A Plain Discourse on Vain Thoughts, Doctrine 1 · Part 11
THUS for the Second Vain Thought concerning Obedience.
3. IT is a Vain Thought, That our own Perſonal Obedience is that which does Juſtify us in the ſight of GOD. The Jews in the Apoſtles times we poſſeſſed with this imagination, that they might be Juſtified by their own Righteouſneſs, a Righteouſneſs of their own working out. They endeavoured to keep the Law, expecting thereby to Juſtify themſelves before GOD. Thus ſays the Apoſtle concerning them, Rom. 9.32. They ſought Righteouſneſs by the works of the Law. And again, Chap. 10.3. They go about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs. Thus do many that call themſelves Chriſtians: They think their own Wo… and Obedience can Juſtify them before the … of GOD: But this is a Proud and Vain Thought
For,
1. OUR own Obedience cannot, …stify for our Sin, and therefore cannot Juſtify us before GOD. Juſtification includes in it an exemption from Condemnation, on the Account of Sin. A Juſtifyed Perſon has no matter of Guilt laid to his Charge. Rom. 8 33. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifyeth. He that i… Juſtifyed is acquitted and abſolved, all Hi… Sins are anſwered for. That then which Juſtifies us, does Juſtify us from all our Iniquities; 'tis that in conſideration whereof GOD Pardon… all our Sins, and abſolves us from the Curſe of the Law; 'tis that which is the ground and cauſe of the Remiſſion of Sin. If it does not remove our Guilt and free us from Condemnation, it does not Juſtify us in the ſight of GOD. Now this our own Obedience, cannot poſſibly do; it cannot make amends for our Sins. Our beſt Obedience is what we owe to GOD, and therefore can't be my Satisfaction for paſt Sins. The moſt Holy Men cannot Anſwer for the leaſt of all their Sins; Job 9.2, 3 How ſhould Man be juſt with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand. All out Duties, and all our Sufferings won't ſatisfy for any of our Sins; the beſt of them are defective and defiled ſo as to need Pardon, and therefore cannot procure Pardon for us. 'Tis only the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, that ſatisfies Divine Juſtice for our Sins, and for the ſake whereof all our Sins are forgiven; Eph. 4.32. Go… for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven you. For the ſake of His Satisfaction GOD forgives Sin to us, and not for the ſake of any Satisfaction given by our ſelves. We are therefore ſaid to be Justified by the Blood of Chriſt, Rom. 5.9. And 'tis that alone which cleanſes from all Sin, 1 Joh. 1.7. 'Tis His Blood which pacifies GOD, and turns away His Anger from us, and reconciles us to GOD; Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son.
2. OUR own Obedience cannot Merit Eternal Life for us, and therefore cannot Justify us before GOD. Juſtification includes in it a Right to Eternal Life; 'tis therefore called, Juſtification unto Life, Rom. 5.18. A Juſtified Perſon is adjudged worthy of Eternal Life, and is look'd upon as one that has a Juſt Title to Eternal Life; that then which Juſtifies a Man before GOD, Merits Eternal Life for him, and is that upon the Account whereof Eternal Life is beſtowed on him. A Juſtifying Righteouſneſs, is a Meritorious Righteouſneſs, which procures for us a Title to Glory. Now this our own Obedience cannot poſſibly do. Our moſt exact Obedience, is far ſhort of what we owe to GOD. Our moſt Holy Performances, are interwoven with a great deal of Iniquity. So imperfect and polluted are our beſt Duties, that the Condeſcention of GOD is to be Adored in taking the leaſt Gracious Notice of them. Far are they from Meriting the ſmalle… Favour, much more from Meriting Eternal Ble… ſedneſs. Heaven is not a Debt due to us from Juſtice, but a gift of Grace thro' Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 6. ult. 'Tis not our Obedien… that purchaſes Heaven for us, but 'tis the Obedience of Jeſus Chirſt in our ſtead that M… rits it for us. Our Obedience may Evidence our Title to Eternal Life, but 'tis the Obedience of Jeſus Chriſt that procures this Title for us. 'Tis he that has obtained Eternal Redemption f… us, Heb. 9.12.
3. OUR Sincere Obedience follows our Juſtification, and therefore cannot be that by which we … Juſtified before GOD. The Objects of Juſtifying Grace, are ungodly Sinners; Rom. 4.5. To … that worketh not, but believeth on him that Ju…tifieth the ungodly. They are ungodly before they are Juſtified, though they do not continue ungodly after they are Juſtified; for in the ſa… moment wherein they are Juſtified, they are ali… renewed by the Holy Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt Juſtification and Sanctification are inſeparabl… joined together, 1 Cor. 6 11. Such were ſ…e … you; but ye are waſted, but ye me ſanctified, but ye are juſtified, in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the ſpirit of our God. None then are Juſtified continuing in Sin and under the Power them. o…; for the Benefit of Sanctification always g…es along with Juſtification. Yet however, …i…n are not Godly, do not lead Religiou… and Godly Lives, until they are Juſtified They do no works Spiritually Good and pleaſing …o GOD, till they are brought into a Juſtified …tate. GOD is firſt reconciled to Men's Perſons and then to their Works; Gen. 4.4. And the Lord had reſpect unto Abel, and his offering. His Perſon was firſt accepted into Favour with GOD, and then his Sacrifice was accepted and well pleaſing to GOD. We ſee then that our own Obedience does not Juſtify us before GOD. By the works and deeds of the Law, (which means our Obedience which is made up of ſuch works,) ſhall no fleſh be Juſtified in his ſight, Rom. 3.20. Let us not then truſt …o our own Righteouſneſs for Juſtification; but let us renounce our own Obedience, as to dependance thereon for Juſtification. We muſt not renounce Obedience as to the practice of it, but we muſt labour to grow more exact therein, and hold on in the courſe of it, as that whereby GOD will be Honoured, and our own Comfort, Peace and Salvation be promoted. Yet however we are not to depend upon it, for Pardon and Life. In this reſpect we are to look off from it, as inſufficient to procure Mercy and Salvation for us; and we are to look only to the Obedience of Jeſus Chriſt to the Death for us, as that in conſideration whereof GOD will forgive us all our Sins, and receive us into His Favour and Kingdom. 'Tis the alone Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt whereon we muſt reſt, and which we muſt bring to, and Plead with GOD for, the Remiſſion our Sins, and the Salvation of our Souls. If we are thus careful to keep all the Commandments of GOD, and yet while we ſo do, have our entire dependance on the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, for our Juſtification before GOD, then are we in the true way to Life Eternal: Our Souls are then ſafe, and ſhall not miſcarry. We then do as the Holy Apoſtle Paul did; who is a ſure Guide to us in this Caſe, Phil. 3.8, 9 Yea doubtleſs, and I account all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord; for when I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having mine own righteouſneſs, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith.