the performance of every duty.
(1.) For matter, that may be ſometimes good, when the manner and circumſtances are naught; but nothing can be good, if the matter be naught; ſuch as are mens principles within, ſuch are their practiſes without; Matth. 12. 33, 34. Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or elſe make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt, for a tree is known by his fruit. Jehu did for matter that which God required, but not from a right principle, 2 Kings 10. 30, 31.
(2.) Now the right ground and principle from which all holy, and righteous acts ſhould flow, is threefold.
1. A pure heart, purifyed by the bloud of Chriſt, by the way of juſtification, Zech. 13. 1.
2. A good Conſcience purged from dead workes to ſerve the living God.
3. Faith unfained, 1 Tim. 1. 5.
Now faith may be ſaid to be unfained, when it hath the true nature of faith, of aſſenting to the truth revealed, and applying particularly thoſe truthes aſſented to.
(3.) For forme and manner; do things required in ſuch ſort as God requires them, not only doing good things, but doing them well;
1. Spiritually and heartily, with heart and ſpirit, not with body only; this God requires, Proverb. 23. 26. My ſonne give me thy heart, and let thine eyes obſerve my wayes. Joh. 4. 24. & 1 Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 1. 9. God abhorres all other ſervices; Matth. 12. 7, 8. Ezek. 33. 31, 32.
2. Sincerely and uprightly as in the ſight of God, Gen. 17. 1. God ſaid to Abraham, Walke before me and be perfit. 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the ſight of God ſpeak we in Chriſt.
3. Conſtantly: perſeverance in well doing, crownes well doing, Pſal. 1. 2. In his law doth he meditate day and night. Pſal. 92. 14. They ſhall ſtill bring forth fruite. Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patience continuing in welldoing.
4. Obediently: becauſe God commands it, therefore in conſcience and love to the command, obedience is performed, as in Noah, Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being warned of God prepared an Arke. Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went. So we might inſtance in David, Pſal. 40. 8. and Paul, Rom. 7. 22.
5. Ʋniverſally, without reſervations and exceptions: Hypocrites may doe many things, as Jehu, 2 Kings 10. 30, 31. Herod, Marke 6. 20. But an upright heart hath reſpect to all things required, as we may ſee and read in David, Pſal. 119. 6. Caleb, Num. 14. 24. Zachariah and Elizabeth, Luke 1. 6. Now O Chriſtian, doſt thou practiſe or performe the things required ſpiritually, ſincerely, obediently, univerſally, and conſtantly? If ſo, then thy righteouſneſſe in the practicall part, doth exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees.
4. And Laſtly, doſt thou do the thing commanded for right ends? viz. Gods glory primarily; 2 Cor. 10. 41. Thine owne and others ſpirituall or eternall good, Matth. 5. 16. & 1 Pet. 4. 2, 3, 4. Low and baſe ends, ſpoyle the higheſt undertakings, as we may ſee in Jehu, 2 Kings 10. and the Scribes and Phariſees, Mat. 6. 15, 16. and Saul, 1 Sam. 15. 30.
Now then, lay theſe foure things together upon thy heart, and ſtate the queſtion to thy owne ſoule; Soule I charge thee in the preſence of the Allmighty God, as thou ſhalt anſwer at the laſt dreadfull day of Judgement; doſt thou looke to the principle from which thou doſt act, and to the matter, and to the manner, and to the ends, and art thou pure in all this in ſome meaſure? then let me tell thee, thy righteouſneſſe doth exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, both in the doctrinall part, and in the practicall part; for they act from a corrupt principle, and for baſe ends to be ſeen of men; and ſo the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes cannot juſtifie a poore ſoule, becauſe it doth croſſe the ends of the Lord in giving the Law, the Lord gave the law to ſhew people their ſinne, and the judgements thereunto due: Again, it cannot juſtifie a ſinner, becauſe then it would fruſtrate the death of Chriſt, then Chriſt dyed in vaine.